Castlevania: Darkness Never Dies

Fan Fiction

Continued...

Part 1. Gathering darkness.

"You should have expected to find me here. I will always be in the house of my Father."

Mark: 2.50.

Chapter 4: A lament for the forgotten souls.
Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
The reflection came right at her. She could in some strange way feel it, feel its want for her. No, not the body, it was her spirit, or perhaps her mind, and very existence. At last she managed to scream. But just as she did it, she summoned the soul of the vampire and the scream came out as a sonic blast which sent her refelction whirling back into the mirror. It was destroyed and she heard her enemy scream. When she heard that, her fear left her. If she could scream then she could be wounded. And if it could be wounded it could be killed. Whit a snarl she let go of the vampire's "soul" and summoned the spirit-essence of the skeleton and threw a barrage of bone at the mirror-creature. She didn't know where she had the name from, but it matched well what the creature really was. The creature did an almost minuet-like motion and tried to blast her whit series of fist-sized ice-shards. She was quik to summon the soul of the gargoyle and countered the ice-spell whit a barrage of small fireballs. Again they faced each-other. Bought waiting for the other's move. She took a deep breath. She prayed to the Kamis that Christian would save her, but for the moment, she had only herself and the great ones to help her. The mirror-creature blasted her own wave of supersonic sound which sent her fling into the wall. She did managed to summon the dark anti-soul of the vampire and was able to use its agility to use her own momentum to threw herself out from the wall and do a dash for her dark reflection. She then was able to summone the skeleton-essence and threw a flury of bones at her enemy. The mirror-creature was bleeding heavily but was able to jump into another mirror. She then jumped from her from another mirror. She snarled and then did something she didn't feel comfortable doing. She crushed all the mirrors she could which where big enough for the mirror-creature to jump through and then again faced her enemy. It must be a way to defeat this enemy, but how? She prepared herself for another round of battle.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
"I don't like this place Christian." Samuel said in a low voice. He nodded, he didn't like it either. The hall was shrouded in darkness, only lit by the shivering light of the candle-stands on the sides of the hall. Even though it was winter outside, the great fire-place, to the left of the huge flight of stairs, was unlit. Two corridors, bought on the first and second floor, most likely leading to the wings at the western and eastern sides of the house. Portraits of the family who once owned this house, hung on the walls and shields with the crest of the raven, the insigna of the Armster family, hung everywhere. Dark-green and yellow rugs lined the floor and curtains of the same colours on the walls at the second floor. He had a dark feeling about this place. He remembered what Simon Belmont and Reinhardt Schneider had wrote about their adventures inside the mannors outside the castle and this place disturbed him. "The windows, Christian, they're blocked by planks and huge curtains." George pointed toward one of the windows which sided the front-door. He nodded and did the sign of the cross. "Is it true then?" Samuel asked him. "Does sunlight really kill a vampire?" He shook his head. "No, they don't. But it takes long time for the weakest of them to see in clear daylight if it comes sudden upon them. I had hoped it wouldn't be this way, but is it is written, "Not as I will, but as You will", let's go." He cracked his whip and brought out his holy water. He started walking toward the stairs leading to the second floor. He had a feeling Victoria Armster would be hiding in the tower of the mansion. But he also felt that it would be a long haunt before he could go there, how he knew this, he didn't know. Then something happened that brought him out of his thoughts. Something fell from the sealing and almost hitt them. It was a corpse, a male corpse, dressed in a black leather-jacket and red jeans and white snickers, with light-blonde hair and closed eyes. He haard the sound of chewing from aboue and turned his head up and watched at the sealing, but see nothing. Then three more forms fell from the sealing and raised to face them. They snarled to them and two of them dug their fangs into the neck and hearth of the corpse. The third one stood and looked upon them wihile ligking her lips. It was a woman, dressed in a thin flowing white gown, which didin't covered her shoulders, arms and almost not her breasts. She was a Chinese girl and so was the others, dressed in a black and a red gown. Beside from their gowns, they had no European looking. Their hair was tied into twin braids and had golden necklaces around their necks and arms, they where beautiful, or rather should have been so. Their small hearth-shaped faces and large eyes was really attractive although he knew he shouldn't think so. Then he started praying and when he ended whit the sign of the cross, he saw how they really where. Their skin changed from a pleasant light-yellow to a ugly blue-greyish colour. And blue flames lit up inside their eyes and claws and fangs became exposed. "Whores of Lucifer!" He said as he cracked the whip at the nearest vampire, she did a clever backflip and then jumped at him. The crucifix he had underneath his tunic made contact with the hand of the monster and made burns appear on her palm. It gave him time to sprinkle some holy water on her for-arm and silvery-coloured flames erupted upon it. Screaming she let go of him, he cracked the whip at her and hit her chest. She spread her hands and three bats appeared and he threw a vial of holy water to counterstrike. The vampire jumped back up into the sealing, which gave him time to look around. George lay on the floor and one of the vampires was feeding on his blood. He knew his soul may be lost, but he did what he could. He picked up something from his backpack which he'd hoped he would never have to use. It was a short-sword suited for his reach, and a handful of woden stakes. He made a dash for the vampire who was so taken aback that she fell on the floor. "May God make mercy upon your soul." He sent one of the stakes right through her hearth and then beheaded her. A cry that almost made him go deaf, a feeling of fear and horror pierced his hearth. Had it not been for the look of happiness and peace which went over the dead face before she went into complete decay, he would have gone unconscious then and there. Then he felt a burning sensation in his side. He heard a shot and the third female vampire was sent flaying backward. He saw a blood-stained dagger lying on the floor, most likely lost by the vampire. "Thank you George." He said, before he threw the throwing-cross at the vampire. But before he could hit her, the Chinese vampire jumped to the sealing and, to hinder him to counter-strike, the other vampire who stil was "alive", fired a set of bats at him. Luckily for him, the throwing-cross killed the bat on the return and pierced her arm in the process. "In the name of Michael the Archangel!" He cried and swung the whip. Silvery flames lit up the whip and when it hit the vampire's other arm and made burns erupt upon her skin. "May God forgive you of your sins and make mercy upon your soul." He threw a vial of holy water, he'd refilled them with snow from outside the house and where ready for battle. The vampire screamed in utter pain and then burst into flames. But even from within the flames, he could see a face of releaf and elestial peace. He did a sign of the cross as he hoped his prayer would be heard, but for now, he had other work to do. He disliked it, but that was what he had. He had to fall to the floor as the last vampire started to blast a spread-shot of steam-blasts at them. "You're dead, again." He grimly mumbled, as he lifted another vial of holy water into the air. A rain of silvery-coloured holy water flushed down from the sealing and made the last vampire burst into flames. But even here, he saw a look of piece and happynes go over her face before she vanished into nothingness. He took a deep breath, he hoped he hadn't killed Samuel, but his thoughts where cut short when the corpse laying on the ground jumped to his feet and blasted him clear into the wall whit a solid ball of steam. George shot at it whit his shotgun, which sent him smashing into the wall. But since the bullet didn't was made by tree or silver, it didn't kill it. But it gave him time to gather himself. He dashed from the wall, right at the vampire whit his whip and the throwing-cross at the ready. The vampire spread his hands and fired two crisscross-moving orbs of green flames. George who had gathered his friends vials of holy water, threw a vial at the orbs just in time to hinder them in hitting him. He thanked him and God in his heart just as he cracked the whip right at his face. The undead creature countered whit his arms, but although he saw burns erupt on its arms, he was still alive. He cracked the whip again and again he was countered. "Take this your brat. Crimson needles!" The vampire again spread his hands and a rain of small crimson needle-shaped energy-bolts and he felt a burning sensation on his face. He trew a vial of holy water at his own face and the burning sensation ended. He used the last of the vial's holy water to splash at the vampire. His hands burned and so did his arms. "May God make mercy upon your soul." He calmly said as he cracked the whip at the vampire's head and he burst into flames. He did a sign of the cross as he saw a look of peace and happiness go over his destroyed burning face. He then ran over to George, who knelt at Samuel's side. He'd have a hope that he could save him whit a purification crystal, but his hope became crushed. The female vampire had drained enough blood, not to place the curse upon him, but to kill him. He started crying, he'd lost his friends and now he had seen one of them die right in front of his eyes. The worst thing was that there where no holy place to burry him or priest to complete the burial-ceremony. He knew what he had to do to hinder the dark powers from toying whit his corpse or soul, but he didn't wanted to do it. "He must be burned." He softly whispered. George gave him a shooked look, but he then nodded. "I have seen some of my friends in the brown/grey uniforms to know that it had to be done." Togheter they managed to carry his corpse outside. Neither of them wanted to do the act inside this cursed house.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
It was a horrible disgrace. She looked into her own face, or rather, a dark emotionless variation of her face. "Die oni!" She cried and called upon the power of the gargoyle and threw a lance at her dark twin. The mirror-creature countered with a blast of steam which sent the lance flying toward the wall. She also summoned the "soul" of the vampire and changed into a bat and flied right at her dark twin. It was bought discusting and a strange pleasure which filled her when she tasted the dark blood of the creature. She then retook human form and shot two crisscrossing fireballs at the mirror-creature. The creature staggered backward and her leg and breast where blasted away. To finish her off she again jumped at her and drained her of the last unce of blood. She then took a deep breath as she watched her evil twin burn away in a ball of blue fire. "So, at last, you truly understand the pleasure that draining another's blood gives?" She turned around just as a coil of mist turned into the two who was stil bend on dining on her warm blood. It was the Brazilian and the Japanese vampires. She opened her mouth and felt the fangs which the vampire-spirit had given her. It felt horrible and even so, she felt a dark excitement inside her heart. She then remembered something Christian had told her. She could see his face inside her, filled whit bought sorrow and anguish as he said it. "Do never underestemate the powers of darkness. Do it and it will be your undoing." She slowly brought out the crucifix from underneath her dress and looked upon her. She then remembered something else he'd said. "Do not fear those who can destroy your body, but fear those who can destroy your soul." She then cried something she never thought she would ever say. "Be gone in the name of Christ!" As she said it, she felt how she turned back into her human body and the dark powers left her soul. She summoned the power of the gargoyle again and threw a spear at the Japanese vampire, pinning her to the wall. She screamed and burst into a blaze of blue flames. She then saw something which almost made her lose the crucifix. A celestial look of happiness peace went over her enemy's face just before it became totally destroyed. "Enough." The Brazilian vampire snarled as she waved her hand and this time she really lost the crucifix. "Noriko Cruz, your time is over." She faced her whit a grim look. "In my homeland the vampire is a hairy beast whit a long noose." The Brazilian vampire smiled a gruesome smile. "It was nearly head-vampires who brought on that form when the Japanese vampire-hunters hunted them. This is the form we really has." Her enemy told her before she jumped right at her. This time she didn't have time to counter and the thing which she had feared the most again happened. She felt the sickening sensation when the vampire's fangs sunk into her neck and began to drain her. Christian had given her some of the medicine and other things he had purchased from Renon but she didn't have time to use them right now. "To fulful the pact, receive the batize of blood." The former Brazilian girl opened a wound in her chest and forced her to drink from it. It was then it happened, the vampire was sent flying backward and she could see small burns erupt upon her skin where her lips had came close to her. "That bastard of a Belmont gave you part in the Host!" She cried whit an inmaineble rage in her eyes and face. She gazed at her then slowly nodded. She knew what she had to do. She charged at her enemy and kissed her where the heart was and the vampire screamed in utter pain. But to her horror, she didn't die. "I am one of the head-vampires." She said whit a smile so cold as death itself. "Graham Jones personally picked me to be among the lead-vampires and I am more powerful than any other vampire you have ever faced before." She only half-way paied attention to her, her eyes where fixed upon the few mirrors who stil was not broken. She couldn't see her enemy's reflection in any of them. She shook her head to clearn it and instead started to look for her crucifix. It had been one day since she had received the Host and Christian had later told her that it would only protect her soul in three days after receiving it. After that, the darkness inside her would outdo its power. She was knocked to the floor as the vampire again waved her hands. Telepathy was nothing she was used to and so she didn't knew how to counter it. Whit great regret, she again summoned the "soul" of the vampire. She again felt the lust for blood welled up inside her and she turned upon her enemy. "You want my blood." The vampire whispered whit a soft temptation in her voice. "Come here," She summoned. "come to me, I'm yours." She saw the fire of lust inside her dark eyes and the lust for blood made her lick her lips in dark anticipation.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
Whit his face stained by tears, Christian Belmont and George Stillwell re-entered the mansion. This time they where not attacked by vampires in the hall, but he didn't like the house any better. He shook his head, he must concentrate on what was important right now. And what was important, whas to find Noriko and then destroy the vampire who ruled this house to free the wyvern of her curse. Be brought out the Vampire Killer and held his left hand clouse to the vials of holy water. George drew out his own gun and Samuel's too. Whit his black bierd, his brown eyes and the army-coat he'd taken from his friend he did look ready for anything this hell-hotel my throw at them. He hoped it was so, he knew that his friend had the throwing-cross and holy water to, but he hoped they would find another main-weapon or, which would be even better, silver bullets for his shotguns. His thoughts where cut short as he went right into a stiky silk-like web, hanging right across the corridor. They had chocen the left corridor which, as he had expected, lead them to the basement where he hoped to find an exit to the tower. So far they had only found a few bats, spiders and walking dead, until now that is. He slowly took some steps back. It was a spider's web, but it was too big to just a normal spider. He started to look around, but could see nothing. He shrugged and started to whip the web, making it burst into flames. He stoped and did a back-flip when he heard a sound coming from the shadows beyond the web. "It's a girl weeping." George said. He slowly nodded, but didn't move. He feared that it would be more vampires, or perhaps something even worse, if that really existed, being out there. Then one of the torches on the wall became lit and they saw who was weeping. It really was a girl, whit red hair and green eyes, dirty and naked exept for a shabby cloth cowering her breasts. She looked at them and he could see fresh tears on her cheeks, then she turned her face away. "Have you also come to rape me?" She asked in a soft and musical voice. "In God's name, no." George said as he moved toward her. It was something wrong here, he could feel it. Why wasn't she moving toward them and why didn't she open her eyes? "By the power of Christ I…" He began, then it happened. The Vampire Killer became lit whit silvery flames and he could see her, see all of her. He bent forward and threw up right in front of her. From her mid-section and down, it was the body of a giant spider. He flailed the whip almost on instinct and made her drop the spear she whas directing at George. Although he still felt bought sickened and horrofied by the unholy disgrace before him, he managed to throw a vial of holy water at the spider-women. She snarled and opened her eyes. They where the eyes of a spider, dead and cold, it made him take a step backward. And that was what saved him. The spider-woman spined a web and threw it at him. It landed right in front of him and small pufs of smoke started rising from the floor. "God in Heaven." He heard George say before he shot bullets from bought his shotguns. This creature, however ugly and inhuman it was, where a living creature and that was why the bullets made their enemy fall back and gurgle up blood from her mouth. "May God make mercy upon your soul." He grimly said as he finished her off whit the power of the whip. Now the torches where all lit, not that anything seemed more enlighted by that. Pillars of bones fell from the sealing as tiny devils came flying from some unknown location. "Take out the devils." He swiftly told George. "Use the throwing-cross or holy water at them. I'll take care of the pillar of bones." George nodded and he threw his own boomerang-cross at the nearest bone-pillar and smiled when it burst into flames. "Run boy, the devils are dead but I think something else is coming at us." He looked behind him and nodded. He could hear the clacking sound of many tiny feet on the ground. Most likely it wasn't another spider-woman, but so many spiders as this must be could make thing look really ugly. He started running. He stopped when they came into a circle-shaped room whit a pool of crystal-water at the centre. He could see a control in the rooms wall which he was pretty sure he'd seen before, in the catacombs of the Vatican. He run over to it and moved one of the switches and a thick metal door closed behind them. Then he heard the music of a creature he really feard and understood they had been lured into a trap. From the pool the head of a man-snake rouse to face them. The deep velvet-soft voice spoke to them in a language long since dead. "Don't look it in the eyes." He softly said, bought to warn himself and George of this tremendously dangerous enemy. The man-snakes where the children of Seth and Isis, as was the snake-men, the Lind-wyrms, the Scylla and many other creatures but that was beside the point right about now. This creature held the powerto destroy bought body and sould. And if it really managed to digest bought of them, they would be forever lost. Not only if anyone else killed this creature later would he be free. He took a deep breath, he saw George do the same, as he prepared himself for battle.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
The vampire spirit, or whatever it could be called, held a almost desperate grip on her. She shot a wave of small ice-shards, as she'd seen the mirror-creature do whit its version of the dark essence, the Brazilian vampire countered whit a set of small blue fireballs. "Give in to the powers of darkness, I know you will learn to enjoy it. You are enjoying it right now." She snarled at her and changed into a bat. She dashed into the Brazilian vampire and dug her fangs into her neck and started to drain her blood. She gashped and turned back into her human form. She gasped by the feeling the vampire-blood on her lips gave her. She felt bought a twisted pleasure and a utter disgust in her heart. The Brazilian vampire chuckled whit an evil glimpse in her eyes "You know it, the feeling, the essence. Let me finish the transformation and you can live forever, make love forever." Her eney again licked her lips and fangs. She again brought out her crucifix and then, whit a look of utter disgust at the vampire she pressed the crucifix to her own heart. She felt a burning pain inside her and then threw the image of Christian's God right at the Brazilian vampire. She could, through a blur of pain, see the vampire burst into a swarm of bats and vanished into nothingness. She smiled and then fell to the ground.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
George swallowed one of Christian's antidotes and felt his health return to him. The man-snake had been able to bite him and the poison had nearly killed him. He shook his head. He had lied there and had been sure that it was over. Christian couldn't possibly kill that beast alone. At first the little Belmont had used his whip, throwing-cross and holy water whit great skill and agility. The beast hadn't been outdone by him. Then the incredible happened.

Flashback.
Christian did a back-flip, just in time to avoide the man-snake's attack. For a moment they stood and locked gazes, then the young Belmont lifted two vials of holy water into the air. "By the power given to the children of man by the crests of silver and opal, I surrender my spirit into the hands of God! Guide my hands so Your will may be." A beam of silver-white light shot from above and made the holy water shine whit holy power. He could feel it even from where he lay and felt his mouth fall open. "Your time is over!" The young boy shouted as he threw one of the vials. "May you rest in peace." The vial burst apart and a massive wave of crystal-blue water rush at the man-snake and what had happened to the vial, happened to the man-snake. It exploded into flames and pieces of it became scattered all across the room. Christian sunk to his knees and prayed his prayers before he came over to him.

End of flashback.

"This is the basement-room of the tower." Christian said as he swung his arms around to demonstrate his statement. "But there is no stairs in here. It was as I thought it would be. I had a hope that Victoria hadn't thought about it, but I was wrong." He gave him an quizzical look. "Then why did you go down here in the first place?" The child gave him a sad smile. "I was sure Victoria would have magically sealed the tower and I hope she would forgot about the basement. But I was wrong." Christian went over to the wall-control and opened the doors. "Let's go back to the hall and see if we can find the sealed door. I hope it's a seal I can break." The young Belmont readied his whip and he did the same whit his guns and throwing-cross. "There they are. Take them!" Christian whirled around and so did he. A group of trident-guards, possessed knights dressed in gold and green painted armours, armed whit tridents and whit red eyes shining from their open helmets. But it was the creature behind them who seamed to interest the young Belmont the most. It was a middle-high red-skinned skeletal and humpbacked humanoid, shrouded in black cloth. But the black robe wasn't able to conceal the lethery bat wings and the shining yellow eues who looked upon them from whiting the hood. It was a demon, if he ever had seen one, or at least he thought so. Christian ended his thoughts as he said in a calm voice. "It's to many of them." The young Belmont lifted his crucifix and the enemies was forced a step back. "We must be fast if we want to get away." "I want leave you." He said, the young boy smiled, then lifted his throwing-cross. The dark spirits where forced even further back. "You don't have to. I know what to do." His left hand tightened his grip around the crucifix. "By the power given to the children of man in the form of the crest of ruby, be gone in the name of Christ!" From the throwing-cross a red gust of wind burst out and the corridor was blocked. "Run, now.!" The boy turned around and run up the other tunnel. He didn't like this since this was the other corridor and not the one they had came from in the first place. But their life was at stake here and they didn't have the luxury to chose direction.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
She was sleeping. She knew she was, but that didn't matter, as she from inside her soul was sent into the higher levels of the world.

Tempel of silver, the chamber of light.
She slowly opened her eyes, then she opened them wide. The floor was of shining-white marble and so was the sky-high pillars holding up the equally white sealing. In the centre of the sealing was a huge insigna of a sliver-star, sending down a simple ray of white light. The beam shone down on a fountain whit small pillars whit statues of small white cats and a high white platform at the centre. But it was the figure standing upon the platform who cought her attention. It was a tal slender creature, clothed in a flowing white robe, more shining than even the light shining down upon her. Long banks of light-brown hair closed around a completely calm face whit soft brown eyes. "Where am I?" She asked in a shocked voice. "Are you one of the Kamis?" The shining creature smiled and nodded her head. "You may call me that if you want doughter. Other have called me a archangel, a god or a Kami. But what I am, is the guardian-spirit of the crest, and the temple, of silver." The Kami brought out a simple star of silver which hung around her neck. "You are at the heart of that temple, in the chamber of licht." Her voice was low and so friendly that she calmed down and got up from her sitting position. "Why have you summoned me." The shining creature slowly shook her head. "I cannot summon anyone. Even the enemies of the One can enter here, the light will destroy them, but it is not me who summons the true servants of light. I know why you are here, but do you know the reason?" She walked toward the fountain and saw it was filled whit crystal-blue water. She nodded, before she spoke. "I must cleanness the spirit of the vampire." The guardian spirit nodded and she started to undress herself, then blushed. The guardian spirit smiled and the light shining from her and from the star above, shined so strong that she couldn't see her. She hoped the spirit didn't could see her either, but she then sunk down into the water of the fountain. "The One is the road, the truth and the life. He is whit me and whith you. You have done no wrong, you are forgiven. The crest of silver give me the power to forgive spirits of their sins." She had summoned the power of the vampire when she sunk down into the water, but now the spirit didn't felt as before. The ruge for blood was gone and she knew, in some strange way, that the ruge wouldn't return to her. If she wouldn't be turned into a vampire by the true vampires. But she didn't fear them, not here, not now. The light shrowded her and she felt that she was close to awoken. "The one be whit you." She heard the voice of the guardian spirit and smiled in return. The light then completely blinded her and she closed her eyes…

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
…and opened her eyes inside the broken Shinto-chapel in which she had dazed off. She raised up and looked around. The vampire where gone, she hoped she was dead, but you could never know. She thought she had seen her burn, but could not be sure. She rouse to her feet and looked around in hope of finding another door, but only found the door she had came here through. But even so, she wasn't bitter for coming here. Another vampire was dead and she'd gotten help in stabilizing her soul-powers and she felt a strange happiness in this happenings. She picked up the crucifix and softly kissed it, then smiled. "Thank you, the One, Christian's God." She put it inside her dress and started walking at the door. She had not yet escaped the house, but she now felt she had the means to do what she needed to. She went through the old musical-room and then out in the corridor again. Looking out the window near the curve in the corridor, the fogg still lay around building and the corridor lay empty. Then she heard a sound which made her look around. It was the flapping of wings, she turned around the corridor and then started screaming.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
He knelt to the ground and whipped one of the barrels, sending against them, into oblivion. He knew it was impossible, but he somewhat felt that the ape-skeletons looked upon him whit a durty look. George shot some of the bat out from the air as he threw a vial of holy water at the nearest ape-skeleton who burst into flames on impact. "There's the stairs." George shoot a bullet from one of his shotguns and he nodded and threw his throwing-cross at the ape-skeletons and looked upon them whit a grim look upon his face as they burned into oblivion. They started to claim the stairs and had he not cracked the whip at a group of bats, the trident-guard would have killed them. He couldn't say why, but the blue eyes inside the open helmet looked upon him whit an almost disappointed look in them before it again swung the trident at them and a ball of flames came blasting toward them. He didn't like this, didn't like this at all. If he only had got a throwing-axe he could've destroyed it without that much of a problem, but as it was, the holy water would have to do. He saw how golden flames erupted around his whip and he smiled. "Thank you, Father in Heaven." He did the sign of the cross before he cracked the whip at the ball of flame just as he threw a vial of holy water at the possessed armour. It blocked his attack whit the handle of the trident, which he had hoped he would do, as the holy water hitt home. But this time he had miscalculated the explotion, he was sent flying backward, right into George and they bought fell down the stair and right into the wall of the other side. The wall crumbled and they rolled into a cavern that didn't belonged to the cellarbut was more likely built by the evil spirits who now lived here. Of course, it couls just have been a natural cave, but he didn't think so. Then he felt the power and a smile went over his face. "There's a morning-star inside her." He said in a low voice and started walking down the new tunnel. "Don't go down there!" He felt somewhone fell over him and push him down on the floor. He looked up and saw what seemed to be another vampire, perhaps bitten at six or eight years of age. Taking a deep breath, he again prepared for battle.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
How should she describe them? They consisted of five or possibly seven grown-togheter eyeballs, whit a grim jaw in the middle, whith grizzly-looking tentacles growing from the bottom-eyes and whit lethery-like bat-wings on their back. It was three or four of them and they all looked upon her whit a wanting look in their blood-shot green eyes. She summoned the power of the gargoyle and threw a lance at the nearest one. The strange creature countered by blasting a concentrated beam of green energy at the lance, blasting it into oblivion. She licked her lips nervously. These where creatures she'd never sean or heard about before, she didn't know how to react against them. She then noticed that the nearest armour standing toward the wall in this corridor, had a mace and she thankfully grasped it. With a weapon like this, she would be able to go into hand-to-hand combat whit the enemies. She swung the mace, after she'd summoned the vampire's essence. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to swing the heavy metal without the extra strength the vampires had in their hands. The nearest of the strange beasts where taken aback by this new turn of events and was thus smashed into oblivion. She swolloved heavily as she saw the creature smash into goog on the floor. But she didn't have much time to consider what she'd done as two other creatures slung their tentacles at her. She summoned the power of the gargoyle and turned the tentacle of the first beast on fire, whit made it let go of her, but the third of the monsters continued to squeeze her. She smashed the mace at the creature and hit one of its wings. It fell to the ground and then took her whit it. But strangely enough, it actually saved her life since it made the burnt one and the two last beast mis on her whit their green beams. The creature who had its hold on her started to shine whit a sicly green light and she quicly understood that it prepared to fire at her. She grasped inside her dress and brought out her crucifix and the creature let go of her so swift that she was actually threwn far back into the hall. She got to her feet, feeling a little dazed, then noticed that she had lost not only the mace, but the crucifix too. She looked up and saw the three surviving beasts coming toward her. Then the windows at the far side of the corridor was crashed by a giant skeletal hand who grasped her and drew her outside. She was finished, that she knew for sure. She was now totally in the hands of the enemy and that was actually literal this time.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
The boy was a nobleman, he was sure of it. He was dressed in a light-grey tunic, whit a huge lace-collar, whit a baggy-sleeved white shirt underneath it, even that whit laces at the hands. He had black knee-long silk-trousers and black shining boots on his feet and had a cloth-belt around his waist. But it wasn't only the clothing which made him belive so. The natural pale face, the aristocratic eyebrows and sholder-length brown hair and eyes and natural red lips. He was a cute child, but it was the crest on the forth and back on his tunic who really interested him. The raven whas the sign of the Armster, but the circle of stars and suns around it, was the crest of the boyar-house of Brahms. "Who're you?" He asked in a confused tone. "Gregor Heinrich Armster-Brahms, of the house of Brahms." The boy said in a proud voice, then his voice and look changed. "You must not go down there. It is where the soulless came from." That didn't make matter. Why should a vampire, a servant of Dracula, want to help them? There was no enemies around so he calmly faced the vampire. "Now I want the hole story. What is the Armster family in a house not belonging to them and why do you want to help us?" The boys answer surprised him. "I want to help you because I want to see this house burned down and my foremother Wilhelmina Victoria Armster purified by the darkness which had claimed her soul." The boy spoke a good nearly grown-up kind of Romanian, but it wasn't that who amazed him. "The Armster and Brahms are the same family, now I think I begin to understand what's going on." The boy looked upon him whit a fanatic light burning in his brown eyes. "Do you, mortal boy? Do your really understand? Have you seen your own sister invite evil spirits into your own home? Have you seen her give yourself, her own brother to the vampires after first have committed suicide, returning to life as a vampire? I don't think so. You don't look like that." The boy struggled to regain his composure, which gave the demon from before time to sneak up on them. Or was it the demon from before? He wasn't sure, demons looked very like each-other, but that was beside the point, as it spawned a heavy orb of black steam from whiting its hood. George shot at it whit his shotgun and to his surprise, the demon burst into dust, then reformed in another position. "Watch out, that's one of the soulless I spoke about." Gregor cried as he fired a bat-inhabited ball of blue flames at the ugly creature hiding inside the black cloak. The soulless answered by blasting a wall of black flames right in from of itself to block the blast. "Christ be my whitens!" He said as he swung the whip at the twisted creature who again burst into ash-coloured dust and this time for good. He took a ddep breath, this was indeed a soulless. The power of light would destroy those whitout souls since there was nothing really left of what the where. They had of course sold their souls to the dark lord, which had given the spirits of chaos to posses them, he prayed a short prayer for the lost souls, before he again turned to the boy. "I know you are right about the dark powers down there, but there is something inside there I need." Gregor's eyes grew wide, then a firm look appeared on his child-like face. "Then I will go whit you. Everyone who is strong enough to face the dark forces will be a help to me." He slowly shook his eyes, then smiled. "By the power of Christ, we will help each-other." Gorge gave them bought a look, but they would learn to work together, or they would loose and that wasn't an option.

Haunted marshlands, graveyard. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
It was snowing heavily, she was freezing and it wasn't just because of the winter's cold. An enormous ape-skeleton was holding her in a firm grip and was trying to actually squeeze the life out of her. Noriko concentrated and summoned the essence of the vampire came to her. "Crimson inferno!" She screamed and summoned so much power she could and fired a massive blast of crimson energy. It wasn't before the giant ape-skeleton dropped her that she noticed it wasn't such a good idea. The creature was at least two stories tall and she didn't think falling so far would be good for the health. She would have to calculate this carefully to survive. She used the gargoyle spirit to softly land on the snow, but as she did so, the ape-skeleton smashed its club into the ground and made a quake erupt. She was thrown far back as the shock-waves hitt her. This would put her powers to the ultimate test, she was afraid that the crucifix wouldn't kill this creature, it just was through huge. She again summoned the spirit of the gargoyle and made a lance appear in her hands. Then someone grabbed her from behind, a hard cnokcled hand. "Walking corpses." She snarled, it confused her that she had become so good at it, when she noticed who it was. The corpse belonged to a grown-up person and had grabbed her shoulders, she gathered energy from souls she had collected and, to her own surprise, did a powerful uppercut. The walking dead's skull became shuttered and the rotting creature burst into flames. But that gave the ape-skeleton time to attack. It smashed its club into the ground and this time not only a shock-wave was sent along the ground, but also lightning-bursts was sent along the ground. More walking corpses rouse from the ground and starting walking toward her. "Crimson inferno! Earth-balls!" She used the vampire and gargoyle spirits in unison to blast some of the approaching corpses, then turned around to blast some fireballs at the ape-skeleton. The entire skeleton turned red and seamed to shrink into a lower form, before it grew back into its former self. It jumped toward her and made her roll backward and shuddered in fear. The undead creature smashed itself into the wall of the mansion and shattered into pieces. But that wasn't the end. The giant skull, who still was whole and shining, lifted itself to the air. Blue flames lit up inside its emty eye-socekts., just before it started a new attack. "Puxuil, the cracking skull." She whispered, hos she knew it, she didn't know. But that was beside the point, as it started blasting her whit dust-projectiles. "Crimson shield!" She summoned the vampire spirit and generated a shield of crimson energy. The giant skull "screamed", whitout any sound, and walking dead started risings from the graves around and she again summoned the power of the gargoyle and manifested a lance into her hands. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for battle.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
He could almost feel the flow of the dark powers in the tunnel. The few torches on the wall was litt whit a such dark flames that they almost seamed to be as black as Dracula's hearth. His left hand was around his crucifix at his neck, as his other hand was fastened at the hilt of the whip. Gregor used a blue bat-inhabited orb of flames to litt their parth, it was indeed to a good help. Soulless monsters attacked them as they went down the tunnel. He had already threw up a couple of times but he did it again as a creature shrouded in black robes, whit hands as living snakes, tried to grab him. "May God make mercy upon your soul." He said as he cracked the whip at the poor creature. It burst into ash and vanished into nothingness. They stopped for a while, as they came to a stair, leading deeper down into the mountain. "This is the place." Gregor said. "This is what?" George asked, still untrusting toward the child-looking vampire. The boy gave the salesman a cold look, before he answered him. "This is the path where my sister found the books containing the ways to summon the dark souls who now lives here. Go down the stairs and face a place of blasphemy." He calmly nodded and whipped at a crawling soulless, a creature seemingly whitout any bones inside it. It burst into ashes and he walked down the first stairs. "You cam stay here if you want to. This is something I have to do." George shook his head and so did Gregor. "Thank yoy friends." He just said, before they all went down the staris, it flet good to know that they would follow him even down here, but then his smile faded. They came out into the bottom to the stair and an enormous hall went out before them. The tunnel opened up to a plain floor, a little platform far aboce a molten sea of lava, whit a fence of stone all around the platform. Statues shaped to look like nyphs, the guardians of the element of fire and the crest of opals, but that was beside the point. A bridge lead over to an almost hill-like island at the other end, whit a black alter at the end, whit an evil star and a huge goat-shaped stone-head above it all. The only light inside the hall was the faint glow of the lava and from the blue light from the seven-armed golden candle-stands. Either way, it was the girl kneeling in front of the dark alter and something upon the alter. A black and a grey book lay there, so did the morning-star. He did recognise the law of the Devil and the Necromonicon. But it was the orb of crystal, who he concentrated his gaze upon. "An orb of summoning." He whispered, in an almost stuned tone. He could see, judging by the colours of orange, purple and silver, that he if he used it, could summon the powers of fire, earth and light to his weapons. He felt a little taken aback by that, if he gained it that is, no longer would have to ask for the power. Even so, he felt a little proad that They had given him the chance to prove his worth whit these powers. Then Gregor said something. "So there you are Sophia. How many names have you used, how many ghosts have you sent out, declaring themselves to be you, I do not care. Now it is time to do the last battle." He gave him a look, then he slowly nodded. "Is this your sister?" He asked him. Gregor nodded. "Christian Belmont, George Stillwell, meet Sophia Katrina Maria Armster-Brahms. My sister and the one who brought the darkness down upon our family and destroyed it." He nodded and tightened the grip around the Vampire Killer. "Crimson needles!" Wave after wave of dark crimson needles blasted toward the young vampire, sending him flying backward. "Christ is our Sheppard, He leads us and guides us. We find strength in the hands of the Father and faith in the Holy Ghost. My Lord is whit me and will deliver us from all evil." He said and did the sign of the cross and then went over the bridge, toward her. "Crimson needles!" The dark-brown haired girl blasted more needles toward him. He cracked the whip and the needle-shots where destroyed. "I will save this boy and give you back to him as a holy memory, not a dark one. Only those who have given themselves to the darkness, still have a soul which may be saved. I have seen to many die as it is, but I will do what needs to be done." The girl snarled toward him. "I know the only thing you want is the morning star orb to do battle whit Dracula." He shook his head. "It's important to the world that I defeat the viceroy of The Devil. But the most important thing in the world is to save the souls who have become lost in shadows. I will save your soul and your brother's too. I'm a Belmont, it's my duty to do this." He threw the throwing-cross and smiled as he saw the holy item made small drops of silver fall toward the ground. Maria again snarled and then spread the dark cloak she was dressed in. "Ball of Destruction!" At first he blushed when he saw she wasn't dressed in anything than the dark cloak, then rolled to the ground as a massive ball of blue flame came blasting at him. He didn't have time to see if there was any bat inside the ball of Hell fire, but that was beside the point as he jumped to reclaim the throwing-cross. He got it just in time to establish a blue bubble of light before the fireball hit home. He rouse to his feet to again face the vampire. "I don't fear you!" He cried as he cracked the whip at her. "He has promised us that there allways shall be a light lit for humanity. I believe it to be true. You can kill me, but not the one who had sent me." The whip curled around her hands, he could see burns erupt on her skin. "May your sins be forgiven." He calmly said as he sprinkled some holy water on the whip. "You underestimate us!" Maria screamed as she started burning. "Watch and see our power!" She spread her hands and a shining hemisphere shot from her and hit the goat-head statue. Then the boom from a shotgun could be heard. He turned around and found George, on his face was a look of utter horror, but even now, he did what he could. At first he thought the vampire would just chuckle by the shoot, ordinary bullets didn't have any bullets, but instead she cried and was sent flying backward. "It's silver-bullets." The former salesman told him. "Gregor gave them to me when he noticed I didn't have weapons to battle these creatures." He said. Now that the vampire was most likely dying, he had gotten a hold on herself. He turned to face Gregor, wanting to thank him for the help and noticed something which made his blood go cold. The goat-head statue was shining, becoming alive. "Adramalec." Now it was his time to be afraid. At the mouth of goat-demon a blue ball of flames started forming. He know what it was preparing to blast. He would have to chooce which of the objects to equip. He jumped at the alter, he didn't care the pain the dark books caused to him and grabbed one of the objects and rolled to the side. It was the orb of summoning. He knew the morning-star would've been better, but be what may be, as Mathew would have said. He prepared himself and from the corner of his eye, he saw George and Gregor do the same. It was time to face the enemy. And this time, he knew it would be the ultimate test before confronting Victoria. "God be whit us." He softly prayed before cracking the whip.

Haunted marshlands, graveyard. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
It wasn't directly comfortable, to be shot at by the gigantic skull. She knew it was irrelevant, but that was beside the point. "Magma orbs!" She summoned the power of the gargoyle and blasted a set of magma-orbs at the floating formation. The huge ape-skull dropped to the ground and rocky-spikes came blasting through the snow and was sent them flying at her. She summoned the power of the vampire and turned into a bat. She then retook her human form and again summoned the power of the vampire. "Crimson lightning!" She called as whip-like bolts of lightning struk down and destroyed some of the spikes. The cracking skull opened its mouth and blasted a set of red-hot stones in her direction. "Blizzard bats!" She summoned the powers of the vampire and shot a wave of bats, shrouded in blue light, at the giant ape-skull. The skull burst into many pieces and she was forced to jump backward as some of the splints came flying at her. But it was all in wain as they hitt her. Then she felt a new surge of power going through her. She, in some strange manner, felt that if she had gotten the entire ape-skeleton, she would have gotten more power, but that was beside the point. She now knew she would be able to control floor-blasts, shock-waves and spiked stones. Then, from the destroyed window in the building behind her, came a swarm of bats flying down. She wasn't surprised when they formed into the Brazilian vampire stood before her, but now she was dressed in a dark blue robe and cloak, whit a simple wooden rod in her hand. "Who are you?" She asked, her hearth growing cold whit fear. The Brazilian vampire proudly stood her ground. "My name is Drolta Zuentes. I was turned into a vampire in 1820 by Lord Dracula himself and was one of those who played a part in the resurrection of the dark lord in 1917. You have avoided me far to long. It is time for you to die." Drolta then lifted his hands and she, waved, that was the only word which was the most cowering, and her youthful voluptuous body turned into that of an gnarled old hag. Her face turning into a wrinkled leathery mask of frozen malice, her eyes was burning ambers of evil powers and her body became a skeletal and gnarled form. She felt a desire to throw up and actually did it. She had dome some wery private thing whit that creature when the vampire essence had almost overthrown her. She grasped inside her dress and grabed the crucifix and felt a sense of calmness and peace go through her. "I don't care how old you are, I will destroy you. By, by the power of Christ, I will do what need to be done." Drolta smiled, her eyes glimmering whit blue flames. "You are different than your great-grandfather. He would consume the spirits and use their concrete power to do battle. You on the other hand, use the spirits to build up the power of the souls you already has claimed." She shook her head, not careing what or why, as long it would grant her victory over this evil witch. "But I have powers of my own." The undead creature continued. "Watch and learn. Breath the winds, I command you, Crimson storm!" It looked like it almost started raining crimso bolts of n lightning and the ground exploded as it should've been a mine-field. "All force shield!" She didn't know where she got the spell from, but a body-sized bubble of eighteen different-coloured energy surrounded her and deflected the bolts. "Not bad." Drolta snarled. She only prepared herself for the next attack and her enemy smiled. "So be it, you are dead. Total anhiliation!" The world exploded into a coil of yellow steam.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
Smoke rouse from the lava-lake far below them, rising to crowd the area around the huge goat-demon. It was as if the fastened into something glob-like entities and started crawling toward him. Christian concentrated his mind and summoned the power of light to his whip and started whipping at the globs. George brought out a vial of holy water and sprinkled some of it over his own throwing-cross and threw it at the huge goat-demon's head. He hoped they would win, but he was more interested in his sister. Christian had burnt her whit the whip and holy water, George had shot her whit a silver-bulet, but she was still alive. She lay a few meters to the left to the dark alter. He could see her decaying, her flesh was rotting and her skeleton was showing here and there, but she was still his sister. "I am so sorry Maria. I have hated you so long, but it is your vampire-side I have hated. You, as you was, I still love." Her eyes turned to him, fire still burning in them. "Your sentimental fool." She hissed in an iron-cold tone. "Think about the power you could have had. We could have ruled the world at the side of Lord Dracula. Now you have released my soul and given it to the powerless one. I should have killed you when I had killed you when I had the chance to do so." He felt how tairs formed in his eyes. Even now, when he had saved his sister's soul from eternal suffering, she still hated him. Then it hitt him. She had done everything by her own free will and not because Dracula had deceived her. He now knew she would indeed be among the one to be outcasts in the new Jerusalem. "It that is really how you feel," He began. "so be it. I will destroy you and everything that you have clamied to be yours. Ball of Destruction!" He spread his hands and a blue bat-inhabited fireball blasted at Maria, consuming her in its blazing radiance of the fire. To his deepest sorrow, he saw her burn away in red flames, the colour of a vampire entirely in the grasp of the dark powers. He silently weep over the ashes that was left, before he rouse to his feet. His word was finished, now it was time to end it all. He went over to Christian, who was busy throwing a vial of holy water at the giant goat-demon. "My sister is dead." He softly told the young Belmont. Christian turned to him and nodded. "I hope she will find peace in the hands of God." He said, trying to comfort him. He sadly smiled. "She was a servant of Dracula. Even in her death, she continued to pledge fealty to the dark lord." Christian turned his face away, before he again turned to him. He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw tairs in the young Belmont's eyes. "What will happen to you now?" He softly asked him, he calmly shook his head before asking. "I am a vampire, sooner or later, even I will fall before the dark powers. I think it would be best to end it all here and now." Christian nodded, presenting his hand. "Then all I can say is that I hope God will forgive you and give you peace." He softly smiled although his instincts told him to snarl at the boy. Instead, he grasped his hand whit warm feelings in his heart. "Fear well Christian of the house of Belmont. I salute you. The seal to the power of the tower, is the necromancer. I think he hides out in the chapel at the western wing of the manor. May your war against the fallen prince be a successful one." He deeply bowed before the young Belmont, before taking some steps back, before hurled himself off of the platform. He didn't try to hinder the fall. God was waiting for him, this was the last test. His last thought went to Maria, in hope that she one day might find light again.

Haunted marshlands, graveyard. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
How she had been able to rise the barrier which protected her against the nuclear blas, she didn't know. All she did know was that Drolta was dangerous and a threat to her and Christian's lives. No, it was to their souls she was a threat. Perhaps that had been the reason why she had indeed managed it. But that was beside the point, as the Brazilian vampire prepared herself for another attack. It would be better to try doing what Drolta had done, end the battle here and now. She started concentrating her mind, gathering all her powers, focusing them into one attack. "Soul essence!" She lifted bought her hands and a wave of shining golde-coloured energy blasted toward Drolta. "Screaming darkness!" Drolta countered whit firing a screaming ray of shade-coloured energy. "It's not over yet!" She manifested a lance in her hand and threw it right at the vampire-witch. That came as a surprise on Drolta after all the magic, she burst into small snowflake-looking dust and disappeared into nothingness. She took a deep breath and leaned at the hous's wall to take a moment's rest. Then she got to her feet, from the graves around her, walking corpses had started rising. She had almost forgot that she was in a graveyard. She manifested series of energy-projectiles in the form of knuckles and threw them at the corpses. She then took a moment to look around. She was on the backside of the western wing. She shook her head. The battle had behun behind the long side of the main part of the manor and had ended here. She threw a set of lances at a new group of walking corpses. The door would lead her inside the house again, but sooner or later she would be overwhelmed by the walkind deaths and that was no good alternative. She threw a set of magma-balls, a power she had gotten from the gargoyle-essence and started running for the door. She hoped she wouldn't meet more of those eye-ball monsters, but one thing she had learned battling Dracula, was to never expect anything. She opened the door and shut it right in the face of another group of walking corpses. She took another deep breath, before she started walking down the corridor. Then she noticed all the cobwebs in the corridor, she frowned, she had never liked spiders, she prepared another set of magma-balls before she again started walking.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
George threw his throwing-cross just as he himself throw his. The combined power ot the throwing-crosses, although his was more powerful than George's was, made the stones around the goat-head crumble. Whitout its protective shield, the Adramalech started firing a spread-shot of blue fireballs in all and any direction. "Take out the fireballs." He told the former salesman. "I'll take on the goat-demon if you cower for me." George mearly nodded, before he started shooting at the blue orbs of fire. He cracked the whip at the goat's eyes, not that it helped anything, since its eye-socets where already empty, but it made small cracks of flames go along its face. "Watch out! Blobs are coming!" George's scream made him look around, some of the strange blobs where coming toward him. He prayed to God it would work and throw a vial of holy water at the gell-like object, if that's what it was, but it only made it shrink into a lower form and didn't destroy it entirely. George throw yet another vial at it, making it burst into tiny peaces of itself. He brought out another vial of holy water, throwing it at the goat-demon this time. The monster roared as it hitt it and spew a hupe wave of blue fire at him. He rolled right under it and landed underneath the great head of the monster. This giving him a golden opportunity. He jumped right up into the air and threw his throwing-cross into the jaw of the goat-monster, pierceing the entire monster into two. The explosion which followed, made him almost go deaf and he was threwn hard into the floor. The pillar rumbled and started shaking. "Time to go!" George grabed him, placing him upon his shoulder, before he started running for the stairs. He only hung there, to tired to do anything else. He had gathered an important weapon for the coming battles, but had lost a friend in the effort. He then discovered that he was actually crying. Then again, wasn't Gregor worth crying over? He decided that the answer was yes. He had been a vampire, but also a friend and helper. If he ever came out of this house, he would sing a lament to remember bought him and Samuel by.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
She felt how the house rumbled and was knocked to the ground. What was happening? She got on her feet again and although the house still was shaking, it wasn't as terrible as the first quake. She shook her head and shot a ball of magma at one of the spiders, hanging from the web right over her. She had a strange feeling that the small pests where watching her and she didn't like the feeling. Then a thick tread hit her like the smack of a whip, she'd grown familiar to that feeling while she was the plaything of Malus, so she just grunted by the hit. She was more interested in who had hit her, then she was tacked to the ground by a heavy wait coming from the sealing. She looked up and stared right into the green eyes of a ref-haired girl, whit a metal headband holding back the hair, and whit a smal metal breast-plate concealing her breasts. But she wasn't interested in her enemy's face, it was the legs, al six, who made her stare. She was a spider-woman and she wasn't alone. Another, blonde-haired one, was dropping herself to the floor on the other side, blocking the corridor in that direction. She managed to summon a burst om crimson energy which sent the first spider-woman off of her, but it didn't damaged her in any fatal way. The two was swift in gathering themselves as they clacked over to the wall and got themselves a shield and a lance to do battle whit. She shot a set of magma balls at the first one, before she manifested a blast of bones at the other one. The first one rouse her first two legs and shot treads of grey liquid at her. She threw herself to the floor and the liquid ran right over her. She jumped to her feet, preparing herself for a new attack.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
They'd avoided being killed by the molten lava, but now the dark powers in the dark tunnel was doing their best to do what the lava hadn't. The soulless, that he was sure of, had summoned a strange impenetrable form of darkness. He hadn't power to drive it away, he had been completely drained himself in the battle whit Adramalec and it would take some time for him to establish new power. However, he uncoiled the whip and went into a defensive stance. "My God be whit us." George did a sign of the cross, before he brought out his boomerang-cross and holy water. He smiled, George had gone a long way in developing his faith. But then his smile soured. He himself didn't think he would make it this time. The soulless where already flying, crawling and limping toward them. He swung the whip just as George threw one of his vials at the approaching soulless. Some of them burst into flames, but there where still countless others. Whit-out any light, they would sooner or later be overwhelmed. "God!" He cried out into the darkness. "Give us light, please, we need it!" He brought out the crucifix and rouse it into the air. If he ever survived, he would train and study to become a true priest for God. He know God didn't bought lives in that way and it wasn't a try on selling one, he only hoped his promise would help his prayer. And that they where, but in a way he'd never expected. In the middle of the tunnel, a young woman suddenly stood. She was dressed in a light-brown shirt, green tunick, silver-coloured breast and shoulder-plates. Her light skin and light-blonde hair made an impossible name come to his mind. "Sonya Belmont?" He said in a low voice. "It's impossible, you're dead for six hundred years ago." The blue-eyed young woman swung her whip, a weapon of silvery light, and the torches lit up and the soulless demons spread all over. He knelt down, anything else, would've been a heresy. But it wasn't much time to celestial ceremonies, the soulless would soon be back. He rouse to his feet and George picked him up and the former salesman started running. Then he noticed another danger. The tunnel was crumbling around them. "George," He worriedly began. "the tunnel…" "I know." George just said as he ran up the last flight of stairs. As they did so, the tunnel finally collapsed behind them. "Now," George kindly said. "who was that woman?" He put him down on the floor. It felt good whit solid bricks under his feet again. Then he answered George's question. "She was Sonya Belmont, the greatest of all the Belmonts to ever battle Dracula. She recovered the family's artefacts after they became lost by David, Jonathan and Mathew Belmont lost them after the final battle whit Mathias Krohnqvist in 1421. Many have misplaced her and her son, Trevor Belmont, whit eachother. She did battle whit Dracula in 1476, Trevor did it in 1497." He then rouse to his feet. "We must go, the servants of Lady Armster will soon be here." George nodded and brought out his gun and fired it at a group of bone-soldiers, clad in grey and brown armours and weapon-shirts and armed whit round shields and swords, who at that moment came running toward them. They dropped to the floor, giving them time to escape. "That way is blocked!" He screamed. "East is the only way we can go." "But that's the direct opposite of where we need to go." George said as he shot another bullet at the group of bone-soldiers who, by now, had been joined by a groop of crossbow-armed walking deaths, dressed in black body-armour, robes and helmets. "Do you have any suggestion how to do it?" He asked him. George shook his head and they started running down the corridor. Some of the crossbos-bolts nearly hit them, but he turned around and threw a vial of holy water at the pack, making them flee in fear. He could only hope the eastern stair wasn't too heavily guarded. If there was the same defence as it had been at the stair they first came down here through, they would be crowded by enemies. He prayed as he ran.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
She made a blur of bones appear and threw them at the nearest spider-woman. She felt bleeding to the ground, but she didn't have time to selebrate that, as two new spider-women fell to the floor. This corridor was the purest death-trap, she had begun to fear. And now it was to late to turn back. There was no doors leading out of this place and she again manifested the bones in her hands, throwing them at the spider-woman. They made new treads, holsting themselves back up to the sealing and she run past them just as they jumped down right behind her. To her luck, the spider-woman behind them had been busy making a web and had by doing that captured her own sisters. She threw some more bones at them, before she ran down the corridor, just to be faced by two more spider-women. "Crimson needles!" She cried and sent a wall of tiny energy-needles at the two mythological beings, One of them became blasted into pieces and the other go half her face destroyed, killing her in the process. She threw up by the look, but didn't have time to mourn the deaths, as the stil-living spider-women where closing in on her. She threw a new set of bones at them, while she absorbed the souls of the spider-women she had killed, getting new power as she did it. She smiled as she now used their own weapon against them. She trapped them inside her own web and then ran of. She knew it would have been best to kill them, but she didn't have time. She could already feel other spider-women crawl against her. She started running again.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
The solid steel-dor, the same type as the one they had seen in the other staircase-room and in the room whit the man-snake, became shut behind them. He took a deep breath, letting go of the control-switch who had closed the door and took a moment to look around the room. Beside from the stairs, the only thing in here was two gold-plated suits of armour, at the side of the metal-door. "Come on George." He said, holding a close eye on the two armours. "That's axe-knights, they're very dangerous." As he said that, the two possessed armours stepped out from the wall, grasping the axes and shields on the walls. Since they didn't wanted to atrack attention, they threw some vials of holy water at the two, before they ran up the stairs. But as he came up to the first floor, that hope was shattered. The two metal-doors in this room had also each two suits of armours at their sides. "Two axe-knights and two spear guards." He calmly said. "George, be prepared to open the door at the northern wall. I shal take care of these demons." George gave him an usuretan look, then nodded. He smiled, then brought out a vial of holy water. "In the name of Christ!" He prayed and a rainstorm of holy water pored down on the knights. One of the spear guards burst into flames and one axe-knights lost its upper form, even the others looked like they had gone through a rain of acid, but where stil ready for battle. What was worse, he could hear the clacking of metal-boots in the stair. To his relief, George was finished opening the door he had mentioned, but to be sure and, that he hoped, to save some other souls, he again made it rain holy water over the armours. Yet another one burst into flames, before George hooked him in the door and started running down the hall. Since they didn't could shut the door from this side, the armours who had "survided" his attack was quik to follow. George let go off him and he cracked his whip at the nearest knight, the spear guard. The armour twirled its lance to defend itself, but he was able to whip past the weapon and hit it in its chest-plate. It was sent flying backward, right into the axe-knights, giving him time to threw his boomerang-cross. The already damaged spear guard burst into flames, wounding his fellow knights as it burned, but they stil managed to rise to their feet. Two of the axe-knights placed their shields in front of them and threw their axes at them, while the last one started running at them, swinging its axe like a Viking berserk. He manged to send it some hits whit the Vampire Killer, but hadn't been for George, who took out the axes the other knights where throwing at him, he wouldn't have made it. He threw another vial of holy water at the knight, finaly destroying it, but now he didn't have anymore water to use against them and that was a real danger. "Fast!" George said, the salesman having found a door leading to the hills outside, called upon his attention. "Thank you God." He said, the mention of The One, made the armours take some steps back, giving them time to run to the door and open it. As he closed the door shut behind them, George did the sign of the cross, a sign he had never seen him do before. "We can really thank God this time." He just said. He nodded, smiling, before he started looking around. "If I'm right." He at last said. "That door over there should lead us to a corridor which lead to the chapel." George shrugged. "I don't know anything about this type of buildings, but that's at least on the west-side of the house. Let's go." "Just a moment." He said as he knelt down, filling his vials whit snow and speaking a prayer to make them turn into holy water. "Ready for another round?" He asked before he started walking. George didn't answer, but that wasn't necessary. They started walking. Then they heard a crash from the other door. The two armours who still lived, had broke through and where now running toward them. "Not today." George said as he threw his boomerang-cross at the running knights. Having been so wounded by their other attacks, it burst into nothingness, but the other one started throwing as many axes as it could. Three flying blades came flying at them, he swung the whip at the first one, while George retrived his throwing-cross on its return. He dropped himself to the snow, knowing well what would come. And quithe right, the two axes who had avoided their attacks came flying back toward their owner. The axe-knight retrived them and then threw out three new one. But this time they shere prepared. George shot one of his silver-bullets at the armour, making it explode, while he destroyed the strange boomerang-like axes whit a new vial of holy water. When they had won, he again knelt down, filling the empty vial whit new water. Then, just to show his gratitude, he prayed a prayer to thank Him for all his gifts and help. He was a little surpriced by seing George kneeling together whit him, but then he just smiled. "Thank you." He said. George shook his head. "No. It's I who should thank you. And that I will do. Thank you for showing me a better way. Where God care for all creatures and where you just have to belive to have peace." He slowly shook his head. "It isn't me you should thank. But God and The Holy Ghost. Who have awoken such faith in your hearth." George gave him a look, then he did just that. "God, thank you, for having trust in even your enemies hearths to find the light again. If I'm to die, it will be as one of Your belivers, amen." Then they bought rouse and started walking. He didn't fear any walking corpses to appear. After theyir prayer, it would have taken some very powerful to break the seed of light, sown there by their combined faith. Without being attacked, they reached the door and opened it. Inside, they where faced whit a scene as from a Greece battlefield.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
She had at last reached another door. Not careing where it lead, as long as it lead out from this place, she would be just happy. But then she noticed that it was closed and that was the final drop. She started killing all the spider-women as they tried to corner her. She trapped them inside web, slashed them whit bones and blasted them into nothingness whit barrage after barrage of crimson needles. The knights, who had stood by the door, had also tried to kill her. But she'd blasted them into nothingness too and then noticed she was able to summon axe-like boomerangs, which was a great asset to her battle against the spider-women. She had taken a little golden key from one of the knights, and one part of her mind told her it most likely would open the door. But the rest of her was so concentrated on killing the spider-women that she didn't care about it. To begin whit, she had at least claimed their souls, but now she was just bent on the killing. Then she noticed that the spider-women was on full retreat, if you could call their climbing back up toward the sealing retreat then. She just lifted her hands and started firing small pillars of crimson energy and the spider-women fell down and burned away as she looked on. "Corpus Christi! My God forgive you of your sins! In the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Ghost, let Your will be. Amen." Christian, whit George at his side and whit the envelope contaning the Host, came walking toward her. As he came closer, she felt how her rage left her and how an inner peace fell over her. "I have sinned." She whispered, before she fell to her knees and started weeping. She'd hoped the Archangel of Light had freed her of the curse of the souls she consumed, but she now understood that she alone could truly do that. The Belmont boy knelt down beside her, looking her over. "She's all right." He said after the inspection. "It's the Cruz's curse who had hitt her too. The power to claim a sole is a terrible burden, the only Belmont who could that, wrote in her journal that sudden fits of rage could came over her or that some times it felt like she would be tore apart." She looked up at him, trying to look him in the eyes behind her tears. "I hate them. I couldn't stop hating them. They look like spiders and I crushed them like spiders. Why do I feel this way?" Christian softly embraced her, trying to give her some comfort. "You have killed someone." He said as softly he could. "Even the best or badest person feel something after doing something like that. That is Dracula's most cruel weapon. That he make us kill living things. They have been twisted by the Devil or by the castle's dark powers, but they're still living creatures and he know that. He learned about it when my family fought against him in 1984 and since that he has used it against us." She could by now see that the young Belmont was starting to cry himself. "I think it's best we starts on moving." George calmly said. "I don't trust those spiders to be gone. I bet they'll be back soon and in greater numbers than ever." Christian nodded, although she could see he didn't wanted to, he rouse and she did the same. "I think this goes to the door." She said, handing him the key. He nodded and placed it inside the key-hole. Not surprisingly, it did what it was made for and the door opened. "Mathew always thought me to let the ladies go first." Christian said whit a weak smile. "But this time I think I'll go first." She returned the smile and the Belmont jumped inside the door. She half-expected some monster to be hiding behind the right side of the wooden portal, but that wasn't the case. What was the reality, was far more worse.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
"Who're they?" Noriko screamed behind him. George had already his gun in his hands and was firing on the hooded and cloaked individuals. The two at the front fell to the ground and the others ran to find shelter where that was to find. Their hoods and robes fell back and they saw terrified men and women who seemingly didn't have any weapon. "Don't stop!" He told them. "They're scear-crows, creatures who tace on innocence forms to fool their prays into trusting them." He cracked the whip at the nearest one and when the whip hitt home, they saw how they really looked. They where rotting, as if they had layed long in the earth, but the worst, was their heads. They where huge pumpkins, their faces where cut like that of a Jack-o-lantern from an American Halloween. He didn't felt in any way jolly. Not as the one he had attacked threw three smaller pumpkin-like projectiles at him. Three crimson needles, shot by Noriko, made them explode before they hit him. "Trick or threese!" One of the bizarre undead cried, another followed him in the madness. "Give us your candy!" It would have been funy in a film, but here it just felt horrifying. "Christ!" He called out. "Give me strength to free these creatures from their sins!" He lifted the orb he had claimed in the underground and then then threw his cross. The holy insigna split into a hurricane of crosses, swarming around him, killing off the nearest scarecrows, but not killing all of them. But he didn't have to. His friends where at his side, Noriko whit her hands blaxing whit crimson energy and George, who threw vials of holy water at all and anything he could reach. He thanked God in his heart for sending him such friends and dashed at the scarecrows, flailing the Vampire Killer as he went through them, calling out to God as he did it. "Dear God, Youg who are in the Heaven, holy be your name, may Your will be in bought Earth and Heaven. Give us today our dayly bread. Forgive us our traypases as we forgive our traypasers. Do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil. The kingdom is Yours, and the power and glory everlasting, amen!" He didn't know that the last part of the ancient Lathin prayer was spoken as he knelt in front of what was left of the mannor's old alter. But when he noticed it, he thanked God even more before he ended the session whit a sign of the cross. He turned around and noticed that his friends where also kneeling, although they didn't understand what he said when he prayed. "Thank you." He simply said. "Whit friends like you, what more can a human ask for?" Noriko smiled and rouse to her feet. "I know we have still many hard battles before us," She softly said. "but whit you to lead us, I know we'll win." George just nodded, but he could see in his eyes, that he agreed whit what Noriko said. They now had time to look around the place they had came to. It was, as the alter concluded to, the manison's old chapel and here they could see the raving of the vampires most clearly. Destroyed and rotting pews, religious paintings impaled whit daggers and throwing-stars. Bibels and holy books ripped into shreds, just as the clothing for priests and nuns where too. The small saint's statues where beheaded or limbed into pieces of their former glor, as was the alters. Written over whit heaten or blasfemic prayers or even cracked into nothing. The head alter was all that was left, the huge crucifix above the alter had such holy powers that only one spear was driven deep inside its side, but that was enough. "In the name of God, I declare this a blasphemy to His holy name and eyes." He said, standing before the image of God. "In Your holy name, I swear, this house is no longer under your protection! Let the fire of Your rage destroy it and let good men and fatefull women wander this earth so that the fuel memories may be washed away from this land!" He would commit an act of cleanness there and then, but he was hindered before he could begin. "You may have destroyed my flock of belivers," A cold inhumand voice said. "but you and your God's victory is not yet yours." A little door to the side of the alter was opened, he noticed it was the room where the priests would normaly rest before and after a ceremony, and their enemy came walking toward them. He was a middle-high humanoid, dressed completely in black cloth, whit a cain in his hand, helping him to walk. Under the hood, a cold unmoving face looked upon them. Or at least, the parts of the face he could see, was doing that. "A necromancer." He whispered. Their enemy smiled. "You know I held the power to break the seal." He said in his deep soft and evil tone. He felt how a shudder went down his spine, it was as if he could actually see the smile underneath his hood. "This place," Their enemy waved his hand around in the destroyed chapel. "Your God have no power here. You have underestimated the powers of darkness to long. It is time that you face its real powers. Death souls!" Dark-grey orbs of flames appeared in his skeletal hands and formed into ash-coloured skull-heads which blasted toward them. "Crimson shield!" Noriko generated a shield of crimson energy around them. The skulls shattered at the shield and so did the shield itself. He for a moment wondered where she had learned to do things like that, how powerful had the vampire-spirit she had claimed really been? But he didn't have time to think. He threw the boomerang-cross at the dark wizard. "Undead force!" The necromancer hissed and bluish-black bolts of lightning energy blasted from his hands and the throwing-cross was sent flaying backward. "Your life-force will do my power well." Again he had the feeling of a dark smile underneath the hood. Then a crimson hilt-like crystal shoved up in the necromancer's hand and a sickly yellow beam of energy burst out, forming a blade-looking formation. "It's a sword-crystal." He told them. "They where created for the dark assassins so that they could go seemingly unarmed past guardian patrols. It's said that not even a priest of paladin is able to sense it since it takes so little energy in it." Noriko nodded and her eyes became hard. "Then I know who killed my parents." He gave her a look and she explained. "It was a group of these onis, vampires and scarecrows, at that time I thought it was humans dressed in costumes, but now I know better. One thing was for sure, the murderes used that kind of weapons." Had it not been because they where in battle, he would have embraced her in an effort to comfort her, but as it was, there where no time left for that. Later on, after defeating this find and after the act of cleaness, he would do anything to comfort her, that he promised her and that he promised God. "Undead force!" From the left hand of the necromancer came another bolt of bluish black lightning. He'd thought the cane was for support, now he learned that it was all a ruse. He dropped himself to his knees and rolled toward the enemy and then jumped at him whit the whip at the ready and whit fire in his hearth. "God whit us!" He ryed his war-cry just as the Vampire Killer and the blade of the sword-crystal made contact.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
She screamed as the necromancer swung his energy blade at Christian. It reminded her too much about how her family died and she gathered so much power as she could and blasted it toward the undead creature. A huge blast of crimson energy, harvested from the vampire spirit, flowed from her hands, but it was then blocked. Christian managed to to roll out of reach, but the necromancer lifted his sword of energy. "Death force!" Another bolt of bluish black lightning came flying from his hands and George groaned as his left arm was hit by the dark force. Christian jumped up and cracked the whip at the necromancer and actually managed to open a gash at his cape. But, on the other hand, the necromancer swung his blade at the young Belmont and made small burns erupt on his skin. George jumped ut and, although whit his arm damaged, he shot a boom at their enemy whit his shotgun. The necromancer groaned as blood oozed from where he'd been hit. Then it was her time to scream, as deathly cold dark-gloved hands cloased around her left shoulder and the blade of a broad battle-axe was pressed against her neck. "I think you may need some help." The black wanderer behind her hissed. She again screamed, his voice was even more evil than the necromancer's. "Death force!" The necromancer snearled, or at least what was visible of his face did and a bolt of bluish black lightning blasted at Christian. "Corpus Christi! I comdemn you from darkness into light and cast you back into Hell!" The young Belmont had been quick enough to bring out the envelope containing the Host and that was enough to counter the dark energy. "My God forgive me of my sins!" The boy cried as he threw the envelope at the undead warlock, just as George threw a vial of holy water at him. Although the necromancer managed to avoid the envelope containing the Host, he didn't avoid the holy water. "Enough!" The black wanderer hissed. "Let him be, or you can say good-bay to any hope you may had on containing Lord Dracula's soul in her." She felt how the blade of the axe cloased in on her neck and drew blood from her throat. She felt how the vampire soul she'd harvested again started moving at the sight of blood, but she defeated the urge, there where more important thing at stake here than her to go amok because of her thirst for blood. "Very well then." Christian said in a stern tone. He'd recovered the envelope, not that it would be of any help now. The young Belmont went over to George and helped him turn some of the cream for burns on his arm, giving the necromancer free path to the black wanderer. "Good boy." The dark spirit said, she could see how the necromancer, although scared and deformed by the holy water, smiled in dark triumph. "Then it's time for us to go." The black wanderer calmly said, as he started moving for the door. "Not this time." George said as he picked a boulder from the floor. "Take that your bastard!" The rock hit the necromancer right in the chest, throwing him right in the arms of the huge crucifix behind the alter. The dark wizard screamed in utter pain as he fell to the ground, his back burning because of the contact whit the holy emblem. The black wanderer became so taken aback that he let go of her and she took the opportunity to shot at him whit some of the magmaballs gathered from the gargoyle spirit. The back wanderer, to her utter surprise, melted into the shadows just behind her and reappeared completely in another palce, fiercely swinging his axe at George. Again to her shock, the former salesman jumped up and tore the lance out from the image of his God and then threw it right through the wanderer's cloak. "Do you think that can stop me?" The dark spirit said as he stepped back from the head of the spear. "I will stay in this world as long as Lord Dracula exist. Fools as you can never defeat me." "Perhaps not." Christian came running from the behind, whit his vials of holy water in hand. "But I know God can do anything." The young Belmont sprinkled the water all over the black wanderer and she could see that he was afraid of the wanderer, just as she was, but that didn't hinder him in doing what he had to. "God is my God, before, now and ever!" The boy shouted as the dark spirit's clothing started burning in silvery flames. The balck wanderer tried to grab after something from inside his cloak, but it was to late. And as the dark cape and hood crumbled into ashes, a black smoke-like entity rouse from it and whit a scream that almost made her go deaf, it disappeared out of one of the old stain-glass windows to the east. "Death force!" The necromancer was not out of the game yet and was now blasting bolts of bluish black lightning at them. George, again whit the lance in hand, threw his weapon at the dark wizard, pinning him to the wall. "It's over." Christian said, walking toward him. "I can only pray that God may forgive you of your sins." He brought out his short-sword and stakes from his back-pack. She turned away, to disgusted to see that happen again. George put a hand on her shoulder as she heard the foul cries could be heard. She know it must be done, but she hated it every time. She felt down on her knees, then noticed that one of the small statues still was in one piece. "It's the holy virgin." Christian said, he came over to them after having completed the horrible act. She could see tears on his face and understood how he felt. She had been forced to do things like that herself. As she tutched the Saint's statue, she felt how power and calmness returned to her. "Amen." Christian softly whispered as he saw what happened and then softly did the same as she'd did. George was the last to do so and she saw hove the burns on his arm became completely healed as he held the little statue. "My prayers have been answered." Christian told them. "This chapel have been cleaned of dark powers and now we can go inside the tower." She nodded, but in her hearth, she felt just a bleack sadness. It would be another battle against a vampire. They would be forced to behead it and threw a stake through its hearth and she didn't looked forward to that. Even so, she got to her feet and went after the other toward the door.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
They where back in the huge hall again. He was thankful that they'd met little resistance on the way back, but he knew it couldn't last. But, what he was really afraid of, was the black wanderer. The others thought they'd destroyed him for good and ever, but he knew better. The dark wanderer had spoken the truth when he'd said they could never defeat him. He'd tried to tell them, the dark wanderers would be there as long as Dracula was. The only they'd truly done, was sending the spirit back to the dark lord, naked and whit-out any form to wear. But that wouldn't last long. Soon, he would find new shape to bear and, which he feared the most, a new beast to ride, which the dark spirit would drew more energy from. Then it was the necromancer to fear, he'd thought heæd beheaded him, but before he could blink, the dark wizard had picked it up and disappeared before he could do anything to hinder him. He blamed himself, he should've known that a necromancer must be completely destroyed, not beheaded like an ordinary vampire. "Hit the floor!" George cried as he fried a boom whit his shotgun at the sealing. He heard how a woman screamed and half-expected to see a spider-woman fall down upon them, but he was wrong, From the high shadows at the sealing, women clad in ancient Northern mails and body-armours, whit long braided of free light-blonde hair and whit lances in their hands. Not to mention, the light-coloured birl-looking wings on their back. "Valkyries!" He screamed. "They're the shield-maids of Dracula!" In the books of the Vatican he'd learned that the Northern Gods had most likely been cross-breed heroes and leaders of different speeches from the age before the last great ice-age. The few who'd survived had become recruited by the vampire called Mathias Krohnquist, he who infused Dracula whit the curse and later was destroyed by his Belmont forfathers. But he didn't have time to think further about that now, the Valkyries where now throwing their lances at them. "Shield of bats!" Noriko had told them about what had happen to her, but it was still quite breathtaking to see her do things like that. He smiled as he saw the Valyries themselves become taken aback by what Noriko could do, but now wasn't the time to be jolly. He threw some vials of holy water at the flying creatures, George helped him by throwing some of his own. But it was to now use and that they bought know. Thank to Noriko the Valkyries couldn't hurt them, but because they could fly and they themselves wasn't fast enough, they couldn't hurt them either. It was then he got an idea. Noriko was trying to blast their enemies whit some bolts of lightning, as George was doing what he could by throwing more vials of holy water, but they didn't have much luck. He summoned the element of earth which he'd got from the orb of summoning and made platforms rise into the air. When heæd rouse to the proper hights, he threw his boomerang-cross at the nearest one and actually hit her, making her burst into flame bacuse of her conection to the dark powers. He had to jump down to avoid being hit by one of the Valkyrie's lances, but although he was high into the air, he managed to land relatively safe. "Good work boy." George congratulated him as he heped him to stand. "Crimson needles!" Noriko cried and fired a round of her crimson projectiles on a group of approaching bone-soldiers. "Don't tell me." He said whit-out humour. "it's the necromancer again." They didn't have to correct him as they just then heard that familiar laugh. "George, I'll take care of the remaining Valkyries, you take on the necromancer. Do only use holy water, it'll do the most damage. Noriko, cower me, but watch out so you don't hit me whit your lightning." They nodded and he smiled in return. John would be proad of him, getting up whit battle-plans was his department, but he'd promised himself that he'll learn how to do it and now he'd proved it. He summoned the power of earth and jumped up onto the stone-pillar.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
Christian's plan had taken care of almost everything, but he'd seemingly forgotten that the necromancer now spawned his own helpers from the ground. He not only had to battle the necromancer, but also the numerous walking corpses and bone-skeletons. "Curse of Death!" The necromancer hissed and from his opened hands came a barrage of skull-shaped bombs flying at him. Had it not been for his shotguns, he'd been outnumbered in matter of seconds, but as it was he could take out most of the lesser enemies whit his shotgun and then use either his throwing-cross or holy water on the necromancer. It was a mystery to him how the dark wizard could still be alive. He could've swore he'd seen Christian behead him. And, had he not said that the tower now was free of its seal? On the other hand, the boy could have been afraid to tell them the truth, or perhaps he'd thought they wouldn't believe him. But that didn't matter just now, he brought out his shotguns yet again and blasted three quick shots at the three skulls and made them burst into flames before they could hit him. He then took a moment to reload his shotgun and, almost if should've had a sixth sence of something, he just then turned around and fired two rounds right into the armoured chest of a Valkyrie who'd come up behind Christian. He then felt the price for ignoring the necromancer, one of the walking corpses dug its clawed hands into his left shoulder, just as another one did the same for his leg. He screamed in pain, but was able to throw a vial of holy water on the group of walking nightmares before they could kill him. They exploded into nothingness and he smiled, then he fell on his back, the pain starting to get the best of him. "Now it's my turn to help you." He looked up at Noriko as she came to help him. "But Christian, you promised to help him." He managed to grunt out. A pained look went over her face, but she didn't stopped helping him. "His God will take care of him, as He'd done all this time. You need my help. Crimson needles!" She fired another round of her crimson energy on the walking corpses. He then, to his surprise, saw how she seamed to harvest some small blue balls, which was the only thing left of the enemies. "So, it was as I thought." The necromancer looked down upon them from his floating position. "You are a soul-collector, as your great-grandfather was. The same dark powers who would had given him a supreme rank among the servants, if he had pledged fealty towards Lord Dracula." He saw how a look of utter disgust came upon her face. "I'll never turn to the darkness!" She screamed and, again she surprised him, throwing a load of bone-shaped projectiles from her hands, making huge gashes open in their enemy's cloak. "So be it." The necromancer said whit a voice which made him shudder in fear. "You are standing on the brink of your uttermost defeat." Bolts of bluish black lightning came blasting from his hands. At first, he saw how she tried to counter the dark energy by blocking it whit her own powers, but it was far from being enough. She first took some steps back, then she fell against the wall and started screaming. Their enemy merely laughed at them. Then he stopped the barrage of dark lightning, looking down upon Noriko whit a look of diabolical hatred. "Young fool." He said whit the fatherly tone he'd used before. "Only now, at the end do you start to understand." The smile which went over his face made chills of fear go down his spine. "Your slight skill is no match for the powers of darkness." He tried to struggle to his feet, but failed and fell back down onto the floor. The necromancer again started to blast the young Japanese girl whit his dark lightning. "You will pay the price for your lack of vision." The dark wizard said almost in a fatherly tone. He then stopped firing the black lightning. Looking down upon her whit a smile on his face almost made him threw up on the floor next to him. "Now young Cruz," The necromancer almost whispered. "you will die." Again he smiled down upon his wictim. He saw how smoke rouse from her body and blood ooze from huge burns all over her skin. The necromancer then again lifted his hands and this time the evil look upon his face actually made him throw up. He could only watch on in helpless fear as the necromancer continued to torture Noriko whit his black spell, laughing evilly as he did it. Noriko screamed even higher than before, she couldn't possibly take much more of this. And it was nothing he could do about it and Christian couldn't help them. He was busy whit the few Valkyries who where left, then something hit him. Whit-out thinking twice, he did it. He took the last vial of holy water he had left and threw it right at the necromancer. He then smiled and fell back. He'd done what he could, now God and Christian where the only one who could do more.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
He slashed the Vampire killer at the last Valyrie, but missed. The shield-maid screamed at him, throwing her lance at him. Then, before he could counter, she flapped her wings and flew off as fast as she could. That he hadn't expected, then again, if nothing dramatic had happen, she would most likely had died at his hands. But he didn't have time to ponder. Whit the Valkyries gone, he could now focus on the one who'd hurt his friends so much. As he jumped down toward the floor, he raged about himself, thinking he could figure out a plan just as well as John or Alicia may have. He'd been arrogant and foolish thinking so, but never again, he promised himself, should he set his friends lives at stake. The necromancer had stopped blasting Noriko whit his lightning when he noticed that he was coming, but he hadn't time to be thankful because of that, for now the dark wizard would try his trickery on him. "So much anger, so much hatred." The necromancer nearly hummed. "I can feel your anger, it is like sunfire inside you." The dark wizard had now flouted down to his level and was now looking down upon him. "You know you can kill me, the dark powers inside you will aid you. Listen to them and no-one will ever stay in your way ever again." He grasped the crucifix there it hung inside his tunic and kissed it. "I will use what God'll allow me to use." He calmly said. "Your darkness is mere temptation to lure innocent souls into the Devil's trap. I'll not stand by and let you do it." He saw how an evil smile crept over the necromancer's face. "Clifford Graves once thought as you do. He did not know the power of the darkness, but if that is your final word, then so be it. I will let you taste its full power." The words of the necromancer made a tear run down his face. That poor man had been the one who resurrected Dracula in 1982 and had to pay a terrible price for that mistake. But the dark warlock didn't give him time to think, bluish black bolts of lightning appeared in his hands and blasted toward him. Had he not used the barrier created by the boomerang-cross there and then, he was sure he would've been fried into a crisp. But as it was, he was just threw back into the wall. Not that it was any "just" about that. He almost thought he heard some of his ribs break, the pain he felt concluded to that, but he wasn't sure. He didn't have time to be so, the necromancer was on the move. Again blusih black bolts of lightning came blasting at him. This time, he summoned the power of earth and rouse a stone-pillar in front of the energy. The pillar was shattered, but he had bought himself enough time to run at the necromancer and slash him whit the whip. As the necromancer staggered backward, he brought out a vial of holy water. It was time to see if another rumour about this legendary weapon was true. He summoned what faith he had in his God and then sent it outward. Vial-shaped blasts of crystallized water bust from his vial and splashed themselves over the undead wizard. And this time, it was over. The necromancer screamed as if he was boiling in Hell, as he actually was, before the finale. He watched on in amazement as the necromancer burned away in sickly yellow flames. As he did so, he saw how his flesh crumbled and became ancient in matter of seconds, before he exploded and was completely vaporized by his own dark energies. Then it happened, a huge explosion was heard and he was sent flying backward and again hit the wall. That was the final one. He blacked out and knew no more.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
The itching in her body was starting to subside, but although they'd used all the healing articles they had in hand, it wasn't enough to heal her completely. But Christian, who had a new bandage around his broken rib, had ensured her it would subside soon enough. Even so, the necromancer had nearly killed them all and she could see that they also knew it. George wound in his leg and shoulder where painful but not dangerous, although it had taken Christian long time draining the corpse-poison from them. It was then the young Belmont rouse to face them. "I think it's time that I continue on my own. The door to the tower is up those stairs and in the door on the gallery over there." He pointed at one of the lesser door at the toop of the huge stair in the middle of the hall. She didn't care, he couldn't possibly mean this. Although he was right, there could still be enemies inside the tower who would need their combined power to be defeated. "I know vampire hunting is the department of your family." George said. "But are you sure of this? If it's just the vampire up there, then go ahead. But what if it's other enemies up there?" Christian shook his head. "I don't think so. She know this is our battle. I don't think she'll miss it." George looked upon him a little longer, then he just nodded. "Good luck then." He said, presenting Christian his hand. The Belmont grasped it and shook it warmly. "But I'll go whit you." She declared, Christian softly grasped her hands. "I know what you think. But it's not like that at all. There's no other than you I'd like to have by my side in a battle like this. But this is something I just have to do." She could see the determination burn in his eyes. There was no way around it. He would go alone, nothing she could say would make him change his mind. She tokk a deep breath and spoke words she wouldn't speak, but she just had to say them. "Then I'll wait for you until you return." She could see that he didn't understand, but he nodded. "I shall return to you in triumph ." He said. "I promise you, I'll save her soul and make her feel good about it, if God grant me my prayers." She nodded and they rouse. He went at the stairs, they toward the exit and the safety of the coming day.

Brahms mansion. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
He took a deep breath. He was sure George would take care of Noriko, he was sure the former salesman would defend her against the Devil himself if need be. But now he would have to concentrate on his own mission. A swarm of bats came flying at him and he destroyed them whit his whip. The stairs of the tower finally ended and he stood before a strange blue door, he opened it and entered into a circle-shaped room. Blue and black curtains hung on all the walls, black carpets lined the floors and golden chandeliers, whit black candles, lighted the room from their high-placed locations on the walls. Huge Gothic stain-glass windows lett in the light, hat that was worth, considering the blizzard outside. Had it not been for the grand marble fire-place to the western side of the tower, it would have been freezing inside the room. But what he really concentrated upon, was the six stone platforms at the far end of the room. "So, at last you have come." From the divan underneath the six platforms, his enemy smiled. "Come here, I have waited for you." Her long black hair was braided into two long braids and her petite delicate form was hidden under a Chinese robe in black and yellow sleeves, decorated whit Chinese dragons in gold and crimson colours. Her face was incredible beautiful, whit huge eyes, whit aristocratic brows and long eye-lashes, almost not affected by her undead state, whit pointed airs that gave her an almost elfish look. Her nose and chin was small, round and childish and her mouth was a crimson flower. He had never noticed before how beautiful she really where. "Victoria Wilhelmina Armster." He said in a stern voice. "I have come here to slay you." He had not thought about himself as a Morris in a long time, but he was a Morris and that was the words John Morris had greeted Countess Elizabeth whit. "Why?" Her eyes opened wide and she looked pure, young and innocence, he felt how her hypnotizing presence was taking hold on him. "I only do what is my race's destiny." She whispered in her soft yet clear voice, the Chinese accent was clear in her language. He shook his head and grasped into his tunic, bringing out his crucifix. "Your race is a spear in the side of He who died for us." He declared whit passion. "I served the cross long before you where borne." Armster softly said. "Your God let me live on. Do you not think He would have killed me if I was an enemy of His will?" She was trying to confuse him, but he knew things she didn't. "The demand of balance demands that those who have given their souls to the dark lord had given themselves to the enemy's order. God would have saved your soul, if you yourself had given Him the chance to. Humanity chose the free will over God's mercy and so it is. I will slay you, Victoria Armster and then free your soul." The young girl rouse from her divan and calmly walked toward him. "And even if you reclaim my soul, what will you do then? Others will come, Lord Dracula will sooner or later win. I can grant you rest from the battle. Darkness is the true emotion that all living things truly embrace." He took some steps back. She was mad, darkness was needed for balance, but he looked forward to the End of Days where the aria of balance would be over. "You're wrong. Having the free will to choose, means to chose between good and evil and that's it." Armster shook her head. "There is no such things as "good" or "evil". Power is the only thing who truly is and those who are to weak to use it." He cracked the whip at her and she quickly stepped backward. "I can give you anything." She calmly said. "I know what you desires, what all men desires. I can grant you that." She spread her arms, standing there, defenceless, giving herself to him. "The legacy of a Belmont concist of more than fighting evil. It's to know what we fight for. I know that and will not fight you in this way." He re-coiled the whip and in stead grasped inside his backpack. "To kill the false side of a soul" He begun in a cold hard tone. "and save the true soul, restoring it to its former self, you will need," He brought out his short-sword, some stakes and a hammer, placing them on a small Rococo-table. "this. I can only pray for God to forgive you." Armster looked upon him. Then, suddenly, her eyes flashed up whit unholy fire. "Strogoi! Moroni!" She cried. He recognised the ancient Walachian dialect, as a swarm of bats came flying at him. "Belmont scum. Did you think I would surrender myself free-willingly? Lord Dracula gave me orders to bring you to him alive and unspoiled, but now I will defeat you. You have brought great destruction to my territory and my servants. Lord Dracula will be sure to forgive me on such bases." He again uncoiled the whip and cracked it at the bats, then he threw his boomerang-cross at the childish-looking vampire. Armster burst into a swarm of bats and flew off and disappeared in the darkness of the room. He looked around in hope of finding her before she attacked. "Crimson crystals!" On the top-most platform, in the clock-like setting, where 12 would have been and spread her hands. Six or perhaps seven sharp fan-like crystals came blasting at him. "God be whit me!" He cried as he threw the boomerang-cross at her to defend himself against the crystals. She disappeared in a swarm of bats and then reappeared at the platform on which 3 would have been and folded her hands. "Shadow bats!" A bat, flapping its wings, appeared in her hands and flew at him, more bats appearing as it did so. He brought forth his throwing-cross and concentrated his mind, forming the blue bubble around himself in defence. Armster again disappeared as a swarm of bats, but this time, he expected it and instead focused on another attack. He roused a vial of holy water into the air and again concentrated his mind. He thanked God in his heart when a rain of holy water started raining over his enemy. All but one of the bats burst into flames and the last one formed into Victoria. The childish vampire screamed a horrible cry of pain and hatred, then she again spread her hands. "Crimson crystals!" He noticed that she now stood on the platform on which the number 6 would have been on a usual clock, but that didn't mattered. He threw the boomerang-cross at the crystals, making them burst into flames in mid-air. "Good." Armster madly laughed. "You are indeed powerful. Your God really is whit you, but He is not here and I am. Crimson crystals! Shadow bats!" Fang-shaped crystals came flying at him, he countered whit the boomerang-cross, before he threw vials of holy water at the "shooter". Three bats appeard before her and flew toward him, the water destroyed the bats and again they faced each-others. "Power of Christ!" He screamed and swung the whip at her, hitting her right in the face. "Belmont bastard, you have destroyed my face." He gasped as he saw the bleeding wounds on her face heal as he looked upon her, but the rage in her eyes didn't subside. He felt a sudden dread go through his soul. She teleported away as a swarm of bats and reappeared on the 12 place platform and spread her hands. "Shadow bats!" Three bats appeared before her and shot against him. He concentrated his mind on his God and whit the aid of the cross, he raised the bubble-shield to defend himself. Before she could re-counter, he threw one of the stakes at her. He didn't know how well he would hitt. Although he didn't hitt her heart, he hitt her in the belly and he felt a sick feeling inside him as he saw blood ooze from her wound. He knew it had to be done, but it wasn't a nice look to behold. Burns erupted on her skin and flames burst around her, she screamed in utter pain. Her eyes where like the pits of Hell as total blackness shrouded her form and the flames subsided and the burns started heeling. "Yoy have fought gallantly." Her voice was like the snarl of a beast. "But now it have come to an end. Watch my true form and shudder." The darkness started transforming, from that of a girl and into that of a huge bat. Burning black eyes watched upon him, all humanity gone from the being. Fangs gleemed in the light fron the candles and so did the talons at each of the link of the monsterous wings and at the feet of the monster. "Now it is my turn." The beast growled and then crashed throught the wall where the platforms where standing. "My God, give me strength." He whispered as he walked over to the crack of the wall. He could hear the huge bat cry hauntingly toward him from the snow and darkness outside. How in the world was he to defeat this enemy? He knelt down and started praying, hoping God would send him the knowledge he needed.

Haunted marshlands. The 5th of December 2098 A.D.
He'd been smart enough to set up the camp in the little forest at the eastern side of the mansion. It was far from the swamp and even the graveyard. No swamp-beasts or walking dead had came to disturb them, just a few bone soldiers and them they had taken care of whit-out that much of a problem. He was cutting up the hare he'd caught, he had of course tasted it first to be sure it didn't was affected by the cursed influense of the castle and that it hadn't. He didn't have any plates, so they would have to use the pointed branches he had cut off the trees, but the food was good, at least he thought so. But Noriko just sat there looking out in the darkness. He decided it was time to break it. "You love him? Don't you?" He asked as softly as he could. She almost jumped, so deep she had been involved in thoughts. Then she gave him a weak smile. "I don't know." She honestly said. "He's so bent on defeating the oni that I don't know if he has time for love." To his shock, a bitter smile went over her face. "Beside, I'm bought too young and already "used up"." He bent over and threw up. He'd seen many children doing that in the renegade's camp, but the truth that this cute little Japanese girl had been one of them, he hadn't noticed. "Who was it?" He didn't want to know, but something inside him forced him to ask her. A weak smile crept over her face. "Haven't he told you? It was that creep "lord" Malus himself. He was on the same age as I am, but that's beside the point." She took a deep breath. "I don't think I'll ever make love whit anyone again." He mumbled something, before he began cleaning up after himself, before he went into the forest to cut more firewood. It had begun to snow again. And although it was close to dawn it wouldn