Castlevania: Darkness Never Dies

Fan Fiction

Continued...

Part 1: Quest of the Vampire Killer

Part 2: Legacy of Sorrow

Take Me to Part 2

Part 1: Gathering darkness.

"Then Peter said. "Master, if I have faith in you so let me come out with you and wander the lake."

Mathew: 14. 22.

Chapter 15: Monster dance.
Forest, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
Bone-captain did restrain his skeleton-horse as the lizardmen he'd sent forward to scout. "What is it?" He demanded to know. "I think it is best you hear it yourself." The lizard-archer in command of the scouts said. They parted their lines and a female vampire dressed in black came forward. "Bone-commander," She began. "my name is Drolta Zuentes. I was an aid of Lady Armster and now an aid for general Lupine. We did become scattered as the 5th brigade of the new order withdrew. I met with the Belmont in the clearing a few miles away." He nodded and then waved toward the bone-soldiers at the back of his group. "Let loose your warg-riders and bone-knights." He commanded his bone-lieutenant. "Yes sir." The bone-officer ran to exetuce his order. "You are welcome to join with us." He said, one of his boar-men quickly went to bring forth one of the living horses borne and bread to serve the dar lord. "Thank you, captain." She said as she claimed into the saddle. He noticed some of the goat-men and boar-men watched how the robe became drew up sow her legs became visible all up to over her knees. "I have some female clothing if you would take them?" "Thank you, captain. I think I will." He waved his hand and the female lizard-men he'd with him, approached them. A grin crept over his skull as he watched the bone-knight and warg-riders leave him to start their hunt.

Forest, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
Noriko looked out from where they'd gathered and grunted. The sun was about to set, but that wasn't what worried her. It was still snowing. And if she knew anything, it had become even heavier. "Try to throw your spirits against me." She asked. "How many times have we tried this now?" Iori asked. "You've managed to reclaim your spider-woman spirits and nothing else." She shook her head. He was right of course. This was getting her nowhere. She could just as well try to set the snow on fire again. Snow couldn't burn and even dough Iori had tried to tell her so, she'd given it a shot. Shrugging, Iori got to his feet and they started walking. Then she stopped, the rough hollow laughter of the possessed knights came throughs came drifting to them from the wind. Then the cracking cuuckle of a bone-soldier sounded. "Get down." She hissed as she hid behind the trunk of a tree brought down by the snow. There was a cluster of giant pine-trees giving more shadow. There they came, one of those wargs and a skeleton-horse, came into view. "I really look forward to getting my hands on that little slut." The warg-rider said, the bone-scout, dressed in a red weapon-robe, black tunic, leather-hood and round helmet, shrugged. "I don't know why you knights enjoy pleasures we regular dead never get to taist again." "But we do." The warg-rider said. "You may not get to penetrate them, but just hearing the sounds they make might get you cum even now." She snarled as she summoned the essence of the Malphas and spred her arms in the wave of wings and a spread-shot of feathers shot forward and made the warg-rider fall to the ground. The warg jumped at her and Iori made balls of black fire made it burst into flames. She reached out with her power of dominance and claimed its spirit. Then the bone-soldier made his skeleton-horse attack. A long series of flame-blasts shoot forward and the dead trees around them burn like thorses. "Idiot!" The warg-rider barked. "The widows don't like it when we burn their trees. Besides, I don't think Redhill won't like us burning down the forest." Noriko summoned the spirit of the harpy and made wind turn out the flames, the snow giving her a helping hand. Then she summoned the essence of the spider-woman and made webs shroud the bone-scout in cobweb.

Forest, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
Another female vampire, a swan-necked copher-skinned female with long heavy waves of rich black hair, looked upon her with her deep seemingly soft brown eyes. She, and a slender grace which made her beautiful even with her shells and horned neck. They'd found the clothing she needed. Crimson pieces of sild concealed her breasts and mid-sections. She smiled, feeling like one of the Master's concubines yet again. She did look around. Some of the traitors was watching them with great interest. "Just so you know it," The swan-necked copper-skinned vampire said. "The blonde and the one with the brown hair is mine." She nodded and turned her attention upon the last of them, another black women. She shrugged, a bat habit she'd taken on from the people of this era, it looked like there where dark-skinned humans where she so looked and turned. Shruging once again. She was no lesbian but she would have to do. "What is your name?" She wanted to know. "Mugabe Ischkira." She answered. And before she knew anything more, Mukabe leaned over and kissed on her lips. She couldn't help but smile as she returned it. This was a female after her taste. "If you want to," Mukabe whispered against her ear through slightly parted lips. "we still have some time before the scouts return. We could go someplace to make out." She again kissed her. This would be something to regain her power on. "Yes," She answered. "I think I might take you up on your king offer." Mukabe kissed her again as her hands went in underneath her clothing. She considered her statement and thought she might come to like this girl after all.

Forest, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
Christian made a sign of the cross as he unleashed the Vampire Killer. This time he didn't have Noriko at his side. This time he couldn't count on her to chase it away by her power of dominiance. This time is was just him and the Legion. After what he'd heard, there where two forms of embodiment this Biblical creature of tormented souls had chosen to appear within. And this was not like when they'd first faced it. Not whatever which was inside the core was surrounded by an globule of wandering deaths. Even before they had faced, the dead had started rising from their graves. They'd nearly overwhelmed him before he'd bathed them with holy water. But he feared that had merely bean a test to try his forces and now the test was over. He again did the sign of the cross. He'd learn enough to not underestimate this creature. He knew it had no face of which he could see, but he could none the less feel it smile at him. It could feel his fear, he was sure of it, and looked forward to kill him. Then, it began. From all around him and from the Legion itself, wandering deaths appeared and started marching toward him. "Father!" He cried as he rouse the vials of holy water into the air. "Into Your hands I surrender my soul!" A downpour of crystalinge drops of holy water bathed the corpses and made them burst into fire. He ran through the still burning piles of flesh, the foul stench merely made him whish to throw up. He sprinkled some holy water on the whip and cracked it at the Legion. It screamed, how it did so he didn't know. But he could still hear it. He continued to whip it, then the rotting hands of the corpses closed around him and he was forced to take them down before they strangled him. They where quick and agile since they for the mostly didn't have any flesh to drag on. He made holy water rain or threw vials at them. Then he kneeled and refilled the vials before he again tried to attack the Legion. But that clever bastard had seen it coming and did now try to crush it under its crushing weight. He screamed for God to save him as he rolled to the side and avoided being squeezed to death. But now the corpses was coming at him again. He cracked the Vampire Killer as he summoned the element of light into his whip. This time the voiceless scream was filled by the pain of something dying. As he gasped, he watched as some of the corpses fell off and for a short moment made him see a strange brain-like body inside it. Then other corpses came and closed the wound. But he'd learned an important lesson by this. If he could wound it it was alive and if it was alive he could kill it. Then he was nearly killed himself as the living corpses again gathered around him. "Curse it!" He screamed as one of those rotting deaths did actually bite him. He felt how the poison of these creatures spread in his body but had only some seconds to go on. With a snarl he took out the remaining deaths and then took some sips from one of the medicines he'd purchased from Renon. The bite-mark still hurt but the poison was gone. He dashed past the corpses still standing and again summoned the power of light as he whipped the Legion. For his inner eye, that strange brown-haired and brown-eyed being dressed in white and silver smiled at him. The voiceless scream again sounded as corpses fell to the snow underneath his feet. "Thank you," He whispered as he again did the sign of the cross. "all of you." Before the corpses could close the wound he ripped out his throwing-cross and made it burn with the element of fire. This time he didn't hear anything, but he saw how a sickening yellow fluid ran from the core. Most likely that was what resembled blood in other creatures, but he didn't have time to wonder as the Legion counter-attacked. From the brain a strange tentacle reached outward and fired a beam of the same colour as it goo-like blood. What saved him was that his cross came twirling back at him and cut the beam right off as it went through. But he had mere seconds to rejoice the gift of life as the wandering deaths again started to pile up on him. He threw the cross at the approaching dead ones as he threw himself around as the brain again fired one of its deadly beams. His counter-strike made more corpses fell from its shell and this time it didn't even had time to gather corpses in an effort to try closing it. He threw the crystal at the core and then had to run as the corpses tried to attack. As he looked back, he noticed that there where little left of its shell and as he watched, the remaining corpses fell to the ground. He ran at it, picking up the crystal as he went along. But then he had to duck and then roll as the Legion was going berserk. It fired beams all around, seting even the snow on fire. Or at least, the thick clouds of smoke rising upward at least made it look that way. He nearly wanted to scream as he noticed how corpses gathered around the Legion and started to pail together a new shell. He rouse one of his vials of holy water and made it rain with all the strength he had in him. Fire was all around him and the smoke hindered him from seeing anything. Then he again felt the desire to scream. Unafected by the holy water, or so it looked, a black wanderer was coming toward him. He let the vial fall, there was no use for it, and instead brought out the throwing-cross and cracked the Vampire Killer. He didn't know if the Legion was down for good or not, but he didn't intended on letting the wanderer discover that after having stepped over his corpse. "Your move." He said as the black wanderer brought out a twin-bladed battle-axe. Then they went into battle.

Forest, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
Noriko sat upon the snow, weeping her eyes out. She'd curled into a ball and didn't care if so Malus came to take her that very moment. "It's alright." Iori put his hand around her shoulder. "They tried to kill you. You had to kill them first." She looked up at him with tear-stained cheeks. "Christian and the druid said I should never harvest a human spirit." "You didn't do that. It was I who stole them. Bucause this accursed skill didn't leave me any choice." She shook her head. "But it was I who killed them. It's me there is to blame." Iori nearly snarled. "It was the humans who did this by serving the dark lord. We can't trust anyone. Who knows where their loyalties lies?" She weakly smiled. "You talk like an adult." She said. "Well," He jhelped her to stand. "someone has to." She didn't wanted to look on the corpses but instead turned her attention toward where she could see the lighthouse tower over the trees. "It's just some metres left." She said as she dusted off the snow on her clothing. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He softly asked her. "It they'd caught Christian then perhaps this could be some sort of trap." "This is what I came here for." She calmly said as she walked over to the giant door. "It's your choice of course." He mumbled as he joined up beside her. Slowly she cracked the door open.

Forest, Warakiya. The 14th of December 2098 A.D.
He slamed one armoured-gloved hand into the open palm of his other armoured-gloved hand. "At the lighthouse. That I should have expected." The black wanderer standing before him hissed, perhaps it was meant as a laugh, but he was far from sure. "Bone-captain Redhill," It said. "I am not here to inform you, I am here to command you. The young Belmont have bean a threat to our dark lord too long. Since you are the only with organized troops in this dark-forsaken forest I turn to you to do my bidding." "Wanderer!" It was that vampire who had came to them a while earlier who now came walking forward. "I think it's time to stop fooling around. I am Drolta Zuentes. I have the decree to gather what troops I need to find and arrest Graham Jones." She rouse her hand and from the ring on her hand a hologram of Death appeared. "The bearer of this ring is an supervisor of of the Dark Lord's will and in the name of the New Order." The black wanderer nodded. He felt an near inevitable urge to snarl but that wouldn't had changed anything to denay the order given directly from Death, the personal aid of Lord Dracula. "What is my orders my lady?" He said, submerging himself to her command. "Gather all your troops. We are to march to the lighthouse as fast as we might able." He nodded and signed to his aids to execute Drolta's orders.

Lighthouse, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
Christian wasn't sure if he was to scream or curse. The black wanderer, or perhaps the Legion itself, had fused with what was left of that demon to form a new Legion. A Legion encapsulated within a blob of ghosts. He'd chased it all the way to the lighthouse. Or perhaps, that thought made him go cold, the Legion had intimidated him to follow it. Now, here, in the bottom part of the lighthouse, the spiral staircase was his only place of safety. Not that it was much safety to find, the Legion was releasing ghosts to consume his spirit. The sign of the cross kept them at bay and the Vampire Killer did short work of them. But that didn't help him as the Legion only grew more. He rouse vials of holy water to make it rain holy water. The power of Christ was with him, that he was sure of and ran downward as the Legion cried with its voiceless scream. He brough out his throwing-cross and made it shine with the silvery power of light. Souls fell from the Legion as came at him. The Vampire Killer whip became consumed by opal fire as he made the condemned spirits which was the Legion burst into darkness. Again he could see the inner core of the demonic creature. "Christian!" He cast a look at the door, Noriko stood there with a shocked look in her eyes. Lightning blasted downward and bat-inhabited blue fireballs did shot from her hands and she was so fierce in her attack that he was forced to run to avoid getting hit. Then something came running in from the night-sky. So much he was able to see before the shadow-like wargs attacked and Noriko and Iori was forced to run in their turn. He made the power of wind consume the Vampire Killer as a new force of eternal-suffering ghosts came flouting at him. He didn't have time to worry about the others. The Legion had already closed the wound and was again sending forth evil spirits. Again he ran up the stairs to avoid the enemies.

Forest, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
Something inside Noriko's head told her these creatures where called Fenrir, the shadows of the Hell-hounds and to some degree even more dangerous than their living, it they could be called that, cousins. She'd summoned the power of the vampire and, again being surprised, she noticed that beside the vampire essence and the spider-woman soul was the only souls she had left. Somehow she'd concentrated all the other spirits into these two and made them grow more powerful. But that was beside the point. The blazing bolts of lightning and the burning bats didn't seem like they had any effect on the Fenrir. There where only seven of them, yes, but seven was enough to take them down. Now, she and Iori stood with their backs to the wall of the lighthouse as she filled row after row of fireballs into the shadow-wargs. And even dough the Fenrir snarled and fell to their knees they just rouse and again tried to jump at them. "Curse you, curse you all!" Iori snarled at them as he spread his hands and tried to absorb their souls like he'd done the bone-soldiers and traitors. "I don't think you should try to do that." She whispered. "The darkness seams like it overwhelm everything I might do." It looked like he didn't heard her. The Fenrir snarled but didn't looked like it worked anymore now than before. "Fire at will captain." The poisonous hiss of a black wanderer sounded. "Yes sir." The bone-cracking voice of a bone-soldiers answered. "Bat-shield!" She made a swarm of bats appear in front of them as a group of bone-archers, goat-men, lizard-men and boar-men shot arrows or bolts from their various bows and crossbows. "Away with you." The black wanderer snapped at the Fenrir who slowly withdrew. This didn't felt good, it didn't felt good at all. Now a new row of soldiers stepped forward, traitors, dead worriers, walking corpses armed and armoured with swords, shields and armours, together with a few vampires and bone-soldiers moved forward. Now that the Fenrir was gone, she knew she could outdo at least some of these baddies.

Lighthouse, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
The crystal made souls rain from the Legion and rouse to face him. That was the tricky part about it, when he made the shell crack the ghosts falling from it would rise to face him. He gathered all his five powers, fire, earth, wind, life and light and gathered them around the whip and made spheres of different elements blast forward from it and the ghosts burst into darkness. He knew the darkness could damage him if they should make contact with him. He jumped down from the highest point of the spiral staircase and used the power of earth to make platforms appear and landed right beside the Legion and again threw the crystal at the Legion. At first he'd bean afraid to use it, but now he used it just as offensive-minded as he used the other weapons. Ghosts fell from the giant globe and he threw the boomerang-cross and vials of holy water at them as he continued to crack the Vampire Killer at where he'd bean able to open a wound. The remains of the Legion fell down and so did its core. With a grin on his face he swung the whip at the remaining ghosts and then wrinkled his brow, or tried, he was too young to even have wrinkles yet, as the ghosts continued to swarm him. As he finished the final ghosts, he noticed a form, changed by other ghosts, stood before him. Its expressionless black face made chills go down his spine. He felt how the hair in his neck rised. "Time to die Belmont." Now he knew where the coice had came from and he felt an desire to scream as the giant form fired a powerful beam forward.

Forest, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
Drolta looked out on the battlefield. Those children still stood tall against them. Even against an army consisting of more than 300 men they still continued their usless resistance. Beside her Celia, that was the name of the swan-necked vampire who had befriended her, and the dark wanderer stood watching the ongoing battle. "I only see the young Cruz." The black wanderer said in his voice wich made her think of rotting leaves which was crushed as a snake crawled across them. "Who is the boy at her side?" She opened her mouth before she understood it was a rhetoric question. None of them knew who he was. "He seems to possess some of the Dark Lord's power of dominiance." Celia commented. "Be mindful young Fortner." The wanderer said. "Lord Dracula did not send you here to point out the logic." "Yes my lady." Celia mumbled. She threw them bought a look. If that was Celia Fortner, the former leader and reorganizer of the dark lord's followers, then she must be among those few who could rise in any number of appearances if she so wanted. She was one herself but she had not heard about this new one. No mather, that held no importance for the moment. Then the soldiers withdrew somewhat and she grasped the arm of one of them. "What is happening?" She demanded to know. "Captain Redhill will try facing them himselvelf." The boar-man said. Then a human came walking to them and gave something to the dark wanderer. "Captain Redhill asked me to give you this in case he should fail his attempt." The black wanderer nodded before it presentet to her. She almost gasped when she noticed what she'd bean given. It was the moon-pearl, the sign of the commanding-officer. When Death had found her and ordered her back into service he'd given her one of those holo-rings, but this was the ultimate sign. If Redhill was to fail, she would rise to true command of this region. "You go forward and aid him." She commanded the wanderer, almost sure he would reject her. But it merely nodded and went forward. "Ceila," She said to the other vampire. "I want you to go and find Akmodahn and convince him to deliver us more troops. The vampire nodded and then just vanished before her eyes. A smile rid of all humour crept over her face, she had forgotten that Celia was like Shaft, a shadowy mage, and trained in the dark arts of wizardry. She waved her arms at the soldiers who gave way to her and soon she stood at the front line of her serants. It was Noriko, that was the first real glimpse she'd gotten of her since she'd bean resurrected and she could feel her power. The foolish girl was molding the spirits she harvested into a few top-powered spirits instead of using them all for what they where worth. Then again, bilding the spirits of choice was just another path to power. And if nothing else, she did truly respect the ones who possessed true powers of dominance.

Forest, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
The bone-knight, Redhill Noriko thought they'd called him, did slash its whip at her. The short-sword and shield one of the lizard-dancers had lend her. She'd hoped to fetch a lance instead, but none of those they had was small enough for her. Another thing was that she didn't wanted any help from the servants of Malus. From the vampire spirit she knew how to use a sword and shield and was thus able to counter the bone-captain's, that she was sure was his rank, slashes. As he withdrew to counter-strike she summoned the spirit of the spider-woman and slashed at him with one of her cobwebs and it would most likely had crushed him into pieces if it had reached it but it split into a storm of bones and rebuilt somewhere else. Now he had a spiked-rod in his hands. Nervously licking her lips she summoned the power of dominiance and threw it at the bone-knight. The attack sent him flying and she felt how new power welled up inside her. She opened her left palm, the shield falling out of it, and a claw of bones grasped outward and crashed into her enemy. "Good!" Iori laughed beside her. "You're so good. With our power we might change the world and end the reign of these monsters." She smiled, feeling the power inside her. She knew it was true. She could just reach out with her hands and all these creatures would be hers to command. Stronger than ever before she knew these things to be true. Then she looked at Iori. If she where to become the Dark Lord, or Lady in her case, she would have to kill all other whit the same power. She didn't want to kill him. And as she thought so, she noticed how the bone-soldiers, goat-men and traitors stood around her. She didn't want to rule them. She wanted them to go away. Then she screamed as Redhill's whip. "It's unwise to lower the defensive." The bone dead one said. She threw a web over his head, surprising him for a moment. She took a deep breath and then spit at him. Acid made his bones melt and she thought she felt him scream as he collapse on the snow. Then it was she who screamed as one of the black wanderer came walking at her. The power she felt from him made her sure he would kill her this time.

Lighthouse, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
Nuculous, according to Trevor that was what it was cold, made four blade appear and he was forced to run as even more ghosts did drift toward him. He'd lost how long he'd battled this creature. Every time he managed to score a hit, it would just continue the attack. That lapse of thought nearly cost him his life as his enemy again fired one of its twisted lasers. He ran as high up as he could and held out a vial of holy water, he was running them on those strange crystals now, and made it rain down holy water as long he could. Then something new happened. That accursed beast knelt down, as if it was in pain and then started to swell in size. Then it leaped high into the air and as it landed, shock-waves went through the room and now it was he who fell to his knees. But that wasn't the end as bricks started to fall down all around them. He lifted his crucifix and became encapsulated inside a wall of shining crosses. Generating more power into his attack, he summoned for the power of wind and made red tornadoes, each with a cross at its hearth, became blasted all around the tower. The giant moaned as if he'd really damaged it this time and shrunk back into its normal size. Right through the wall a foursome of ghost came flying at him. He threw the boomerang-cross at them and made it split into many and thus quickly finished them of. He was on the offensive this time as he grasped the cross on its return and this time threw it at Nuculous. The giant screamed so more blades became shot from it and one of them hit him in the shoulder and made him stumble backward. He felt how blood ran from his wound as more ghosts came drifting at him. He brought out the envelope containing the body of Christ and the ghost burst into fire as they came close. He kissed it as he returned it and again brought out the crystal and sprinkled it with holy water. As the crystal hit him, he again gazed with eyes wide open as it grew into a towering giant. But even so, it was like there where something new about it. Then, as he generated that shield of crosses around himself, he noticed it. It was only its outlines left, the light who'd filled its insides where gone. Then his crystals where all used up, and the stones came raining down on him and crushed the stair under his feet. Bringing out his pieces of the Host, he fell down to meet the floor below.

The black wanderer stepped out from the shadows. Slowly it walked toward where the Belmont lay. Then, a few metres away from his sleeping body it was like a wall stood. It was hindering him in reaching the human inside. He snarled, or would have if he had not bean a wraith, as he noticed the envelope laying near his enemy's hand. Very well, so let be it. The soldiers in the tower would most likely kill him. And if they did not, if they failed lord Oikawa, the ones outside would most likely do the work for them. Suddenly his head rouse, he felt one of his fellow wanderers was near. And he was in danger. Again stepping into the shadows, he would go where he needed to be.

Forest, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
It was like a burning needle was turning inside her brain. She tried to not pay it attention as the black wanderer came walking toward her like Death in black robes. Suddenly a sword with the same sick glow as the axe she'd seen in the hands of the wanderer in the manor, and with a one-handed battle-axe in the other. She dropped to one knee and picked up her shield. Martial arts would be her only real weapon against these monsters. She just to clear remembered how her soul-power had seemed to fasten in its robes when she'd last fought them. With a quick move with made a worm look slow the wanderer slashed at her with the axe. She countered with her shield, which she for security had crystallized with the power of the vampire's essence. The crystal shattered but the shield held. Now it was she who lounged at him, it, and used her sword to try to reach his robes. But the little instinctive skills the power of dominiance and the vampire essence gave her was no match against the black wanderer who'd honed its skills for more than 400 years or more. Soon it was she who was driven backward. She cast a look over her shoulder to see if Iori would come and aid her. And felt how her belly seemed to freeze as she noticed how he used his powers to dodge the sword and dagger of yet another black wanderer. This was the end, she was sure of it. Then rage welled up in her. This wasn't fair! She wouldn't have it end like this. She would rather die than become Malus's plaything again. She wanted to get away, she wanted to find Christian and make him help her to…

Lighthouse, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
She glipped with her eyes. This was impossible. How could she be in one place and then just be another place the next one? She saw for her inner eye how she stood at the top of the pillar and then she suddenly stood there. Then she understood it. In her rage she'd discovered the vampire's ability to teleport. Then she noticed Christian, who stood on his knees as he pressed one of his hands against his head. She noticed how blood ran from beneath his fingers. She quickly teleported to his side and grasped into her backpack. She smiled, she hadn't lost them. She still had some of the healing potions Remon had sold her. "Noriko?" He said in a somewhat dazed tone. "Then the giant…" She presented the vial to him and after some moments where he just looked at her, then he slowly drank the potion. As he drank she could see how the health returned to him. He dried the blood from his brow and got to his feet. "Thank you Noriko." She returned his smile. Then, as she told him what was going on outside, the smile vanished from his face. He bent down to pick up an envelope and then cracked the whip. "Lead the way." He grimly said. She nodded and lead him over to the door.

Forest, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
As soon he came out, he knelt down to refill his vials. Then he rouse just in time to hinder a band of bone-soldiers and goat-men in killing him. The spiked-club who was meant for his skull cracked into the wall of the tower. He threw the boomerang-cross behead the first goat-man before he threw himself in among them and cracked his whip at them. A spiked-club slamed into his shoulder and only his shoulder-plate hindered him in getting his sholder broken. He knew this was merely a set up to hinder him helping Noriko and Iori against the black wanderers. Not that it looked like they really needed help. With their teleportation spells they managed to dodge the wanderers attacks but he knew that they sooner or later would be worn down so they don't could teleport. It cost physical strength to use the power of dominance. that he'd learnd by studying Julius Belmont's left papers. He throw vials of holy water at the bone-soldiers who tried to seek cower behind their shields and watched them burn away. Then a group of human traitors blocked his path. "Here it ends, boy." A broad bulky-built man with a greying buird said as he drew out his gun and the other men brought out swords and guns. They where all dressed in shabby leather and woollen clothing with worn-out fur-coats and caps, some even had misfit mails or a breast-plate and perhaps some armoured gloves. They didn't scare him. "You humans of such a wailing faith, you have bean betrayed by your own lust for power. May God forgive me." He did the sign of the cross, the men merely laughed at him. "Your supernatural trisck won't work on us boy. Their weakness isn't our weakness." Then the leader fired a shot and the others where quick to follow. He knew that none of his weapons could stop a bullet in its way. "I think we found us a good dancer." One of the other men laughed. "Kill him your idiot!" The leader shouted as he slaped the other man in the head. The four other ran at him with their swords at the ready. He cracked the Vampire Killer at them as he summoned the element of fire to burn around the silvery chains of the whip. They screamed and cursed as his weapon made them burn. Again he had to run as the leader and the other gunman fired. One of the other men became hit by a bullet, but that one didn't came from the enemy. "Shot him!" The leader ordered, but this time they pointed the gun at somebody beyond him. "Continue Chris!" A familiar voice shouted. "These bastards don't stop just because their leader don't command them." He laughed with pure relief. Then the men came at him again and now he brought out his ocarina and through the Bolero of Fire summoned the totem of fire, the dragon, to appear in a blazing orange fireball who made the men run in fear. As he stopped playing, a nervous George came slowly walking toward him. Then he laughed as he used to do. "I see you've grown since we last meat." He too laughed. It just was so good seeing the man he'd thought he would never see again. "But George," He said as the laugh subsided. "why are you here? What happened with father Joshua and the others?" The former salesman shrugged, but even so he could see tears on his face. "They're rounded up by the army. That old slug Dimitri came to Britza with an entire legion behind him, or so it looked like. The only way I managed to get away was that some of these bastards knew me as one of their allies. But trust me lad, never again I am going to trade with those creeps." He opened his mouth to ask what've happened with the others when a new group of goat-men, bone-soldiers and other traitors came at them. "We must get to Noriko." He told him. "Aye." Was George only remark as he drew the ball-and-chain at his side. Together they threw vials of holy water to clear space around them. To his silent joy he noticed that even dough it didn't kill them, the water made minor burns erupt on the traitors flesh. They where still humans, but they'd left God and was so outside of His murcy. He made a shield of crosses appear before them as the goat-men started firing with their bows. The arrows became set ablaze and vanished as they came into contact with the holy barrier. Again he brough out the ocarina and played the "Requelm of Earth" to summon the giant worm who was the totem of that element. Surrounded with with the clear brown light of its element it made rocks fall among the dark servants. "Nice." George smirked as they stood watching the fleeing soldiers. Then the smirk vanished and he felt how a chill went down his spine. His blood became cold with fear as he noticed her walking toward them. "Again we meet." Drolta Zuentes said. "But this time you have no harp-playing druid to send me back through time. This time it is just you and me." "God is always with me. As He is with all who believe in Him." He said as he knelt to refill his vials. "Stay back George. Go and help Noriko. This is my battle." George looked like he would protest, then he looked upon his determined face and then upon Drolta who's eyes shone with a dark desire to kill and nodded. "Good luck." He merely said as he jogged away. Drolta smiled. "Monster dance." She said with a smile on her face. "And I really look forward to this." A chilling wind started to blow around them as she spoke. He merely stood tall, then he did the sign of the cross and recoiled his whip.

Forest, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
He knew it wouldn't work, but he sprinkled some holy water on the silver-bullets he'd found inside one of those candle-stands and lauded them into his gun. "In the name of Christ, our Lord." He mumbled as he fired a shot at one of the black wanderers. The bullet rocked right through the dark creature and even dough it didn't seam to wound it, fire rouse from where he'd shot it. "You underestimate our power trader." The foul creature hissed like poison. "Go back to selling goods for the renegade servants and be pleased with that." "I don't think so." Noriko summoned down bolts of lightning, and even dough it merely rouse its hand to create a ball of blackness who simply swallowed the bolt, it gave him time for the real attack. He sprinkled holy water upon his throwing-cross and then spoke a short prayer, one he'd learned from that boy, before he threw it. The wanderer tried to swallow even that with its blackness, but silvery fire ripped through the darkness and even dough he tried to hinder the flames from spreading he burned away in front of their eyes. "Curse you humans." It screamed before it vanished. Then it was he who screamed as the other wanderer's dagger tore through his overcoat and made blood splatter over his chest. The breast-plate had merely blocked it, but it hindered the stab from reaching his hearth. It brought up its sword to continue the stab to the hearth with one who most likely was meant for his head. But as the blade came close to his crucifix it exploded and spread burning pieces of metal all over the place. "Nay!" The wanderer shouted as he brought out his holy image at the wanderer. "You are not the one who shall send me back to the Dark Lord!" Blue flames erupted around its gloved hand and a massive bolt of fire hit him and sent him flying backward. Then the darkness took him.

Forest, Warakiya. The 15th of December 2098 A.D.
The gusts of wind blew at him and made him fall backwards. He cracked the Vampire Killer at the winds, not sure if it would work, and thanked God as the winds seamed to scream and shatter. "You have grown stronger since last time we met." He commented as he got to his feet. "Stronger than you might believe." Drolta laughed as she made a gust of blue winds blrew at him. He could see its chilling effect on how it froze the snow and made it turn into ice. He prayed in his hearth as he summoned the element of fire to burn around his whip as he cracked his whip at the wind. The flames froze into tiny blocks and fell on the snow, but the wind became shattered. Drolta teleported like mist and suddenly was right before him. She grasped for him with her fangs extended as he grasped for his crucifix. She again teleported and reappeared someplace else and then commanded a swarm of bats to fly at him. He brought out his ocarina and prayed the "Toccata of Wind" so a Phoenix, the totem of the element of wind came flying out of nowhere and with its powerful wings blew winds who made the bats scatter. "As you see," He smiled as he put back the ocarina. "I too has grown in strength." Drolta didn't answered as she this time made a flock of wargs appear and dash at him. "Christ!" He shouted as he made a ring of crosses rise around him to block the wargs. They cried their mournful cries and ran away. Drolta snarled at him as she made a new swarm of bat fly at him as she threw gust after gust of wind. He felt how his body shivered in cold as the winds enshrouded him and felt blood run down his arms and shoulders as some of the bats flew through his defence. "Give in to the power of darkness." Drolta pressed as she made more winds blew at him. "Never!" He shot back. "God have all power on Earth and Heaven. Christ is our saviour and the good Saints protect us and give us guidance. If I'm to die, I'll die as a true Christian." He brought out his envelope who contained the pieces of the Host and faithfully kissed it. "The darkness is the ultimate power in the universe." Drolta countered. He saw how a giant shadow gathered behing her. "You don't know what you've done." He said as the silvery light shone around the Vampire Killer. "Strike me now." She laughed. "And you will grant me more power than you might imagine." "No." He said. "I want link your spirit to the demon castle. You became resurrected at random because somebody wanted your body. I want comit to that sin by prisoning you in this world." As he spoke those last words, the smile on Drolta's face became a snarl so deep that she nearly became ugly. She lifted her hands and drew her hood down over her face, when he could see her again. She'd done battle-gars. She let the robe fall to the ground and underneath she was dressed in armoured-plates covering her shoulders, fore-arms, legs, neck, breasts and mid-sections, soft leathery knee-long boots and spiked wrist-protectors and a horned helmet who merely cowered her upper skull completed the outfit. "Prepare for the final dance." She said as the wicked smile reappeared on her face. She reached out with her hands and a slightly one-sided blade and a long-bladed dagger appeared within them. He gasped as he noticed the blackis and green goo upon the blades. "Poison." Drolta corrected as her smile deepened. He nodded. His whip wouldn't be to any help against a sword. He grasped inside his backpack and brought out his short-sword, then he brought out one of the silver-daggers from his clouting. Then he kissed the cross-shaped hilt on the short-sword. "In the name of Christ, the one true son of God, amen." Drolta dashed towards him and as their blades made contact, blue bolts of lightning struck around them. "Your slight skills are nothing against the dark powers of the world." She gleefully jested. "I don't belive in your lies." He calmly said as he turned her blade aside. Mathew had learned him more than the history of the Belmont clan or to use the Vampire Killer and those other weapons, he'd also learned him how to use a sword. Now he swiftly, with eace, moved from one position to the other, meating her blo by blow. She was a match for him. That he hadn't expected. The old tales told that where the male vampire used swords and spears, the femaline used temptation and traitorous black magic. He pushed aside the thoughts, thoughts where dangerous in these kind of battle. If only he could remove the poison, that nearly cost him his head. He dropped to the ground and rolled to the side. He quickly got to his feet and threw his dagger at her, before he brought out another one. The dagger he'd thrown hit her in the leg and blood ran down the luxurious skin. If she'd bean a were-wolf she'd bean dead. But she wasn't and she gnarled her teeth as she drew it out and threw it at him. He did manage to avoid the blade and then threw the second one. Her wound was already closing, as this one dug into her belly. She screamed and tossed her own dagger and then drew out his own blade at him. He brought the ocarina to his lips and softly played the "Minuet of the Forest" and the unicorn, the totem of life, galloped past him and ring of telepathic force blasted from its shining white horn and made the projectiles she'd thrown at him vanished into flames of whitish gold. He did the sign of the cross as he placed it inside his purse and just had enough time to bring up his blade as Drolta attacked. Blue bolts of lightning shone like sparks around them as their weapons made contact and the force and counterforce of their different magical powers also became part of the combat. Back and forth they battled and the snow who became whirled up by their moves melted into smoke when it hit one of their blades. "Die Belmont!" She gathered a ball of blue fire in her left hand and was about to hurl it at him. "Not if God will." He repeated the words he'd said before as he just as quick grasped his crucifix and pressed it against her lifted hand. She screamed and he felt a desire to throw up as the sweet smell of burning flesh came to his nose. But the wound soon healed, as all lesser wound inflicted on a vampire did, and this time he wasn't quick enough as she swung her extended claws at him. He screamed as they tore through his jacket, shirt and skin and made blood spill down his arm. He noticed she began drooling by the sight of his blood. He struck before she got out of her reverie. He jumped and with one powerful swing of his blade he removed her head. "You think you might defeat me?" The voice came from nowhere, her head had already burned away. He felt how his blood became cold with fear. Chills went down his spine and his hear stood upon end. "God preserve us." He whispered as he tore open the envelope and pressed a pice of the Host against her hearth. Flames roared all around her but not even that was enough to kill her. He recoiled the Vampire Killer whip as the flames became blue and cold and threatened to freeze him. Still pressing the Host against her hearth he struck at her, again and again, until she lay in a heap. Then she just exploded. He felt screaming winds blew at his face as if gates to the infinite darkness opened to swallow her corpse. "Christ," He whispered. "if you'we ever loved us, then grant me help now." Silvery light shone from his closed hand. Slowly the darkness subsided and he noticed the burning object in his hand, was the Host and something else. The branch of a burning bush. "Amen." He knelt and did the sign of the cross as the branch went away.

Forest, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
Iori helped her to stand as she limped over to where George was laying. "He's still alive." Christian said as he lifted his head from his chest. "Thank all good Kamis." She said. Then she looked on all the terrible burnings on his body. Not even the healing potion had managed to heal those. "I know." Iori softly said. "He's dying. If only that vampire had still bean alive, we could've forced her to infuce him with some of her blood." Christian shook his head. "Better to rest in the warg's belly than sleep in the grave of a vampire. Abraham Van Helsing wrote that in his memorandum in 1897. I agree with him. George would rather die than live as an undead. But he don't have to die. St. Germain gave me this." From the pocked which she knew housed his Host, he brought out something which looked like a simple gold cross. "What's that?" Iori asked as he looked curious at the little object. "This is what they call a "token of reclamation". It will bring back those who's even an inch from Death. George is close to that moment now. I only hope it will work." He plased the object in George's hands and then lifted his hand and dried his finger at his eye. One of the tears she'd seen in his eyes now shone upon his finger as he let it sprinkle upon the cross. "Let it be," He said as he did the sign of the cross. Somewhat clumsy, she did the same. "in the name of Christ." Christian finished and the soft golden glow washed over George's body. She gasped as she noticed how the burns and wounds slowly vanished and his breath and puls again became that of a healthy man. She knew she wasn't close enough to hear or feel anything of it, but either way she just knew it. "How," George broke off to clear his voice. "how is this possible? I should be dead. I know I should. That wanderer…" He broke of as Christian carefully removed the strange cross from his grasp. "The miracles of God are many and don't need to be explained." She shook her head, sometime Christian sounded like an adult. And not one of those adults she'd met. "What are we to do now?" She asked as George got to his feet and Christian had gathered all his daggers. "Into the lighthouse of course." He said. "We still ned a dark lantern to cross the lake." He then wrinkled his brow. "You don't have to come with me if you don't want to." "Oh," George said. "don't mind. I've gone with you this far, I might as well keep up with you the rest of the way too." "I'm with you too." She said. Even dough Iori was there, she still didn't want to be left alone in this frozen wood. "Then I go with you too." Iori said in a tired tone. Christian nodded. The lighthouse loomed high into the star-spread night sky.

Forest, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
He rouse his head and carefully smelled the air. "What do you smell?" Bolg barked at him. Bolg was one of those stinking boar-men. He would like to tear his throat out and rost his belly over the fire. But, he was a far better worrier than him, Slyrock, one of those lizard-dancers, would surly take his side. She was a slender well-shaped little thing he would like to have, but she would rather stab him with one of the daggers she hid in her cloth. He moaned when Gnarl, his fellow goat-man hit him in his own belly. Even dough the shabby skin-shirt took of some brunt, it still hurt. "Answer him or…" He'd drew his knife, he moved at his spiked-club but Slyrock put it of as she made a quick twirling motion and cut them bought in their hands so they lost their weapons. "Is there anything more you have to say?" Her soft slippery voice made Gnarl become silent. "Man-flesh." He said as he licked his wound. She would die slowly and painfully, he would see to that. She would most likely be a better meal than Bolg. "Get on guard." Bolg barked at them as he brought out his bow and placed an arrow to the string. "Aye." He said as he picked up the club and Gnarl his bow and arrow. "Fire at will." Slyrock said. He nodded as he let go of the club and picked up his own bow. Then he saw something move in the forest, something black, and he fired at it without thinking twice. The next thing he felt was Bolg's sword who pierced his back.

He let Narg's corpse fell to the ground, his flesh would serve as a meal tonight, but that wasn't important. Even dough their food-stocks was going low. "Put away those things." Slyrock commanded as the new arrivals came walking toward them. It was four of those crossbow-armed walking deaths, another boar-man and a lizard-dancer, just as good-looking as Slyrock herself, and one of those darksides. "There is no more of you here?" The darkside asked. Slyrock shook her head. "We where a few more when we ran from the giant worm. But we ran into another group who didn't intended to obay the command of regrouping. We had to kill them." The darkside nodded. "No mather. I will regroup what troops I may find and return to the lighthouse and kill that Belmont brat." They all got to attention when they heard toot-steps coming toward them. "It's just three." Gnarl said after smelling the air. Then he fell forward with a black-feathered arrow in his throuth. Bolg snarled, he didn't like goat-men, but they where under his command and that ment he would have to take care of them. "Lord Dracula and the ancient dragon!" The war-cry sounded as three polar where-foxes came running through the wood with their Katans drawn and ready for battle. They screamed as the darkside leached out with one of his whip-like bolts of black lightning. "Fools! You killed one of the men loyal to the Dark Lord." The darkside scoaled as he moved over to where they'd fallen. "I see you all three has bow so I cannot know which of you who killed him. I then have no choice than picking out one of you at random to die." He couldn't help but laugh as he waved for him and that other goat-man to pick and do what they wanted with one of the where-foxes. He licked his lips and out-standing teeth as he caught the sight of a cute dark-blonde female. She tried to resist as they pilled off her armour and weapons. But the lightning of the darkside has stunned her enough to restrain her from doing anything. As her body came into wiev, he decided not to kill her unless he became really hungry. She would be something to play with during this campaign. "Find something to dress her with." The darkside commanded. "She is not to disobey me by dying of cold." Slyrock went over to her belonging and threw to the were-fox one of her sleeve-less low-cut dresses and some other things he didn't knew what was. He had already began to remove the shabby outfit of Narg so they could remove his flesh. He again liked his theet as he began to cut with his knife. This would turn out to be a good night after all. He could tell the darkside wanted them to be quick, but he noticed the darkside itself have a keen interest for the blood spilled on the snow. "You want some?" He asked. He could feel the darkside smile.

(A.N: I know there are some nasty scenes in this chapter, but I merely try to show the cruelty and wickedness of those of Dracula's army. Next I'll return to where I left John, Thomas and Ruth's part in the story. Happy new year.)

Chapter 16: The Story Continues | Back to Chapter 14