Castlevania: Darkness Never Dies

Fan Fiction

Continued...

Part 1: Gathering darkness.

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measured to you."

Mathew: 7. 1-2.

Chapter 24: Death beat.
Lonley hills of poltergeists, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
Edward waved his hand in a warning gesture. But on the second hand, he didn't really had to. A wall of mist stood before them, unmoving, unbreakable as rock. "I understand why even that Dark Lord gang didn't want to hunt us." Torah somewhat weakly said as she crossed herself. He put off his hat as she did and then did the same motion. "It feel… " Saria fell silent. "The area is cursed somehow I don't know." He nodded. That she didn't need to tell him. He remembered something Trevor Belmont had told something about an area like this. Or had he? He shook his head, that was less important right now. "Do we really have to do this?" Torah whispered, for once sounding like the child she was. "Don't be afraid." Saria put her hand around her half-sister's shoulders. "You're a Fernandez." He said in a slightly hard tone. "I know." Torah said. "I try to be like Carrie, but it isn't easy." He nodded. "I know that." He smiled somewhat dry. "I sometime feel the same." That he did. Quinsy and Johnatan Morris where great ancestors to him and he was far from sure he measured up to them. He put back his hat on his head and then cracked the chain-whip and walked into the mist. It quickly felt different. Not even the winter's cold had bean able to chill him like this. Even Saria slightly shivered and he felt with her. The land lay silent and empty before them. The high mountains towered before them in the distance. "The white with are known to live in the Barnsdall mine." Adrian's fairy-familiar sat on Saria's shoulder, shining with a calm green glow. He nodded. How she knew of this he didn't knew, but he didn't need to either. She often flew from them to scout and gather information. He shook his head, it was all rubbish. They had to do this and then the curse perhaps would be lifted from this valley. Then he started walking. Then he remembered it. It wasn't Trevor Belmont who'd told the story. It was Julius Belmont who'd done that.

Witchvalley, Warakiya. The 23d. of May 1999 A.D.
I swung the Vampire Killer at the cluster of bone-knights as I made flames enshroud the weapons. Genya was at my side, tossing fireballs all around and the dead soldiers burst into fire. I couldn't help but grimace as the dead ones vanished into ashes. One of them, Samuel Brown, had bean one of my friends before he was killed. Johan Orlean, another friend of mine, blasted one of the machine-gun guards into oblivion with his own MP. But it was the plane-walker who worried me. It looked like a woman and spew flames and icicles all about. "In the name of Michael the Archangel!" I did the sign of the cross and then went toward the dark spell-caster. I could only hope it didn't possessed the same destructive powers as the other one. The Dark Lord had tossed all his forces at us and some areas of Warakiya lay in ruins. And more than that. I took a deep breath and then tossed the boomerang-cross as I made it split into many as flames granted them even grater power."

End of paragraph.

He only hoped that the effects of the Demon Castle War hadn't had any deathly side-effects on this land. Then he shook his head. The high twisted hills before them was impossible to climb. The dark wind-torn pine-trees on the shoulders and top of some of the rocky hillside didn't made him feel any better. "Where to go to?" Saria asked. "I hope you'll go backward." Torah mumbled. He smiled, but it didn't came from the hearth. "North will just lead us into a dead end." He dryly commented. ""And west would only lead us back where we begun." He spoke his mind. "The hill block the way eastward is blocked so sout is the only option." "Tell me about it." Saria said just as dryly as his own joke. He smiled before he began walking again. The moss-covered rocks was nearly buried in the deep snow but they still made it difficult to move about this ghastly hills. The wind was the only sound and the light snow falling from the sky didn't helped either. "What was that?" Saria's remark brought him back from his dark thoughts. The horse sound of a crow's crowings made him look up. From one of the pine-trees higher atop the hillside was the only warning he got as it flew up and vanished deeper into the hills. "What do you think of that?" Torah asked him as she worriedly asked. "I have heard," He stopped to worriedly lick his lips. "I have heard Shaft used birds, crows and ravens, as spies." Torah got a dark look in her face as he spoke. "If that beast is here I'll kill him." He shook his head. "Don't let your lust for revenge consume you. The Dark Lord recruit some of his servants in that way." She trunted something he didn't understood, but let it pass as an excuse. "He's right you know." He crawled on top of a rock to look further down the valley. The mist lay thick over the landscape. A dark cload came flying across the moon and he knew what that was. "Get down!" He shouted at them. "Hide among the stones!" Without asking any questions they did as he said. The ravens who flew across them he'd seen sometime before but never this close before. It worried him wy they allways flew across this area. If what he'd heard about Shaft was true they had some real trouble before them. "What do you think about this?" He asked the sisters. "They're scouting the area all right." Saria concluded. Torah nodded. "I feel strong powers are in motion here." He shook his head. "They are gone now." Saria said and they slowly got to their feet. He wandered through the snow and continued down the hillside. He had to find a way across. Adrian and Alicia counted on him and he was not to let them down.

Rover manor, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
Elizabeth Bathory-Basraq, granddaughter of Vladimir I second wife, sat in a long-backed chair of the Victorian era. The red and light-green dress sat like a shot upon her and promoted her rich luxurious shapeliness. The 17th century had really produced really elegant dresses and the golden chain in her red hair was a family hairloom from her cousin. She smiled, She beheld Dietrich Orlock who stood before the windows, looking out on the snowy landscape. His long ice-blonde hair and sapphire-blue eyes and long slender yet strong built made him really attractive. He knew how to dress too. His lace-scart, green tunic, gold-decorated black coat, knee-long trousers and black boots of the 15th century really made him just as conservative as she was. She liked fresh young school-girls and aristocratic daughters the most, she could take time to enjoy male beauty. "Be mindful my lady." She turned her gaze toward the chair at the other side of the marble fire-place. Shaft, with an exemplare of the Necromonicon in his hands, sat smiling like a cind old priest. The long white baird and hair, not to mention his thick aristocratic eyebrows, nearly could make servants of the One forget his up-side-down cross and burning black eyes. She smiled. "Yes Shaft." He was not the type she would take to bed. But as she thought more deeply on the chase, he was not the type who took anybody to bed. Even with his simple white robes made it impossible to believe he like to kill children in ritualized murder. The black diamond on his golden ring was the only decoration on his simple yet tall skeletal appearance. But even with the blaze on the fire-place she could feel the cold of his powers. He was a wizard, a dark priest of the New Order of the Dark Lord Dracula, and she had the highest respect for him in person. She could not understand why the Dark Lord had warned her about him. "He is a semtimental fool who think I have grown to weak to claim my title before the Master." He haid said. "So be mindful of all he say or does. And report back to me." She smiled at him as she leant back into her seat. Even if he should be as treacherous as the Dark Lord said, she could still use him. "They have not found anything." Orlock said. "Your ravens are still flying across the land." She smiled sinfully as she let her eyes glide across his body. Her dear uncle had warned her about even him. "He was once a near comrade of the dark pirest." He had told her. "He have remained loyal to me, but bevare of all he does and speak." Then Carmilla had deactivated the holo-grind and crused it at the stone-floor. She continued to smile at Orlock and he in turn continued to look out the windows. And Shaft continued to look at her. Then Orlock opened one of them and a crow came flying in and then landed on the white wizard's hand. "They are here." He said. "How do you intend to find them?" Shaft smiled with a cold look in his eyes. "I have not showed it to you before. But now I think the time is ready." He grasped inside his robes and then brought out a simple yet perfect orb of dark blue crystal. "A looking-orb is not a tool to be used lightly." She sharply pointed out. "You do not know who else might be watching." Shaft smiled. A dark humourless smile. "It was Damien Frost and Dimitri Blinov who gave it to me. That is all you need to know" She nodded and put the smile back on her face. Carmilla was no personal friend, but on one account she was right. The Dark Lord candidates where not to be trusted. Except for Jhenrya Oikawa and Dario Bossi, most likely that is. But the rest of them she would not trust as much as a meter. She would only had to wait and look them closely and tell uncle Vlad about all they did.

Lonely hills of poltergeists, Warakiya. The 17th od December 2098 A.D.
"I don't like this." Saria silently said. "I know." He said. Torah bent over and tried to throw up again but this time she didn't have anything more to throw up. The snow-covered pine-trees had concealed all the pales and the corpses impaled upon them. He cracked the chain-whip and the ravens burst into fire. Saria fired her bow and more ravens exploded like dark feather-clad bombs. Saria gathered herself and generated balls of magical energy and the ravens died all about. These ravens where not like those who continued to fly across the sky like black battalion. It was a slaughter, but they couldn't afford letting them get away. There was someone in the tower. He'd managed to get a look on it at the top of another hill blocking their path to the east. "What was that?" Saria suddenly asked. "I didn't saw anything." Torah said, scouting all around. "You are sure it wasn't just shadows in the moon-light?" Before they could answer him, arrows shot out from the forest cluster above them. "Take cover!" He shouted as he cracked the chain-whip. "Blue bow!" Saria fired her own type of arrows just as Torah cast a spell. "Sunburst of the first dawn!" A massive entity of orange fire shot forward and in its light he finally saw their enemies. Tall slender-built dark-haired elves scattered about as the flame shot at them. But then they gathered again and then came running down the hill-side without carring for the dangers. "Rabhalla! Eschelduin! Take the little witch!" An elf with some golden leaves and flowers on his shoulders shouted as two of the black elves came against Torah. He brought out the boomerang-cross he'd found in one of the candles and tossed it at him. "Aglaron!" A female elf in a black robe and shining body-armour shouted. "Kill the Belmont Ollorien, do not care for me." The cross then cut his head clean off. He tried to throw-up but instead recollected the cross and drew Quincy's dagger. He had given it to his son Jon and he in turn had let it pass on to Jonathan, the two greatest vampire hunters of the Morris-fraction. He shook his head and then cracked the whip at the lightning the elf-witch cast at him. "Help me God!" He summoned from his hearth as he continued to whip the bolts to oblivion. "Star bow! Blue bow!" Saria shot arrow upon arrow as she song the melodies of the dryads to gather even greather power to her weapon. "Man and tree stand together!" He shouted to encourage her and then dived forward as he did an up-handed attack with the Bowie. Ollorien, if he'd heard correct, screamed as the blade clanged against her armour. He felt the curse hit him and he was thrown backward and lost hold of bought his Bowie and his hat. He swung the whip right at her. Burns erupted upon her face as she gathered more lightning to blast at him. "Blue bow!" Saria's arrow made the bolt shatter into harmless icicles and he made it shot a multiple of daggers right at her. And even dough most of them where stopped by the armour, some of them made their mark. It was a trick Alicia had showed him and he thanked God his fraction still possessed enough of the Belmont bloodline for him to still use the Belmont clan's legendary powers. He grasped his hat and then for the Bowie as he forced a smile at the witch as he showed her yet another Belmont-trick. The whip became surrounded with golden fire and he flailed the weapon at her and her armour shattered. "Curse you all to eternal death and darkness!" She cursed him as she became set ablaze and exploded with silvery fire. Breathing heavily he did the sign of the cross and then turned to fight the remaining dark elves.

Rover manor, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
She smiled toward Shaft. "I told you it would not work." "That I know." Shaft returned the smile with one of his own. It never reached his eyes however. "Then why did you send them to kill the Belmont?" Orlock asked. "I did not send them to kill him. I merely wanted to test his efforts in battle." A cold light became lit in his black eyes. "Is it not so that you my lady warned me of the Morris's power?" She had to force the smile to stay on her face. "I did. Do not forget it was one of this Morris's ancestors who killed me long ago." For a short moment the with wizard's smile reached his eyes. "How could I forget." Her smile was now a mere grimace. "I have not forgotten how Richter Belmont and the young master gave you your own defeat." Orlock spread his hands in a defensive motion. "Neither hold any importance for the problem at hand." He calmly pointed out. "You are here to see to that the Dark Lord's will are brought out to the servants." "Of course." Shaft said. "Do not pay any attention to an old man's remembrances." "Apologize accepted." She slightly bowed her head. "Let us, like boyar Orlock suggested, return to the problem at hand." Again the orb lit up in his hand.

Lonely hills of poltergeists, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
He couldn't help but wonder how she'd bean like. Because of the war in Romania so much of his family archives had became lost. Now all they had where mere legends. How was it for example with the children of Jhonathan Morris Sr? Johnathan Morris Jr, had fought alongside Charlote Orlean. But it was also said that the yound Lewis Schneider and Aurora Morris also had something to do with it. But that could perhaps have bean later in the war. The only thing who was for sure, was that in 1969, Johnathan Belmont, James Morris, Rachel Fernandez and the now adult Lewis Schneider had done battle with Dracula. And it was rather well-known that it was Johnathan Sr's daughter's descendants who had choiced to remain a Morris, but he was far from sure. If he had just asked Adrian or Christian about the problem when he'd had the chance. In the Vatican copies of all the Belmont clan's battles against Dracula was stored. But because of the great wars during the 20th centuary so much had become lost. And here the helper-clans couldn't offer any information since they had have their own days of reconing during those years. The Van Helsing clan had bean among the Nazist in the second world war. While the Oldrey and Lecarde families where enlisted in the American air-force as the Kishines where trapped in the battle of Britain. The Schneider fraction had nearly bean destroyed during the same war by forces loyal to Dracula while his ancestors, if the legends where true, battling Dracula themselves. Then he remembered something else. Adrian had once told Julius Belmont that he, during the world war II, had escorted Lewis Schneider to the Vatican where they bought near had bean killed by Musolini's soldiers. He shook his head. It was all to complicated for him to sort out. He would have to focus his attention here and now where it belonged. He had nearly fallen again on the icy rocks as he struggled down the hillside. "Everything allright Edward?" Saria gave him a concearned look. "Nothing." He lied. How was he to explain it to her. Was it from Johnathan Morris Sr.'s daughter or son he descended? His father had told him about the mysteries without affording any solutions. "Edward!" Torah's cry brought him back from his reverie. "What is it?" Saria asked. Then they bought stopped dead in their track. Mid all the impaled corpses a table stood. It was covered with a white cloth and upon it was golden tablets and goblets with all kinds of food and drink. The smell of food and wine made his teeth water. "God in Heaven." He whispered as he stepped backward and crossed himself. "I don't think we should eat or drink any of this." Saria softly said. Torah nodded. "Why not?" He whirled around to find five female creature smile at them. "At the dining table of the impaled, all are welcomed to dine their last meal here." Their smile became naughty and an invite look appeared in their eyes. "And I and my ladies might help with other things before death." Now he recognized them. He had bean a fool to not have seen it before. They where dressed in the extravagant white robes Elizabeth Bathory used to dress her "mistresses" in. "Is it she who rule in the tower?" He asked in a low voice. Before they could ask, he recoiled the chain-whip and cracked the gold and silver chains right at the face at the brunette vampire in the lead. She snarled at him as she did a diabolical fast dash backward. "Lucifer's slut." He cursed at her and then threw the boomerang-cross at her. She became bats and flew at a distance. "Star bow!" Saria had her arrows at the ready and shot a blonde vampire in the hearth. A look of celestial peace and everlasting joy glade over her face before she turned to ashes. Then Torah song, it was a beautiful one, like all her songs. It made him think of the good things in the world. How he loved his country and Saria. And he knew they where worth fighting for. "The Bolero of Fire." Saria told him. "It is a battle song for the dryads." He nodded. Then he recaptured the boomerang-cross and then lifted it into the air before him. Golden flames burst outward and another blonde vampire burst into flames. Then he noticed the brunette one was approaching Torah from the back. Just as she stabbed at her with her claws extended, he threw the cross right at her. He felt sick as the wooden weapon cut her head of and then bought exploded. "Blue bow!" The fireball one of the remaining vampires shot at them froze in mid-air and shattered into tiny shards of ice. "Sunburst of the first Dawn!" Torah spread her arms and the monstrous fireball, the size of her own upper body, became shot forward. "That is how a fireball really should look like." He couldn't help but smile. The last vampire licked her lips before she turned to mist and then vanished. "I think we should get as far away from here as possible." Saria advised as her eyes once again glided toward the tower. "I can agree on that." I mumbled as he used snow to clean away the vampire blood from his cross.

Rover manor, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
Orlock leant over to place some more wood upon the fire. She did not like flames all that much. It remembered her of her execution in 1421. She turned her attention back at where it belonged. "The table of the impaled lay two days hard march from here." Shaft calmly remarked from his seat. "You know I know that." She sharply remarked. It had bean such a good idea. The vampires got what they wanted, fresh blood, while those who wanted to become vampires got the night of their nights as the last of their mortal days. It was all just rubbish for the moment. The hills would break them down and if not… "Excuse me for a moment." She said as she rouse from the seat. "Of course." Shaft said with a faint smile on his lips. "I will come with you." Orlock afforded. "With pleasure." She said as he took his crocked arm and they teleported away. "He is beginning to irate me." Orlock confessed. "I know." She said as a faint smile crossed her lips. They reappeared inside the stable where her guards had their quarters. As she appeared officers, they where all under-officers of course, the more important where inside the tower, and the soldiers present snapped to attention. "Where are the bone-riders?" She asked Frauheim, the lieutenant of the riding forces. The blue-fured were-fox gestured at a group of lightly armoured bone-soldiers who came running down the stairs from the troop-quarters above. "They are soon ready my lady." He assured her. As he spoke, the bone-riders where running into the armoury to pick up swords, shields and lances as dead mates, roughly dressed walking corpses, began to sadle and armour their skeleton horses. She smiled. If Shaft was to continue with his sarcastic attitude, she would set him to work. "Bring me the Fernandez girl and the dryad." She commanded as they all where ready. "As you command my lady." Knight Regnhalt said. Then they rode out the stable doors and out on the more. "You think they will be able to do what you command?" Orlock asked. "Of course." She told him.

Lonley hills of poltergeists, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
Torah lay sleeping with a look of peace on her face. He had afforded her his blanket since they didn't dare light a fire. "Come with me." Saria said with a warm smile. They went up to where the dark pine trees stood thicker so they could be alone. She dragged his head down to her greedy mouth as they kissed each other. "I thought you might need some comfort." She said as she moved down her tunic so he could softly massage her breasts. "I love you Saria." He said as he moved his head down to kiss them. "I know Edward. I know." She opened his belt and then removed his pants. "Let me stroke it." She whispered as she put her hands through his underwear. "Oh yes." He moaned as she began to work on him him. "Come to me, my love." She whispered as she opened the rains around her legs so the tunic became pushed slightly upward. She leaned against the trunk behind them as he began touching her. "You're just so good." She slightly moaned as he becan to massage her with bought his hands as he took one of her nipples inside his mouth. She went harder on his manhood and their moans rouse through the skies as they continued masturbating. He was not sure when he first penetrated her, but she giggled with pleasure as she stood her ground. It had been to long since he last made love with her. He had almost forgotten how it felt. Gasping with breath he finally he gave his share and he felt how her hips went a little downward as she too experienced climax. Tired but dough satisfied, he softly kissed her as he brought back his clothing. "You really are so good." She said as she too redressed. "I hope we might do this together again soon." He smiled. "That I do too."

She blushed heavily as she went back to where she had made her bed in the snow. Grandmother Yoko had advised she should wait spying on those who had sex until she got older. But she hadn't told her grandmother about what she, Nancy and Ted Morgan had done behind the gym.

Flashback.

It had bean Nancy's idea doing this. She had done it the last week and she'd bean a fool to ask her to come with her. Yoko would kill her if she got to know about this. "There you are Nancy." Ted was a strong-built kid, being only 11 years that was. With short-cut brown hair and blue eyes he was rather cute. He was dressed in a short leather jacket and a white T-shirt. Not the best to keep the cold in but… She shook away the meaningless thoughts as Nancy leant over to kiss him. She couldn't help but blush as she saw he touched Nancy between her legs. "Come on you girly." He said as he took her hand and moved it toward his trousers. "I… " She began but Nancy removed his pants so that his dick became visible. "Stroke it Torah." Nancy said. "It's a nice dick." Ted promised her as he leaned forward and softly kissed her. His breath tasted of hamburger with onion and chilli. She put her hand around it and Nancy showed her how to move it back and forth. "You're so nice." He said as he removed her own pants. It was Nancy who started masturbating her. Then she took her other hand and made her do it with her other hand. It felt good in a strange way she'd not thought of. She felt how she became slightly wet, like she did when she did it with herself. She felt Nancy became wet too. They all moaned in unison. Then she noticed he became hard, like a finger or something, or so she thought. The teacher who had them in science-class had told them it could become that way. Not that she had told much. She felt a strange satisfaction as she felt how a strange sticky load burst out of him. Seconds later it became so good for herself under Nancy's hand that she thought she should faint right there.

End of flashback.

She had told her priest about it. But had never countered enough courage to tell it to her grandmother. She hoped that she wasn't angry now that she knew about it. She lay down and it didn't take her long to fall to sleep.

Saria had gone back to the camp to get some sleep. He'd volunteered to take the first watch. And now that he stood alone in the foot-deep snow it felt like the first chance for a little peace he'd had in days. Old Drac had really had a deep impact on his life these last weeks. But it was more than that. He had just begun working for the mail-service when the ice came three years ago. It had bean weeks and months as the weather wavered from one madness to the other. But when it first came, it had just taken one day. The day after tomorrow, some had called it. Other said it was the Finbull winter or the End of Days. He didn't knew anybody about it. The TV-channels broke down he had bean sure of one thing. A new Aria was about to be born. He could only hope the last crew of weather-inspectors at the Scottish highland had bean safely evacuated. But the rouges who came to the village had not bean good for any of them. Many of his friends and family had died in that attack. But it had bean the first sighting of the black riders. Or so he knew of. Now he knew they where the dark wanderers and that some of the thugs must've bean Satanists loyal to the Dark Lord. He shrugged. It was nothing he could do about it. The few traitors who had bean at the village was likely spread all across the millits groups spread abroad the countryside. The dark wanderers where enemies he didn't even wanted to think about. Even dough he managed to face them in hand-to-hand combat he knew it wasn't him who should deliver the final blow. They where bound to Dracula and as long he existed, it didn't matter how many times he defeated them. They would just take on a new form and then continue the haunt. He tipped his hat a little backward and scratched his head. His hear was dirty and he could smell his own scent. How long was it since he'd gotten a bath? How long was it since any of them had a chance to refresh themselves? He didn't even mind to think about it. It was just all too long. But surprisingly didn't any of the girls complain about it. Not that any of them was the type to complain, but it just wasn't the way you should treat females. Not that he disrespected them, not by far. But it should be the man's job to hunt and kill the creature of the night. He shook his head. Old-mother Sonia would've killed him for such thoughts. Not to mention that the two laides he now had the responsibility for, whould do more than just that. He couldn't help but smile. It was just to long ago since he last smiled or laughed. He yawned and walked a little back and forth on the spot to not freeze. He should've felt happy for a lit fire, but an effort to not become spotted by those blasted birds, was to avoid making fires. But it wasn't just the warmth he missed. It was something about this entire hillside who made him feel… He didn't know what. And part of it, he thought, was a smell. "Edward." He nearly jumped as Saria put a hand on his shoulder. "What," He had to take a brief pause before continuing. "what're you doing here?" She giggled softly behind one of her slender hands. Then she became serious. "I think we should get out of here." She said. "It's something wrong about this howle place. It feels like this entire landscape is about to rott or, I don't know." Now he could see tears on her cheeks. "I feel it too." He told her as he softly stroke the tears away. "Or to be true, I smell it. It's like piles of flesh who'd lay rotting for decades." He grimaced. "I didn't smell it earlier." He confessed. She put an arm on his shoulder. "It isn't your fault." She told him. "I should have felt it too." "Let's get out of here." He said as he walked back toward the camp. "Sleep we can do when we're out of this cursed place." "Witchvalley really is a matching name for this place." He nodded. "It was a battle here once." He then told her. "100 years ago, or nearly that way back, the armies of the Belmont clan and the forces of Dracula faught against each other. Powerful black magic and miracles of the light was used in that war and the many battlefields of Warakiya never have found peace then after." She nodded. "I should've known. It's like the land screams about terrible actions which it cannot forget." He moved to put his arms around her, but then Torah came running toward them. "I don't know what's going on." She shouted. "But I think you should come and see this." They ran after here, back up the hillside where the crumbled pine-trees stood. As they came to the end, a slope lay before them. Down the slope, they got their first good look on how the land lay between the two hillsides. He'd known the tower lay somewhere down there, but now he finally got to look at it. It was made out of some strange black stone he'd never seen before. It rouse 1200 feet into the air and it was like the small black windows gazed at them with demonic red eyes. At the top, high horn-like spikes went outward and fenced a platform from which someone could scout the entire valley. It wasn't more than three kilometres wide and perhaps five long, but still it felt like the tower loomed all over it. Only the distant mountains still loomed high into the night. As they looked to the north, the Warakiyan Alps blocked their view to the west and the Carpatians to the north. They wasn't that high in the landscape, but hhe still looked northward. Five miles or so away, lay a village at the riverside of a river coming down from the mountains. It had to be Ondol he thought, but across the river, and beyong another green and brown line of forest, atop the hills leading up into the Carpatians, lay the deemon castle. He knew it still was a long way, and that his feets didn't should take him there just now, it was like the castle pulsated with a black glow who seemed to kill his very spirit. He was to turn away, when a sudden beam of light from above the looming castle made him rise his gaze. "It's the star of Christmas." Torah's voice was a mere whisper. And even dough he knew that it was just them who saw beyong the obvius, no mere mortal eye could see that star, but that fact only made his determination that more stronger. "They cannot defeat us forever." He said. Then laughed like he didn't have in a long time. They looked at him and then smiled. It was a laugh of pure joy because of that good and beautiful things still was in this world. "We must go down in the valley." He said as he regained his usual composure. "Let's go." They still stood looking at the star for a few more seconds, then they joined up beside him.

Lonely hillside of poltergeists, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2987 A.D.
They all stopped in their track as the sun rise behind the distant mountains. He didn't know for sure, but it was for him that behind those jaws of rock, the land of the normal living lay. He shrugged as he thiredly moved his hat back upon his head. They had tried all night to find a way down the twisted hills and had not yet found one. "Well," He finally said in a thired voice. "It looks like we once again just stand stuck in this cursed place. " He could've hit himself, but Torah just stood looking out on the tower. "Sooner or later we'll get down." She said in a thoughtful tone. "But I wonder if it would give us any happiness. The hills must have some sort of traficway since the tower stands there." Saria shook her head. "I should've thought about that long ago." He put a hand on her shoulder. "If you had, that wouldn't done us any good. Whoever like in that place surely is a pawn of the Dark Lord." She hun her head. "You're right, of course." Torah shook her head. "I don't think so." She gazed down upon the little trenche where the tower lay. "Somehow I think we just have to go there. I don't know why, but I just know it." He nodded. Now that she gave voice to it, he also felt it. It was like the tower summoned him. "Powerful black magic are at work here." Torah continued. "It's somebody in that tower who want us. That wont us to come to him or her." He slowly nodded. "Come on." Saria said. "Let's try find a way down and away from these cursed place." They nodded and then continued down the slightly lowering hill. But soon they once again came to a holt as the path was blocked by some giant rocks and a tall snow-cowered hill rouse before them. "We'll never going to get up there." Torah dryly pointed as she went over to the hillside and noticed its cold plain sides. "It's like anytime we move around, we're caught by the hills." Saria said as she climed one of the rocks to at least get a better view of the situation. "I don't know," He slowly began, more to himself than to the girls who stood to far away to hear him anyway. "this is the hills of the poltergeists. If that is true, then it's the poltergeists who perhaps blind our minds and make us move in circles." "Circle?" Torah said as she returned from her line of thoughts. Then she to noticed it. "This is where we was yesterday." Saria said as she returned from her scouting. "We know." Torah said for them bought. "Either it is the curse of darkness cast over this land." The dryad slowly began before she drifted off in thoughts. "I don't think this is the plan of whoever live in the tower." Torah suddenly said. "It's like the land itself is filled with hopelessness who make me just go and go as I sink deeper into darkness." Saria suddenly jirked to alert. "TI've found it." She said as she prepared her bow and arrows. "What is it?" He demanded to know. "What it is?" She laughed like she was on the brink of hysteria. "It's something who should never have bean created. It have hunted us all since we entered this land. It is here, now." He and Torah prepared their weapons just as the entire hillside just out exploded. "God in Heaven!" He just out screamed as something came toward them from the rising black smoke. "Rowdain." He snarled, then he just felt it was somebody else. Perhaps it was his Belmont-bloodline who kicked in or if it was just the power to see beyond the obvious he didn't know, but he just knew the bone-knight approaching them, wasn't Rowdain. "Gerhedwain." Saria said. He shot her a quick glance. "The dryads possess lore of the ancient time." She quickly told him. "Herhedwain was a knight in the company of Mordred, the traitor of King Arthur." He wrinkled his brow. He'd thought Rowdain was a knight from that time, but now they just didn't have more time to talk. Grehedwain spread his arms and a sword and shield appeared in his skeletal hands. Just then flames of blue lit inside the empty sockets. He cracked the chain-whip and brought out his boomerang-cross. To his left, Saria prepeared her own short-bladed sword and wooden shield. Torah stood silently, her eyes turned inward. But it was she who made the first move. "To counter the rebirth of death," She said almost to herself. "you must first break the bond on your hearth." Suddenly she smiled as she looked to him and Saria. "If only Alicia had bean here, this would have bean simple." "Shall we recalibrate energy to you again?" Saria asked. Torah didn't answer as Herhedwain fired a beam of solid fire at her. He snarled as he summoned his own power, the power of flame, and cracked the whip at the beam. It became redirected and made the rocks explode. Now he knew how thos bone-knight have bean able to break right through the hillside. Just rubbish, but it was strange which came to your mind when in stressed situations. He threw it aside as he threw the boomerang-cross and then showed him his own powers. The cross became lit with orange and golden flames and then shattered the shield. Then it was the bone-knight's turn to show his muscles. Greyish light shrouded the shield and then it just repaired itself. "Traitor!" He'd never seen Saria this angry before. She rolled right underneath the next beam and kicked the bone-knight right up into its jaw. Bones shattered and flew all over, but didn't stopped flying. First when he tossed his throwing-axe at them they shattered and vanished. Then he noticed Saria had knocked away his sword and his hand with it and was now about to remove its head. Its head… He stopped dead in his track. The skull didn't belonged to any creature he knew about. It was the skull of a bull, the skull of a Minotaur. Just as he noticed that, its hand reformed and he picked Saria up. He felt just out sick as he noticed the skeletal hand thightened around her neck. Then the demonic spirit who possessed these bones grinned and sent her sprawling. "Sister!" Torah then went rigid. Beams and sparks of orange, blue and yellowish energy shot all over. Greyish light appeared around its shield and easily blocked her every attack. "Portal of Glory! Spirits of Aetyr!" He slowly began to sneek about the rocks laying all around the little glade. "I shall destroy you!" Torah screamed. Her eyes and face shone with tears and a hatred he'd never seen the like of before. Now he fully understood the village wizard who'd warned him of his own powers. "Your powers are a gift from the One." He'd said. "But even the best intentions foiled by the Dark One. Bevare, anger, fear and hatred. It is the Devil who speak to you." But he couldn't do anything about that just now. "Shadow of the blue wolf!" The next spell made him just stare. From the pals of the child came a blue, black and white wolf. It dashed right at Grehedwain just as it breathed one powerful wave of blue fire. The knight's shield shattered to pieces and this time it didn't repaired itself. Then she smiled and collapsed to the snow-cowered ground. Wery well, he thought. She'd done what she could and now it was up to him. He tossed the throwing-axe and smiled as he managed to make lightning strike. It was only one bolt, but Christian, who'd thought him about the Belmont powers, had said he would develop his skills step by step. A bunch of bones broke off and came flying at him. Just then the bone-knight rouse its other hand and fired a beam of grey energy at him. He cracked the chain-whip and blocked the beam as he used the throwing-cross to destroy the bones. Then his enemy retreated back into the hole it'd blasted into the hillside. He slowly followed him inside. The bone-knight fired a quick series of grey beams at him. Then it vanished. He sneeked around the corner and stood in a cave with three tunnels going deeper into the hillside. The cave was reminding him of the armory in Veros. Torses lit with sick yellowish flames stood here and there as there hung lances, tridents or spears along the wall as treasures lay piled upon the floor. No, not treasure. As he got closer he noticed it was weapons who was decorated with gold and jewels of different types. He shook his head and then concentrated on the tunnels. Through which had that bag of bones went? One of them went just plain into the hill. While the other turned into a stair leading downward. The third was, as he noticed when he went a few meters inward, was blocked by fallen rocks and bricks. That left only the two other tunnels to pounder. Somewhat absent-mindedly he picked up his cross and looked down , a faint smile crossed his face. When he looked up again, he stood facing the stair leading downward. "I hope You, God, are with me now." He cracked the chain-whip and brought out the throwing-cross before he continued walking.

Rover manor, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
The Elephant-slaves where really decorative, countess Elizabeth thought. For many the Turcish belly-dancing where a mere art of female worshipping of the female body. But for her, it was a sensual pleasure she really enjoyed. Carmilla nearly liked to take mere human girls to bed, while she enjoyed the none-human races as lovers. And in the depts of her own manor she kept her female satisfied. She smiled. She fingered with the pers hanging around her neck. It had bean a gift from her brother who'd supplied the Dark Lord in 1458 or whenever it was. She let go of her conscious self and let her spirit glide into the near hollow void of the bone-knights under her command. She could then see through their eyes and then smiled. They where up in the hillside where the dead was buried. Somebody lay in the snow. A few feet away, lay another body. She gave some orders and then returned to her physical shape. Now the spider-dancers, She smiled. The tall slender female dark elves with dark hair and blood-filled limbs really charmed her. But soon she would have a new toy to play with. Perhaps she would turn her over to Isabelle when she was finished with her? She smiled to herself as the lizard-dancers appeared. Their grace-filled hairless slender bodies was just so perfect for dance and act. Perhaps she would take one of them this time? She shook her head. Then she pushed it aside. She had to prepeare for when the bone-knights returned.

Dabi's path, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
Edward cracked the chain-whip at the nearest candle and smiled as he picked up a belt of grenades. He remembered how Christian and John had told how these candles always stored the things you needed it. Then he threw it aside. He knew he was only trying to ignore what really worried him. That bone-knight king, as he'd began calling it, could hide at every corner. His boot splashed into another muddy pool on the cave floor. He grimased. Even dough the winter have come to stay, while the tunnel's dank atmosphere and warm temperature reminded more of a warm summer. The sound of squishing sludge brought him out from his thoughts. He cracked the chain-whip and the body molded out of mud collapsed and burned away. But more mudmen was rising out of the muddy pits which he'd stumped into. He threw the axe into the air and again concentrated his mind. The axe splintered into multiple axes and tore the mudmen to shreds. The threshard seemingly had awaken the bats dwelling in the cave and their screems and flapping sounds the only warning he got. He dropped to the ground and then tossed his boomerang-cross into the air and prayed. The cross whirled through the air and sent goldish flames all about. The He couldn't help but feel relaxed as the bats only got minor burns. That proved they where what they looked like. He shook his head. "Be mindful." Christian had said. "The chaotic glow of the demon castle might mutate the beasts and birds, even the minor beings of nature. But some may just be what they look like." Christian was just a child, but he'd studied so much that he was stashed with knowledge about Dracula's risings. The sludgy sound of mud made him turn and threw to grenades right at them. The mudmen just exploded and so did part of the tunnel. Debris fell from the ceiling and splints of explosives blasted holes in the floor and electrified water splashed all about. That was a weapon he should take good care of. The Bowie, the throwing-axe and boomerang-cross was all useful mystic weapons, how the candles could store these copies of the family's heirlooms was a mystery, but he was no magician. He shook his head and again tossed the boomerang-cross as a second wave of bats came flying at him. He continued down the corridor, stopping only to bring down mudmen or bats. Then he came out into a larger cave. Stalagmites and stalagtithes made the cave a real wonder, but he was more interested in the fact that the tunnels leading further into the cave, seemed to have collapsed completely. Water dripping from the stalagmites nearly made him miss the warning sound of cracking bones. The rubble who'd blocked his path further, exploded, like the road leading in, and once again he stood face to face with Grehedwain. He cracked the chain-whip and his enemy did a clever back-flip. Then it hurled around a hand-ful sticks of TNT. "Jesus!" He shouted as he ran to avoid the dangerous explosives. The bone-knight king ran toward him with a new sword outstreached. He cracked the chain-whip and blocked the attack as he wildly brandished the weapon. Grehedwain blocked with a new shield and then again swung its sword. He ducked out of the way and kicked at its legs. Again it back-fliped and now he noticed that it carried a bag over its shoulders. Just then it hurled another round of TNT. He rolled away and then ran as fast he could. That bastard lit the sticks with that strange grey light it'd used outside, not that it held any importance just now. He threw the boomerang-cross and then managed to take out some of them. Then he swung the whip as he dashed at it. He scored a number of successful hits, which made bones fly all about. The throwing-axe and boomerang-cross took care of them and the new round of TNT. But it managed to bring up its shield before he managed to deliver any real crippling damage. He did a back-flip as it swung it blade at him and then stamped his cross upon its chest-plate and had the satisfaction to see it melt away. And exept for the boots, waist-cloth and wrist-protectors, that was all its dress. Not that it was important right about now. He cracked with the whip and somehow hit the shield so it shattered into pieces. It swung right at him and he managed to bring up his Bowie just in time. For a moment they battled back and forth with their blades locked at each other. Then it swung at him and knocked him down on the floor. It closed its hand around his neck and let go of it again when it came into contact with the cross. He hit it in its left leg and it shattered into pieces. Some splinteres made blood run down his brow and cheeks, but didn't have time to worry. He pierced its hearth, where its hearth should've bean, with the Bowie. And continued to cut of its head and then jumped backward as he tossed a grenade on it. He had to cover himself as the bones. Outside of that, it was over. He knelt and thanked God for His aid. Then he went to retrive his weapons. "Belmont!" He whirled around. "I am not finished with you." From the burning bones a shadowy skeleton, shroded in blue, rouse. Its right hand holding one of those evil star symbols. "Your move." He calmly said as he prepeared his boomerang-cross and cracked the whip. "Fool." It spat at him. "I have bean schooled in the dark arts by lady De Fey." "The witch can't help you now." He said. "That you think?" Grehedwain laughed. "I have uncovered ancient power." In its hands, foul black blades appeared. "Dabi's path is a tomb where the knights of old time was buried. I have their power. And now, you are doomed." He knew how to end this. Without that crest it was helpless. Without any objects to restore its presseince on this plane, it would be finished. It was now dark wanderer. All Christian had told him as they travelled to the castle ruins again went through his mind. "Let it be." He said as he did the sign of the cross. "You are doomed!" Grehedwain roared. "Even in the darkest moment, there is still light in this world. So long as human have hope. As long we have faith. I believe Christ is with me. He will give me strength to defeat you. Away from me, Satan!" He then roared himself. "Only God you should worship and Him alone!" John of all people had told him that his bloodline sometime could give him words to speak against the servants of the Dark Lord. Grehedwain snarled and dashed at him as it swung wildly with its blades. He did back-flips and side-stepped him and then cracked at it with the whip. One of the blades hit him, but it just felt like a cold wind. He shuddered slightly. He felt sick and lonely. A screaming feel of curtain doom roared in his soul. "God!" He shouted. "Help this soul who is in danger!" He felt strength return to him and goldish light shone around the whip as he racked it against Grehedwain. "Curse you and your master!" Again the cold blade of fear and dread struck him, but again he managed to summon Christ and such fought on. He trusted his Bowie, no, Quincy's Bowie, into it. Grehedwain screamed as golden flames shrouded its body. He knew it wouldn't stop it for long. He felt disgust and justified rage as he tore the evil star from its neck and crushed it under his feet. "God forgive me for my sins." He said. "No!" His enemy screamed as fire erupted all around it. "I cannot be defeated!" He picked up the envelope Christian had given him and stamped a piece of the Host against its mouth. "And may He forgive you too." He knelt and did the sign of the cross. "Glory be the Father, the Son and to the Holy Ghost." He said. "One true God. From eternity to eternity, everlasting. Amen." He again did the sign of the cross before he got to his feet and left the cave. When he entered out into the open again, he just began crying.

Lonely hills of Poltergeists, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
The winter was bitterly cold, Torah thought. But she'd never felt this cold before. The bone-riders and the goat-warriors and lizard-knights forced her to run all naked through the snow. At first she'd tried to cover herself when the goat-men and lizard-men looked at her with lust-filled disgusting eyes. She'd tried to run away at least three times, but had always bean caught. Then they'd whipped her before they continued onward. She'd tried to blast them with her magic. But after the last spell, she'd completely drained herself of energy. She sunk deep into herself and tried to visualize the watchers of the elements. "Torah" It was a whisper in her mind. For her inner mind, somebody, came walking toward her. It was… What? A woman or a child? She was dressed all in brown cloth and even dough the green and brown aura was so bright it nearly blinded her, she could however see her. She was not tall, but with petite in shape and with a slender grace which was unthinkable for someone mere mortal. But she was human in appearance, with strawberry-blonde hair and her eyes was nearly as green as her cloth. "Who are you?" She asked, aldough she already knew it. "I am the wather of the crest of emeralds. The guardian of earth." For a moment it was like she could smell the scent of flowers blooming, just as she thought she saw all the rich beauty who you could find under the earth, from iron to the jewels. "It is more at stake here than your life and the living creature of the earth." She told her. "The darkness shroud everything and they drain the source of the forest. This forest, who give life to the entire countryside. You must defeat the ones who polute this real. You must revive the one who is our representation." For her inner eye she saw the image of another being. "TheOne Is with you." Then she wanished and again she was left alone. What was to become of her? She remembered what she'd seen when they first reached the demon castle. She couldn't help but shudder. Should she also end up like some of that blue-eyed monster's playthings? The great ones could be cruel at times, but it was a needed cruelty, her grandmother had told her. They never forced her to do anything, but they presented to you what you needed to do and then let you choose what to do. Life, Yoko had said, was more than avoiding pain. You should do what was the will of God and then be grateful. God's mercy was nothing you bought, it was something you received. Then it was up to you to do good things, or to toss it aside by doing evil things. She knew pain and perhaps degredation lay before her, but somehow she felt prepared. God was with her, that she was sure of.

Lonely hills of poltergeists, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
Saria had bean crucified. Those bastards had crucified her. He cursed God's holy rage upon them as he forcefully ripped out the nails holding her. He could see that they'd taken the neclase keeping the splinters of her trees. If he didn't find it fast she would die. He didn't know where her tree stood so he began to search around where he could see they'd tossed around her and Torah's belongings. He found her weapons unharmed, as he did her backpack. That would be nice if she had anything to change with since they'd tore her clothings to shred. Then he found it. It lay under the remains of Torah's school-uniform. He quickly put the thing around the dryad's neck. Having taken care of that, he began to pile together wood and them made it into a fire. He opened her backpack and, after having taken out a new tunic, he put all her's and Torah's weapons inside it. He put her boots and wrist-protectors on and then brought out some of his own pans. He packed a few rocks into the torn remains of Torah's poncho and then put them over the fire. When they where warm, he put them under her feet so she shouldn't become cold. Then he wandered what to do. He had no medicine for this kind of damage. Neither purification crystals nor Beladonna would cure this. He put his hands into the pockets of his jacket and then pulled out a tiny package. It was first when he opened it that he remembered what it was. It was the twenty DSS-cards. John had given them to him as they first went toward the castle. Rightfully they belonged to John, since he was a descendant of Nathan Graves, but John had shook his head as he pointed it out. "I cannot use those cards." He'd said. "Each Belmont have their own set of powers who diverse from member to member. Perhaps you should try using them." He'd put them inside his pocket and then forgotten them entirely, until now that is. He put the twenty cards into their separate families. It was the attribute and the action cards. By using different combination he could use them to power up his weapons and grant himself adional powers. But how the heck was he to heal Saria? He calmed himself, like Christian and John had thought him to, and summoned God in his hearth. "Be your will," He prayed. "in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." He closed the prayer with the sign of the cross and then he just knew what to do. It wasn't quite the same way Nathan Graves had used them, if the legends about him where true, but that didn't matter. John was right. God gave the family holy powers, they differed from person to person, but it was always the same power. Then he again summoned God and placed the Neptune card together with the Mandragora card. A flash of light, crystal and green, and Saria opened her eyes. He smiled and then nearly collapsed to the ground. "Take it easy." Saria got to her feet and helped him to sit. "It's merely your body getting use to that load of energy." He nodded. He didn't want to ask, but he just couldn't stop himself. "What happened out here?" She looked away. He could see tears on her cheeks. "They came upon us when we was still adapting from our damages and use of magic." She slowly began.

Flashback.

She drew out her blade and crushed the hand of the bone-rider into pieces. But it was like they just didn't want to fight. They just continued on trying to grab them. More bone-riders came at her and this time they managed to knock the blade out of her hand. A pack of lizard-knights lifted her up against the tree behind her. "Little brat." One of them hissed at her. Another lizard drew its curved blade and drew it all the way down her tunic. It, and a third lizard, tore off the remaining cloth and the first one drew his blade as the other two held her. She prepared to die, but they didn't intend to kill her. The second lizard forced her hands aside so the first one could hammer nails into her palms. She screamed like she'd never screamed before. And screamed again as they drove nails through her feet as well. "You should hang here until that Belmont return to cut you down." The first lizard hissed. "Oh come on boss." The second one said. "We have time for some little fun." The third supported the second one. The first one looked at her as a wicked grin spread across his face. "I think you've right boys." They just opened their dirty leather-trousers, stroking themselves until they became aroused. They grasped at her to make her become exited and then…

End of flashback.

She looked up at him and now her tears went freely down her face. "They raped me." She said. "The three lizard-knights raped me. One after the other. And do you know what the worst part was?" He didn't wished to know, but she tild him before he could silence her. "I liked it. Not to begin with. Not with the first one. But with the others… " He put his hand over her mouth. "Hush." He softly said. "It's only the natural function of your body. I'm not sure, but perhaps dryads like it more than other people." She hung with her head. "I think you're right Edward. I know I want to do it again. Not now, but I know I might do it again." He put his hand on her sholder, pulling her to him, embrazing her hard. He didn't want it to go this way. But it had. He could only whish for God to help her. She silently weeped against his chest. Slowly began to get a hold on herself. He could see the shadows of dark memories still present in her eyes. It was like she could concentrate on the present and push the past into a distant corner of her spirit. He wondered how anyone could manage that, he would do whatever he could to confort her if her concentration should fail her. Now however they had to find Torah. Since there was no corpse, they had abducted her. Why he didn't want to think about. He got to his feet and looked across the shaflt-like valley right before them. Light burned in the windows in their direction. He wondered if the white witch was in that tower. But somehow he just knew she wasn't. He shook his head. They had to to what they had to do. He brought out that familiar card which Adrian had given him and activated it. The fairy familiar appeared before him. "Go to Adrian and ask how it's going." She nodded and then vanished. He put it back in the inner pocket as he brought on his coat. "Do you have my weapons?" She asked as she too got to her feet. "Sure." He said as he picked up the backpack and she brought out those belonging to her. Then they prepared to leave and he put out the fire. Then he brought out the chain-whip. He could combine the cards in his mind. He did the sign of the cross. Saria smiled at him, doing the same gesture. Then they began walking. This time the spell the bone-knight king had cast didn't made them walk astray, so they would soon come to the tower. Less than a day or so, or so he thought. Then strange lights became lit around them. "Will-o'-whisps." Saria said as she did a warning gesture. He nodded. Just as the shrouded beings carrying lanterns came at them, he combined the Mercury card with the salamander card and made flames burn around the whip. Now that he could use the cards, he didn't had to summon the power of his Belmont bloodline anymore. "Star bow! Blue bow!" Saria's arrows made two Will-o'-whisps explode. He brandished the whip and made several other turn on fire. One of them slashed at him with a dagger it'd brought out from its cloak and he screamed in pain as it hit his shoulder. The effect of the DSS-system went out, but he however continued to swing the whip at them. He noticed Saria was standing at his back, defending herself with her sword and shield.

Barnsdall mine, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
The white witch ended the communication. Anita Fortner had bean rather short in her report. But it looked like the general Reich had bean brought to safety and that Lady Karhnstein was pleased with their actions in the process. Lord Frost had returned and now stood by her side as he used to. "Things have unfolded a bit different than I thought they would." He commented in his cold detached tone. "If you say so." She said. "I must leavy you." She blinked. "The Dark Lord have summoned me." She couldn't help a faint smile crossing her face. "When Dimitri return, inform him I leave him to represent Lord Dracula in the valley." She nodded. Then the vampire turned to mist and vanished. "Lady Bernhardt, there is a message from Rover manor coming in." She nodded and once more the crystal lit up. "Greetings my lady Bathory," She greated as the boyar lady's face appeared before her. "I must speak with Damien." She cut her short. "Bought Shaft and Orlock have left me and I am not sure what I shall do with the situation here." She rouse her brow. She had not bean aware that bought these high-ranking members of the circle of blood have bean in the valley. "I am sorry to inform you that lord Frost have just left us. His representative have gone to the forgotten village, or so was his last report to lord Frost." Lady Bathory slowly nodded. "I will have to send her there then. Thank for the information dough." She saluted her and then ended the transmission. She wondered what that was all about. She also wondered where the Belmonts and their helpers had disappeared to. The last reports about that issue from her side of the valley had bean sent by knight Grehedwain. But now he had become silent too. The only conclusion had to be that their enemies had disposed him. She was not powerful enough to demand an explanation from lady Bathory about what was going on in the lonely hills, but she sure wanted to. "Bael." She said to her head aid. The were-lioness was quick to move into place before her. "Prepare the troops for battle. I want scouts to search the entire Jam wasteland for proofs where the Belmonts might be. Dismissed." Just then the crystal lit up again. "My lady." A boar-man said as its face appeared before her. "my name is Grond. I want to tell you that some of the enemies are somewhere in the lonely hills. My men don't dare enter the hills, but we're about to work our way around them and will wait for them when they reach Jam on the other side." She nodded, dismissing him. The boar-man would perhaps reach them, but she couldn't afford if he failed her. "Do not just stand there." She snapped at the Buer who had stopped when Grond reported in. "Execute your command." "Yes my lady." It ran to do so. She put a finger upon his lips, thoughtful upon what to do. The Belmonts was here, so much was obvious. So much had went wrong because of them. The evil spirits waited for them at all places she could think of. But then it was their power to think about. A smile appeared on her lips. She put her hands into her lap. She had forgotten one thing. However much damage they placed upon her and Anita's servants, however many times they foiled their plots. They would sooner or later have no choice but to come to them. She and her "sister" had to die for them to escape. She rouse from her seat. "You know what to do." She told the Bael before she left. She would use what time they gave her to exercise her power, preparing for the unavailable battle that would sooner or later come to be. She feared the power of the Belmont clan, she did however possess power of her own. Then it would be up to the Master for which of them to live and which of them to die in the process. She could wait. Sooner or later all would come to those who were patient.

Rover manor, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
Countess Elizabeth went up and down the length of the fire-place. She did not trust Orlock and she did think Shaft was a traitor, but just now she should have whised they had not left her. She had thought to send the little Fernandez with them when they returned to the demon castle Dracula. But now she was unsure of what to do. Not where to send her. She had already sent the little sorceress down Dabi's path to be delivered at the forgotten village. If she had only known who her uncle's representative was. Andrea Bernhardt had not told her so. Perhaps she did not know the answer herself, she did not want to sound like she did not know it either. The Master take it all. Soon the other enemy, the Morris, would come. She could not help but smile. Since Jonathan Morris killed her in 1917 she had hoped for a rematch with one to bear that name. Now she would get it. And this time, it was she who should appear victorious.

Lonely hills of poltergeists, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
He didn't like it. It was just a little to obvious it had to be a trap. Since the Will-o'-whisps, there had bean no enemies attacking them. It'd begun to gnaw on his nerves. He could see by the pale cheeks of Saria that she too had begun to feel nervous. They had followed the track of the bone-riders down a dangerous path in the clif-face behind them until they now stood in what he'd before thought was a difficult valley in the hearth of the hillside. Now he understood it was more some sort of large crack or shaft in the landscape. He felt like it was some sort of mini-version of the Grand Canion or something. The snow was not deep here, since the high cliffs took off for much of the wind and such only the falling snow itself came down here. For a moment however, the sky was clear. But the sound of the wind was another thing making him nervous. It howled over the edges of the canion like the voices of condemned soulds from Hell. He shook his head. He had to concentrate upon what lay before them and not let himself be sceared by the nature's own voices. The manor lay all the way at the other end of a little river who, at their side of the hill, ended in a little pond-land. If it hadn't bean winter that was. All exept the wind was now in absolute silence. "Let's go." He said, doing the sign of the cross. "I'm right behind you." She said as she too did the sign of the cross. They brought out their weapons before they continued on walking.

Forgotten village, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
Soon he would have to return to the river-boat, Dimitri thought. But not yet. That fool Damien had not even asked him any question when he had approached him, claiming the Dark Lord had sent him to join him. Sine Lord Dracula thought he was dead, he had seemingly not bothered to decree that knowledge to the other candidates. He could thank Chaos he was not dead, again. But if was becoming difficult restoring his ghost on this side of reaility. He had to feed upon the blood of rats and other lesser beings to keep himself stabile now. Their unclean blood held the darkness he needed to remain that way. If he only could crush the hope of the children, then their power would secure his full resurrection to his original state. He gathered his weakening power and then teleported away. He should crush their hope, or else he would finaly do what Nikita advised. Their blood held power which could at least by him time to obtain some other source of power.

Dabi's path, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
The cave was at least a little warmer than the outside hills. As some sick joke, that vampire in the manor had dressed her in a white cloak and nothing else. She felt dirty, aldough she didn't knew why. "You are close." She thought to the sleeping presence she had begin to feel a few moments earlier. It felt strange, like it came from multiple directions. But, as grandmother Yoko had reminded her over and over, magic was a strange phenomena who noone mere mortal and very few imortal could fully understand. The bone-knights and boar-lords wathing her was still a little to much, but soon she would regain her power and then she should take them all down. Just then, the tunnel opened and they come out in a snow-covered village. She looked around. It looked like the village Yoko had described for her. They went toward the ruins of an old church-ruins in the centre of the village. "I have waited for you." A voice said as the door boomed shut behind her. She recognized her, recognized her from the legends about Cerrie Fernandez. "My name is Gwendolyn Fernandez." She couldn't help but scream. Now she understood why they had in store for her.

The Vatican, Italy. The 21st. of December 2098 A.D.
The door became slamed open as Paul and Rachel Kishine came running into his office. "Your eminence… " Paul gasped as he nearly fell over as he put a piece of paper upon the table. "It came just now." Rachel said. "From cardinal Richard of Great Britain." He quickly read what stood on the short letter. "The Hakuba and Orlean families have bean force to land somewhere in Northern England. The last communication from Henry Orlean is that an enormous spider was drawing them in." He quickly got to his feet. This was a disaster. "King George VII want to speak with you and… " He did not stay to hear Rachel out as he ran to the communication hall. Must God in Heaven see to that they didn't came to harm.

(A.N: It has bean a long haunt. But I hope you all liked the chapter. It has some adult stuff here, but the part with the DSS cards is something I've looked forward to throw into the story. I'll not copy it directly from CotM, but I hope you'll like it. Have a nice time until next chapter.)

Chapter 25: The Story Continues | Back to Chapter 23