Part 2: Legacy of Sorrow.

"Blood is the life."

3. Moses: 17, 4.

Chapter 3: Hamlet people.
The crypt, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
The lid of the coffin where moved aside. A figure clad in armour and a black cape did emerge. Giles De Reis rised to stand upon the platform. From one of the steps, a girl dressed in a torn white nightgown, looked up at him. De Reis viewed her carefully. She was perfect. Malpheffa had done well. "What is thy name, my lady?" He asked the young undead while affording a cordial bow.. "You may call me Renate." She said. Her voice held a certain hoarseness. He expected humans would find it attractive. "I am De Reis." The knight said.
Renate did rise to answer his reverence. "How may I serve you, my lord?" She asked. "Patience, my lady. Patiance." He advised. "We have to wait before we may make our move." "As you wish." She said, somewhat reluctantly. Giles De Reis did not concearn about her inability to see the grander perspective. "Be the will of the Dark Lord Dracula." He said. "Yes." Renate answered. De Reis lowered his head. He was pleased. He would have to reward her. If she where able to secure the convertion of his "grandson" that was. But of course. That was to be seen. "Prepare yourself." He said. "Our enemy is near." "As you say." The female vampire did gather herself. Then she leaped into the air. Mindful, Giles watched her departure. Then the knight from the circle of blood did return to his resting place. Someone else had breached his domain. No matter. There would be time to deal with it later. Patrick Oldrey was who where important. Thoughtful he made the lid close. His show of anger toward that Lecarde-woman had been a mistake. Aaron was involved. Giles De Reis had to let him go. No matter. There was still time. The knight fell back into his slumber. He had a promise to keep. Death had told him what to do.

Tower of science, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Armageddon, the droid-captain of the Dark Lord's techno-unit, looked upon the warlock. "You have your orders." The Phantathian hissed. "Is there any questions, captain?" The shark considered to blow the priest apart. Then he dismissed the matter. "No, my lord." He was the Dark Lord's messenger. More importantly, his knowledge might turn out to be useful. Armageddon toutched the side of his helmet to activate the com he had implanted there. "Yes sir." One of his sergeant reported. "You are to activate the droids in your sector. All vampire hunters are to be detained." "At once, sir." The sergeant ended the transmission. He turned to the goblins on duty. "Magnify image." He said. The little freaks went about their work. Soon the screens displayed the desired figures. "Exelent." Imperius breathed. Armageddon where not interested in his comments. He had duties to attend to. The Dark Lord had no patience with fools.

Castle entrance, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Heinrich tried to resist. Still, he couldn't help but slightly groan. The bolt of the darkside made it a challenge just to move. "Patrick." He said. His friend gave him a concearned look. "I can't move on like this." Patrick shook his head. "Don't speak like that." The man-beast said in an attempt to cheer him up. Heinrich shook his head. Again he where forced to restrain himself from moaning. "Come on." His friend encouraged. "We're soon out of the entrance." He pointed at the courtyard ahead. "Just a little longer." Heinrich shook his head. "Sorry old friend. But I have to rest." Patrick looked like he considered to cry. The sound of battle broke into their conversation. Heinrich didn't mind. Slowly he sat down. Patrick bit his lip. "I'll be right back." He said. "Be careful." He muttered. The pain made it difficult to think. Alicia would have to carry on the bloodline. Heinrich knew he where viritually shot to pieces. It was a proof of his strength he where still alive. Heinrich reached for his crucifix. He then leaned back against the wall. Heinrich hoped there where no more darksides around as he began to pray. If only his cousin had been here. Alicia knew how to fight the wicked. Heinrich closed his eyes. He just had to rest for a while.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Torah frowned. She didn't get it. Rose nervously fluttered around her head. Who where these people? Doors hidden within the stone walls moved aside. She could still hear those advansing steps. It didn't matter. It where the robots which worried her most. Torah remembered what Edward and Alucard told. "Stop." The first machine demanded. "Lower your weapons." The second said. It sounded like a pre-programed order. "Stand where you are." The third robot filled in. The fourth seemed to consider it. Then it chirped a cheerful "Roger, roger". Torah had a sudden desire to laugh. This where like an old movie. Then again. Their turrets didn't look the least funny. She remained seated upon the base of the fountain. This wasn't a time for bravery. The robots slowly moved in on her. "Detain the fairy." One of them said. Rose seemed to collapse upon her shoulder. Acording to Edward, she'd been enslaved once already. That where close enough. Like grandmother Yoko used to say. "It's time to roll the dice." The droids couldn't change expressions. Still, Torah had a feeling they got a confused look in their beak-like faces. Well, she could show them how confusing she could really be. Then Torah released her magic. "Orbs of sorcery." Torah released her glowing ball of purplish plasma upon them. The droids where all shot into oblivion. The steps did stop. Torah smiled, although the grimace never reached her eyes. She where already preparing another load. "Relax girl." A voice said. "It's me." Torah knew that voice.

Patrick Lecarde spread his hands to show the sorceress he meant no harm. He'd seen how she'd made quick work of the robots. It would be best not to irate her. "Patrick." Torah got up from where she where seated. A look of relief crossed her face. That glowing orb finally disappeared. "You have to come with me." He said. Torah gave him a look. Patrick didn't care. He wasn't Henry Oldrey and she wasn't Carrie Fernandez. He had nothing to be sorry about. "Heinrich became hit by one of the darksides." He explained. The girl frowned. "You know I'm no healer." Patrick crossed his arms in front of himself. "You're a dryad." He remarked. "You just have to sing one of those songs and Heinrich will be alright." Torah slowly shook her head. "I can't do that." She insisted. "I don't have the knowledge." He threw it aside. "I spoke with Saria." Patrick said. "She said that although you didn't have the knowledge, you had the bloodline." Now it was Torah who crossed her arms. "You shouldn't believe in all you hear." She said in a rather sarcastic voice. Patrick wasn't repeled. "Please." He said. It was a little difficult to produce the words. But Heinrich would never make it if he didn't got any help. "You could at least come with me. You know it's because of the Belmont clan we've atchieved victory." Torah turned away. Patrick knew that what he'd said where the truth. "You know we have to help." Rose said. "Without the Belmont it will all fail." Patrick threw an interested look at the fairy. He hadn't realized how much her species seemed to know about their history. "I know that." Torah said. "But it's just that I haven't been trained in this kind of things." Patrick reached for his crucifix. "He who prays, shall receive." He reminded. "I'm not sure about God's law on magic. But pray that you'll be able to help him. If you only believe, you can do it." Torah addepted a doubtful expression. Then she shook her head. "I came here to save my sister." She said. "And to help the children, if possible." Then the girl suddenly smiled. "Things change." Torah remarked. "Yesterday you didn't believed in me. Today, you do." Patrick threw it aside. "Sorry about that. But could you please come with me now?" He tried to get control over his feelings. Patrick knew his eyes turned yellow when he became excited. Their conversation ended abruptly as another group of robots appeared. Their weapons aimed and ready. With a snarl, Patrick retained his man-beast form. The droids opened fire. Patrick fused his weapons with his syper-human power. The blade burned hot with plasma. He made one droid collapse by repeling its shots. His army-jacket became scorched by another laser. "Orbs of sorcery." Torah made bright purplish orbs of plasma fly toward the remaining droids. The robots shrieked before they became shot to pieces. "Lead the way." Torah said, her palms still blazing with magic power. "This way." Patrick said. He really had to be careful with her around.

Maze garden, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Droid-sargent B2 couldn't configure it. "All of them?" He again demanded clarification of the last repport. The corporal did repeat the information. "Acording to the data available; bogh squad 1 and 3 have been obliterated. I may deliver images, if you wish." The sergeant didn't acknowledge the last request. Corporal 44 where not programmed for deception nor cheating. His information had to be reliable. "I will carry on the repport." The sergeant said. The captain had to be informed of this development. "You are to carry out your orders. Dissmised. Hail the count." "Hail the count." The robots exchanged salutes. Then the corporal turned and left the area. The sergeant didn't confirm his departure. He already forgot about his presence. Then the battle-droid officer activated his com. "Sir." He said through the transmitter. "My attempt to detain the hunters have failed." "A pitty." His captain-commander responced. "I will contact you as soon as I have them. Or if any new development is reported." At first there came no answer. Then another voice spoke. The sargent's electronical brain classified it as belonging to one Phantathian warlock. "Sargent." The voice hissed. "I want the hunters detained." The robot where unsure of the proper response. It where nothing in its program which suggested the rank of priests. "Sir." He said. "My duty is to repport to my superior. If you do not remove from this communication channel immediately, I must have you arrested." "What?!" The voice rasped. "Sorry sir. But this is a military command channel only. I excuses, but you have to distance yourself from this forum." The voice of his captain again spoke over the channel. "Sargent." Armageddon's voice demanded. "You are to double your immediate effort in this affair." The droid officer gave his salute. "At once, sir. Hail the count." "Hail the count." The anser came over the inter-com. Then the transmission ended. Droid-sargent B2 entered his personal command overwrite code. "Attention." He said. "Attention. Order 69 is in effect." His four corporals answered him directly. "Yes sir." 44 repported. "Roger, roger." Came the replay of corporal 45. "Acknowledged, sir." 41 and 47 reported. The sergeant stood at attention. He would relay new information as soon as it became avalible.

Castle entrance, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Heinrich opened his eyes. Someone where approaching. He bit his teeth together as he struggled to rise. Fresh blood ran down his side. With crimson hands Heinrich cracked the chain-whip. He leaned his back against the wall. This wasn't going to work. Heinrich didn't mind about it. This way he would at least die standing. A glowing entity came into view. "Rose." Heinrich couldn't help but smile. Acording to legend, the fairies could heal you. Patrick and Torah then appeared. Slowly Heinrich sat back down. The girl threw the man-beast an excusing look. "I didn't know it was this bad." Rose settled upon his shoulder. "Listen to me." The fay said. "I'm no dryad, but I've heard their music." A hopefull expression appeared on their faces. Heinrich frowned. He didn't understand. "Rose." He said. "Would you please heal me?" The fairy shone a mournfull blue. "My fairy mother died before she could teatch me the secrets of my species." Rose changed from blue into pink. "I'll try to heal you." Torah explained. Heinrich shrugged. "You're no fairy." He said. Torah blushed. Patrick sent him a warning look. "Dryads can heal." His friend said. "They know mystic music which might give them supernatural powers." Heinrich lowered his head. He felt so tiered. "He've lost awefully much blood." Rose remarked. "If we are to do anything we have to be quick about it." Heinrich closed his eyes. Someone was singing. Heinrich smiled. It felt relaxing. Torah where no dryad. Heinrich frowned. The girl where blood-related to Saria. Then another voice picked up the tune. "Saria's song." It was Rose who spoke. "It holds the power to heal a loved one of all damages." Was it Torah who where singing? Heinrich didn't care. He felt like drowning in red light. A mild breeze blew across his face. It smelt of leaves and flowers. A green forest, healed and free from the winter, appeared before his inner view. Heinrich felt at peace. Did he die? All pain had vanished. He smiled. Then he blinked. He where back in the castle. Heinrich got to his feet, his whip in hand. Before him, Torah where kneeling. The girl drew sweath from her brow. "It was… " She inhaled deeply. "It was so powerful." Heinrich nodded. "I did also feel it." He looked down at his side. His hands where still painted red with blood. His jacket where also stained. "Here." Patrick said while handing him his bottle. "You have to clean yourself or the undead will come calling." Heinrich smirked as he cleaned his hands. Then he gave the bottle to Torah. "Thanks." She said before drinking. "It seems." Patrick remarked. "It was no stupid idea to bring with some water after all." Heinrich shrugged. Then he reached for his cross. "Thanks." Torah gave the bottle back to Patrick. The man-beast put it back into his backpack. "I didn't mean it should be like this." Rose said as she nervously fluttered around the girl's head. "It had to be done." Torah said in a defensive manour. "I had to begin learning anyway." Heinrich sent Patrick a confused look. His friend shrugged. Sometimes he really didn't understand the sorceress. Heinrich tried not to think about the cold facts. That he where the only human among elders. A fairy, a darkbreed and a dryad. Heinrich trusted them. But still… He threw it aside. Patrick put on his backpack. "We have work to do." The man-beast said. Heinrich nodded. Rose settled upon Torah's shoulder as the girl readied her ring-smash. The man-beast led the way as they entered back into the courtyard.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Sigmund Muller could hear them approach. The mist obscured his view. The darkside could feel him, could detect his use of magic. Signund tried not to think of it. It was because of the mist they hadn't taken him already. Then again, he didn't knew where he where either. He only wished Heinz where here. His little brother didn't seem to be afraid of the dark. Sigmund hid behind a stone. There where plenty of them around. A gust of cold air warned him about their presence. He couldn't see them. No matter. Sigmund knew they where there. Ghosts. If only there had been no darkside, he could-ve chilled them all away. Now he didn't dare to even defend himself. The presence left him. Sigmund still wondered how it was that they couldn't see him. The sound of barking dogs broke his line of thoughts. Sigmund got to his feet. If they had picked up his scent, there where no way he could escape. Sigmund didn't care. To be in motion, that was the only path to security.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Torah slowed her steps so she could walk beside Heinrich. "I feel mystic power from you." She said. The Belmont looked down at her. "You know I'm of Belmont linage." He said in a slightly defensive tone. Torah shook her head. Rose lifted into the air. "This is different." The fay explained. "It make me think of my sister." Torah added. She looked away. She so hoped Heinrich could tell her something about Saria. "It have to be that gem." Patrick suddenly said. The man-beast had turned around. They'd reached the fountain. Heinrich sent his friend a warning look. Then he reached for the collard of his jacket. Torah watched with amazement as Heinrich opened a purch to show her a shining globe of pure gemstone. She gasped. The stone felt like a living heart. "The unicorn gave this to me." Heinrich said. Torah's eyes grew wide as the Belmont continued his story. "She told me to purify the spring." Heinrich ended his tale. "You really are a good man." Torah told him. Heinrich merely shrugged it off. She tried to hide her feelings, when she, in reality, wished to hug him. Rose came to flutter before Heinrich's face. "You must put it away." The fairy insisted. "The darkside might feel its presence." Torah saw how his face grew pale. She knew his feelings. Torah where afraid of them too. "It wouldn't help, you know." She remarked. A memory, something her grandmother once told her, entered Torah's mind. She nervously licked her lips. "I could try to cast protection on it." Rose settled upon her shoulder. "Are you sure you can do it?" The fay asked. "It'll take a huge amount of power." This time it was she doing the shrugging. "I don't mind to just sit around until some darkside appear." She reached out her hand. "Give the heartstone to me." Heinrich gave her a sceptical look. "Trust me." Torah said. Trying to be as convincing as possible. The Belmont reached for his cross. "I trust you." Heinrich looked her in the eyes. "Don't let me down." He lay the mystical jewel into her palm. Torah inhaled deeply. Then she let it all out. "Don't breatch the circle." She told them. They looked confused. She didn't mind. With one finger, Torah began to write the pentagram upon the dusty pavement. She had to do this correctly, or the power might explode right in her face. Mindful Torah wrote names of the three within her figure. She completed the insignia by making a circle. She should've needed candles and some other remedies to make this rite complete. But this would have to do. She was careful to look in the correct direction. The order of balance had to be maintained. Then she began to chant. Torah spoke in the ancient language of the tall ones. The language who hadn't been spoken by man since the fall of the old kings. The toung where passed on as a secret among those who where gifted with magic power. "In the name of the great ones, I summon the power of three. Dragon, wolf and angel together. The power of three, the crest of courage, the crest of friendship, the crest of hope. I summon you to defend, protect and uphold the gift of life." She closed her eyes. "Three stand together. It is. The One." Torah felt the power collide within her pentagram. She shrieked as the forcefield dropped. She was pressed hard against the floor. Torah cupped her hands around the gemstone. Whatever happened to her, let it be. But nothing where going to harm the heartstone. She shivered. She no longer could feel it. Torah feared what might have happened. Slowly she spread her fingers. She heard the other echo her relief as the jewel seemed to be unharmed. "I made it." She said in a somewhat shakiy tone. "It should be protected." Heinrich looked he'd been struck by lightning, again, as he retrived his preshious stone. Torah got to her feet. She was sure to undo her figure before they continued.

Patrick sent the girl a near awefull look. Heinrich nodded. Hadn't he seen it for himself, he wouldn't believed it. There really where some strong forces in her little body. The fairy shone a proad bright gold as she continued to flutter around her mistress. Muttering to himself, Heinrich threw the matter aside. The mist where thickening. Without Rose to guide them, it would've been easy to get lost. The sound of barking hounds broke the silence. Torah stopped, dead in her track. "I hoped they'd gone away." She almost whispered. Heinrich didn't care. He cracked the chain-whip just as three huge dogs, looking like German sheppards, appeared. Heinrich whipped one of the Hellhounds. It howled. Big dark eyes burned red with fire. It launged toward him. Heinrich held out his cross. The demon dog snarled. Then it suddenly threw itself sideways. The Hellhound then came at him from a croutched position. Heinrich summoned his bloodline power. The whip was set on fire. The Hellish dog was thrown to the ground. It looked up at him with a hatred he could almost smell. Heinrich still held his cross in hand. The Hellhound leaped at him with a horrifying agility. He held the crucifix in both hands as the demon collided with him. Heinrich fell to the floor with the monstrous hound on top. For some terrible seconds Heinrich where sure he was going to die. The Hellhound bite at him. Then it howled. Heinrich somehow managed to pull the giant dog away. Then he watched with amazement how the dog burned into ashes. Heinrich looked down at his cross. It where still glowing with pure gold. "Stronger we are, in the name of the Lord." Heinrich put away the emblem as he had a look around.

Patrick fired his shotgun at the approaching dog. The Hellhound rised an ear. "Blasted." Patrick muttered. He had a feeling the hound where making funny of him. "They are creatures from the depth." Rose told him. "A mere firearm have no effect on them." Patrick snarled. He knew he should've reloaded the thing with silver bullets. The beast who looked like a German Sheppard slowly circled him. It was like the dog knew he was dangerous. Then the hound suddenly leaped at him. Patrick had his sword at the ready. The Hellhound groaned as the blade dug into its body. Sticky black blood darkened the pavement. The demon barked at him. Patrick grinned. "Fetch." He said as he threw a garlic at it. The dog actually tried to obay him. The garlic exploded. With grim satisfaction he watched the Hellhound burn into ashes. "Good work." Rose congratulated. Patrick didn't care. His eyes where fixed upon Torah. The little girl sat kneeling upon the floor. An eerie blue light shone between her fingers. The final Hellhound continued to circle her position. He did whistle with amazement. Patrick saw fear in her eyes. Torah was afraid of dogs. Usually, he would've laughed about it. Still, this wasn't funny. The demon dog suddenly leapt through the air. A flash of light threw it to the ground. The Hellhound rolled some distance before getting back on its feet. Patrick could see frost in its fur. Torah where using her magic to keep the hound away. Then Heinrich where back. With his whip on fire the Belmont whipped the demon away from the girl. The Hellhound snarled. Patrick threw another garlic at it. Although he did score a hit, the demon did't burn. Then the beast made another attempt on Torah's life. Patrick heard her scream. Heinrich had unsheated his sword. It wouldn't work. Somehow he knew it would be to late. Without thinking Patrick threw himself in front of the Hellhound. He snarled as the big dog collided right into him. It tried to bite him as he repeatedly stabbed it with bolts of plasma. Then the hound leapt away from him. Black smoke came from its body. The devil looked upon him with eyes on fire. Then Torah appeared. She swung her ring-smash like old Carrie Fernandez where guiding her mobility. The Hellhound collapsed with deep cuttings in its boddy. Patrick almost had a pitty on it as the huge dog howled into the night. He knew it'd been a normal hound once. Patrick made Torah look away as the demon burned. "I hate it." She whispered against his jacket. "I just hate to be so afraid." He didn't know what to say. Patrick put an arm around her shoulder. "It's alright to be afraid." He said. "The Hellhounds scare me too." Heinrich suddenly cracked his whip. The break was over. Two new demons where nearly on top of them already. The Belmont threw his daggers just as Patrick let go of Torah. The fairy nervously circled around them. Patrick unsheated his sword. The second Hellhound leapt right at him. Patrick tried to bring his sword up in time. The beast sent him sprawling. He stamped his cross upon it. Either this was a more powerful demon, or Patrick where to afraid to summon the Lord. Whatever the case, it didn't make the dog let go of him. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah came running toward him while releasing those burplish orbs. The Hellhound howled as it became reduced to ashes. Patrick toutched his neck. Some second later and he would be… He didn't wish to think about it. Heinrich had managed to defeat the other devil. Patrick went to pick up his blade. Then the mist disappeared. Patrick closed his mouth. The mist did continue beyond a certain point. He frowned. Patrick couldn't remember that fence from when he lived here. Heinrich muttered something he couldn't quite figure. Torah gave him a look. Patrick held his sword at the ready. The girl shrugged. "I don't think you should do that." Heinrich said. It was already to late. Torah opened the gate onward. Something which looked like a big black shadow loomed above her. Patrick ran toward her.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Heinz hid beneath the table. The undead wouldn't find him here. He hoped so. He where afraid. Heinz hadn't thought it would be like this. He'd hoped that, when Marcia did lead them to Oldhill, it would be over. Things had only become worse. Heinz had put on a brave face. He couldn't pretend any longer. He thought the red knights where the worst people Dracula could conjure. It wasn't at all like that. The folks in here really did terrify him. Heinz tried to stop shaking. He knew they where out there just now, searching for him. Not even the thoughts of his magic could confort him now. Heinz knew he was no match against the evil spirits which hounted this mansion. He prayed somebody would help him. Heinz was only 7 years old. He didn't wished to die at this early age. All had been so weird. If only he could escape from this place. Heinz was sure all would be alright if he could just escape from this hellish castle. Somebody moved across the room. Heinz didn't even dared to look. He could feel its evil. This wasn't like fighting the vampires aboard that ship. There they had all stood together. Now he where alone. Heinz dried away tears. He promised to be brave if he could just get out of here.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdal. the 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Cerberus launched itself forward. The bad breath from the three mouths almost made her collapse. Somehow Torah managed to stand tall.. "Get away!" Rose shouted. "Get away from her!" The fairy shone a frantic red glow. Cerberus howled. "Dance of the Nutthatchers!" Fairies flew around her as the giant black dog shot fire at her. The multi-headed Hellhound breathed heavy flames at her. The forcefields collided. Torah was forced into a kneeling position. She heard herself scream at the top of her lungs. Then the men was at her side. Patrick swung his blade at the monster. He nearly became fried as Cerberus shot fireballs at him. Heinrich's whip where surrounded within an eerie blue field. Water splashed all over the beast as he scored a hit. Torah managed to get back up. The Hellhound where at her again. All three heads did bite at her. Torah couldn't help but shreek. It was like Cerberus knew about her problems. Desperately she threw herself backward. The monstrous hound shot new fireballs at her friends. "Pearls of heat!" Torah shot at it although the aim was terrible. One orb actually hit home. Cerberus howled at her. The three pairs of eyes looked upon her with a merciless intelligence. She couldn't help but hide her face. The Hellhound snarled. Somehow Patrick had gotten past the barrage of fireballs. He went at the demon with fierce determination. Still, it was like his blade couldn't cut the devil's black fur. The demon creature struck at him with a monstrous paw. Patrick was thrown hard against the floor. Heinrich released a storm of daggers just as Torah released another of her spells. "Heart of ice!" The blue load hammered into their enemy. Torah gasped as Cerberus became thrown to the floor. Somehow Patrick where back on his feet. He threw a garlic at it. The Hellhound didn't even seem to notice. It managed to stand as it sent out another onslaught of fireballs. "Zapphire curtains!" It was one of the new spells she'd picked up. Again Torah was surrounded in that near invisible blue light. Not even Rose could penetrate that barrier. The cold disturbed her too. No matter. It did at least block the Hellhound's attempt to kill her. Heinrich made flames fall throughout the area. Not even Cerberus could ignore it this time. The huge demon dog howled like a forsaken soul. "Eye of destiny!" It was one of the most powerful spells Torah knew. The huge ball of boiling gold rammed the dog like a giant fist. Torah fell to the floor. Gasping for breath she watched her enemy burn. The mist didn't go away this time. From within the mist, another person emerged.

Heinrich watched with horror as the wanderer came slowly closer. He knew about them. He'd hoped he never would have to meet them. To his right, Torah struggled back up into a croutched position. Heinrich threw a glance sideway. Patrick finished picking up the garlic the Hellhounds left behind. Then he noticed something. Before the wanderer could react, Heinrich ran to pick up the axe. The cloaked phantom didn't even seemed to have noticed. It stood there, watching him. Heinrich had expected it to be hot, like the darkside. The wanderer where cold. Heinrich could feel it. Hands hid beneath black leather reached for him. He couldn't withstand a shiver. Heinrich tried to see beyond the obvious. Tried to get a picture of what he was facing. For the rest of his life, Heinrich where to regret it. Suddenly the figure became all clear. It was like Heinrich could see through the black shroud which concealed it. A tall individual, clad only in grey clothing did appear. Eyes without pitty burned in a face he never managed to describe afterward, eccept that it was a memory of dread. He barely managed to tear his eyes away from the figure. A hissing sound, like a poisonous breath, caught his attention. The phantom reached within its shroud. When its hands again reappeared, the wanderer held gauntlets, armed with heavy spikes. Heinrich nervously licked his lips. He had a vision of his skull being crushed by those spikes. He tried to not think of it. "They call me the crimson huntress." The wanderer breathed as she threw back her cloak. An iron mask, portraying a young lady, became visible. "I came to this land in the company of the accursed princess." She bore crimson skirts and a spiked body armour. Heinrich cracked his whip. Torah held her ring-smash at the ready. Patrick unsheated his sword. Heinrich shook his head. "Stay back." He told them. Heinrich reached for his cross. "This is something I have to do alone." His friends looked like they wanted to protest. Heinrich gave them no time. He went forward just as the huntress reached for him. Sparks flew from her armoured glove as she released a bolts of lightning at him. This wasn't the strange black force of a darkside. The wanderer's magic had a sick yellow glow to it. It flickered like something where on fire. Heinrich summoned his bloodline power. Water fused his whip as he made a stand against the wraith's evil force. Somehow he managed to deflect the spiteful blast. His enemy seemed to glide from position to position. She was at him then, striking her spiked gauntlets at the side of his head. Heinrich held up his cross in defience. Somewhere, deep within that metal mask, the hauntress did glare at him. New sparks where rleased as steel struck against silver. Heinrich gasped. It was impossible. Still, the holy symbol stood its ground. The wanderer continued to press toward him. Although she where really mothing but a mere manifestation of evil's will, she where stronger then many men. Heinrich suddenly went down on one knee. The spiked fist past right over him. He felt the gust of air as it passed by. His whip where still glowing with water magic. Heinrich whipped her across the chest-plate. It where shaped to suit a woman. Heinrich didn't mind. The water seemed to have an effect on her. The wanderer staggered. A spectral moan came from within her costume. Then she again swung at him. Heinrich was forced to back away. The huntress reached for him. Another yellow bolt of lightning was sent his way. Heinrich just barely managed to roll aside. The impact made the pavement crack. He then threw his dagger at it. Heinrich made the blade split in three. They passed right through her. Even though they tore her dress, she didn't seem to notice. The wanderer instead threw another spiked fist at him. Heinrich made a barrier of crosses appear. The huntress went right at him. He got to his feet, whip in hand. Then the huntress was thrown backward. The barrier seemed like they held electrical power. Speak of the Devil… The wanderer shot another bolt at him. Heinrich summoned more water to block her attack. Then he threw the axe at her. The summoned power made a wave of axes fall down in front of him. Clear aquamarine fire burned in their wake. The evil wraith was thrown hard against the fence through which she came. Then the enemy merely got back up. She made a gesture. A mystic arrow-like shot became thrown his way. Heinrich made another barrier rise in defence. The shot exploded. The crosses disappeared. Heinrich stepped backward as the wanderer threw her spiked fists at him. He knew he would die if just one of her attacks hit home. She made another attempt on him. Heinrich whipped at her legs. The wanderer's hip-high boots collapsed. She shrieked. Heinrich felt his blood turn cold with fear. The eyes beyond the metal mask caught him. The chilling void seemed to steal all the strength he had left. Heinrich felt he where down on his knees. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah was at his side. The little sorceress released series of magical balls into his enemy. The huntress made another gesture. A wall of ugly feverish energy blocked Torah's offensive. Patrick swung his blade at that hateful iron mask. The wanderer grasped the weapon and then threw the man-beast aside. Heinrich got back on his feet. This monster where about to slaughter his friends. He summoned more water as he threw the daggers. The huntress staggered. Water did seem to have an effect on her. "God with us!" He shouted as he made the axes rain down over his enemy. The wanderer seemed to glide across the ground. She came at him with her spiked rised for another attack. Heinrich used his stopwatch to freeze it in place. It made the wanderer stop. He knew it wouldn't last long. The wanderer where again moving. Heinrich reached for his cross. This had to end. The huntress threw her spiked gauntlets at him. Heinrich fell on his back as he made an attempt to dodge her mobility. The enemy loomed above him. It was a terrible aim. But Heinrich had no choice if he where to save his life. He summoned his power as he again threw the axe toward his enemy. The weapon split in three. Bolts of lightning struck as the axes hit home. The huntress screamed. It was the same terrible shreek which had earlier horrified him. It made the cries of the darkside seem like nothing. "You will die." She hissed. Heinrich got to his feet. The wanderer fell into a heap of plain cloth and metal. The evil presence which had haunted the outfit had vanished. It wasn't the only thing which disappeared. The mist did finally clear. Heinrich reached for his crucifix. "Hand over your weapons." It was no request. It was an order. Heinrich frowned. The robots where all around them. He lowered his head. Then Heinrich cracked the chain-whip.

Patrick muttered a curse. The buckets had used the mist to sneek up on them. "Stand where you are." The one who'd spoke looked slightly different from the other robots. "Sir." Another of the robots reached for the side of its head. "We have the hunters detained." Patrick smirked. That was what they thought. Torah was the first to react. "Zapphire curtain." The blue shroud surrounded them all. "Prepare to fire." Rose said in his ear. He nodded. The fay continued to tell Heinrich about their plan. The battle-droids fired their weapons at the girl's barrier. It was to no use. Then the shield disappeared. The robots froze in motion. Patrick recognised the use of the stopwatch. It wouldn't last for long. Quickly he began dismantling the enemies. "Pearls of heat!" Torah cast her spell. The robots did again open fire. The commanders even threw grenades at them. Patrick answered with a row of garlic. It really was incredible. It was just a vegitable. Still, it made the machines explode. "Run." Rose whispered in his ear. He frowned. The fairy shot toward her mistress. Why wasn't Heinrich doing anything? Then he got it. "Oh my God." Patrick hurled another garlic before he ran for the gateway. Torah was already ahead of him. Behind him the robots gathered around the Belmont. A flash of aquamarine light almost blinded him. Patrick threw himself to the floor. When he got up, the droids where all reduced to scraps. Heinrich staggered toward them. Torah tried to help him but to no awail. Heinrich fell to his knees. "It's alright." He told them. "I'm OK." With some help the Belmont got back on his feet. Heinrich unsheated his sword. "Here." From his backpack, Patrick brought out some food. After having ate their friend seemed to be back in action. "We have to get going." He warned them. Patrick shuddered. Distant cries reminded him about the darkside. He pulled out his pistol. Then he went through the gate. The mist had cleared. Patrick smiled. Although he didn't remembered the fence, he did recollect the garden. His father once said it was their mother who planned it. He frowned. There where something different. Torah went to inspect one of the stones which seemed to have grown since he last was here. "Patrick." She said. "I think you should see this." Patrick thought she looked a little pale. He didn't mind, not until he saw the headstone. "My dear sons, Patrick Oldrey & Thomas Lecarde." Heinrich spoak the text aloud. "It's your grave." Torah said. "Your's and Thomas's." Rose settled upon her shoulder, whispering something in her ear. Patrick didn't wish to hear about it. He sat down upon one of the other stones. This was madness. Suddenly Heinrich cracked his whip. Something which looked like a burning skull shattered against the grass. Patrick tried to get a hold on himself. Why would his step-mother set up such a stone? He threw it aside. Patrick fired his sidearm at another of the skulls. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah threw a flurry of orbs against something he couldn't see. Distant moans and flashes of pale flames told him there where something there. Patrick had no time for speculation. There where phantom skulls rising from the graves. Heinrich whipped at them or threw his axe. "Pearls of heat." They fought back to back as the ghosts and skulls tried to get past their defence. "Howling blast!" A wave of freezing blue energy hit home. The skull where reduced to frozen ashes. Patrick recognised the boy which came running toward them. Sigmund Muller was 15 years old but already a trained fighter. Or so it looked. Patrick threw a garlic at the skull who tried to get the blonde boy from behind. "Use ice magic!" Sigmund haultered. "It's the best way to take them!" Patrick shrugged. He was no magician. At least Torah seemed to understand. "Winter's heart!" The kid's onslaught made quick work of their enemies. "Follow me." Sigmund said. "I know somewhere we might hide." Patrick frowned. His mission was to find and send back the children. The screams again echoed through the night. It made his blood turn cold. Sigmund quickened his steps. This was hardly the time for conversation. Patrick reloaded his shotgun. He would deal with that later.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Susan Oldrey stood at a window. The "show" down in the graveyard seemed to be over. What a pity. She really had enjoied it. Susan smiled. Her step-son seemed to have grown into a man. She licked her fangs. His blood would taste so sweet. The blood of a darkbreed has such a unique flavour. A moan of expectation escaped her lips. Their father had been such an exelent lover. Susan laughed. With the boy out of the way, Aaron would come to her. Susan was sure of it. She reminded herself to be patience. It was not the time. But soon. Very soon. Susan turned. There would be no more to see. At least not from this point of view. Susan knew Patrick would come for her. Even from this distance she could feel his hatred. The only negative, was that his brother had been the one chosen to harness their tribe's power. But no matter. Count Dracula's magic could remedy that. She lay down on her sofa. There where other ways to amusement. She would wait for him to arrive. In the meantime, there where other things to mind about. Giles had not returned. It was her only true concearn. Susan knew the knight also had an interest in her stepson. Giles wanted Patrick to join with the Dark Lord. She continued playing with her evil star symbol. She was no member of his circle. Not any more. The prince of Darkness had removed her of office. Susan was alone. She would kill Patrick. With Aaron on her side, and with the blessing of lord Dracula, there was nothing he could do. She smiled. Susan felt his approach. Patrick had entered the mansion.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Torah sat upon one of the stones. She tried not to think about what lay buried beneath it. "Since then." Signund said. "I've been hiding from the dead." The bushes which grew around this area concealed them from the darkside. The only problem, was that the castle seemed to stare down at them. The wall must've been painted once. Still, it looked dull grey to her. "I tried to find my brother." Sigmund's word broke into her line of thoughts. "But I haven't seen any of them." His beautiful blue eyes addepted a mournfull look. Torah couldn't help but blush. Sigmund was such a cute boy. "We'll find him." Patrick said. The man-beast sounded so certain. Sigmund looked up at him. "I've promised to find all of you." Sigmund smiled. He looked so sad. "It's nice of you." He said. "But I've begun thinking I'm the only child alive." "Don't say things like that." Rose settled upon his shoulder. "I'm sure your brother is alive." "We've actually found some of your friends already." From his purse, the man-beast presented a big white crystal. Torah frowned. At first she actually thought it was another heartgem. Patrick stared into it. Torah gasped as an image of Lucy, Simon and the other children in the village appeared. "It's no tricks." Heinrich said. "I swar we found Lucy and that Patrick sent her home with that thing." Torah crossed her arms in front of herself. Her grandmother had warned her to not experiment with teleportation. This was different. This was a mere gate-devise. "Look into it." Patrick said. "Concentrate on your friends." Sigmund closed his eyes. "Find my brother." He whispered. Then a flash of light made it almost impossible to see. Torah shielded her eyes. "It really is impressive." Rose said in her ear. She could agree on that. Sigmund really had disappeared. "Thank the Lord." Patrick reached for his crucifix. Heinrich hit him on the shoulder. "We really should be grateful." He agreed. "That's two kids we've saved this far." Torah didn't feel any happier about it. Saria was still missing. She didn't wish to think about what her sister might be enduring right now. "She is alive." Rose said. "I think we would've felt it if she died." Torah nodded. It didn't give any comfort. But it gave her hope they might still find Saria alive. "Are you coming?" Heinrich's voice made her realize the men where about to leave the hideout. She quickly got to her feet. "Sure." She said. Torah brought out her ring-smash. Bogh Patrick and Heinrich readied their weapons as they entered the graveyard. All was silent. Even the darkside seemed to have disappeared. Torah didn't like it. Judging by the dim glow of her fairy, Rose where worried too. Patrick lead the way to the doors of the villa. It must've been a nice place. Now it looked all gloomed and nasty. The door was framed by pillars. Torah held her breath when the gate where opened. She almost expected a monster to attack. Nothing happened. "Ladies first." Patrick said with a grin which never reached his eyes. He was nervous too. It was Heinrich who first entered. Torah where quick to follow. She hoped they didn't think less of her.

Heinrich held the whip at the ready. The hall where enormous. A flight of stairs led up toward a gallery which reached all around this area. He had a look on the paintings which hung up there. They portrayed the relatives of the Oldrey family. Heinrich recognised bogh Henry Oldrey and Eric Lecarde. Other pictures he recognised where of Stella and Loretta. He threw it aside. Heinrich knew he wasn't here to watch on paintings. With a slight shudder he remembered Jonathan Morris and the 1944-incident. Then all had been about portraits. Never mind. Patrick was climbing the stairs. "Wait!" He shouted. "We should hold together." Patrick shook his head. "Believe me." He said. "There is something I must do." A look in his eyes told him he really ment it. "I'll be back." His friend promised. Heinrich thugged at his blonde beard. "Let him go." Torah said. "I think he really cares about this." Patrick sent her a grateful smile. Then he ran up the stairs. "We'll wait for you down here." Heinrich shouted after his friend. He didn't know if his friend got it. He shrugged. Although he didn't know what this was all about, he guessed he just had to trust his friend. Torah screamed. Heinrich spun around. At first he could see nothing wrong. There where just the dust wavering. Wait a moment. A vampire could come like… A figure clad in rough farmer's clothing threw itself forward. Heinrich had only enough time to present his crucifix. The undead scattered like a swarm of bats. Heinrich tried to see beyond the obvious. There. He cracked the chain-whip just as the vampire came dropping down from the ceiling. It was impossible. The undead managed to alter direction in mid-air. It landed in front of him. Heinrich ducked just as it slashed its claws at him. "Pearls of heat!" Torah sent some of her magic balls toward their enemy. "Get down!" She imeediately did as she was told. Another vampire slashed at where she'd been a mere second ago. Heinrich whipped the first vampire in the face. Torah got up as she swung her rings. The second undead became bats. Heinrich threw himself sideways as the first vampire slashed at him. The claws where like daggers. It made a sumersault to dodge his whip. Heinrich tried to stamp his cross upon it. The vampire answered with a double-handed punch. He went down on one knee as he nailed the undead. The creature snarled as it jumped right up into the air. Torah's face where stained with sweath as she repeatedly went on the offensive. The vampire continued to avoid her ring-smash. The first nightmare almost fell on top of him. Heinrich just barely managed to avoid its attack. The demon exposed its fangs as it kicked at him with bogh legs. Heinrich grunted as the air was knocked out of him. Torah cut through its torso with her razor rings. The undead grew rigid as the heart was pierced. Heinrich shuddered as its body did rott in front of his eyes. The look of celestial joy and everlasting peace which crossed his face before the body became dust, made Heinrich feel grateful. At least it hadn't all been in vain. The second vampire kicked him in the head. Heinrich almost collapsed. Rose settled upon his shoulder. Although she couldn't take away the pain, she could at least remove the bump. Their enemy spun about as it swung its claws at Torah. The girl threw herself backward with a graceful twist of her body. "Pearls of heat!" She released one orb from either hand as she jumped back up. The vampire staggered. Smoldering holes in its torso showed where Torah hit him. Heinrich threw his dagger. It split into three as he summoned his bloodline powers. The undead fell forward. It looked up at them with eyes on fire. Then it burst into flames. The ugly yellow fire suggested that this person really had been a wicked man during his lifetime. Heinrich shook his head. Some people never could repent. He went to pick up his dagger. The sound of applause made him turn around. The door to the right side of the mansion opened.

Patrick frowned. He didn't get it. The fire-exstinguisher just hung there. It looked straight. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong about it. The head made him think of one of those snakes. Patrick shook his head. This was his home. Damn it, this wasn't "Shining" or anything. The exstinguisher's head seemed to glare at him. "This is just stupid." His voice seemed to shatter the silence. Patrick told himself it was just his imagination as he threw one stake at it. The snake hissed as it glided away from his projectile. Patrick almost almost screamed. This was pure madness! The exstinguisher's snake moved at him. Patrick just barely managed to dodge. He had his sword in hand. With a fierce swing he cut the thing in two. In some dreadful seconds the snake seemed to neither be dead nor alive. Finally it lay still. Patrick dried sweath from his brow. That had been to close. This really made him feel nervous. Then the exstinguisher grew another head. Patrick laughed histerically as he again dodged the awfull thing. He summoned his man-beast power as he went for the object itself. His claws dug into the fabric of the exstinguisher. He howled as the acid which where inside scoulded his hands. Plasma protected his fingers although it felt like burning lava. Patrick staggered backward as he pressed his hands against his body. This really had been a stupid thing to do. At least the thing was dead now. Patrick leant against the wall. He had to get a hold on himself. He'd went up here to find Susan. His step-mother was not to get away with what she'd done. Her scent was all over the place. It wouldn't surprised him if she where the ring-leader. Patrick shook his head. He unsheated his sword as he continued walking. The sound of voices made him stop. He frowned. This wasn't the master's bed room. Even so, there where somebody inside that room alright. Patrick pulled out his shotgun. If his mother where in there… With fierce determination he opened the door. He then blinked. There where nobody there. He had a look around. All was silent. The same silence since he'd first come up here. Slightly confused Patrick closed the door behind him. Then he turned around. Just as he'd closed it, he'd again heard voices. Patrick stormed into the room. Nothing. Again all was silent. Patrick felt like going crazy. He was sure he'd heard something. A giggle made him look for the ceiling. A threesome of maids looked down at him. Just then they all fell down. They where all laughing. Patrick didn't like this. They didn't look evil. They looked like children who'd played a trick upon an adult. Patrick had a closer look. His father did insist his maids should dress like people from the mid 20th. Century England. Their long dough tiny legs where clad in expensive nailon. Something made him look up. Their laugher had changed. Their giggle had that crispy sound about it. It where the irritated sound of water glasses played on by a skilled hand. The sound made his nerves shiver. Two of them where light, like himself. But the third was dark, as dark as one could be, with a large wavy raven hair and black eyes which seemed to shine like polished gemstone. Patrick did recognize her. Yoni had been a nasty little cat. She would've invitated everyone and no-one to be with her. Then one of the blondes kicked at him. Patrick stepped back just in time. Then the other maid cried. The sonic blast threw him against the wall. Yoni licked her lips and fangs as she began to unbutton her jacket. "He is young." She almost purred. "We might all kiss him." The blondes encouraged her. "Go on." The first said. "You have the right to begin." The second maid giggled. "He is strong and healty." Patrick felt like being hypnotized as Yoni let her blouse fall to the floor. So, this was how it would end. He would become a plaything for these demons. Yoni was small, but perfect. She stepped out from her skirt and stocking as she walked toward him. The black maid removed her underwear as she put her arms around him. Patrick then stamped his cross on her. Yoni shrieked as the holy symbol burned her flesh. Patrick could move again. He pressed the barrel of his gun beneath her chin before he pulled the trigger. Her brain was shattered all over the bedroom. Yoni smiled at him. "Thanks." She said before she collapsed into a heap of ashes. The remaining maids came at him with their eyes on fire. The first girl kicked at him as the second vampire cried another sonic ring. This time Patrick was ready. He dodged bogh maids as he released bullets at them. He missed the first who jumped high into the air. The second he managed to nail. The bullet went right through her. Since he missed the heart she just smiled at him. The other came down at him. Patrick sent a bullet straight through her. The girl fell upon the floor. The first maid cried sonic rings at him. Patrick dodged and dodged again as she came slightly closer. He threw one of his stakes at her. This time he did hit her heart. The girl became ashes upon impact. The last of the vampire hit him in the chest. Patrick was slammed hard against the wall. He hoped no rib was broken. That was his least concearn. The second maid licked her fangs. "You are going to pay for all the vampires you've killed tonight." She promised. Patrick grasped his crucifix. "Be the will of the Lord." He said as he fired his gun. He only had two bullets left. But they did the work. The impact made the maid stagger. It gave him time to unsheat his sword. While she was still inmobilized Patrick cut off her head. He cleaned away the blood upon the carpet before he went to pick up the rounds she and Yoni left behind. Patrick was sure to reload his pistol before he went back into the corridor. There where another exstinguisher some distance away. This time Patrick was sure to blow it up before he continued. He had to find Susan. One of the armours which stood in the hallway caught his attention. The problem wasn't that he'd never seen it before. The armour was large. More suitable for a troll or Cyclops. It was painted with gold. Suddenly the armour moved. It unsheated an enormous blade. Slightly shaken Patrick watched as the sword lord walked toward him. He pulled out his pistol. He fired all the shots he had in there. The armour staggered. That was the only result. Somwhat desperate he threw some stakes at it. The sword lord fell to one knee. Then it got back up. Before Patrick could react it lifted the sword in front of itself. It couldn't be possible. The armour dashed toward him. Patrick threw himself forward. He barely got through as he glided between its legs. He got back up as he threw one of his garlics into it. The vegitable hit it head on. The armour fell upon the floor. Patrick shouted his triumph. Then all joy died. The sword lord got back on its feet. How was he to defeat this thing? The sword lord swung its blade. Patrick was sure he would've been cut in two if the blow had hit home. Before it could make another swing Patrick ran toward it. He stamped his cross upon the armour. The sword lord didn't even seem to notice one of its plates where melting. If he where to continue like this, Patrick was sure he would even die of high age or by being cut in peaces. The possessed suit of armour was already mounting another attack. Patrick snarled. He summoned all the energy he could muster as he sent it into his enemy. The cross went hot with plasma. The armour seemed to look down at him. Suddenly a moan escaped from somewhere within the bulk. The sword lord staggered backward as it began to blaze bright with man-beast power. Patrick delivered some more bolts before the armour finally gave in. It fell to its knees as the armour slowly began to crumble into golden ashes. Patrick leaned against one wall while reloading his firearm. He had to find his step-mother. Not to mention, he had to find the remaining children. He reholstered his shotgun as he went to retrive the price left by the armour. It was a golden chest-plate. Patrick put it on. It did fit rather nicely. He shrugged. Patrick unsheated his sword as he continued down the corridor. Through an open window came a swarm of bats. Patrick released plasma at them to make them scatter. The master bedroom lay at the end of this hallway. Susan had to be there. Another door opened. A short elderly man, clad in a servant's suit, came out into the corridor. Patrick moved into a defensive posture. The man spread his arms in a defensive manour. "Believe me, young master." The butler said. "I mean you no harm." Patrick didn't trust him. He'd begun to suspect all he met in this place. The old man snarled. He then threw himself forward. Patrick stabbed at him. The butler somehow managed to dodge. Then the vampire got back up as he threw a fireball at him. Patrick easily countered with a bolt of his own. The vampire then stabbed at him with claws which made Patrick think of stabbing weapons. Patrick caught the butler in the shoulder. Blood was sprayed upon the carpet. The butler threw another fireball. Patrick blocked and then parried. "Hand over your weapons." Things really started to get complicated. Through another door came a trio of battle-droids. The butler smiled at him, something which made his fangs to become exposed. Patrick shot him in the neck. With most of its head gone, the undead became a heap of ashes. "Surrender yourself." The formost battle-droid demanded. "Or you will be terminated." "Tell me about it." Patrick muttered as he moved against them.

Maze garden, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
This was getting out of hand. The calculation performed by his algorithm concluded to a state of immediate action. Two more battalions wiped out. As well as two of his corporal-commanders taken out of duty. The droid-sargent's parameters suggested an array of counter movements to make up for the loss. His captain-commander had been perfectly clear about the order to detain the vampire hunters. Sargent B2 selected one of the suggestions. "Sargent." He said through his communicator. "Yes, sergeant." His comrade answered. "Bring in the destroyers." B2 demanded. "At once." The communication ended. The robot retained its pose of attention. He expected to hear from the sergeant any minute. Although the cameras had lost view of the intruders, his CPU was calculating a certain capture. There where other data which issued a demand of stand-by alert. He where in no position to activate such procedure. The calculation assured him to relay the information to his superior captain-commander. He was enpowered to make such decisions. Cancel. He would return to the alternative if or when it should occur. Until then the sergeant where to attend to the program at work. Aditional information did reach his post. B2 relayed the information to his central control-computer. They where marked for detention.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Torah recognized him. It was the antique dealer from Oldhill village. "Joseph Vincent!" She exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" The old man didn't seem to mind about her. Vincent continued to applaud. Still, the disgust on his face didn't fit with the clapping hands. "I must congratulate you." Joseph said in a struggled voice. Then he put aside the impressed demeanour. "You think you've done it, don't you?" He almost shot at them. "You think you have purified the countryside of the undead purge?" Joseph laughed. There where no joy about it. "I'm not impressed." Torah went some steps away from him. She didn't liked the look in his eyes. In them she saw the dark burning certainty of a fanatic. "I saw what you did." Joseph went about his preachings. "Here. And inside the courtyard. You have the power. Aldough you don't use it." The antique dealer made another grimace. "You should be ashamed of yourself." "What are you doing here?" Heinrich repeated her question in a stern voice. "I do what you should've done already." Vincent reached into his heavy black overcoat. "I hunt the undead!" With a fierce gesture Joseph threw a vial of holy water upon the floor. Torah felt her eyes widen as fire was lit upon impact. "I saw count Dracula." Joseph then stated. She gasped. That couldn't be true! Or could it? Torah looked to Heinrich for guiedence. The look in his eyes made her blood turn cold. Heinrich knew something which made him believe it was true. "I will find him." Vincent decleared. "It's my destiny to defeat the prince of darkness." Torah couldn't stand it any longer. "You must be crazy!" She almost screamed. "Dracula is dead." The antique dealer glared at her. Then he muttered something she couldn't quite figure. "Away from me Satan!" He then suddenly roared. "I know what I know. Dracula is alive. I've seen him myself." Her fairy glowed an angry orange. "Don't speak to her like that!" Joseph held up his cross in defience. "Why haven't you persecuted her?" He asked. "You know she is a witch, an outcast of the new Jerusalem. She will betray you. The werewolf will betray you." Heinrich shook his head. "Aldough they're strangers, it don't mean I have to hate them." Torahh was grateful. She knew Heinrich still didn't really knew what to think of her. "Just because they don't know Jesus, they may still believe in God. Isn't it said that; "All who believe in me shall live forever"?" A dark grimace crossed the antique dealer's face. "Don't try to play games with me." He said. "I know it's true. Here." He almost snarled when he threw a key upon the floor. "She is a vampire." Joseph stated. "Go to the rose garden and see for yourself." He threw another glare at her. "When we meet again I'm sure you see things my way." Heinrich went to pick up the key. Torah didn't care. "I'm no witch!" She shot after him. "I never will be a witch." Joseph shook his head. "That's just what she said. I didn't belive her either." He then went back toward the door. "We should speak more about this later." He said. "When I have defeated Dracula." Heinrich looked like he wanted to say something. Torah stepped in front of him. "Don't mind about him." She said. "He is crazy." Heinrich looked at the antique dealer. Joseph shrugged. Then he closed the door behind him. "Just because he's an idiot, I don't want the vampires to take him." Torah shook her head. "I don't think you have to worry about him." Rose said. "His aura was all crimson. I even saw some blue figures on it." Heinrich looked like he didn't understand. Torah knew how he felt. She was somewhat confused herself. Yoko hadn't really told her that much about plane-walking. "He is either a berserker or a pprofeshonal hunter. Rose explained. "It's the only reason for his aura to look like that." Torah dismissed the matter. Heinrich where inspecting the key Joseph gave him. "I wonder who "she" is." He said in a somewhat concearned voice. Torah shrugged. Heinrich adapted a thoughtful expression. "Let's see now." He muttered. "I've been in the winter garden before." Torah wondered why he was so interested. She did ask him about it. Heinrich shrugged. "We don't really know about anything." He explained. "I saw Dracula." Torah almost thought she saw fear in his eyes. "Or someone who looked like him. The unicorn told me to purify the water. I shall do that." Heinrich reached for the pocket in which he hold the heartstone. "But before I know more about the castle, I'm not really sure about anything." Torah nodded. "I think I know how you feel." The mere possibility that Dracula was back, was truly terrifying. She thought she'd seen him, back when they'd first reached the ruins of Castlevania. It'd been a long time ago. Now she wheren't really sure about it. Rose flew in circles around them. "I got it." Heinrich suddenly exclaimed. "The rose garden is in that direction." Torah looked toward the passage he was looking at. Shadows seemed to wrap the corridor in eternal darkness. The moonlight, which came through the large windows, didn't give much light. Torah wondered if she should remain here. Patrick could be back any moment. Then again, there where something about this place. "Wait for me." She said. "I'm coming with you." Who knew? This person could know something about her sister.

Heinrich cracked his chain-whip to make the bats scatter. The corridor was badly lit. The vampires could see in the dark. Another of those undead nightmares seemed to drop from the ceiling. One in front of them, the other right behind Torah. The girl spun around to meet her opponent. Heinrich couldn't help her. The other maid screamed at him. The sonic ring shattered as he made a barrier of crosses rise around him. The skinny little undead girl somehow managed to get across the holy symbols. She kicked him in the chest. The crosses didn't hurt him of course. Still, it was no easy landing. The maid cried at him. Heinrich summoned his bloodline power. His whip sparked with electricity. The vampire performed a back-flip as she released some new sonic rings. Heinrich whipped each and every one of them away. Then Heinrich activated his stopwatch. The maid was inmobilized. Heinrich was sure to make quick work of her. He pierced her heart with his dagger as he used the axe to remove her head. A look of relief crossed her face before she became dust. Heinrich toutched his cross. He then turned around. Torah was doing well against the other undead. Heinrich came just in time to see how she put the maid to rest. He shook his head. Torah realy knew how to fight. With a mental shrug, he went to pick up the crystals. The rose garden was straight ahead. There stood a gold-plated armour to the left of the door. "Watch out!" Rose's warning came just in time. The monstrous sword lord unsheated its enormous blade as it started moving toward them. Heinrich couldn't help but shudder. He remembered all to clear what Richter Belmont said in his chronicle. The last true Belmont had fought against these monsters back in 1792. If he'd only had one of those throwing-crosses. Never mind. The sword lord suddenly dashed forward. Heinrich threw himself sideways as Torah went right between its legs. He then summoned his bloodline power. Heinrich didn't know if he was as powerful as Richter Belmont. But he would at least put up a good fight. The Lord would have to decide the rest. With the whip on fire Heinrich whipped at the sword lord. The armour staggered. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah shot balls of purplish plasma. The sword lord collapsed. Heinrich knew it wasn't over. The armour got back on its feet. Torah nearly became cut in two as the possessed suit of armour swung its massive blade at her. The girl avoided her destiny with a frantic twist of her body. Rose flew right for the helmet of their massive opponent. Heinrich reached for his cross. He made the element of spirit fill his soul. Heinrich was risen into the air. He felt the heating sensation of the burning cross of massive gold behind his back. Then flames washed across the battlefield. The armour was thrown backward. Even so, it again got back up. It made another of those dashes at him. "Orbs of sorcery!" It was Torah who saved him. Her attack made the sword lord stagger. Heinrich managed to dodge the blade as he again made his whip go on fire. He felt a little bad by whipping the armour in the back. Then again, this was no human. It wasn't even a living being. The sword lord turned. Then a distant moan escaped from its helmet. The armour fell to its knees. Then it slowly began to fall into ashes. Then there where nothing left of it, say from a pile of golden dust. Grateful Heinrich reached for his crucifix. Rose again settled upon Torah's shoulder. They exchanged glances. "Thanks." Heinrich said. "I really needed that." Torah smiled. "It's nothing." She said. The fairy glowed a bright pink. "Don't be redicolous." She said. "You was incredible." Torah blushed. Heinrich pretended not to see it. He instead turned the lock in the door. Torah got into a ready position as Heinrich slowly opened the door. Then he smiled. At least this area was like he remembered. The moon shone through huge windows of stained glass. Somehow he'd expected the flowers and other greeneries to be dead. But no, they looked to be alright. "I don't like this." Torah said, her voice sounding a little nervous. Heinrich turned to look at her. "The water is poisonous." Rose whispered. "Something is wrong about this vegetation." Heinrich finally got it. When the water was poisonous, then how could these plants be alive. The sound of shattered glass ended the speculation. One image among the many figures did fall from the window. Heinrich felt like being struck in the head. This was madness. The stain-glass ghost didn't seem to mind about it. Instead it swung its blade at him. Heinrich just barely managed to dodge. Torah went down on her knees as the stain-glass figure made a swing at her. The girl countered with a double-handed slash. The ring-smash made the figure shatter upon impact. The sound of shattering glass warned that there where more of them coming. The pointed glass of the knights would cut deep like any normal blade. Heinrich made a barrier of crosses rise around their position. "Pearls of heat!" Torah's spell made the images shatter. The moon did set. Soon it would be sunrise. No matter. Within this cursed place the wicked followers of the Dark Lord would retain their supernatural power. Heinrich whipped another stain-glass ghost into oblivion. Perhaps to shatter the windows was the only true way to defeat them. Shattered glass cut into his arms. Blood dropped upon the floor. He and Torah faught back to back as the knights kept on coming. Heinrich bit his teeth together. He would never surrender. "Orbs of sorcery! Pearls of heat!" Rose closed his wounds as Torah made magical energy scatter all across the area. He summoned his bloodline power. Then Heinrich made axes fall in front of him. A wave of flames followed in their wake. Heinrich fell to his knees. How long was he going to keep up like this? Another stain-glass ghost stabbed its sword at him. Heinrich held up his cross. The holy image made the knight shatter. Outside, the sun was rising. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah released another onslaught of her projectiles. The ghosts exploded. Then a figure in blue dress came right through the wall.

Patrick stepped across the remains of the battle-droids. It hadn't been much of a fight. He'd just cut them all down. Patrick released bullets at the bats which where still circling him. They really started to bother him. Patrick then walked the final distance. The door to the master's bedroom was to the right side of the hallway. Patrick couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. Here he and Thomas stood three years ago, watching while Susan did violate their sister. Patrick knew they should've done something. He tightened the grip on his pistol. Instead of helping Julia, he and his brother had run away. Never mind. Patrick had'd promised he would return some day. Finally he where to get his revenge. Patrick opened the door. The room was precisely like he remembered. The elegant Rococco furniture and Renesance artwork made Patrick think about his father. The scent of rotting flesh which filled the room, almost made him throw up. Moonlight came through the windows which presented a view of the front yard. Patrick's mother, his real mother, had been a true gardener. Between the windows the sofa on which she died where still standing. Patrick felt tears run down his face. Angrily he dried them away. New tears came as he recognized the corpse which lay on the floor. "Father." It was a mere whisper. He'd seen it for himself. Patrick's stepmother had murdered her husband when she released Chaos upon their household. Susan had to be here. She just had to. With a snarl on his face, Patrick went through the door. The cries of his sister seemed to echo in his ears. "I have waited for you." Patrick didn't move. He knew that voice. He'd heard it in his dreams. "Susan." Patrick made the name sound like a curse. "I'm here." His dear "mother" lay upon the sofa, her sofa. It made Patrick snarl. His stepmother smiled. The lean 21 year old woman was clad in a plain low-cut dress of red velvet. Thomas was right. It had been a foolish decision by their father. To take a second wife who was more then 25 years younger. It would surely end with disaster. "Come, my son." She said. "Sit beside me." She reached for him with a slender graceful arm. Patrick grasped his crucifix. "Never." He whispered. She was the Devil's bitch. Still, there was something about this blonde woman which felt strangely attractive. Susan continued smiling as she played with the sleeve of her dress. A bad habit he remembered.
It suddenly made him angry. Here she sat, almost inviting him to… The evil symbol around her neck made his blood boil with rage. Patrick tried to calm himself. He knew she tried to make him excited. Legends told that Lamia did drink the blood of her victim upon climax. To his surprise, Patrick discovered that he'd reholstered his shotgun. "I know what you desire." Susan whispered. "It is what all men desire." A spiteful tone entered her voice. "The power to dominance his woman." Patrick did shiver with rage. He knew he had to remain calm if he where to defeat her. Aldough what she said was partly true, it gave her no right to throw it in his face. Patrick did admire women. For more then 150 years the western culture had tried to instal respect for the female gender upon the world. Why should they do so when this was the reward? He threw it aside. This had nothing to do with his quest. "Come, my son." Susan exposed her fangs. "You know you want to." It would be a sin. Bogh the Christian law and the tribe's codex of discipline, spoke against relations with your father's wife. Susan laughed. She could see the confusion on his face. She let her hands run down her body. "I feel your eyes upon me." She got up from the sofa. Patrick tried to break out from the reverie. He inhaled deeply. Susan's pherfume made him feel dizy. The scent of rotting flesh made him remember. the corpse of his father still lay on the floor. "Muderer!" Patrick roared at the top of his lungs. Suddenly her spell seemed to shatter. He held his sword in hand. Susan snarled, her fangs exposed. "Die!" Patrick stabbed at her. His stepmother jumped straight into the air. She flouted just out of reach. Patrick pulled out his pistol. Susan dropped right at him. The blonde undead swiped her claws, digging them into his chest. Patrick howled with pain. His stepmother then threw herself backward. "Danm you!" She shrieked. Her skin had changed. From a delicate cream, it'd altered into an ugly blue-greyish colour. Patrick tried to not care about the pain. "Aaron is mine!" Susan made another swipe at him. Patrick threw himself backward. He triggered his pistol. Bullets became shot right into her flesh. Blood splashed upon the floor. Patrick felt his blood turn cold as her wounds healed themselves. Susan smiled. "You missed." She taunted. Patrick didn't answer. This beast, this disgustive monster, had tried to play with him. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction to know that he where afraid of her. Patrick fired his shotgun. Susan jumped high. She seemed to disappear among the shadows. Patrick reloaded his pistol. Where had that demon disappeared to? Then vampire-Oldrey reappeared. She came at him from a 45 degree angle. Susan sent a repeated claw-swipe against him. Patrick just barely managed to dodge her offensive. His stepmother again seemed to vanish. Patrick then saw her coming. The aim was terrible. Patrick released a flurry of shots. Susan showed of her high-jumping ability as she again seemed to disappear. Suddenly she landed in front of him. Patrick roared as his stepmother hit him in the face. He ripped out a stake which he buried between her breasts. Susan shrieked in a way which made Patrick wish he was deaf. He knew he'd missed the heart. Already before she pulled out the stake and threw it away, he just knew it. Susan smiled. "You may toutch them, if you wish." She lifted them up against him. Patrick stepped away from her. She was disgustive. The smile on her face became a snarl. Susan stepped in close as she delivered a repeated claw-swipe. His superhuman abilities most likely saved his life. Patrick somehow managed to duck. His stepmother jumped high into the air. Patrick had just enough time to reload his pistol before she came at him again. Susan did look rather fragile. Still, she managed to tackle him to the floor. She exposed her fangs. Before she could bite him, Patrick stamped his crucifix on her. Susan screamed as the silver burned her flesh. Patrick brought out another stake. Then his stepmother jumped away from him. She was gone. Patrick picked up his firearm just as she returned. Susan did flout in the air. She looked upon him with her eyes on fire. The battle had stripped her of the seeming humanity. Her face carried bat-like features. Claws where extended from her hands. "You really are quite powerful." His stepmother admitted. Patrick stood his ground. "I'm a darkbreed." He stated. Patrick didn't like to admit it. The mixed-up man-beast and vampire where really an outcast in their society. It didn't matter. The Belmont clan had always been open to them. "Indeed you are." Susan almost spat the words. "But you will die here." She exposed her fangs. "This is my domain. Lord Dracula bestoved his power upon me." Her words made Patrick shiver. "Watch!" Susan lifted one hand. Patrick threw himself sideways as a powerful wave of flames became shot at him. "You can't escape me." His stepmother told him. Patrick didn't answer. He was busy dodging her power. Susan slowly turned after him as she continued her wave. It should've set the villa on fire. But clearly, this was no ordinary flame. Its blue colour told him as much. But the spell seem to have an other effect as well. It clearly weakened her to keep the fire going. Suddenly Susan fell to her knees. Although she continued flouting, it was easy to see her exstaushion. after having shot at him. Patrick had waited for just this moment. Before she could react, Patrick threw one of his garlics at her. The impact made the room shake. Or so it felt. Patrick got back up just as Susan came at him. She dug her nails into his quickly raised arm. Before he could do something to stop her, she picked him up and threw him hard against the wall. "The vampire has the strength of 20 men in his arm." The words of Abraham Van Helsing seemed to resound through his head. Again Susan came at him. This time Patrick got up his cross in time. It kept his step-mother away. She then again showed her high-jumping ability. Patrick tried to gather himself as Susan appeared flouting in the air. He knew what was coming. His stepmother released a new wave of blue flames toward him. Patrick jumped across his father's bed as he tried to not hit himself against the desk from the queen Ann period. Susan breathed heavily as she tried to quicken the flame. Patrick threw his man-beast energy at her before he kept on running. His stepmother somehow dodged his plasma as she again vanished. Patrick knelt beside the sofa. Susan came toward him with her claws at the ready. He got to his feet as he ran to take up another position. Susan again jumped high into the air. This time Patrick was prepared. Before she could hide against the ceiling, he released another series of garlic. The green explosives slammed his stepmother hard against the floor. Somehow she managed to get back up. Patrick pulled the trigger of his pistol. "Curse it!" He'd forgotten to reload. Susan was back on her feet. Another wave of flames came roaring toward him. Blood dropped from his multiple wounds. Patrick knew it was his mixed bloodline which kept him going. Susan would already have killed a lesser man. His stepmother wasn't invincible either. She fell to one knee, exsausted by the show of force. Patrick used this opportunity to reload his shotgun. Susan showed off her high-jumping ability. Then vampire-Oldrey hammered into him. Patrick was slammed against the floor as Susan stabbed him repeatedly. It was the new chest-plate which saved his life. Before his stepmother could nail him through the heart, Patrick shot her in the face with man-beast plasma. Susan howled like a condemned soul. She then jumped toward the ceiling. Patrick managed to get back up. Susan was staining the floor with blood. Somehow he must've found her weak spot. If only he could pierce the heart. Before he could figure out a tactic, Susan was at him again. She tackled him hard as she sent him sprawling against the floor. His stepmother wasn't attractive anymore. With blue-breyish skin and her eyes burning, she really looked like the Devil. She buried her fangs in his shoulder. Patrick felt how she drained him of strength. He held up the crucifix. It at least made her let go of him. "The passion." She licked her lips. "You are going to be a real feast." Patrick's hand tightened around his symbol. "Never!" His stepmother threw herself forward. Somehow Patrick managed to hold the grip on the cross. Susan collided with him. They bogh fell hard against the floor. The undead hore bit him in the neck. Patrick screamed with pain and horror. He would never be a vampire. Patrick would rather die. He summoned his man-beast power. Susan's eyes widened as he retained his true form. Without hesitation, Patrick put his arms around her. She tried to break free. But in this form he where even stronger then the undead. He slammed her against the floor. "This is for my father!" He howled. Susan tried to get to her feet. Patrick snarled. She was not going to get away this time. "And this!" He roared. "Is for Julia!" Then he dug his claws right into her chest. Susan shrieked as he pulled out her heart. For a moment he stood there with the dripping heart in his hands. Then he threw it away with a disgusted growl. His stepmother was already burning. The ugly green flames was a tribute to how long she'd walked down the dark path. Patrick watched her burn. Strange, he didn't feel better at all. Patrick had thought it would go away when he finally gained revenge. But it didn't. The body of his father was also burning. Patrick went to retrive his weapons. Then he noticed he was shaking. It took some time before he understood he really was weeping. Patrick sat upon the sofa and cried like he hadn't done in years. Nothing he did could bring back his family. Patrick reached for his crucifix. Not even religion could comfort him. But Jesus at least made it easier to carry the burden. Patrick dried away his tears. He where stained with blood. His jacket was almost torn apart. Upon the floor lay a ball of crystal. Within it, there burn a strange pure flame. He knew what that was. Susan had told the truth. The Dark Lord really had bestoved her with some of his power. Patrick picked it up. The glow became brighter. Then the strange ball disappeared. Patrick felt strangely refreshed. He looked down on himself. He had become healed. Not only healed, even his clothing had been fixed. "Thank you, God." Patrick said as he kissed his cross. His father where free. He could only hope that his sister also would be released from the curse. Patrick pulled out his pistol. His friends where waiting for him. He knew the undead where as well. Patrick shrugged it off as he went back out into the corridor.

Tower of art, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
They where here! They had found her! Penny had a frantic look around. The hallway where empty. It didn't matter. She knew they'd found her. Either she had to fight or become a plaything forever. She knew it where true. Penny couldn't run from them this time. She knelt down, as if she was about to surrender. She inhaled deeply. Then her enemies made their move. They came at her from bogh side. "Cat eye hypnotism!" The spell made the Chinese vampire freeze in motion. Penny didn't care. The bronzium vampire threw a double-handed swipe at her. Penny threw herself to the floor. "Lightning pa!" The spell created a smouldering hole in her chest. "Bronze!" The other undead shrieked. The African vampire looked down at the hole. Then they filled with sudden horror. Penny watched as Bronze, or whatever she called herself, collapsed into a pile of ashes. "Die!" The Chinese vampire delivered a high kick. Penny just barely managed to dodge. "Celestial arrow!" The arrow-shaped blast of solid silver shot the vampire to pieces. She where reduced to dust before she could even reach the floor. Penny knelt in prayer. Her faight was what kept her going. Penny prayed her friends where still alive. She prayed they would come to help her. The distant shreekds sent chills down her spine. The darkside must've noticed her magic. Penny got back on her feet. It felt right to do this. It was like she where born to hunt and slay vampires. It was her destiny. "Heaven's charm." Penny cast another spell. The light would shield her presence. At least for some time. The darkside where hunting her. There where still other vampires out there. "Let it be." Penny continued through the large hallway.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdall. The 8th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Torah tightened the grip on her ring-smash. She looked strangely familiar. Then she gasped. The girl who came through the wall, with her grey eyes and dark hair… She looked like a female version of Patrick. "Heinrich." Before neither of them could react, the woman threw herself forward. "Have you at last come to rescue me?" Torah felt like being hit in the head as this vampire put her arms around the Belmont. More so, when she suddenly stepped back and began shaking. "Julia." Heinrich said. "Don't look at me!" She sobbed. "I know I'm unclean!" Julia pulled her hair in front of her face. Torah didn't understand. Who was this person? It looked like Heinrich knew her. "Don't say such things." He harsly told her. "You may walk through the shadows of the eternal night." So, he'd also noticed her bat-like features. "But you don't have to do it. You may still follow the path of light." Torah exchanged confused glances with her fairy. She thought Heinrich feared the elders. It was time she got some answers. "Who are you?" Torah asked. "What are you doing here?" Julia was carrying a giant pot. "I do what I must." Julia said. Torah frowned. Before she could ask more questions, the undead woman went to water the flowers. No, not water. She felt sick when she saw what was actually in that thing. Julia was watering the flowers with a thick crimson liquid. She was watering them, with blood. "My stepmother told me to do this." Julia said. Heinrich walked to stand beside her. "You don't have to do this." He said. Torah nodded. "She altered them." Julia said in a sad voice. "They need blood if they are to flower forever." Torah almost threw up. It was like a vampire version of vegetation. "Julia." Heinrich said. "We have come to rescue you. Patrick is here. He still cares about you." Julia shook her head. "Nobody can rescue me." As if to prove it, she had a sip of blood. "You should save the children instead." Torah stepped in closer. "Do you know anything about my sister?" At last she might finally hear news about Saria. "The dryad?" Julia asked. "Yes." Rose said. "That's correct." Torah added. Julia smiled. A smile without hope. "I saw her." She said. "Lord Dracula had her inside the bedroom upstairs." Torah almost cheered. Then Julia continued speaking. Then all joy left her. "He brought her away from there hours ago." Heinrich toutched his crucifix. It looked like he didn't knew what to say. Julia seemed to notice their situation. "I can't help you." She said. "But here, take this." From somewhere within her green dress, Julia brought out a key. "This will open the door to the library." She explained. "You remember where it is?" Heinrich nodded. Julia smiled. "The children managed to escape." She then added. Torah almost smiled herself. They already knew as much. "Some of them went into the garden maze to hide." Julia started walking back toward the wall. "You'll need the flowers if you are to go there." Torah didn't understand. "Julia." Heinrich moved for her to stay. But it where already to late. Julia became transparent as she again went through the wall. Although she'd been willing to help them, Torah felt better when she disappeared. Heinrich mumbled something she didn't quite figure. Never mind. If what Julia said where true, Saria was still alive. "We should go back to the entrance." Rose suddenly reminded. Patrick might become worried if we aren't there to meet him." Torah agreed. Whatever Patrick had gone upstairs to do, he must be done with it now. If he was still alive. The sound of shattering glass made it an easy decision. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah cast her spell to keep the stain-glass ghosts at a distance. Heinrich made axes fall about as they withdrew from the garden. Heinrich where sure to even lock the door behind them. The corridor was silent. Torah didn't feel much better. Even if the daylight made the vampires hide, there where still plenty of monsters around. It looked like Heinrich agreed with her. He cracked the chain-whip as he began moving. Torah brought out her ring-smash before she quickly followed. Nothing happened. They came back into the hall without even having met a bat. Heinrich recoiled his whip. Bright sunlight shone through the windows. Torah had a look on them. Thank the Lord. They where just plain windows. But even so, this was no pleasant place. Torah hoped Patrick would be back soon. As if the thought had been a summoning, the man-beast appeared at the top of the stairs. Heinrich went to meet his friend. Then hidden niches in the wall opened. "You're under arrest." Groups of slightly advanced battle-droids where unfolding. Suddenly they where all surrounded. Torah got down into a croutched position. The super battle-droids where better equipped then the basic type. "Hand over your weapons." The commander-droids where the only model Torah recognised. The men slowly decended to the ground floor. Bogh of them had unsheated their swords. Torah would never tell them she actually felt grateful as they formed a protective shield in front of her. Then Rose reacted. The fairy flew into the air. Torah shielded her eyes as Rose suddenly flashed a bright gold. The robots immediately began shooting at her. Torah knew their lasers would have no real effect on her fairy. Only the death of her fairy mother, or a massive attack of darkside energy could harm the spirits of nature. It gave them what time they needed to set up a counterstrike. "Dance of the Nutcrackers!" Torah danced the spell which made multiple fairies fly about her. They made the robots freeze. Patrick retained his true form as he went on tearing the droids apart. With his sword surrounded with electricity, Heinrich deflected their bolts right back at them. "Fountain of fire!" Torah made flames fall throughout the area. "We have to get away from here!" Heinrich shouted to become heard above the noise of the battle. "Your sister told us to reach the library!" The Belmont quickly told Patrick about their meeting. Patrick nodded. His sword where blazing with man-beast plasma. "The study is up there!" Patrick pointed with his blade toward the other exit atop the staircase. "Pearls of heat! Orbs of sorcery!" Torah cast her spells to keep the super battle-droids away. Slowly they withdrew up the stair. "Zapphire curtain!" Torah made the wall of blue light shield her friends. The robots stopped. Heinrich must've used the stopwatch. Torah smiled. Then the decendant of the legendary Belmont clan rised his sword above head. "Run." He told them. Torah stood her ground. She was no kid who could be ordered around. Patrick picked her up and then ran like an idiot. Torah tried to break free. Rose nervously fluttered around them. Behind them, Heinrich made it rain with lightning.

Heinrich leaned against the wall. It felt like being bitten by a vampire. All strength seemed to habe been drained from his body. He knew he should've learned by now. Heinrich smiled, the grimace never reached his eyes. Sometimes there where things you just had to do. Torah came walking toward him. Heinrich looked down at her. He expected her to shout at him. Instead, Torah almost acted a little shy. "Sorry." She said. "But I thought you didn't respected my magic." Heinrich shook his head. "It wasn't about that at all." He told her. "I had to defeat the droids. It had to be done." This time the smile was real. "You could've done it." Torah seemed like she really aprishiated his words. "I don't know if your grandmother told you about balefire. But, according to the family's manual of discipline, it's forbidden." Rose shone with a shaken brown light. "It is forbidden." The fay said. "Your grandmother shouldn't even speak of it to you." Torah turned to look on the fairy. "I know how dangerous that spell is said to be. I'm no darkside." Heinrich ate some of the food he'd found inside one candle. It really made him feel refreshed. "Let's go." He said. Patrick moved for him to stop. Upon the wall hung something which looked like an ordinary fire exstinguisher. Patrick glared at it like it was some personal enemy. Torah and Rose quit their argument as they too seemed to notice his behaviour. Heinrich cracked his whip. Then the pipe suddenly moved. That thing was a real snake! He got no time to consider it. From the floor fell two more vampires. So, this really was a cursed area. If not within their domain, their Hell home or in a cursed area, the undead could only alter appearance at sunrise, 12 o-clock noon or at sundown. Torah had her ring-smash at the ready. The maid sent her a high kick. Heinrich couldn't help her. The butler moved against him with a series of punches. He was hit in the chest or shoulders repeatedly. The old man then suddenly screamed. Heinrich noticed his enemy had hit the cross. He quickly used this opportunity to whip the dead away. The undead servant snarled as he where forced to withdraw. Then he threw a fireball at him. Heinrich made fire burn around his weapon as he deflected the shot. Then the butler was hit in the back. Patrick pulled out his claws, the butlers eyes widened with horror. Then he collapsed into a heap of ashes. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah cut her smash into the maid's body. Then she danced a few steps backward as she released the spell. Heinrich shook his head in amazement. She really where quite good. The little sorceress went to pick up the crystals. Torah was a protestant. She'd told him that herself. Heinrich shook his head. Magic where forbidden. His family's powers where a gift from God. But perhaps the Lord had given The Fernandez clan their power too? He threw it aside. Patrick moved forward. There where more of those fire-exstinguishers ahead. A swarm of bats came flying down the corridor. Heinrich and Torah worked together to keep them at bay. Just one bit, and they would become cursed. "There it is." The man-beast pointed toward one door. "Are you sure?" Torah asked. "Of course." Patrick said. "This was my home." A look of sadness went across his face. Heinrich acted like he hadn't noticed. "Watch out!" Rose suddenly warned. A maid seemed to rise straight up from the floor. She sent one of the sonic-rings at him. Heinrich just barely managed to dodge. Then Torah moved in. The tiny little undead jumped out of reach as the sorceress made a swing at her. The ring-smash cut through thin air. Heinrich reached their enemy in time to stamp his crucifix on her. The maid screamed like a forsaken soul in Hell. Then Patrick ended the ordeal with a boom from his shotgun. "How did you know of her presence?" Torah asked. The fairy's glow turned into a defensive pink. "I felt it." She then explained. "It was like when the forest is sick." "Thank you anyway." Heinrich said as he went to open the door. He brought out the key Julia gave him. Then he carefully turned the key. Behind him bogh Torah and Patrick where at the ready. Heinrich quickly swung the door open. He half expected to see a vampire at the threshold. Nobody where there. He mentally muttered about it. The mansion made Heinrich feel uncomfortable. Julia was Patrick's sister. But she where one of the undead as well. Could they really trust someone like that. It was a question he'd asked himself since they left the rose garden. The group entered into the small study. An unlit fire-place occupied one side of the room. "Well." Patrick finally said. "Let's get to work." Heinrich nodded. "Be careful." He told his friend. "There might be some undead in there." His friend reached for his pistol. "Let them come." He said in a challenging voice. "Have faith." Heinrich reminded. Patrick gave him a look. Then he entered through the second door. He exchanged looks with Torah. The girl shrugged. Rose did settle upon the mantle. "I tell you if any of them approach." She explained. Heinrich nodded. The fairy really could be helpful at times. "What are we searching for?" Torah asked. This time it was Heinrich doing the shrugging. "I don't know." He confessed. "Something which have to do with flowers,I guess." Torah nodded.
She went to inspect the books. Heinrich where more interested in the collection of figures. The tiny sculptures where made of many different types of material, rock or metal, as well as wood and bone. A key decorated with flower symbols, seemingly made out of silver, caught his attention. Heinrich reached for it. Then Torah spoke. "Look what I found." The girl said as She put a black leather-bond book on the table. Heinrich frowned. He didn't like the look of that thing. Torah opened its pages. Then she gasped. He went to stand beside her. With a trembling voice, Torah read what stood upon the title's page. "Matura Nosferatu. Written by my hand, the year 1496. Vlad Tepes Dracula. "Blood is the life."" Heinrich felt his blood turn cold. "It's a copy." He mumbled. "It have to be. He wouldn't let the original lay around." Torah turned the pages. He wanted to stop her. But she where already reading the ancient Gothic letters. Heinrich noticed the book had to be written by hand. "It seems to be a blend between a biography and spell book." Torah finally said. "Listen to this. "It was through my defeat at the hands of Sonia Belmont that I discovered the truth. Chaos is my only ally. I now know that it is in death that I may unlock the hidden reservoirs of darkness. When Hate is controlled by will, the power of dominance and Chaos bind together to grant an entrusted soul the key to the gate of oblivion. To wander through the regions of shadow I have discovered the ultimate darkness beyond darkness. Every one hundred years the forces of God is weakened. I am the lord of shadows. Wicked men will crave for the return of my power. I have become the embodiment of suffering. I live as Chaos energy. I will live forever to unleash my wrath upon the countryside. Those who murdered my wife and my mistress will suffer in Hell." Torah stopped reading. Heinrich closed the tome. "Stop reading that thing." He told her. She gave him a somewhat confused look. "Don't you feel it?" He asked. His voice a mere whisper. "I feel evil echo from those pages." Heinrich stepped away from the table while reaching for his crucifix. "It's so cold. Like a dead hand pressing on my heart." Torah's eyes grew wide with horror. As she stepped away from the book. "Dracula's spirit is still very strong in that tome." He kindly explained. "I'm not sure how, but I see the presence of his power." The girl slowly nodded. "Listen to him." Rose said. "He is a Belmont." The fay's glow became a thoughtful purple. "He should know about the Dark Lord's power." Heinrich Reached for his whip. It wasn't the Vampire Killer. But the weapon was an icon and a symbol of his duty, his call, his destiny. "Have you found anything?" Patrick was back. Heinrich shook his head. "Only Shadow." He honestly said. Patrick threw him a look. Then he seemed to throw it aside. Torah put Dracula's book back on the shelf. It made Heinrich remember why they came here. "Julia told us to go here." He muttered. "But we've found nothing." He thoughtfully began playing with that silver-key. "Where did you find that?" Patrick asked him. Heinrich sent him a surprised look. Why did he act like that. The figure wheren't important, was it? He dismissed the matter. "I found it among your father's collection." He said as he gestured for the sculptures above the fireplace. Torah smiled. "I think we got it." She exclaimed. Heinrich shook his head. He didn't understand. At least Patrick seemed to figure what she where talking about. "That thing belonged to my mother. My real mother. She sometimes called it the rose-key." Heinrich felt like being hit in the head. Finally he got it. "You need the rose if you are to go there." He repeated Julia's enigmatic words. Then Heinrich smiled. He just couldn't help it. Torah seemed like she shared his feelings. The girl and her fay where actually performing a little dance upon the spot. "Let's save the children." Patrick said, even he with a smile on his face. It made Heinrich gather himself. They where not out of this yet.

Patrick led the group back to the entrance. Sunlight lit the hall. Somehow it didn't made him feel better about it. The sun made the dust and gloom to be more obvious. "Where do we go to reach the garden?" Torah asked. The floor was still littered with pieces of broken machinery. Patrick reached for his shotgun. Had any of them moved? "It's behind the villa." Heinrich said. Patrick nodded. "We have to move around to the livingroom downstairs." Torah frowned. "Why is there a livingroom in the basement?" Patrick almost laughed. The girl crossed her arms in front of herself. "People in the 18th. Century built a little different from how we do today." Heinrich explained. Torah muttered something below her breath. Rose settled upon her shoulder. She began to whisper in the sorceress's ear. Patrick didn't mind what they where talking about. He moved across the gallery as he entered into the other hallway. Although there where a window at the end of the corridor, the sun didn't seem to lit that very well. Patrick almost expected to see Susan's ghost come through the door of the master bedroom. Then one figure really came through the wall. The butler became solid as he threw a fireball at him. Patrick just barely managed to dodge. The undead servant then leaped toward the ceiling. Heinrich held his axe at the ready. Then two of those maids came through the floor. The butler almost came on top of him. The vampire slashed him across the chest. The chest-plate protected his heart. The undead shrieked as it came near his cross. Patrick nailed it with one of his stakes. "Curse it!" The butler somehow managed to sidestep his attack. Although he impaled its flesh, he missed the heart. The dead servant hit him in the face. Patrick stamped his cross upon it. The scent of rotting flesh filled the corridor. Then Heinrich appeared. He made tripled daggers go through its body. The butler became rigid. Patrick unsheated his sword. With a swing of his blade he removed the head from its shoulders. The butler collapsed into a heap of ashes. Torah knelt to clean her smash upon the clothing the maids left behind. The Belmont toutched his crucifix. Patrick lowered his head. He was grateful for this victory. He then went to have a look outside. The sun lit the graveyard. The backyard was blocked with another of those walls. Even from this distance Patrick noticed the trace of poison upon the spikes. Jacob said the mansion was a later construction. That it was built when the castle became abandoned. Patrick left the window. This wasn't his home anymore. Torah looked up at him. She had a mournfull look about her. "My home also was invaded by vampires." She said. Patrick shrugged. He didn't want her compassion. This was his own problem. Patrick knew he was childish about it. Never mind. "Just drop it." Rose told her mistress. This time it was Torah doing the shrugging. Heinrich already had began walking. This portion of the hallway went all along the left side of the house. Sunlight made this area seem almost elegant. Patrick held a sharp eye on the doors which led back into the mansion. "Watch out!" Rose screamed as one armour suddenly moved. It broght out an enormous sword as it began moving toward them. "Winter's heart!" Torah cast her spell. It made the sword lord stagger. Then it continued forward. If this thing had carried a shield, it would've cut them all to shreds. Patrick drew up close as he released garlics at it. That idiot Heinrich went into close-range fight with that demon. The Belmont made aquamarine light obscure his whip as he hit the armour repeatedly. Perhaps he wasn't a fool after all. Each time the sword lord got in close, Heinrich performed a back-flip. Patrick got out from his reverie. "Dance of the nutcrackers!" Torah began to dance. She really where graceful, he had to admit it. Multiple small feries appeared. The sorceress directed them toward the armour. The tiny figures made their enemy freeze. Then Heinrich where at it again. This time the chain-whip seemed to be on fire. The sword lord where reduced to golden ashes before it could react. Patrick hid his feelings as he went to knock down the candles. He where the man-beast. But nothing he did had an effect on the knights. Although he'd defeated one of them, it didn't seem important. Patrick refilled his arsenal. At least his step-mother had been impressed. This time there where no warning. The sound of shattering glass filled the corridor as the images upon the stain-glass window broke free. Patrick fired his shotgun. The bullet made the stain-glass ghost shatter. There where still more of them. Heinrich cracked his chain-whip. Torah spread her arms as she released purplish balls of magic. Patrick made plasma burn around his blade. Although they made the ghosts shatter, they kept on coming. He threw garlics at the window. The result was extraordinary. The entire window seemed to shatter. One of the surviving glass knights cut him across the chest. His friends fought back to back as the remaining stain-glass ghosts circled around them. Patrick drew blood as he barely got out of reach for the knight's counterstrike. Patrick cut his fingers as he stamped his cross upon it. At least it made the bastard shatter. Another ghost nearly hit him in the face. Patrick drew backward as he released blasts of plasma against it. "Winter's heart!" Torah's spell crushed the other knight who tried to get him from behind. "Thanks." Patrick said. Torah nodded. Heinrich whipped the ghost away. One of them, who'd gotten most of its head and torso shot to pieces, stabbed its nails at him. Patrick made the glass shatter before it could finish its move. Then it was over. Shattered glass littered the floor. At least none of the shards where moving. Patrick brought out some water from his backpack. Although it was warm and taisted of leather, it still felt like wine. The breather didn't last for long. The armour which stood beside the stairway began moving. Patrick reached for his cross. The sword lord made a dash toward them. Patrick threw himself to the floor. His friends somehow managed to sidestep their monstrous opponent. "Fountain of fire!" A spread-shot of fireballs hammered against its gold-plated armour. Then Torah threw herself backward as the great knight made a swing at her. Heinrich had his whip on fire. He managed to score a few hits before the sword lord dashed toward him. It wildly swung its blade. Patrick threw some of his garlic at it. The vegetables made the knight stumble. "Winter's heart!" Torah cast another of her spells on it. The sword lord seemed to freeze over. Then it somehow broke free. Patrick moved in front of the sword lord. He wasn't going to stand by and watch as it cut her down. The knight hit him in the chest. Patrick was slammed hard against the floor. But it wasn't that who really hurt him. The armoured glove was boiling hot. The sword lord was filled with Hell's fire. Then Heinrich moved in. He made countless daggers, all blazing with aquamarine light, burry themselves in their enemy's armour. The sword lord staggered backward. It gave Torah time to get back up. "Pearls of heat!" The orange blobs shattered upon impact. Water was the only true weapon against these monsters. Patrick threw one garlic right into its helmet. The armour shook. It was the only way to describe it. Heinrich made multiple axes fly throughout the area. Patrick where grateful that neither he nor Torah became hit. "Throw another garlic!" Rose shouted. "The head is its only weak spot!" "Orbs of sorcery!" Patrick didn't know if Torah heard the fairy. She and the Belmont at least made the sword lord focuse on their offensives. Patrick knocked down the nearby candle. He needed more ammunition if this where to work. Then he sent a barrage of stakes toward the armour. Although it didn't seem to deal any damage, it made the sword lord turn around. Patrick then threw his vegetables at it. The armour fell to its knees. Patrick was sure he heard a distant moan before the sword lord collapsed. Patrick sat down on the floor. He really felt worn down after this battle. Heinrich gave him some food. Patrick gratefully ate it. Then his friend went to whip down the remaining candles. "Thank you, all good Saints in Heaven." He watched as Heinrich kissed his crucifix. Then he knelt to pick up the cross. Patrick frowned. Hadn't Edward been brandishing something like it? He threw it aside. It was none of his business. "I hope there is no more sword lords down in the livingroom." He said while finishing his meal. "I can agree with you on that." Torah said. She held the ring-smash at the ready. Rose again was settled upon her shoulder. "Be the will of the Lord." Heinrich said. Patrick nodded. He got to his feet. Some bats then flew up the stairway. The Belmont made quick work of them as he made multiple crosses fly at them. It at least made them scatter. Patrick shrugged. He unsheated the sword as he began climbing down the steps. What could've disturbed the mammals. To be honest about it, Patrick really didn't wish to know the answer.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Heinz hid beneath the table. The chamber was cold. Although it was day outside the windows, he felt unsure about this place. Heinz hadn't seen the undead since sunrise. It gave no comfort. He knew where they where resting. He'd overheard the lady speak about it. Heinz where afraid to go down there. He feared he might find his brother sleeping in a coffin. Death would be a better fate then to sleep in the grave of the vampire. He tried to chase the image away. Heinz knew it was impossible anyway. Sigmund would never give up. The sound of feet made him prepare his magic. A group of battle-droids went through the livingroom. The trio didn't even seem to notice his presence. Heinz waited until they'd left before he thanked God. He'd learned enough to not underestimate the robots. They wheren't exactly bright about it. But you didn't have to be a genius to kill someone. Any fool could be a soldier. Penny once said so. Heinz didn't doubt her statement. He got back down as some other persons entered the room. They where no vampires. But he would wait until they left anyway. Then one of them went toward the paper which lay on the floor. The girl picked it up. Then something mysterious happened. Heinz hoped they didn't heard him gasping. He didn't like this. "Sigmund." He prayed. "Please, God, let my brother find me."

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
The livingroom where elegant. Torah held her ring-smash at the ready. The mansion had been Patrick's home once. But now it was a living nightmare. The view from the windows made her guess they had reached the backside of the villa. She moved toward the garden door When something else caught her attention. Upon the floor lay something which looked like a scroll. Torah wasn't quite sure, but somewhere she'd seen something like it. The men entered the room. Torah didn't mind as she went to pick up the paper. "What have you found?" Heinrich asked. Torah didn't answer as she unfolded the scroll. "It looks like a contract." She said at last. A flash of light made her look away. "How may I be of service?" Renon, she was sure that was his name, appeared. "Renon." Patrick said. "Ah, the young masters." Renon said while tipping his hat. "How may I help you?" Heinrich stepped in front. "Some new healing potions." He said. "And some antidotes." Patrick added. "Of course." The salesman said while opening his briefcase. Heinrich toutched his crucifix. "I think I might have some purification crystals as well." He then said. "Of course." Renon said while stashing the wares upon one table. "It all come on a cost of 500 Euros." Heinrich nodded as he reached into his pocket. The men payed him some of the jewels they found in the candles. Then Renon turned toward her. "How may I serve you, my lady?" Torah nervously licked her lips. Perhaps this trader could help her with a personal issue? "Heinrich." She said. "Patrick. Could you please go outside?" She tried not to blush. "There is something I must do." They exchanged glances. Then Heinrich shrugged. "Come on." He told the man-beast. Then he sent her a look. "We'll be around if you need us." Patrick nodded. The darkbreed prepared his shotgun as the men went outside. Torah really felt grateful for their reaction. She never could've covered up enough courage to tell them what this was about. Torah then looked up at Renon. "You don't happen to have any pads?" She felt her cheeks turn slightly crimson. Nenses was a new experience for her. The salesman bowed his head. "Of course my lady." He reached into his briefcase. "How many are I to provide?" He asked. Rose whispered in her air. "Yu should take two packages." Torah repeated her words. Renon handed her the goods. "I gave you the American version." He said while closing the case. "It'll all come at a cost of 70 Euro." Torah reached into her pocket. She stored her crystals within a purse. After some thinking, Torah gave him one large and three smaller types of the mystic gemstones. Renon tipped his hat. "It has been a pleasure doing business with you." He bowed. "Remember, you only have to open the contract to gain my services." He then suddenly disappeared. Torah picked up the paper. It looked just ordinary. Torah shook her head before she put the thing away. She then inhaled deeply. "Now." She asked her fairy. "I hope you know how to use these things." Rose's glow changed from bright into a dull pink. "I think I might have an idea." Torah nodded. Nina and Maria, some older girls in her class, once spoke about this. Still, she'd never seen how she should do this. Torah prayed it would work. Rose fluttered in front of her as she began to take of her clothing.

The sound of raised voices made Heinrich run back into the mansion. Patrick pulled out his shotgun as they bogh entered the livingroom. "How dare you!" Torah shouted. She then turned to look upon them. "He did stalk me!" She accused. Heinrich didn't know if he should feel relif or just angry. Heinz blushed like the sun was rising. "I didn't mean to." He said. Heinrich shook his head. What was all this about? Then he felt like being hit in the head. He should've noticed Torah was half-naked. She blushed. Then quickly finished dressing herself. "Relax girl." Patrick said. "He's only 7 years old." Torah snorted. "It's no excuse." She muttered. "I'm no stripper." Heinrich shook his head. This started getting plain stupid. "Alright." Patrick said. "Let's all try to ease a little bit." "Men." Torah muttered. Then she suddenly blushed. Heinrich thoughtfully scratched his beard. He then put it aside. Teenagers really could be strange at times. Then again, he had himself been one of them last year. "Your brother asked me to find you." Patrick said as he told the boy about his gate-key crystal. To their surprise Heinz actually began sobbing. "Swear by God that you aren't vampires." He pleaded. "Swear that you really are you." Heinrich stepped in front of the boy. "By the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, I swear that my name is Heinrich Schneider. I hunt the night." Torah arched an eyebrow. He threw it aside. Heinrich toutched his crucifix. "They are in the basement." Heinz said. "They sleep while they waight for nightfall." Patrick held that gem in one hand. "We'll take care of it." He promised. Heinrich nodded. Torah also seemed to agree. "Look into the crystal." Patrick then said. "You remember Oldhill?" Heinz nodded while closing his eyes. Heinrich looked away as the flash of light filled the room. Then the boy where gone. He hoped they would find the remaining children alive. Heinrich went to open the door. Why Patrick's father would build an exit into the basement from his livingroom, he never quite figured. He and the Oldrey brothers used to play hide and seek down there. It was a long time ago. "Of course." He muttered. Heinrich should've known it would've been locked. "We should've asked Heinz if he had the key." Torah said as she noticed his situation. Heinrich looked down at her. Torah seemed to have gotten a hold on herself since the boy disappeared. "Perhaps Alfred or Penny has it." Patrick suggested. Heinrich shrugged. "We should enter the garden." The man-beast finally said. "I guess we better do so." Heinrich said as he threw the cellardoor one final look. Patrick led the group into the backyard.

The sun shone down from a cloudless blue sky. It lit up the backyard of what had once been his home. Patrick put it aside. The undead did cut down all the trees. His mother would've killed them. The undead had reaped even her beloved bushes. The garden he remembered from his childhood was all gone. The New Order had made this place a floor of stone. Only the hedge maze remained. Heinrich had a look around. The Belmont muttered something about the darkside disliking sunlight. He didn't really care. Patrick unsheated his sword as he moved toward the entrance of his father's green labyrinth. The sound of moving metal made him freeze in place. Hidden openings within the pillars which lined the entrance, moved aside. Metal plates which looked exactly like the pavement also moved aside. "Come here." Heinrich said. "Form a circle." Patrick was quick to join his friend. Another group of super battle-droids did appear. Patrick tightened the grip on his blade. It had to be at least 20 of them. From the pillars strange metal wheels moved toward them. Patrick reached for his cross as the robots began to unfold. They turned so that eight metal legs could reach the floor. Then they turned again. Humanoid bodies did rise from the side of the machines. Insect eyes beheld them from spider-like skulls. Arms, holding heavy cannons, where the last part which became visible. "I really have a bad feeling about this." Rose said. Patrick didn't argue her point. "I'll take the battle-droids." Torah said. Patrick opened his mouth. Then he shut it again as Torah spread her arms. The super battle-droids where already advancing. "Fountain of fire! Pearls of heat!" The robots opened fire. Patrick summoned his man-beast power. His blade shone with plasma as he made their fire become repelled. "They have shield-generators!" Heinrich shouted his warning just in time. Patrick almost became caught by his own trick. The deathly cross-fire nearly shot him to pieces. Then Heinrich released a multitude of burning boomerangs. One of the destroyers where cut to shreds. There where still more of them. The destroyer-droids slowly continued forward as they blasted the area with twin laser-cannons. Somehow Patrick managed to survive. He used his superhuman mobility to get away. Patrick prayed to God this would work. He threw some garlic at the nearest robot. The machine did explode. The Lord really where merciful today. Then another destroyer-droid caught him in the leg. Patrick fell to the ground. Somehow his fur blocked the attack. Still, the leg was broken. He thanked God and Renon for the healing potion. Heinrich moved in. Their shield didn't seem to block solid objects. The Belmont whipped its computer away as he made fire burn around his weapon. Patrick couldn't believe it. Another destroyer shot at him. Heinrich managed to sidestep the offence. He got to his feet as the droid instead started to blast at him. Patrick ran as the robot continued firing. He got past it before the blasted thing could continue its ofensive. With grim satisfaction he buried his blade deep within the machine. The destroyer shrieked before it just exploded. Then a second destroyer made him run like Hell. His friends where to busy to help. Patrick held up his crucifix. Either he where dead or this would work. The holy symbol actually did rise a protective screen in front of him. Patrick didn't stop to think how this could be possible. Instead he blew the destroyer-droid sky-high. "Thank you." He said. With this kind of power, they might survive.

Maze garden, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
The connection where terrible. "garden. Repeat, enemies have… " The transmission ended abruptly. Static was all which came through. Droid-sargent B2 had already dismissed it. "Stand-by alert." He informed his troopers. "Enemies approaching. Estimated approach will be in 10 minutes." The defence-force was activated. He and his fellow sergeant where the only command control-voice still operational within his sector. Although the central control-computer would keep the basic units activated, it would be a loss of effort. CPU-algorythms would have to become activated. B2 would not permit it. The outlines of the garden where part of his programming. He would detain them until nightfall. Then he would recive additional support. The screens relayed images of what where transpiring elsewhere. The robot reacted accordingly. "Activate the mega-droid." He commanded. The answer where positive. "Sargent." The captain-commander's channel where activated. "Yes, sir." B2 moved into a posture of attention. "I will be sending one of my droid-lieutenants to join with you." "Yes sir." The droid-sargent replayed. The alternative where becoming reality. "Hail the count." They exchanged their salutes.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Torah made the shield of blue light protect her. "Rainbow fireball!" She cast the spell. Flames which altered colour flew from her fingertips. It made the droids explode. "Zapphire curtain!" The magic barrier blocked their approach. They'd learned not to try march through it. The huge amounts of raw energy made it difficult to retain the shield. Multiple axes then fell among the droids. Through the smoke which filled the backyard she saw the men come toward her. Torah pointed her arms skyward. "Dance of the Nutcrackers!" The wild spirits gathered around her. The sheer cold of winter's miracle could make even metal shatter. In this universe, only one thing is absolute. Everything freezes. Torah put it aside. She wasn't the white witch. "Pearls of heat!" Together they demolished the final band of robots. Torah went to pick up the gemstones the machines left behind. She still wondered how those things made her more powerful. Heinrich and the man-beast also went to retrive crystals. Then she went toward the maze garden. Heinrich got the key. No matter. Torah wished to have a closer look on those flowers. How could they sprout when the water was poisoned? She never reached them. Another tile moved aside. "Zapphire curtain!" Something enormous appeared. Shock-waves hammered her shield. The pressure where to much. Torah screamed as the barrier shattered. Torah collapsed into a heap. She felt like being crushed against the back of her own skull. The huge Cyclops robot fired another blast from its shoulder-placed gun. Torah struggled back on her knees. "Zapphire curtain." Somehow she managed to block even this attack. She again fell to the floor. This wasn't going to work. She had no strength left to battle the robot. Why hadn't it killed her already? Torah looked up to see the man getting involved with battle. They didn't try to block its offensive. The machine where double the size of a full-grown man. Patrick made a swung at it. Somehow, even though his blade where blazing hot with plasma, the droid managed to block. "It carries ordmented shields!" Heinrich shouted. Torah didn't understand. Rose settled beside her. "I can't help you." She said while shining a frustrated red. "I don't have the power of my mother." Torah smiled. Or at least tried to. She where so tiered. "It's alright." She said. "I just need to rest." The fairy muttered something she couldn't quite figure. It didn't matter. If only she could rest for a while. Torah closed her eyes. She just had to rest.

Heinrich threw his boomerang. He then summoned his bloodline power. The cross split in three. It made the rocket explode. The mega-droid glared at him. The machine's lone eye almost seemed to burn. Heinrich got a feeling this thing really hated him. Patrick threw some garlic at it. The vegetables just bounched off of it like plain onion. This really wasn't good. The robot opened three smaller openings in its left arm. Heinrich noticed three opal objects which became thrown at him. He didn't stop to inspect. The grenades made the pavement explode. Heinrich made tripled axes hammer the droid. Lightning struck down at it. It at least seemed to have some effect. The robot fell to one knee. Then it suddenly jumped through the air. Heinrich nearly became crushed in the making. It was like the robot figured he where the only real threat. It released a mean-looking hook at him. Patrick tried to cut the metal wire. Somehow even the chain had been ordmented. Heinrich threw himself upon the ground. Then he reached for his crucifix. A barrier of crosses rised around him. It at least made the robot withdraw. Then it fired another rocket. Heinrich used his bloodline power to rise himself into the air. The huge cross of solid gold appeared. Flames where spread all across the area. It tackled the missile. It also made the robot stumble. Patrick reappeared. His friend did retain his true man-beast form. Heinrich didn't believe it. Patrick actually tried to climb up the bulk of that thing. Somehow he didn't seem to get hold on it. The shoulder-placed cannon was turned toward him. "Patrick!" Heinrich shouted. "Get away from there!" He summoned his bloodline power. He sent two spiralling crosses toward their enemy. Sparks became spread as the projectiles hit that blasted machine. The smoke cleared. The mega-droid where still standing. Something where different dogh. Heavy steam did rise off of its armour. It was like the robot where overheating. Heinrich smirked. Then the robot sent another trio of grenades at him. It would've killed him on the spot. Heinrich didn't even try to block it. He quickly got out of its range. Then he summoned more power. Heinrich pointed his blade into the air. Water washed over the battlefield. It seemed to have no effect on the mega-robot who released another blast at him. Then it turn to deliver another flurry of grenades. It forced his friend to flee. No matter. Heinrich summoned his bloodline power. Then he reached for his boomerang. The onslaught of crosses made the grenades explode. Then heinrich sent it another rain of axes. Lightning struck the machine. The robot was unleashing more steam. It still came toward him, its eye on fire. Heinrich didn't like to admit it. But he had a bad feeling about this. In his heart, Heinrich summoned the Lord.

Patrick knew he wasn't powerful enough to battle the robot. But he could at least confuse it. He hoped this would work. Patrick threw a barrage of stakes. This time he sent his plasma right into them. Patrick thanked the Lord the wood didn't burn. Then he howled with triumph. The blazing stakes buried themselves into the machine. The giant droid stumbled. Then it released three new rockets. Patrick ran like Hell. He threw garlic at them. Patrick toutched his cross when the missiles exploded. Then it grabbed him with its hook. Patrick tried to break free. The mega-droid mercilessly dragged him toward it. The gun was already aimed at him. "Pearls of heat!" Torah's spell didn't seem to penetrate its armour. It at least made the robot change objective. The girl where forced to retreat as the robot shot at her. Heinrich advanced, his whip on fire. The robot sent three new missiles at him. Patrick grasped the wire. Then he released all his man-beast energy into it. He howled with triumph as he finally where free. The chain seemed to have melted. The mega-droid opened another turret. This one was placed on it's right arm. It released a homing missile toward him. Patrick where forced to flee. The rocket chased him. Patrick snarled. He just couldn't shake it. He threw garlics at it. Patrick thanked the Lord as the damned thing exploded. "Winter's heart! Rainbow fireball!" Torah cast new spells. The robot answered with another of its homing missiles. Heinrich made tripled daggers hammer against their enemy. The blades shattered upon impact. Fire burned its exterior. The droid delivered out two more rockets. The Belmont made countless crosses block its offensive. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah's move made the robot change strategy. It jumped through the air as it fired repeated blasts of energy. Patrick tried to score another hit. But the robot made him retreat. Heinrich buried his blade into the ground. The earth shook. How did he do such things? The monstrous robot was thrown to the floor. It immediately got back up. The droid then sent him another rocket. Patrick used garlic to blow it up. "Thanks!" Heinrich shouted. The mega-droid started firing again. Torah reappeared. "Winter's heart!" The attack made the robot freeze over. Patrick made another attempt to climb on its bulk. Somehow he didn't manage to hold on. The robot moved. It reached toward its chest-plate. "Get away from there!" Rose shouted. Patrick did as he where told. Then a huge explosion hit the backyard. Patrick got back on his feet. Only then did he notice he'd been thrown to the floor. The mega-robot came marching toward him. Patrick hoped it didn't have more of those super-bombs. There where no time for philosophy. That blasted machine continued to fire at him. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah looked like she'd been hit repeatedly. Still the girl managed to hammer the droid with her magic. Heinrich came walking toward them. Patrick noticed the Belmont had hung up the whip. His friend had his own sword in hand. "Pearls of heat! Orbs of sorcery!" Torah was down on one knee. Still she continued to cast her spells. Then Heinrich buried his blade into the heart of their enemy. How did he do it? Never mind. The Belmont channelled electricity through his sword. The mega-droid shook. There where no other way to describe it. Patrick ran to aid his friend. The droid's shield-generator had to be damaged. He prayed it was that way. Then Patrick altered appearance. He leapt through the air as he again summoned plasma to burn around his sword. The robot turned its gun at him. Patrick didn't care. With all his force Patrick dug his blade into the machine. Their enemy fell to its knees. Torah was there to meet it. With fierce determination she did end the battle. "Fountain of fire!" The onslaught of fireballs made its head explode. The giant robot then fell to the floor. Patrick retrived his blade. Then he and his friends all knelt in prayer.

Oldhill village, Warakiya. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
It was cold. Sigmund almost forgot how it felt. It felt refreshing. Pure biting frost filled the air around him. It would soon be sunrise. His friends looked to be happy to see him. Simon shook Sigmund's hand as the girls embraced him. He felt a little confused. Sigmund never really had been open to people. Not since Dracula's followers murdered his family. "It's nice to have you back." Reichardt said. The 10 year old redhead looked up at him. "Is Alfred alright?" Deborah asked. She blushed. "And the others I mean… " The girl became silent. Sigmund didn't really mind about her. Deborah's crushes wasn't his concearn. "I haven't seen him since we all ran away." He could at least ease her tension. Not that Sigmund didn't have his own problems. "They will find him." Deborah assured. Sigmund shrugged. He wondered who she where speaking about. He then crossed his arms in front of himself. His brother was what should concearn him. The vampire hunters had promised to find him. But what if it where to late? Sigmund tried not to think of it. Heinz was all he got left. Lucy seemed to notice something where wrong. The strawberry blonde girl toutched his hand. "You're worried about your brother." She made it sound like a statement. Sigmund looked away. He didn't wish to admit it. "He'll be fine." Lucy said. "Remember how we fought together." She actually managed a smile. "Heinz is very powerful." Sigmund knew it where true. But they didn't know about the darkside. The memory made him wish to hide. Sigmund hoped he never would have to tell his friends about them. "Let's get inside." Simon said. Sigmund gratefully went with them. It was to cold to be outside anyway.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Torah carefully inspected the flowers. The crimson plantlife remembered her about the winter garden. Their smell made her feel slightly dazed. "Do not toutch the flowers." Rose told her. Torah looked toward her fairy. "They are poisonous." The fay explained. "They'll kill you if you toutch them." Torah nodded. She watched as Heinrich opened the gate. "Be careful about the hedges." She told them. Patrick muttered something about plantlife which didn't sound nice. For once she did actually agree. Heinrich merely reached for his crucifix. Mist shrouded the interior of the garden. It came at them like steam when Heinrich turned the key. "I really don't like this." Patrick said. Rose shone a concearned blue. "Julia said the children went in here." Torah reminded. This time it was the man-beast who toutched his cross. Patrick threw the mansion a last look. Then he entered the maze. "He really wants to save them." Heinrich said. "I only hope his sister didn't lied to us." Torah didn't answer. She instead went into the garden. The figures which framed the entrance seemed to glare down at her. Torah tried to not mind about it. Mist obscured her view. She where grateful when Heinrich appeared. Patrick where already ahead of them. Torah inhaled deeply as she to began walking.

He hid among the hedges. Things where happening a little to quick. He had to split them up. What he had sat in motion was not yet completed. The Belmonts where not to ruin his plot. Not this time. He knew their weakness. He had to remove the clansman and the girl first. Then it would be time to handle the man-beast. The children would occupy him long enough for his purposes. He smiled. It where still time for him to fix everything. Actrise could handle the girl. As for the clansman… He knew the history well enough to remedy his death. He heard approaching voices. He curled into a ball. He had to be careful.

(A.N: Sorry for the late update. This text is the first part of the third chapter. It contains material I really wished to share with you. Although I keep to the CV64 outline I'll continue to add it into my story. Have a nice time.)

 

Section Two

""And one of you, is a Devil.""

John: 6, 70.

Maze garden.
Maze garden, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Mist obscured everything. The dank heat of the hedge maze really made him wish for something to drink. Heinrich threw it aside. Three openings went onward. If only he could remember which of them who led to the fountain. The spring where the heart of this area. Or it had been the last time he was here. Torah's fairy fluttered in front of them. Patrick where walking down the rightmost passage. They exchanged glances. "It's his home." Torah finally said. Heinrich shrugged. He hoped his friend really knew where to go. Heinrich moved toward the opening. The sound of flapping wings made him turn around. No, it was no darkside. Heinrich almost wished it was. The winged hound shot a fireball at him. He whipped it away. "Orbs of sorcery!" The demon easily dodged the girl's offensive. Then it leaped through the air. The mystic hound landed right in front of him. Heinrich whipped away some new fireballs. Then the dog threw itself toward him. Heinrich where thrown to the floor. The hard pavement pressed against his back. He held up his cross in defence. The hound barked with frustration. Then Torah finished the ordeal. She knelt beside them as she cut into its body with her ring-smash. Blood was stained all over the place. "Get down!" Heinrich shouted. Torah did as she where told. The fireball went straight over her. Heinrich got back on his feet. The second dog continued to spit fireballs at them. "Pearls of heat!" Although the little sorceress scored a few hits, it didn't seem to have any real effect. Heinrich summoned his bloodline power. He held his throwing-cross in his hand. Holy fire lit up the garden maze. Heinrich thanked the Lord before he released three burning crosses toward their enemy. The hound managed to dodge. Then the projectiles came on their return. Although it was a demon, the hound still was just a beast. Flesh and blood became spread across the area. Still, the pieces all burned to ashes before they could reach the floor. "Rainbow fireball!" Torah shot at one of the openings. A third hound appeared. "Fountain of fire!" The girl filled the passage with her magic force. The hound howled with pain. Then its body just exploded. Plenty of crystals did lay around. He went to pick them up. The girls where speaking together. Heinrich didn't mind. The hounds where demons. No matter. He just hated to fight them. Each time one of them died, they looked upon him with the eyes of his pet. Rover did become rolled over. He had been forced to shoot it. "You there!" A voice shouted. "Stay where you are!" "Roger, roger." Other voices chirped. Battle-droids appeared from the leftmost opening. "Zapphire curtain!" Torah cast her spell just as the robots opened fire. "Here we go again." Heinrich muttered as he cracked his whip.

Torah felt the machines hammer her barrier. "Lower it." Heinrich then said. "Lower it now." She didn't know what he where up to. Still Torah did as she where told. Although she didn't like to admit it, she really began to respect his judgement. Heinrich didn't let her down. The Belmont made a barrier of crosses appear. The robots seemed to become a little confused. Then Heinrich released a flurry of daggers. Torah toutched her own cross. She'd never really been interested in religion. What happened after her grandmother's death, made her more flexable. Then the remaining robots forced her to run. "Orbs of sorcery!" She did her best to protect herself. Where had Patrick disappeared to? No matter. "Pearls of heat!" Heinrich somehow managed to whip the lasers away. The gold around his weapon made even Rose look dimmer with comparison. "Winter's heart!" Torah made them freeze in motion. Heinrich whipped the robots away. They all shattered into pieces. Rose settled upon her shoulder. "He really is extraordinary." Her fairy commented. Torah couldn't help but agree. Grandmother Yoko hadn't made mistakes when she told her to contact these people. One of the tiles did move aside. Torah gathered herself as another group of battle-droids did appear. "Zapphire curtain!" Even dogh she where able to block their first assault, it wasn't enough. Heinrich made crosses rise in front of them. "We better get away from here." Rose suggested. "Fountain of fire!" Torah made multiple fireballs rain upon their enemies. "She's right." Heinrich admitted. "We must go." Torah knew it where true. But how where they to get away? The robots would continue to chase them. "Zapphire curtain!" The spell shielded against their fire. She remembered something. Something which Yoko once showed her. It was about the skills of a battle-mage. "The ability to shield against evil magic." It was like she actually heard her grandmother's voice. "Spirit is the basic element." Torah smiled. Then she did as her grandmother told her. "Frost-field!" The blue curtain seemed to harden. She fell to her knees. Torah almost forgot she where no real mage. "Come on!" Heinrich shouted. The Belmont made a final onslaught of axes fall upon their enemies. Torah struggled back up. The frost-field wouldn't stand forever. Where should they go? Heinrich ran down one of the openings. Torah really hoped it was the right one.

Maze garden, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Patrick walked down the passageway. He wasn't sure where he was right now. Patrick did as his father told him. "To get out of a labyrinth is simple. You just have to choose opposite directions." Patrick again went down the leftmost passage. So far he hadn't seen anything. Why hadn't Heinrich and Torah went with him? Two new entrances appeared from the mist. Patrick took the rightmost path this time. To his left, the hedge continued. Dry grass cracked beneath his feet. Patrick noticed this field must've been green, once upon a time. The bushes where all which remained of that period. Finally he knew his location. The ruined greenhouse made him sure of it. Patrick smiled. Greg where the caretaker of their garden. The former wrestler had been his friend. It was he who built the house. Greg really loved flowers. "Hi there." Someone did wave for him. A beautiful slender arm signalled for him to come closer. Patrick toutched his cross. What if his step-mother where back? He knew it was impossible. The light copper skin on that arm made him relax. A girl was seated upon the steps of the greenhouse. She couldn't hardly be more then 16 years old. Patrick felt his mouth turn dry. Whoever this person was, she where absolutely adorable. The redhead where a petite treasure. No more said. She smiled. The white pearls lit up her features. "I am Malpheffa." She said. Patrick walked toward her. She bore simple sandals and where clad in plain waist and chest-cloath. Although small in shape, she made all girls he'd seen before look ordinary. Patrick sat beside her. "I have been waiting for you." Malpheffa said. She looked upon him with clear emarld eyes. "Why me?" Patrick asked. "Why am I so important?" Malpheffa laughed. It was a pleasure to hear and see. A gust of wind blew past them. The scent of rotting flesh filled the air. The girl frowned. Then rich scents of incence filled the garden. Patrick tried to rise. Malpheffa put a hand on his knee. She looked up at him with a certain look in her eyes. Sudden dizziness made him sit back down. "You don't need to be afraid." She said, her voice did soften. "Just don't leave me." She pleaded. "I need you." Patrick put a hand on his head. He didn't understand. She toutched his hand with her tiny fingers. "You don't need to be afraid." She repeated. Her hands felt like living ice. Still, her skin where smooth and softer then anything he'd experienced before. She smiled. It made the chill disappear. "You know you are important." Malpheffa said. Patrick let his hand run up her arms. They where so round, so perfect. He toutched one of her burning red locks. It where even purer then her skin. Her eyes sparckled with joy. "I don't understand any of this." Patrick confessed. There where something he needed to remember. Malpheffa parted her lips. He felt a sudden greedy desire to kiss her. He shook his head. "It's Thomas who is the chosen member of my tribe." He said while streaking her ear. It where slightly pointed. Like that of a bat. It was something about that. It really concearned him. Then Patrick noticed he toutched her cheeks. They where still round, like that of a child. "You know why." She almost whispered. Patrick held her shoulders. When had he leaned over her? No matter. He didn't care. Malpheffa's smile widened. "You are a dark-breed." She breathed. "Your blood is very powerful." Something about her left wrist caught his attention. It where scarred. It was like someone had bit her, time and time again. Patrick where so close he could feel her breathing. It smelled sweet. There where something wrong about it. Beneath the sweetness where something bitter. Like what he could smell in blood. "You know who you are." He toutched her slender neck. A necklace of black leather hung down between her breasts. Patrick suddenly drew away. That thing made him feel dirty. "Who are you?" Patrick aimed his shotgun at her. "Tell me, tell me now." Malpheffa brought out the hidden crest. Patrick wished he could scream. The evil cross glared at him. By the looks of it, the symbol seemed to be made of iron. With his free hand Patrick grasped his crucifix. "Anti-Christ!" The word erupted from his lips. "May it be thrown back into the fire and destroyed!" The girl exposed her fangs. "Bitch of Satan!" Patrick snarled as he pulled the trigger. "Die you demon!" Malpheffa jumped into the air. Patrick felt his mouth fall open. The whore actually could flout in the air. "I could made your convertion a pleasure." The little wench told him. "Uriel where right. You have to die." Then she reached bogh hands outward. He watched as an eerie green ball appeared between her fingers. Patrick put away his pistol. What good could it do him anyway? Then he unsheated his sword. The shot split into four. The four orbs came at him from different locations. This really wasn't good. Patrick shot them away with a series of plasma. Malpheffa laughed. It still where a pleasant sound. No matter. It sent chills down his spine. This vampire where far more powerful then Susan had been. The undead released another ball. Patrick sent another bolt of plasma. It made the projectile shatter. Four new orbs came at him. Somehow he managed to dodge. The orbs changed direction as they came at him again. Although they wheren't really accurate, they made things much more complicated. "Come." Malpheffa teased. "Kiss me." Patrick didn't answer. He instead crushed her projectiles. The vampire drifted closer as she prepared another round. Patrick threw a garlic at her. The vegetable threw the petite monster to the floor. Patrick ran toward her. If he could remove her head, the battle would be over. "I don't think so." Malpheffa got back up. She really where gorgeous. Patrick tried to shake it off. She where a beast and a monster. Abraham Van Helsing had been right about that. Malpheffa then threw another of those glowing balls toward him. This time it where different. The projectile where orange, not green. Patrick didn't like to admit it. But he really got a bad feeling about this. He easily dodged the thing. Still, the magnetic sphere continued chasing him. "Put your arms around it." Malpheffa taunted. "She's hot, believe me." Patrick muttered about demons as he threw stakes at it. The orb exploded. Then the vampire made him jump as she put a hand on him. Malpheffa still felt like living frost. The fangs where exposed. Patrick gathered himself. Before she could bite him, he stamped his cross on her. The scent of fried flesh almost made him throw up. The demon shrieked like a forsaken soul in Hell. She shot him right in the chest. Some magic still slept in the chest-plate. He found no other explanation for how it save him. No matter. The impact threw him half across the area. Malpheffa came walking toward him, her eyes on fire. "You are going to pay for that." The honey in her voice had all disappeared. Patrick struggled back on his feet. Magic or no magic. If he hadn't been a man-beast, he would've been shot to pieces. She reached for him. Another of those magnetic projectiles appeared between her fingers. Patrick leapt forward. He threw another stake at her. It made the blast go off right in her face. She shrieked. The ball shattered into four homing balls. Patrick somehow managed to take out three of them. The fourt again sent him flying. She slashed her claws at him. Blood stained the dead grass. Patrick stabbed her through the stomach. Blood splashed all over him. Somehow Malpheffa managed to break free. He watched with horror how the wound healed itself. Malpheffa smiled. "If you feel that you must be hard on me, then be so. I can play even." Patrick toutched his cross. If she could heal herself like that, this was no battle he could win. Then again. Pierce the heart and cut of its head. Howling his ressistance, Patrick moved against her. Malpheffa sent another sphere at him before she again lifted into the air. Patrick knew how to counter. He threw a garlic at her. The onion made the orb explode. Her face became all blank. Patrick got away as she then dashed at him. She cut him in the face. Her claws where like frozen daggers. Patrick where grateful she didn't hit his eyes. Malpheffa sent him another blob. Plasma burned around his blade. The ball shattered into four new projectiles. He where forced to run. To be hit repeatedly where no option. Patrick released new bolts at them. Someone where behind him. Patrick spun around. With his cross Patrick made her face burn. It made the vampire scream. Her beauty had no effect on him. Patrick swung his blade at her. She became a bat. It was broad daylight. No matter. Patrick knew this where a forsaken place. He pushed away all the memories. This place wasn't his home. Malpheffa reappeared. She sent new spheres at him. Patrick threw stakes to make them shatter. His man-beast power took out the rest. An orange ball came right at him. The blasted thing exploded. It sent him half across the area. He felt somewhat dazed. Patrick shook his head. Malpheffa where sining. She where so beautiful. "Help me Lord!" He shrieked as he got back up. Patrick staggered. That last blow really got him. He drank one of his potions. It made his shattered ribs become healed. A bat suddenly transformed into his enemy. She stabbed him repeatedly. He held up his crucifix in defence. The petite treasure snarled. Another ball appeared between her fingertips. This time Patrick where prepared. He summoned his power as his blade began to burn hot with plasma. Her shot exploded. Before she could counter his approach, Heinrich threw one of his garlics at her. He hit the undead in the face. "We filled her mouth with garlic." The words from doctor Seward's diary rung in his ears. The vegetable didn't entered her mouth dogh. However, it threw her far back. Patrick retained his man-beast form as he leaped toward her. Pierce the heart and cut off its head. Patrick pulled out one of his stakes. "I will not return." Malpheffa stated as she released new orbs at him. A combo of green and orange balls shot at him. Patrick threw the stake. Then he where forced to run. He threw repeated bolts or used garlic to defend himself. Malpheffa continued to sing as she summoned new balls. He had to get in close. Patrick knew he would be killed if this where to keep up much longer. Then again, what could he do? She would become a bat the moment he reached her. He shot away the last of her projectiles. Then he put away his sword. "It's enough." He said. "I surrender." "Come to me." Malpheffa said. The look in her eyes told him she where on guard. "Kiss me. Only then will I believe you." Patrick knew his mixed bloodline would protect him from being cursed. No matter. To kiss one of the undead wasn't what he would consider as fun. But it had to be. With fierce determination he walked toward her. Malpheffa didn't resist as he put his arms around her. The rigidness of her body told him she where prepared for everything. Her breath stenched of blood. Patrick summoned the Lord in his heart before he kissed her. The vampire put her arms around him in turn. Patrick still where in his man-beast form. He moved his arms, as if he where about to remove her bra. Instead, he buried his claws in her soft flesh. Malpheffa shrieked when he tore her throat. He wasn't finished. Before she could do anything, Patrick stabbed her with the end of his crucifix. The creature burned with a pure blue flame which made him feel sick. Although he was stained with blood and ashes, Patrick felt strangely relieved. "I know who I am." He told the ashes. "I am who I choose to be." Patrick toutched the crucifix. "I'm a man-beast." He declared. "I stand with the humans." He then nodded. This he was sure of. "I stand with my friends." In the pile of ashes he noticed a set of leg-protectors. There wheren't many candles around the area. No matter, he felt grateful for this new piece of armour. Patrick put them on. They gave no bad feelings. He shrugged. The passageway continued at the other end of this medow. Patrick cleaned his cross before he began walking. The sound of flapping wings alarmed him about their presence. A pair of mystic hounds attacked him from either side. Patrick pulled out his shotgun. He really where getting low on ammunition. One hound shot fireballs at him. His bullets made them explode. He shot plasma at it. Then he where tackled to the floor. The second hound collided into him. Patrick somehow managed to hold on to his pistol. He shot the thing in the face. The demon where dead before it reached the floor. The second hound continued to spit fireballs at him. Although he fired repeatedly, Patrick where unable to ram it. Then he went out of bullets. The demon barked.

Maze garden, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Eight super battle-droids came walking down the passage. "Orbs of sorcery!" The girl where the first who noticed their approach. The robots immediately opened fire on them. Heinrich whipped the lasers away. He thanked the Lord his whip where powerful enough. "There are more of them coming this way!" Rose warned. "Curse it!" Heinrich muttered. The robots who first attacked where gaining. "Zapphire curtain! Rainbow fireball!" Torah blocked the second group of droids before she unleashed more magic. Heinrich made axes fall upon their enemies. He had no idea where they might be. Still, the crystals the robots left behind, kept them moving. "Chopper-droid coming in!" Rose warning came just in time. The helicopters where extended representatives of the central control-computer. It released rockets toward them. How Rose knew so much about the droid-army was a complete mystery. Never mind. Heinrich where grateful for just being alive. He blocked their missiles with a fluury of crosses. Then Heinrich summoned his bloodline power. He was risen into the air. Golden fire washed across the area. It forced the chopper-droid to lower its position. "Pearls of heat! Orbs of sorcery!" They fought back to back to keep the robots at bay. The helicopter where releasing its supply of mini-walkers. The small droids looked like headless chickens which continued to walk toward them. There where no funny about their guns. Heinrich cut things short as he released another wave of daggers. The chopper-droid tried to gain hight. "Winter's heart! Fountain of fire!" Somehow Torah made the thing explode. No matter. The super battle-droids and the remaining mini-walkers where making things difficult. The ruined helicopter took out some of their enemies when it hammered into the floor. Heinrich where quick to pick up the crystals. Then he made axes fall throughout the area. "Orbs of sorcery!" With a final sweep Torah finished off the robots. He let her take the crystals. Things really wasn't simple these days. The helicopter made the hedge burn. It would summon other robots. Then again, it also gave access to other sections of the garden. "They spy on us again." Rose informed. Heinrich sent them a look. The watchers where like miniature hovercrafts. Suddenly one of them dropped of a small triangular object. "Get away!" The fairy warned. Then the damned thing exploded.

Torah got up into a kneeling position. Although they'd managed to throw her off balance, she wasn't dead yet. "Pearls of heat! Orbs of sorcery!" The watchers where to quick for her to follow. Even so, it kept them moving. Torah's spells made them to busy to release more bombs. Heinrich joined her. Somehow the Belmont made the robots freeze in place. "Winter's heart!" She used the opportunity to blow them sky-high. The sound of running feet made her turn around. Torah did immediately recognize their enemies. The red guards ripped out their swords. The blue-furred fox-men attacked her inside Ravenberg power-plant. There where just five of them. The colour of their uniforms made them easy targets. Torah held her ring-smash at the ready. Heinrich unsheated his sword. The narrow corridor made it more difficult then she'd expected. They could stab at her. She had no space for her usual slashes. Rose saved her life. The fairy fluttered above the battlefield, warning her of their approach. The fight seemed to go on forever. Each time one of them fell, another took his place. Torah didn't feel wounded. Still, when the battle where over, she where bleeding from several minor cuts. Heinrich offered her some of his potions. Torah gratefully accepted. She where a sorceress. One day Torah would learn how to remedy this thing. She cleaned her smash upon one fox's jacket. With a slight shiver, Torah put the weapons away. The maze where all silent. The Belmont resheated his blade. He recoiled the whip as they began walking. Julia said some of the children went here. So far they'd seen nothing but trouble. Torah again wondered what might happened with Patrick. Then another tile moved aside. Heinrich joined battle as the super battle-droids began to march forward. The pillars which lined the passages revealed hidden openings. Four new destroyer-droids did unfold. "Zapphire curtain!" Torah rised her barrier just as the robots opened fire. The pressure where on her brain. It couldn't be compared with the mega-droid. But the repeated attack where making her shield collapse. She had to do something or perish. Torah held up her cross. The power of God would protect her. Torah performed a little dance when the fire became repelled. Their shield-generators turned the onslaught into a deathly cross-fire. Torah tightened the grip on her cross. This had to end. Torah moved slightly forward. Then Heinrich appeared. The robots scrambled to follow. "Orbs of sorcery!" She knew the Belmont where the only who could really smash these metal monsters. Her spell made the formost super battle-droid collapse. There where more of them. They faught back to back as they continued to move against the destroyer-droids. Torah prayed this would work.

Maze garden, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Renon tipped his hat. "That would be 1500 Euros, sir." Patrick handed him the gems. "Thank you, young master." The devine salesman bowed. Then he simply disappeared. Patrick found his contract within one candle. Renon's good really came in handy. Not only had he gotten himself a new jacket. But he also purchased new ammunition. Patrick continued walking as he reloaded his shotgun. The winged dogs where not going to surprise him this time. It'd been some time since he last saw them. The maze where silent as the tomb. He reached for his crucifix. It was no pleasant thought. He continued to pick different locations. It seemed to work. So far he hadn't met a dead end. Then again, he hadn't found his friends either. Patrick really began to feel concearned. Julia was his sister. But she where a vampire. Heinrich and Torah believed her. Even so, she where a victim of Dracula's curse. He chosed the rightmost passage. At the next turn he went leftward. Patrick knew he should be close to the heart of the maze. There where nothing to see. Finally the mist did clear. Patrick found himself within another medow. This one was bigger then the first. The floor was made of metal. At the far end of the area, standing within a strange near-transparent wall, where two other figures. Then the four shell-like objects around the screen began to unfold. The robots looked like giant spiders. Their eight legs toutched the floor. Then six arms, all holding heavy blasters, became aimed at him. "Hellfire-droids." One of the figures commanded. "Do your duty." They where faster then he'd expected. The Hellfire-droids hammered him with their lasers. Plasma burned around his blade. Patrick made the energy go right back at them. They answered with a roar of unleashed fire. Somehow he managed to dodge. Patrick figured he knew why they where called "Hellfire" robots. They again aimed at him. Patrick wished he'd bousted armoured boots. His plain leather footwear wasn't exactly fit for this kind of surroundings. Still, the added swiftness made it easier to fight. He ran in circles around them as they continued to fire. Then he suddenly changed his mobility. They where quick, but not quick enough. One of the robots actually blew one of its comrades to pieces. No matter. There stil where three more of them. Then the fire suddenly stopped. Patrick moved into a defensive posture. What where they up to? The answer came with a flurry of rockets. Patrick made them all explode as he threw garlic at them. Two of the droids advanced as the third continued firing. They waited for his approach. Patrick dodged the flames when he again repelled the lasers. It did work the last time. Quickly Patrick brought out some stakes. Then he threw them at the nearest Hellfire-droid. He channelled plasma into them. Although they carried an immense fire-power, they wasn't equipped with any heavy shielding. The projectiles dug straight into its torso. The robot staggered. Then it exploded. Its remains fell upon the floor. Before the second robot could react, Patrick threw himself forward. His blade easily removed its head. Three down. Only one left to go. The flurry of unleashed rockets told him to be careful. Somehow he managed to dodge. The final robot advanced as it fired its six-prolonged lasers at him. He threw himself to the floor as the robot made flames roar toward him. Then Patrick dived forward. The Hellfire-droid again fired its blasters. He where to close. The lasers where shot right back at it. Patrick buried his blade into its torso. The robot winched. Patrick withdrew. The robot shattered. Hidden openings in the floor withdrew. Patrick smirked. Four down, only 200 left to go. The battalion of battle-droids opened fire at him. Patrick made plasma blaze around his weapon. There where now only one person behind that mystic wall. Patrick wondered where the second did go. No matter. The battle-droids continued to press forward. He reppeled fire back at them. Then Patrick leaped toward his opponents. He cut through them as he moved toward the other end of the clearing. Another opening in the floor moved aside. The big robot released sparks at him. The man-beast barely dodged as the shot exploded right next to him. The power-droid continued to throw at him. Patrick knew he had to defeat it or die. More battle-droids appeared from the floor. No matter. Not if there where thousands of them where he to surrender. Patrick's eyes shone yellow as he advanced. The robots couldn't defeat him. Then the power-droid nearly got him. Patrick knew he couldn't repel its shooting. He beheaded the nearest machine before he sent lasers back at some others. Patrick then threw garlic at the gorilla-like robot. They exploded like grenades. Even so, the droid where still standing. There where no time to wonder about it. The power-droid threw new sparks at him. Patrick threw stakes at it. He made plasma burn inside them. The stabbing weapons dug into the machine. It had no effect. Patrick repelled some new lasers back at the battle-droids. Then he leaped across the area. He gathered all his man-beast strenght before he made another jump. Patrick reppeled all lasers back at the robots. Then he turned around as he beheaded the power-droid. The droid who lost all orientation continued to fire. Patrick almost laughed when he noticed it blasted away his enemies. Then he made quick work of it. Patrick pined the machine through its heart. The robot sturred. Then it simply exploded. "Enough." The still visible figure commanded. "Stay back." The figure threw back its cloak. "I'll take care of him personally." The robots did as they where told. Patrick watched as the remaining battle-droids returned to their original position. The commander came walking toward him. "I am Zera." It told him. Patrick moved into a defensive posture. The graceful figure where armoured from head to toe. The black armour shone like oiled metal. Her elegant tail trailed behind her. The cat-shaped steel mask hid her features. Patrick where unshure of this person. Was it a droid or not. The scissor-like formation above its head looked like a crown. "You don't need to be afraid." She purred. Patrick toutched his crucifix. "Sorry." He said. "But I have no fetish for steel." The cyborg made an unpleasant sound. Patrick didn't care. Someone where behind him. He sidestepped. The skeleton-droid fired its shotgun. The projectile shattered against the floor. Multiple tiny explosives where spread across the area. Patrick snarled. He knew what would happen if the skeler-droid scored him. Still, there where other problems he had to handle. In its left hand the machine carried something which looked like an automated weapon. "You are to surrender or you will be terminated." The robot stated within a Romanian accent. Patrick couldn't help but slightly shudder. No matter. He knew what he had to. The shot of plasma nailed its chest-plate. The robot staggered somewhat. That was the only result. Then the machine opened fire. Patrick knew he where to be quick about it. Bullets fell all over the place. Then it stopped. The robot where busy reloading its weapon. Patrick advanced. The blasted thing seemed to notice. It released another projectile from its shotgun. Explosions shook the metal medow. Patrick fired his own weapon. He almost gapped when the robot became thrown backward. It quickly got back up. It aimed its automated gun toward him. Patrick leaped into the air. Bullets rained across the field where he'd been seconds ago. No matter. He leapt again, and then he threw himself to the floor. At last the robot seemed to have emptied its weapon again. This time he where ready. Patrick threw stakes to take out its explosives. Then he sent three new shots into his enemy. The robot collapsed into a heap. Patrick howled in triumph. The sound froze on his lips. The metal skeleton where about to rebuild itself. This monster where like a robotic version of the crimson-bones. The enemy then fired. Bullets where spread about the battlefield. Before it could fire another round, Patrick impaled it. The robot quickly got back on its feet. "The droid sergeant-commander is not like any other robot built by Brencorp." The cat informed him. Patrick began to notice the truth of her statement. The sergeant fired another of those spread-shot explosives. The shock sent him flying. Patrick got up in time to dodge another barrage of bullets. "You have no choice." The cyborg purred. "Surrender." The sergeant-commander demanded. "And your life will be spared." Patrick didn't mind about them. Instead he sent another shot at the robot. The machine where shot to pieces. It was no reason to celebrate. The sergeant immediately began to rebuild itself. Patrick nervously licked his lips. How where he to destroy this monster? His enemy gave him no time to figure it out. The sergeant fired its shotgun. Then it sent out even another onslaught. Multiple explosions hit the floor. Then the robot stopped to reload. Patrick wasted no time. His bullets sent the robot sprawling. Then Patrick quickly reloaded his own weapon. The sergeant where ready. It fired countless bullets toward him. Somehow Patrick managed to save himself. When constantly leaping and twisting he dodged the onslaught. His mixed bloodline made him quicker then even a mere man-beast could be. Again the sergeant had to refill its arsenal. Patrick used this opportunity to impale his enemy. The robot fell into a heap. Patrick dodged. The robot where already busy reconstructing itself. He snarled. Patrick wasn't prepared to give in to this bucket. He threw one of his garlics at it. The result was extraordinary. The robot's left arm, along with half its rib-cage, went away. The robot where not able to repair itself. The destroyed pieces where reduced to ashes. "B2!" The cyborg shouted. She actually sounded concearned. Patrick didn't care. The sergeant where still able to fire its automated weapon. Somehow he again managed to dodge. Patrick where breathing heavily. Again it felt like a vampire had been dining on his blood. No matter. This had to end. The robot again stopped to reload. Patrick fired repeatedly. The enemy was shot far back. No matter. It again moved toward him. Before it could fire, Patrick sent it some of his stakes. He made man-beast plasma burn straight into the projectiles. The robot was shot to pieces. Patrick felt his hair stand on end as the machine again began to rebuild itself. His eyes shone with gold as he threw garlic at it. The sergeant exploded. It began to burn. Patrick reached for his cross. It had to be over. He felt his blood turn cold as the robot again got to its feet. It couldn't be possible. The robot limped toward him. Its weapon aimed at him. Patrick tightened the grip on his crucifix. This had to end. Then the sergeant fired. A barrage of bullets where spread all over the place. Patrick released his energy while his hand still held the crucifix. The result where like nothing he'd ever seen before. A tripled cross-shaped shot collided with the machine. Patrick's enemy where thrown sky-high. It shouldn't been possible. But when the robot stood on its feet, it fired at him. This time he wasn't as lucky as when it last shot at him. His protective vest, which he carried beneath his jacket, most likely saved his life. No matter. It still where like being shot to pieces. The sergeant where busy reloading its weapon. Patrick knew that not even a dark-breed could continue on much longer. Not without healing. This time it just had to work. Patrick threw more garlic at it. But in complete mode the vegetable only bounched right off of it. The sergeant where finished reloading. It aimed toward him. Patrick ran straight at it. He stamped the cross on the machine. The robot collapsed into a heap. The silvery flames didn't hurt him. Patrick thanked the Lord for His assistance. Then he stepped away before that damn thing could reconstruct. Then Patrick pulled out another garlic. He toutched it with his crucifix. "Be the will of the Lord." He said before he threw the thing. This time it worked. Oh thank the Lord! It worked! Patrick howled with victory as the droid-sargent finally where shot to pieces. Patrick quickly brought out one of his potions. It did work. He felt refreshment and health run through his body. Patrick knew it wasn't over. The cat where inspecting the remains of her scout. Then she rised. "Prepare to be terminated." She said with a voice cold as her own metal body. The cat then extended her claws. Zera moved forward. Patrick wasn't prepared when she threw her scissor-like "crown" at him. He just barely managed to side-step. Then it hit him on the return. His blood painted the metal floor a bright crimson. More blood stained her steel mask. Patrick had a bad feeling she where amused. He where sure that, if the mask fell away, she would lick it clean.

Maze garden, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Heinrich cut down the red guard. Blood oozed from the open wound. He couldn't pity her. Already another fox had taken her place. Heinrich where forced to retreat. This blue-fured fox-man where a better fencer then his fallen comrade. Torah danced beneath his guard. The fox looked down at her as the little sorceress cut him nietly in two. Heinrich knew no children should be doing this. War where for the adult who where mad enough to get involved. No matter. A vampire hunter always had to be prepared. The girl threw herself to the floor when another of the guards swung at her. Heinrich buried his blade in the heart of the warrior. The female fox screamed as blood painted her brown uniform crimson. He summoned the Lord when he swung again. Heinrich knew it where wrong. But he just couldn't let any of these folks escape. Rose fluttered above their heads. The fairy tried to heal them whenever she could. Aldough it where no real healing. It at least where better then nothing. There where no time to think further about it anyway. Another red guard, a vampire, tried to nail him. Heinrich removed his head. The undead didn't have the strenght of a living body to withstand blades or stabbing weapons. His chest-plate blocked the offence of another vampire. Heinrich pierced its heart. A look of peace crossed his face before he collapsed into a heap of ashes. "Hounds coming in!" Rose warned. The sound of flapping wings nearly drowned in the quarrel of their battle. "Zapphire curtain!" Torah blocked their initial onslaught. Heinrich summoned his bloodline power. Lightning struck from the shrouded sky. "Frost-field!" The girl protected herself from his offensive. Most of the red guards went down in the process. He really didn't like this. He where a vampire hunter. Heinrich prayed they would be forgiven. The hounds shot fireballs at him. Heinrich threw his boomerang. The battle continued. One of the tiles moved aside. "Surrender your weapons." The lead battle-droid repeated their standard pre-programed request. He didn't care. Heinrich toutched his cross. Then he moved toward the enemies. They opened fire. Heinrich summoned his bloodline power. Water protected his blade when he moved into battle.

Torah just barely managed to sidestep their approach. Somehow these hounds didn't scare her. "Orbs of sorcery!" Her spell made them keep their distance. The hounds then leaped toward her. Torah held up her cross in defience. Her enemy howled when it made contact with the silver object. "Watch out!" Rose shouted as the second hound shot fireballs at her. "Zapphire curtain!" The shield protected her. The dog barked. The beast almost sounded frustrated. Then the other hound came at her. Torah screamed as she was thrown to the floor. The jaws snapped before her face. Almost in a daze, she sung. Torah didn't know the words nor the melody. Instinctivly she thought about fire. The music went quicker, like a dance. The dog where thrown away as a volcanic eruption went from her fingers. The hound howled. Then it where reduced to ashes. She got back on her feet. The other dog fluttered at some distance. She had a feeling it didn't knew what to do. Torah tried to remember the music. It where to no awail. Torah knew that she had to learn control. Without control she might kill bogh herself and her friends. Torah closed her fists. Never was that going to happen. She would learn how to use her dryad powers. Somehow Torah just knew they would be instrumental in the battle against Dracula. Then the other dog shot at her. "Zapphire curtain!" Torah rised the shield just in time. Another of the chopper-droids where emerging. Torah wondered how they could do that. No time to think further about the problem. The helicopter where already releasing rockets at her. Torah somehow managed to dodge. The second hound assisted in chasing her. "Be careful!" Rose warned her. Torah almost went straight into the flower wall. She shivered when smelling their sweetness. Heinrich came running down the passage. The Belmont made axes fall across the area. It forced the chopper-droid to go low. Then it released mini-walkers. "Orbs of sorcery! Pearls of heat!" The spell made the robots shatter. Heinrich made multiple crosses cover the area. The hound where reduced to a pile of dust. The helicopter continued to release its rockets. The impact made bogh the tiles and the flowers explode. "Zapphire curtain!" Torah used magic to protect them. Heinrich unsheated his sword. He looked tierd. Torah watched with amazement how he created a perfect storm. The chopper-droid where again forced to lower its position. Torah gathered herself. She inhaled deeply. She felt just as tiered as her friend looked. Then Torah released her magic. "Fountain of fire! Rainbow fireball!" The onslaught made the helicopter collide with the flowers. Heinrich finished the job when releasing another wave of lightning. Then he just sat down. Torah didn't know much about healing. Rose settled herself upon her shoulder. "I know what you're up to." The fairy said. "But I suggest you drop it." Rose became slightly dimmer. "You aren't ready for this." Torah didn't understand. The sound of marching boots made her dismiss the matter. More robots where advancing. Heinrich struggled to his feet. Torah knew this would be the end. They where bogh low on energy. She couldn't do anything about it. Rose couldn't do anything about it. She toutched her cross. Nothing where impossible to God. Torah moved to stand beside Heinrich. They would meet this treath together. She brought out her ring-smash as the Belmont recoiled his whip. Then the super battle-droids opened fire. Heinrich whipped the lasers away. Torah leaped through the air. She prayed Patrick would slay Dracula. Then she cut down the formost of the robots. The battle where on. Heinrich where at her side. They fought back to back. Another group of battle-droids where emerging. Torah where caught in the shoulder. The scent of fried flesh filled the air. Rose closed the wound before she could be crippled. It didn't matter. The pain where real enough. Torah grined her teeth together. At least she would die standing. Then the robots suddenly collapsed. Others just seemed to be switched off. She felt like being hit in the head. How was this possible? "Someone must've destroyed the central control-computer." Rose explained. Then the fairy blazed. "Its' over!" She shouted. "The robots are all shut down!" Rose actually danced with joy. Torah smiled. She shared her feelings. "Thank you Lord." Heinrich knelt. Torah did kneel beside him. They where bogh exausted. The knowledge that the robots where down lit her mood. Heinrich brought forth some of his food. They drunk some of the healing potion after having finished their meal. "It has to be Patrick." She finally said. Heinrich nodded. "He must've found the computer." He frowned. "This really doesn't change anything." He then said. Torah nodded. "The monsters are still out there." Heinrich's voice became a wisper. "Dracula is out there." Torah nodded. Rose seemed to grow dim with concearn. Then Heinrich got to his feet. "We must continue." Torah agreed. Just then they heard it. Torah was unsure about what it meant. Who would use a chain-saw out here anyway? Then she heard the heavy steps. Someone where approaching. The sound of the chain-saw grew lauder. Then it appeared out from the mist. Torah screamed.

Maze garden, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
The cat moved with the grace of a professional dancer. With a double-jump and a perfect twist she dodged his offensive. Patrick snarled. He never liked cats anyway. Patrick knew it was his damned bloodline which made him allergic. Zera threw her clippers at him. The scissor-like boomerang flew through the air. Patrick jumped across the projectile. Then the thing came on the return. Patrick sent the cyborg one of his own blasts. Then he where forced to withdraw. Zera staggered. Then she leaped toward him. Before Patrick could get away he was hit by her tail. The metal where agile, like that of a whip. She actually pured when hitting him. Patrick heard her heavy breathing from within the mask. The monster really did enjoy this. Patrick dodged when she slashed at him. Somehow he just knew the talons where poisoned. Patrick stamped her with his crucifix. The holy symbol threw her off balance. Patrick retained his man-beast form. His pale fur and religion gave him the tribe-name of "Silver". He howled when releasing a double load of energy. The plasma threw her to the floor. The cat moaned. Patrick felt how chills whent down his spine. Zera really got a thrill out of this. Suddenly she where back on her feet. The boomerang-clippers went at him. How did she do that? Never mind. Patrick tried to dodge. Blood stained the metal floor. Patrick gasped with pain. That monster hit him just beneath the chest-plate. It came back. This time he managed to sidestep. The thing where still in the air. He'd noticed she didn't move while throwing her scissors. He sent her some blasts. The cyborg where thrown to the floor. Then she suddenly moved. Patrick barely got his sword out in time. She stabbed at him repeatedly. Somehow he managed to perry most of her blows. Sparks flew from his blade. Patrick where unsure if his sword could deal her any real damage. He channelled plasma through the weapon. It made her withdraw. She pulled off a series of back-flips which really impressed him. Then she threw the scissors at him. Patrick tried to scrap it. It had to be ordmented. Even with his blade on fire it where impossible to cut it down. He had a feeling the boomerang actually cheered when slashing his hand. Patrick thanked the Lord that it didn't teared away the muscles. He sent her some stakes in return of the favour. It actually made some of the metal crack a little. This time he where sure the moan where in pain. He tore of a piece of his jacket. It where no bandage. But it had to do. Patrick tightly tied it around his palm. He knew he should've wished for wrist-protecters this Christmass. His enemy seemed to get a hold on herself. Patrick got up his defensive just in time. Zera used her metal claws like daggers. She where quicker then any mere human. Patrick was no human. There where times when he mourned it. But this wasn't like that. She hit him in the face with one of her tail-whips. Patrick shivered. It where awefully close to his eyes. Perhaps a helmet wouldn't be that bad after all. He blocked another of her offensives. Then he hit her across the chest. The impact where hard enough to throw her backward. His blow also resulted in another crack. At least her chest and mid-sections where alive alright. Then she threw her boomerang. It hit him in the chest. This time it was he who became thrown against the floor. Patrick rolled aside as the scissors came on the return. Then Zera came walking toward him. Her nails extended. Aldough her armour where somewhat crushed she still looked cooler then him. Patrick snarled. He wasn't prepared to let any sadistic cat-woman tear him apart. Patrick pulled out his shotgun. She knelt down over him. Patrick howled when sending her one of his bullets. The shot sent Zera sprawling. It was a miracle she survived. No, Patrick altered his statement. Not a mirracle, it was a curse. Patrick got back up just as she threw the clippers at him. He leaped and then threw himself to the floor. He got back up just as Zera retrived her object. Patrick couldn't be sure. But he had a feeling some of the blood which stained her suit, didn't belong to him. Patrick felt somewhat better. If she could bleed, she could be damaged. And if she could be damaged… Patrick didn't have time to complete his line of thought. Zera was at him again. The loss of blood made him slower. Then again, the cat had lost some of her grace. Patrick blocked her offensives. He waited in hope for an opening. Zera seemed to also be waiting for him to lapse. He really didn't like this. Then Patrick threw himself sideways as he continued to dodge. Zera made that unpleasant sound again. It made him think of an angry cat. His mother did love them. Not that she ever could have one. Patrick threw the memories aside. Then she threw the scissors again. It was what he'd waited for. Patrick managed to dodge the weapon. He fired his pistol. He had no choice but to drop the firearm. Patrick blocked the clippers. Zera retrived the object just before his bullet hit home. The impact threw her backward. The armour finally gave way. Patrick blinked. White fur became visible. He'd expected Zera to be one of those black cats the witches prefeared. "You are dead." She hissed. Then she threw the clippers at him. Patrick felt sick when he noticed she'd electrified the weapon. He realy didn't like that. The clipper flew just past him. Patrick ran to pick up his pistol. He nearly became caught when the scissors came on their return. He sent her some plasma. She easily blocked the onslaught. Then she pressed her feet together. Patrick became cold as he noticed new steel claws appear. Clearly her arms and legs where made of metal. Before he could think it through, Zera made her move. He had to be quick about it. She where incredibly swift. Zera kicked for him before she delivered repeated punches. The cat whipped her tail. Patrick prayed to the Lord for guidance while franticly dodging her approach. He sent his power straight through the crucifix. The solid blast of holy fire sent her far back. Her fur where on fire. The stench of fried flesh filled the air. Then the cat-woman threw her "crown" at him. The electrical impact made him howl. Never had he felt pain like this. Somehow Patrick managed to get back up. He ducked. Then he rolled. The electrified projectile shot right over him. Patrick leaped through the air when Zera again threw her boomerang. This time he managed to dodge it. Patrick then traded her one of his bullets. Somehow he missed. The bullet went straight through her. Blood oozed out from the hole. No matter. He'd missed. Patrick's hands where shaking. He where shaking. The electrical impact did have an effect on his nerves. Patrick where grateful for not being stunned. Then again, he could be flexable. Zera again threw at him. The electrified projectile went just above him. Patrick discovered it where difficult to change direction when she'd thrown that thing. It was his only advantage. Before she could retrive her weapon, Patrick threw garlics at her. It was all he'd left. Patrick prayed it would work. They exploded like grenades. Her chest-plate and armour where torn off of her body. Smoke rised from her fur. The metal mask still concealed her face. Somehow Patrick where glad about it. He didn't wish to see her face. Their breathing where all which could be heard. A sudden silence fell upon the medow. Patrick reloaded his shotgun. Zera beheld him as he went to pick up his blade. Then a sudden dizziness hit him. Patrick felt warmth and chill battle within his body. He knew he was poisoned. Patrick brought out one of the antidotes. He managed to drink some of the liquid. It tasted awefully. No matter. Patrick forced himself to drink it. He got to his feet. The antidote didn't cure his other damages. Zera shrieked. Then she threw herself forward. She stabbed him all over his body. Aldough not all of them hit home, Patrick knew he where dead anyway. He wouldn't be able to get out another potion. Almost in a daze he grabbed at her. Patrick got hold of something. What he didn't care. He snarled. With all his force he released another load of plasma. Zera didn't make a sound. One moment she where nailing him. The next she collapsed into a heap. Pain where all his universe. He'd dropped the antidote beside him. Patrick had to force himself just to move. This time the antidote tasted wonderful. He made a grimace. Patrick felt nearly as limpless as the cat beside him. He pulled the corpse aside. For a moment he just lay there. Patrick knew he couldn't stay. He opened his eyes. He sat up. The mask had fallen from her face. Patrick inspected her face. She looked just ordinary. Like any other of his tribe. For reasons he didn't know, Zera did pledge fealty to the Dark Lord. Patrick couldn't understand why anybody would resurrect count Dracula from his grave. No matter. The clippers had fallen off of her helmet. Patrick picked it up. It did transform. Patrick blinked. From the scissors it changed into that of a normal boomerang. It wasn't the cross brandished by the Belmont clan. It was a plain wooden object. The fabric would make it suitable for a vampire hunter. Patrick put it into one of his pockets. He ate some food. Suddenly Patrick brought out his blade. Why hadn't the robots attacked? He looked around. The metal where gone. It where impossible. Still, he sat upon the dead grass he'd seen inside the other medow. The droids he hadn't destroyed where all inmobilized. Patrick shook his head. He reached for his crucifix. He never expected to understand all of creation. Never mind. The robots where down. Even so, the undead where still out there. Patrick began walking. For all which had happened, he hadn't found any of the children. He took another path. He wondered what might've happened with his friends. Patrick pulled out his shotgun. The maze where still haunted. As if to prove it, the hounds reappeared.

Maze garden, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Heinrich released a flurry of crosses. The gardener staggered. The chain-saw produced a buzzing sound. He knew what would happen if the monster ever caught up with them. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah cast her spell. The magic hit home. Not even mysticism seemed to have an effect on this creature. Heinrich made multiple axes fall throughout the passage. The gardener seemed to have been fused together by multiple corpses. The presuer where forced to the floor. Heinrich knew better then to inspect their enemy. Victor Frankenstein where a long time supporter of the fallen Dark Lord. Heinrich wondered if the undead scientist had been behind the executioner which Sonia Belmont faught in 1476. The gardener got back on its feet. "Quick!" He told his comrades. "This way!" He led them down another passage. "He's still out there." Rose told them. Heinrich nodded. Torah gathered new magic. He where sure Frankenstein had been involved with Dracula as far back as in 1496. Trevor Belmont had been sure when describing the enemy. The gardener continued chasing them. He where grateful no new red guards where around. Mist obscured their enemy. Never mind. Heinrich could hear its footsteps. The gardener where slow. But never the less, it never seemed to give up its chase. Torah picked another opening. Heinrich summoned his bloodline power. Then he threw three daggers toward their enemy. It seemed to inmobilize the giant. Heinrich prayed it was that way. Then he followed Torah down the passageway. At least this was no dead end. They seemed to have shaken off their presuer. At least there where nothing to be heard. The path ended as two new openings became visible. They went down the leftmost path this time. "They are here!" Rose suddenly warned. The sound of flapping wings warned about the approaching enemies. Heinrich cracked his whip. "Zapphire curtain!" Torah brought up the shield just in time. One of the dogs spat fireballs at them. He threw daggers at the winged Hellspawn. The demons easily dodged his offensive. "Pearls of heat!" Torah cast her spell as one of their enemy dashed forward. The dog where thrown to the floor. They didn't have time for this. He heard the chain-saw approach. Heinrich saw Torah's face grew pale. He sent some more daggers at the hounds. Then Heinrich began running. He where growing short of crystals. He could summon Renon. No way. Heinrich knew it was no good idea. Bogh the creature and the remaining hound disappeared behind them. He frowned. He knew this place. It was where they'd faught the first chopper. The destroyed robots still littered the floor. Something did move. Heinrich prepared the stopwatch. It hadn't stopped the gardener. But it might work on whatever where approaching. All was silent. Then Patrick appeared. Heinrich could breathe again. "Have you seen any of the children?" "Have you seen my sister?" They almost said in unison. Bogh shook their head. Heinrich where anxious. This place was one giant death trap. If any of the children had ever been here, he was afraid they would only find a corpse. Heinrich toutched his crucifix. He had to have faight. The sound of the chainsaw cut through his line of thoughts. Patrick sniffed the air. Then his face grew pale. "It's the gardener." Torah explained. "It's a monster composed by Frankenstein." Rose filled in. The man-beast reached for his cross. "Then follow me." He instructed. "Let's get out of here." Heinrich noticed the horror in his eyes. He where sure they where thinking the same. Julia must've betrayed them. "Be the will of God." Torah suddenly said. It brought them back to their sences. The gardener where approaching. Heinrich hung up his whip. There where no time for further speculations. Patrick led the group down another passage. The mist concealed their enemy. No matter. Heinrich was sure it was still behind them. He put a hand on his sword. If everything else failed, Heinrich knew what he had to do. It would reveal their position. It where still several hours left before dusk. The passage ended when two new openings appeared. Patrick inspected their surroundings. Then he went down the rightmost path. Heinrich hoped his friend knew what he was doing.

Torah had a look on the flowers. There where something about them. If she could only remember. Patrick where taisting the air. "Do you know?" Torah asked her fairy. "Where the wild roses grow." Rose glow altered into a confused green. "Why do you ask?" The fay said. Torah pointed at the bushes. "I finally remembered what my grandmother told me." She explained. "The hedges are made of garden flowers." Rose fluttered in front of her face. "Why is that so important?" She asked. "They are poisoned." Torah nodded. "I know." Then she smiled. "But the flowers inside the winter garden, where wild roses." Heinrich stepped closer. "You mean that." He said. "Because Julia is growing weapons, she's to be trusted?" Torah's smile grew wider. "You got it." She said, proad of her deduction. Heinrich shook his head. "This way." Patrick suddenly said. "Are you sure?" Rose flew in front of the man-beast. Torah frowned. "We never went down this way." She said. "How do you know?" Patrick asked. "It's no droids here." Heinrich said as he pointed at the floor. Torah knew he where right. The places they'd been, where littered with the remains of robots. She tried not to look at the corpses. Patrick crossed his arms in front of himself. "Never mind." He insisted. "The air is better down this path." Torah looked upon the Belmont. Heinrich where the leader. He frowned. Then he shrugged. "You're the man-beast." Heinrich stated. Patrick muttered. "Thanks for reminding me." Then he continued walking. The girls exchanged glances. Torah couldn't help but giggle. Men where so strange at times. Heinrich threw her a look. Torah felt her cheeks turn red. He was right. This was no time for joking around. Torah brought out her ring-smash. Heinrich cracked his whip. Then they followed their friend. Torah still felt a little ashamed. By the bright pink glow of her fairy, she where sure Rose felt the same. Then the fay settled upon her shoulder. Torah kept a sharp eye out for enemies. She hoped to never meet the gardener ever again. They continued forward. The maze was all silent. Patrick told
Them about his adventure. Torah almost couldn't believe it. Then again, she knew he where powerful. Some of his tribe had come to visit Yoko Belnades. They'd let Torah probe their aura. Neither Patrick, nor they, had been the chosen beast. Torah had met Thomas once. He was older then Patrick. Thomas surely was this chosen man-beast. "Stay back." Patrick warned as he sniffed the air. "What is it?" Heinrich asked. "I'm not sure." The man-beast had a baffled look on his face. Torah tightened the grip on her weapons. "It feels… " Rose never finished her statement. Patrick's face suddenly grew pale. "It's him." He said. "It's Dracula." Heinrich toutched his crucifix. He mumbled something about holy water. Torah didn't mind. She reached for her cross. The men told her about their meeting in the entrance. Patrick pulled out his shotgun. "Stronger we are in the name of the Lord." Heinrich said. Then he led them down the passageway. Torah wasn't sure what to expect. Rose spread her light upon the hedges. They then entered another small clearing. Something which looked like a tiny black package lay near the other end of the medow. Torah stepped upon dead grass. It shattered beneath her feet. Torah felt that strange sadness. She knew it originated from her dryad bloodline. She made an effort to put it aside. Someday it would all change. When the curse was lifted. The Dark Lord where nowhere to be seen. "Where is he?" Rose asked. Good question, Torah thought. Dracula wasn't really here. "I'm sure I smelled him." Patrick said. Heinrich nodded. Torah wasn't sure how to react. She trusted him. But this was a cursed spot. Everything could happen in such a place. Then something did happen. The dark package got up into an upright position. It was a boy, Torah noticed. He had to be at least five years younger then her. Torah couldn't help but feel attracted. He pulled away strings of whitish blonde hair. "Don't hurt me." He whispered with a strong Japanese accent. ""I've told you all which I know about the Belmonts." Torah reached out with her magic. Who was this boy? Then she gasped. "Get away from him!" Torah shouted. They looked at her. She tried to get a hold on herself. This was no ordinary human. "He possess the power of dominance." The others immediately stepped away from him. The boy began laughing.

The boy told his name was Iori Najima. Patrick didn't like this. Iori told them about his adventures. Christian Belmont and Noriko Cruz had been together with him. "Then the undead captured us." Iori continued. "We where brought aboard their ship." Tears run down his cheeks. "They killed our friends. We where forced to watch." Patrick couldn't feel pity on them. He didn't knew those people. The sadness on his face didn't fool him. Iori had the power of dominance. He was a potential incarnation of the fallen Dark Lord. Patrick frowned. Dracula was back. He'd seen him himself. Perhaps this boy was innocent after all. Iori continued his tale. He explained how several members of the allied families fought together to defeat Dracula's followers. "Then Uriel took me." A look of dread upon his face. "I'm not sure what happened then." Iori toutched his broken rosary. "The angel brought me to Castlevania." Heinrich and Torah exchanged worried glances. Patrick didn't mind. They'd They'd all seen it. Torah had been there when the castle returned. He and Heinrich noticed from afar. People said it already had been back for some time when they finally discovered its presence. "Dracula then brought me here." Iori finished his story. Torah stepped in front. "Have you seen Saria?" She asked. "Have you seen my sister?" The boy shrugged. It was difficult to see because of the black shroad which seemed to be his only outfit. "The redhead dryad?" He smiled. "I saw Dracula carry her with him." He again toutched his rosary. "I think he went down into the basement." Torah almost began to weep herself. Heinrich put a hand on her shoulder. "You really care about her." Iori said. It was no question. Torah simply nodded. Iori reached into his cloak. "Here." He said when handing her a copper key. "This should open the door." The Belmont reached for his chain-whip. "The vampires are down there." Iori stated. "You shouldn't go alone." "You don't need to worry." The Belmont said. "I'll go with her." Torah looked up at him. Patrick couldn't read the emotions which crossed her face. He tested the air. She smelled of fear, hope and gratitude. All mixed up with concearn. He threw it aside. He'd nothing to do with it. "You are alone?" Patrick asked. "Of course." Iori answered. A sudden shadow crossed his features. "I've always been alone." Patrick didn't mind. He didn't trust him. The tales of Malus went through his mind. Some people said that history always repeat itself, at least twice. "We're searching for some children." Patrick said. He quickly discribed Alfred and Penny. "I have seen them." Iori admitted. "They went to hide in the castle." Julia said they hid in the garden. Iori was here. But he wasn't among those which the undead abducted. Perhaps his sister thought he where one of them. Never mind. "We have to split up." Torah then said. They all went to look upon her. The girl lifted her arms, as if to defend herself. "You know we have to." She said. "We can't search for Saria and the children at the same time." Torah was herself a child. Patrick knew she didn't view herself like that. But it was the truth. "You don't need to come with me." She told Heinrich. His friend shrugged. "I'm hunting Dracula." He stated. "It looks like he's near your sister." Patrick reached for his cross. He really didn't like this. Then he turned at Iori. "I might send you away from here." He said when showing the boy his white crystal. Iori opened his mouth, as if to speak. Before he could say anything. The gardener sawed through the wall. "This way!" He shouted. Patrick fired at the figure. It fell backward. Then it rised. He couldn't believe it. This monster couldn't die! Patrick sent it another shot before he went after his friends. Patrick still didn't trust this boy. It would have to wait. For now they had to survive. Patrick heard how the massive figure continued its chase. Iori led them down another passage. Patrick had no idea where they where. The scent of dominance filled his nose. It tasted like rusty iron. Heinrich made several crosses fly toward the gardener. Patrick fired his pistol. The enemy collapsed. Iori picked another path. There where no way to distinguish this place from any other corridor. Patrick hoped Iori knew where he was heading. They entered yet another passage. Remains of shattered machines littered the ground. He where unsure if this where droids he'd faught or if this where reckage from Heinrich's fight. The gardener continued its presuit. "Orbs of sorcery! Pearls of heat!" Torah cast her spells. It clipped their enemy. No matter, the gardener soon got back on its feet. "You can't defeat it." Iori whispered. "Nobody can defeat it. The gardener was created by Dr. Jeckyle." Patrick wondered what he was speaking about. Never mind. He emptied his firearm. Patrick had more ammunition. There where no time to reload. Iori led them out upon another clearing. The gate was at the other end of the medow. "Thank you Lord!" He shouted. "Stronger we are in the name of the Lord." Heinrich toutched his crucifix. "Frost field!" The little sorceress created a magical forcefield in front of their presuer. Patrick noticed they'd come down the leftmost entrance. Even dough they'd gone through so much, the result where like nothing. Torah opened the gate. Then they all tumbled out upon the sunlit courtyard.

(A.N: This chapter is short. Because CV64 has several tracks on one area, I've done it this way. I hope you like it. Have a nice time.)

 

Section Three

""Broods of wipers! Who has taught you how to escape from the coming wrait?""

Mathew: 3, 8.

Boss fight: "Giles's track" Shudder.
The crypt, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Giles De Reis awakened from his slumber. All has transpired as he did expect. Even so, something was wrong. He could feel it. The Dark Lord granted the knight his power. Giles was the overlord of this area. He thus could feel the shift in power. Then Giles finally understand. It could have happened in ceveral different ways. But his grandson was slipping from his hands. Cold rage blossomed within his heart. He had to be responcible. Giles knew it
was true. The creatures in the castle where loyal to their master. No matter. They did not have the perspective on how to achieve true power. He would take care of that later. Then he noticed something else. His comrades where in danger. As a brother of the knighthood, he had the plight to defend his comrades. The highmark of a true knight was to uphold his oat of volour. His anger was an armour of frost. Giles De Reis rised from his coffin. If the vampire hunters believed daylight would defend them, he would prove them different. This was their lair. Here the Devil was Master. Like death in red suit Giles confronted his enemy. He did not show it. But he knew they had failed.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdal. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Sunlight eluminated the courtyard. Heinrich cracked his whip. There where no enemies around. Iori Najima pulled down the hood over his face. The boy they'd found in the maze didn't seem to like the sun. Mist still shrouded the garden. Heinrich wished Julia was here. He would've liked to ask her some questions. Those who carried the power of dominance where not to be trusted. That was the lession Julius Belmont learned by the incident of 2036. Aldough Soma Cruz did aid their family, he'd always been hard to figure. Not that Heinrich ever met him. "You're sure the children are inside the castle?" Patrick asked. Iori nodded. "I saw them myself." Heinrich reached for his cross. Alfred and Penny where still missing. He just couldn't help them. He'd promised to aid the unicorn. Torah where right. They had to split up. "There are robots in there." Iori suddenly informed. "And monsters too." Heinrich's smile never reached his eyes. Of course there would be followers of Dracula inside the castle. The Dark Lord himself where in there anyway. "Go and find them." Torah said. She turned away from the flowers. "If God will, we'll meet again." Iori shook his head. "They'll kill you." He insisted. "You can't go there." Patrick shook his head. "It doesn't matter." The man-beast said. "I must go." The boy paled. "They'll kill you." He repeated. Heinrich viewed him carefully. Did the boy really worry about them? Rose fluttered into the air. "Is there no way to settle this?" She asked. "Is there no way to get around them?" Iori brightened up. "There is one way." He cheerfully admitted. "There is a secret path into the castle." He eagerrly pointed at one tower. "Follow me." He said. "I'll show you the way." Heinrich didn't know what to say. Iori smiled up at them. He looked like the 8 year old he pretended to be. Patrick settled their argument. "Show me the way." He said. Iori clapped his hands together. Was this really wise? The look in his eyes told Heinrich the man-beast where determined to do this. "Be the will of the Lord." He whispered. "I agree." Patrick smirked. Then he got serious. "I have to find those children." He said. "I promised Deborah and Simon that I would find them." Heinrich nodded. He too wished to save them. Only that his quest where more important. "See you." Patrick then said. They shook hands. Then he bent down to embrace Torah. "Take care of him." He told the sorceress. He tried not to laugh. Torah was so serious about matters. Then again, she had her reasons. "I will." Torah promised. Patrick gave them one final wave. Then he and Iori began walking. Heinrich watched as his friend left them. What was there inside the castle? The nest of the darkside had to be in there somewhere. The mere thought made chills go down his spine. Heinrich toutched his crucifix. He told himself he'd fought them on several occations. No matter. Those evil spirits where truly terrifying. "I hope he knows what he's doing." Torah said. Rose settled upon her shoulder. The girls whispered together. Heinrich didn't mind about it. Saria was the chosen one. Torah had to be right about that. Why else should Dracula be so interested in her? That was why he'd decided to come along. Beside, Torah needed someone to look after her. Not that he would ever tell her. There was another reason as well. What Heinrich saw in the pond. The goal of his mission had to be donstairs somewhere. "What're you waiting for?" Torah suddenly asked. "Let's get moving." Heinrich agreed. There where still much which concearned him. Dough, Torah was right. He couldn't stay out here. The sorceress and her fairy where already ahead of him. Heinrich was quick to follow.

Torah opened the door. The living room looked just like when last she saw it. Of course, neither Heinz nor Renon was to be seen. The basement door where still locked. She hoped Iori hadn't fooled them. "I'm not Reinhardt Schneider." The Belmont muttered while turning the key. "This isn't 1852." He turned to look on her. "Stay back." He warned. Torah nodded. She already held her ring-smash. Heinrich toutched his crucifix. Then he opened the door. "What smells?" The fairy chirped. Torah felt it too. "It's like a rotting corpse." She tried to ignore it. Heinrich smiled, dough it never reached his eyes. "The dead wander where they do not belong." Then Heinrich became serious. He stepped forward, just as a swarm of bats came flying through the doorway. Torah moved. She cut two of them down already. There where more of them. Heinrich cracked his whip. She knew the truth. The bats carried the curse. If only one of them where to polute her blood… Torah didn't wish to think of it. There was no time for magic. Torah moved her rings. The weapons where brandished by Carrie Fernandez way back in the 19th. century. She made it rain with blood. Pieces of flesh where spread all over the place. The bats swarmed the area. Then, it was suddenly over. The smash felt so heavy. Torah knelt upon the floor. How long had it been? No matter. Heinrich was seated in one of the chairs. He almost seemed to fit. Aldough his plain brown jacket where stained, his blonde hair still shone with determined brightness. He noticed her stare. "It's alright." He said, scratching his beard. "I'm just a little tiered." Rose settled upon his shoulder. Her glow lit up his features. Heinrich really looked like he could need some rest. Then he got up. "Let's go." Torah readied her weapons as they began climbing. The air really smelled bad. It was like decay itself had began to rott. Torah didn't like it. Not that the smell itself where terrible. It reminded her of Johnathan Harker's journal. Aldough it was more then two hundred years ago, the thought gave no comfort. The undead haunted this area. Torah was sure. The steps ended. Another corridor reached out before them. Some bats flew toward them. Heinrich whipped them away. Torah moved onward. There where a few doors to eiter side of the Hallway. Somehow Torah knew they wasn't important. "I see them." Heinrich whispered. "I see you." Torah almost forgot he could see beyond the obvious. Heinrich turned to look upon her. "Perhaps you should stay here." He said with sudden seriousness in his voice. "You know what must be done, before we might purify this nest of evil." Torah swallowed. She knew what he was speaking about. The words of Abraham Van Helsing, spoken more then a century ago, seemed to echo in her mind. "Read the papers which lay within these. Study them carefully. Then you must hunt down this great undead. Cut off his head, impale his heart and burn it. So that the world may have rest from him." She tried not to listen. Torah knew she had to come along. "I must go with you." She said. She tried to smile, but failed miserably. "We are vampire hunters." Torah didn't wish to do this. But she had to be a hunter. She had to, if she should ever defeat the undead which killed her grandmother. A cold wind blew through the passage. Rose fluttered in front. Her glow became dimmed. "I have a bad feeling about this." The fairy all but whispered. "I feel someone is approaching." Heinrich reached toward his cross. "I know." Torah put away her smash. They had no place here. Then a burning skull came through the wall. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah cast her spell. The phantom skull shattered upon impact. "Behind you!" Rose warned. Heinrich's whip made the other skull burn to ashes. Then two new skulls appeared. One through the floor, the second from the ceiling. "Winter's heart!" Torah made blue magic cover her ground. One of the phantoms simply disappeared. Heinrich defended himself against another pack of bats. She noticed to late to do any diference. The skull burned her. Torah tried to scream. But it was like the pain blocked her breathing. "Opal sun!" The spell was cast on pure instinct. Yoko once showed her the scroll. "You must be patience." Her grandmother said. "The spells I show you, are nothing against the true power of our arts." Torah knew she where no battle-mage. Aldough they called her sorceress, Torah knew she was still an apprentice. A ball of orange light appeared within the hallway. Then a tiny explosion hit the area. Torah became thrown upon the floor. The phantom skull was reduced to ashes. No matter. This show of force may have awaken the vampires. Heinrich helped her to stand. Then they continued walking. Some bats still chased them. Torah didn't care. It was like Yoko was there. "You should never let your enemy know your whereabouts." She hung her head in shame. "Just forget about it." Heinrich said. "Acording to Julius Belmont, even your grandmother made mistakes." Torah nodded. She knew that. During her younger years, Yoko Belnades had been bogh flirting and talkative. But she'd learned. Torah decided it was time she did as well.

She watched their approach. He wasn't with them. Renate was young. But she'd learned how to read an aura. She couldn't help but snarl. This was why Malpheffa choosed her. Now it was all in wain. No, she told herself. Not in wain. The girl was powerful. It was the human which made Renate lick her lips. He carried hidden power. They would reward her for claiming such a price. This was cursed land. Aldough most of the ring where asleep, she transformed into mist. She knew what to do. This wasn't over. De Reis would be proad of her. Renate drifted through the cracks into the crypt. She held Malpheffa's rank, now that the vampire had left the circle. They would answer her request. If she'd could, Renate would've smiled.

Oldhill village, Warakiya. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Heinz opened his eyes. Patrick told the truth. He really was back in Oldhill. "Brother!" Sugmund came running toward him. "Sigmund!" Heinz couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. He had escaped. He had escaped! Heinz embrazed his brother. Their friends gathered around them. "It's so good to be back." Heinz whispered against the cloth of Sigmund's jacket. "I know." His brother said. Heinz couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw tears in his brother's eyes. If it was, he quickly dried them away. Heinz hid his smile. Sigmund never showed his emotions. He went to speak with Reichardt. The redhead knew about his brother. "It's a miracle we're all here." Reichardt shook his head. "Alfred isn't here. Neither is Penny." Heinz nodded. He remembered Patrick's face from when he asked him about the others. Lucy was speaking with his brother. "She really likes him." Reichardt said. "Alfred is the most powerful person I know." Heinz said to might alter the subject. "He is." Deborah stated. She really looked concearned. "Patrick will find them." Simon stated. Heinz looked up on the oldest member of their group. Simon cleaned his glasses. They hadn't seen what waited in the castle. Heinz knew Penny held the power of light. She was strong and determined. Heinz knew she could defend herself. They could sence her use of power. Simon seemed to notice his worry. Reichardt crossed his arms in front of himself. "He will find them." Sigmund said. "When he could find you, there is nothing which might stop him." Heinz didn't know what to say. He really wished to believe Patrick could do everything. Still, he knew better. Heinz had seen count Dracula.

The crypt, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
The cave was monstrous. It must've been there for centuries. Heinrich wondered if this was the place which the Unicorn showed him. Never mind. At least Dracula wasn't around. "I can't see my sister." Torah suddenly said. Rose settled upon her shoulder. The fairy was their only source of light. Heinrich tried to remember what he knew about the undead. "A full circle consists of 13 members." He mumbled. "We must've defeated at least two of them." Torah sent him a look. Then she shook her head. "I don't remember precisely." She admitted. "But we must've defeated more then that upstairs." Heinrich shrugged.. "No." He explained. "Beside the duo in the hall, we just met their pets." He had another look around. "There is at least 11 more graves which is inhabited." "In that case." Torah stated. "Let's get to work." The cave was circular, like that of a giant hive. Ahead of them was one more door. In the wall it was carved twelve arched openings. "They lead into the tombs." Rose explained. Heinrich agreed. "You don't have to do this." He reminded Torah while unsheating his sword. "I know." The sorceress shook her head. "But this is something I have to do." Torah revealed her smash. The rings shone cold in the fay's light. Heinrich toutched his crucifix. "Come with me then." He said before entering the nearest tomb. "Let's purify this nest of wipers." Heinrich felt relieved when they followed. Beyond his bravery, he was unshure if he could do this. Heinrich destroyed the bats which came at him. A huge black coffin became visible. "Be careful." He reminded, bogh Torah and himself. This wouldn't be easy. Torah nodded. Heinrich inhaled deeply. Then he opened the burial box. It was nobody inside. Heinrich felt strangely happy about it. Never mind. Heinrich knew what to do. "In the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit." He said as he reached into his backpack. Father Nathan had given him an absolution. "Do this in remembrance of me." Torah mummbled. Heinrich placed a piece of the Host into the coffin. Then he closed the lid. In bogh the Orthodox and the Catholic church, the Host was held in high esteam. Aldough the ritual was celebrated in the Protestant society, it was merely a rite of tradition. Heinrich knew they considered it holy, but he couldn't figure their presentation. "Let's inspect the other graves." Torah suggested. Heinrich nodded. He put a hand on his cross as they moved to stand before the second tomb. Heinrich opened the lid of the coffin. This box was inhabited. The woman was dead. No matter. Her voluptus beauty made him stare. "Jesus!" Torah reacted. She cut through the cloth of the shroud, piercing the heart. The creature in the coffin shrieked. It was terrible to hear and see. Heinrich knew he had to act. With a powerful blow he cut off the head. Heinrich felt sick about it. Rose grew dim with disgust. Torah looked nearly as pale as the vampire. The look of joy which spread across the face before it became dust, gave them the strenght to continue. Heinrich placed another Host before closing the coffin. He felt grateful when the third box was empty. He lay down another piece of the Host before he continued. There where still three other graves this side of the crypt. They had to inspect all of them to be sure. The fourth tomb was inhabited. There lay another woman. This time he didn't look upon her. They helped each other to put her to rest. Blood splashed from her pierced heart. The shreek which erupted from her lips was truly terrifying. Heinrich leaned against the wall. He placed the Host within the coffin. Heinrich got a hold on himself as they neared the fifth tomb. This really began to becom difficult. The next grave was also empty. He frowned when placing the sacred bread. There had to be some male vampires in the circle. Heinrich viewed the elegant tomb which occupied the center. "Come here." Torah called. The sixth coffin was also deserted. "This doesn't make sence." Heinrich said. Torah nodded. "Where have they all gone?" Rose circled her head. "They are here." She stated. "I feel their pressence." Heinrich quickly crossed the floor. The first coffin they recovered was occupied by another woman. He thanked the Lord neither of them where Julia. Aldough the coffin had to be ancient, the lady was brilliant. She lay there in all her death beauty. Heinrich summoned the Lord. He reached for his cross. Then Heinrich did what they had to do. Torah buried her ring-smash deep within the chest of the vampire. Heinrich completed the deed with a blow of his blade. It was terrible. He knew it had to be done. They exchanged glances across the coffin. "We have to release her soul." Torah simply stated. She was pale and trembling. Even so, Heinrich knew she was right. He put the Host into the box. Then he closed the lid. The other grave was empty. Heinrich frowned. The tomb was silent. Still, there was a strange chewing sound which disturbed him. He lay down the eight piece of the Host. Torah was already busy with the third coffin this side of the grave. "Good Lord in Heaven!" The shout made him run to her side. Heinrich felt disgusted by the look. The undead male which slept in the coffin where aweful. He looked to be 100 years old. The near body smelled of rotting flesh. It was with triumphant joy Heinrich beheaded the monster. The look of piece which went across his face made him feel ashamed. "May the Lord forgive me of my sins." He whispered. Heinrich put down the Host. Then he closed the grave. There where still three more graves to investigate. They found another woman. Heinrich cleaned his sword upon her shroad before he swung at her. Torah used her smash to pierce the heart. Rose was seated upon the girl's shoulder. This was dreadful. Heinrich placed the Host inside the box. Then he went to inspect the final tombs. This grave was inhabited by another male vampire. Again they had to pierce the heart and cut off the head. Heinrich where grateful when they finished the task. He knew there where four undead which hadn't been accounted for. He prayed the Lord would guide them. "Perhaps they're inside the next room." Torah suggested. Heinrich shrugged. Something was wrong. He was sure about it. Still, he couldn't quite put the finger on it. He went toward the other doorway when something fell from the ceiling. Torah screamed. Heinrich ran toward her. This really wasn't good.

Torah was ashamed of herself. It'd happened so much today. Still, it was no excuse. The female body was clad only in her nightgown. Before she could inspect her, two other bodies reached the floor. The vampires immediately knelt to drink the blood of their victim. Torah noticed the chuwing sound when she first entered this dreadful place. It was the vampires which produced it. Torah toutched her cross. This had to end. The vampires where not going to steal another soul. She wouldn't permit it. They already where approaching. Then Heinrich was there. He whipped the first undead in the face. Somehow he managed to dodge. The vampire clawed at him. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah cast her spell. The second undead jumped into the air. She tried to track it. No way, it disappeared among the shadows. Heinrich presented his crucifix. It made the first vampire withdraw. The Belmont then threw tripled daggers at it. The other undead was back. "There he is!" Rose shouted. Torah just barely managed to duck beneath his guard. "Pearls of heat!" Her magic exploded upon impact. The body was thrown far back. Torah presented her ring-smash. The vampire threw itself forward. It tackled her to the floor. Rose shone a desperate white. Torah felt sick when his face became iluminated. No matter. The flash gave her time to react. Torah stamped him with her cross. The scent of fried flesh made her wish to throw up. Somehow Torah managed to hold together. The enemy disappeared. If only she could've traced him. The first undead punched Heinrich. He made a back-flip before throwing the boomerang-cross. The second vampire suddenly reappeared. The undead landed directly in front of her. He sent her a repeated swipe of his claws. "Winter's heart!" Torah cast the spell right in his face. The Nosferatu made a summersault before he vanished. Rose shrieked. It was the only way to describe it. A flash of bright light illuminated the grave. Torah saw him. Before he could react, Torah made her move. "Fountain of fire!" He couldn't escape. Fireballs hammered him repeatedly. He fell upon the floor. She was prepared. Torah brought out her smash. One ring removed his head. The second dug deep into his heart. He smiled. It was a surprise. Never the less, the tiered smile of an old man crossed his face. Then he collapsed into a heap of ashes. She sank down upon the floor. Torah closed her eyes. She was tiered herself. She got back up. Torah knew she had to continue. Aldough she hadn't seen her, Saria could be here somewhere. She came in time to watch as Heinrich released the soul of the other vampire. Joy lay upon him like sunlight. Then he fell into a pile of dust. She toutched her cross. The words of Jesus; "I will be with you, until the end of the world" seemed to echo through the chamber. She was about to kneel in prayer, when the corpse moved.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Joseph Vincent smiled. He was smarter then any of them. Joseph was sure he would reach Dracula before they did. He'd found the hidden staircase inside the study. Somehow he'd been sure it was there. He made the sign of the cross. It was the Lord who led him. He was chosen to deliver the countryside. He would do what the Belmont clan couldn't. Vincent whistled a hymn while walking. He would defeat the prince of Darkness. He kept the bats away with a risen cross. There where no vampires here. Joseph almost felt disappointed. He knew he could defeat them all. Hadn't he already proven as much. The antique dealer wondered if the Belmont had killed the witch. The werewolf had to be dead. Hadn't he showed the boy the truth? He dismissed the matter. The armour became alive. Joseph laughed when dousing the sword lord with holy water. Fire blazed upon impact. Nobody could defeat him. He was the chosen one. Joseph stamped his cross upon the enemy. The armour collapsed into a heap of golden ashes. "God is with me." He said while making the sign of the cross. Then he stepped forward. Another step was before him. Careless, Joseph climbed downward. The antique dealer held the cross at the ready. Who knew? Perhaps there was some undead down here after all. No need to be careless. Vincent continued his whistle.

The crypt, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
This was madness. None the less, the body actually moved. She was attractive, Heinrich had to admit it. "Heinrich." Her voice made chills go down his spine. "Have you come to me?" He stepped away from her. The woman smiled. She was clad only in her torn nightgown. "Bitch of Satan." Heinrich toutched his cross. "Stay away from me." It looked like Torah finally had awaken. They'd been shocked when the woman moved. Heinrich had been sure she was dead. Rose shone bright with gold. Torah slashed at the female vampire's stomach. The woman snarled. Then she became mist. "Thank you." Heinrich really ment it. Bogh the Lord and Torah had come to the rescue. She was a victim of Dracula's curse. He knew. She was just so damn attractive. The female vampire reappeared. Torah made a swing at her. The undead withdrew the skirts of her nightgown. She really bousted nice legs. Never mind. "Watch out!" It was to late. The enemy kicked Torah in the head. The sorceress collapsed into a heap. "Stronger we are in the name of the Lord!" Heinrich shouted while hurling his throwing-cross. The woman again disappeared like mist. A tiny onslaught of bats flew toward him. Heinrich whipped them all away. The undead did return. She dropped down from the ceiling. Heinrich was thrown to the floor. "Kiss me." The female vampire demanded. It was barely he managed to resist her temptation. She had the strenght of 20 men. Heinrich tried to break free. He still had the whip in hand. "Don't try to resist me." The undead smiled, exposing her fangs. Her breasts where visible through the torn cloth of her gown. "Back off you Devil!" Rose shouted. The fairy darted directly for his enemy. She had to let go of him to fight. Heinrich wasted no time. "In the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit I cast you out into light!" He held high his crucifix. "Go back to the shadows." Rose shone brighter then ever. It was like his summoning gave her new power. Heinrich stamped the cross upon her forhead. The female vampire screamed like a forsaken soul. The scent of fryed flesh filled the air. Heinrich kicked her off of him. "You will come to me." She said. "Never." Heinrich summoned his bloodline power. His whip went on fire. The undead became mist. Heinrich went to retrive the throwing-cross. Then another wave of bats came his way. It had to be the work of his enemy. Heinrich made a barrier of crosses rise around his position. It kept the bats away. "Heinrich!" Rose's warning came just in time. The female vampire was kneeling in front of Torah. "Never in Hell!" The cry erupted from his lips. The female vampire turned to look upon him. "It was Malpheffa who introduced me to the pleasure of the flesh." She said while licking her fangs. "She really is adorable." She let a finger run down the cheek of the sorceress. "Admit that you desire her." Heinrich bit his teeth. He knew she tried to provote him. If he where to strike her down in anger, she might possess him. Heinrich felt his blood turn cold. He wasn't Maxim. Never the less, he had to remain calm. Heinrich reached for his cross. "Heinrich!" Rose settled upon his shoulder. "Don't listen to her." The fairy said. "She only tries to confuse you." He nodded. "I know." The female vampire suddenly dived forward. Heinrich just barely managed to sidestep. She imeediately bounched backward. Heinrich whipped her chest. The undead ducked beneath his weapon. She got up in time to deliver a double-handed claw-swipe. His chest-plate saved him. Heinrich sent her a dagger before she could repeat her offensive. It made her stagger. No matter. Heinrich knew he'd missed the heart. "I am Renate." The female vampire decleared before she became mist. Heinrich picked up his weapons. Another wave of bats appeared. Heinrich was prepared. He again made crosses rise around him. Then again, he'd failed. The bats wasn't interested in him. They instead flew toward Torah. Heinrich almost cried. They where not going to dine on her blood. Not if he could help it. Heinrich summoned his bloodline power. Then he made multiple axes fall across the area. It made the mammals scatter. Then someone kicked his back. Heinrich couldn't help but stumble forward.

Torah slowly opened her eyes. What had happened? Then she remembered. The vampire had kicked her out cold. Torah got to her feet. She retrived the ring-smash. Where was the undead devil? "Renate." Heinrich shouted. "Get off of me." There she was. The female vampire had somehow managed to nail the Belmont against the floor. Now she lay ontop of him. Rose circled the combat. It looked like she didn't know what to do. Torah smiled. It never reached her eyes. She knew what to do. Torah put away the smash. Then Rose released another flash. It made the undead release her victim. Heinrich buried his dagger into her stomach. The undead howled. It was terrible. Torah then stamped her cross upon her. Heinrich moved in for the kill. Then the enemy became mist. "Be careful." Heinrich said. "Renate is clever." Torah didn't understand. Then she got it. Bats came toward them. "Orbs of sorcery! Pearls of heat!" Torah cast her spell. Heinrich threw his axe. Three projectiles hit home. Bolts of lightning made the bats burn to ashes. Then the female vampire came at her. She must've crawled along the ceiling to get an aim on her. Somehow Torah managed to dodge. Renate kicked where her head had been seconds ago. Heinrich whipped at her. Their enemy became mist. Another wave of bats shot directly toward him. Torah tried to figure out a way to help him. Heinrich made crosses rise in front of him. A coil of mist caught her attention. More bats flew at her. Torah wished to scream. There was no time. "Winter's heart!" Torah released frost right into the flock. The frozen mammals shattered against the floor. Torah gathered herself. This was no ordinary vampire. Heinrich whipped more bats into oblivion. Suddenly Renate was behind her. The cold arms closed around her. "I think that's enough." She whispered in her air. "Actrise will reward me if I bring you over to the dark side." This time Torah actually screamed. Renate laughed. "Let go of her." Heinrich said. He and Rose where advancing. "I don't think so." Torah felt a sharp nail against her troath. "One more step." The female vampire warned. "And her blood willl be on the pavement." She saw Heinrich tighten the grip on his whip. "Let her go." Rose said. "You don't know what you're doing." Torah could feel Renate smirk. "Oh, but I know." She said in a chilling soft voice. "He was here, he told us about her." Torah frowned. What was she speaking about? Never mind. She didn't know, but they'd come to release her soul. "Enough of this." Renate said. "Come to me. Come to me now." Torah carefully reached toward her neck. Heinrich slowly moved forward. Rose grew orange with frustration. "You don't have to do this." The fairy stated. "Be the will of the Lord." Heinrich answered. Renate snorted. "Your God has no place here." Torah thought otherwise. Before their enemy knew what was coming, Torah stamped her cross upon the claws which threatened her. Renate screamed. With her hands on fire, the vampire let go off her. Heinrich wasted no time. Torah threw herself to the floor just as her friend released an onslaught of daggers. The countless knives buried themselves within her flesh. Renate was torn apart. But before the pieces could even reach the floor, ugly green flames consumedher. "May the Lord make mercy upon her soul." Torah said. Renate was a forsaken soul. Nothing could ever save her. She was forever condemned. Strangely, Torah felt tears run down her cheeks. "May the Saints rejoice in her resurrection on Judgement Day." Heinrich said while toutching his crucifix. Even he seemed doubtful. "I don't think she will." Rose whispered. Torah nodded. She did understand. Then the magnificent tomb moved. The lid of the elevated grave was opened. A figure clad in black cape emerged. "Dracula!" They all cried in unison. At last, the Dark Lord had returned.

Tower of science, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Black Imperius, warlock of the New Order, beheld the screen. "You are sure?" Armageddon asked through his inplant communicator. The droid-sargent B3 made its salute. "The data is scheduled to be reliable." The robot reported. "Droid-lieutenant Zera has been terminated." The message made Imperius hiss. This was not what he expected. "The sergeant B2 is, as to my calculation, also dismantled." The sergeant then informed. Armageddon looked toward the central control-computer. Then he straightened his miter. "Very well." He said. "Gather the robots available. You are to withdraw and await new orders." The sergeant gave its salute. "Hail the count." Armageddon returned the salute. Then the transmission ended. The captain seemed to consider the situation. Imperius paied it little attention. The man-beast was alive, undetained. So far, no new images had been captured about his mobility. "Alastor." Armageddon said as the droid-captain did again activate his transmitter. "I give you actual command over your sector." The lieutenant gave his report. Imperius walked back and forth along the bridge. The gremlins where busy about their work. "Captain." He then said. "I want all personel to be at stand-by alert." Armageddon turned to look upon his superior. "I might alarm the tower control only." He said. Imperius hissed. There was nothing he could do about it. For a state of full stand-by alert he needed permission from the New Order's high-command. He had no intention to contact lord Tyrannos about this development. The droid-general did not admire the Phantathian priesthood. Imperius knew about his statement. So be it. Another screen revealed the image he had been looking for. "Interesting." He hissed. The captain stepped in close to view the image. "I know where that is." He remarked. The warlock lowered his head. The cyborgs had full access to the map-reading computers. "Alarm your robots." Imperius instructed. "He must not be allowed to escape this time." Armageddon made his salute. "It shall be done, my lord." Imperius's eyes lit with diabolic satisfaction. His captain was already speaking with the officers on duty.

The crypt, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
The creature from the crypt stared upon them with eyes of fire. "You may have defeated the circle, but I have won." Malicious triumph crossed his face. "You have lost." He pointed skyward. "You came here to defeat them?" The vampire exposed his fangs. "Mortal fools!" He suddenly boomed. "You can never defeat them. They are the lords of shadows. In Darkness they are one." Heinrich reached for his crucifix. Whoever this demon was, he wasn't Dracula. He was an elderly gentlaman. His crimson coat was decorated with blooming leaves and flowers in pure gold. "Monster!" Torah shouted. "What have you done with my sister!`" The nobleman arched a black eyebrow. Aldough bogh hair and beard where white, he didn't seem like age concearned him. He was still strong and powerful. Heinrich could see the muscles beneath his jacket. "My young lady." The undead proclaimed in an icy tone. "I can assure you that I have nothing to do with the chosen one." They knew it. Heinrich tightened the grip on his whip. Of course the Dark Lord would know about matters of such importance. He grew cold when thinking about the power of dominance. "He isn't Dracula." Rose whispered in the sorceress's air. The gentleman bowed. "The fay is correct." Beyond his curticy, Heinrich noticed the undead where at the ready. "I am not the prince of Darkness." Torah held her smash like she was prepared to use them. "Then who are you?" Again their enemy arched an eyebrow. "Such lack of remembrance." He said while he moved to stand upon the steps leading to his resting-place. "It's Giles De Reis." Heinrich said. "One of the letters from Corenel, he describes their encounter." "I remember." Giles said with false flattery. "The young man was forced to sacrifice his power." Heinrich felt a dreadful suspection dawn in his heart. Had all this been a trap set up to capture Patrick? He couldn't believe it. But then, what if it where true? The mere possibility sent chills through his mind. "You know something about Saria." Torah insisted. "Why else should Iori give me the copper-key." Giles spread his arms, making the cape look like monstrous wings. "Believe me." He said. "I have no knowledge about your sister." "Lier!" Torah shouted. Before Heinrich could stop her, the sorceress dashed forward. "Crimson lightning." Giles De Reis lifted a hand, palm outward. "Torah!" It was to late. Rose shot toward her mistress just as the bolt of lightning struck home. Heinrich forced himself to watch. Torah was thrown far back. She hit the wall before she collapsed into a heap. Rose fluttered above her, shining a worried green. "I did not come here to argue with such half-breed scum." Giles said. He was still using that icy tone he'd used when first speaking. "I see." Heinrich said. He was boiling with rage. That undead creap made Torah sound like an outcast. The truth was that the little sorceress was a nice person and a powerful vampire hunter. Heinrich inhaled deeply. He had to remain calm if he was to slay this devil. Giles seemed to notice. "I know your power." He said with a cordial bow. "Disguised like count Dracula I fought your ancestor in 1852." Heinrich frowned. Neither Reinhardt Schneider nor Carrie Fernandez had been able to reveal the truth. Giles smiled. "It is true." He seemed to contemplate the matter. "I think the man-beast knew. But it seems like he never spoke about it." Heinrich recoiled the chain-whip. "A pity you did not bring my grandson." Heinrich didn't get it. What was the beast speaking about? Patrick. It had to be Patrick. Heinrich almost smiled. Then perhaps there was no plot. Heinrich unsheated his blade. "Exelent." Giles threw back his cape. "Defend yourself." The knight then presented his own blade. Heinrich nervously scratched his beard. He wasn't a real fencer. Giles looked to be an expert. He moved with grace and agility. There where elegance in every move. Heinrich then remembered Giles was a knight from the 15th. Century. He was trained as a swordsman. Heinrich met his offensive. By the first blow Heinrich knew he'd been wrong. Giles was a seasoned fencer, an expert of his generation. The Belmont swordsmen where trained to fight large numbers of attackers. Or also to face big ugly things which faught alone. Luck, skill and fortune had lead them through. Beyond his strenght and determination, Giles didn't move an inch. Instead it was he who was forced backward. "Descendant of Reinhardt Schneider." Giles taunted. "You disappoints me." Then he suddenly seemed to advance his offensive. "Your bloodline ends here." Heinrich threw himself backward. "A pitty your ancestor is not here to witness the final destruction of his linage." He didn't knew of Alicia. It almost made him smile. Then, with an elegant blow, De Reis struck the blade from his hand. "It is over." Giles said. "I don't agree." Torah was back. "Heinrich!" Rose lit up the chamber. "I found your sword." He ran to pick up his weapon. The sorceress was incredible. She where everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Small and agile she easily dodged the undead. Heinrich summoned his bloodline power. He ran to aid his comrade. Then Giles disappeared. A swarm of bats scattered across the area. "Lay down your weapon." Giles was back. He glared upon the sorceress. "Go back to your bed." He instructed with a voice like frozen iron. "You should wait until your man calls for you." Heinrich almost felt like being strangled. He dashed forward while sending the monster a wave of daggers. Again the bats disappeared among the shadows. "Clever." Giles admitted. But foolish, my friend." Then Torah reacted. "Orbs of sorcery!" The onslaught made Giles tumble forward. Heinrich ran forward. Somehow Giles had his blade at the ready. "You still have much to learn." De Reis healed himself as all vampires did. Torah must've hit the heart. Heinrich met him, blade to blade. This time he tried to let the Lord guide him. When seeing beyond the obvious, Heinrich somehow managed to stand his ground. He couldn't challenge Giles. But that wasn't important. "Pearls of heat!" Torah cast her spell. Then she met the undead knight in hand-to-hand combat. "Balls of destruction." While Heinrich was forced to dodge a series of slashes, Giles turned to face the sorceress. He tried to warn her. De Reis spread his cape. A duo of blue bat-inhabited fireballs shot from within his cloak. Torah ducked beneath the attack. Heinrich tried to push his momentum. "I have not forgotten." Giles almost smiled. Then he forced the Belmont to withdraw. "Winter's heart!" Torah released her magic. Heinrich nearly became shot. Never mind. Giles tried to teleport. Most of the bats became captured. They shattered against the floor. Then the vampire reappeared. "Remind me not to underestimate your power." Heinrich prepared his weapons. Then Giles lifted his hand. "Crimson lightning." The bolt almost killed him. Heinrich just barely managed to rise the crosses. "Balls of destruction." The demon sent new fireballs toward Torah. "Zapphire curtain!" Heinrich summoned more power. While Giles prepared another spell, Heinrich sent him a flurry of crosses. Giles groaned. It was the only result. Heinrich reached for his crucifix. He'd been wounded repeatedly when fighting this enemy. Aldough the potion healed him, they couldn't remove his weariness. Torah seemed to notice his circumstances. Suddenly she was back on the offensive. Giles clearly had difficulties facing such a small and agile fighter. Heinrich thanked the Lord she was with him on this quest. "Crimson lightning." Torah was thrown to the floor. Giles bent down. He grabbed her at the neck, then he moved to stand. "The Dark Lord is right." Giles said while exposing his fangs. "Blood is the life." Then Heinrich moved. He made tripled axes ram his opponent. "Balls of destruction." Giles dropped Torah to the floor. Then he spread his cape. Heinrich made multiple crosses block the offensive. "Crimson lightning." This time he was hit in the chest. Gasping for air, Heinrich fell to the floor.

Torah watched with horror how Heinrich struggled to breath. She hadn't been hit like him. That was why she could be back so quickly. Rose could help her with such damage. Aldough the fairy shot to help him, Torah was unsure if she could do anything. Perhaps she could've healed him herself. Giles De Reis didn't gave her the opportunity. A swarm of bats flew in front of her. It was him. Torah dashed forward. Giles spread his cape. "Balls of destruction." She barely managed to block. The smash could resist some forms of evil magic. The blue bat-inhabited spheres shot the rings from her hands. The undead knight couldn't smile. Never mind, a look of dark satisfaction crossed his face. "I told you to stay away." He said in that same cold irritating tone. "Perhaps Isabella might learn you how to behave." "I don't think so." Torah reached for her cross. "I'm such a bad learner." Then she sent him her magic. "Opal sun!" Giles teleported away. Not nearly fast enough. Torah got most of his bats. Giles reappeared, sword in hand. She didn't care. Torah knew she needed the smash if she where to fight him. Rose was busy elsewhere. The fairy was the only source of light. "Crimson lightning." The vampire shot at her. "Zappire curtain!" Somehow she managed to block his bolt. How was she going to find the rings? "Fountain of fire! Opal sun!" She answered his offensive. It made him teleport. Torah had other things in mind. The spells had showed her the weapons. If she only could retrive it. "Balls of destruction!" Giles knew her weakness. "Surender." He demanded. "Never!" Torah shouted. "Dance of the Nutcrackers!" The wild spirits gathered around her. They made it snow. The blue field protected her from danger. Within the faint light of her summoning, Torah noticed her weapon. Carrie Fernandez used them to vanquish Dracula for more then 200 years ago. She wasn't going to loose them. It seemed like Giles had other problems. Torah cheered when Heinrich made crosses fly throughout the area. She picked up the smash. Giles had disappeared. No matter. She'd learned how to find him. Anyway, it was Heinrich who saw him first. Giles had his blade at the ready. Heinrich met him in direct hand-to-hand combat. Torah knew it was a distraction. The Belmont was no fencer. She'd seen it herself. Torah dashed forward, rings in hand. Somehow Giles felt her approach. "Balls of destruction!" The shot sent her backward. Heinrich had his whip at the ready. The undead turned to face him. The Belmont threw the cross at him. Giles elegantly drew sideways. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah's spell hit him in the back. Aldough she hit the spine, Giles was able to continue. Torah heard how the bones turned back in place. Heinrich sent him a shot of tripled daggers. The undead knight vanished. "Crimson lightning." Giles reappeared between them. "Bals of destruction." The dual attack forced them to run. "Rainbow fireball!" Torah tried to counter the assault. Giles simply teleported away. Heinrich made axes rain across the area. Giles shrieked. Torah hadn't thought such a sound could erupt from those bearded lips. Heinrich caught him in the shoulder. Blood ruined the cloth of his coat. Then he lifted his head. His eyes on fire. Torah carefully moved closer. "Balls of destruction!" Giles hammered Heinrich with fire. Torah dropped herself to the floor. "Crimson lightning!" Red bolts of electricity shot toward her position. Torah rolled aside. She jumped back up just in time to meet him. Grandmother Yoko always had been proad of her dancing. Nancy once said she might become a cheerleader. Torah easily dodged his offensive. Giles was forced to concentrate on defending himself. Torah cut him across the ribs. Blood painted the floor a dark crimson. Only a diabolical leap backward made her miss the heart. Rose must've closed Heinrich's wounds. The Belmont was back in action. "Balls of destruction. Crimson lightning." Giles sent him his projectiles. Torah rolled aside as the vampire nearly got her. His sword hit the floor. Torah jumped straight upward. She moved in for the kill. Somehow Giles got back up in time to save himself. She missed his head completely. Giles moved his blade forward. Torah felt her heart beat. He tore open her dress. It was a miracle he didn't cut her in two. "Murderer!" Rose came from nowhere. Giles drew backward. "I will set you in a lantern." He coldly informed the fairy. "Crimson lightning!" "Winter's heart!" Torah was hit just when casting her spell. They where bogh thrown far backward. Torah tried to get up. She'd collided with the wall. It was to no awail. She must've hit the head. Then Torah simply fainted. It was the second time today.

The villa mansion, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
The maze garden lay behind them. Patrick beheld the castle. The towers loomed above him. Iori signalled for him to follow. Still concealed by the mist, they moved to the leftmost side of the courtyard. "There." Iori pointed. "The execution tower." Patrick viewed the ancient-looking flower-grown building. "Look at the bottom." Iori said. "There are a few cracks." The Japanese boy explained. "But they're to narrow for you to get through." Patrick frowned. He didn't liked this. "Then why did you bring me here?" He asked with a somewhat anoied voice. "Up there." Iori quickly said. "There are some bigger holes up there." Patrick had a closer look. He was right. Mid-way up the tower he noticed something which might be openings in the rock. The problem was, how to get up there? He frowned. Perhaps he could climb up the side of the wall. Then again, it would make him a perfect target. Aldough the darkside where asleep, there could be other flying foes around. Iori broke into his line of thoughts. "I've got friends here." He said. "I hope you don't get air-sick." Patrick didn't understand. What was he speaking about? Then Iori suddenly whistled. It almost made Patrick jump. HE glared at the boy. "Have you gone crazy?" He asked. "There might be followers of Dracula around." Iori didn't seem to mind. The boy was busy looking at the sky. Patrick crossed his arms. There was nothing special about the sunlit heaven. Then he thought he saw something. "Get down." He quickly told the boy. "I'll handle this." The giant bird-like figure approached. Patrick readied his shotgun. "Don't shoot!" Iori suddenly jumped upon him. "She's a friend." His bullet went skyward. "Amy isn't like them." Patrick had his doubts. The harpy didn't attack. Instead she simply landed before them. "I come as you asked me, young master." The half-bird/part woman exclaimed. Patrick couldn't believe it. He knew that voice. "Amy? Is that really you?" The bird-woman stared upon him. Her dark face was framed by short dogh curled locks of black hair. "Patrick!" She extaticly flapped her wings. "You've come back!" Iori looked slightly confused. "You know each other?" He asked. Amy nodded. "She was one of my father's housemaids." Patrick explained. Aldough she'd become this monster, he was happy to see her. "I'm sorry." Amy said. "That you have to see me like this." She tried to hide her nudity. Patrick didn't care. He was glad to meet her anyway. She at least tried to retain her normality. Iori thugged at his sleeve. "I met her when I fled from Dracula." Patrick sent her a quick look. Amy folded her wings. "I saw him from my nest." She explained. "He was atop the execution tower." She frowned. "Someone chased him." The harpyshook her head. Patrick had a closer look. He'd never seen a black harpy before. She noticed his interest. It didn't seem to upset her. Amy smiled before continuing her tale. "Some form of blackness made it impossible for me to see." Iori looked up at him. "Somehow I managed to escape." Shadow crossed his face. "It was then I found him." Amy explained. "He told me to fly him to the garden." The boy pulled his cloak closer to his body. "I thought I might be safe there." Patrick dismissed the matter. Nowhere within the castle was safe. "He told me to listen for his wistle if he ever needed my help again." He'd tried to put it aside. The entrance had been bad. If he where to fly… He inspected her, this time without admiration. She wasn't very tall. Amy had been only 17 before Chaos. "You're sure you can carry me?" Patrick tried not to sound uptimistic. He was ashamed of himself. He'd promised to find all the children. Patrick tried to shake his paranoia. "Of course." Amy said. Iori nodded. "A harpy is strong like a vampire." Patrick reached for his crucifix. "You don't need to worry." Amy seemed to read his mind. "The Lord haven't forsaken me." Beyond his fear, Patrick had to smile. She at least hadn't lost hope. "You take Iori first." He said. Patrick was still a little nervous about this. Amy had a look up the tower. "I wonder what Maria might say." She mumbled. Then she simingly made up her mind. Amy put her arms around Iori. He looked even smaller when held by the harpy. Amy's black skin made it almost impossible to see the diference between her arms and Iori's cloth. Patrick watched as Amy spread her wings. She hadn't been wrong. Amy shot skyward without any seeming difficulty. Her course was set on the castle wall. Patrick pulled out his pistol. He was ready to fire if any monster appeared. Patrick wondered if Heinrich had found Saria yet. Torah at least would never give up the chase. He changed pose. The backyard was barren, stripped of all greenery. Patrick hoped that the defeat of Dracula might bring some of it back. It wasn't likely. It would take years of hard work to bring back his home. Perhaps he wouldn't have to worry. Dracula's defeat always made the castle crumble. Patrick knew this wasn't Castlevania. Never the less, Susan had done something. Madness seemed to have blossomed that day. Amy landed before him. "It's alright." She informed. "Shall we go?" Patrick nodded. He had no choice. Amy put her arms around him. She didn't feel cold, like he'd expected. Beside the wings, and her somewhat feathery legs, Amy was like he remembered. Not that he'd seen her naked or such. Then she suddenly was in the air. Patrick refused to look down. This didn't feel like anything he'd experienced before. It felt somewhat like riding on horse. But not precisely like that. Winds blew in his face. It was colder up here. But the dank heat seemed to follow. Patrick heard Amy laugh. "Isn't this wonderful?" She had to shout. If she hadn't, it was possible he wouldn't heard. He didn't answer. Amy laughed. "You'll get used to it." Patrick thanked the Lord the wall was approaching. He'd originally thought she would take them directly to the tower. Now he figured it wasn't possible. The monsters surely would registrate a single harpy flying toward them. It raised another problem, the same problem. How was he to enter the castle?

The crypt, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th of January 2099 A.D.
An ugly yellow light flickered around the vampire. Heinrich stood in front of the fallen sorceress, whip in hand. Rose was behind him. "She should have known her place." Giles coldly remarked. "Either as a soldier." He presented his blade. "Or as a slave." The light subsided. "It has been a pleasure." Giles moved his hand. "But now, it has to end."He made a grasping gesture. "Undead force." A cracking sound was heard from above. Heinrich summoned his bloodline power. Giles hurled the rock toward him. Heinrich used his stopwatch to freeze the stone in place. Then he simply whipped it away. "Impressive." The undead knight admitted. "Undead force." Heinrich managed to dodge. He then sent his dagger forward. Giles easily teleported away. Heinrich knew he had to alter tactic. He couldn't defeat Giles in direct combat. At least not in swordplay. De Reis reappeared. "Crimson lightning."
Heinrich rised a barrier of crosses in front of himself. Giles disappeared like a swarm of bats. "Balls of destruction." Heinrich brandished his whip. He destroyed the fireballs. Giles then reappeared in front of him. "You know you cannot defeat me." Giles's features adapted a definitive expression. Heinrich drew slightly backward. Giles quickly stabbed forward. The claws hit him in the chest. Then Giles suddenly roared. Heinrich looked down. The undead had forgotten about his crucifix. Heinrich proadly displayed the cross. "Stronger we are in the name of the Lord!" He flailed at his enemy. Giles scattered in the form of bats. "Undead force!" The rock hit home. Heinrich was thrown to the floor. Luckily he'd been able to whip the thing apart. It was no big rock which scored him. Still, it felt like his ribs where broken. Aldough the pain nearly consumed him, he was able to drink his potion. It quickly healed him. It was one of the last potions. Soon he would have to summon Renon. Heinrich could also pray he found one of those laurels. De Reis presented his blade. Defend yourself." He coldly remarked. Heinrich withdrew from the vampire. He reached for his cross. "Not this time." Giles stated. "Undead force." Another boulder came his way. Heinrich barely noticed. Then Rose settled upon his shoulder. Her light guided him. He whipped the rocks away. Then he summoned his bloodline power. Heinrich was rised into the air. "Balls of destruction!" Giles spread his cape. The dual fireballs shot toward him. Heinrich toutched his cross. "Be the will of the Lord." He stated as a rain of golden flames washed across the area. Giles was hit in the chest. He staggered. Then he teleported away. Heinrich fell upon his knees. He knew the truth. But each time it pained to be reminded. Rose, as well as the potion, could restore him. But neither could take away the weariness. "Crimson lightning." Giles reappeared. From his palm shot the dreadful bolt of electrical energy. The ugly grreen glow flickered around the figure. More fiercely this time, or so it seemed. Heinrich sidestepped the offensive. "You must defeat him." The fairy whispered. Heinrich nodded. He drew away sweath from his brow. Giles never seemed to grow weary. "How is Torah?" He asked. Rose never answered. "Winter's heart!" Not that she had to. Torah was back. Giles turned to counter her mobility. Heinrich smiled. He reached for his crucifix. "Undead force." The sorceress nearly became crushed beneath the boulder. This battle was far from over. Heinrich knew Giles could kill bogh of them. One mistake, and they would die. The worst, was that they perhaps didn't get permission. "Crimson lightning." Giles shot at him. He rised his barrier of crosses. What was worst? Failure, or eternal bloodthirst? Heinrich had no answer. He sent his dagger onward. Then he summoned his bloodline power. The knife split in three. Giles easily teleported. Then the undead knight retrived the favour. "Undead force." Rocks flew toward him.

Torah struggled to remain upright. The eerie yellow glow flickered around Giles while the vampire summoned more power. "Undead force." He made large pieces of the ceiling hammer against the floor. Torah wondered how he did this. "Crimson lightning!" The blast made the floor explode. Torah barely dodged. This was no time for speculation. "Winter's heart! Opal sun!" Her most powerful spells looked like nothing when compared with the strenght of this monster. She'd faught against the black witch. She'd even met more powerful opponents. Still, Giles made them look like nothing. Perhaps the legends where true? Giles was a vampire from the circle of blood. Heinrich released a flurry of crosses. Then he made axes fall throughout the area. "Balls of destruction!" Giles hurled large balls of roaring blue flame. The Belmont answered with a row of countless daggers. Torah was no real sorceress. How could she help him? She'd promised Patrick to look after him. Torah mentally went through her collection of magic spells. None of them seemed to make matter. If only she could've utilized her dryad powers. Like when she healed Heinrich inside the entrance. "Undead force!" Giles made rocks fall from the ceiling. Heinrich whipped them all away. His weapon on fire. Giles teleported to reach her friend. "You have to do something." Rose insisted. The fairy flew in frustrated circles around her head. Torah knew she was right. Heinrich threw repeated daggers. Torah hoped he didn't was low on crystals. She again tried to come near the heart of the combat. Twise she'd tried to sneek up on him. Giles always seem to notice. "Balls of destruction!" Giles countered against Heinrich's attack. Then he presented his blade. It was to close. She noticed the near desperate look which crossed his face. Heinrich was no fencer. Neither the less, he had no choise. Heinrich hung up the whip. Steel struck steel as the dualists moved across the ravaged tomb. Torah licked her lips. She had to do something. She then moved forward. "Jesus!" She shouted when dugging the smash deep into his side. Heinrich used the opportunity to strike the blade out of his grasp. "Undead force!" The sheer power of the onslaught threw them bogh away. Stones rained from the ceiling. The floor shook. Giles then reappeared. One hand was pressed hard against his side. Torah saw blood ooze from the wound. She must've dmaged him this time. Giles didn't seem like he could reconstituate himself this time. Then she got it. Torah had hit his heart. Not fatal. But none the less, she'd nailed him. He seemed to look for his blade. It was nowhere to be seen. Then Giles lifted his head. He viewed them with such cold hatred that it made chills go through her body. Then he lifted bogh hands. "This is not over." The cold aristocratic voice where the same. "The lords of shadow will revive me. Crimson lightning!" He suddenly boomed. Powerful bolts of red electricity shot from his palms. Torah threw herself sideways. The bolt shot away pieces of the wall. Ugly yellow light flickered around their enemy. "Undead force!" He ripped away portions of the floor which he hurled toward them. The grave was shrouded with dust. Pieces of splintered rocks flew through the air. Torah was truly grateful that Rose was with them. Her light made it possible to see when Giles made his move. "Balls of destruction!" The dual balls where greater then ever. It made the pillars collapse. Giles didn't seem to care. "Crimson lightning! Balls of destruction!" Massive amaunts of raw energy hit the battlefield. Torah drew away tears. This had to end before Giles blew them all apart. Heinrich made an effort to clean the graveyard. He made golden flames wash the area. Giles teleported away. Then he reappeared. Giles almost smiled. He'd retrived his blade. Heinrich was there to meet him. It seemed to be part of the plan. Instead of facing him, Giles lifted his arms. "Crimson lightning." Her friend was thrown far backward. Rose shot toward him. Giles turned upon her. Torah wasn't surprised. "Balls of destruction." She somehow managed to avoid getting hit. "Undead force!" Whole portions of the ceiling seemed to cave in. "Zapphire curtain!" She rised her forcefield to might block his attack. Torah released all the magical energy she could summon into her spell. It did function. At least the rocks didn't hit her. Anyway, they nearly buried her alive. "Fountain of fire!" She blasted the stone away. "Rainbow fireball!" The counter'strike blocked off Giles's nex offensive. Blood stained the floor. Giles hadn't been able to heal himself. Torah smiled. She couldn't feel pity on him. Heinrich somehow managed to stand. He leaned upon the wall as he made tripled crosses fly toward their enemy. Giles easily dodged it. "Crimson" The undead knight summoned new power. "lightning." Bolts of lightning struck the battlefield. Heinrich fell back upon the floor. It most likely saved his life. Rose then darted directly for his face. "Get away." Giles threatened. "Your life is over." Torah frowned. Clearly he thought Rose was a familiar. While he was busy with her, Torah again tried to get closer. Ugly yellow light flickered around their enemy. "I told you to get away." Rose was still dancing in front of his face. Giles lifted his arm. "Get away from there!" Torah shouted. She couldn't let Rose take the blame. Then axes hit home. Bolts of lightning struck the knight repeatedly. Heinrich wasn't dead. Torah almost cheered. No way. This wasn't the time for celebration. Giles turned. The yellow glow enliting his body. "It has to end." Giles stated. "It has to." Torah agreed. She had bogh ring-smash at the ready. Giles looked down at her. "Not you." He exclaimed. "No girl shall ever defeat me." He lifted his hand just as Torah beheaded him. Lightning struck from his palms. Torah screamed with horror. Giles couldn't die! Then the body exploded. Somehow Heinrich managed to stab him through the heart. The blast threw them upon the floor. Then the ground simply gave way. Torah felt like falling forever. She screamed for her friends. Torah thought she heard him. Then she knew no more.

The tomb was still shaking. The air was filled with dust and gloom. Pieces of rock fell into the abyss. He flouted above the misery. The boy did advise him to come here. Giles De Reis was one of his closest servants. A pale ghostly figure emerged from the devastation. He smiled. He reached for him. Even after his death, the knight continued to serve him.

Giles De Reis saw the flouting figure above him. Lord Dracula had learned him the power of possession. The angel of Death had told him what to do. Giles drifted toward the flouting figure. At last he was to learn the truth. The hunters where right about one thing. The truth could be a powerful weapon. At least when used properly. The flouting figure reached for him. This was their moment.

Tower of art, castle in Barnsdall. The 6th. Of January 2099 A.D.
The castle shook. It made Rouge awaken. From her upside-down position she could see nothing wrong about the grand hall of the domain. Rouge wondered what had disturbed her. The haunt sometimes shook. She usually didn't mind. This was different. Something had awaken her. Rouge sniffed the air. The result made her react. Someone had entered the tower of art. She wouldn't allow it. "Sargent." She said through her inplant communicator. "Yes sir." The robot immediately responced. "Activate the droids." Rouge instructed. "They are to detain all intruders." "At once." The sergeant reported. "Hail the count." The droid-lieutenant returned his salute.

(A.N: I really hope you enjoied this chapter. It has taken me some time to type it. The battle against Dracula continues. The "Hamlet people", "Maze garden" and "Shudder" chapters are in reality all parts of chapter 3. I'll be updating as soon as possible. Have a nice time.)

Chapter 4: The Story Continues | Back to Chapter 2