Castlevania: Darkness Never Dies

Fan Fiction

Continued...

Part 1: Gathering darkness.

""If you cannot believe me or He who sent me," Jesus said. "then believe my deeds.""

John: 7. 4.

Chapter 26. Anxiousty.
Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 19th of December 2098 A.D.
The snow fell heavily down outside the French windows. Anita Bernhard could not hide the grimace from crossing her ivory-pale beautiful face. She hated the winter. If she had her will in life she would use the power to claim an eternal summer. Countess Karhnstein had come to the ruins but had not chosen to stay. She would never rise to the mantle of power she deserved if she did not made anything about it, herself. Her so-called "sister" would not help her. She was a cold sceeming militarist who would do as her superiours commanded. She on the other hand could be willing to take a chance to reach her goal. "Auch." She grunted as the old hag of a vampire dug the pointed needle into her arm, securing a sample of her blood. "Thank you, my lady Bernhard." The witch said as she put her remedies back in her casket. "Tell lord Blinov I look forward to see him in person." There was all these rumours about. That Dimitri Blinov had fallen in disfavour of the Dark Lord. Rumours that sead a child-Belmont had killed him. How could any of this be true sine she had met him less than a day ago? He was a ghost, true, but some of the circle around lord Dracula had bean stripped of their physical shapes for her to know the truth. "That I shall do, my lady. Hail deer Graf." She returned the salute just as the other vampire vanished. When she had told her lord Blinov needed their blood, the blood of her and her "sister", what did he actually mean by that? Mindful she lifted her bloody champagne-glass to her lips. The crimson liquid gave her power. Then of course it had came from a child, they possessed the strongest blood of the human race. When he first had met with her, he had asked for land in Fisher marshland. The bog held no value for her, so she had bean happy to grant him his will. She absent-mindedly wondered what he was dealing with just now. Countess Karhnstein had told her there was vampire hunters in the marsh. She would deal with them if the problem if it ever acured to her. The best would of course be if lord Blinov defeated them in person if they trespassed upon his land. She would however see to that the guards kept a close eye on what happened within the marshland.

Chamber of the ancient.
"Is it right of us to do this?" Earth turned her head. It was Wind who had spoken her mind. "Placing this much pressure upon such a young soul?" Water calmed them. "The Arien will be awakened and she will know her plight to be the sage of the forest temple." Life nodded. "For 5.000 years ago the sage of the forest temple died to conceal the shadows who had poisoned his domain. The Dark Lord has awaken great evil. Do you wish it to begin all again?" "Be the will of the One." Light said, her light shining upon them all. "We do what we must." Spirit said. "He gave us part in the Free Will. This is our plight to those seeing to us for leadership." Wind nodded. "So let it be then. Saria will awaken Arien." Light smiled. "She has already began to awaken." That was true. "So be it." Earth said. Then she, Water, Wind, Life and Spirit rouse and left.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
Alicia Schneider hid behind a boulder, not careing her black leather trousers became souced by the mud. "You're sure there is only 10 of them?" She asked Adrian as she prepared for battle. He nodded. She return the gesture and then moved into action. "Go for it." Marcia nodded and darted right at the group of fishmen, making her light shine as bright she could make it. "Balls of Destructions! Crimson lightning!" Adrian blasted his magic right behind them, she drew her blade and made golden flames blaze around the blade. Just as her sword cut through the first fishman, Adrian was at her side, making sushi of all enemies who came in his path. It was a pitty Blade and his group had split with them to hunt their own goals. They had however given her some new grenades to use on enemies. Here it wasn't needed. Marcia healed the bruices they'd given them, then they boarded the rotting old barge.

River-boat of wandering spirits, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
Dimitri Blinov stepped backward as the corpse continued to burn. "Apology accepted, lieutenant Queng." A smile went across his face. The Chinese vampire's spirit have bean powerful enough to restore him to his physical state. Aldough that was of little consequence for the time being. To be resurrected into the near-corpse the Dark Lord had reduced him to was like nothing. Not when he had really hoped to be able to absorb seven young souls with even greater power. He even had with him three new children, Alfred and Angela Meizel and the brother of Heinz Mullher, Sigmund. But they could still be of use to him. The foolish vampire had killed Lucy Strangeway, Shelia Winterfelt and And that Fritz boy. Now it was time to end all this. The forgotten village had no more children for him to spare. He had to take them now or he would loose his price. "My lord!" A red-fured were-fox came running in. "What is it?" He snarled. "The Belmonts have entered the boat and the children is gone, again." How was it possible? How could he h it have come to this?" He threw his fist forward and captured the creature with the neck. "Nisao." He said in a dangerous soft voice. "I grant you command of the river-boat. Now please," His voice became a roar. "find the children! And if you must tear this ship apart to do so, you better have to do so. Have I made myself clear?" The terrified were-fox quickly nodded as he let go of her neck. "Then get to it!" She let go of all pride and just ran outside. "Do not just stand there!" He snapped at the creatures he had brought with him. "Bring me the heads of the Belmonts or I will have yours." They ran to execute his will. As they had left it, he burst into laughing. Sometimes a roused voice could give results. He would go to inspect his other affairs in the village, then he would gather what troops loyal to him and come back here and size what was his. And if not, the crew of this barge would have to do. He teleported away.

River-boat of wandering ghosts, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
She felt strange just as she sat her feet upon the deck. It was like a Déjà vu. Or not that precisely. More that she should've having a Déjà vu and didn't received anyone. "Alicia?" Adrian asked. "Are you well?" Marcia worridly fluthered around her head, a worried look even on her petite face. "I'm not sure." She confessed. "It feel like I should be here or that I once have bean here sometime but just don't remember it." To her surprise, a relieved look crossed Adrian's eyes. Well, not relief exactly. It was more like reassuring, like a theory had become justified. "This place," He moved his hand around them. "the reality here have bean worn down. It is so thin that you might actually feel what once was memories of past lives." She slowly nodded. It was almost unbelievable, but but Adrian should know what he spoke about. She cleaned her glasses, pondering his answer through. "Get down!" Adrian threw her to the floor, shielding her with his body as a round of arrows came flying at them. "Shield of bats!" He got to his feet and sent a swarm of bats to fly before them. She looked toward where the arrows have came from. At the top of the stear before them, a pack of vampires stood. On the moment she noticed them, a new series of arrows came flying at them. She called to God from her hearth and ran forward, doing a super-jump who brought her up to their level. She landed on the walckway just beside them and brought her blade out as quickly she could. She threw holy water at one who slashed his claws at her. She cut the head of another who was about to bring out his blade and screamed as one vampire ramed her in the knee with an arrow. "Balls of Destruction! Wing of the Grizzly!" A swarm of bats came waving in, attacking the vampires with their own blood-sucking trick. She leaned against the wall as she breathed heavily. Blood came oozing from her knee. Forcing her teeth together, she drew out the arrow, thanking God the arrow-head wasn't poisoned or anything. "Blood is the life." She looked up. Adrian stood beholding her, his eyes upon the blood dripping from the wound. "Jesus is the only true life." She softly said. "By believing in him you are delivered." He rouse his head, looking her in the eyes. "Forgive me." He just said as Marcia came flying in to heal her damage. "Be what may be." She said. He smiled, doing the sign of the cross. "Come on." She said. She began, then something knocked into her.

River-boat of wandering ghosts, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
Alfred Armstrong lay a hand around the shoulders of his little-sister. Even dough he was 16 years old he felt just as angry and helpless as she was. When Blinov had brought him, Sigmund Muller and Simon Krantz with him from that strange village, he'd bean left to himself when that bastard had made finding his sister and the children aboard this barge his top-priotity. He'd killed Luzy, Fritz and Shelia in the process, only to show them he could. It hadn't helped they'd discovered their their magic powers. Now most of the crew was sitting watch around their rooms as Dimitri had gone somewhere. Where he didn't know. "We have to try one final time." He softly told her. "We just can't let that devil take our souls." She looked up into his eyes, drying away the tears. "You're right." She returned the smile. "Let's get to work." He gathered his strength around him. "Pepper breath!" He cast the spell and the door went of its joints. "Hand of the Heaven!" Penny unleashed a bolt of silvery light right at the ghosts guarding them. "Howling blast!" "Hand of Fate!" Sigmund and Heinz had also broken free and was making quick work of some more ghosts. "Spiral twister!" "Electrical blast!" "Marching fishes!" Through their combined powers, Deborah, Reichardt and Simon managed to knock down the wall and door of their cell. "Impressive." He couldn't help but grin as they all gathered around him. Then he got serious. "Dimitri will soon be back with monsters who can handle magicians. This time we must get away or die." They all nodded, grim faces turned all toward him. He wasn't sure if they understood. But he'd made up his mind. If it looked like they was to be captured, he would kill them and himself instead of letting Dimitri take them. He'll take the chance with God than with what these monsters. "Come on." He said as he moved for them to follow.

River-boat of wandering ghosts, Warakiya. The 17th of December 2098 A.D.
Adrian helped Alicia to sit. Even as he prepared some spells in case she had become possessed. "Adrian," She said as she opened her eyes. Again he was hit with how beautiful she was. When she put back her glasses he managed to make a grip on himself. "I saw Carrie Fernandez. She is here." She then shook her head, looking puzzled and somewhat distressed. "She called me Reinhardt Schneider and prayed for me to come. Some evil force is using this place as a superconductor to attract evil energy. Seven children is held captive here. It was all so blurry. But I think the meaning is to make seven persons possessing the power of elemental magic to obtain the chaos and then harvest their souls, like they where mere batteries." He got to his feet. If that was true, then somebody possessing his father's power was here. The reason he believed in it was because it all make sence. The curse put on the mire was not the same as upon the valley. "Then we shall obey her question." The Belmont nodded and got to her feet. "I'm glad you don't think I'm just mad or something." He formally bowed. "I spent my childhood together with such persons. I know when someone have lost their mind." Marcia came fluttering from wherever she had bean staying aporaching the woman's face. "If there is anything wrong, I'll try heal whatever it might be." "Thank you Marcia." It still surprised him how the Belmont could be so natural toward this being. Why she continued to treat her like an equal individual. Perhaps fairies where different from other familiars? That could have bean why he had given his own fairy to the Morris and his companions? He would however have to wait for such interesting thoughts to a later time. A pack of fishmen jumped out of the water and landed right before them. Just then, another pack of vampires came out behind them. "Shield of Bats!" He blocked the first round of arrows shot by the vampires, then Alicia went at them with sword at the ready and daggers already flying through the air. He threw back his cloak and brought out bough sword and shield. He then attacked the fishmen who already was dashing at him. His coat became torn during the attack, even blood became drawn. But this was nothing against getting lost in the bog. When it was over, Marcia healed their wounds like he always did. "I wonder why there is so few soldiers about?" Alicia said as she made some relaxing motions with her arm. That was a good question. A question he actually was afraid to ask. That there was so few defending a place seemingly this important could not mean anything good. Then he quickly rouse his shield, turning it back-side up. "You know my powers." The soft yet hoarse voice of Medusa. "I do." He coldy said as he closed her, keeping his eyes lowered. He was forced to look upon her bossom, but although feeling rude, he knew it was merely a tric to make him rise his gaze. "I thought Hercules destroyed you." Alicia said as she rouse her blade and held her holy water at the ready. "The Dark Lord is the Lord of the Grave," Medusa said. "he might resurrect any soul who have pledged undying fealty to Evil." "Then their souls are lost." Alicia said. "May God forgive you." She made it rain holy water. Medusa rouse her stone-shield to block and then whipped her tail at the young woman. Knocking her off balance, she made a beaming gaze shoot toward her. "Not in Hell!" He shouted. "Shield of Bats!" The spell turned to stone themselved, but it kept the curse away from Alicia. He then summoned his sword and demon familiars. "Stay back." He instructed. "Come at her when you sees an opening." "Yes master." They bought said in unison. Alicia slashes at Medusa, this time she became countered by the snake-woman's own sword. Snakes crawled along the floor, Alicia beheaded them by tossing the throwing-cross toward them. The demon-familiar made three bursts of plasma toward Medusa's shield, crushing it to pieces. The snake-woman returned the favour by turning a stoned state upon it. Medusa then whipped at him, he turned to a bat and managed to avoid the next round of snakes thrown at him. Again Alicia cut down the snakes by utilizing the throwing-cross. He wondered where she had found that, but asking questions in battle was a perfect way to become defeated. Alicia then made a new rain of holy water appear. He turned to mist to not become burned himself. Medusa however became burned but by curling together and rolling across the deck-plancs she avoided banishment. She then slashed the blade right at Alicia. She rouse the cross she carried right at the snake-woman so her blade burst to pieces. Even dough they all became cut by the move, it was still an exelent blow. The girl was getting better, that was obvious. Then again, Medusa proved by turning a stoned state on the sword-familiar that she was by far no puch-over. "Balls of Destruction!" He spread his cape and make three bat-inhabited blue balls of flame shot at the enemy. The clever bitch turned it down-hand as she turned the flames into stone. Then rouse her arm to protect against another tossed cross from Alicia. "Crimson lightning!" He bought the young Belmont time to re-obtain her presious weapon as Medusa moved away to counter for his lightning. Bleeding from multiple wounds, Medusa still was a match for bough of them. Alicia made a rain of holy water as she went into hand-to-hand combat with their enemy who countered each blow by making snakes appear in her arms to become slaughtered instead of her. He awaited for an opportunity when Alicia made a back-flip and sent three daggers right into the belly, chest and neck of Medusa. Poisonous blood was spilled all around as Medusa rawed around. But it was over. The Belmont stepped away and Marcia came to heal her of the poisoning the snake-woman had made on her. His familiars turned back to normal and he congratulated them before making them disappear. They did however not have much time to rest. They had to find a way into the bottom of the old boat. Somehow he was sure what or who they searched for was to find down there.

River-boat of wandering ghosts, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
Simon checked his gold Rolex chronometer. Acording to his family hairloom, they had avoided the enemy all into a new night. That was new personal-record. Perhaps that was because they where willing to use their powers more careless than the last time. But then of course, this time they had no Dimitri Blinov to read the prints of used magic. "Harpoon torpedo!" He blasted the doors to pieces. Alfred and Sigmund was on the ready. "Nova explosion!" "Howling blaster!" Another thing he'd noticed was that they all seemed to have grown stronger. The two attacks however made the two vampire guards be torn to shreds. "I have waited for you." That voice was one he knew. It was the voice of a person he feared. "Yang Queng." Penny said as the Chinese vampire came slowly toward them. She was dressed in red and yellow Chinese robes and had braided her long raven hair into two braids going down behind her ears, promoting their pointed shape. Somehow he recognised the Chinese sings upon her dress. Not that he knew what they where. But he knew what they meant. He felt how his cheeks became red. He was 18 years old but that didn't mattered. "What do you want with us?" Alfred asked. He felt how the brown-haired boy was focusing his powers, like he was himself. "A fight." Yang Queng said, removing her robes. "Girl vs. girl. Simple as that." Penny and Deborah exchanged glances, then Deborah stepped forward. "Good." Under the robes, Yang Queng was dressed in a white T-shirt with "I love Dracula" on it, and simple black leather-trousers. "Spiral twister! Meteor wing!" Deborah spread her arms and enflamed meteors fell from the ceiling just as she made strong winds blow about. Yang Queng became mist and avoided the attack. Then she became human and jumped into the air and came at his friend with a flurry of jump-kicks. He gasped as Deborah jumped high into the air and landed right behind Yang Queng. "Meteor wing!" The rocky rain knocked her off balance and he opened his mouth th cheer, then she became mist. "Wing blade!" Again Deborah proved his theory about them growing in strength. The spell made a red shape of a bird flew from her hands and hit the coil of mist, making it burn to nothingness. "You did it!" Reichardt ran to greet Deborah, like they all did. He was together with them as they all embrazed each other. They had met their first real though enemy and they'd defeated it. He met the eyes of Aldred and nodded. They knew this only was the beginning.

River-boat of wandering ghosts, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
Her worst guessing became proven as they reached the doors which, after their calculations, lead deeper into the boat. Red and blue-fured were-foxes, all dressed in plain brown, boots, grey trousers, brown tunics and grey metal brest, shoulder-plates and helmets, was awaiting them. "Stay out of this Belmont." A female red were-fox shouted upon approach. "This has nothing to do with Lord Dracula." She felt the pressure behind her eyes, forging her to continue on. "I do not think so." Adrian calmly said. "All which happens in this countryside have connection to my father." "Then, since you insist," She made a sing and they brought out their blades. "you'll have to take on all us red guards." She prepared her own blade. This would not be easy. They looked like millits, but even a millits could kill you if you didn't fought them like any other opponent. "Balls of Destruction!" Adrian made the first move. As they scattered to avoid the flames, she threw the boomerang-cross, summoning her Belmont blood, and it split into a multitude of crosses. Blood spilled about the old deck and stairs as she swung her blade at one still capable enemy. The blue-fured foe swung his two Japanse blades with such lack of skill that it was almost a pitty he wasn't killed long ago. She quickly finished him off and then continued to fight another red guard. The red-fured fox was much better with his weapons and she was forced to do a back-flip in order to not get killed. She continued on defence while he agresivly continued hammering her defences. She made the blade go on fire and his blades exploded. She pierced his hearth before he could get away and then continued on. She fought two more blue foxes. They where far better than the first one, but not as good as the red had bean. She felt how her wounds burned and how the blood soaked her clothing, but she continued on. Marcia fluttered about, healing them whenever she could. Adrian was on the offence, battling against their leader who looked to be his match in martial arts. She then nearly became cut in two by a red fox who'd used her mental lapse to go in for an attack. Marcia flew right at her face and blinded her with a fountain of sparks, mostly looking like splintered jewels, as she finished the job. But there was so many more. Each time she cut down a red guard, there was another one ready to take his or hers place and so on. Soon she felt it would be over. They where worning her down and they where nearly going to reach their goal. She summoned God and made it rain holy water. But this was living creatures, born of nature and God, so it didn't harmed them as much it would have with the living dead. It gave her however a momentary breather so Marcia could heal her damages. But she couldn't heal her tiredness and that seemed to be the problem. The were-foxes where gathering around her again. There was still at least a dozen left standing and she was feeling like she couldn't go on. She knew she had to. "God!" She cried as she dashed against them. She cut down a loosy fencer, then became hurt as two other came at here. She ripped out a dagger and managed to keep them off. She knew what needed to be done. As soon the two she was fighting was down, she brought out a grenade. "Get in bay!" She shouted at Adrian just as everything seem to explode. When it was over, all seem to be over. Some were-foxes was screaming with pain, but unless of a meagre few, they where all dead. She nearly collapsed to the floor but crept over to lean against the wall. "You did well." Adrian stood before her. "But you should see to clean your blade." She smiled almost reluctantly as she staggered upright and went to do it. She used the tunic of a red guard. But looked away as Adrian delivered the finishing blow to those still alive. She knew it was the best way, better than letting them face a long painfull death. But still it felt wrong to slay enemies who no longer could fight you. The knowledge that they would've tortured her to death wasn't comforting. When that was deatl with, she ate some food to replenish her energy. But even the final chicken her mother had prepared for her, felt like ashes in her mout. Then there was nothing left to do than carry on. Adrian cheked the stairs becore they went down, but there was no enemies there. Except for a few bats dough. But they where no mach for them. The deck below was one of the strangest she'd seen so far. It looked like some Egyptian museum or something. "I don't like this." She confessed. "I do not like it either." Adrian admitted. "There is strong dark magic at work here." Just then some old coffins opened and two large bulky skeletons, suited in misfit remains of armour, came at them. Just then a glass-case exploded and a double-bladed axe and a spiked-club came flying into the bone-trooper's wanting hands. Other coffins opened and more bone-troopers and vampires came to wiev. "Ready?" Adrian asked, placing his back against hers. "Ready." She mumbled.

River-boat of wandering ghosts, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
They where back in the engine-room of the boat. How Dimitri had managed to set up that unbreakable wall right in the middle of the river-boat he didn't understood, but here they where dough. And here there was no blocking obstacles. Penny had used her boper to create a ball of light to lit their path. And that they needed. There was holes in the metal who made water come in and flood the area. "Watch out!" Heinz suddenly cried. He followed the shaking finger of his little-brother and gasped. That big rock who'd lay at the other end of the engine-room was moving! He shook his head. This couldn't be ture. It just couldn't. The rock however, rouse up and turned out to be a large one-eyed figure moled out of pure rock. "This is it!" Alfred haulted. "Paw of the Blue Warg!" He souted, making heavy projectiles of frost launch forward. The rock smashed them to pieces with its hammer. He didn't like this. Didn't like it at all.

River-boat of wandering ghosts, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
Another grenade finished the last bone-troopers. But that had also bean her last grenade. The room was an incredible mess after the combat. She didn't like to destroy thing, but the lost souls hadn't given her any choice. She almost knew what was coming. Even before the last coffin, made out of ancient rock, she knew what was inside.The two mummies where however fouler than she'd thought they would be. The bandages couldn't hide the black rotting stinking flesh. "Do not be afraid." Adrian said, aldough she thought she saw a slightly worried look upon his face. "I know you've fought mummies before," She commented as she prepared her weapons. "but I haven't." Then she dashed at them, slashing at one mummy with her blade. The sword became stuck in the sticky bandages and near rock-hard body who was beneath. It reached out with its hand, softly touching one of her brests. She threw up, right in its face. Then doused it with holy water. She gasped. Even dough it began to burn, it still came toward her. She didn't dare to look how Adrian was doing against the second one. She sent her daggers at it. The mummy staggered and fell to one knee. Then it slowly rouse and again came toward her. Then it suddenly stopped. She tore out her blade and prepared for the next move, planning on what to do herself. Then a varricade of foul-smelling sticky bandages came flying at her. She felt she would turn mad if any of those discusting shards should fasten around her. She tossed holy water on the shards, then again tossed daggers at it before she swung the blade at it. The mummy again fell to one knee. Unsure of what to do she stamped the cross upon it. The mummy screamed and then burst into fire. But even burning it again got to its feet and began to come at her, making wavy shards fly toward her. She destroyed them by brandishing the throwing-cross, making them burst into flames. She then repelled it by stabbing it with the throwing-daggers. Then she again stamped the cross on it. This time she felt horrified as it lost its head but still continued to come at her. It only stopped to pick up its head, placing it back on its shoulders. She swung her blade at it, this time having some holy water on it. As it staggered backward with flames roaring about it, she summoned her Belmont power as she held up her cross. She elevated into the air and a rain of silvery flames rained down over the mummy. And this time the spell who'd granted it life didn't manage to take out the flames as more flames came coming all the while. She knelt down when she was back down, thanking God for having helped her to defeat the mummy. Then she got to her feet. If Adrian was in trouble she had to help him.

River-boat of wandering ghosts, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
This would better have to work. "Hell's fire!" Adrian rouse his arms and made a devastating wave of cold blue fire roar forward. He cursed as he saw the mummy was immune to his dark power. "Balls of Destruction! Wings of the Grizzly!" He spread his cloak and made fireballs fly forward, then swarms of bats flew at the mummy. Nothing seem to have any effect on it. This was why he feared mummies. Their own arcane magic gave them absolute imunity against the same power used by other. His father would have killed it with ease and they where nothing against a dragon. It only Maria had bean here now. With their combined power they had brought down Akmodan. "Back away your dead bastard!" A rain of holy water signalled Alicia's arrival. She looked grossed, but still had a look upon her face who told him she wouldn't give up. "Marcia!" The Belmont shouted. "Some help here, pleace?" Marcia came darting right from where she had bean to circle around Alicia's head. The young warrior threw away no time. "Come on! Send it back to Hell!" He did not hear what spell the fairy used, but the results where really remarkable. Greens on all types began to grow on the mummy. Still trying to take them it lungered toward them. But really all was over. She had surprised him. She was a pride for her clan and he felt honoured to fight alongside such vampire hunters like her. Somewhere, he felt, Sonia was beaming with pride. Alicia and Marcia helped him remove the bandages who had become stuck at him. The mummy had tried to strangle him, but thanks to the Belmont it had failed. "Come on." She said, smiling slightly as she cleaned her glasses. "Tell me about how it was when you faced the mummy in 1793." He could not help but smile. His memories easily came to him.

Flashback.

Castlevania, Death wing's lair. 1793 A.D. The dead mummy threw its coffin right into his face. Richter slashed his whip, landing a mark who made flames rise up. Then it shot him a punch who knocked him hard against the wall. "Dragon of Heaven!" Maria chanted. A dragon appeared out from the holy embled formed behind her. Akmodan II countered the flames by using its coffin for shelter. He summoned his bat-familiar and made it fly right past the coffin. It turned into a swarm of bats and even dough the mummified kind managed ti crush many of them, he did not take them all. They tore into it and made multiple bandages hang open. Richter threw his cross and managed to cut away one arm. Then destroyed it with a rain of holy water. He saluted the brave Belmont. Then turned to mist and drifted right past the mummy's next attack. "Dows of the sky!" Maria made a flock of snowy dows appear and fly directly at Akmodan II just as he pierced its hearth with the spear he had picked from the inverted garden. Richter then threw his axe and made lightning strike who then finished the mummy off.

End of flashback.

Alicia smiled as he bowed. "I was never meant to be a bard." He codly said. "But as one pride of his deeds in past time I should remember such things." She softly laughed, but he saw no jesting in it. "You are right." She said. "I'm proud of what past members of my bloodline have accomplished." He bowed and cordially kissed her hand. "There is one thing I think you might want to see." Marcia said, making him rouse his head. "What is it?" Alicia asked. Marcia flew over to where the woman's grenades had knocked a hole in the floor and then pointed downward. He looked down into a place who could only be the engine-room. A group of children was facing a Cyclops, but he thought that was not the interesting thing about it. Near one of the engines lay the corpse of a long dead school-girl. As he watched, it was like it became alive again and tried to move its hand. Then he noticed what was in its hand and jumped down into the engine.

River-boat of wandering ghosts, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
Alicia brought out the holy water and created a down-pour over the Cyclops. She knew it wouldn't hurt it that much, but at least it made it stagger a little. "Hello, lady." A boy by the age of 16 spoke to her in German. "My name is Alfred Armstrong. It is nice to meet you." She smiled, sending her throwing-cross flying, making small splinters of rock become knocked of. "This is my sister, Penney." The boy continued as the children scattered as the Cyclops sent a beam blasting at them. "Deborah! Reichardt!" Alfred shouted. "Defend the hole, bone-troopers and vampires are coming in. Heinz! Sigmund! Block the holes in the sides. Fishmen are breaking through." The kid was a really good field-commaner and knew he had to work to remain one. The children was good at this even dough they left the Cyclops to her and Adrian. "Marcia," She asked the fey. "please go with the others and heal those who needs it?" Marcia smiled and then darted toward the foursome keeping the other foes at bey. "What shall we do?" Alfred then asked them. "Take down the foes together with your friends." Adrian coldly requested. She shook her head. "Alfred, you and Penny take out the rocks it toss at us. And you, what's your name?" The oldest boy bowed. "I am Simon Krantz." She smiled. "Simon, you'll use your water to block tose beams it fire at us." The children went at it, as did Adrian. She however was drawn toward the corpse laying at the old moving gears. "You have come." She felt how her mouth fell open as the dead rouse and looked her in the eyes. But that wasn't the really mysterious thing. That was that it, she, didn't looked dead. And what else was, she knew this girl, knew her like a sister. "Reinhardt Schneider." The dead girl said. "I have waited for you so long." She finally regained her voice. "I'm not Reinhardt. He had bean dead for at least 200 years. I'm merely his descendants. But Carrie, I thought you vanished in 1853." "Who told you that?" Carrie Fernandez asked her. "I'm not sure. But I think it was Jesica Fernandez, your cousin who wrote it in her journal." Carrie shook her head. "So you never told her the truth?" "I don't understand." It began to become complicated talking with a spirit who saw you as the one you'd once bean. "What should I've told her?" She didn't want to ask, but somehow she had to. "Jesica Fernandez was not my cousin. My family was destroyed by mis-guided witch-hunters and vampires who knew about our legacy. No, descendant of Reinhardt. Jesica Fernandez is my daughter. I gave birth to her at the age of 13. And Malus was the father." A smile crept across her face as Alicia merely felt dread. "Ironic isn't it? That the Dark Lord gave additional power to his enemies." Then she became serious. ""It was followers of Shaft who boarded this ship. They used a time-block spell to keep anyone from leaving this realm. I tried to blow up the ship," She held up the sticks of T.N.T. "but I was killed before I could lit them. But because of the time-block I have stayed 200 years on the brink of death. To me it have bean like I lost consciousness and then awaken mere seconds later. I remembered things from time to time. Now the time has come. You must take all these living souls out of the ship. Use the holes where the fishmen are using. Stay with me to the last. Then I'll lit the dynamite. You're the one who keep me stabile. The memories of your souls grant me strength. Then jump out. I might collapse, but my life will be complete and my soul will be free at last." She nodded. She understood. To be kept flouting between the reals this long must have bean a pain to her. "I shall do as you say." She got to her feet. "God bless you." She smiled. "I hope He will." Then she got to work. She got hold of Alfred who promised to take care of the other children. "Seven Heavens!" Heinz was really impressive. There was no other word for it. The golden seal he put on the holes where the bone-troopers and vampires came through was really impressive. But still she felt sad for them. They had bean forced to know their powers through sorrow and pain. Instead of coming to knowledge through cearing guidance. The Cyclops was still a broblem, Adrian hadn't destroyed it. But he acknowledged her and Carrie's plan. "I don't leave you." Marcia just said when she told her what she was about to do. "Thank you." She smiled. Then she stood her ground beside the last opening. Marcia fluttered around her, granting her light to see in. "They will need one more spirit to complete the circle." Carrie suddenly said. "Take my hand." She absent-mindedly did as she said, then jumped out the hole…

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. He 18th of December 2098 A.D.
…and landed in the murky water of the marsh. Carrie's corpse was in her arms. Then she gasped. Her dark hear changed and became light strewberry-blonde colour. Her eyes became a deep shade of blue and she also became slightly younger. "Lucy?!" Penny ran to her side, embrasing the girl she held. "It was her final gift." She slightly mumbled. "She could have healed and lived her life as she choosed. Instead she gave it away to resurrect the soul of a murdered girl." She let the girl down, she and Penny ran to celibrate the event. She stood watching. The river-boat then blasted into pieces. She felt a hand on her shoulder. Adrian stood by here. "God really is merciful." He just said. She nodded, smiling slightly. Then she became serious. "We cannot protect them and search for the curse's origin at the same day." Adrian nodded. "That is why we shall leave this swamp." She nodded. "Marcia, can you do this for us? Take the children with you and try lead them out of the swamp?" "Why don't you ask us the same question?" Alfred, Deborah and Sigmund came up to them. Adrian bowed. "Of course I should have asked you." Alicia shook her head. "You're not ready for this. But I shall give you a quest I think is worthy of you. The curse of wilderness is gone so now you must only find the way out of the swamp. Then you must go and find the train standing on the railway in Barnsdall forest." The children nodded. Alfred actually grinned. "We shall be there." Then his face became serious. "Are you going to meet us there?" Deborah asked. "We shall be there." She promised. They nodded. Then went to gather their friends. Alicia was flouting above Deborah's head. She didn't like to split up with her and not only because they now only had one fey to calculate their attack. "Let's go." She said, gathering her belongings from where she'd dropped them upon the marshland when she'd jumped out of the river-boat. "The power have not changed." Adrian said, his eyes looking north-ward. "Now that the wilderness curse is over I can feel it again." She nodded. She wondered where Edward, Torah and Saria where now. They had lost one day on this "short-cut" with the harpies. But Adrian's fairy-familiar hadn't come yet. So they just had to continue on.

Fisher marshland of morbid morons, Warakiya. The 18th of December 2098 A.D.
How could it have come to this? Dimitri Blinov asked himself. The remaining power of the river-boat had bean enough to secure his still existence on this plane, but it had not bean what he had wished. The positive emotions of the children could have restored him to his full original state and not this half-existance. Now he only had his back-up plan to relay on. But the fact it was a back-up plan proved that he had lost an important move in the play of power. He would rejoin with Drolta Tzuentes and then await the unfolding of events in the forgotten village. He gathered his powers around him and then teleported away.

Forgotten village, Warakiya. The 20th of December 2098 A.D.
Torah wept silently into her hands. That monster who called herself her cousin was learning her such dreadful things. And if she didn't did what she was told, she was tortured until she did. She knew she was growing stronger, but that was no comfort. Gwendolyn Fernandez had joined the Dark Lord's so-called "New" Order and had just newly become a vampire. She understood now the full bitterness of Orlock's words when he said that, after killing her grand-mother, the descendants of Sypha Belnades where no more. She could go out now, she knew she could. She could rise from the uncomfortable bed, take on one of those black robes, leave the poorly furnished room and leave the village. But she knew that by doing that, she would judge the citizens of the village to certain death. That was what really kept her here and Gwendolyn knew that. Her mind always returned back to that point of origin after thinking things through. But this was the first time she actually thought about killing her. She calmly got to her feet. If that was what she had to do, she better had to get to work.

(A.N: It has been a long time since the last chapter. This chapter is written in honour of SotN, CV II and of course DoS. Also, I wish to thank dough behind the series of Digimon and the programmers of Legacy of Darkness. Have a nice time.)

Chapter 27: The Story Continues | Back to Chapter 25