Part 1: Gathering darkness.

"John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one callingin the desert,"Make straight the ways of the Lord" Now some Phariees who had been sent questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you're not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you you stands one you do not know. He is the One who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

Chapter 30: Ripe seed.
Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 20th. of December 2098 A.D.
Anita Fortner went back and forth inside her tower. They where close now. She could feel their presence as they had entered her domain. The last message from Liza Bernhardt had bean the other group of Belmonts where drawing near her own location. She now knew what they intended. All they needed was to distract them long enough to disrupt their tactics. She returned to present time. She had a trump they could not possibly know about. That little punk had managed to kill several of her kind in the forgotten village. Now she sat nice and quiet in this very castle. If she could bring lord Dracula his son, she would receive a reward greater than any mere mortal could imagine. She smiled so her fangs became exposed. She had gathered a nice collection of distractions. If so should be she was prepared to fight them herself. She returned to her seat and picked up her bloody champagne glass. All she could do now was to wait and see. It would all come together soon enough. Again she smiled so her fangs became exposed. The little magician was untouchable but if that blonde whore was one of them she could very well afford spilling some time. Chaos afforded the pleasures of the flesh and beside her fragile look she was a true mistress of those arts. She turned to a crystal held by the claw-like rock at the centre of the room and a picture of her enemies appeared. She could not hinder a slight giggle escape her lips. The Master was giving her what she wanted. Who know? This could turn out to be more entertaining than she had ever expected.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 20th. of December 2098 A.D.
Torah Fernandez sat chained to the wall inside her cell. The bonds where constructed through black magic which kept others from using sorcery. She'd successfully managed to slay her cousin but it hadn't gained her anything. That mysterious cape-clad sorceress had appeared and attacked her as she'd bean low on energy. Now she was back on top but that didn't matter as those chains stopped her in using her powers. If they'd just bean usual chains she would've frozen them and then shattered the fence to the corridor by using fire. But now she just sat here and could do nothing. She reached out with her mind, trying to learn the nature of the bonding. Since she was part dryad she only had access to three spiritual energies. Fire, ice and spirit where all originally from the crests of opal, sapphire and gold. Her dryad bloodlines made her capable of expressing her magic bough like usual spells but also like song. She'd used ice and fire, bough alone and in combination. But she'd never thought much of spirit. She could heal people and she could see things far away in her dreams. She understood magic spells and she could even see other's souls. But was anything of that going to help her? She turned her attention on the bindings. They where created by fusing earth, fire and spirit with darkness and time. She suddenly understood what the cobs really did. They kept her frozen in a single moment. Her magic didn't work since she was magically in limbo. Then which powers existed outside of time itself? Light and darkness of course. And mind too if she remembered correctly. Chaos, dream and nothingness also was outside time but she wasn't gifted with any of these elements. Then she smiled. God was spirit, that she'd read in the Bible and spirit was forever. She hadn't used her spiritual powers yet since she hadn't seen them as useful. She closed her eyes like grandmother Yoko had learned her and saw before her inner eyes her spectral image. She fancied herself become one with the image and then summoned the names of spirit. With a strange metallic sound her mind became one with the image. She opened her eyes and looked down at her own lifeless body. Smiling to herself she drifted away.

Draco forest, Warakiya. The 20th. of December 2098 A.D.
Marcia slowly fluttered back and forth between their heads. Bough Alicia Schneider and Adrian Fearheight where tiered after a long day's walk. Their clothing was stained in mud and Alicia was thankful it had ceased raining. But even so, it was cold, bitterly cold. She had almost forgotten how cold it was outside the cursed areas of the Fisher marshland. It had bean mid-day when the fairy had returned to them, telling them the children where safely secured in the Oldhill village. Now they stood at the borders of the Fisher marshland of morbid morons. Adrian's fairy-familiar had just left them. Alicia felt sorry for Torah and as soon they where finished with the witches she was prepared going to search for her. But now she, the little fey and Adrian stood watching upon what was left of the old castle. As she watched the multiple small islands the castle was built upon she absent-mindedly remembered that one of her predecessors, Christopher Belmont, had journeyed through this castle in 1591. She wondered what the story of the castle was and which Boyar clan which had once lived there. Adrian might know. But he merely stood scouting the ruins. Even dough his 18th. century finery was stained he still looked like the aristocrat he was. She couldn't help but remember what one of her ancestors had said about him in a fragmented chronicle from 2076.

Paragraph from Reichardt Schneider's chronicle.

Budapest, Hungary. The 27th. of October 2076 A.D.
The windows crashed open and I dashes out of my bed. Quickly my hand was upon the whip as a deathly-pale individual landed upon the floor in a rain of splintered glass. "Alucard! What the Devil… " Even with his hair standing on end and with countless wounds created by the destroyed window he was a true aristocrat. He dusted off himself and re-organised his cloak and outfit. "Silence, youg Belmont. I am the bearer of grave news." Even dough he always carried a cold emotionless look upon his face he now looked like Death himself. "What is it?" I asked as I immediately began dressing and brought out the family hairloom it was my duty to protect on behalf of my fraction of the clan. "Let be." He grasped my hand as I reached for the phone. "The pope of the Catholic church has sent embassies to the other of your kind." I nodded as I sat down. "Tell me the truth." I said as calm I could. "He is back, isn't he?" Alucard smiled, pain and bitterness upon his face. "No." He said in a voice which was a mere whisper. "But this I tell you, the one which held him imprisoned have bean savagely murdered by former followers of the Dark Lord. Like you and me they hid among the underworld until they where strong enough to resurface." I felt hos a smile of bitter accept cross my face. "Then the Aria of nightmares begins anew." Alucard nodded. "So it will appear." We again fell silent before he again spoke. Only a single word but it held all the tirerd bitterness of his 600 year long undead life. "Train." He rouse and returned for the window. "God be with you." He said as he turned a last time. "Farewell Belmont. And do not give up hope." A faint smile crossed his face. "The church will do all it can to protect his family." Then he was gone. "May God be with you too, old friend." I said as I dialled the number, for somebody to repair the window.

End of paragraph.

Alicia shook her head. This was not the time to become lost in thought. "Marcia," Adrian said as he slightly bowed to the shining little fairy. "I do not wish to ask this request. Will thee search the land and tell us what thou might see?" Alicia couldn't help but cursing. Sometimes he would speak in that old Walachian dialect she couldn't understand. "Speak Romanian." She said. "You know I don't understand that ancient language of yours." "Forgive me, young Belmont. I forgot." She shrugged it off as Marcia flew away. "Can you please stop calling me that?" Adrian arched a silvery eye-brow. "You know I'm no true Belmont. Michael Schneider was a good man who married Rachel Belmont, Richter Belmont's cousin." Adrian nodded slowly. "It was a pity with Richter Belmont." Alicia brushed up. "It wasn't his fault!" She almost shouted. "It wasn't Richter's or Annette Renard's fault she was sterile." Adrian gave her a nasty look. He was brought up in a time when people didn't spoke of such things. But that wasn't she. She said it as it was. "Forgive me, young Belmont." Alicia didn't allow him to continue. "There was no other choice. He had to pass the plight on to the family he had." Adrian lowered his head. "As you say, it is. The Morris clan, the Kishine clan and the Schneider clan have all shown their plight to our cause." Now it was Alicia who hung her head. "Sorry Adrian." She said. "We did what we thought was right. Julius Belmont was a combined result of all our blood. As is my cousin Christian" Adrian put a hand upon her shoulder. "The best proof you did what you had to was that the Vampire Killer accepted his right to bear it." Alicia shook her head. "We all did what we had to do in 1999. Some in my family say the clan's elders treated Julius parents bad when they forced them to marry. But I disagree. If the Dark Lord had bean able to harness the evil energy of a full millennium I don't know what might have happened." She got the slight satisfaction of seeing Adrian's face grew even paler. For that matter, she felt how his hand slightly shivered. "Just forget it." She said. She meant it. What was in the past was in the past. It was Christian who worried her. She'd bean able to suppress her own worry during all the action they'd bean through this last weeks. But now she couldn't shake it. "What is there?" Adrian asked. Then he understood. While he had slept all since 1797, the church had told him the resent news when he awakened in 1997. "Is it the young wielder of the Vampire Killer who worries you?" Alicia slightly shrugged, dough feeling nothing but comfortable. If she knew her cousin Christian right, he would use the Vampire Killer without caring for the consequences. He would do whatever he saw God wanted of him. He would give up his life if so be it. "I'm back." Marcia's soft glow warned her arrival. Adrian acknowledged her with another bow. Alicia wasn't sure but she could've sworn the little fey turned all pink. She clearly wasn't the only one affected by Adrian's charm. "The fog is so thick that I couldn't see much," Marcia excused. "but I think all is clear. Still," Marcia flicker a thoughtful purple. "I think they knew we're here." Alicia couldn't help but smile. Although, it just became a bitter grimace upon the lower portion of her face. "So let it be then." Adrian did the sign of the cross. "Im mano toas Domine." She said as she too did the sign of the cross. Then they crossed the first bridge as they brought out their weapons. Marcia shot after them so her glow lit the mist around them.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 20th. of December 2098 A.D.
Mist and gloom enshrouded all. Adrian heard how the water move against the pillars of which the bridge rested upon. Marcia fluttered closely beside them. He hoped the little fey had not considered that they once might meet one of the demon forgemasters or other of the Dark Lord's servants who could enslave her and other of the elder species. "Don't be afraid." Marcia suddenly said. Alicia looked at them with questioning eyes. Then she slowly nodded. "She's right." The young Belmont said. He arched an eyebrow. For an individual not schooled in the arts of magic she was well worth reading the feelings of other spirits. Of course, they where bough right. He had feared when the Succubus had impersonated his mother and had even feared when Dimitri Blinov had cut him off from his source of power. But something was worth sacrificing your life for. "Watch it!" The fey suddenly shouted as a pack of fishmen jumped out of the sea as a flock of harpies came flying from the castle's towers. The Schneider looked slightly unwilling to attack the harpies. But these birds of pray where not of the tribe who had aided them before. Alicia ducked under the fireballs spew by the fishmen as she somehow dug the blade into the floor and made a rising wave of flames wave forward. What spirit rested inside the sword he did not know. But it would react to the element used in the relative same pattern whoever was to harness its power. "Crimson lightning!" He did not have time for philosophical speculation. He made a bolt of lightning strike toward where the harpies where. Some fell burning into the water, while other managed evade his attack. Now the ravens roosting upon the nearby bridge's structure became involved in the combat. "Demon familiar! Come to my aid." He activated the card and the summoned familiar appeared. "Destroy the ravens." He commanded as he drew his blade and prepared his shield. It was about time. He knelt behind the shield as the harpies attacked with their devious claws. Alicia was doing well against the fishmen. As they continued to come however, he would have to trust his own efforts in battle. "Nightmare claw!" It was an attack he very seldom used. The power of the attack could rip the soul out from the body of its victim. "Forgive me, thou great One who watch sinful man." The harpies he had killed, no! Not killed. The harpies he had destroyed fell down upon the bridge. "Do what needs to be done." He reminded himself. "I think you did something terrible." Marcia said as she came to flutter by his side. "Don't say so to the master." The demon familiar nearly barked at the fey. "Silence you two!" He boomed at them. "Humbly accept my most deep felt apology." Marcia acknowledged her tiny head, a faint green glow around her. "I still think you shouldn't have done it dough." Adrian acknowledged his own head in turn. "Of course. I try only use it to trap their souls." He continued with slight haze as he noticed the look on Marcia's delicately shaped face. "I will of course release them when we have left them behind. Such a short release of the physical will not harm them." By now Alicia Schneider had finished the fishmen rejoined with them. "I think we'll be best getting off." She advised. "The black witch will soon discover what've happened." "I hope you will stop calling her that. Only because I felt large amounts of inflammatory spirits in this region you do not need to… " "Yeah, yeah." She cut him off. "You don't need dragging about it." "I think we'll be best off if we get to work." Marcia worriedly said. "Look!" The tiny finger pointed at a few birds who had escaped the demon familiar. "I think… " Alicia began, but then some spell was set in motion. The water began rising and already some of the lower areas had become submerged. "Of course." He said. "The sin of Vrad." Alicia gave him a mystified look. But this was not the time for storytelling. They had bean cut off from the shore and now all that lay open was the way leading further into the ruins. "Come." Adrian said. "This is our moment." Alicia shook her head at him. Even so she did follow him. More fishmen jumped from the murky depths and again Marcia lit up with a shining light so that they could see the way before them. There was no more time to spare. The battle was afoot.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 20th. of December 2098 A.D.
Torah took a deep breath. She returned from her inner travel. She smiled softly as she remembered her meeting with Spirit. The ancient guardian was just so cute when he took the form of a blonde 8 year old boy. She'd felt all warm when gazing into his crystal-blue eyes. She felt how her cheeks turned slightly red. She was only five years older than how he looked although she knew he was forever like the One he served.

Flashback.

Chamber of gold, the temple of spirits. The 20th. of December 2098 A.D.
Spirit came walking toward her. He was dressed like a boy from her world, in a white T-shirt and brown trousers and white sneakers. "Finally you have come to me." Even his voice sounded like that of a kid. "Ice and Fire are powerful forces. But I can give you what nobody else than Light or Life might give you." Torah hung her head. She felt totally amazed. This being was so powerful. To some degree he even was God. Still he chosen to meet her like a boy of her own species. "I don't want power." She began but became silent when Spirit looked up at her. "You don't need to have so. I might open the portal of glory for you if you so wishes. I trust you when you say you don't wont power. What I will give you is more powerful than anything else. Bevare dough. Unlike what Light or Wind might grant you, my gift might break." She didn't quite understand. She knew that what elements her soul consisted of generated her virtues. But grandmother Yoko had died before she had thought which element generated which virtue. If she remembered correctly dough, Wind could give the living the ability to love and Light could generate faith. But what the heck could Spirit want to give her? "Hope." She looked down at Spirit. "What did you say?" Spirit smiled, the smile was so warm she almost wanted to kiss him. "I will give you hope. Hope strong enough and the inspiration of the spiritual powers will come to you." She stood trying to figure it out when he spoke again. "You must go now. You must return to your body before it dies. The body, spirit and soul are one." She wanted to speak but Spirit put his arms around her. "May the One be with you." She felt how it all drifted away from her.

End of flashback.

She shook her head. She didn't understand the guardians motives. But she at least understood it was impossible for any mere human to form a bond with any of them. She would keep thinking of him for the rest of her life but for now it was other more important things to ponder. Her grandmother had once shown her a spell where a magician's spirit could leave the body to explore planes just above her own. It would have to take great care dough. This was nothing like the usual planewalking any magician could learn. If she wasn't carefull she could send even her soul out of her body and if that happened she would immediately die. She had no choice however if she was to get a better look on the place. There where several puddles on the floor which she could've used as focus but the cobs restricted such direct methods. She grunted with frustration. She had no choice. This had to work or she would be dead. And if she died it would be the end of the Fernandez family. She picked up her crucifix. She wanted Jesus to know she was ready if this was the end of her young life. "Line walker." She cast the spell and all became black. At first she couldn't see anything. Then she understood she looked upon the world how her spirit did. But still it was so different. The world consisted of darkness and the lines of energy didn't shift with what element they represented. Knots of different-coloured moving power showed her where living creatures where located. Although they wasn't as informative as if she'd seen them on the ether or astral planes. That didn't interest her. By reading the lines she could get an angle on how the place was on the plane she knew. The wild ones seldom visited this plane since it lay beside the planes they where native to. The kings would not be pleased finding her here and the watchers would be most likely to send her back to her body or send the soul to another reailety. She had no choice. Praying to God for aid she began her search.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 20th. of December 2098 A.D.
Alicia dropped herself to the ground just as the two large fish heads again cried sonic waves. "Curse it!" She began searching the ground for her glasses. "Over here!" Marcia's light penetrated the blurry of her sight and smiled as she put them back on her nose. "Thanks Marcia." She moved her heavy mane of golden hair away from her face as she got to her feet and picked up her blade. "Demon familiar come to my aid!" Adrian summoned his demon-familiar and the little demon blew the fish heads to pieces with a burst of fire. "Watch out!" Marcia shouted just as the bridge they where standing on began crumbling to the sea. Alicia jumped and landed on safe ground as Adrian turned into mist and drifted towards her. For a moment she felt an unexplainable urge to bring out her cross to dofend herself. She shook her head and instead concentrated on the fishmen which jumped from the murky depths. She threw daggers at the first and then threw holy water on the second. "Balls of destruction!" Adrian had retained human shape and unleashed a large fireball from the inside of his cape. Marcia fluttered about and lulled other to sleep. Alicia knocked down a few candles and quickly picked up the crystals and food which dropped from them. "Crimson lightning! Balls of destruction!" Adrian had his back against the old bridge as harpies and more fishmen where attacking. Grateful she didn't wear those dresses she'd used in her family's tavern she ran to join him. She summoned her power of the crest of rubies and made a powerful wind blow the harpies right into the nearby towers. She then dug the blade of her sword into the ground and made orange flames burn the fishmen to ashes. Alicia's hands tightened around the weapon as she made rings of frost become spread about. "Impressive." Adrian saluted her before he helped her standing. "We're litting pyres for every spell-caster in miles surrounding." She said while sheeting her sword. Adrian threw it aside. "No matter. The enemy already knows we are coming." "No reason crying "Here I am" either." She dryly commented. Adrian bowed. "Your argument is accepted." Alicia smiled. "I didn't know you had a thing for humour." Adrian waved it off. "I am not proud of it. Something I picked up from Julius Belmont I think." She laughed and then more fishmen attacked. Alicia cried as one of them clawed her arm and tore through the black leather in her jacket. "Fear well, sir." Adrian beheaded it with one powerful swing of his blade and she threw holy water at the trio of fishmen which had tried taking him from the back. "Marcia!" She shouted. "Continue the scouting. We'll do fine!" Marcia fluttered above them for some time and then shot off. The remains of the castle where close but it looked like the fishmen was bent on not letting them pass. She threw a set of knives at another group of fishmen which descended from the murky water. Adrian was behind her, making them fight back to back. She had no shield but her left-hand dagger did the job. Blood ran from multiple wounds, still she continued on fighting. Behind her Adrian was cursing in ancient Walachian language as he summoned his familiars to aid them. She made a wave of flames burst from her sword and the two fishmen before her burst into oblivion just as a third one finally knocked her dagger from her other hand. Alicia did the sign of the cross and burns erupted on the creature from the black lagoon. She kicked the feet from under another so another fishman also collapsed as she dug her sword into them. Gasping for breath she looked around for more fishmen. One was tumbling away and she quickly killed it. Then there was two other fishmen which jumped high and avoided her sword. One of them kicked her in the head so she fell to the ground. The second breathed freezing mist right into her face so she had difficulty with breathing. She knew she was going to die. Already she'd began lose focus when Marcia suddenly was there. She fluttered around the two fishmen and as she looked she noticed mushrooms and wines growing super-quick, tearing them apart in the process. "Thank you Marcia." She smiled before she got to her feet. To her surprise there where no more fishmen left standing, for the moment the lake lay undisturbed beneath them. "Quickly now!" Adrian shouted. "There will soon come more of them." She picked up her weapons and then quickly followed Adrian onward.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 20th. of December 2098 A.D.
Torah opened her eyes. She was back inside her cell. She'd discovered that the walls of the tower was fuelled with some blackness which kept her inside her inside the walls of this place. The blackness originated from some distant area outside whatever place this was. She thought she'd discovered a monster at the top of the black shell. Torah sat up as she remembered what Adrian had said about the nature of the curse keeping them here. She had the highest respect for the half-breed but now she knew he was wrong. There was something else behind all this. She shook her head, now it was more important than ever to regroup with the others. But how was she going to break out? She'd used up all her tricks. Wait a moment, there was one thing left. She remembered her last battle with Matilda, her cousin.

Flashback.

She gathered her magical energy and then opened the door. The old school-room where Mathilda had "trained" her in. "So," Mathilda smiled so her fangs became exposed. "finally you have come to me." Torah put back her ring-smash which she'd used to defeat the bone-soldiers. This battle would be fought with magic. "I see you have chosen to holster your weapons. A wise move." Torah didn't answered as two balls of flames appeared within her arms. Matilda's smile grew larger. "The moment have come to join us, cousin." She rouse into the air and easily avoided her fireballs. But that didn't worry her. The magic spheres she'd used was one of the first spells grandmother Yoko had learned her. She thought of Carrie Fernandez and her battle against her own aunt. Suddenly Matilda swung her staff. "Crimson wave!" A wave of crimson steam shot at her. She dropped to the floor and rolled to the side. "Blue crystal!" She made a frozen crystal surround herself and then hurled it toward her cousin. "Impressive." Matilda snarled as she just barely avoided her attack as she turned into mist. "Hearth of Ice!" She blasted a cross-shaped burst of blue energy toward her cousin. "Opal fireballs!" Matilda avoided her first attack but some of the jewel fireballs did hit her. Matilda screamed as burns erupted upon her skin. "Crimson crystals!" Matilda shot a spread-shot of red diamonds at her and this time it was she who screamed as her cousin drew blood. She noticed how Matilda began drooling with the sight of her blood. Torah wondered why she noticed details like the silvery strings in Matilda's dark hair or the ring with the blue gem on it. It was a Belnades family heirloom which had once belonged to Christina, the last true Belnades which had fought alongside Simon Belmont in 1688, and was no rightfully her's. Matilda dived at her with her fangs extended. She spread her arms in defence. "Orange pyre!" Her cousin had enough sense to turn into a swarm of bats. Torah didn't give up. "Hearth of Ice!" She made another wide-spread cross of blue energy take down most of the bats. "You cannot defeat me!" Matilda retreated into the shadows and she defensively followed after her. She again brought out her ring-smash as more bone-soldiers appeared. She ducked under their swords and crushed them to piles of bones. "Time to die, little wench." Matilda fell from the ceiling and tackled her to the floor. She swung the ring-smash at her cousin. One ring cut her face while the other cut of her hand. "Crimson steam!" She screamed with pain as the boiling steam went through her body. Matilda slashed her claws at her and she ripped out her crucifix and sparks of magical energy erupted all about as they bough screamed in unison. She let go of her ring-smash and summoned her spheres of energy and clawed at Matilda in. Burning blood and pieces of flesh and ashes stained her clothing. She fell cold turn out her left-handed sphere and she felt the cold ring against her palm. She put it on her finger and continued blasting Matilda to pieces as her cousin bite at her.

End of flashback.

She returned back to the problem at hand. The ring had absorbed the heath of her orb but she still didn't know how it worked. She looked down at her ring. That black-hooded monster which had appeared just after her victory hadn't even bothered to investigate her belongings. The spell-casting creature had merely forced her to sleep and then blocked her magic. She shook her head. Whoever kept the connection with the other darkness was not as intelligent as it believed. She again concentrated on the ring. She could feel her magic, like sunlight seen through a window. She could still define which energies of a magical item connected too. She shivered slightly and pulled her black cloak tighter around herself. A bitter smile appeared upon her face. Her cousin had seen to burn her clothing before starting to "school" her. She knew she should distaste the black hooded-robe and simple sandals, waist and breast-cloth. She felt a slight tear run down her cheek. The other students, which she'd bean forced to kill, had teased her since she wasn't as developed as them. She threw it aside. She had her crucifix, her ring-smash and this strange ring. If only she got free she would show them how "developed" she could be. The ring would react to reduce heat. She looked up at the torch which was still burning. She got to her feet and prayed the chains wheren't to short. They where long enough, but she wasn't tall enough to reach the torch hanging on the wall above her. "Hope." She whispered to herself as she gathered energy and then jumped. She still wasn't high enough but since she'd reached out with her arms she still managed to reach it. She screamed with pain as the flames burned her hands but then the cold seemed to explode. The magical chains shattered as the light went out and left her in total darkness. "Opal pyre!" She almost snarled. And then nearly wept with joy as a flickering flame rouse from her right hand and she could see again. She was free to use magic again but she was still kept inside her cell. Then she noticed all the wild spirits which had gathered around her. This time she actually began weeping. She felt how they gathered around her and gave of their energy. Refreshed and grateful she got to her feet. Payback was in the making.

Vrad Castle, Warakiya. The 20th. of December 2098 A.D.
Alicia snarled as she again dropped herself to the ground as another fish head began blasting sonic-rings at them. Adrian turned into bats and then reformed just behind the fish head. "Balls of destruction!" The estranged son of the Dark Lord opened his cape so a trio of blue bat-inhabited fireballs shot the fish head to pieces. She summoned a rain of holy water and watched as the harpies burned into ashes. "Tumber!" She knew what that meant. She ran toward Adrian who himself began running. The bridge began to collapse and they where lucky who didn't fell into the water. She nearly fell to her knees as she stood gasping for breath. "God is with us." Adrian said. She looked up at him. Adrian moved his hand. "We have reached the main island." She finally discovered what he'd already seen. The ruins of Vrad castle loomed right before them. Not that it was much of a castle. Except for the two side-tower, the two main floor and yet another tower above was all which was left. And judging by the ruined ceilings and empty windows only the high tower was still inhabited. "I wonder if that was a river or if the destruction is due to the lake." Adrian shook his head. "It is no happy story. So listen well to what I say. 560 years ago the clan bearing the name Cradir came to this land. They had bean persecuted from their land accused of witchcraft. They polluted the lake through means I do not know. One thing is for sure dough. This isle became the safe-haven for pirates this side of Warakiya. Rumours speaks of that Eardwain Cradir, the last lord of the house had kidnapped a naiad and forced her to protect his fleet of murderers." For a moment he became silent. Alicia watched him. She remembered something Christopher Belmont wrote about his father. "The Belmont clan was absent during these years." Adrian continued. "The Belnades gathered support from the Hungarians and from Moldova and Walachia. Together they destroyed the fleet. But when they where to attack the castle a great fire broke out and the castle exploded. Some beliece that Eardwain committed suicide that day." Alicia shook her head as she again scouted the ruined castle. The ground under the main building had fallen into the sea. She could see through some portion of the building. But the mist made it difficult seeing far. The murky water lay still over what once was the ground of the castle's main hall. "I gues the fishmen will be after us again." She muttered. Adrian nodded. Then they left the solid ground and went to see if there was some way to get into the castle beside swimming.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 20th. of December 2098 A.D.
Adrian cursed. It was not often he did that. The dark satisfaction it gave him reminded him of his undead state. Sometimes however you would have to express your feelings in a short direct maner. "Forgive me, young Schneider." He said, affording a bow to his comrade in arms. Alicia Schneider waved it off. "I know." She merely said as she too inspected the area of open sea blocking them off from the castle. Their only mean for transportation was pillars or floor structure which where not flooded by water. "This must be why the fishmen let us past that easy." The young warrior commented. "Indeed." In the gloomed mist only Marcia's light shone undisturbed. He did not understand it, but she made him feel confortable somehow. The sun had set and the moon had not risen above the horizon yet. "You're sure you want to do this Al?" He hated the nickname Julius Belmont had given him. Even so. The serious tone in her voice made him dismiss his usual replay. "What do you mean young Schneider?" He slightly smiled by the grimace which crossed her face. Then the young woman shook her head. "The bridges gave support for you don't falling into the water. This time it's different." "I do not think so." He smiled. "You seem to still not understand my powers." Then he folded the cape around himself and summoned the secret names of Chaos. He felt his body waver and then grow larger. He howled out his distaste for what he has become. But it had to be done. Young Alicia screamed with horror and Marica shot away from him.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 20th. of December 2098 A.D.
Torah summoned her powers and then cast the spell. "Hearth of ice!" The shot of sharpened icicles made the swarm of bats shatter into frozen pieces. The group of wild ones which seemed to have taken a liking to her scathered around to inspect the destroyed remains of the bats. They where ugly considered to the living creatures they used as models for their presence on her plane. Not that she'd ever liked gnomes or sylphs and such. But at least they where intelligent living creatures. The wild ones where mere knots of magical energy whih had developed some mesure of intelligence to travel between the planes and take form upon whatever plane they happened to cross She knew her grandmother had held some respect for them and Torah had to agree they really did add energy to her spell-casting. Even so they made her sitting duck for any magician which might be about. She did the sign to close the gates between the plane and again she was alone. She knew they would most likely return but at least she was safe from anybody watching her. She could've hid her presence but then the more powerful spell-casters would merely follow the seal set above her. She shook her head. The dungeon was a complete mess. Corridors and tunnels went on this way and that way. Stears lead bough down and upward and her only light was the luminous vegetation upon the cavern wall. Then of course, it was that eerie red light she sometimes saw from a different tunnel. She'd at least found some more elaborate clothing. Not that she felt nice having plundered the dead captives inside the other cells. She now had bough a shirt and trousers fit for her to wear above that outfit her cousin had forced her to wear. Since she hadn't found any shoes she would have to stick with the sandals she already possessed. She shook her head. This was no time worrying about clouthing and such. She pressed her hand around the ring-smash. If she came across more of those spear guards they would come in handy. Those stupid warlocks which had awaken the armours hadn't equipped them with close-range weaponry. Then again, they where no push-overs either. The gash on her shoulder was proof enough if she should ever doupt that again. Hadn't she bean quick enough that blow could've cost her the arm. She shook her head again. The wild ones had helped healing her but the scar would most likely never go away. The earth suddenly quaked beneath her. She almost fell as six or so humanoids rouse out from the ground. Their face-less heads turned toward her and she felt an ill willed presence scout her. The mudmen advanced and she cut them down by using the ring-smash. She ducked beneath one mudman's fist and then cut him through the joints with a quick swing. One of their knocks made her stagger before she cut their mid-sections off with a crisscrossing attack. The remaining ones grasped for her and she felt her blood turn cold with the mere thought of being touched by their muddy libs. At close range she noticed they where pulled together by mud, dead vegetation and rotting pieces of human bodies. She executed a swift back-flip and then cut their hands off. She shivered with fear as she noticed they grew new limbs by the moment. Now the other mudmen where back on foot. Torah understood she could defeat them but merely temporarily. "Door of Dimensions!" She made the inner image of a silver door come to life and then pushed the mudmen inside by throwing icicles at them. She picked up the items which had fallen from the candles she'd come to knock down while fighting the monsters. She felt the ground start to quake again as more mudmen began rising out of the ground. "Opal pyre! Gems of the winter!" She turned them ablaze and then froze the pieces. Even so they managed to rebuild. The pieces melted and then started reforming. Standing against the wall she was about to surrender. She opened her mouth and then started to sing. It was a heavy cold song. Diferent from most other songs she'd ever performed. Still it was so beautiful that tears began running down her cheeks. The song told of peace and rest from the summer's haste. Although the music had no words she know it was true. Even dough the song was slow it had a certain hint to it. It rouse high up and then fell down like snow. She fell now surprise as a great wind began howling around her. Strangely she felt no cold. It was like the ring absorbed the cold around her and kept her warm and focused. Then she did became surprised as snow began falling right indoor. Then icicles rouse from the ground and the mud became hard with frost. She smiled and then laughed as she noticed the mudmen just stood their like frozen sculptures. She ended the song and then started running in case the mudmen should become alive again.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 20th. of December 2098 A.D.
The winds blow all around them as Adrian struggled to keep them on corse. His large leathery wings went quickly up and down to gather more hight. It still felt rather uneasy Alicia thought to be carried across the ruined floor by a giant bat. "We're there!" Marcia had to scream to be heard above the roaring winds which existed here, far above the fogy surface of the lake. But of course, since the ceiling was still intact they had to be careful to not collide against it. Marcia's light merely lit a few meters around them. Adrian-bat screamed a blood-chilling replay and they started for the floor. As they came closer they noticed Marcia had bean right. Behind them the water looked like it went on forever. But beneath them where the floor still solid enough for them to walk upon. Alicia wondered how much of the inner walls which had fallen when the lake first undermined the castle. Piles of rocks laying here and there around them clearly suggested that they'd once bean stairs, pillars and walls inside the small castle. "Well," Adrian was back in his human form. "now that is dealt with. My outfit please." Looking in another direction she handed him the bag containing his clothing and weaponry. She could've just taken off the glasses. But the mere thought of her just getting a possible look of him made her blood go cold. She wasn't actually sure why. But she didn't intend to face Maria's destiny. "What should our next move be?" She snapped back to reality. "Don't your magic tell you where the witch is?" She asked. Adrian slowly shook his head. "I feel strong black magic everywhere. Let us move inward and see for ourselves what e might find." He cordially suggested. "I gues." She merely shrugged. "Let's try thoe stairs over there first." She pointe at the steps leading up to a gallery at the far wall which still seemed solid. Adrian bowed and brought out his sword in salute. "Lead the way Marcia." The little fay shot forward. They started walking when some of the rubble suddenly sturred. "Be mindful." Adrian warned. "I do not think we are ou of trouble just yet." She opened her mouth to replay when a trio of spear guars rouse from the pile of destroyed structure. The noices seemed to disturb the roosting birds somewhere about. The sounds of flpping wings was the only arning they got as a group of ravens appeared from the mist. "Demon familiar! Sword familiar! Come to my aid!" Adrian brought out his cards and the flouting blade and the tiny demon appeared. "Sorry Marcia." Alicia said as Marcia shone a frustrated orange after having tried to put the armours to sleep. "This isn't your type of battle." Adrian agreed. "Just give us light and we'll take care of them." She only hopd she could keep her promise. The spear guard poked at her and se dropped to the floor. She threw a set of knives at it and it spun the weapon so fast that it actually managed to block the attack. If she'd only had a throwing-axe or boomerang-cross. She would've loved to see that devil try repel any of them. The spear guard again poked at her and she just managed to sidestepit. She felt the weapon strike right past her She dashed forward and threw a quick series of four vials of holy water. She summoned her blood magic and the holy water exploded and shattered the armour knight into multiple pieces. "Quickly now." Adrian advised in his usual cold aristocratic manner. "There is surely more of them." Of course he and his familiars had done quick work of their share of enemies. She gruted some well-assorted cursed she'd picked up from the drunkards of the inn and then followed suit. More structure began to stur but although more spear guards rouse from the rubble they didn't stop to fight them. With the long-rnged weapons of the armoured knights it would be to easy for them to be surrounded and killed. She sometimes generated tiny rains of holy water to weaken them and sometimes it even destroyed them. Finally however they reached the stairs. That was when she also finally found a eapon more suited for her to use against these devils. She use the sword to bring down some candles an among the crystals and meat she also found a throwing-axe. "Thank you Lord." She smiled skyward as she did the sign of the cross. "In Manos Toas Domine." Adrian agreed as he too did the sign of the crss. The holy presence slowed the spear guards down a little ut when the holiness left they again moved forward. "Just keep them at some distance and I'll take care of the rest." Adrian bowed and moved for the demon familiar to do its job. The little monster quickly stepped forward and started spitting a flurry of small fireballs. She knew lightning wasn't one of her spiritual elements but she still hd a few surprises left in her sleeve. She summned her blood power and then threw the axe. They split into three and she reached out and strengthened them with bough frost and wind. That certainly did it. She didn't hit all of them, sure she didn't. But the few she did hit shattered into ieces of frozen ashes. "Stop." Adrianput a hand on her shoulder. "What the… Have you gone crazy?" Adrian smiled but it didn't came from the hert. "No." He merely breathed in her ear. "But I now know how the enemy could plan so carefully for our arivl. Look." He poited to the niche at the top of the stairs. A spiral staircase lead higher up into the main tower but she was sure it wsn't the stair Adrian was pointing for. Almos out of view she saw two Minotaur-like statues mounted upon the wall. "Kumulo and Nimbler." She had no doubt. She recognised them from Christopher Belmont's description. "Master!" "Aliia!" The demon familiar and Marcia almost shouted in unison. Their momentary lapse had made the armoured knights take the chance for another offence. Their duo of friends had tried keep up the defend. But although the spear guards where covered in burns and cogitation they where stil moving. It was at least seven or so left of them and now the ravens had returned too. "God with us!" She copied Edward's war-cry as she prepared fo what she knew would be her final battle. They couldn't possibly stop this many enemies. Not with the ravens to worry about too. Adrian shouted some slogan in his ancient Walachian dialect as he knelt down, prepared for war.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 21st. of December 2098 A.D.
Torah summoned her magic ad then cast the spell. "Dance of the Nutcracker!" She couldn't help to slightly giggle as she saw the multiple little feries flutter about and turn the mudmen into frozen statues. A light snow began to fall and then it just as suddenly was all over. Only the frozen sculptures of the mudmen was the proof it hadn't bean a dream. Having become friend with thewild ones gave her spells an entire new kind of power she'd never thought she would ever experience. Even dough her grandmother had said it would be this way she'd never actually believed in it bfore now. She thanked the little beings and began climbing the spiral staircase before her. As she neared the ceiling of this floo a swarm of bats came flewing toward her. "Lizard dance!" She summoned the magic which granted her body greater strength and agilety and quickly began spinning around in place, executing quick swings and slashes with the ring-smash. As usual she felt just as tired as ifshe'd done it all without magic when the energy left her. She leaned against he wall gasping for breath as she ate some meat she'd found inside a candle nearby. At least she'd taken care of all the bats. But she knew there would soon come more so instead of hanging around here she began moving. Having proven the ring protected her from freexing she'd thown off the cloak and now only had the T-shirt, trousers and sandals on her. She only hoped she hadn't made a mistake. The ring didn't make her feel cold. But did it protect her from cold all together? She'd found one of those contracts sometime before but was unsure of wether sheshould use it or not. When she entered the ground floor and fet the wet air around her she made her decision. She'd nearly died once after having bean out too early after a cold. She didn't want that to happen with her again. She was the only hope of the Fernandez clan's survival. She brought out the contract and unfolded it. "Good morning young mistress. What might I be of service?" The demonic salesman Renon showed up n a cloud of red smoke. She smiled bitterly. She'd picked up a good deal of money from the different candles bt she wasn't sure it would be enough. "Could you go to New York an pick up some of my wardrobe?" She picked up the purse in which she had the whole sum shed gather. "I don't know if it is enough but take this and bring back as mch you can?" Renon took the purse and quickly counted it. "I be back." He said before he disappeared. "Where have I heard that before?" She dryly commented. But Renoen kept his promise. He placed before her a bag of clothing. "The bag comes in for free." Renon assured her. "You happen to be my billionth costumer. Feel free to come back whenever you see the need." He tipped his hat and was gone. She carefully opened the backpack, prepared if anything nasty should jump out. When nothing happened she started going through what he'd gathered. Merely the feel of her own underwear amost made her cry. She remembered when she and grandmother Yoko had gone to shop for grown-up clothing for the first tie. She'd felt rather acward but finally I'd turned outright. The demon had brought with him a pair of her favourite knee-high white stoking and white shirt. The skirt was one of those belonging to her school-uniiforms as was the west ut that didn't matter. The poncho as really one of those dull blue ones she'd disliked back when she'd lived with her grandmother but now she loved it. The shoes where lain and solid, well proven for out-door activeties. The scarf was of simple white wool but it would protect her from the chill outside in the countryside. She didn't know if the gloves where a slip since they lay in the pocket of her poncho or if Renon had seen tat as a bonus too. Wathever the case she sent him a grateful thought. When she noticed the last article in the bag she did actually cry. It was the white Russian fur-cap her grandmother had given hr to her last birthday. She grasped her rucifix under her shirt and thanked God for having permited her to know her grandmother for as long she had. She quickly rouse as repeated war-cries sounded just beyond the stair she stood on. She'd bean so busy dressing herself and thinking about Yoko that she hadn't payed attention to her surroundings. A hall shrouded in mist reach out before her and a few metres away Adrian Fearheights and Alicia Schneider was retreating up another stair while fighting a group of armoured knights or spear guards. Marcia and the demon familiar was involved in combat against a flock of ravens. She thanked God for small wonders as she ran to aid them. If they survived they might tell her where she was. She at least also had something to tell them. The tread of darkness she'd seen run from the castle's ruler to another place was something they had to know about. "Opal pyre!" She shouted as she threw a heavy flame forward. The spear guard where taken completely by surprise. He black magic used to possess them was granting a slight messure of combat intelligence but against magic they where no math. At least if the spell-caster was at some distance she corrected herelf. "I salute thy young Belnades." Adrian tiredly greated her. Alicia said nothing as she just sat down on one stepp. Torah ran over o check on her but noticed it was just clean out loss o energy which had made the other woman collapse. "Marcia." She called for the fairy. "I think you might help u here." The little shining being shot toward them and then slowly began to cicle Alicia.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 21st. of December 2098 A.D.
Adrian carefully watched as Alicia Schneider come to her feet. Marcia the ferie had some extraordinary healing power. Or was it simply the connection between a being trained in magic and a creature born of life which had bean set into effect? For nearly 600 years he had tried reveal the riddle of the devine and he had not yet foud any key to the solution. Perhaps there was no final answer living or undead being could understand thisside of creation? Faith was all which was certain. Sonia Belmont had once told him that the only thing they knew for sure was that they did not know anything. "All we can do is to hope and have faith." Those words had burned themselves into his memory. The time he had spent with Sonia, how short they may have bean, had bean the best of his undead life. Perhaps it would have bean best for all if she had slain him then and there in 1476. He knew it was merely a dream But it was a good dream. "Adrian? Are you allright?" He looked down and noticed young Torah Fernandez looking worridly up at him. She was merely a child and had gone through so much. Even so she still was capable of feeling pittysake for him, a vampire and the son of the enemy she search to overthrow. "All is well my lady. I merely thought of an old friends and battles." "You thought about Marica Renard. Didn't you?" He could not help but smile. Young Schneider and Marcia drew closer to hear his replay although they tried doing so without notice. "Heed me well." He rouse his voice so tey could all hear him. "I did not love Maria Renard. The sorrow is she loved me with a passion I have not even seen in any other woman. She came to me after the battle with my father in 1797. She refused to leave me before I promised to leave a living memory of me. In 1799 when the child was born and rised she commit suicide Richter Belmont promised to watch the child ad that is all I know." Tears welled up in the child's eyes. "I knew we had some ties to the Lecarde family but didn't knew which it was I didn't fully understand. There is merely a few fragmented letters between the clan elders which mention it in my family chronicles." He put his hand around her shoulders and pulled her toward him so she could cry out into his cape. Alicia looked at him with meaning eyes. "Marcia." She called for the fay. "Couldn't you stay with Torah?" Marcia fluttered thoughtful back and forth a little then landed on the child's shoulder. Torah Fernandez looked up at him and dried her eyes. "Thank you Adrian." She said wih a faint smile. "Sorry. Ihave just bean through a little too much lately." Then something struck her. "I have something to tell you." As she continued he felt his blood turn cold. It was not often he became afraid. But if his father could execute this much power it was possibly too late. Torah thuged his hand. "There is somebody here who wish to speak with you." First then he noticed his fairy-familiar had returned. "Greetings master." She slightly bowed as she slowly fluttered forward. "What is it?" He asked as the fairy famlar grew a thoughtful purple. "My team has some roblem with some iron doll. They advise that you take it easy with your progress." "I see." Adrian commented and then glanced upward at the statues he and Alicia had spoken mere about. "Asure young Morris that I thing we might remedy some delay for our approach." The fairy-familiar bowed and then disappear. He again looked upward. He too had heard the adventure of Christopher Belmont and his battle against the Dark Lord. He looked at his comrades. He had known Rachel Belmont, Richter Belmont's cousin. Alicia Schneider, her descendant, was a worthy hair of the clan of the Vampire Hunter. Then it was Torah Fernandez. It was incredible that the noisy, flirty and talkative Yoko Belnades could be the grandmother of this thoughtful serious child. But this was not the time for this. "Prepare for war." As Alicia Schneider rolled her eyes he did laughsince the first time since 1999.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 21st. o December 2098 A.D.
They slowly climbed the spiral staircase. Alicia thought about what Nathan Graves had said about the abyss stairway. That it seemed to go on forever. She looked back. Torah was a few step beneath her but even from here she could see the determined look o her face. Marcia fluttered beside her shining a clear purple liht. Alicia nodded. At least they where prepared. Adrian put a hand on her shoulder. "The Lord is with you, Alicia Schneider." He softly said. "Just protect me from what they migh throw at me and I'll take care of the rest." Adrian cordially bowed. "Of course." She smiled. Then without warning a flurry of poited crystals came blasting toward them. "Hit the deck!" Adrian forced her down as he formed a protectve shield with his own body. She heard a load crash and then noticed the crystal had blown a hole in the staircase behind them. "Toah?" She worridly asked. "There!" Adrian souted and then made her oncentrate as another flurry of crystals came flying n. This time they hit the pillar around wich the steps was built around. "Quickly ow." Adrian almost snarled. "Onto the security platforms." First he didn't understand what he was spoking about. Then shenoticed the two platforms at the top of the spiral staircase. The gallery at the top of te hall was mostly ruined but at least a slight portion of te area was still left. Kumulo and Nimbler was embedded within two of the nearby pillars which supported the loor. From below, obscured by the mist, it'd looked like they where embedded within the wall. But up here she could see them just too well. "Fire in the hall!" Adrian again her down as those crystalline bombs came flying toward them. But this time thy missed. "Gate of destiny!" Below them Torah opened a multitude of small holes which swallowed the bombs. "Be mindful using that weapon young Fernandez!" She heard Adrian shout at Torah as the two became involved I heated discussion. She ran toward the end of the ruined gallery that Adrian had called the platform and, while a tiny onslaught of crystals flew around her threw the axe at one of the pillar mounted Minotaurs. The rock cracked slightly but othing else happened. Then she understood it. They where no real Minotaurs, as Christopher Belmont had believed. But rather statues possessed by evil spirits. But if this was mere black magic she had something else in store for them. She would have to do this carfully. She'd only three left and if she failed things would become just all that more difficult. "Shield of bats!" From behind Adrian generated a shield of multiple flapping bats to shield her from some crystals which barely missed her. She pulled the object from her backpack and threw at one of the fae-Minotaurs. The garlic-grenade it Nimbler, at least she thought it was nimbler, square on. When the smoke cleared the Minotaur had no head anymore. "We must get away from here." Adrian was beside her, naked and with his clothing and weaponry already in his backpack. First she didn't understand but then she got it. She quickly grabbed the backpack as Adrian shape-shifted into that giant bat. It took her and quickly they began descending toward the hall's floor. Above them the castle keep had already began crumbling in on them.

Vrad castle, Warakiya The 21st. of December 2098 A.D.
Anita Fortner got to her feet as she heard the faint rumble coming from the central hall. It looked like her enemies had gone in her trap. She quickly summoned an image of them above the crysal. Then she snarled. Not only had they survived the collapse of the castle tower. The Fernandez girl was together with them. She had expected Alucard to survivebut not that they should all do so. She ende the spell and then began walking back and forth. Seemingly she had underestimated theirpower. She vowed it should never happen again. She would defeat the two girlsand force Alucard to kneel before his father. She summoned her head servants. "Balista. Delphilla. I want you to defend the wing whatever itmight cost. Only remember. Alucard is mine. They saluted her and then quickly departed.

Vra castle, Warakiya. The 21st. of December 2098 A.D.
Torah dusted off herself and then greedily drank from the tiny stream of water that Marcia let rain down. The food they found inside the candles gave plenty of energy but they made you thirsty. It was luckily Marcia knew this kind of tricks since they didn't dare to drink from the lake. "Thank you Marcia the fairy." Adrian ordially bowed to the fairy. She gave him a look. He' shown an incredible strength when he'd carried bough her and Alicia out of harm's reach when the castle keep caved in on them. "I wonder if it was a trap all along or if we only ade it into one by blowing away support." She said as she sent Alicia a look. She got the slight satisfaction of seeing Alicia blush. "Oh shut up you two." Marcia said as she quickly fluttered back and forth between them. "I agree." Adrian sai in his cold detached manner. "It seems obvious now that our enemy is not inside the castle keep. The energy replica set up inside it signals it was a trap all along. But the witch could not be sure wewould use careless tactics to activate it." Torah grunted and Alicia extended her hand to Adrian which cordially grasped it and kissed it. "One question dough." Marcia asked. "Can any of you sence the enemy now?" "A good question indeed." Alicia muttered. Torah reached out with her thoughts and felt how Adrian did the same. "Over there." She finallypointed toward the right wing of the castle. Adrian nodded. "I sence it too." Adrian said. "A large concentration of fire magic." "Let's go then." Alicia brought out her sword and Torah also began preparing her weaponry. "Just promise me there will be any more portal opening or grenades on our behalf." Adrian reminded them and this time Alicia wasn't the only one blushing. She hadn't actually understand those portal could permit other energies or spirits to come through or that it could tear rips in the weaves of reality. Again she felt grief of not having fulfilled her teachings with her grandmother. Their enemy had shown his ability to plot against them. But depending they where still alive, they had a chance to fight again. Adrian lead them across the ruined floor. She brought out her ring-smash and prepared for battle. They hadn't gone far before more bats and spear guards again attacked them.

Vrad castle. The 21st. of December 2098 A.D.
Alicia carefully peeked around the corner. When they'd first entered this wing of the castle it'd looked like clear skies. But now she wasn't the only one who needed healing. Marcia sat tiered upon Torah's shoulder with her tiny head between her hands. Adrian's cream was well worth its price but aldough it quickly healed wounds and bruishes it didn't worked as well as healing. And even dough Torah was a good enough healer it was a waste of magic. Or at least she said so and Adrian agreed with her. Alicia quickly got out of sght from the corridor. "There's at least three more sper guards out there." She reported as she prepared her holy water. Adrian muttered something in old-Walachian as he gain summoned the sword-familiar. In these narrow walkways it was nearly impossble to get in close with their enemies. Their swords and Torah's ring-smash was meant for close-range hand-to-hand combat. And the spears of the armoured knights made it possible for them to keep her and her friends at a distance. Because of the low ceiling she ouldn't use her axe either. Adrian had made Torah and the demon-familiar blast the armours to pieces while thy moved in on the overwhelmed spear guards to finish them off. The ony problem was that the pear guards withdrew and that the intence light made te bats swarm at them. If possible this was even more frustrating than the fight against those fish heads and all the mermen. Their effort to storm them hadn't worked either due to te drop-traps in the floor. Adrian had nearly fallen in when he turned into mist and drifted to safety. With much effort they'd climbd from the ground floor and up three stories. They where so close now that even she with her small experience of magic could feel their enemy. The wing was shapel like a giant cube with corrdors and rooms all around the inner radius of walls with a stair at the corner of each storie."Do any of you geniuses have an idea how t get past?" She tieredly asked. Did you spot the steps past them?" Adrian insead asked. Alicia faintly smiled as she began cleaning her glasses. "As a matter of fact," She said as she put them back on. "I did." To her somewhat surprise Adrin actually smiled. Wait here for my signal." He said as he again turned into mist. She and Torah traded looks and ten she shrugged as she again prepared for battle. "What do you think he intend to do?" The sword-familiar asked. "Just stay put." She said as she carefully went to peek around the corner. Before she came that far the sound of battle made them all running. Adrian was seemingly about to be cornered by the three spear guards. "Master!" The sword-familiar shouted anddashed toward him as it began swinging wildly. Alicia couldn't elp but laugh. Then she was nearly stabbed down and all humour left her. Se dropped to the floor and with her sword blazing with frost she cut at its feet. The armoured knight brought down its weapon to block, the only result was that the weapon shattered instead of the spear guard itself. Torah sreamed her guttural war-cry as she glided right between the unarmed guard's feet and got up in time to cut it down with the ring-smash. "Good work." Adrian said as he and the sword familiar came over to them. She grimased as she saw all the bleeding wounds upon his body. "Are you feeling well enough for thisMarcia?" She asked her friend. Shining a faint blue Marcia got to her wings and fluttered around Adrian who's wounds just vanished. Then the light faded and the fairy dropped to the floor. She grasped for her, worried that she would be killed if she fell down on the hard floor. But Torah was quicker and captured Marcia before she'd fallen long. "Poor little creature." Torah said as she checked the little creature's condition. "She's completely ot." She said after some time. Alicia released a sigh of rlief. If Marcia had died it would've bean all her fault. "Hre," Adrian handed Torah a small green gem with outlines of gold which made it look like something between a nut and a leaf. "try this." Torah slightly nodded. "What is it?" Alicia asked as she drew closer "It is a purification crystal." Adrian explained. "It might cure a human of Dracula's curse of eternal blood-thirst. But it might lso restore life or energy to those which have lost their original strength." In the tiny hands f Marcia it looked like one of those globules used in bowling. To Alicia's surprise Marcia disappeared and left only the gem to be seen. First now she recognised the crystals Adrian had given her to cure her of the wounds created by the creature batback in the power-plant. But that wasn't interesting just now. "What did you do with her?" She demanded to know. Adrian bowed. "As I said, it will take some time before our little friend is totally restored. The crystal hus store her being until the process is ended. An hour or two and she will be completely efreshed and ready for battle." Alicia grunted and thendismissed it. Although her father and ucle had trained her in the arts of vampire hunting she ony used what magic they'd tought her and left the rest to God. Adrian turned and then began climbing the stairway. The next floor was completely unlike the stories they'd climbed this far. A hall as big ashalf the floor reached out before them. Alicia did the sign of the cross. Large French windows like those John Morris had described inside the Versiles palace during his adventure with Eric Lecarde in 1917 lined bought walls. The only light came from the multiple here-branched chandeliers standing about. Heavy black banners where everywhere with the dreaded Basraq dragon upon them. "Adrian," She softl said as she let her gaze take in the full view of the hall. "I don't like this." Adrian cordially bowed while preparing his shield and sword. Suddenly a wave of bats flew at them, out from the unpenetrable shadows along the ceiling."Shield up!" Torah cried as she stepped forward to take he brunt of the attack. A barrier of orange energy blocked the attack but the sheer force threw the girl backward. Hadn't bean for Adrian she might have tumbled down the stairs and perhaps become killed in he fall. Adrian grasped her by the arms and dragged her backward.Alicia made it rain with holy water and grimly watched as they burned into ashes. "Thank you Adrian." Torah said as they kept up to her. "I think that was all." Alicia began but then flames roared upward. "The witch!" She heard herself cry. But Adrian shook his head. "That is not our enemy." He stepped in front of them. The flames lowevered and went out. "Buer." It sounded like a curse from Adrian's tightened lips. "I should have expected this." Alicia threw him a look. Adrian smiled without humour. "Large amounts of fire magic. That was what I felt. Buer are masters of that element." Alicia also brought out her sword but Adrian shook his head. "Legend speaks about the two heroes Reinhardt Schnider and Carrie Fernandez. Lave them to me. I have trust in you." Alicia gasped with worry as the half vampire dashed forward. "Come on." Torah brought her out her back to the situation at hand. "I'm right behind you." She said and then she and Torah ran toward the doors at the far side. "Fernancez!" Adrian suddenly ried. Just then a ugly black web fell down on Torah. "So it is." Torah smiled up to her. "Stay calm." She said as she bent down to cut her free. "Don't botter. Torah encouraged. "It lookslike it's time for you to prove you're a true Belmont." They looked gazes, then Alicia nodded. "Must Michael the arch angel strengthen your arm and give you victry." She smiled. "Thank you Torah. God be with you too." She got to her feet and then opened the door. Torah was right This was her moment.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 21st. of December 2098 A.D.
Torah Fernandez calmly watched as Alicia entered the door. She couldn't rid herself of the feeling that this was as I should be. She used fire to burn the web and then got to her feet. Adrian was on he defence, taking multiple hits on the shield. The Buer looked like were-lioness, bough armed with swords and long knives. Carefully she asked the wild ones to attack. With a gleeful giggle they dashed at the two creatures, clawing and biting with whatever power they might gather. Although the spiked leathery armour protected chest, shoulders, mid-section and wrists the wild ones went for the unprotected arms andlegs. To her outermost horror the Buer turned to flames and made the wild ones scatter with tiny cries of pain. "Sword familiar! Come to my aid!" Adrian summoned and the sword familiar which until now had drifted about cutting down the bats now came to drift by his side. Torah ran toward him as she made snow fall about. "Do you really think such mere tricks might defeat us?" One of the Buer came walking toward her with a wicked smile around er lips. "Course not." Torah said. Then she struck. "Dance of the nutcrackers!" Snow fell around her and the very floor froze over as the tiny fairies sattered about. "Alga dimensha!" Torah hadn't reached the higher levels yet and thus didn't knew what the enemy was babbling about. Anyway grandmother Yoko said it ws a waste of time. Faith, will and knowledge about how to summon and manipulate the energies was ll that mattered. Only the members of the dark school of magic where fond of fancy languages and impressive trickery. This "trik" was more than impressive. And it was only Adrian's efforts who kept her alive. "Shield of bats!" He took a hit in the shoulder for er as he made the multiple bats fly in to protect her. The bats became consumed in a blaze of roaring nothing. "Bevare of the darkness." Hergrandmother's words rung through her mind. "Never underestimate its wast power." She staggered backward and didthe sign of the cross. "You are going to die."Buer said with a determination she felt turn her blood cold. "If that's the will of God." She said and then countered. "Winter's heart!" The glowing blue globe rocketed forward and sent the Buer flying hard against the wall. Adrian turnd into bats and was suddenly beside the fallen enemy and cut in with his sword. Then just as quick withdrew. No bad idea indeed since the dead Buer exploded into a pyre of red flames. "You are not finished with me yet." Te other Buer snarled. "Terminus alegra!" roaring ghost of redhatred shot at them and threw Adrian away like a mere puppet strook by a Titan's fist. "Terminus alegra!" Another red ghost shot at Torah which this time didn't have any choice. "Portal of glory!" Time and space opened and the ghost was gone in a blink of bright light. "Agra dimensha!" A prolonged beam of red flames roared through the air like a haunted soul. "Sapphire of the blue crest!" The two forces of magic clashed and exploded so the area became filled with light. "Alegra shamastu!" The Buer was quick to gather and then threw new flames at her. "This have to end." Adrian came walking toward them, seemingly unarmed. Keep out of this Al!" She shouted as she summoned new power to counter the other's attack. "Wall of icicles!" The attack tumbled down over the burning spell. "Alga dimensha!" Buer was quick to react. But just as Torah cast her own spell Adrian moved in. "Crimson lightning!" It was clean slaughter. The spell struck down and tore the Buer intopieces. Torah finally could relax and permited herself to fall to her knees. "Have not Yoko Belnades learned you anything? You could have usd your dryad magic to sing and the elements would have obeyed you." She couldn't help to hung her head. Now that he mentioned it, it was obvious. "Don't speak about my grandmother like that." She said without conviction. "Forgive me." Adrian said. "I forgot you sawher die." He put a black-gloed hand on hr shoulder. "Although she could be a pain sometimes I was never afraid for my back when she was at my side." She softly smiled and dried away the tears in her eyes. "Just don't speak bad about her teatchings. It wasn't her fault I was neer able to finish them." "I agree." Adrian helped her stand and then suddenly Marcia fluttered around her and she felt refreshed and ready for action. Marcia really had to be back on top if she could throw away energy on just refreshing her. "We must help Alicia Schneder." Adrian said after the plesentries, as the vmpire saw them, where dealt with. Torah shook her head. At leas he was partly right. Who knows what was going on inside the other room? Quickly she gathered herself as she and Marcia followed Adrian toward the doors. But this time she checked there was no more webs hanging around. "Why did you let her go alone anyway?" Adria suddenly asked. Torah shook her head. "I don't really know." She confessed. "It just felt rith. Alicia is a Belmont after all." Adrian frowned. "Even members of the Belmont family have bean turned to darkness." She knew it was all so true. She brought out the ring-smash as Adrian carefully opened the door.

Vrad castle Warakiya. The 21s. of December 2098 A.D.
Curtains of indigo silk became drawn aside by invisible hands as Alicia Schneider stepped forward. "Be calm." "The Lord is with you." The voices of her father and uncle went through he mind. The room was two rooms long and one room wide. The blue curtains where embroidered with Greek gods hunting Typhoon among the stars and planets. Alicia whistled, impressed as she let a hand toutch th marvellous colours and mor so when she noticed the stars where or pure gold and the planets where in actuality where small jewels in its respective colour. When the first set of curtains where drawn aside she noticed a sigle door to the left and a coffin of glass which displayed a full suit of armour. To the right was two more doors ad between them ticked one of those old Victorian grandfather clocks. The only light came from one of those French chandeliers of gold and crystal. Te air was filled with rich smells of incense and something else which smelled like opium. She remembered how her parents had thrown out those men who'd tried to sell some drugs in their tavern. Her uncle had made her smell and recognise different drugs. She did the sign of the sign of the cross as she walked across the gren carpet with more pictures of flowers and birds. Either this enemy was abusing drugs or, and that was more likely, he tried to slightly poison her. The extravagant furniture and exterior suggested such silent strategies. Not that the rest of this tower wasn't suitable for any court in Europe. She shook her head and went for the second pair of curtains, this one decorate with noblemen and hounds hunting wild boars. She drew them aside and then quickly sidestepped. Nothing happened. Silently she stepped inside. Her eyes grew wide. Pon all the walls hung weapons, swords, daggers and different forms of firearms or bows and crossbows. But they where all decorated and clearly ceremony weapons or collector items.and where overdone extravagant. Pale moonlight shone through the two windows to eachside of the large fireplace. Even dough there was a fire inside there was some eerie blackness about the room. The only direct proof this was a sorceress's room was the claw-like rock which held a crystal at the centre of the chamber. In front of the fireplace lay one of those bear-rugs the Victorian had bean so fond off. Upon a small round table beside a high-backed arm-chair was a glass with stains of crimson upon it. She felt her blod go cold. "Nosferatur." The word shot from her lips like a curse. "Finally you have come." From the arm-chair a figure in a a lack hooded robe rouse. Sender female hands rouse to removethe hood. A heavy mane of golden hair ell down as pale blue eyes looked back on her. Alicia culdn't help but gasp. "Who are you?" She asked as she brought out her sword and moved into a defensive stance. "You on't recognise me, do you?" A smile crossed her lips and her fangs became exposed. Alicia did the sign of the cross. The smile on the vampire's face vanished. "You might call me Anita Fortner. Or," The smile again appeared on the enemy's face. "the black witch if you like it." The grew wider. Suddenly she seemed to grow serious. "Place it upon the table." She said in clear Germain and suddenly Alicia remembered. Remembered it all to clear.

Flashback.

Alicia carefully knocked upon the door. "Come in." Frauline Helena Becker sloly opened the door. She and her family had arrived at th inn the day before. They looked like nice people. Alcia had filled 16 a week ago and felt proud that she finally was old enough to work at her family's tavern. Helena was beautiful, with long dark blonde hair and grey eyes. She had ordered up a bottle of champagne and she was sent p with it. Becker had ordered up a bath too and Sara, one of the maids working with them, said she was pompous. The indigo kimono with green and yellow Chinese dragons made Alicia think Sara could be right. "Come with me." Frauline Becker smiled and made her follow through the room and into the little bathroom. "Put the bottle upon that table." She pointed and Alicia did knick and was prepared to leave when Becker again said something. "Why don't stay here and take a bath with me?" Alicia didn't know what to say. She put the bottle and glass down on the table beide the bathtub and turned to leave. Helena had removed the kimono and she felt her cheeks turn red. She couldn't hlp it when Helena put er arms around her. Their lips met and the other woman moaned slightly as her tongue entered her mouth. She tried to say she was o young, Helena was at least 5. But instead she returned the kisses. "Lt's take a bath." She whispered in her air as she began helping her remove her dress. Helena put her glasses beside the bottle and together they sunk into the tub.

End of flashback.

Alicia shookher head, trying to remain calm. Memories of Becker's lips and skin. "Your eyes might deceive you." She remembered her uncle had told her. "The Dark Lord is a master of deseption." Her fathr had also warned. "Never underestimate the power of darkness." She nodded. It was about time she heed her family' warning. She concentrated and then tried to see beyond the obious. The black witch wavered and then she saw her again. Saw the woman she'd fallen in love with three years ago. She still looked exactly the way she'd done back then. "You where no vampire." Alicia concluded. The smile was gone from the vampire's face when she understood she had bean revealed. "My aunt came to me." The black with said. "So Celia is still alive." It was no question but Anita answered it anyway. "The Dark Lord granted her eternal life due to her loyal service." Suddenly she understood. She emediately looked away. She'd nearly fallen into her trap. The black witch snarled. "I know what humans want. I know what women wants. I know what you desire. Look inside my eyes and you will receive it." The enemy tempted. Again memories of what they'd done together again tried to overcoe her but she shook it off. "May I be strong with the Lord Jesu Christ and the Father in Heaven." The black witch's face became ugly with a diabolical rage which made her step back. "Ifyou will not love me then your life is forfit."Alicia moved her sword up in defence. Was his a new trick to make her look into her eyes? She couldn't understand why thi witch was so desperate in tryig to make her fall in love with her. No. She ddn't wanted to stain the word love with the desire this undead monster had for her. Still, she'd bean a normal woman those few days they'd pent together three years ago. She tried shake it off. Those feelings where a trap to catch her with and te black witch knew that. "May God pldge mercy upon your soul." She said. "I will make you kneel and beg me to love you before I kill you." Anita Fortner said as a wand of red gold appeared in the black with's hand. Alicia nodded and grasped her blade in a double-handed grip.

Cad castle, Warakiya. The 21st. of Dcember 2098 A.D.
Adrian was about to move the second pair of curtains as the roar of flames made him look ack. "Fernandez! Get down!" Torah was unsure but then dropped herself. Thank God for small blessings. Adrian brought out his sword and was almost ready when the Buer's blade made cotact with his own family sword. He stepped backward, defending himself as best he could. He had the expertise of 500 years behind him. Even so the Buer met him blow by blow. It was impossible but the Buer was the best fencers he had ever encountered. "Sword-familiar! Come to my aid!" The sword familiar appeared and attacked the unprotected left side of the Buer. He did not like cheating but this was no duel of honour. Even so the Buer quickly brought forth a left-hand dagger and to his surrise managed to keep them bough at bay. But now he had gotten the upper hand. He could attack instead of defending. He used the shield to block most of her blows but she eventually scored a few blows. Blood ran from multiple wounds nd he thanked the Lord for making him wear the chest-plate and mail beneath the coat and west. The Buer made flames suddenly appear around her weapons and this forced him to retreat. He had forgot to brig with him the magical shields from his resting-place ad now he would have to pay the price. "Flowring forest." Marcia the fairy came fluttering above them and hrouded the Buer's weapons in powerful vines. With a merciless blow he cut the Buer down and then inspected the battlefield. Young Fernandez was involved in battle with yet another Buer. That short breather was all he got. He brought up his blade as a third Buer came from the doors to the left. He had only a second to curse himself for having forgotten to watch for possible routes of ambushes. Then the sword struck one another and there was no more time to think. Sparks of magical energy blazed around them as he this time made his crimson lightning crse advance the sword. The outbursts of magic made it impossible for Marcia to aid him and even the sword-familiar had to remain at a distance. None of them was able to receive a upper hand even dough blood ran from multiple smaller blow each of them had managed to score. His wounds would heal themselves soon enough ut he was unsure it would be enough to defeat these servants of his father. He had retained the human's stamina and where thus not a penetrable as usual vampire so to say. "Shield of bats!" He made his servants fly directly for her face and then stepped backward in an attempt to get a better view of the situation. The Buer cast one of her obscure curses and the bats vanished in a flurry of red flames. He felt fear tare at his heart. Who where these creatures which had pleadged fealty to the Dark Lord? Their mere presence suggested dark alliances and even a shift in power. That could very well be the reason why the great ones had gathered them all together. Souch thoughts went through Adrian's mind as the Buer again moved in on him. Metal struck metal as they again fought back and orth. It was then his shied shattered. Adrian staggered backward and the sword-familiar moved in just in time to save his hand. He threw the destroyed pieces at her face and in the blink of a second the familiar cut her down. Breathing heavilyhe stood watching the Buer burn away. Abuse of the dark powers always took a terrible price of those serving it. "May the Lord take you into His Heaven." He silently prayed. Then Torah toutched his hand. "She's dead." First he thought she meant the two he had killed. Then he noticed a third pile of ashes. He had almost forgot she too where fighting these beasts. "Young Fernandez," He gravely said. "you have fought gallantry. I should e mistaken if there will be worthy of ecognision in the arcives of your order." The young sorceress smiled proudly. And why not? She was a pride to her family. A true descendant of the great Sypha Belnades. Although he had never met that Carrie Fernadez person he should have wanted to meet her if she was the least alike her descendant. But even so, this was not the time for this. Young Alicia might be in danger. Then the curtains where drawn aside and he saw the enemy they had come so far to face.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 21st. of December 2098 A.D.
The black witch pointed her wand at Alicia and a havy flame roared toward her. Summoning frost into her blade and swung it forward. The sheer might of the spell sent her staggering backward and the series of fireballs the witch sent from her wand nearly got her off guard. She destroyed them with a tossed vial of holy water which made them explode. Alicia got to her feet and threw her axe at the witch. Anita Fortner shattered into a swarmof bats and then reappeared somehere else. With a tip of her wond she made a sphere o fire go crisscrossing about the room. It shrieked past her and then made the curtains be drawn aside. Alicia screamed a warning but Adrian already had it under control. "Shield of bats!" With a almost drowsy gesture Adrian made his bats take the brunt of he projectile. "Crest of blue sapphires!" Torah was at her side, running as she made a strange near circular image take the brunt of the spread-shot of fireballs shot by the black witch. If Alicia ould only remember how to summon those guardians of the elements they could've blasted the witch into the next millennia. She threw a set of three daggers and managed to score one hit before the black with again beame a swarm of bats. "You think you can ever defeat me!?" Their enemy screamed. "I wield the power of chaos!" She sent Adrian running with a trio of heavy flames and then tried to tare her to shreds with another spread-shot of fireballs. The room looked rather shot as they ran about and tried evade the careless vampire's fire. "If e could only get rid of that wond." Alicia said while she and Torah hid behind the case containing the armou on display. "Easier said than done." Torah concluded before they again had to run as Anita Fortner sent a globule of yellow fire at them. It hit the case and made it elt into a usless pile of twisted metal.Alicia made it rain with holy water and the witch turned into mist. "If only Christian had bean here." She muttered. Christian Belmont had bean trained to fight bough the undead and the wicked servants of the Devil. She shook her head. No use in whishing the impossible. Alicia ran out from hiding and threw another set of three daggers, fusing them with frost, as she used her blade to cut through the inflametory spells of the black witch. Two of them buried themselves inside the soft flesh of the vampire's belly, just below the right breast and above the belly-button, or at least she thought so. Dressed as she was in that black robe it was impossible to see weather or not she'd made a accurate hit. But when Anita spat out blood as the cloth around the knives started going crimson she knew she'd hit home. Just a pity she hadn't pierced the heart dough. She answered with another flurry of fireballs which sent Alicia running for cover. Suddenly she noticed Torah creeping out from beside the fire-place. With a grim smile on her face Alicia darted forward as she cut through flame after flame as the witch sent them roaring toward her. A blood-chilling scream resounded through the ruined room as Adrian-bat came darting toward Anita. For a moment the black witch became brought off balance. She sent some fireballs going for Adrian-bat just as the large bat spread its wings and sent three smaller bats flying. Anita Fortner destroyed two of them. But the third bat dug into theblack witch's shoulder and opened a bloody gash in the undead flesh of her shoulder. Alicia dashed forward again with her blade at the ready and a grenade in her other arm. Then she just bearly managed to dodge as the black witch turned into a swarm of bats and then reformed somewhere else and agai fired at her, this time with a heavy beam of red flame. Alicia cursed as the grenade became thrown into the fireplace and, since the fire was neither unholy or born of chaotic energy, it merely burned away in a puff of white smoke. She threw herself forward and swung the sword with as much power as she could muster and when Aita dodge she threw the axe at her. This time she didn't dodge in time since Adrian-bat spread hs wings and made another trio of bats. The blade of the axe went through her and made her stagger backward. Alicia grinned nearly as wcked as the black witch could've done as the axe returned to her. She did the sign of the cross and before the black witch could regather Alicia opened a small wound and dripped some drops of blood drip down on her sword. The explosion which followed amased even her. Silvery flames and bright beams of white light should've destroyed the black witch but the witch's quick reaction. She rouse her rod and a flare of red flames swallowed Alicia's energy even dough the sheer strength of the Belmont's attack threw the witch backward. That was Torah's moment. She cut through the black witch's wond with her ring-smash. Then the room seem to shake with another explotion.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 21st. of December 2098 A.D.
Adrian had changed back into his human shape when the smoke finally cleared. Then he wanted to scream. Torah Fernandez lay motionless upon the floor with the ring-smash still within her grip. Marcia fluttered above the girl shining a worried grey. Alicia Schneider was at the other side of the room. Shaken but at least still standing. Standing too was the black with. The explosion had ripped her cloak to shreds but the fire in her grey eyes where burning more intence than ever before. "So be it." The black with said with a dismissing gesture. She opened the robe by the neck and let it drop to the ground. Beneath it she was clad in sandals, ankle-long waist-cloth and another cloth which concealed her breasts. She bore the typical wrist-bands in brown leather and collard in the same material, although it was no true protection. The black with rouse her arms and two knives which had survived their battle, if that was the correct way to explain it, went into her hands. "I am not trough with you just yet." She said in a certain smooth way which made him move slightly away from her. "I am the black witch. Malice is on my side." He frowned. What in the name of Jesus was she speaking about? Alicia Schneider put a hand on his shoulder, signalling she where ready. Above all her bravery they knew this would be the final battle. And then it was on. Anita dashed at them with such speed he dismissed the foolish thought of the black witch as a mere magician who had no real skill or experience in hand-to-hand combat. And when she landed a successive blow when he tried to disable her. She blocked and dodged bough his and Alicia Schneider's swords and even dashed to evade them whenever they treathened to corner her. This was taking to much tme. They could not afford spilling time fighting her. They had to defeat her in time to mach their friends battle with the other ruler of the valley. "Sword-familiar! Come to my aid!" Anita Fortner had again jumped out of reach, giving him time to summon the familiar. The black witch smiled unimpressed. "You still underestimate me Alucard?" Suddenly dashed forward with a quick repeated series of stabs and kicks which made bough him and Alicia Schneider retreat. Then theyoung Belmont made it pour with holy water and thus made him turn into mist. The witch screamed as multiple burns for a moment brought her out of balance. The sword-familiar did its best to behead their enemy. But not Fortner too turned into mist and although Alicia Schneider did her best to exploit the momentary lapse the other vampire burst into bats and again managed to evade them. His sword-familiar shot forward and as Anita rouse to block it spun out of reach and as the young Belmont threw three burning daggers at their enemy they managed to secure their first real damage on her. She screamed with pain and a hatred which made him worry for the Belmont's life. Then she again screamed in pain. Torah was back onfoot and swung her ring-smash with killing grace. The vampire sent a high ick for the Fernandez and nearly hit her head. "Balls of destruction!" Adrian spread his cape and a trio of blue bat-inhabited balls of fire darted forward. Anita Fortner snarled and a burst of black elecricity sent Torah sprawling against the wall. Then the sword familiar came darting in from below as Alicia Schneider came in swinging her blade high. Their intentions where surely to pierce bough heart and neck. The black witch again turned into bats and escaped their efforts. "Grizzly wing!" It was time he ended this once and for all. He spread his cape and a swarm of bats darted forward in an attack of repeated arches. At least ¾ of the witch's bats became destroyed during his onslaught but even so their enemy reshaped somewhere else. "Heart of Ice!" Torah sent a huge ball of blue energy at her and Adrian coul not help but smile as it now was the witch which became knocked against the wall. He brought out his sword and just as Torah cut the spine of the vampire he dug his own sword into her chest. He became only slightly surprised when a second blade swung in to behead her. "No!" The vampire screamed. "It can't end like this!" Alicia Schneider shrugged. "Why do always the bad gays talk like that?" Young Torah Fernandez burst out laughing and een Adrian could not help but smile. "Fools!" The blackwitch howled as she burst into a pyre of clear blue fires. "I have hidden friends! Malice! Help me!" Then she ws gone. Only a pile of ashes where left to be seen. A eerie wind blew it through the ruined remains of the back wall. Adrian could not help but feel impressed wit the result of the unholy fire who had destroyed the entire back wall. He made the sword-familiar disappear and then went to join with his friends which where gazing out across the lake. "I think it is going to be a wonderful day." Alicia Schneider said with a smile. Torah Fernandez nodded while Marcia calmly fluttered around her head. Adrian was about to speak when he suddenly noticed something belo them. A clear red flame looked up at them from beneath the water. Was it not there where the black witch's ash had disappeared? He opened his mouth to speak but young Alicia had already noticed it. "What in the world is that?" She screamed as a monstrous beast who looked like a little isle all by itself. Large wet luminous tentacles rouse out of the water and came hammering toward the. Adrian ran for cover as the titanic muscles struck and turned the remaing portions of the far wall to rumble.

Vrad castle, Warakiya. The 21st. of December 2098 A.D.
The Akkar was enormous Alicia thought. She remembered the sailors from the Red sea had spoken of an enourmous octopus living in the high North. She'd believed it to be merely a legend but here it was and it would kill them if they didn't figured anything tricky and that quick. Torah mumbled curses as she threw ireballs and burning pulses at the Akkar's tentacles. Alicia shook her head. It possibly hindered it from smahing them flat but unlikely damaged thebeast. "Se think she is clever our enemy." Adrian commented as calm as usual in that cold aristocratic tone of his. "Really?" She said with more than a little sarcasm. "I wouldn't have known if you hadn't told told us." "Oh stop it you two." Torah shot them a glare. "Dragon heart!" Torah made series of burning explosions rip the tentacle coming toward them. "Impressive." Adrian commented. "But you merely throw away usefull energy." "Do you have any suggestions?" Marcia asked as she shone a angry orange as some more tentacles came hammering toward them. "Actually I have. Crimson lightning!" Adrian rouse into the air s he made repeated beams of crimson bolts of energy strike the Akkar'stitanic body. "Dance of the nuthachers!" Alicia watched with a slight surprise how Torah made a little dance as multiple small feries flew around and snow began to fall around the Akkar. The giant octopus's tentacles wyrmed about like headless snakes and for a moment she thought tey'd inflicted real damage. Then she gasped as Torah shielded her eyes and even Adrian became speechless as the entre ruin and most of the isle collapsed into the sea. "May God preserve us." She heard him mumble and for once he sounded shaken. "Pray He will." She said while a bitter grimace of a smile went across er face. "Now we have no shelter." Torah said with a slight despair in her voice. "Fire in the hall!" Adrian broke them off as the Akkar again flailed its tentacles at them. "Any other brigh ideas Al?" Alicia dryly comented. "Always look on the bright side of life." Torah gingerly remarked. Adrian glared at them as he again summoned that lightning of his, making the Akkar draw backward. That monstrous burning red eye blazed down at them ith such malice that Alicia remembered the look the black witch had cast them. It was something about that eye which made her feel uncomfortable. Torah and Arian continued to throw their magic toward it as she waved for Marcia to come closer. "What is it Alicia?" Her friend asked as she drifted toward her. "I need you to distract the Akkar." She told her. "Go for the eye so it cannot aim properly." Marcia shone a worried grey before she lit up with a determined opal glow. "Got it." "Thank you." Then she turned her attention to her other friends. Adrian had noticed her tactics and made Torah rest with her magic. "What is your intentions?" Adrian asked with a cordial bow. Torah shrugged and then she generated a shield of fire when the Akkar leashed out at them. "I think you better think fast Alicia." Torah said in a worried tone. "I don't think Marcia will last long against that monster." Alicia opened her mouth to speak but then she gasped as the tentacle Torah had burned grew back out. "The Akkar is no mere beast. It is the embodiment of the black witch's evil." Adrian said as he picked out some cards from his pocket. "Demon-familiar! Bat-familiar Come to my aid!" A flash of bright light followed and the two summoned familiars came into view. "Help the airy." He commanded. "Thank you." Alicia grasped hishand and then again concentrated on her own strategy. "God. Be with me now." She prayed as she focused her wind magic into her sword who began shining with a bright red glow. "The crest of rubies." She muttered to herself. The Akkar swung it tentacles for Marcia and the two familiars which gave her a clear shot. She gathered energy and jumed. At the highest point of her course she let go of the energy who shot right for the hateful burning eye. A powerful red flare hot forward. She couldn't be sure but it looked like the eye turned into a crystal before it returned to its original state. "The dark side is powerful." Adrian stood beside her his face as calm as ever. Suddenly he spread his arms. "Shield of bats!" "Heart of Ice!" The tentacles the Akkar slashed toward them shattered into multiple pieces before they again grew back out. Alicia gathered energy and threw herself forward before throwing her axe. By using her bloodline power she made it splt into five and then fused them with wind. The Akkar stuggled to avoid them but two of them struck home. For a brief moment they thought it was all over. Then the Akkar again wentberserk on the remaining castle structure. Rocks rained about and the multiple rubble flying about made Alicia scream multiple splinters of rocks caused wounds. Hadn't Adrian forced her down just as two rocks came flying she could've lost her head or an arm. Then Torah came into view. Although bruished and bleeding she continued casting her spels. "Heart of Ice! Howling blaster!" A powerful ball of blue light was quickly followed by a sonic-ring of solid frost. The entire Akkar became surrounded within ice but it all too soon shattered. "It will not work." Adrian advised Torah just as Alicia prepared for another attack. "This is the flames of hatred. The powers of ice will have no real effect on her." She didn't pay attention. Somehow she knew the wind power had real ower, the powe they needed to finish this bastard. "Wind I the element of the Heaven." Adrian continued his speech while Alicia summoned her bloodline power and threw a dagger and then made it split into three. The wind magic made them so quick that although two of them became dodged the third one hit the ye which again turned to crystal for a brief moment. "In the heart of man wind generates love which is the true will of the Heavens." "Hit the deck!" Marcia warned them just in time as the Akkar struck the remaining portions f the floor and make portions of it shatter. "Heart of Ice!" Torah used her magic to shatter some of the debries flying toward them. "Crimson lightning!" Adrian spead his cloak and made a repeated bolt of crimson energy trike to keep the tentacles busy. The bat-familiar split into a swarm of bats who flew about as it spat multiple fireballs. Alicia was already on the move. Usingher bloodline magic she performed a double-jump and then threw a rain of holy water at the Akkar. The wind made it go extra quick and this time the eye didn't just turn into crystal for a short time. This time multiple wounds opened upon the large octopus and giant drops of boiling blood ran everywhere. "Bevare of the blood!" Torah shouted at her. "The wild ones say it's poisonous." "Fire in the hall!" Marcia came darting in from where she'd nearly become hit as that madman fish waved about with its monstrous tentacles. "Howling blaster!" "Crimson lightning!" Torah and Adrian spred out across the ruined floor to possibly create aprotective screen for her. The demon-familiar joined in as Maria and the bat-familiar flew about, doing their best to distract the Akkar. Alicia performed another double-jump but although she fired another red beam from her blade she missed the eye. "Shield of bats! Balls of destruction!" Adrian barely managed to block the Akkars attacks. "Power of the blue moon!" Torah made a powerful blue blast strike the Akkar who again became embedded within solid frost. "Nice work." Alicia shouted as she dashed forward and made her ax fly through the air. The eye again turned into crystal as black blod splattered across the floor and made holes open in the rocky surface. Alicia couldn't help scream as some blood hit her. It felt like acid and hadn't Marcia arrived to heal her she was sure it would've killed her. The octopus monster coiled its arms and then spread them outward as a pitch black liqid became spread about and polluted the water. Alicia again threw her dagger but missed du to the darkness falling across them. "She felt despair starting to grow in her heart. Then she suddenly heard somebody singing. It was Torah. She was singing something which sounded like a hymn for the spirits of life. "The minuet of the forest." Adrin said and for once she heard true awe in his voice. The darkness vanished as fumes and leaves spread within a breath of wind smelling like fresh earth and growing trees or flower. Alicia felt refreshed and ready. Before she even thought about it she executed a perfect double-jump and threw bouh axes and daggers at the Akkar, bough weapon fused with the power of wind. Two daggers dug into the eye and this time the eye itself began to cry blood. Or at least it looked that way. "Carry on!" It was the first time she heard Adrian really exited. "It grw weaker." As if to refuse the comment the Akkar spread that blackness of a ink about as it used the tentacles to hammer the last portion of the floor to rubble. Now only the pillars on which the bridges had bean built where left standing. Aliciathought she heard Torah curse somewhere to the left as she tried swim out of reach. The familiars where gone and Adrian himself had turned into a cloud of mist. Marcia fluttered about but finally decided to go after Torah. "God!" She cried as she rouse her sword scy-ward. "Into Your hands I surrender my soul!" She didn't knew if it was blasphemy but couldn't think of anything better to say. A flash of red light shaped into a strange heart upon the blade andshe held out a vial of holy water. The bloodline magic made it rain with holy water. Even so the impressive show was merely a divertion as she threw her last grenade. But the throw was far to powerful and before knowing anything more she fell head-first into the water. She had an eerie feeling of cold before everything went black.

Draco woods, Warakiya. The 21st. of December 2098 A.D.
Alicia Schneider slowly opened her yes and Adrian thanked his mother's God she where still alive. Had it not bean for the help of the mysterious sait they might not have found here and then saved her life He helped the young Belmont to sit and then cuddled the carpet closer around her. "It's imposible." She echoed his own remark when she noticed the huge kind man sitting in the sledge across from them. "It's true." Torah cheerfully said. "It really is father Christmass." Adrian nodded his head. "It is true. And it is his doing we are here and are able to warm ourselves." "Here." Torah said giving her a cup of steaming hot tee. "Rather English, isn't it?" She said as she took a sip. Father Christmass burst out laughing and even Torah slightly giggle. "I hope my gifts will be of good use." He then whipped the rains of the sledge and was off. "Merry Christmass!" He shouted as he was still laughing. Then he was gone. "Adrian." Alicia asked. "Who is that man?" Adrian shook his head. "I have often asked that question myself. But nobody really know. St. Nicolus comes and goes as he chooses." Marcia came flying in from where she had sat upon one of the nearby trees. "Adrian. You've forgotten to tell her about the other news." "Of course." He bowed cordially to bough of them. "Of course." He repated. "What do you mean?" The young Belmont demanded to know. Before he could answer Torah answered. "We did it Alicia. Adrian's fairy-familir just came to tell us." Adria nodded. "The other enemy, a vampire knownas Liza Bernhardt, is defeaed." He calmly acknowledged the yound woman's happy expression. "They also ask us to come to help them." Hetold her. "It looks like they have become lost underground." Alicia got a worried look upon her face. "Then they're in trouble." She exclaimed. "It'll take us days to get over to their side of the valley." Adrian crossed his arms above his chest. "Do not worry. St. Nicolus brought us into the Draco woods. It seem like we have returned to where we was when the harpies offered us aid." Alicia looked about and then nodded. "He gae us a map of Barnsdall." Torah explained. Adrian nodded. "Although I am not quite sure where they are the entrance to the underground is marked upon the map. First we must return to the Barnsdall forest an then we might begin look for the cave." Alicia Schneider got to her feet as she and Torah began putting down the camp. Adrian calmly watched. They had not told her about the hidden power. However they would have to explain it to her sooner or later. First however they had to regroup with their friends. Then it would be time to experience the full view of what was wrong about the valley. The darkness was still very powerful and he was afraid of what it could possibly mean for their quest. He put away his worr. There where other problems which needed his attention. "We're ready to depart." Alicia's voice brought him back to the situation at hand. "Very well then." He said. "Thenlet us go." He brought out his weapons, as did the rest, and then began walking.

Dabi's path, Warakiya. The 22nd. Of December 2098 A.D.
Dimitri Blinov knelt down. "The time has come." He told Drolta Tsuentez. The witch nodded. "Yes my lord." She calmly said. She grasped inside her cloak and brought out four small test tubes. Dimitri smiled. Having released Chaos upon Christian Belmont his power had become depleted. But he had managed to free himself of Dracula's influence. Having absorbed the remaining energies of the marsh he had even managed to restore his physical embodiment. But he was still unable to summon the power to receive control. He had made Tsuentez harvest these blood samples to possibly improvise the circle of blood. "This," Tsuentez said as she placed two vials into the loose earth. "are the blood of the black and white witches." Dimitri calmly acknowledged this and mde a notion for her to continue. "This is a sample of my own blood." She said while putting down a third sample. "This forth exemplar I am not actually sure who belong to." Tsuentex told him while she placed it right before him. "I stole it from Victor's restoration project. It was one o the best protected samples of them all. At least of those who was open for my kind of percenell." "Perfect." The candles placed upon the old stone table cast a dim light across his face as he smiled. "Right up the star and it the blue fire. Let the ritual commence." Tsuentes bowed. "Yes my lord." Tsuentez was beautiful tonight. Beneath that hooded black cloak all servants used she bore nothing but the sandals, brest and waistcloth. Her Spanish origin where all to clear being her dark eyes and hair. But he held no interest in her body. All he cared about was the power she could give him access to. She knew this and instead of trying toeffortlessly tempt him she instead got to work. Again Dimtri smiled. All was indeed going according to his decire.

Castlevania, Warakiya. The 22nd. Of Decemer 2098 A.D.
The Dark Lord opened his eyes. A surge of satisfaction went through him. He could feel his possible incarnations move about the game-board. Chaos was with him. Darkness would rise and his enemies would never see it come. They where spreading their attention toward to many subjects. His servants where doing well. He looked down at the game-board. Three figures where moving closer to the figures representing his enemies. They thought he knw nothing of their intentions when all where going according to his desire. He would send Death to meet with one of them. Abbadon had already informed him things where going well with his chargeas well. Indeed darkness would rise. Darkness never dies.

(A.N: I'm really sorry for the long time. But there where some informations I had to gather and such. I hope you like the chapter dough. As you might guess it forshadow the great events to follow. Have a nice time.)