Castlevania: Darkness Never Dies

Fan Fiction

Continued...

Part 1: Gathering darkness.

"Those who search shall find and those who prays shall receive."

Mathew 7. 7.

Chapter 13: Nightmare.
Witchvalley, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D.
"Keep your position Witch 11." "I copy Witch leader." He thanked Dr Frost for the needed technology they needed to breath in this highs as he corrected the path of his Bat-shade, moddel 666, fighter-craft and sunk deeper into his seet. Why the lord of Ondol had sent them and the two other wings of fighter-crafts out on this expedition he didn't know. But he didn't have to know either. "Witch leader, this is Witch 5. I have a visual contact with Brad castle. Everything seems to be all right." "Withdrew." Their commander's voice sounded through his com-station. "The sisters don't like us modernists near their domains." He felt how a humourless smile crept over his face, hidden under his spider-head shaped helmet. "They know us." One of the other wing-vampires said. "Our markings tells we commes from tower of Ondol and they know who rules there." "Keep to your course." Was the leaders only remark. "Sir, the train is right under me. I don't know if it's interesting, but it seems like it's a little bit late." "Just forget it." Their commander said. "Reich would never take a train, not if his life depended on it. Continue to look for him and keep your eyes open for anything unusual." "Yes sir." They all reported. So it was general Reich they where looking for. HE should've known. The undead general had bean sent to pick up something in the power-plant and even dough he had no rank to speak of, he'd heard that something had went wrong. HE snapped out of it. No more thinking now. HE started scouting the terrain below.

Train, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D.
He smiled down at her. She was so beautiful when she slept. When she was awake too. Her strange green hair didn't make him stare anymore. His hand slowly sent through the emerald locks. She deserved to rest now. Hadn't bean for her and Torah, they would must likely be dead by now. Or prisoners on their way to one of those prison-camps Salmissra had told Alicia about. Speaking of which, his cousin sat on the seat across from him, reading in the Bible. It still felt a little strange, how a priest could've placed so much trust in a woman. Not that he disliked it or anything, it just felt so weird, that was all. By reading what was on the back of the book, he noticed it was a Greek translation. Not that he, a simple male-man, knew very much about such forigne languages, but he'd learned some words. What puzzled him was that a common serving-girl, she'd told him that it was her work when they'd still bean inside the mountain. He couldn't help a shudder go down his spine as his mind drifted back to what had happened.

Flashback.

Caverns, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D. He snarled as the fishmen swam all around him, or rather tried to do so. The mermaid medallion, as he'd begin to call it, made him breath underwater, but he couldn't speake and made facial-language mostly meaningless. He smiled at himself. When battling the forces of Dracula there where really strange thoughts which came to your mind. The twin bone dragon blasted out another wave of sonic circle-shaped blasts. He did summon energy into his blade and shot it outward in the form of ice. Adrian had told him that his forces where like Sonia Belmont and Trevor Belmont's had possessed. The ability to summon magic and give it the power he wanted it. But for the moment it was the fishmen who worried him the most. He would have to get out of the water and that fast if he didn't want to become their next dinner. He gasped as his head broke through and he breathed deeply. Even with the mermaid medallion he didn't like to be underwater. He turned around and the giant head of the bone dragon king stared down at him with fire burning in its open gap. "God in Heaven!" He cried as the beast blasted the ball downward. He was finished and he knew it.

End of flashback.

He shook his head. That wasn't anything you dwelled with. That you should've bean dead, hadn't a special little dryad come to save you. "What're you blushing about?" Alicia who'd put away her Bible looked at him. "Nothing." He mumbled as he got to his feet. "Guard the girls. I'll go and see how Adrian is going." She nodded as he closed the door behind him.

Train, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D.
She smiled as he saw his still red cheeks as he went outside. It wasn't easy to comfess that the girl you've promised to protect, protected you instead. She had to comfess that she'd bean just as shocked as him when she saw what she and Torah was capable of.

Flashback.

Caverns, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D.
She summoned the power from the crest of winds and sent three vials of holy water blazing forward, right into the face of the bone dragon king. "Crimson lightning! Balls of Destruction!" Adrian used his vampire magic to take down the spine-bones flying at them. She grimly smiled as the skull of the giant beast finaly fell down into the water. It had bean a long hard battle, but now it was over. "Becare yourself!" Adrian shouted and she jumped in pure instinct as the skull of that blasted beast rouse from the water and started to blast the spot where she'd bean mere seconds ago with a rapid blast of tiny fireballs. Then she heard somebody sing again, she turned around and found Saria singing to yet another bone dragon king. As she sung, brown and green light flowed from her and made the bone dragon king fell limp down into the water it had came from. "A weaker form of the "Minuet of the Forest"." Marcia told her as she fluttered up from her lantern. "It made the bone dragon king fall into sleep." She nodded as she jumped again as the skull of the first bone dragon king again fired a series of fireballs. Pillar of fire shot from the water and hit the bone dragon king right into it's jaw and made it splinter into pieces who burst into fire themselves before they reached the water. "Allways shoot at the jaw." Edward said as he came swimming towards them. "But I don't think we shoud stay here. That other bone dragon king could be back in business any time now." She nodded. Then Adrian came drifting towards them in the form of bats. "We have no choise." He said as he morphed into his human form. "I have tracked the source of the spell keeping us here." She gave him a mystified look. "You must have noticed the stairs led nowhere. It is under a spell curving the reality. I do not know if this Maeglin is behind that too, but it is our friend down there who have cast the spell." She nodded. "I'll go check how Torah and Saria is are going." The two boys nodded and she jumped at the gallery, where Torah was blasting away ice-rings at the rock-armours, fishmen and bone-soldiers coming at her.

End of flashback.

She shook her head. A ghost came drifting through the wall. She snapped it with her whip. There where no real enemies here, but there was some. She sat back down in her seat and again brought out her Bible.

Train, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D.
They had with their combined powers to barricade the entry to the back-most portions of the train. He had, what was the word they used in these periods? Ah, yes, volunteered to stay guard against the servants of his father which might hide in the forward parts of the train. As his mind glided backward to what had happened in the nest of the dragon and the control-centre of the power-plant, his brow became fured so that the light-blonde hairs hidden among his brown locks became visible. He had done war with his father on many ocations and battled several of his servants, but it was long since he had felt the same hatred Maeglin and the anger he had installed in his servants.

Flashback.

Caverns, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D. Edward threw his boomerang-cross at the bone dragon king and destroyed the wave of fireballs coming at them. He smiled, the boy was a good fighter to have at your side, like all Belmonts trained in the art of vampire hunting. He spread his cloak and fired away three balls of bat-inhabited blue balls of flames. The trio did shot forward and exploded around the head of their enemy. "Not bad Al." He wheeled around and glared axes, daggers and other sharp object at the Belmont. Then he smiled. "Your ancestor Julius Belmont used to call me that." Edward returned the smile before he extended his family's blade and went chilling lightnings and bursts of energy spread all over and parts of the bone dragon king froze and fell into the water. "One more load and we've got him." The Morris clansman grinned. He nodded and focused his powers.

End of flashback.

"There you are Al." Turning around he noticed Edward coming down the corridor. "I salute you young Belmont." He said and saluted him with his blade. His respect for the young man had grown as he had seen what he could do against their enemies. Again his mind drifted back to what had happened.

Flashback.

Caverns, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D. The last pieces of their enemy seemed like it became a little paranoid as it began fire away rapid bursts of fire. "Wing of Descrutcion!" HE said as he opened his cloak and unleashed a whole flock of fire-encapsulated bats at their enemy. It looked like it was expecting it, as it did take a base of action and withdrew from his attack which struck into the ceiling. "Time to die." Edward said as he did an appearance from behind one of the other ice-bergs. "Again." The young Belmont ended his statement as he rouse his blade into the sky and made bursts of flames appare here and there in the cave. But most importantly, around the spine and skull of the bone dragon king. Not sooner had the last pieces fallen into the water before the skull did fire away balls of exploding energy. Some of the loads did hit the ice-berg he stood upon and he was forced to take the form of mist to not fell into the water.

End of flashback.

"What're you thinking about old pal?" Edward questioned him, bringing him back to present reality. "The young Fernandez and her half-sister are powerful members of our group." HE said. The young Belmont nodded. "I agree on that Al. Hadn't Torah froze that skull so that you could blast it, we would never have made it." A smile crept over his face. "I might not put that way, but I quite agree with your calculation of the transpired events." Edward presented him with a rather jesting smile. HE did a slight bow, understanding his gests. It was the way he was, nothing more, nothing less.

Train, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D.
Slowly she opened her eyes. She'd bean dreaming about the battle in the stairs where they'd bean faced by that were-fox darkside and her skeleton pet. Looking out at the windows at the night outside. It all cambe back to her now. Something shich she didn't want to remember. Gylldraphe had bean a formidable challenge, but that hadn't bean the worst.

Flashback.

Caverns, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D.
Edward and Adrian came over to them with grim faces. They'd used much energy in this battle for practically nothing. True, the dragon was free and so where many of her eggs, but they'd still lost. "Let's get out of here." Alicia said. "I have grown a decire to see open land again." Adrian nodded as he brought forth the map he and Edward had found in what seemed like ages ago. "I think I know where we should go." He did lead the way along the gallery over to the other exit. As they entered into the stairs Edward and Victor had have their great argument. But now she could see light at the top of the steps. There where some bone-soldiers, armed with bows and swords scattered along the stairs. They started firing as soon as they got sight of them. "Crimson shield!" Adrian spread his cloak and arms so that a swarm of bats flew forward and defended them from the arrows. "Siece fire!" A demanding voice commanded as a silver-fured were-fox, dressed in black cloth, and a bone-commander armed with a strange black rod, came marching down the stairs with other were-foxes and bone-soldiers behind them. "Lord Rowdain order us to evaluate the power-plant. I and commander Gerard will take out these fools who think they might appose the lord of darkness and the new order of vampirism." The bone-soldiers and were-foxes saluted their lords and then left them. "Who will be the first to die?" The bone-commander said as he wherled his rod. Edward, Adrian and Alicia where still tired after the battle against the bone dragon kings and so was her sister. She gulped as she noticed that left only her to battle him. She took a deep breath before she stepped forward and brought out her razor-rings. "Ah, it's you. Rowdain told me about your ancestor, Carrie Fernandez and their battle in the castle tunnel. I will not make the same mistake." She did a near snarl. She'd read about that match. Her ancestor had bean close to perish in that lava-cave. She grinned her teeth as she focused herself and tapped into her deepest source of magic. The pile of bones answered by concentrating black electricity into its rod. As she dashed and did a circle cutting-motion in mid-air, the rings struck the staf sparks and blue and black sparks flew all around. She dived right under his rod and did a crisscross cut at its legs. He jumped backward and she threw herself backwards as the bag of bones threw a trio of skulls at her. "Wall of ice!" She made crystalline ice-blocks appare before her and the skulls crushed them and themselves as they made contact. She did a backflip and the commander's staf went right past her. "Did I forget to tell you I did take lessons in dance and was an aspiring cheerleader at my school?" She joked as she stepped to the side for another barrage of skulls. "Sunburst of the first Dawn!" Beams of golden sun-light shot from her hands and stricked down all around her. She blinked her eyes and did another backflip as the bone-bag before her sent bones flying all over the place. Then he suddenly reconstructed right beside her and trusted his sharp nails right at her hearth. "Hearth of ice." She said and lifted her hand as quick she could to counter. Frozen energy burst through the skeleton and this time, it was over. Or rather, she was also near to be finished off as sharp bones flew all around her. "Crimson shield!" Adrian changed into mist and surrounded her and sent his bats to take out the other bones.

End of flashback.

She smiled softly. If she'd just bean older she should've asked the vampire out on a date. A sour smile went over her face. She could understand why Maria and Yoko had thought so highly about him. But she wouldn't fall in that trap. If what Alicia had told them as they sat in this launge, Adrian still mourned over Sonia Belmont. She was brought out of her thoughts when Saria did wake up beside her.

Train, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D.
"Do you think it was smart of us leaving her behind to die?" Edward asked him. Courtly he bowed before him. "I pray you to not think bad about it." He said as softly he could. "Your cousin's fairy told us others of her kind where near. The kin of the Fey is the keepers of life, we had no choise but to aid them." He could say no else, but the young Belmont was of course right. She was a darkside, but she was also a woman. Oh God, now thoughts he had tried to forget returned to him.

Flashback.

Caverns, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D. The were-fox laughed at him, a cold hard laugh which made his ears sting. "Your little cat is really a good sorceress, but she is no match against me." She shead her dark cloak. Underneath she was dressed in baggy black silk-trousers, pointed velvet boots, black cloth-belt and a black velvet tunic and white baggy-sleeved shirt with lace-work at the sleeves and collard. A red sash, going from her left shoulder to her right waist, did keep a gold-decorated scabbard to her back. With one swift motion, she drew out a slithgly curved sword with only one sharp side. "Ready?" She asked jestingly. "Ready." He firmly comfessed. Without another word, she dashed at him. He turned into bats and reappared somewhere else and there opened his cape and shot forth three balls of bat-inhabited blue fire. She destroyed them with one wave of her hands, unleashing three spheres of strange black energy. "Darkside." He spat at her as she teleported and showed herself as a crystal somewhere else. "This I know about." Edward was suddenly at his side. "My ancestor fought against one of these folks in 1577." The hasty youngster threw his axe at the crystal, crushing it, sending the silver-fured were-fox studdering backward. "You are a good team." She snarled and dashed at him with her blade at the ready. He faced her blow by blow and where rewarded as he was able to cut off one of her arms in the process. His sword where crafted with strong magical powers and where thus able to cut through bought flesh and metal without much efforts. Edward's sword was equally strong and as it came slashing down from the other side, the young Belmont was able to demolish her left leg, cutting that clear off. She screamed as she fell forward, but tried still to stab him from her fallen possision. He ended the match with a quick jab with his sword, dismissing her other arm.

End of flashback.

It had bean much more, she had tried to do combat with them by teleporting around and delivering magical blasts of energy. At the end, it had mostly bean a butcher's work. Her last leg was gone and she had many great wounds all over her body. He was able to hinder the more gruesome details to leak to the ladies as he sent them further up the stairs. He did an effort to hinder himself in remembering them too as he went back to investigate how the other parts of his party was dealing. Edward delivered him a look of understanding and stayed to watch their safety. Softly he opened the door. He knew that if it had not bean for that the darkside had bean weakened in battle beforehand, she would have bean a foridable opponent. He shook his head before he entered into his companions cabin.

Train, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D.
She rose her head, then smiled as she noticed it was Adrian. Then her face grew serious. "Adrian." She said. "I want to speak with you." He nodded and sat down beside her. "I have read the copies of Reinhardt Schneider's diary and the journal of Nathan Graves and know that was the time when Dracula started using technical monsters. But nothing what I've read have prepared me for what we faced in the control-centre." She couldn't help it, the shear memory made her shudder slightly.

Flashback.

Caverns, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D. "Where do you feel the call coming from?" She asked Saria as she closed the metal-door leading downward. "Over there." Torah said, pointing down to the right side of the corridor. "Hm, that would lead us to the commander's chamber." Adrian said, chanceling the map. "Then that's the way we must go Al." Edward said. She smiled as she noticed Adrian glaring at her cousin who merely smiled at the vampire. "Wing of Destruction!" Adrian suddenly spread his cape and blasted away a whole flock of bats, destroying a group of small, strange-looking metal-spiders. "Surveillance-droids." Adrian coldly commented. "Becare. There must be soldiers nearby to operate them." He seemed to consider something before he again spread his cloak. "Mask of illusion!" She didn't felt anything different, but when a little group of polar were-foxes and bone-soldiers came running down the tunnel, she understood that the enemies couldn't see them. "They're destroyed, just as I said." One of the were-foxes argued. "I didn't say I didn't believe you." One of the bone-soldiers retorted. "All I want to know if it's the Belmonts or forces still loyal to Maeglin who did it." The were-fox snorted. "He's dead, the melting ice prove it. It must be the Belmonts." "Oh yeah!" The bone-soldier barked back. "Then why is there troops all over the place who ambushes us when we have our guards down?" The were-fox seemed to consider it for some time. "Then what do you suggest we do? Now that Gylldraphe is gone and Gerard with her, it's those black wanderers who give the orders around here. They commanded us to bring us Maeglin's corpse to prove he's really dead." They where silenced by a chilling cry which came drifting down the hall. "The signal to gather at the hall." The bone-commander said. "They must've realized he's dead." "We'll see." The were-fox shot back as the group wandered down the tunnel. When they where gone, Adrian dismissed the spell and they started walking again. "What do you think about that?" Edward suddenly asked. "It seems like Maeglin has fallen out of favour." She humourlessly commented. "But if the dark wanderers are here," Adrian said. "they must realize Maeglin is not dead." "Quite right." Down from the ceiling, bird-like droids fell. "Drop your weapons or die." "Blaster-droids." Adrian told them as he made a swarm of bats flew in front of them. "They are not to be taken lightly." She nodded and hoped her whip would be effective against them.

End of flashback.

"I must comfess I am not sure." Adrian told her. "I have heard rumours a vampire called Victor Frankenstein was recruited and wandered through time to learn all he could about past and present science and technology. Even so, I suspect that scientists from this time have pledged fealty to my father." She nodded. That would explain a lot about how Dracula could possess so much advanced technology. He must've seen what she was thinking about. He drew his sword and presented its handle to her. "Do not fear." He said. "If I in life or death might save you, it would be done. You have my sword. "And you have my rings." Torah was kneeling before her with her razor-rings presented to her. "My spells are yours if they might help you." Marcia said, fluttering before her face. "You have my bow too." Saria had finally woken up and did kneel before her like her sister and the vampire did, presenting her bow to her. "Thank you all." She said as tears ran down her face. That was what they'd said before they'd entered into the command quarter. Once again her memories drifted back to what had happened in the power plant.

Flashback.

Caverns, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D.
The four polar were-foxes who'd guarded the room lay dead before them. She got to her feet, still a little dazed after Torah's healing. Edward swung his arm as if to test if he really could use it again. Their enemies had bean foridable in their arts of battle and had nearly killed them all. Adrian, who'd bean healed by Marcia since he'd let free his other fairy familiar. It had tried to protest, but after she'd betrayed them, she understood why they couldn't risk having her around. She took a deep breath. She was only trying to ignore what was really important. The holographic table in the middle of the room, showed them an 3D model of the entire complex. The control-throne, or so it looked like, was placed so that if you sat in it you could see your enemies every move. "Down there." Marcia pointed at the other corridor in the room. "There my sisters are." "Are you ready?" She asked them. They nodded, Adrian did salute her, and they went down the corridor. After walking some ten or twenty metres, they came into something who looked like a living cuarter for the personal serving the place. But it was the crack in the wall, leading deeper into the mountain who did really interest her. "Oh no." She heard Torah say beside her. "Poor creatures." Saria nearly cried. "Sisters!" Marcia screamed and darted toward the fountain at the centre of that chamber, which as far she could see, was carved out of the raw rock. "No don't!" She screamed. "It might be a trap!" Her call made the fay flutter right upwards, making her avoid the faint glow around the fountain. "Impressive." Before she could turn to face their enemy, foul winds shot right into Torah and Saria, throwing them right into the cave. "Force-field!" the same faint glow which shone around the fountain now shined at the opening of the cave. "That came from the command centre!" Edward said. She uncoiled the whip and ran after the two boys back to the room they'd first entered into. "Force-field!" As they came into the room, another faint glow blocaded not only the door out from this place, but also the corridor leading back to the fountain-room and the two sisters. "Splended!" The voice laughed from the control-throne as it slowly turned around to face them. In it, completely shrouded in black cloth, sat an ancient-looking crimson-fured male were-fox. "Maeglin." Adrian said as he drew his sword and saluted their enemy. The old were-fox nodded. "Long I have awaited your arrival." A faint smile drew across his face as he did calmly fixted his gaze upon Adrian, before it continued to her. She felt a faint shudder go through her as his eyes seemed to follow every line and curve of her body. "I see why the "tragic prince" desire you." Maeglin said. "How do you…" She wasn't able to finish the sentence as a shining creature came drifting over to sit on the old necromancer's shoulder. "A tiny fay whispered me some words in my ear." "Fairy-familiar." Adrian snarled. "For the second time you betray us." "Lord Dracula only wants what's best for you master." The fay said. "My father died in 1462 when Elizabetha died by her own hand." He said, his voice now colder than she'd ever heard it. "Lord Dracula have never died." Maeglin calmly said. "He is forever. And so I soon will become too. When I deliver you into the hands of the dark lord, I will be forgiven of all my disobedience. I will be granted eternal life like Shaft had before Richter Belmont killed him. Like Celia Fortner have, and Oikawa have received through his faithful service." "Your master's life is a lie." She commented. "Power without faith in light and love is nothing but darkness." "So let it be darkness." Meaglins said as he slowly rouse from his seat. "I'm afraid your Belmont bodyguard will have to die." As he rouse, their enemy lifted his hands and chilling blue lightning She screamed as Edward was thrown hard into the wall behind him.

End of flashback.

She took another deep breath. IT was all over now. At least for a while. There would be at least another day or two before they reached the station at Ondol. And from there, they would take the great North bridge to the castle. Until then it would be best if she could get herself some sleep.

Train, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D.
She got up from her seat. "I'll go and check on Edward." She said. Torah gave her a smirk which made her cheeks turn red. "Have a good time." She said. "Thank you." She sarcastically retorted before leaving the cabin. As she went outside she felt how her own smile broadened. After the wishe the fairies had granted her, she knew she was more capable of defending herself, which gave her a greater opportunity flurting with the mailman. The memories caught up with her. The truth was, she admitted, was that if she hadn't made the whis, not only Edward, but Alicia and Adrian too might have bean dead by now.

Flashback.

Caverns, Warakiya. The Torah spread her hands. "Winter's hearth! Sunburst of the first Dawn!" The spells shot into the seal blocking the fountain. As she opened her eyes yet again, the seal was still there. "Nothing!" Her sister growled. "That was my strongest spells. I should only whish the seal would break then we could…" "Wish granted." The fairy mother siting at the centre of the fountain said and the faint glow vanished. "That I totally forgot." She said. "You might ask three wishes and the fay might grant it." Torah gave her a mystified look. "I thought it was the genies granting wishes." She smiled at her. "They do. But fairies do so too." "In that case, I wish for the other seals to break and the damaged fairies becomes healed." Her wishes was promptly granted as Torah ran down the corridor. "Stay here!" She shouted. "Guard the fairies. We'll be back as soon we've defeated Maeglin!" She knew she was only trying to be nice, but she well knew she was no match for a true wizard. "If only I had the same powers as she had." She mumbled as she softly sat down upon the fence of the fountain. "It is granted." The fairy mother said. She was thrown hard against the water of the fountain as power surged through her.

End of flashback.

She took a deep breath, focusing inwards. The source of power her wish had open still was there. Fire, ice and spirit, that was, like Torah had, her treads to the crests of elements. She saw Edward standing down at the door leading to the next wagon, battling Arabian-dressed black-skinned vampires. She ran over as she brought out her bow and arrows. She didn't blast away spheres like her sister did, but she could now empower her arrows and throwing-daggers with more power than before. She sprinted over to her lover.

Train, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D.
She let her hand glide over her right breast. There was so much she didn't wanted to remember. But she knew this was merely the beginning. She did focus her mind, forcing herself to remember what have happened. All which had happened. Adrian put a hand on her shoulder. She saw in his eyes that he understood what she went through and did want to make it known that she had his support.

Flashback.

Caverns, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D. Edward did force himself to rise. She knew it even dough there where nothing on his face which concluded to that. It was really strange thoughts which came to one when in battle. She inwardly shrugged. She'd thought similar thoughts before. Edward dusted of the ice who'd tried to kill him as the lightning had struck into him. "You have cast aside your gifts of magic." Adrian coldly said. "You have let necromancy and telekinetic trickery absorb all which you once had in true talents. Reflect upon yourself. You have grown old before you should have and ice, the element you where most powerulf in, have eaten up all your other spells." "If you say so vampire." Meagling calmly said. "Then eat ice yourself!" Blue orbs of magic flew from his hands and from the very air around him, blasting Adrian far back. Even dough he tried to avoid them, there where just to many of them. "It is very good for the healt." Their enemy jested as he sent another load at Edward, once again sending him face-flat on the floor. "Phoenix, bird of the sun, servant of the crest of white gold, come to my aid in the name of the One!" She called out as golden energy consumed her whip and the sun-coloured bird flew forward. The load of ice the wizard sent at her mealted and vanished togheter with the Phoenix. "You are good, so good." Magelin smiled at her, a smile which made her feel uncomfortable. Why did all the servants of the dark lord have to be so naughty? She didn't have time to think further about the matter as Maeglin made a huge fist of blue enegy blast at her. "Sunburst of the first Dawn!" Torah's blazing projectile hammered into the attack and made it burst into pices just as she prepared for another attack. "Young fool." Maeglin commented as he made crystals of ice entrap the tiny sorceress. "Wing of Destruction!" Adrian seemed to rise out of nowhere and spread his cape as a swarm of enflamed bats flew right forward. Maeglin sent him sprawling with a counter-strike of wavy claw of ice. "The dark lord will surly destroy me if I where to kill his right-hand vampire." The were-fox said. "So I will instead seal you out of the battle like I did with your little Fernandez." He waved his hand and her friend became completely enshrouded in ice. Then a wave of boomerang-crosses came flying at him, making flames glow all around him. "Impressing." Their enemy laughed. "You did destroy my protection-spell, but no matter, Elizabeth Basraq will be pleased to have a conversation with you." She threw a trio of holy water at him, but by some strange force, it didn't looked like it had any effect on him. "I was not spawned by the castle. So I'm afraid your little trick don't work on me." She pundered it for a moment, which seemed to be all the time he needed. "Be numb bitch!" He blasted her with some strange circle-shaped spell which made her fall down upon her back. She tried to grasp for her crucifix, but her hand was completely numb and didn't move an inch. "Don't give up cousin." Edward came ranning over to her, with his sword drawn and with his boomerang-cross in his other hand. She forced a smile as Edward jumped and once again threw the cross. "He's the strongest who stands most alone." That was Saria's voice. "Paragraph from one of Ibsen's dramas I think." The dryad said as she sat an arrow to her bow. "Think again fools!" She didn't saw what their enemy did, but she felt it as chilling energy washed over her like a wave from the ocean. "Floor-blast." That was Adrian's voice. He must've braken loose from his ice-prission. "Alicia, try to focus on the One." Marcia came fluttering toward her face. She did embody the crucifix in her mind, or tried to do so. "Come to me Belmont slut." She felt how a icy yet powerful brasp hardened around her as she became dragged through the air. "If you try anything, your little Sonia-clone will die screaming for Death to take her." It was Maeglin, she recognised his voice. And it was most likely his hands chorusing her body too. Even dough she was still a virgin, he wasn't the first man doing so. And unlike when the creature-bat and the Inccubus tried to violate her, this in some strange way felt good. She focused inside herself, trying again to see beyond the obious. What she found made her scream. "You, you're empty." She gasped. "You have no soul, not even darkness, all there is, are chaos." Edward did cast a look upon the were-fox, then bowed forward and threw up. "So," Now Adrian had broke through his ice-cage. "it was as I thought then. The nineteenth element does really destroys those who summons it. That must be why my father keeps his spirit intact. He controls chaos itself." "But he don't." Edward said, still a little shocked. "That's why he's hollow. Chaos have destroyed him and the nothingness have taken over." Adrian nodded. "He is no Budhist munk. He has no learning in controlling what he has released into his own flesh." "Healing potion!" Marcia cast her spell and the strength returned to her. As quick she could, she brasped her crucifix and stamped it upon his hand. Screaming in pain he let go of her and she dashed away from him as he blasted a wave of grey stone-like projectiles. "God give me strength!" She called upon the Lord and sent her daggers flying toward the crazy wizard. The daggers became sat ablaze with red energy and buried themselves into his flesh. One in his shoulder, one at his fore-arm and the third one buried itself into his abdomen. "Healing potion!" She almost snarled as Adrian's Judas of a fairy-familiar did heal Maeglin. "Card trap!" Adrian spread his hand and a black playing-card, or so it looked, fluttered outward and a flash of energy seamed like a strange language-sign blinked. As she could see again, the fairy-familiar was trapped inside the card. "Sorry my lady." He did a formal bow at Marcia. "But I think it will be best for all parties if I take care of this little traitor." She didn't saw if Marcia nodded or not, Meaglin was at them again as he blasted away frozen spikes rise from the floor. "Arrow of Godl!" Saria called and an arrow flashing with yellow gold blasted through the command-room. IT would most likely had pierced Maeglin's hearth if it'd hit,him. The bastard teleported and reappared somewhere else to counter-strike with his own array of small bullet-shaped ice-blasts. "Sunburst of the first Dawn!" The ice around Torah blasted outward and the Fernandez stood there with her hands blazing with orange fire. "I heard it all." She spat at the were-fox. "You're an enemy of the universe. You don't summon the nothingness of piece or balance, but the nothingness of inballance and destruction. You have betrayed Christ and your dark lord." With a face filled with an anger she'd never before seen in her young friend's face she turned towards them, as if she wanted to drill a hole into each and every one of them. "Friends, if you could please, kill him!" Adrian bowed deeper and more formally than she'd ever seen before and saluted Torah with his sword "May God forgive us, but let it be as you say my lady." She surprised herself by grimly nodding, as did Edward, Saria and Marcia. "Crest of ruebies!" She summoned. "Come to my aid!" She threw her daggers and made in the same time a huge burning image of the cross burn right over her, blasting away more red fire. Edward rouse his cross over his head, making giant crosses rise all around him, blasting away heavy loads of golden fire. "You cannot stricke me!" Maeglin screamed as he made huge claws of ice appare before him, absorbing their energy. "Sword-familiar, Demon-familiar! Come to my aid!" Adrian made his two familiars appare. "Kill him!" He snapped, then he brought out two more cards. "Bat-familiar, Fairy-familiar!" Come to my aid I command you! Attack him from above!" The vampire commanded the bat-familiar. "And you," He snarled at the fairy-familiar. "you will aid them and heal them if need be." "Marcia, if you could do the same?" Marcia smiled at her. "Of course old friend." "Sunburst of the first Dawn! Winter's hearth! Unicorn of Gold!" Torah's magic nearly made her loose concentration in all its splendour. "Arrow of gold! Blue bow! Star bow!" Saria's shining arrows, blaxing with elemental-power was nearly as impressive as her half-sister's magic. But even as they threw all this at him, Maeglin managed to throw them all off. He did absorb their attacks with claws of frost or orbs of ice and defeated the familiar's attacks with chilling lightning and grey stones. "May it be!" Torah shouted, rising her own crucifix to the scies. "Focus your powers at me!" She then shouted at them. "Are you sure you are powerful enough my lady?" Adrian asked her. "If God will." Was the only replay. She had already done as she demanded, throwing what energy she could gather hammer into the little Fernandez. "In the name of God!" Torah said, her very being shining with all the nineteen coloures of the crests. "Together we stands, in a circle of balance." The child said as she knelt down. "I am your servant, do what needs to be done. Power Of The One!" She wasn't sure, but for a short moment, it looked like a white dow sat upon Torah's shoulder. Then the attack blasted forward and she was completely blinded. "My last wish is for my sister to live and we to get away from here." She thought she heard Saria pray before all went black for her.

End of flashback.

She smiled by the last memory. It had bean a true miracle, she was sure. And that they'd come about again at the train-station right outside the power-plant she was equally sure was another miracle. All servants of Dracula they'd faced beyond that, had bean mere local troops who didn't pose any great threat. It looked like the black wanderers had decided to withdraw after all. She was stopped dead in her tracks as she heard calls coming from the corridor. "A minotaur!" She shouted as she got to her feet. "A commander it sounds like." She uncoiled the whip as Adrian brought out his blade and Torah prepared two orbs of magic. "It begins again." Adrian said before he dashed out the door before she could do it as the first in line. "Men." She thought as she closely followed him.

Barnsdall forest, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
It was a shame her sister hated technology this much. As she walked through the gun-platform half-buried into the snow-covereds ground. Spiker-tanks, two-vampire manoeuvred tank with quick reflecses and semi-heavy cannons. Did click in to park between six other spider-tanks and two were-spiders jumped out. . They where joined with a group of vampire pilots from the bat-shades and some gunners serving the gun-platrom's cannons. The win-leader of the bat-shades and the tank-commander came over to her. ""My lady." The wing-commander began. "There is no reports or scoutings of neither the Belmonts or general Reich have bean received." The tank-commander nodded. "We haven't bean able to fetch them either. Either they're not in the valley or they have supernatural aid." She thought about it for a moent, but was cut short as the base-commander, a slender well-shaped lizardwoman, dressed in the techno-brach used to whear, came over to her. "Trian-commander Brent reports that he and his troopers have unauthorized personal abourd his train." "It is them." She said. "Prepare my personal spider-tank." She snaped. "I must face my sister imidatelly." "Yes my lady." The crew spread to do her biddings. "You there." She commanded the commander. "Esablish a link to the train-commander." The commander nodded and a holo-projector was sat before her. "I salute you my lady." A thin sharp-nosed vampire with greying hair, dressed in the usual black, brown and grey uniform of the Nazi saluted her. Some metres behind him, a younger vampire with a somewhat worried face and a well-tended buird in the same uniform stood. "You reports that the Belmonts are abourd your train." It was no question. "Yes my lady." He neither the less said. "Or so I think. Some of my ghosts have bean destroyed." "Some ghosts you say." She said in a soft tone. "Fool!" She then shouted. "You should have sent your entire force against them!" "My lady." The vampire said. "I thought the advantage of wearing them down would…" "Finish." She snapped as she reached out with her powers. Even dough she was this far away, she could feel him. Feel that he was far weaker than her. She also noticed that the younger vampire was far more powerful than his overlord. "You are no use for me or the dark lord." She said in a dangerously soft voice. "Please my lady." The vampire gasped as fire started erupting from his flesh. "It would be pointless merely punishing someone so useless. All who oppose the lord of darkness must die." She smiled and gasped with pleasure as she felt his pain and death. "You there." She pointed at the younger vampire. "What is your name?" "Captain Michael Walter, my lady." She nodded. "Make the train stop and place your troops around it so that nobody can escape the train." "Yes, yes my lady." She smiled as the final pices of Brent burned into nothingness before her eyes. "You are in command now, commander Walter." The vampire saluted her. "Thank you my lady. I want fail you." "Exellent Walter. For if you should, you know the consequences." "O, of course my lady." Again he saluted her before the hologram vanished. "Your tank is ready my lady." Her pilot said. She nodded him and joined him at their tank.

Castlevania, Warakiya. The 13th of December 2098 A.D.
He calmly stood waiting as the patient on the table screamed her hearth out with pain. "Will she survive?" he asked the were-spider in command of the operation. "She has many inner damages." The tech said. "We're sustaining her with sustained biotechnical replacement for her lost limbs and have bean able to sustain or heal most of the inner injuries but bought her hearth and lungs are nearly destroyed. We had to use much prototype technology on her, like we did with you droid-general Tyrannos, to make her outlive it." He nodded. Then turning as he heard a strange mechanical breathing, coming from the black spider-head-shaped mask and whole-covering helmet. "She is awake my lord." A lizardman dressed in their usual black hoods and cloaks told them. He nodded and stepped over to where the remains of the female were-fox lay. "Gylldraphe?" He asked. "Do you hear me?" She was now more machine than creature, like he was, inclosed in a black life-sustaining armour, breast and belt-controlls. Impatiencent he repeated his question. This time, he got an aswer. Her voice, somewhat changed by the machines, answered him. "Yes my lord. I can hear you." He smiled behind his own skull-shaped helmet before he gave her his first new bidding as a droid-commander. "Lady Rage," He began. "rise." "Yes my lord." The glass which had sustained her as she where going through the healing cycles, cracked and she stepped towards him. "My lord, I should be dead by now. How is this possible?" Inside his helmet, he smiled. That was the very same question he had asked lord Dracula as he'd first awaken as the first of the new droid-commanders. "The dark lords medical and technical aids have done well." He merely said. "Come, walk with me. We have work to do." "Yes my lord." She said as she joined him and left the laboratory. "Since the late Sliff is not able to serve me," He calmly said. "the dark lord presented the task of finding a new aid to me down to the industrial-branch. They found your bruished and destroyed body in a remote area of the Ravenberg installation. They did use the same technology on you as they used on me." He trailed off as another half-droid came up to him. "Well, commander Armageddon, have you found them?" The heavy-built were-shark, with his head nearly concealed behind the plexi-glass cowering the front of his helmet. "No my lord. Stern have sent out all the SS-soldiers he could, as have lord Rowdain, but have not found anything." He considered it for a moment. "Continue the search. The Belmonts must be stopped." The were-shark saluted him. "Of course my lord. Hail deer Graff!" He returned the salute.

Vatican, Italy. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
The door slowly opened. "They are here your eminence." Paul and Jakob entered, followed by half a dozen or so other individuals. "Good." He rouse from the seat of St. Peter and walked toward his guests. "Renata Kishine." The dark-haired woman at the lead of the group presented herself. "The airplane picking me up at Gatwick really made its job." Then her voice became serious. "Have you heard anything about my brother?" He nodded. "The great ones did promise to bring them here if anyone should die. And so far we have only received the late Victor Grant of the DaNasty clan." A woman and a man at the back of the crowd made mournful faces. "I do apologize." HE said. Rebecca Van Helsing and Michael Wincent where representatives for the same clan. And as far as he knew or any report could tell, they where the only surviving members of that clan. "So my daughter might still be alive?" Gustav Schneider and his brother, Heinrigh Scheneider had come to the Vatican after having brought the rest of their family and what member from the Morris clan still alive, to safity in Africa, had bean a real surprise. They'd come to the Vatican before the reports enlisting Alicia Schneider as one of the Belmonts struggling to defeat the dark lord. He nodded and bought of the Schneider men took a deep breath of relief. "The descendants of the Hakuba clan has gathered with the few remaining members of the Fernandez family in USA. In New York I think." Paul informed the gather, who nodded. "When they arrive, we'll have all with the power to defay the dark lord gathered here." He said. "Then what do you plan to do?" He did lower his head. "I do not know really. The churches have decided to stand together against Dracula. But I am not sure if they know what to do either. Sending an army into the territory he controls might be suicide." Renata, clad in a cross-decorated armour and armed with a round shield and spear, like the Lecarde clan used, claped her hand on his shoulder. "We're Belmonts. As you're the pope. You knows what to do." It was nice of her showing her support, but he was far from sure it was right of her doing so. Even dough bought the reports and his personal feelings concluded to that their worriers had claimed two new important victories. But the same sources of information also made him feel uncomfortable. The shadows where rising and in some way, he was sure all they would get was a new sort of trouble.

(A.N: This chapter is short. But it's a build-up chapter for the first group's second big adventure outside the castle. Next time it will be back to Christian and Noriko again. So until I wright again, see you all.)

Chapter 14: The Story Continues | Back to Chapter 12