Castlevania: Darkness Never Dies

Fan Fiction

Continued...

Part 1: Gathering darkness.

"The Lord walked before them in the day, in a pillar of clouds who showed them the path, and in the night, a pillar of flame who lighted for them. In this way they could go forth bought night and day."

2. Moses: 13, 21.

Chapter 19: Demon seed.
Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
General Reinhardth Reich Van Deer Hawk, general in the dark army of the New Order, dismissed the dead soldier who returned to its comrades. "Another pond, sir?" Tetra, a white-fured royal guard, asked him. Mathias Muller, a vampire like himself, moved at her to be silence but she did not care. His hand went over his tired face, then he put the helmet back on. They where all tired, too many days on minimal rations as they wandered through this accursed swap without getting anywhere was wearing them all down. The dead horse, dragging the wagon on which his charge lay, was still walking faithfully at the mid of his soldiers. Speaking of which, they where not near being presentable for the Dark Lord Dracula. With mud-stained, soaked and torn uniforms and armour who was not shining anymore they looked like human renegade who had plundered the dead. He himself was no better. His breast-plate and helmet looked more like iron than paint and gold now and his long white scarf was not that anymore. His black cloak and uniform hung around him, dank and wet after the constant rain falling in this marsh. He gave the order to continue onward. He could only hope there was no Dodgether in the pond this time.

Realm of Dreams. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
Sonia's hand went through his hair. She was dressed in white weapon-robe and a light armour in silver and gold and she was here, together with him again. She smiled as he got to his feet, then she recoiled a whip of light and in her hand a throwing-cross of silver and oak appeared. "Thou must be gone." She told him. "Thy enemy are near now." She threw the cross and it dug into something bkack behind him. He knew what that was. It was his fear for loving Sonia, his fear for loving Maria, and it was his fear for growing close to Alicia in this time. "Thou have to be gone, my love. God bless thy ever lasting." "No." He said as he drew his blade and prepared his shield. "I would never abandon thou." He noticed he no longer wore his suit of armour but the black and royal blue silk and velvet clothing he once wore. "Finaly I have kept up to you." He turned around. Now Maria too was there, dressed in simple whithe and green cloth. He could not help but smile. "Thou arrest here all thy I bear in my hearth." He said as he swung his blade. "We do not need your protection." Maria said. "Thy kin need thou." Sonia said. "Go." Maria said as she and Sonia bought attacked the dark thing behind him. He saluted them…

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D. …and open his eyes as he spit water as Alicia helped him to get it out of his lungs. "Thank You God." She said as she noticed he looked back at her. "The water was like acid for you. I… I saw, smoke, rise from you and… " She became silent. He put one gloved finger over her lips. "That is the way raw amounts of elemental power work on the vampire. We are cursed and not even the elements of the Earth can withstand our presence." Alicia grimased. "You are no vampire." He smiled without humour, the smile he knew exposed his fangs the most. "You might be a vampire on the outside." Alicia stood tall, seemingly not being turned aback by his attempt to tell her otherwise. "Your soul is no prisoner and God still bless you in His name." She playfully grasped at the cross hanging around his neck. He stepped a few feet back, or rather, tried tacking a few step back. His boots had become stick in the mud and he almost tripped over when he tried to rip them loose. Alicia laughed, then she became serious. "Anicka is dead. Natalie too." He lifted his eyebrows as he noticed tears in her eyes. "They tried to help us and now they're dead." She dried away the tears but there came more. "Adrian, please, hold me. I have seen to much death these last weeks." He almost automatically braded his arms around her. She put her head on his shoulder and cryed like he had never seen her before. This strange MC-dressed glasses-wearing woman had always bean strong, always standing her ground against any numbers of evil spirits his father had sent against them. And now she was weeping like the women from his time. It felt so… He did not know, familiar, like his mother was near him. He held her close to him until she stopped and lifted her head. "Thank you Adrian." He tet go of her and she stepped a few steps backward. She was seemingly light enough to get stick in the mud for each and every step. "I needed that." She said a little blushing. "I know." He said. Then he summoned the demon-familiar. "What do you command master?" It asked as soon it appeared. "Bring my armour back to my tomb." He instructed. And bring back a mail and shell-armour suitable for this type of terrain." It was quick to execute his will and soon he was dressed in a black suit of his usual dressing, with the mail and shell-plates tied over it. "Well done." He said before he dismissed the familiar. "Then what are we to od now?" Alicia asked as she waved her hand at the mist, mud and high marshland-plants. "Take cover." He instructed. She gave him a look and then did as he instructed. He turned to mist and then waited.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
Von Krohnsteen snapped back to attention as soon he smelt the scent of human blood. "Attention at Arms!" He shouted to his comrades in arm and they snaped to attention like he had done. Ninjara was at his back, her swords drawn and ready for battle. The axe lords formed a circle around them as the spear guards and royal guards spread out to search the area. It could of course be just some more renegades lusty for their armours and weapons, but it could also be the servants of some Boyar of the marsh. In any case he had his orders. "Crimson lightning!" Bolts of lightning struck for the clouded sky and killed the royal guards who where unlucky enough to be hit. But now other royal guards where using their own magic to counter the attack. "Watch out Adrian!" A female cry warned the attacker of the spear guards. "Balls of Destruction!" Blue bat-inhabited balls of fire hammered into the possessed armours and made them explode. "Fire at will!" He commanded the axe lords who by now where marching into combat. But now the two attackers had come to close for long-range attacks and they where good in sword-play, no doubt about that. He snarled, now he had no choice but to sacrifice some of his own men. "Hellfire!" He flouted into the ground and burning entities flew from his hands and exploded where they hit something. "Energy shield!" It was seemingly no lesser vampire he was facing here. Could it be he was attacking general Reich? Then the axe lords burst into fire and then a blazing Phoenix came flying out. That was no attack a vampire would use. Holy water was involved and that could only mean the Belmonts was behind it. He knew only one vampire who sided with those pesky humans. "Alucard." He shouted. "I am Richter Von Krohnsteen, a servant of the Dark Lord Dracula. Lay down your weapon and your lives will be speared." The answer was an steel-protected armoured-glove in his face. "Is that a challenge!?" He snarled toward the vampire who coldly bowed, and picked up his glove. "Do never call me that." He said. "My name is Adrian Fearheights, brother-in-law with the hounrable Belmont clan." "Very well then, master "Belmont". Ready?" He brought off his coat, tunic and gloves, handing them to Ninjara. Alucard did take of his cape, shell-armour, jacket, tunic and gloves and handed them to the gold-haired human girl beside him. Then they drew their sword. "Ready?" He asked. "Ready." Alucard said. They saluted their opponent and then attacked.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
Alicia gasped as Adrian and Richter began to dance. She'd known that Adrian was a good swordsman but this was magnificent. He moved from position to position like he needed no strength nor rest. But Richter was his match. It seemed like every move Adrian made was foreseen and was such greeted by the opponent's blade. They used their vampire powers too, they turned to mist, bats or tried to blast each other with those blue fireballs or the crimson lightning attacks. Richter used the Hellfire spell again and again to make Adrian turn back but every time it looked like Adrian was cornered, he managed to turn aside the finishing blow and continue the battle. She noticed that were-fox woman holding Richter's belongings was giving them over to another were-fox and where bringing out her blades. "Marchia." Her fairy friend fluttered up toward her face. "I'm here Alicia, what is it?" "Find a dry spot for Adrian's things. That traitorous fox are trying something. When you've found that spot, lull as many of them to sleep as you can." "Will do." Marcia said and with that satisfied, she drew her own blade and saw too that her daggers and holy water was at the ready. Then she ran to face the were-fox. "Human whore." The fox spat at her as their blade made contact. "No more than you are." She calmly said. "I shall make your soul suffer in Hell." "I've heard those word before and they never intimidated me." She did have two blade, but they where a little shorter than hers so that should be no problem. But she also knew that this was a trained fencer and that she was not. She could only hope Marcia and Adrian were doing better.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
The were-foxes where no match for her power. She still felt sick using magic ment to give the humans and the other people of the Earth good dreams in this manner. But she knew she had no choice if they where to put Dracula and the dark spirits to rest. It would only be a time of rest before the next time, but then the Belmont and the others would be prepared and things wouldn't be like this again. She was a little doubtful if she could actually make the axe lords and spear guards sleep, but by granting the tormented souls some peace, it was like they where actually sleeping. Alicia had said she was to help her when the guards where asleep but she didn't get it. How was she to help her fight a conscious enemy? She was still pounding the question when the mire rouse against them. Two-headed lizard-like beast appeared from the mist as humanoid figures crafted from mud, dead vegetation and parts of human bodies, rouse from the mud to attack them. Many of the sleeping royal guards where torn to pieces and when the axe lords and spear guards first began reacting they where to focused on them to mind about her. "For God's sake Adrian." Alicia pleaded as she, now free from her own battle came up to him. "I cannot." He said in his coldest tone. "A Fearheight never turn down when he has challenged another Boyar to battle." Richter snarled at them. "My men are dying and the mad monsters are out to kill us all. We will continue our battle later." He turned to bats and was gone. "Come on." Alicia pleaded. "No," Adrian refused. "I have to bring along this." He grabbed something from the ground and then he followed Alicia, like she did. The mist was thickening around them as they ran.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
Ninjara nearly screamed as Von Krohnsteen grabbed her around her arm. In his hands lay the strength of 20 men and he used it whenever he saw fit. "You are absolutely sure?" He near snarled at her. "You saw Alucard take my lantern and did not do anything?" She shook her head. "I was following you into combat with the mire-monsters." She almost pleaded. "I wasn't even sure I saw it when I did." Von Krohnsteen snarted as he near threw her backward. "Without the black lantern we cannot navigate the marsh. We will be lost like all other who wander this accursed land. Gather around me!" He shouted at the few remaining soldiers as they heard people coming toward them. "Halt in the name of the Dark Lord Dracula!" "Walter Stockman." Von Krohnsteen acknowledged. "We are here." A group of servants, dead soldiers and undead SS-soldiers came from the mist. "But what are you doing here?" Von Krohnsteen asked after the two had shook hands. "I am looking for general Reich." Stockman answered. "So am I." Von Krohnsteen said in a defensive tone. "No offence sir," Stockman said. "but the general made contact with the white witch and she and her sister sent me to find him. And now we are bought together again, looking for the same vampire." "Sir," She broke them off. "may I speak with you, alone?" He nodded and then went with her. "The order was to kill all who endangered our mission." She reminded him. "Stockman is the leader of the SS-group the Dark Lord sent to the witches." Von Krohnsteen remarked. "Beside, he must have a black lantern to come here. We might kill him later, but for now he is to live." "Yes sir." She answered.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
After he and Stockman had regrouped their troopers, he activated his holo-ring. "Death, I salute you in the name of the Dark Lord Dracula." He began as the skeletal face of the angel of Death appeared before him. "I salute you too." Death said. "Have you found the general yet?" "No." He said. "But Reich have made contact with the rulers of Witchvalley with a request for aid. He might know where the general is." Death seemed to contemplate upon these knews, then he nodded. "Permission granted." He then said. "You are permitted to use whatever means to bring the general Reich back to the castle." He bowed. "I have other more important news I am afraid. The prince Alucard have bean spotted. He is still aiding the Belmonts in their cause." He could not be sure, but he was almost convinced Death smiled. "Then bring him to the castle if possible. If not, he is marked for determination. Hail deer Graf." He returned the salute and Death vanished. "Resume formation." He commanded. "Forward march." They where of in mere seconds.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
The mud slugged around their knees. The falling rain wasn't making her feel lighter either. "Are you sure that thing really is going to show us the way out of this place?" She asked Adrian again for she didn't knew which time. "I am sure." Adrian said in the same soft tone as he had used before. She crushed one of those evil stingers against her leg, those things where really pesky. When it came to have faith in God she was pretty sure, but having faith in a thing crafted by black magic was something she didn't felt good about. Again she killed one of the evil stingers. Then she was near slipping on something in the mud. "Wait!" Adrian snapped. She screamed as she saw the hand grabbing at her, reaching up from the mud. "Do not move." Adrian hissed as he knelt and started hacking on the hand with his sword. "If you move it will drag you under, down to it." She near froze in place and Adrian continued hacking on the foul thing. Then she screamed again as a tall rotting thing rouse from the mire. She haf fought against the living dead before, but she had never before had time to really look upon them. This thing looked like it had lay long in the mud. Its nose where a brown hole, its flesh had gone all black and only one glased eye looked upon her with somewhat the same hunger the vampire's eyes used to look on her. A rotten tunic was all its dress and its skeletal hands, with some lost fingers, closed around Adrian's neck. "Stand where you are." Adrian advised before he broke loose the fingers of the dead and then knocked its head of with one powerful knock. Unapossed by loosing its head, the dead continued to walk at him. "Hellfire!" Adrian made it burst into burning pieces. But now other dead where rising out of the mud. "Demon-familiar! Come to my aid!" Adrian commanded. "Take out the evil hands if any of them should rise." He commanded the familiar. Then he threw himself at the dead ones. She had always knew he was a vampire, but this was the first time she really saw him from his vampire side. He knocked the corpses into pieces, clawed at them with his sharp nails extended and even dried some of them of what blood they had left. "Oh Thy great one who watch over me," She silently prayed. "May Thou once again make the Phoenix of wind shine before me." She now knew the Phoenix was the totem of the element of wind, she remembered the red-haired girl in her dream smiling at her. Then she felt how the wind started blowing. It was the same chilling wind which had blown at her face out in the Barnsdall forest. She smiled. The curse of this place could not stand against the warders of the elements, and God. The Phoenix really shined before her. The evil hand holding her vanished back into the marsh. She hoped God had forgiven that poor soul and made it rest in peace. With the hand out of the way, she dashed at the dead ones and slashed them to pieces. Adrian drew his blade and supported himself on it as he looked upon her over the burning remains of the corpses. "I do not think you shall do that again soon. If the dark wanderers still are searching for us, the amount of power you just summoned would be enough to summon any of them here and now." "You should have bean a seer." She dropped herself to the ground on near instinct and nearly lost her glasses in the process. As she got to her feet and put the glasses back on, she blinked her eyes. "That is a Chimera." Adrian explained as he had already prepared his sword and shield, his familiars around him, ready for battle too. She nodded. To be true, she was more interesting on the shrouded being on top of the multi-headed beast. She knew he didn't have a face under that hood, but it was like she could actually see the triumphant snarl underneath that very same hood. "I have seen you before." Adrian coldly said. "You was one of the wanderers who attacked Alicia and myself as the harpies flew us across the forest." The wanderer nodded. "They where traitors and had to die. As you bought have to." Suddenly the wanderer was gone and the Chimera was all which was left. "Marcia." The fey knew what was about to happen, but how she knew it she didn't know. "I would be happy if you prepared to heal us." Marcia suddenly sat upon her shoulder and slightly tugged some of her hair. "Good luck." She smiled. "Thanks." Then the Chimera flew at them and there was no more time to speak.

River-boat of wandering ghosts, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
Penny thought the dining-hall of the boat had once bean magnificent. But now, with the dank heath spoiling the tapestries, the cobwebs in the corners and the rats who sometimes leaped across the dusty floor the charm this place one had possessed, was diminished to gloom and horror. She looked around the table, counting her friends like she always did when they where together. Lucy sat mumbling to herself like she'd done the past days, while Fritz Archer and Heinz Muller still looked the same as since they first came here. Shelia Winterfelt sat like a bag on her chair and looked into the distance, nearly not eating at all. That was five, so where was the other two? Then two fishmen came dragging olong with them. Reichardt Straus was the youngest of them, mere 7 years old and he was always shaking and seemed like he never spoke to anyone. Deborah Withler was in comparison to Reichardt the oldest of them, being 11 years old, and looked like she never got enough to eat. She was pale and skinny, but somehow managed to be friendly and helpful to all the others. Or so many of them thought. She had many times weeped her eyes out in the arms of Penny or Lucy when master Blinov had bean mean to her. Penny had heard him accuse her of not giving up her will to him. Then the vampires came with their food. The candles on the walls and hanging from the ceiling cast an eerie blue glow over the meat, bread and vegetables on the golden traits and with services in the same material. From crystalline goblets they where given watered-out wine and all this luxury made her even more terrified. They where given berry and fruit afterward and even a but of brandy, why she didn't want to know. She'd heard master Dimitri instruckt the vampires to take good care of them. As they where finished with their meal, they where all taken back to their rooms.

Dimitri sat at the organ and let his spooky fingers glide over the keys. The plays where easing him and making his rage disminished. "Why not just turn them to darkness?" Juri Nikitin asked. Filled with a rage he could not suppress, he rouse and used his power of dominance to grab and hold the ancient vampire. "The crimson baptize is powerful. But it is like nothing compared to the hope of human children. It is a pure ore of spirit. Go and bring me a Succubus and an Inccubus." Nikitin shakily bowed and nearly ran out of the music-room. They where dream walkers and could tell him their deepest fear, perhaps that was what could break the human will of life. He started playing again.

"What was that?" Penny asked, tugging the arm of the fishman holding her. Lucy almost did the same but managed to hold herself back. "It looked like some red glove." She said. "A giant gloving dog?" Penny whispered. She nodded and then turned her head away. Soon they where at their room and for the first time she actually felt good as the dor closed behind them. Whatever that thing was it was out in the swamp. Not here, aboard the boat.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
Alicia leaped under the four horse-legs and avoided being kicked by any of them. Just then, Adrian dashed at it, slicing off the nake-headed tail. He became washed in the blackish blood of the creature and he felt like acid rained over him. Then he felt the relaxing sensation as Alicia's fairy healed him. Alicia splashed the Chimera with holy water and was in her turn hitt by some of the sonic-rings the unicorn head sent from its horn. Marcia flew off to heal her and he opened his cape. "Balls of Destruction!" He fired three blue bat-inhabited fireballs and the next series of rings shot from the Chimera was no more. Alicia then did quick work of the unicorn head by pinning it with her throwing-daggers. The lion head answered by spewing a heavy flame which made Alicia run for cover. Then the sword-familiar cut of even that but it was damaged heavily by the spilled acid-like blood. He resummoned it as he knew time was the only kind of healing he could offer it. The Chimera wavered, that was the only possible description, and turned into a male figure. "I knew it was too easy." He said as the man-beast snarled at him. "How did you know it was no real Chimera?" Alicia asked as she and Marcia came walking toward him. "Watch out!" He warned her, but it was already to late. The man-beast exploded and sent them all flying.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
He ended the transmission and turned away from the now mere crystal-ball. "She tell there are mere two days walk toward north or one day walk to the east and we are out of the marsh." He informed what was left of his party. Now all but him among the vampires where dead, again. All he had left where the undead SS-soldiers and some dead soldiers. "We are to go east." He instructed them. "Yes general Reich." The dead officer said in its carless tone. That was something he looked forward to. The living dead where loyal to the Dark Lord Dracula, but they where not his philosophical equals, he looked forward to speak with other intelligent none-life. They started marching again. He had bean informed there where forces out looking for him, but as he was now he almost did not whish to be found. He still had the eggs, true, but he had lost nearly all he could loose. He knew it was a traitorous thought, but he was unsure if he was not a traitor already. He had brought his forces into this mire because he thought that was the best thing to do. He had done it against advises of his chancellors and he had bean wrong. They where dead now because of that mistake and he was the person to blame for all of it. "Spectre 8 calling general Reich." The voice who came from aboce first made him think the One had come to take him, then he recognised the voice. "Yes!" He shouted out bought verbally and telepathically. "Yes, we are here!" The sound of roaring engines was like music in his ears. Soon not only Spectre 8, but also 11 and 7 had landed upon solid ground which the dead soldiers had lead them too. Vampires dressed in the black and grey uniform and armour of fighter-pilots jumped out and greeted him. "Greetings, general Reich." Spectre 8 sounded a little strange behind his helmet and breathing-aperture, but it still felt good hearing the voice of another undead. "it has bean a long chase. But now we've finally found you. I'll call on the others to get a shuttle here and whatever you might need." "Thank you." He said, and meant it.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
"Be at attention." Von Krohnsteen remarked. "At attention." Stockman sounded like an echo as he made the dead soldiers stand in lines as the shuttle landed. From the ranp which came from the ship's frame, four SS-soldiers and four royal guards ran down. Then Reich came, looking humble among all these soldiers who knew of his shortcomings. Then Mirclla Karhnstein in all her devious splendour walked down the ramp, dressed in a red and green gown with rich lacework from the Queen Ann period. "Are you intend on kill me?" She asked with a sweet little smile on her lips. He straightened his pose and she softly claped his cheek. "I have new orders for you." She said as she reached the front of the lines. "You Reich, you Von Krohnsteen and you," She nodded at Stockman. "are to continue to search for young Alucard." "Yes my lady." He sead as he, Reich and Stockman knelt before her. "It is the will of the Dark Lord Dracula." She said. "My lady," Ninjara asked somewhat reluctantly. "I want to join in the hunt too." For a moment lady Karhnstein looked upon her. Then she slightly nodded. "Be the will of the Dark Lord Dracula and the Master." She calmly said before dismissing them. As they started walking into the marsh he could hear the lady give further commands to the dead officers they had left behind. He inspected the ones in his new party. Stockman and Ninjara where trustworthy fighters and loyal to the Dark Lord, but when it came to the vampire he had bean originally ordered to find, he was more than unsure. His thing greyish and slightly white hear and beard strongly hinted to that he had bean dining on unclean or scearse blood which had made him grow old with less energy. But his hand rested confidiently on the holster hoasing his gun and even dough his shoulders where pointed downward he looked determined. He would have to wait and see how he acted in battle. Lady Karhnstein's last words where. "Shutles will soon be arriving to pick you up. You are to be brought to the castle and is not to speak about this happenings to anyone than those who in higher command who should ask you of them." He changed into the form of a bat and flew off.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
Alicia looked out from where she, Adrian and Marcia had sheltered and smiled with relief as she noticed the rain had stopped. But the mist was coming in again, thicker than ever. Like a boiling white porridge. She went back to where Adrian sat at the fire which Alicia had lighted. "It is coming near." Adrian said as he slowly got to his feet. She had seen him drink the blood of some birds he had caught in the mire and now had no intention on misjudging his statements. "Adrian," She began as softly as she could. "if Dracula can't be banished forever by any means that we know about, then what do you intend to do?" He turned away his face. "I shall stand by you until may flesh crumble and turn to dust. Even the vampire cannot exist forever. We will sooner or later turn to dark wraith who continue to hunger for the blood of the living. Even so I shall continue to aid your tribe, whatever your name may be." He then drew his blade and she did the same. Then they together did the sign of the cross and then the monster came. It could smell our blood and hungered for it just as much as the vampires did. The Manticore had hunted them so long and now it seemed like it had decided to finally face them. Marcia shone a clear green and she knew whe was preparing to heal them if need be. And for some reason she was sure that would be needed. Then the Manticore daqshed at them and she didn't had time to think anymore. Adrian turned to mist as she tried to glide underneath it. She was hit by one of its wings and was knocked to the ground. "Balls of Destructions!" Adrian spread his cloak and three balls of blue bat-inhabited flames became shot at the ancient Greek beast. It breath a sickly green mist and the flames vanished inside it. She got to her feet just as a missile shot past where she'd just lay. "What the… " She began as a small group of vampires suited in black and armour-protected with a breast and shell-plates with helmets in black and crimson on their heads. "Shield of Bats!" Adrian spread his cloak and countered the massive round of bullets they shot from their MP. She had bean able to seek sheaelter behind the giant bleeding corpse. Then whoever was firing the missiles fired another one and she got to her feet and ran as the projectile hammered into the corpse and blew it to pieces. "Fairy dream!" Marcia cast the spell and a soft golden glow surrounded her as the vampires again started firing at them.

River-boat of wandering spirit, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
Deborah peeked around the door. She knew Heinz was keeping watch in the other direction and that Shelia and Fritz would warn if any where to come up from the stairs. Reichardt sat on his knees beside her, as pale and silent as he'd bean these last week. If they did not manage to run away this time she was afraid they whould never make it. Since the last attempt master Blinov had spread them all around the boat and now they only needed to find Penny and Lucy. Her eyes looked upon the ones inside the room. A red-fured were-fox, dressed in a white T-shirt, with "Heil deer Graf" and a bat upon it, one wing upon each breast, a black skirt and simple sandals. Nisaou she'd heard her be called, was brushing her hair with a simple gold-decorated brush, she sat with her legs spread out before her as she softly humed. On the other bed a vampire dressed in a simple black and yellow robe decorated with dragons in crimson and gold, sat in a meditative pose. She'd sometimes played at the table when they dined but beside that she was a Chinese and that she and Nisaou where soon to go back to wherever the monsters came from. "Well." Nisaou got to her feet. "What do you think Yang Queng?" She asked as she put the brush back in her chest. "I think you look magnificent." Yang said as she too got to her feet and brought out two pearl-decorated gold-buckles from her own chest and started braiding her hair into two short braids between each ear. "Let's go and see if we might find some fun in the dining hall." Nisaou said as they bought went at the door. Deborah quickly moved for the other to hide as the two monsters went up the outside-stair to the higher deck. "Are you sure of this?" Reichardt suddenly asked. First she was just so surprised hearing him talk again to answer his question. "This is all we can do." Fritz said. "Silent you two." Heinz remarked as he came out from his hiding-place. "They're not long enough away to for us to star shouting." He was no master in English, as he was originally Austrian but she clearly understood what he meant. As she thought about it, she and the other children was the common mix of the Warakiyan countryside. She and Penny where British and Shelia and Lucy where Jewish and the boys either Austrian or Germans. Normally she wouldn't have thought about these things but since Penny had lead them out of the village of Ondol they'd had to grow up real fast. She only prayed she hadn't grew too much. "Heinz be here and protect Shelia and Reichardt. Fritz you come with me." They nodded and did as she commanded. She thanked God and the Saints that the mist was as thick as it actually was. But she also knew sounds became lauder in mist. She hoped there was no guards watching the other girls.

Dimitri watched as his messenger went down the ramp out of the boat. Juri Nakita was a faithful servant indeed, but he was not a very powerful one. If the monsters of the marsh where to take him, he would himself go to the demon castle to gather what servants he needed. It was then he heard steps behind him. "Oh no!" It was the children, trying to escape again most likely. It was that girl, Deborah, one of the boys and the two girls. He fired the duplicated power of a fishman, he spit a fireball and the children ran all about. "Back to your rooms." He bellowed. "Or else I will tell you why this boat is dubbed "of wandering ghosts"." They quickly scattered and he went after them. But when he came to the upper deck he lost sight of them. He did however summon the fishmen. They jumped from the water and landed on the deck-planks. "Watch the hatch." He commanded. They bowed and vanished back into the water.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
He looked down on the corpse of the vampire. It was burning with a clear blue flame. It had bean a real bastard. He had used all his strength to take him down. His mistake was to take him for a mere human and had fired bullets at him. Shotguns could wound him but it couldn't kill him. "We took down that other slime." Hanibal came walking out of the mist. "That moron thought he could speak me out of killing him since we're bought vampires." King spat at the ground. "I gave him good luck down to Hell." "It was none of them." He merely said. King nodded, his hands unbeknown to him balled into fists. "If I ever get my hands on that scum I'll…" "Boys, take it easy." The third member of their party came toward them. Deborah Dancer was a white brunette from England and she was another vampire who wanted to bring down these blood-sucking bastards. She was drying of her blade on a bunch of grass she'd gathered before she put it back at her side. "Did you get it?" He merely asked her. "Allways look at the bright side Blade." She slightly smiled, then she got serious. "I'm afraid I lost that demon. Perhaps Michael got him?" Some of the mist slowly morphed into the form of a flouting red-haired young man. "Michael Morbius." Blade nodded at him. "I came to overhear your conversation." He said in a apologizing tone. "And I am sorry I did not manage to catch the wanted vampire." His Romanian accent still could give anyone the chill, but right now he did not care. They have heard rumours the Dark Lord had resurrected some of their enemies and had gone here to see for themselves. Blade nearly snarled as he remembered the look of bought his mother and that scum Deacon had bought tried to kill them. Had it not bean for Deborah and the vampire detective he hadn't seen in near 150 years they could perhaps have gotten away with it. Why the woman was involved he did not know. Hanibal had said she had found her as she was rounding up one of the greatest vampire organisations he'd ever faced, the crimson cresent or something like that. He started walking again. This time none of them whould get away. If he could only put his hands upon the fox they could perhaps get some information. As of why Deacon Frost Miriam FitzRoy was doing in this bog. The others soon caught up beside him. Since Wistler died all those years ago he'd bean more lonely than ever. Michael had bean nearly as silent as he after that Alica Hardeski died. Hanibal was the only who didn't say anything about a lost friend or lover. Deborah sometime spoke of a man, Benneth or something like that, who was dead. He didn't care. He'd knewn this would happen sooner or later. That Alucard had warned him about this when they fought against Dracula in 1999. No matter. He would learn to live with it.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 16th of December 2098 A.D.
He could not help but feel impressed by this woman. Then again, Sonia and Maria had impressed him too. She doused the vampires in holy water or cut them to pieces with her blade. He turned into bats as the were-spider, seemingly the leader of the group, tossed yet another grenade at him. The freezing explosion for a moment nearly turned of his intra-red sensor but as soon he turned to a human he could use all his séances again. "Crimson lightning!" He knew it was a mistake already before the sparks made the water explode and send crisscrossing electric burst all over the place. The beast became tossed far back and struck into the stones and something in its armour shattered. He could not help to gasp as the were-spider began to choke and then died as he watched. "It looks like they don't like the warmth that very much." Marcia dryly remarked as she fluttered at his face. "We have a prisoner Al." He hated that name but he however came toward her as she forced the vampire down with her blade against his neck. "Tell me," He coldly asked as he knelt down to look it in the eyes. "what was you and your friends doing out here?" "My name is Martin Crawford." The vampire bean with a hateful look at him. "I was a member in a commando unit who became shattered. General Reich Van Deer Hawk was in command." He nodded. So this was what was left of the unit sent to the Ravenberg installation. But if the general was still alive then they could perhaps keep their promise and save the eggs. "We must turn to mist and seek a cursed place." Crawford prayed. "Why?" He merely asked. "The sun is about to rise. If it caught us in this form we have to travel by foot. I swear I would not try escape." Just as he said so, a shimmering gold broke through the gloom and mist of the marsh. "Be faithful." Alicia said with a smile on her face. "This will be the last sunrise as a vampire and the first in a long long time as a true dead of God." Adrian said as they bought swung their blades into his body. Just as their blades cut into him, a look of celestial joy and piece went across his face as he burst into a clear orange flame. Then they bought worked together to bury the corpse. "I'm no fool," Alicia said. "but how was the flame-colour aristocratism?" He smiled. "To forget is in the human nature. Orange and purple are the colour of the common undead. The yellow and green flames are for the more powerful vampire and blue and red is the aristocratic vampires like myself. And the black flames, for the head." He smiled, but this time it was a dark humourless grimace. "Only twice have I seen the dark glow of those Hellish flames. In 1496 when Trevor Belmont, Sypha Belnades, Grant Dinesti and I lay my father to rest. And of course in 1793 when Richter Belmont, Maria Renard and I again ended my father's dreams of eternal power. We should have known the Dark Lord candidates where just that, candidates, when they did not have the same diabolic glow when they fell into darkness." He then resheathed his blade and Alicia did the same after she too had cleaned the weapon of the crimson liquid. "The lantern is guiding us to go westward." He said as he brought out the strange relic. "Let's go then." Marcia said, shining in a clear green enthusiasm, like the fairies used to. "I agree with you." Alicia shrugged. She was cleaning her glasses and now put them back on her nose. "Let's go."

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
Hanibal and Michael held their captive with equal strength as the lone vampire did have. "What are you doing out here?" Blade asked him, in German this time and the vampire just shook his head. "That is all my languages." Blade said as he turned back to English. "Who are you?" Michael asked in Romanian but not even he got an answer. He tried again on Hungarian but their captive just shook his head. "Don't look on me pal." Hanibal said. "English and Spanish is all I have in store." He shrugged. "And I don't know if my American Spanish is the same as it is in the old world." Then Deborah shot out a long series of nearly none-understandable words. And to their surprise the vampire answered. Deborah qontinued the conversation for some time before she turned away. "He is, or was I may say, a Russian warriour in the Finnish-Russian winter-war the year 1939." She told them. "He was turned to vampirism by somebody called Marie Doubrey. His name is Juri Nakita and he claim he now serve someone called Dimitri Blinov." "Ask him what he is doing here." Blade nearly snaped. She gave him a look and then asked the vampire. "This is not good." She said as she got the answer. "He was sent by this Blinov to fetch demons to terrorize children." Hanibal cursed and Michael turn his face away. Only Blade looked her in her eyes. His eyes hidden behind the black sun-glasses, but she knew his feelings. "Ask him where that Blinov is hiding." She nodded and turned to Nikita.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
She shook her head. Some mere hours after the sun had risen onto the sky, dark clouds had come drifting in and rain had started pouring down. Just as she thought so, the rain cleared and she stopped dead in her track: Before them, a valley reaching all down the lake. From north a small spring went down, opening to a river in which an ancient rotting river-boat from the 1850s lay. The night and mist still seemed to lay around the boat and shrouded it in an ominous gloom and fright. But the lantern was shining clear and right toward the river-boat. "I thought that thing should've lead us out of the mire." She mumbled. Adrian slightly bowed. "It lead its owner to where they need to be, not where they want to be." Marcia fluttered toward her face, shining a worried purple. "Dark powers are glowing from that river-boat. It's like a shadowy echo of the demon castle." Adrian nodded, a dark bone-chilling smile crept over his face. "I recognise that feeling. It was the same feeling I got from Celia's cult's hideaway " She nodded and drew her blade. Together they all three went down into the valley. She didn't knew why, but it felt like they really was close to where they needed to be. She tried to see beyond the obvious and gaped as she saw what the others had seen. The boat was pitch black and that blackness seemed to pulsate like a dark hearth. She grasped her crucifix and brought it to her lips and softly kissed it. She had never felt like this, but she was sure this somehow would be her final test to prove her prove as a Belmont. Then she swung her blade at something she felt was evil. Something created by mud, dead vegetation and rotting remains of human flesh and something dark which made her blood go cold. "There is something more in this mire." Adrian whispered as he too cut into the raving monsters. "Something is controlling the mud. A Will who want us to feel despair and hopelessness." Adrian then snarled and dashed at their enemies. "So that is why I have felt so strange since we first came here." Then they became to involved in action to speak. "Swarm of Destruction!" That feminine voice was not Adrian's. A swarm of bats hammered into the mermen and flames shrouded inside them. "This is a cursed place." Adrian gleefully said and then spread his cloak. "Balls of Destruction!" Blue balls of bat-inhabited flames flew forward. "Spiteful gaze!" She stepped back in a clever back-flip as a male vampire dressed in army-boots and jacket with a black coat over it. Another male vampire, dressed in a grey trance-coat and American suit brought out a shotgun and fired a bullet, a silver-bullet most likely, and a merman burst into fire. She found herself face to face with a pale light-brunet American-looking female vampire, dressed in a fur-coated winter-jacet and short-skirt and soft knee-high boots. But she didn't looked like she was interested in her. She continued to spew her bats and made them flew at the mermen. Then she noticed the huge muscular MC-dressed black vampire. She had heard about him in the journals of her ancestors and felt relaxed. Blade was an ally, like Adrian.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
Ninjara put her hands around Richter who sat on a stones, his remaining hand hid his eyes from the daylight. "How is this possible?" She near gasped as she saw all the wounds on his body. They where healing as she watched but not nearly as fast as his damages used to do. "That whore and the Romanian traitor caut me right between themselves. I did my best but was forced to escape." He let his hand dangle by his side and she saw that he had lost his right eye. "We must get you back to the castle." She said. With the other dead and Von Krohnsteen in this condition she was in actual command. "Why?" He said in a tired tone. "With this failure I must be marked for determination." He got to his feet. "However, the Dark Lord Dracula is my prince. It is time to withdraw." He brought out a strange three-legged crystalline ball on the ground. And together they vanished into a flash of green light.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
The mire lay silent around them. Alicia couldn't shed the feeling that something was watching them. A frog was watching her and as it hopped at her. She cut it with her blade but the halves grew into two new frogs who again jumped at them. Blade, Michael, Hanibal, Deborah and Adrian moved at them but now frogs jumped from the mist. She felt still a little akward being just surrounded by vampires but she saw, every time she saw beyond the obvious, their devotion to this cause. She walked somewhat away, Marcia was drifting by her shoulder, when they lit up in her mind with a strength which made her moan. It was the angel of wind, draped in simple red and with shining red hair. And it was the two blond brothers, they she knew. But the fourth one, a slender, near skinny, boy dressed in white robes and with shoulder-length locks of dark blond hair and distant grey eyes. Somehow she knew he had to be the angel of life, the new power which had come to her after finding that ball in the train. Somewhat desperately she grabbed in her mind, searching for the fifth element of her soul. Marcia, or was it Adrian?, had told her that a human soul was created by five different elements. Torah who was half dryad was only created by four and Saria, being a full-blooded dryad had only three and Marcia two. There he was, a brown-haired and brown-eyed boy, suited in a blazing orange armour. The crest of opals shone around his neck and she knew which element he protected. She drew her blade and a clear orange flame burned around her blade like a flare on a hot day. Marcia screamed as the big glowing dog jumped out of the mist and tackled her to the ground. She grasped at her crucifix and pressed it upward, right into the face of the growling Hellhound. The beast howled with rage and pain and jumped away from her. No sooner had she come to her feet as the Hellhound breath a powerful waving flame at her. She summoned the element of ice and even dough her frozen wall became shattered, it gave her time to recover her sword and prepare for another attack. She summoned the crest of rubies and made the wind breath just as the giant hound breath a roaring series of blue fireballs at her. She managed to stop them before they hit her and then again summoned the crest of sapphires and ice gave her dagger more power as they hammered into the monstrous beasts. To her horror the wounds healed as the daggers fell out of its body and it again tried to dash at her. This time however she was prepared for the onslaught and rouse her crucifix just in time. The Hellish dog howled in pain as a silvery explosions for some moment blinded her and when she could see again, the hound stood glaring at her some distance away. She slowly picked up her daggers just before the Hellhound breath a new flame which made the mudy grass and mire-plants caught fire and the flame rocketed right at her. "God!" She cried. "Forgive me of my sins!" Then she summoned the crest of opals and swung her blade right in front of her and a blazing orange fire shot right forward and the two flames collided and erupted in a flare of blue and orange fires. The hound looked upon her with death in its glare and she wasn't quick enough this time. The big dog hammered into her, she felt its foul breath and its hairy muscles plunge her into the mud. Its teeth snapped mere micrometers from her face as she made yellow and whitish golden energy surge through her blade which had become stuck in between them and prayed with all her hearth for the great ones to aid her. The Hellhound howled on top of her and in some strange way she felt almost sorry for it. She like dogs and thinking that the Devil had twisted the por soul of a former dog made her feel sick. She gnarled her teeth and then the dog was thrown away from her. With a failing glow Marcia fell down beside her, gasping for breath. "Sorry I wasn't strong enough." She whispered before she fainted. Alicia got to her feet and noticed the Hellhound still looked upon her. She gasped as she noticed its backsides was gone and that its skeleton was all that where left. Its front however was still alive and still ready for a fight. Before she could react, it breathed one of its wavy flames toward her. She managed to generate the ice-shield before her before she dashed at the Hellhound and slashed at it with her blade. It howled as the blade became stuck in its shoulder. She tried to get it out again but it was like the hound was made of stone. She knew it was inpossible, but it actually looked as if the hound was grinning at her. Then it lashed out at her and bit at her chest. She got her arm up in time to counter it but she still screamed with pain as the steel-like jaws of the dog pierced her flesh. She knew it was a desprate act but she had no other choice. Ripping up her pocket she brought out her pieces of the Host and threw it right into the monstrous gap of the Hellhound. At first it looked near mystified at her, then it howled like its very soul was burning. Then it burst into flames and vanished into a glow of silvery white light. "Forgive it of its sins." She prayed as she fell to the ground. Before she lost all séances, she thought she heard the happy bark of a dog, then she fell into forgetfulness.

River-boat of wandering ghosts, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
Slowly she opened her eyes. She was so tired. Strange dreams of blood, death and murderous pirates hounted her like memories of a forgotten time. The dynamite to blow up this cursed ship still lay at her hand and the matches lay beside her other hand from which they had fallen. Something inside her screamed that she must stay awake this time to finish what she had began. Then she fell into darkness once again. Something told her he was near. But that was impossible, Reinhardt and Henry was in Africa. If she could only remember…

Yang Queng stepped across the corpse of the girl laying on the ground. It was none of the children she was looking for. This girl, her school-uniform of the 19th century told her so, and continued down the corridor. Why Dimitri should think the children had hid on the machine-room she couldn't understand. But he was in command and she would do as he commanded.

(A.N: Sorry this chapter became so long. I know it might be boring in some parts, but this is a narrator chapter and no action-chapter. The next chapter will be full of action so just wait till then. Have a nice time.)

Chapter 20: The Story Continues | Back to Chapter 18