Part 2: Legacy of Sorrow.

"Let not the heart be toutched with dread. Have faight in God and have faight in me."
John: 14. 1.-2.

Chapter 7a: Specimen.
Tower of science, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
The giant lizard man had reached his destination. He really was grateful for what the humans did. The prisoner still got plenty of medicine left. HE would have to be careful. It had been more then a year since he last was here. Things might have changed. The doctor really didn't want that to be true. If only the legend about a chosen one could be real. Then he could have asked for assistance in removing the machinery within this place. Dr Victor Frankenstein had become interested within cloning and geneology. He had created the VolociRaptors on which the beast-riders would maunt. That was of no interest. Dracula could not be allowed to rediscover the weapons of the past. He felt another attack was approaching. The giant lizard man had a doze from the bottle. He kept them within the briefcase which he brought along. He was able to keep sane. The doctor closed his eyes. This was getting out of hand. He had to continue. That was all which mattered. First he would have to deactivate the source of power. He would do that. Count Dracula was not to be allowed to use a nuclear bomb.

Heinrich Schneider slowly opened his eyes. What had happened? He toutched his forhead. This was not an area which he was familiar with. Heinrich got back on his feet. Then he remembered. "Dracula." He made the sign of the cross. The Dark Lord knew everything. Or so he said. Heinrich cracked the whip. He'd split them up. "Saria." Heinrich told himself. "This is all about her." Somehow he just knew. Heinrich toutched the purse in which he had the red jewel. He'd received another mission. The discovery made his blood turn cold. Heinrich still got the golden compass. But the gemstone was lost. Heinrich pulled together. He would make it to the tower of sorcery. Then he would see what he might see. Heinrich thugged his beard. "Be the will of the Lord." Heinrich made the sign of the cross. He better get moving. Heinrich had a look around. The small windowless room was square in shape. It was built by plain dark bricks. At least he was still somewhere within the castle. Heinrich checked the nearest door. The exit was made of solid metal. Heinrich used all his force. There was no use. He couldn't make it open. Heinrich tried to strike with the whip. Nothing happened. He nodded. There was another opening. Heinrich went to inspect. This he might open. Heinrich went inside. The chamber was monstrous. Heinrich toutched the crucifix. This had to be the tower of science which Patrick spoke about. The huge rectangular tower was one giant production area. Heinrich wondered what they might preduce up here. Robots, which looked like unarmed battle-droids, and tiny green freaks, where busy at work. Heinrich was approached the moment he entered. A swarm of bats came from above. Heinrich threw holy water. That made them burn. A duo of armed and armoured beings where marching forward. "Stand where you are, Belmont scum." The leftmost of the duo instructed with a harsh yet hollow tone. The machine-gun guards aimed their weapons. Heinrich withdrew. "In the name of Jesus Christ." He said. "I'll not surrender." The animated armour didn't look impressed. "Then." The rightmost armour stated. "You must die." They opened fire. "Prepare to be terminated." Heinrich wasn't ready for anything like that. He utilized the stopwatch. That made them stand in place. Heinrich knew he only got 5 seconds. Then he smiled. He focused his power. They seemed to get more solid. Acording to legend, that would give him some 15 seconds. Heinrich waisted no time. He made the crystal explode. He knelt to smash the vial of holy water. The holy fireball engulfed the nearest guard. The other got free. He immediately began to open fire. Heinrich ran to dodge the rain of bullets. HE made crosses rise for protection. They didn't last long. Finally he stopped to reload. Heinrich threw tripled flaming daggers. The armoured guard got struck backward. He managed to brandish the stopwatch. Heinrich then sent him four axes. Flames burned on impact. The machine-gun guard collapsed into a heap of golden dust. He picked the crystals. Heinrich inhaled. How was he to escape this madness? There where no elevators. There where some galleries higher up. He wondered how to use them. Perhaps he might climb up the huge rock pillar. Heinrich went to investigate. He just reached when tiny insect-like monsters released themselves from among the collums. Though slightly taller then him, they where unarmed. Heinrich struck with the whip. The dragonflies burned. One of them, wwho was already in the air, let loose a strange sort of flaming substance. Heinrich dodged. He threw boomerangs at them. They burst into flame. Heinrich retrived his items. Then two of them came from above. They picked him up. Heinrich got lifted into the air. The dragonflies dropped him unceremoniasly upon one of the conveyor belts. The machine brought him forward. Heinrich tried to pull back. It was impossible. The turrets began shooting bullets. Heinrich destroyed those annoying things with axes. He whipped the dragonflies away. The guillotine almost slashed him in half. He barely got beneath. He had no time to celebrate. More bats where approaching. Heinrich threw more holy water. The worker-droids tried to catch him. Tried to hold him in place so that the guillotines might slash him. The stopwatch frozed them in place. Heinrich made a crystal fall which spread lightning about. He picked the gemstones. A mechanical hand grasped him by the wrist. It was the one in which he kept the whip. The turrets where turning his way. He made crosses rise in protection. While they where still in place, Heinrich stamped with the cross. The machine let him go. The turrets got crushed by daggers. They wasn't that powerful. No matter. They might blast him soon enough. Heinrich managed to get over to one of the service platforms. A metal wheel came rolling forward. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. The destroyer-droid unfolded. Heinrich recoiled the whip. He unsheated the blade in one swift motion. The robot opened fire. Heinrich blocked. The blade was on fire. The attack turned into a deathly crossfire. The dragonflies noticed his statement. Heinrich threw the cross. The four boomerangs fried the generator with electric currents. Heinrich threw holy water. The destroyer, who was still firing its deathly blasters, got engulfed. He picked the gems just as the dragonflies approached. He threw daggers at them. The turrets released heavy steam. Heinrich used the stopwatch. He only could stop those closest. He got rid of the monsters before jumping. Heinrich reached the first level. The platform wasn't that large. There was no way out. There where two doors behind him. One was closed by a huge metal gate. Heinrich went into the one which he could open. The small room was dank and dreary. Heinrich drew sweath of his brow. The goblins attacked with repeated punches. Heinrich pulled backward. The two small beings came jumping forward. "Dinner is served." One said while drooling. Heinrich felt chills down his spine. "No chance." He muttered. He struck with his blade. The goblin was cut in half. He quickly finished the other freak. Their corpses burned into ashes. Heinrich felt somehow pity for them. Their time was over. The world belonged to the younger people. Heinrich put the matter aside. Only the Lord could rightfully judge between false and right. There wasn't really something of interest in here. Heinrich found some boxes. There where Nitro and Mandragora inside. Heinrich picked some samples. Then he went back out. The madness of the tower was ready to meet him. Bats and dragonflies came for the location. Heinrich used the stopwatch before throwing a circle of axes. The enemies where struck down. Heinrich put a nitro before the closed metal gate. The door was blown off its lids. Heinrich went inside. He was met by a band of worker-droids. The battle soon was over. They didn't really put up with that much. Heinrich found a sort of strange machine inside. He wondered what it might be about. There was a manual beside. Heinrich didn't have time. He pulled the main-contact switch. That turned it off. Nothing happened. At least not in here. Heinrich went back out. He had to continue. There was another service platform above. He lept. Heinrich somehow managed to crawl ontop. His father would've been proud. The destroyer-droid unfolded. Heinrich threw axes. The robot exploded. One-on-one they wheren't really that useful. The dragonflies approached. They picked him up. Heinrich faught with them. They let go of him. Heinrich was on another conveyor. Huge metal crushers crashed steel into pebbles. Heinrich guessed the small pieces would be crafted into parts for the combat robots. He inhaled. "Be the will of God!" Heinrich then threw himself forward. HE managed to get behind the first. There where more of them. Bats came swarming down. Heinrich threw boomerangs at them. Why didn't the turrets attack? He went beside several guns while trying to escape the smashing metal. Perhaps that was what the machine should keep active? He put the matter aside. A row of electric cutters tried to slice him. Heinrich thought they looked like the grim reaper's weapon. The worker-droids attacked. Heinrich smashed them without mercy. They where only mindless machines. Their program was intent on killing him. Huge metal claws came crushing down. Heinrich shuddered. The hand would transport him over to a pool of liquid metal. The idea was most likely to ordment the body of the becoming robots. Heinrich wasn't really that interested. He dodged another smashing claw. The goblins where advancing. Heinrich used the stopwatch. That at least gave him some time. The machinery wasn't stopped. Heinrich jumped upon another service platform. The machine-gun guard aimed for him. Heinrich ducked. The daggers nailed the face-plate. The guardian armour staggered. Heinrich twirled with the whip. The knight steped backward. Heinrich threw the cross like a boomerang. The machine-gun guard fell off the platform. Heinrich knew it couldn't reach back up. That was no comfort. He went over to another conveyor. There where huge metal crates going about this belt. Large, shower-like constructions where pouring liquid metal into the parts. Heinrich jumped behind. One opening almost had boiled him. He made the sign of the cross. The very belt seemed ordmented. There was no trace of the liquid metal. Heinrich got no time for speculation. The machine kept pouring. The goblins laughed by his frustration. This he couldn't deactivate. Dragonflies came in from difficult angles. They released their own form of substance. Heinrich jumped. He threw a circle of axes outward. He got past some other openings with liquid metal. Heinrich jumped upon the workbench. There was a ladder. He quickly went upward. The turrets turned while throwing a sort of object. Whatever it was, he didn't want to get hit. He whipped the thing away. The item exploded. He bit together. The turret fired another grenade. Heinrich reached above its aim. He climbed upon the service ramp. The destroyer-droid unfolded. He knelt. Heinrich crashed the vial of holy water. The robot got engulfed. The flaming daggers finished it off. He took the crystals. There was no gallery up here. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. Then he jump upon the nearest conveyor. Smaller metal claws where putting the comparts together. A somewhat incomplete battle-droid opened fire. Heinrich whipped the thing away. Other dragonflies where on the move. Things really wasn't easy these days. Heinrich hoped he would get out of here alive. The flurry of crosses removed the mutated monsters. The half-constructed combat-robots would try to fire. The turrets where still the greatest problem. Heinrich hung up the whip. The sword was better used in close-range combat. The turrets was blasting away with powerful flames. Heinrich repeled the fire right back into the system. That made them explode. The goblins scrambled to repair. They also figured the turrets where the greatest threat. Heinrich struck through the chest of the approaching, half-constructed, robots. He threw multiple daggers toward the goblins. Then he ran forward. He got to get off the belt. Dragonflies came swarming in. Heinrich struck with the morning-star whip. The monsters got shot to pieces. Heinrich wondered who might've created these creatures. There was no more time. The mechanical rebuilt-system tried to grasp for him. Heinrich summoned the shining sword. The blessed sword cut through the metal. Heinrich lept. He'd noticed there where rotating platforms. He had a look down. The fall would be fatal. The platform moved. Heinrich jumped. He reached the next. Then the third. He got upon another conveyor belt just as the bats came swarming down. This facility seemed like constructing the blasters for battle or super battle-droids. That seemed to encourage the dragonflies. They picked up the arm. Heinrich was quicker. He already had multiple homing crosses spinning about. The bats came flying in. Heinrich used the stopwatch. He whipped them into oblivion. The moving metal blades which cut the pieces into blaster-parts, tried to slice him into submission. Heinrich got the blue sword. He slashed through the mechanism. He threw holy water about. Heinrich picked the crystals. There where no candles about. Not as far he could see. He fought the remaining way of the railway while watching out for trouble. There where another platform. Heinrich went into the air. He landed upon the metal. Something made him react. He jumped over to the second platform. A makeshift elevator brought him higher. Heinrich had a look downward. That last platform had released some rather nasty spikes. As he watched, they withdrew back down into the platform. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. That had been to close. The ride ended. Heinrich stepped out upon the gallery. "Stop!" Someone instructed. "Stand where you are!" The trio of super battle-droids came marching forward. They got their weapons ready. Heinrich inhaled. "Be the will of God." He said. Then Heinrich went into battle. The robots had already opened fire.

Julia was typing the computer. "Come on." She muttered. The machine wouldn't accept her command. Julia bit together. She knew the code. If only she could remember. She knew it when being with the angel of Death. Now, it seemed to have slipped from her mind. She tried to calm. Julia would have to concentrate. She fought to ignore the unholy whispering. Those where the voices of the dark side. Julia knew. They had reappeared after she left the castle center. Julia knew she couldn't escape her accursed existence. She'd tried to make her own choise. It was to no use. Others had chosen for her. Then so be it. Julia had thought to return back to the villa mansion. But that would've been to betray Heinrich. He trusted in her. His faight was strong. She almost wished to weep. But that she couldn't. Not anymore. Julia had lost the ability. No vampire could cry. Tears where the right of the living. Even the ancient tall elves did cry. So she red in her father's library. Suddenly she remembered. Julia typed the code. She would gain all the revenge she could have. Julia would go where nobody else would dare to go. She would enter into the castle keep. Then, Julia would kill lord Dracula.

Clock tower, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
The air was completely silent. The dark priest opened his eyes. He had been meditating. The angel of Death stood before him. "What do you sence?" The question was a mere whisper in his mind. "Cold. Death." The old man made a gesture. "All is in the balance." The angel seemed to accept his statement. "Everything is in motion." He said. "Only the ancient force is at rest." Shaft lowered his head in contemplation. Had he not felt it? In his spirit, he had been scouring the layers around the sleeping curse. "The young master do not realize what he has done." The grim reaper gave no hint of his own emotions. The priest inhaled. "Perhaps it is time then." The happening might resolve into a change of the Earth/Heaven polarity. Nobody was really interested in a recollection of what happened in 1047. The bringer of death had no answer. For a time, he flouted in position. "Do what you must." The fallen angel then said. "The Dark Lord will rise." Shaft stated. Death spread his great wings, casting shadows deeper still. "In time, our fallen prince of Darkness shall return." Shaft gave a slight nod. He smiled actually. This time, they would have no Soma Cruz to protect them.

Tower of science, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Heinrich flailed with the whip. The battle-droids got crushed. That wasn't enough. The dragonflies approached. The large insects almost blacked out the faint light. Heinrich opened the door just as they released their substance. Heinrich went inside. The gallery was to narrow. It was no ideal battleground. He had a look around. The room wasn't that large. There was no mechanism either. Heinrich put the matter aside. There only was one item in here. The sarcophagus. The item seemed ancient and priceless at the same time. Heinrich felt a sudden chill down his spine. What was a sarcophagus doing in a place like this? Suddenly he went over. With all his force, Heinrich pulled the lid aside. He didn't got the chanse to investigate. The turrets opened fire. The mammals came like a swarm. Heinrich pulled back. The stopwatch gave him time to throw the axe. The sub-weapon burst into flame on impact. Heinrich inhaled. Crystals rained down. He picked them before making his own crystal explode. Some openeings got blasted. He withdrew while making crosses rise. They didn't last long. Heinrich threw tripled vials of holy water into the air. The turrets got destroyed. The holy liquid was like acid or napalm. He inhaled. Heinrich collected the money and crystals. Then he finally got a look into the coffin. There was a glass key. Heinrich retrived it. The item really was made of glass. But black in colour. He thought it might be of an vulcanic oregin. He shrugged. Heinrich put it into his pocket. There where other treasure within. Heinrich had no mind about them. He wasn't here to get rich. Heinrich closed the lid. He was about to leave when he noticed the candles. Heinrich knocked some down. The crystals replenished his mystic energy. The food he put in the backpack. That might come in handy. Heinrich went out of the chamber. The dragonflies where waiting. Heinrich threw holy water at them. The holy liquid made them burn into ashes. He went out upon the conveyor. This part of the factory was preducing communication units. Heinrich first thought there was nothing dangerous about that, but he soon discovered the truth. Sparks and electric currents made the belt deathly to treck upon. Heinrich was just happy they didn't release any sonic attacks. Julia had showed him how devastating that might be. He threw axes about. Heinrich would even use the stopwatch to might keep track of the events. He wondered if this was like Nathan Graves felt when exploring the machine tower in 1830? He put the matter aside. The goblins attacked. They threw punches or series of sudden kicks. Heinrich was forced backward. The moving belt wasn't helping. Heinrich threw more axes. Lightning struck the area. A huge metal gate then closed in front. That really wasn't good. The dragonflies cared nothing about the matter. They just released their flaming substance. Heinrich used the opportunity to create the item-crush. He got lifted into the air. The enflamatory cross burst. Flames cleared the area. Then he placed the Nitro before the metal door. Heinrich was moving away as quickly he could. The gate exploded. The conveyor almost brought him head first into the blast. Heinrich had been able to make another back-flip. The dragonflies approached. Heinrich brandished the whip. The parts placed upon the belt released other currents. "Close the blastdoors!" The goblin shouted. "Get away!" The green freaks was leaving the conveyor. Heinrich gathered. Another huge metal door closed in place. He put down the Nitro. Things really had become much more complicated. The metal was shot away. He gathered. Then Heinrich jumped above some other spiked platforms. He managed to get off before they protruded. He shook it off. This other belt was also preducing battle-droids. Here they where complete and constructed. They got the blasters out. Dragonflies where on the move. Heinrich made a huge crystal fall. Water shielded his position. Then the liquid flooded outward. The controls exploded. They hadn't been proved. Heinrich smirked. Though it didn't reach his eyes. He got upon the workbench just as the turrets released storms of bullets. Heinrich threw the crystal. It really wasn't that accurate. The item returned to his grasp. The turrets kept firing. Heinrich had to use the rotating platforms before reaching the higher ground. He climbed the ladder. The turrets had stopped firing. Heinrich knew better then to trust his luck. He reached another service platform. The machine-gun guard was ready for battle. Heinrich made crosses rise in front. That took the brunt of the initial attack. The armour guard had to reload. Heinrich threw the gold cross. That made him loose balance. Heinrich struck with the morning-star whip. The guard fell down. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. HE knocked the candles. There was another morning-star. He picked it up. The chain-whip got altered. The weapon grew even longer. The chains and spiked ball was made of solid gold. Heinrich frowned. That couldn't be true. The great whip wasn't that heavy. Either way, he would have to get moving. The top of the central pillar was still out of reach. He got no time for speculation. The dragonflies where at him again. Heinrich whipped them away. He then jumped upon the conveyor. That was the only way to get onward. This time he really got into trouble. This part of the factory was preducing destroyer-droids. That was the last he needed. Although they where incomplete, and without the shield-generator, the mere fire-power could wipe him out. Heinrich got the sword in hand. HE repeled their energy while brandishing the pyre sword. The shining blade then cut through those in front. The goblins where busy trying to stop his progress. "Close the blastdoor!" The metal gate blocked off the other half of the conveyor belt. Heinrich got very little Nitro left. He put what he had in front. Then he made a back-flip. The destroyer was still active enough to blast with repeated loads. Heinrich repeled with the blue sword. The robot exploded. As did the metal gate. He claimed the crystals. Heinrich whipped the dragonflies into oblivion. The track continued. Other half-completed destroyer-droids opened fire. The dragonflies released their enflamatory substance. Heinrich defended behind the circle of crosses. He pulled the blade into the ground. Flames burned the enemies. Heinrich was gasping. The crystals replenished his energy. He got upon the platform. The sound made him jump. The spikes almost got him this time. The next platform was about to rotate. He got over to another conveyor belt. Heinrich was happy there where no more destroyers. That was until he discovered what they where really preducing. The machine was putting together pieces to make the mini-chopters and walkers for the Hellfire-dragon robots. Heinrich felt chills down his spine. That was nothing he wished to think about. That a dragon was here would make things more difficult. The chopters lifted into the air. They placed the bomb-like devices upon the conveyor belt. Heinrich made his best to jump. The suddenly rising and descending guillotines and the spinning blade made him sweath with frustration. Heinrich ducked. The swinging scythe almost cut him in half. This wasn't funny. The walkers kept marching. They released tiny lasers from their "nose" or "chin" batteries. Heinrich repeled the attack. The Eigius sword was crafted with lightning power. He lept from the belt. The platform was about to rotate. Heinrich barely managed to reach the next. He immediately lept over. The rising spikes would've killed him. The security platform looked alright. Then again. There was another guillotine. Heinrich would have to time it perfectly. HE made a sudden glide. The metal blade came cutting down behind. Heinrich inhaled. There was no time for resting. The dragonflies arrived. Heinrich threw holy water at them. He had to look out for turrets as well. They where releasing grenades. He made crosses rise. Then Heinrich made the crystal explode. He got a pretty fear distance. HE decided to better get off the platform. He went behind some other swinging scythes. Then there where other plates. They would vanish back into the wall through which they came. Heinrich had to be quick about it. Below was the pools of liquid metal. Heinrich shuddered. At last he reached another of those makeshift elevators. He made the sign of the cross. Heinrich had reached the top of the factory. The trouble wasn't over. Other dragonflies came swarming in. The stopwatch made them to freeze in place. The lift was going down. Heinrich lept. What was this place? The area looked like the lab of the mad doctor. More so. Heinrich realized it was a cloning facility.

Tower of art, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
The hologram flickered. The disturbance didn't reduce his demanding impression. "Thou art correct in thy every word?" The Dark Lord asked. His voice soft as the finest silk. Black Inviktus was prepared to show him the images if so need be. "We found them within the villa mansion, my lord." The cyborg assured. "They would've fought to the bitter end." She was proad of her actions. The fox warlock was sure not to let it show. "Thy have done well, mine faightful servant." Lord Dracula seemed to pur. Black Inviktus was sure the prince of Darkness was pleased. "Thy shallst bring them to mine." The Dark Lord decreed. "Thee art nay to defay mine lordship over the mystic." "As you say, my lord." She bowed. "So shall it be." The count smiled. "Of course." He beheld her closer. "So shallst it be done." He made a dismissing wave. "Hail the count." She gave her salute. The voivode presented his own salute. "Hail the count." The hologram flickered. Then it went out. Black Inviktus turned to relay her command. Morelin Celebrindal had left her company. So should it be. He went to investigate rumours about the towers. She dismissed. The warlock got other errands to attend to.

Tower of science, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Heinrich hadn't escaped anything. The cloning lab was heavily guarded. Bats came swarming down. There where fewer dragonflies up here. That didn't make things less complicated. The disc-shaped turrets where releasing heavy beams which nothing he got could repel. The crystal could make them explode. Heinrich didn't have time. The lizard shaman made icicles rise upward. The spider-warriors shot other blasters from above his position. He made crosses rise for better protection. They would freeze or shatter. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. He had to figure it out. He made crystals fall. The shining gold blinded him. Though only for a second. Before they could keep up the assault, Heinrich climbed into the ventilation shaft. The space was cramped. No matter. Heinrich would have to escape. Nobody could follow. There was another problem though. The ventilation had its own set of traps. He made the sign of the cross. The tiny blasters almost had fried him on contact. Heinrich blocked with crosses. "There." He'd located their position by now. Heinrich threw daggers forward. The mystic weapon made the small dot devices explode. Then he reached another tunnel. This was slightly larger. Heinrich wasn't sure where to go. He picked the gold compass. The thing showed him to follow the larger passage. Heinrich put the thing away. That was such a strange treasure. He would trust it until matters told him otherwise. His speculations got interrupted. The rat-robot had the size of a small dog. The rocket came flying for his location. Heinrich whipped the thing away. The missile exploded. The little droid fired the blaster placed upon its shoulder. The heavy energy would've killed him. Heinrich held the sword in place. The pyre sword repeled the impact. The robot exploded. Heinrich kept moving forward. The shaft suddenly ended. The way was going down. There was tiny cramps within the metal. That was the other particular about this place. The ventilation was clad with metal. Why they should waist with resources was beyond his imagination. Heinrich dropped the issue while climbing down. The red spots caugt his attention. Suddenly the way was blocked by a sort of electric web. Three tiny metal spiders had appeared from within those slots. He dropped a vial of holy water. The entire construction exploded. Smoke came up the shaft. For a moment he couldn't breathe. Then it was over. Heinrich continued to climb down. Heinrich reached another opening. This was smaller then the one in which he where. He inspected the compass. The thing suggested he should continue downward. He hadn't come far when another set of small robots closed the way. Heinrich threw the crystal down before they might reach him. The jewel returned after the mechanics exploded. He quickly continued. There was another exit. He blew the lasers away. This time the golden compass told him to go inside. "Tiny quarters." Heinrich muttered. The shaft really was. Then three new mechanic spiders appeared. They weaved their web across the passage. Heinrich brandished the great whip. The echo droids exploded. Heinrich kept on croutching. The space was to narrow. Or perhaps not? Another rat was advancing. Heinrich got the cross in hand. He was able to block the missile. The rats only carried one each. Heinrich was really grateful about the matter. The battle wasn't over. The robot shot with its laser. Heinrich repeled the attack. The robot got an energy-shield. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. "Just a little closer." He muttered. The rat-robot really was getting closer. "In the name of Jesus Christ!" Heinrich shouted. He threw multiple daggers. The machine exploded. Heinrich picked the crystals. Those small dots almost got him this time. The dim illumination of this accursed place made it difficult to spot those things. Heinrich crached a vial of holy water. The sonic explosion finished off the conflict. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. Even the robots or mechanisms left behind crystals. He continued forward. It was the only place to go. Finally he spotted another shaft. Heinrich looked out. Somehow he'd moved around the top of the tower. Although the lab was above this location. He frowned. Had the compass led him astray after all. A short distance from the viewpoint he discovered another pit. The ladder led bogh down and upward. Heinrich inspected the golden instrument. The arrow had somehow pointed upward. Heinrich shrugged. He placed it into the hands of the Lord. He made the sign of the cross. Then Heinrich began climbing. There was no need to waist time. Above was another trio of echo-droids. Heinrich made the crucifix to spin above. The water pillars removed them as a threat. Heinrich picked the gemstones. Some dots opened fire. Heinrich made his crystal explode. That made things less complicated. Heinrich kept climbing. The journey felt like it would take forever. He almost began wondering if he would be better off outside this area.

The giant lizard man inspected his landmap. The area was closed. Somehow not even his ID-mark would let him through. That made him hiss with frustration. The mutated being inhaled. He had another doze of his medicine. Somehow the New Order must've closed him off. The doctor thought of the young master. The little violinist disliked him wholeheartedly. So be it. He disliked the artist as well. Not because he played a violin. He met him once already. He put away his identification mark. It would not work. He would have to figure out another way. He had reached below the cloning facility. Dr. Frankenstein had his personal game going on. Dr. Henry Jeckyle was not interested. He knew what was stored within this lower section. That was the bane of man. The giant lizard man knew it was the truth. Had he not been there to see it for himself? This had been for nothing. He thought he might make a short-cut. None of these monsters cared about his activeties. He hated this form. Mr. Edward Hyde asked for this transformation. The giant lizard man would have to go through on his original plan.

Clock tower, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
He really was pleased. This was such an exelent hideaway. The boy led him to this place. "Perfect my boy, perfect." He said. The little child truly had began to learn his power. The ritual had been a success. What had been two, was afforded to one. Such it should be. He gained control. Nothing would stand in his way now. He put the cage into a small niche. Then he knelt. The presence of the Dark Lord. He would have laughed. Not now. "All has transpired as we predicted." He said while the prince of Darkness told him of his actions. "What ist thy advice, thou youngst one." His breth stenched of blood. The angel of Death was not here. The grim reaper would have stood by at least. "The children." He said. The count's eyes lit with fire. "They art to be taken to mine." He said. The iron mustache could not conceal his red lips and fangs. "My lord Dracula." This was after all the lord of the vampires. There was something about him. Something had changed. He disliked to be surprised. "Thy shallst gain thy reward." His hand lit with fire. Then he vanished. The young master was left. He got what he wanted. Still, there was something. He should not have made this bargin.

Tower of science, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Heinrich was still climbing upward. Atop the ladder was two opposite openings. He would follow the compass. The item told him to turn right. Heinrich began crawling. This shaft was really narrow. Then a mini-walker came walking forward. Heinrich struck with the great whip. The machine got shot before it could even fire. There where more of them coming. Heinrich crushed a vial of holy water. The flame engulfed the enemies. The others he struck with daggers. The echo-droid blocked the way forward. Where did they come from? He dismissed the matter. Heinrich was able to strike them away. The dots got blasted into oblivion. Heinrich picked the crystals. He reached another twist. The way led forward. There also where other alternatives. Heinrich inspected the compass. This time it suggested he should turn left. Heinrich tried to figure how he was going. The ventilation had to surround the entire central chamber within the tower. As he turned, another rat-robot advanced. The missile got shot forward. Heinrich made crosses rise in front. They got blasted. No matter. The rocket went along. The rat also soon became reduced to scraps. Heinrich whipped the walkers. They kept firing from their "nose" and "chin" blasters. Heinrich had to be quick about it. The battle was over. Heinrich left behind a track of smoldering and twisted metal. He knew that would make it easy for the villains to trak him. There was nothing he could do about it anyway. There where no trash-cans or shafts in which he might conceal the rubble. Ahead, the light was brighter. Heinrich discovered he'd reached another opening. He had a look outside. Again he'd reached the far side of the tower. Although this time, he was above the facility. The view really was quite magnificent. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. He really didn't like this area. If he got things his way, he would like for the tower to be destroyed. Wishful thinking. He dismissed the matter. There was nothing he could do about the matter. He better keep moving. There was another corridor crossing this one in which he where. This time he could see other openings ahead. He looked down the next viewpoint. Below was another door leading into the building. Heinrich wished he could've gone through. Then he might leave this place. The dots opened fire. Heinrich was able to get backward. He then threw holy water toward the tiny laser batteries. He then went back to continue the observation. There was nothing he could do about the matter. He was to high up. Heinrich took the tunnel which led back through the wall. He wondered if he where within the castle or was about to reach the castle's wall. He had a check on the compass. The golden instrument told him to continue in this direction. Heinrich put the item away. He destroyed some other walkers. He was grateful there where no probes or chopters in here. The rat-robot fired its rocket. Heinrich used the stopwatch. During those 5 seconds, bogh the rocket and the robot got defeated. Heinrich claimed the jewels left by the machine. They could come in use. He kept creaping. It felt like he would continue on forever. He reached another shaft. He wondered which way might get him out of here. The compass told him to get down. Heinrich did as it suggested. He got nothing else to guide him within this cramped labyrinth. He let go of another vial. The echo-droid spiders got blasted into oblivion. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. Not far off was another opening. The compass told him to get inside. The walkers approached. He used the stopwatch. That gave him what time he needed. Heinrich threw multiple daggers. The attack made them explode. He picked the crystals before he continued. Not far off was another viewpoint. Heinrich frowned. Perhaps he'd got a storie down? That was if there really where any stories within this place. No matter anyway. He had a look outside. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. This time he where within some sort of a real corridor. Heinrich silently dropped inside. He hung up the whip. He where unsure where to go. To one side was a sort of control-post. Heinrich inspected the screens. It seems like he'd escaped from the main production area. Still, he might get lost within the network of corridors and passageways which led between different planes of the tower. Heinrich was actually grateful that the count didn't send him this way to begin with. He slowly inhaled. There only was one thing to do. To go left would lead him back to the main chamber. That was why he went right. Ceveral turrets made things less linear. Heinrich was forced to dodge repeatedly. He blew them up as fast he could. There where tiny holes in the floor. That he realized when the rat-robot discovered his progression. It wheeled back while sounding the alarm. Heinrich defeated the tiny robot with holy water. No matter, the harm had already been done. A group of super battle-droids appeared through those openings. "Hand over your weapons!" The leader instructed. "Roger, roger." The others agreed. They already had their weapons aimed. Heinrich was in motion. The fairy blade reduced them all into scrap metal. The battle left him breathing heavily. That was to close. He would have to be more careful. As if to prove it, a swarm of bats came from above. Heinrich used the stopwatch. The axes, fused with fire, removed the enemies. He picked the gemstones. His trouble wasn't over. Through another door, came another group of those red knights. Heinrich made a back-flip. Half the squad got their bows ready. Arrows went through the air. He made crosses rise in protection. The enemies approached. They got sword and shield in hand. Heinrich recognised their red, brown and grey uniforms. He met them hand to hand. The humans, foxes or elvan traitors where good fighters. This time he didn't have Torah or Patrick at his side. Even so, he got bogh the great whip and his sword out. Almost on instinct he fused with flame. Simon Belmont had been famous for the flame whip as he searched for Dracula's remains in 1691. The battle was soon over. They got no magic to defend against his assault. They'd attacked with pure bravery. Heinrich lowered his head. Somehow he respected these folks. They acted according to their conviction. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. He resheated his blade. The whip might be the best weapon right now. He kept watch to either side while he continued. Behind the consoles and instruments, the walls where made of solid stone. That somehow eased his tenshion. The bats attacked. The flapping sound of leathery wings where the only warning. Heinrich advanced. He whipped them into oblivion. He used the stopwatch to trap those which survived. They might inflict a cursed state. Heinrich didn't want to waste his purification crystals. They where seldom and expensive. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. He picked the crystals they left behind. The corridor continued. Sometime, other passages would cross the one in which he went. Heinrich realized the size of this tower. Without the golden compass, he might have been lost forever. Then not even his arsenal could save him. Sooner or later he would've been found and captured. Heinrich reached for the crucifix. He didn't want that to happen. He pulled back. The echo-droids made an electric web all across the opening. Heinrich made the crystal fall. Water shielded his position. The robots got wiped out. Heinrich inhaled. He picked some crystals. Then he kept walking. The compass still told him to head in this direction. If only he'd gotten a map of the area. Arrows came his way. Heinrich made crosses rise in protection. The red knights came from the side. Heinrich gathered his bloodline mystics. Then he buried the blade into the floor. How it was possible was a mystery. The floor was made of those same solid bricks. Flames rised in a full circle. Strange, but this time he didn't feel all that weary. The fight was over before it might even begin. Heinrich closed his eyes. He disliked having to kill living beings. They have to know what he might do. Never the less, they kept attacking. He opened his eyes. He tried to shake it off. Heinrich knew it was impossible. He knocked some candles. There really wasn't that much items inside. But he wouldn't take those which the knights left behind. He went some distance. The corridor ended before another metal door. Heinrich shook his head. He'd used all the Nitro. He would have to find another way beyond this opening. He went back to where their corpses still lay. He went through the door from which they came. Ahead was another large chamber. Echo-droids kept him from advancing. Heinrich threw holy water. The preshious liquid made the robots explode. Strange how water or thunder seemed to be the machine's weaknesses. Heinrich went into the chamber. The room was large. Atop was a huge sheet of transparent glass. Something large occupied the center of the room. He didn't have time to investigate. The red knights had manned the heavy blaster cannons which where in front. The super battle-droids also had been activated. Heinrich staggered. He made another crystal fall. Lightning protected from damage. Heinrich stormed forward. His only chanse was to take down the cannons. Their energy made the floor to explode. Heinrich was forced to run. He threw axes at them. Flames burned on impact. That wasn't enough. The gun posts got shield-generators. That was the last he needed. Heinrich dodged another assault. He whipped the lasers away. The great whip had such power. The robots got taken aback. He made the sign of the cross. "Glory be the Father, the Son and to the Holy Ghost!" He shouted. Then he crashed the vial of holy water. The water wave went through their shielding. The leftmost gun exploded. Heinrich almost got shot by the second. He had to be quick about it. This was dangerous. He'd been able to defeat the battle-droids. Then bats came swarming down. Heinrich used the stopwatch. That didn't halt the laser cannon. The red knight kept firing. The blasters actually took out the mammals. Heinrich threw other crosses. He focused his power. The cross split in four. The boomerangs channelled electric currents. The gun got boxed in. The assault fried the generator. The battle was far from over. More bats came flying in. Heinrich threw axes at them. He picked the crystals. They got in handy. The cannon turned. "In the name of the Lord!" Heinrich shouted. Then he threw a storm of daggers. The solid impact made the gun burst into flames. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. Again he'd survived. He claimed the gems. Then something else caught his attention. Leaning against the front of that huge machine, was a girl. She was fair and goldylocked. Her clothing, made of some dark yellowish fur, didn't camouflage her curvlyness. This time though, Heinrich wasn't seduced. There was something strange about her. Heinrich wondered what she might be doing in this sort of place. He stepped forward. Then a beam of pale moonlight got through the clouds. The woman was illuminated. She threw her head back. She was screaming. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. The female growled. Suddenly she'd grown fur. The same type of which her clouthing was made of. "Don't mind." She pured. "Such has no place here." Heinrich shook his head. "Begone with you, bride of Satan." He said. "I don't want anything to do with you." The were-lynx growled. She got her claws, bogh on hands and feet, extended. Then she seemed to gather. "Then you'll die." Before he could do anything, she'd pulled a sort of activater. The giant machine was awaken. The glass, put over the pilot's chair, was opened. The she-lynx jumped into the cockpit. Heinrich was on the retreat. The giant metal spider moved about upon eight mechanical legs, each the size of a man. The clanking movement made Heinrich feel more then a little nervous. Beneath the pilot, where the beak should've been, where instead a sort of twin blasters. They shot electrical beams. Heinrich made crosses rise in defience. The spider suddenly stopped. It turned the two front-legs before itself. Heinrich toutched the crucifix. The claws looked real nasty. Then the lynx shot a series of those spikes. He didn't even try to block this time. Heinrich ran. He would try to get around this mechanical monster. She couldn't weave backward. While running, Heinrich threw axes into the air. Flames burned on impact. He thanked the Lord this bulk got no ordmented shielding. The battle wasn't over. The machine spun with sudden speed. Heinrich almost got taken by the massive claws. They might become extended. That might capture the enemy. Heinrich managed to glide beneath. This really wasn't easy. Through the nosedrils, or whatever, the she-lynx released heavy fire. The flames might've burned him. He threw the cross. Water pillars protected him from damage. That wouldn't last for long. The metal claws came crushing down. He was able to sidestep. He managed to nail the thing with multiple homing crosses. The attack made smoke rise from its joints. That made no diference. She might actually try to cook him through that quality. The wicked female also got another trick up her sleeve. The weavers shot metal wires. Heinrich was unsure if she where to climb on the chamber or simply tried to get him. Whatever the case, he wouldn't permit that to happen. Thus she might kill him. He crashed a vial of holy water. The blue flame engulfed the entire machine. Though it didn't explode, the assault made it crash back down. She released other flames. Heinrich made crosses rise about. He couldn't afford to loose this battle. HE held his blade high. Lightning struck all about. The glass which protected the cockpit shattered. The were-lynx snarled. She fired the electric gun. Heinrich got struck backward. The blast wasn't strong enough to kill. But it knocked the breth from his lungs. Heinrich hoped the ribs didn't snap. Why think of such things anyway? The spider-tank was advancing. Heinrich gathered. He got lifted into the air. The huge flaming cross burst behind. Flames rained down over the enemy. The attack made it collapse. Then it got back up. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. HE was about to get short of crystals. Heinrich knew that would be fatal. He sidestepped the flame-throwers. She shot more spikes. He wondered how the monster might reproduce. That didn't matter. He got above. The heavy steam was obscuring the area. Heinrich drew sweath of his brow. The smoke made it hot too. The tank came clanking forward. The she-lynx was firing repeatedly. Heinrich got no choise. HE used the bloodline power. He made water flood the area. The sheer impact threw the machine hard against the wall. The bricks collapsed. Wind and snow came whirling in. The battle-tank somehow managed to climb back in. Heinrich used the moment to knock the candles which remained inside. The blizzard was freezing. This really proved why the mythological was so urgent. The machine advanced. Heinrich dodged the heavy spikes. He answered with axes. They exploded upon impact. Flames burned the unfortunate machine. The were-lynx kept shooting. Heinrich released tripled enflamed daggers. The front gun was shot to pieces. The glass was shattered. The she-lynx got exposed. She tried to reach for him with the frontmost claws. Heinrich threw himself backward. There still was plenty of space left over. Before he could attack, she released heavy flames. He almost forgot. Heinrich made crosses rise in front. They became fried. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. He knew that he where in trouble. This was no trip in the park. The spider-walker kept advancing. Heinrich tried to get around. She shot more of those heavy spikes. Heinrich answered with more axes. They made lightning strike on impact. The claw got shot to pieces. The machine fell forward. Heinrich decided it was time to end this conflict. He smashed a vial of holy water. The sonic explosion shook the front of the battle-tank. The she-lynx lept from her seat just as the entire front exploded. Heinrich noticed a button had been concealed underneath the battler. He ran to pull. Just after he'd activated the mechanism, the were-lynx attacked. She delivered a sudden high kick which struck him to the ground. The female creature revealed her claws. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. He wasn't prepared to become a were-beast. He thought of the Freddie monster which Simon Belmont faught in 1691. She came flying forward. Heinrich was upon his feet. The great whip was in his hands. Just when she came, he struck with the flame whip. The she-lynx got struck backward. Heinrich made the crystal explode. The were-beast got back up. She attacked with repeated punches. The dark yellowish fur moved with such speed it was almost impossible to track. Heinrich got the ability to see beyond the obvious. The whip met each stroke. She never backed. Instead, she parried each attack. The kick sent him flying backward. He shook his head. "That wasn't fair." The she-lynx snikered. "That wasn't girlish either." The monster dashed forward. Heinrich was ready. HE lept back on foot as he threw the dagger forward. The knife impaled the opponent. She staggered. Heinrich used the stopwatch. He only got five seconds. Without waisting time, he struck. The whip had become a bar of gold. She was struck to the floor. The were-lynx retained her human form just as she began burning. "Forgive me." She whispered. Heinrich nodded. He made the sign of the cross. Heinrich claimed those crystals she left behind. He really hoped He would make mercy upon her soul. He went back into the corridor. The metal gate had been moved aside. Arrows came whistling down the hallway. The red knights where advancing. Heinrich threw himself sideways. The multiple homing boomerangs ended the offensive. Not really. The gun-post was blasting. The narrow battlefield made it almost impossible to miss. Heinrich felt like a sitting duck in a shooting gallery. He made crosses rise. Then Heinrich threw more axes. They made water pillars rise upon contact. That overpowered the shield-generator. The thing exploded. Heinrich ran forward. The red knight was about to fire. Heinrich knelt. He threw the gold cross forward. The shining object caused a blazing explosion upon impact. Heinrich went to pick up the crystals. He even knocked some candles. The bats approached. Heinrich threw holy water. The flock burned. The crystals fell on the floor. Heinrich felt grateful when picking. He really could need those items. The squabble made the battle-droids to react. They appeared through hidden openings within the floor. Heinrich stabbed his blade into the floor. The flames made them burn. He claimed the crystals. Heinrich inspected the compass. It was still pointing in the same direction. He made the sign of the cros. "Be the will of God." Heinrich stated. He went forward. The echo-droid occupied the area in which he spotted another opening. They where making another electrical web. He used more holy water. The robots exploded. He took the crystals. Then Heinrich entered into the oval area. The place was large. Metal walls protected the area. Heinrich barely had time to consider. The turrets had opened fire. Heinrich dodged. There was time for battle.

Clock tower, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Nalla had decided she would stay back to guard the ship. There might be plunderers or other thieves about. Vitani and Robin went to search for the other parties within their group. The African woman was concearned. She didn't love either of them. Bogh Vego and Raglian might burn for what she cared. But they where exelent fighters. Nalla would trust them while in battle. Being a bounty-hunter ment more then that lonely life in cunning and heroism, which the pesents liked to figure. The thirst for blood was driving her. Nalla licked her lips. She would like something to drink. Although she would have to wait for the others to return. A pitty they couldn't have a stock of real living prisoners aboard. But then again, that would be dangerous. Beside, the ship wasn't really large enough. But she had grown tired of drinking sustained liquid. She was no baby. Nalla would go hunting. She dismissed the matter. Nalla was a vampire of state. She could control her thirst. She would have to anyway. She returned to the cockpit. The robot was ready to fly them out of here. Nalla had purchased it herself. It worked perfectly. If only the others would return. Then she could get away.

Tower of science, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
The giant lizard man had found what he was searching for. Though not without trouble. He'd gone all through the backside of the tower. If that really ment anything. The tower was huge. The mutated scientist wondered who might have built it. That ment even less. He would make it go away. If he could. That was the real point. He didn't have expected to get this far. The former doctor hadn't gained the means which might blow up the building. The giant lizard man had other plans though. He got other items which might work. He would use the screwdriver to might open the panel. That wouldn't be easy. His mutated fingers was not as clever that they used to be. For the first time in many a year, he actually prayed. He prayed he could be crafty enough to make this work. The tool felt strange in his grasp. There had been quite some time since he was a human. Mr. Hyde would've merry about this statement. He bit together. That madman wasn't going to stop him this time. The monster got another medicine. He felt calm and strong. He would make it work. He just had to.

Heinrich made crosses rise in front. The turrets shot them all down. They almost got him already. The huge security crystal was secured behind the shield. The small crystal made it impossible to get through. Heinrich wished he'd studied the chronicles more carefully. Then he might've learned something about this item. He knew that, when Carrie Fernandez faught the crystal in 1852, it'd been the main power-source for the tower of science. Nothing was ever the same. The turrets shot streams of bullets. Heinrich made axes fall. The guns exploded when lightning struck. He picked the crystals. Thomas hadn't really told much about his meeting with this thing. No matter, Heinrich was running in circles. That was the only way he could possibly stay alive. The turrets where slow to follow. Heinrich threw tripled enflamed crosses. The small crystal got destroyed. Heinrich had been certain to close the doors. He'd even crushed the controls. That way they might have some difficulty with getting through. That was no comfort. The turrets released heavy flames. Heinrich almost got burned. The laurels might protect him from enflamatory attacks. That he'd just discovered. The effect might be more effective if he ever learned to do it right. That would have to wait. Heinrich whipped the eye-like turret into oblivion. The thing shot lasers at him. Heinrich wished there had been a way to deactivate the defence-mechanism. Not likely. The repair-system where already busy reconstructing the turrets. Heinrich was able to whip another crystal. The electric whip made it shatter. There still where four more of them in place. Not to mention, they might reconstruct them every time. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. He destroyed those who released heavy steam. Then he gathered his bloodline power. Heinrich made a crystal fall which made lightning strike. The massive attack destroyed the remaining crystals. Heinrich would have to gather more gems later. He ran for the security crystal. The attack really had worked. The shield was gone. At least for some time. Heinrich got the jewel whip. He hit the crystal hard. The enormous item shook. Then it released a powerful blast of pure destruction. Heinrich barely managed to dodge. When he got back up, the turrets fired. The shield where in place. The machine-guns released plenty of bullets. Heinrich ran. He stopped. The turrets at this side still hadn't opened fire. Not yet anyway. Heinrich whipped them into submission. They left some crystals behind. The repair was at work. A sort of shell always appeared atop the damaged cannons. Heinrich got away in time. Those other turrets had been turned around. They threw grenades this time. That was the other particular part about this thing. The repair made the turrets become different forms of launchers. The grenades might explode upon impact. Heinrich was able to sidestep the assault. He threw multiple crosses throughout the area. It wasn't really that effective. Some turrets and crystals got blasted. Heinrich picked those gemstones closest. Before they might recover, Heinrich made his crystal explode. The shield was lowered. Heinrich ran forward. This was what he'd been waiting for. He struck with his gold whip. The giant construction was knocked backward. Heinrich waisted no time at all. He knew what was coming. The security crystal fired another heavy blast of raw energy. He dodged the assault. The result was instead that he got hit by other bullets. Heinrich used the laurels. He then whipped the gun away. Heinrich picked the jewels which it left. They really got in handy right about now. The other cannons where turning his way. Heinrich made some crosses rise before he ran. If only he'd gained something more protective. What he got wasn't really what he needed. Heinrich knelt. The lasers where getting awefully close. HE smashed a vial of holy water. The turrets got engulfed. Heinrich watched them explode. The turrets really left behind quite some crystals. He picked all he might get. They gave more energy. He ran out upon the battlefield. Heinrich was careful to not get to close to the energy-shield. If he ever caught contact, he would be obliterated. Then he jumped. A circle of axes got spread outward. The solid impact made the smaller crystals to explode. Heinrich wished he could make the big one go along. That was no option. He ran forward. The crystal released another heavy blast. Heinrich lept sideways. "Take this, your demon!" Heinrich shouted. Then he let it take the full brunt of the flaming crucifix attack. Heinrich was lifted into the air. The huge cross burst into flame. The security crystal got washed over. The shield was back in place. Heinrich barely survived. He'd actually knocked some other turrets. He gratefully picked their gemstones. The flames almost made him burn. The heavy steam got nasty close. Heinrich wondered if the legends where true. Richter Belmont, who faught against Dracula in 1792, challenged Minotaurus who could actually turn a man into stone when breathing heavy steam. Heinrich wasn't really sure if that was true. Trevor Belmont's retelling of Hector's quest, from 1499, never mentioned that the Minotaur might do such things. Never the less, he wouldn't take the chanse. Heinrich was able to whip away some other turrets. Those grenades had come to near to his position. The crystals he used when making axes fall. They made flames burn on impact. The shield was lowered. The security crystal was blasting the area with massive bursts of pure energy. This time Heinrich remained at a distance. Instead he answered the attack with a set of dual wavy daggers. They made rain fall upon impact. The construction didn't really like that. Heinrich got no time to celebrate. The turrets had become reactivated. Bullets got shot throughout the place. Heinrich ran to might get away. While running, he threw daggers at them. The attack wasn't strong enough to make them explode. Still, he got time to gather. He threw holy water into the air. Flames burned upon contact. Although he didn't use any mystic force, Heinrich knew that reaction. The security crystal truly was a result of malice and vile. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. The Lord would still guide him. Some cannons got blasted. He got the crystals he needed. He crashed another vial of holy water. The sonic attack made the crystals shatter. Heinrich timed it perfectly. He whipped those turrets which just became revealed. Then he got other gemstones. The security crystal didn't like what was happening. Heinrich had to be quick about it. Other turrets had already began firing. Heinrich reached for his symbol. "Glory be the Father, the Son and to the Holy Ghost!" The blue crosses appeared. Water flooded the area. Waves of pure clean liquid washed over the huge crystal. Heinrich used the opportunity to whip with the jewel whip. Then the shield became restored. Heinrich was forced to run while the turrets shot laser beams about the area. They might kill him in an instant. He knew that well. The homing crosses made some of them blast away. Heinrich knew it wouldn't take the crystals. No matter. He collected the gems. He would need them eventually. Heinrich managed to knock down some other turrets. Those who shot bullets about. The construction had begun to flicker with a rather ugly illumination. Heinrich wondered if something might be wrong with the security crystal. He hoped it was that way. The flame-throwers had become reactivated. Heinrich ran as fast he could. He made crosses rise in protection. He gathered. Heinrich knew he couldn't keep up forever. Soon the robots might get through. He wasn't quite sure why. Still, Heinrich was sure something terrible would happen if they ever got in here. Heinrich made multiple crystals to fall. Flames burned the battleground. The shield was gone. Heinrich ran forward. He used the stopwatch. That only gave him some five seconds. Anyway, Heinrich threw tripled axes. They made water pillars rise upon impact. The crystal got hit hard. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. He knew it was no victory. Even though shards had become knocked off of the larger security crystal. The turrets where back in action. They shot bullets, released flame or steam and threw grenades about. Heinrich was forced on the defensive. He managed to knock out some other turrets. Then he noticed. The smaller crystals had disappeared. The shield was no longer there. "Thank you, my Father in Heaven." He whispered. This didn't mean the battle was over. If it ment anything, it was that the huge crystal could blast about. That thing didn't even care it knocked some of its own protection. Heinrich gathered a few crystals while running about. He threw dual wavy daggers. The knives made it rain upon impact. The offensive made other shards become spread. Then it became in place. Heinrich wondered what was going on. No time for speculation. The defence-mechanism was still active. They shot lasers and flames about. Heinrich was busy escaping. He'd waisted all the crystals. Most of them at least. He whipped while running. Not even the great whip could defeat those turrets. The cross couldn't help him against such enemies. Here some still where about to be restored. Heinrich ran for the security crystal. He whipped with almost desperate force. The huge crystal was still flickering on and off. Now it was like it'd reawakened. The heavy flasts hit the area. Heinrich barely managed to dodge. He picked some of the crystals which the construction released. He was about to turn when the bullets shot him. Heinrich got struck backward. He landed hard upon the floor. He knew this would be the end. The turrets turned. Heinrich closed his eyes. Nothing happened. Heinrich fell backward. Someone was approaching. The pain was wearing him down. Someone cursed. "God bless me." Someone said with heartfelt selfdistain. "I tried to be quick about it." Heinrich didn't even have strenght left to shake his head. He would like to say that it didn't matter. That he wished to know what was going on. He didn't have the ability for either. He didn't even have the power to use the laurels. Someone was searching through his backpack. He had no mind. Heinrich knew he'd failed. The Dark Lord had been right when crushing their group. Someone pressed a bottle against his lips. "Drink." The voice demanded. Heinrich did as he where told. Why not? Poison wouldn't get him fast enough. Then he recognized the aweful taste of the red medicine. The bullets fell from his body. Heinrich felt nice and healthy again. Then he looked for his friend. He'd expected to see Torah or Patrick. Even Saria, Joseph or Iori would've been nice. It where neither of them. Heinrich beheld the giant lizard man. He shook his head. Heinrich got back on foot. "Here." The huge mutant gave him his backpack. "You might blow up that thing if you want to." The lizard said, pointing toward the security crystal. Heinrich smiled. "You bet I will." HE said. Heinrich then gathered his force. The crystal fall down. Spirit shone upon the area. The central control-computer was finally destroyed. Heinrich knelt in prayer. The giant lizard man gave him the mystic orb. Heinrich looked skyward. "Thank you Lord." He said. The crystal ball gave him new strenght. "Amen." He said. Finally it was over.

Tower of art, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Black Inviktus immediately felt the shift. The system which had been operated into her brain, gave full control. "What happened?" Lassaralin asked. Sting got up from where she had fallen. Even she had felt what had happened. "The central control-computer have become deactivated." She calmly told her crew. They all looked rather disturbed and confused by her statement. The robots at work, made the statement all the more real. They had all become shut down. She already where to consider what to do. "The computers are down." The controller reported. The warlock acknowledged. "Then leave them behind." She hissed. "They are no longer of any concearn." They really had been only for momentary use to begin with. "We are to leave this place." That they should have done already. "Give the information through communicators." She instructed. "All the red knights or others are to gather within the main hall." She considered. "Even tell the mythological." She then said. They would do as she told. Black Inviktus really where in command. She knew it well. So it should be. Diter Hauser relayed her instructions. She would gain her revenge eventually.

Tower of science, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Heinrich beheld the giant lizard man. He never really expected to see this person again. He'd helped to settle matters within the castle center. The hunter hung up his whip. "Why are you here anyway?" He asked. The giant lizard man licked his lips nervously. "I came here to finish matters." Heinrich frowned. He didn't really understand. "Listen to my story." The lizard seemed to notice his confusion. "Although the Lecarde family came to live here some time ago, followers of the Dark Lord already had conquered this castle." The giant lizard man looked about. "After the demon castle war." He then continued. "The place was abandoned." Heinrich slightly nodded. He more then once heard legends about what happened in 1999. Although no real account had ever been made about the incident. "I myself was among those who constructed this tower." He hissed. "Although it've changed since that." Heinrich nodded. He'd already figured as much. "I wished to get rid of what's instored here." The mutant looked away. "Of that I don't even wish to tell to you." Heinrich understood. "You don't have to." He said. Such where of little interest to him. Heinrich would take whatever the Lord would give him to defeat count Dracula. But he knew that no weapon, no matter how powerful, could defeat the vile boyar. "I'm just grateful you deactivated the security crystal." He explained. The lizard gave no notice. "No thank is needed." He said. "My problems are however not solved." Heinrich gave him a look. He was about to get upon his feet. "The door is closed." The giant mutant remarked. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. "Then come with me." He said. "Together we might defeat the vampire." The giant lizard man also got up. He had some sort of medicine. He preduced the sample from within a briefcase which reminded of Renon. "I may." He said. Heinrich smiled, scratching his blonde beard. Then he unsheated the blade. The lizard man didn't seem to have any weapons. Not beside his huge limbs. "That corridor should lead to the exit away from this tower." He explained while pointing towards one of the many openings. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. Then he stepped forward. The giant lizard man was at the rear. This passage wasn't as wide as the one in which he'd met the spider-tank. A sudden move made him react. Heinrich summoned lightning to his aid. The sword got electrified. He repeled the blasters. The giant lizard man knelt. HE released some sort of homing mouse. The little bombchu suddenly exploded. The dots got shot into oblivion. "What a wonderful toy." Heinrich remarked. The lizard licked his lips. Though he didn't give any further comment. Heinrich shrugged. He went toward the door. This wall was made of plain ordinary bricks. The door was even preduced through iron-bound wood. Heinrich tried to open. The door was locked. "It is like I expected." The lizard man said. "The followers of old time closed the gate intently." He looked on him with sad yellow eyes. "You can't continue." He added. Heinrich wasn't that sure. "Through the grace of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost." Heinrich said, making the sign of the cross. "It will be opened." He reached into his purse. From there he preduced the glass key which he'd found within the sarcophagus. The huge mutant beheld him closely while Heinrich put it into the lock. He turned the key. The gate was opened. Beyond lay another room. Heinrich noticed it was octagonal in shape. Only one lamp was left to lit the area. "Here, I think. We should depart." The strange companion said. "If you would give me that thing." Heinrich nodded. He got no further use for it. Not if there where any other locked doors. He asked the lizard about the matter. "I don't think so." The lizard answered. "You have left the tower of science." He gazed into the chamber. "From here on, I don't know much about the castle." Heinrich accepted this statement. He gave the thing away. "May you achieve what you're searching for." He told the giant lizard man. The mutant bowed. "As I hope you will. Be lucky within the dual tower." They bid their fearwell. Then Heinrich stepped into the room. He closed the door behind. He wondered if that strange creature would gain his goal. As for now, there where other problems. A swarm of bats came down from the ceiling. There where no windows in here. Heinrich resheated the blade. They would drink his blood. Heinrich barely got the great whip out in time. Through water he was able to defeat their approaching swarm. Heinrich picked the crystals. He would need them. He then would have a closer look around. At the right was another door. Though in front there was a corridor leading forward. A faint glow could be seen in the distance. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. HE didn't like the look of that light. He better take the other turn instead of running into God knew what. Heinrich toutched the crucifix. Then he went to open the door. The steps led downward. Heinrich was about to descend when other bats attacked. "Stronger we are in the name of the Lord!" Heinrich shouted. Then he went into battle. HE would have to defeat them all.

The giant lizard man watched him go. Heinrich Schneider was such a remarkable person. Not many like him these days. The mutant picked up his suitcase. He'd resieved the glass key. This was the master key of this tower. No lock might withstand. He went back toward the ruined remains of the control-computer. The doctor hoped that would've deactivated the defence-mechanism throughout the castle. Nothing happened while he went along. Only some running feet could be heard. The giant lizard expected they where just red knights going abroad. Such couldn't stop him. Then he stopped himself. Why where they all leaving? Was someone at a gathering. He licked his lips nervously. That he couldn't change. He got his own errand. He couldn't remain here. He went back out through the central tower. This had been a cloning facility. Why had the scientist become so interested in this art. It wasn't important anyway. Not now. He was searching for something else. The concealed opening was still there. Now he could unlock. He put the key in place. The metal plate moved aside. The giant lizard man went down. He was at the top of a giant staircase. The steps led down into the bottom of the pillar. This where the place in which he'd wanted to go all along.

Torah felt like being thrown to the floor. The heavy blast which came from behind almost made it come true. The little sorceress shook her head. She didn't wish to know what happened. Or perhaps… Torah threw it aside. She could be flexable. She knew. Torah barely survived the search through the tower of science. If that was anything like Carrie Fernandez endured while in 1852, that was impressive. She preduced the ring-smash. Saria's medallion had become hot again. She'd been using to much magic. Torah knew better then to try anything before it cooled. She toutched the cross. She still kept it tied around her wrist. She'd put away the warm winter clothing. She'd been forced to lock the door when passing through. Torah hoped her comrades where alive. The count really frightened her. She wished Rose was with her. That was no option. She'd lost the fairy long ago. Or so it felt. Rose had been such a nice companion. She knew more about matters then she did. Torah dried away some tears. She still was just a girl. Perhaps that was the best way. If she could keep being herself. Torah gathered. She got work to do. She was a vampire hunter. The strange glow illuminated this area. With determination she stepped forward, iron-smash at the ready.

Underground tunnel, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Before him was a horde of gathered treasure. Upon which lay a magnificent black dragon. The stench of gale heavy upon the area. The giant lizard had went to the bottom of the tunnel. Not before he'd burned the documents within the forbidden area. There was one thing he couldn't get rid of though. The shining flare of her breth seem to illuminate the very walls. This was dangerous. Sence and the many burned and stained remains of skeletons told as much. The black dragon beheld him dearly. "This I give in sacrifice." He stated while placing the prototype bomb before her glory. He couldn't say why, if any had asked him, but she where amused. Framed by her tail and lower body lay eight huge jewel eggs. Pyre and flame burned bright as she did consume the item of power. "You have brought me pleasure." She said. Her voice sweet as hunny. It was a blessing simply to listen. "Have your reward." He hadn't expected this to happen. He was a man again. Though an undead of the sort. He was clad like a gentlman of his time and age. Gold was in his briefcase. And also a book of lore. One of those which never got filled. He knelt before her. Was this a result of her roosting? The dr. Henry Jeckyle got up. He then morphed into a bat and flew away.

Clock tower, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Julia stepped into the realm of the clock tower. She had come this far. The thirst for blood where in her veins. Julia exposed her fangs. She had become a vampire. Though not yet. Her mind and will where still her own. Julia would not submit to the rule of count Dracula. She knew the words to be empty. No undead could ever escape from his domain. The power of Dracula where to strong. So be it. Heinrich Schneider had renewed her resolve. She would not live as an undead. At least this way she might get revenge. Her stepmother had bitten her. Who bit Susam in the first place? Nobody could, or would, tell her. She tried to calm her anger. That only would make her listen to the whispering voices of the dark side. She hated those whespers. She was about to step forward when she noticed about his presence. There he sat, upon a bleak horse was mounted the angel of Death. Julia staggered backward. It where to no use. He reached forth with his skeletal hand. That hand which didn't hold his scythe. She felt like weeping. She couldn't. Julia where upon her knees. The red cloud was all she could see. Though her mind was screaming. Her mouth where speaking upon its own accord. Or so it felt. "Master." She breathed. Uriel was laughing. This was the end of it all.

(A.N: This chapter might be short. Though I hope it contain some of the peril found in the real game. I'll try to finish this last split-path as I can. Thanks to other contributers for some ideas. I hope things may become clear. Have a nice time.)

""Then the wolf shall live together with the lamb."
Jes: 11. 6.

Chapter '7: Encounters.
Dual tower, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Aaron had everything put in order. He would achieve victory. There was nothing which could make him fail. They all had been training these last three years. This would be the great finale. All since Thomas defeated him in the battle for superiority among his tribe, he had been planning for this hour. Those he summoned felt like him. Like him, they used Dracula's magic to make their wish come true. He suddenly lifted his head. Aaron sniffed the air. This was just perfect. Patrick was here. How he had entered, was a mystery. He did not care. This would be his moment. He would defeat him. Then he would find his brother. Thomas would have to die accordingly. Then he would breach the seal. Aaron would bring the man-beasts to the Dark Lord. They belonged under his rule. They would crush the humans who for so long have made them live in secret. They had the same objective as the undead. A pitty to think they had fought among themselves before the rise of the true Dark Lord. First it had Been Walter Bernhardt. Then Mathias Krohnquist. Then Vlad Tepes Dracula had come to power. Aaron would praise him as lord and master. He would do it, forever.

Patrick got back to reality. He shook his head. The blast had knocked him out. Patrick was back by now. Though with a broken heart. The body of little Amy lay before him. She was dead. The vampire killed her. Patrick then suddenly began to weep. This wasn't the way it where supposed to be. He would slay Dracula. Then Amy would've regained her humanity. He dried off his tears. They wheren't fitting in a moment like this. Patrick howled his challenge. He would indeed kill the vampire for what he'd done. Patrick tried to suppress the feelings. He knew the truth. He hadn't really been in love with her. Amy was his friend. Though he'd made out with her, it was more a sign of his caring then anything else. She'd left her tribe for him. Amy saved his life any number of times. That was the most bitter of it all. He really should've loved her. Patrick inhaled. The air was bad. For the first time, he had a look around. The faint red glow was the only source of light. Although there where some candles. Patrick went to look down the side of the pillar. Far below, was the pit of boiling lava. Patrick made the sign of the cross. The sight was terrible. He'd thought Heinrich and Torah made that quality disappear. No matter. There was something he had to do. Patrick brought off his backpack. He then preduced the contract. "How may I be of service?" Renon asked. Patrick went to pick up Amy's body. "I don't know if you might do this." He asked. "But I'll pay you for taking her body to my tribe's elders." Renon arched his eyebrow. "She is not of your species." HE remarked. Patrick knew that. He put his hand on her forhead. HE used his power to instal his scent. Thus giving credit to their story. The elders could read the history of a lifetime before the pyre was lit. That was part of the ritual. "That will cost you a great sum." Renon finally said. "I do not usually carry trade." Patrick snarled. But then dropped the matter. "I'll pay the price." HE said with ire. Renon acknowledged. "Then I will have 10.000 pieces of gold from your purse." Patrick reached into his belt. He gave the money. He didn't care. Renon held Amy's body. "Thank you sir." He was able to tip the hat. "Just summon me if there might be anything else." Then he was gone. Patrick put away the items. This had been a waist of time. He got to get out of here somehow. The large area consisted of a lone enormous chamber. He leaned against the wall. He would have to do something. Patrick pulled out his shotgun. The thing was reloaded and ready for action. He looked around. Behind him, was only the lava. There where no other way then forward. If that where the right way to put it. The chamber was vast. Along the wall though, there where other pillars. Like the one on which he stood. Patrick knew his eyes where gleaming like polished gold. He felt angry. If only he'd been able to attack that monster. Then all might've been over. He cut it off. The bats had noticed. They came swarming down. Patrick shot with man-beast plasma. He went for the border of this platform. The Medusa head almost made him turn into stone. He snarled. Patrick threw his garlic. The head got blasted away. He shot bullets toward the mammals. They kept coming down. There also where coming other creatures spawned from Medusa. They flew above the area. Patrick threw stakes at them. He picked the crystals. Patrick then jumped abroad. He reached the next platform. Just as he landed, Patrick noticed something was wrong. The pillar was lowering back down into lava. He made another leap. Patrick just barely managed to get ontop. Just as he climbed, figures jumped from the liquid. He where approached by a group of lurking fishmen. He ducked. Patrick then made a sidestep. The slick monsters where spitting poison streams. Patrick spun. He howled. That other fishman was spitting fireballs. He shot it in the face. The impact threw it backward. The other monsters where approaching. They spat fireballs or streams of poison water. Patrick released a shining cross-shaped blast forward. Then he released more man-beast plasma. The fishmen got shot to pieces. He claimed their crystals. The mammals where starting to come down. He shot some mammals. Then he lept across. Why didn't they follow? That was the least of his trouble. There where some sort of holes drilled into the top of this pillar. Patrick didn't figure. Then he just lept. A sound came from behind. He turned and watched. A heavy spike-trap had just come crashing down. Patrick shuddered. That was to close. There where no time for resting. Other fishmen came jumping up. They spat poison water or fireballs. Patrick fused with power. HE threw explosive flowers about. The fishmen where blasted away. He smiled. The grimace never reached his eyes. Patrick was busy picking gems when the Medusa heads advanced. Patrick wished he still got his blade. There was no time. He dodged as best he could. He lept above the lake of lava. The chainsaw nearly cut him in half. Though not very quick, the mechanic trap was relayable. Not to him. Patrick jumped upon the return. The thing seemed to chase him. Although Patrick knew it was his imagination, that was no comfort. He got above as it came on the third return. Patrick inhaled. He got to get away from here. He lept another turn. This time the man-beast got across to yet another platform. He was breathing heavily. Patrick drew sweath of his brow. Not that the heat was really a bother. But the constant watchout for traps and villains picked his nerves. Patrick toutched the crucifix. Although Amy was dead and couldn't help him, he would keep the memory of a good friend. To know that his friends where somewhere abroad, and might be needing his help, made him gather. That was when the mammals arrived. Patrick was overthrown. He howled. Then he fused with power. His body was alive with blazing plasma. The bats burned on contact. Though his armour had no scratch of the intence glow. He picked the crystals. Patrick knew he must be ready. The Medusa heads came through a wavy pattern. The faint red glow made all seem dim and illusive. Patrick shot with his pistol. He'd reloaded with his plain bullets. Never the less the snakes got blasted. Patrick claimed some round of ammunition from their smoldering pyre. The fishmen jumped. How they might reach this great hight wasn't important. Patrick believed that the curse might've done something with them. They where unlike any other fish monsters he'd ever met. Patrick dodged the onslaught of fireballs. Another pack came from behind. Patrick threw stakes at them. The fusion with power made the wood explode. Patrick ducked. The first band was spewing streams of poisonous water. Patrick threw garlic at them. The onion grenades shot the beasts to pieces. Patrick pulled a hand over his face. He felt so tired. Then he gathered. Patrick knew he got to continue. He got to get out of this place. After he'd gathered some gems, he made another leap. The platform he reached immediately began to lower into the molton lava. Patrick felt like his fur was standing on end. He made a desperate jump. He barely got off in time. Just when he gained ground, hidden openings within the rock was revealed. Patrick stepped backward. A pack of super battle-droids emerged. Patrick shot before they might open fire. He where among them. His eyes blazing with yellow. Silver had retained his true form. The mechanics fel on the rock like they where nothing. He howled with triumph. Then Patrick inhaled. He knelt. Patrick guessed he'd grown slightly more powerful. The elders told that might happen. His brother was the chosen of their tribe. Patrick still held in high honour among their species. He put the matter aside. This wasn't the time anyhow. He blasted some other bats. He didn't dare to claw at the Medusa heads. They could turn him into stone when toutching. He hated those vile folks. Patrick was able to shoot the one which followed. He would have to work quickly about it. The wall was near. Patrick picked some items before moving forward. He barely managed the jump. The distance where far wider then he'd figured it would. No matter, he managed to climb within. Just when he got inside, bars of steel came crushing down. Patrick looked about. Was this a trap? Most likely. He where in one of the corners of the massive tower. This platform was far wider then any he'd endured. There where no trapps here. Then Patrick noticed the spike-beds placed at each corner. He was within a large cage. How where he to escape? Then something else got his attention. Another part of the pavement got moved aside. Patrick reloaded his shotgun. The person who arrived wasn't what he'd expected. "Monique!?" He exclaimed. "What're you doing here!?" Monique didn't answer at first. He lept towards her. She'd been his girlfriend once, when they where bogh young. Although he'd forgotten about her face, he remembered other things. She where black, for one matter. Patrick almost blushed when remembering his brother's statements. That where beside the point. Monique, originating from the Congo, was no man-beast. She looked up at him. Then her white teeth shone up in her face. "Always the man will come in a shining armour." She put a hand on his golden chestplate. "To save the maiden in distress." She where clad only in the fur of the leopard. There where something amiss about her aura. Patrick didn't heed. When he returned the smile. "You never where." His smile grew wider. "It's been a long time since you where a maiden anyhow." That didn't seem to please her. She pulled back. She looked upon him with dark eyes. "Why keep something. When you get delight while shedding?" The smile returned upon Monique's face. "I've learned much since the last time." She stated. "I've become a mistress of the hunt." She curved her fingers, like if they where claws of wild. Patrick frowned, for the first time. What had happened? The girl he'd known wasn't this harsh. Nor she had been a member of his kind. Something caught his attention. Around her neck, Monique carried jewleries he hadn't seen before. The necklace was made of tightfitting red gold. A single yellow stone was kept in the middle. Patrick knew what that was. "Where have you got it?" He asked. Now he really was concearned. The moonstone wasn't ment to be carried lightly. Monique looked up at him, into his face. Her eyes, which always had been of a dark brown, was suddenly shining yellow. They where the gaze of a wild cat. Patrick pulled backward. Suddenly he was afraid. She had been left within the castle when he fled, three years ago. Who knew what devilry she'd endured? He felt ashamed. Back then he'd only thought of escaping. He couldn't change it anyway. That was to late. Monique hissed. Her shape was already transforming. Patrick toutched his crucifix. "I shall have you!" She shouted. "I shall show you what I've become!" That she already did. Monique's skin grew a bright yellow fur. Still, black specks where left to be seen. Monique's eyes had turned all yellow. "Were-beast." Patrick whispered. He made the sign of the cross. The two tribes, often taken as one by humans, where really in war with one another. Patrick knew that. His ancestors had brought it over their own head. The where-beasts where different. Their willingness and thirst for blood and slaughter had made them easy targets for the dark powers. They'd been consumed. Patrick made the sign of the cross. "I see what you've become." He said. "You're no longer my girlfriend." He pulled out his pistol. That he'd reholstered upon the leopard's arrival. "But I'd hoped you would still be my friend." He pulled away from her. "But now all I can do is to relive you of Dracula's power." Monique was enraged. She lept at him with her claws extended. Patrick knew he couldn't be cursed by the lycan. But he might become poisoned. Or his mind be clouded. He backed even further. She was always on the move. She threw punches at him or kicked with sharp claws. Patrick was unsure what to do. He should've loaded the pistol with silver bullets. Then he might have got a fighting chanse. Monique pured. She clearly noticed his perplexity. Then Patrick ducked beneath another kick. He grabbed her beneath the legs. Monique still where shorter and lighter then him. He threw her hard against the floor. The cat sprang back up. But Patrick was ahead of her. Finally he'd decided. Plasma scolded the skin of his enemy. Monique shrieked. She then lept upward. Patrick almost lost sight of his former girlfriend. Then she came. Monique lept from the ceiling, giving him the full waight of her jumping kick. Patrick was sent sprawling. The leopard was laughing. For a moment she'd retained her human form. She wasn't really that high. But Monique was hard with muscles. That had been one of the reasons why he'd been so interested. She where not meak, like most girls. Her hair was like that of a curly black cap about her head. Then her eyes gleemed with yellow malice. She became a beast again. The moonstone amulet shone with an almost febarish light. He'd gotten back up again. When she came for the kill, he was ready. He rolled beside the heavy kick. Then, still on the floor, he shot with his pistol. The bullet didn't seem to make any harm. But it made her stagger. Only for a while. Though it gave him time to get up. Patrick gave her the stakes. A more bitter pike to be stabbed upon then anything she'd experienced before. Patrick smirked. It didn't reach his eyes. Suddenly she came right forth. Monique struck with a swift double-handed claw-swipe which went along his mail. Although she didn't penetrate, the sound was terrible. More so because of his keen hearing. She kicked him in the chest. Then the claws came in for his neck. He stepped backward. The crucifix glowed when Monique got close. She screeched. Her hands where on fire. Patrick was about to end her misery when she lept. The were-leopard got some distance between them. She then lent him a jump-kick which sent him sprawling. Patrick landed upon one of the spike-traps. Somehow the armour was solid enough to support him. The light metal of this trap gave way when he landed. Never the less, he felt like having landed in a pile of glass. The sharp splinters where not plesent at all. Patrick got up. Monique was on the assault. She was climbing upon the walls above. How she could mount the steel bars where beyond his imagination. She didn't give him time to figure. She came with a flying kick which should've cracked him open if it'd ever landed. Patrick made a glide under the advancing lycanthrope. That became more difficult due to the armour. But it worked. He got up, though not without difficulty, while releasing forth a cross-shaped blast of pure energy. Monique got struck before she could even move. She got thrown face first upon the solid stone. Patrick couldn't pitty her. Stil he did. They'd been so close once. He couldn't permit himself to get immobilized. Quickly Patrick reloaded his pistol. This time he was sure it where with the silver bullets. Monique got back up. Beyond her abileties, the African woman was bleeding. As was he. Patrick gathered his strenght. He got to get through. Monique licked her lips. Her eyes where a yellow blaze. Then she lept forward. Patrick sidestepped. But then she came again. The jump-kick hit hard. Patrick staggered. The were-leopard advanced. She attacked with repeated rapid claw-swipes. Patrick fired his pistol. The bullet went into her body. Monique staggered. Patrick came forth. He'd scored between her breasts. That should've been a fatal blow. He might stil save her. If he got some Belladona in his backpack. But that was dry. The leaf might not be useful. "Come on." Monique eagered. She still tried to struggle up. "Go on and kill me." She laughed by his baffled expression. "You're no vampire hunter." She scolded. "Man-beast." She called him. "What're you trying to prove?" Patrick shook his head. The words made him feel uncomfortable. Blood ran down from where he'd shot her. "You're just like me." Monique stated. "You pretend to help people. But all you lay behind is ruin and destruction." The speech made him think of the villager he'd killed. About Amy laying dead. Of his family bringing chaos upon innocent folks who just happened to live with them in the castle. Then he straightened. He thought of the children which he'd saved. And even upon the persons he'd released from Dracula's curse. Monique had somehow gotten back up. She clawed for his neck. Without thinking, he threw roses at her. They exploded on contact. Patrick blinked. He didn't ment to do that. But it was to late. The were-leopard was already burning into ashes. With a look of disgust, he kicked the moonstone talisman over the edge of the cliff. There where some candles within. He hadn't seen many of them lately. They might contain something useful. Perhaps he might still get out of this cage. Patrick looked about. There where two small doors. One leading back into the way from which he'd came. While the second was leading forward. Patrick decided he would knock some candles before going that way. The crystals and money really got in handy. The cross made him smile. He picked it up. But instead of putting it around his neck, he tied it around his wrist. That way it might become more useful. He went for the door. It gave way. Though it'd looked like a part of the metal bars, it actually worked on its own accord. Patrick toutched the crucifix. Then he went out. From here led a short catwalk. Patrick stepped out upon the walkway. Then he noticed it'd already began to crumble. He better be quick about it. Patrick ran. He barely got upon the next platform. The bridge collapsed behind him. Patrick was breathing heavily. He didn't have time. A swarm of bats where approaching. Patrick inhaled. The mammals where in range. He didn't have time to unsheat his pistol. No matter. Patrick got the cross. Suddenly he summoned more power. The bats where met by a flurry of flames. He made the sign of the cross. The item was really helpful. He picked the crystals. Patrick unholstered his pistol. Not a moment to late. The Medusa heads came from a wavy pattern. He shot with silver bullets. That they didn't like. Patrick howled his challenge. Then he lept. The second platform where in range. Here too there where strange holes in the floor. This time he recognised. The spike-trap was about to crash down. Patrick jumped. Behind the trap was closed. Even upon this platform there where something amiss. Patrick went forward just as the guillotine came down. Patrick drew sweath of his brow. His dark hair was already drenched with that quality. This place was hot. He passed through another crushing blade. Then another came down in front. Patrick really disliked this place. He waited until the guillotine blade was lifted before moving. The next platform was barely larger then those others. Patrick wondered if there where another cage. That wasn't true. Not that he'd time for speculation. The fishmen came from below. Just as bats came in a wave. Patrick was surrounded. Then he ducked. He placed roses about. That might stop them. There was something strange about this part of the wal. Patrick had no interest. There where to much at stake. He shot the monsters with the remaining bullets. There where to many. The bats he shot with other flames. The cross really had a range. Patrick toutched his crucifix. The demons where about to close him in. Patrick didn't have time to reload his pistol. Patrick put it away. They shot streams of poison water. Patrick dodged as best he could. Then he answered with more plasma. The roses went off. Large pieces of the wall came crumbling down. The fishmen and bats got defeated. Patrick almost got buried himself. When he finally got free from the rubble, he noticed a whole section of the wall was gone. He shook his head. Those flowers where powerful. He collected some crystals. Those which hadn't been buried. He had a look into the closed compartment. Lava was roaring down into the lake underneath. Though there where quite a wide platform as well. Patrick went inside. Here he found some other candles. At the end he spotted one of those metal doors. But he would need an exit card to get through. Patrick dismissed the matter. He went to knock the candles. However, he reloaded the pistol. Nobody could tell what might be in there. Patrick figured there had been a way to remove the boulders from within. Not that he really was a magician. Patrick dismissed the matter. He got work to do. "So." A voice remarked. "There you are." Patrick stopped. Had he been going into a trap? A cloacked and hooded figure was barely visible through the gloom. Patrick made the sign of the cross. Although this being didn't possess neither the hotness of anger of a darkside, nor the chilling hate of the wanderers. No matter. The figure stenched of magic. Patrick tightened the grip on his sidearm. The figure was advancing.

Torah really didn't like the heat. Although the blue ring would protect from high tempratures, it wasn't the perfect protection. She might still sweath, for instance. She toutched the cross. Torah came here because it looked like the best way to go. Now she wasn't that sure anymore. The faint red glow was the only source of light. Torah got the iron-smash. She would keep it ready just in case. The mammals still where out, lusting for her blood. It didn't matter. She felt a slight shudder. Those bats where the real challenge. Torah inhaled. She had to stand tall. If only she could do something about the lava. The ancient bloodline told the quality might still threaten the balance of life. Torah only wished she got one of those gems which Heinrich received from the Unicore. Then she smiled. Although she didn't have that. She got something else. She pulled off her backpack. "Where have I put it?" She asked herself. She just found it, the mystic book. Torah had a deep breth. She only hoped she could find the right notes. The "Serenade of Water". The pages seemed to know what she where searching for. They opened themselves to show her the lyrics. Torah preduced the fairy ocarina. It was time to play. Softly, Torah began to preduce the ancient melody of those who once lived here.

Castle keep, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Olivia was afraid. Her friends had all been equipped with darkbond. Those dark matter might hold even those with the power of wizardry. They had been brought down this hidden staircase. Olivia only knew this forbidden area was somewhere beneath the castle keep. Those which held them, where nowhere to be seen. The red knights had left them. Outside the cell, she only saw some few bats. Olivia felt unsure among so many Christians. How could they believe that the Lord had a son? Why would they worship him instead anyway. She never got the chanse to ask Ezekiel about that. The front of the cell where made of crude bars of iron. Olivia looked about. The place seemed like a cavern. The bad dank air stank of rott and decay. Olivia huddled together. This was a dungeon. She tried to find her friends. Beside Benjamin, she couldn't pick out the rest. He couldn't help her. If there was anything to be done, it had to be her at work. She toutched the cresent. Shadow lay on this area. Olivia could feel its presence. How she could that, was a mystery. Olivia knew she wasn't like them. She couldn't make things happen. If only things where like in her dreams. There she had a speshial ability. Olivia could dream of what she wanted. If only she could make it come true.

Dual tower, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Heinrich Schneider went down the corridor. The passage seemed like made of ancient rock. He made the sign of the cross. There had been quite some rumble and ramble just now. For the moment, all was silent. Heinrich wondered what it might all mean. Had there been a minor earthquake, or something? He toutched the crucifix. After he left the giant lizard man, things had been mostly quiet. Beside some bats, the place lay empty. Heinrich wasn't that sure. He felt almost like this was the silence before the storm. He shook his head. This wasn't as it should be. He cracked the chain-whip. The weapon felt good in his hands. He hoped the Belmont ancestors would be proud of him. The shadows lay heavy upon him. He'd first thought it better to go this way. Here at least, there was no spook lights. Heinrich tightened the grip on his great whip. He would have to keep his faight. Then he reached another iron-bound door of ancient dark wood. Heinrich put a hand on it. Perhaps he might finally get some answers. Dust lay thick upon the floor. Nobody seemed to have been here for ages. There was a sound from above. Though not the chewing sound which he feared. However, Heinrich felt a sudden distaste. Darkside had arrived.

Patrick couldn't hold himself any longer. He was about to pull the trigger. Then the figure stopped. "Belmont scum." The voice remarked. "Let go of your weapon." Patrick frowned. He almost wished he'd chosen the other side. They might at least see in the darkness. Although he got a keen sight, he couldn't penetrate the shade of the hooded being. "May I help you?" Suddenly it held up a short wooden staff. The torch got lit. "Magic!" Patrick stepped back. He was surrounded. There only where super battle-droids or the destroyers. But there where some others which Patrick didn't recognize They where not shadow droids. Nor where they vultures. Patrick made the sign of the cross. The red knights, which clustered about their master, kept their bow-and-arrows ready. "I thought the computer had been shot down." He said. "Certantly." The one holding the torch remarked. "But there is still a lieutenant left." Patrick got a feeling the figure snickered. "As long he is alive, the robots might still be operational." Patrick nodded. He should've known better. The wicked always had a backup for their advantage. "Beside." The hooded remarked. "The commando-droids have been equipped with selfmotivators." Patrick made no more remark. He was grateful for having reloaded the shotgun with bombs, bubbles and ray batteries. The figure lifted a hand. "Process him." Patrick was already prepared. "Roger. Roger." Already while the task-force leader chirped his replay, he was in motion. Patrick made his body blaze with man-beast force. That repeled their blasters. Patrick even got other powers to his dispocial. He let loose the power of the cross. Golden flames burned the machines about. Though most of the battle-droids got fried, the destroyer-droids and commandoes advanced. Patrick figured that where to no avail. He released forward a cross-shaped blast of energy. The knights fired their arrows. Patrick where among their numbers. He'd retained his true form. He shot plasma all about. He bit and tore those which got in his way. He turned about. The destroyers where closing in. He threw garlic about. They'd been energizing to withstand blasters. The onion made them explode. He ran to fetch the crystals. While running, he threw flowers about. The humanoid commando-droids where armed with the same automated weapons which the sergeant would use. Though it was only three of them left. No, Patrick frowned, it hadn't been like that. It'd only been three of them in the beginning. Their black armour had to be ordmented. Patrick made the sign of the cross. The instrument panels upon their chest, and around their waist, where the only specles of light or colour. Patrick licked his lips. He didn't like this. Suddenly they activated the rockets they kept on their back. Then they opened fire. Because of the shape of the battlefield, he might still dodge the onslaught. Two of them threw away the useless guns when reaching the floor. Onlyy the third didn't throw away its ammunition. Patrick had his own bullets. As the machine came flying for another turn, he let it have all the types of shots which he still got left. The robot got frozen over. Then the shock-bomb blasted him to pieces. Silver howled his challenge. The other commandoes hadn't been idle. The leftmost droid advanced. He was using the shoulder and wrist blasters to fire repeated rounds. The heavy blasters shook the area. The second followed while quickly unsheating a heavy flame-thrower. That he'd kept tied to his hip. Patrick was quick in motion. He threw stakes at them. The crucifix and cross might repel some of their energy. The first of them came in range. Patrick then released another flurry of flames. The controls got rousted. Patrick made the sign of the cross. Then he stamped with bogh symbols. The commando-droid got blasted. Patrick claimed the crystals. The red knights had picked other arrows. "Withdraw." The caped person was still alive. The commando-droid gave a gesture of disapproval. Then he cast away the flame-thrower. He reached for something which hung at his side. The person said something in a language he didn't understand. "Withdraw all of you." The stranger then said in German. "I will deal with this Belmont slime in person." Patrick shook his head. Hadn't they realized? He was no Belmont. Patrick was a Lecarde. Of that he was proad. The survivers withdrew. Patrick used the moment to claim the gems. Not that he ever toutched the candles. It wasn't time. "Wait." The opponent said. The hands reached toward the hood. Patrick moved into a defensive posture. If only he'd got his blade. What was this type doing? Instead of preducing any weapon, she instead released her cloack. Patrick's eyes grew wide. A she he'd said, and a "she" it was. "Now, Belmont." The woman said. "Without your whip, you'll fail." Patrick made the sign of the cross. She'd been speaking in English. "You shall see that we, who are from the new world, also have gained the power of Dracula." The American beauty was clad only in some sort of light brown fur. No matter. Patrick knew of the moonstone. "Give me strenght." He muttered. The female shrieked. Her head was turned backward. A ray of moonlight seemed to illuminate her body. Patrick reached for his symbols. This wasn't good. The woman grew brown fur. She was a were-cauger. Patrick inhaled. He really didn't wish to fight this battle. The she-cat gave him no choise. She lept straight forward. Patrick reholstered his pistol. The cauger got her claws extended. Though a man-beast might not become turned into a were-beast, he might still become cursed. Patrick remembered how it felt when being cursed by the bone dragon king of the gate tower. He wouldn't let that happen again. He dodged the approaching monster. He turned about while shooting plasma. Somehow this cauger didn't possess the feeling which the lepard gave him. No matter. The wild cat avoided all his onslaught. She really was quick about it. She jumped. Patrick got knocked by the surprising high kick. The impact threw him backward. He praised the Lord she didn't kick him in the head. No matter. The shape-shifting foe was on the approach. Patrick got up into an upright position. She came with the claws extended, ready for the kill. He swung with the cross. She got toutched by the item. The villain cried. Her fur got scorched. Patrick got up. He was about to strike when the were-cauger jumped back. Patrick ducked beneath another kick. Then he was up. Patrick took her by the foot. He slammed her against the floor. She turned. The lycanthrope curse gave a supernatural speed and strenght. Not to mention, an unimaginable stamina. So be it, but Patrick at least was able to strike with one shot of plasma. The burns didn't seem to slow her down. The were-cauger laughed. "As I said." She taunted. "Without your whip, you are nothing." Patrick withdrew. He had to be careful. "As a matter of fact." He shot back. "I am no Belmont." He turned into his man-beast form. "I'm a man-beast of the Oldrey-Lecarde family." All emotions seemed to be cleaned off her face. Such was the shock. Then she gathered. Though he was certain her eyes let tears of despair. "Then I've lost." She whispered. "I've lost everything." For a moment he almost felt some pitty on her. Then she lept. Patrick got struck with repeated kicks. The stunt almost sent him over the cliff. The were-cauger where close in presuit. Patrick somehow got back on foot. He threw tripled stakes at her. They exploded and burned on impact. Only two went home. The she-cauger staggered. Patrick pressed onward. He pulled out his pistol. The bullets should've frozen her in place. Although screaming, the enemy withdrew. Patrick put the sidearm away. He so wished for his sword. She came on again. The dual claw-swipes sent him sprawling. There was nothing he could do. Never the less, he managed to climb back up. She where standing in front. Patrick howled. His eyes gleemed like polished gold. The were-cauger answered. She was furious. They met in the middle. Patrick was able to bend her backward. He then bit into her throut. Her blood tasted aweful. He didn't like this form of assault. But sometime the animal side took over. She scratched his face. Though her nails had lost their killing instinct. The corpse soon lay burning on the floor. Patrick cleaned his face. That he wouldn't like to do more often. The guards where nowhere to be seen. He picked those gems she left behind. Then he began to knock the candles. Patrick only knocked a few. Though the money and crystals was needed. The most important however, was the skull key. That he called it. The thing was made of white bone. The one part was carved into that of a livid human skull. Patrick put it away. He couldn't remove that other door. He shrugged. Patrick went back into the tower. The pit of lava still where about. Patrick lept from the platform before more bats might arrive. He got upon the pillar. That was no comfort. The platform was lowering into the lava. Patrick made another jump. This next area looked safe alright. Then perhaps not. The spinning blade was moving round. Patrick almost got cut in half. He jumped across. The saw came on the return. Patrick figured he better get away from here. He made another jump. Then Patrick lept into the air. He landed just as fishmen came from below. Patrick threw stakes at them. Those monsters where able to dodge. They shot fireballs or spat streams of poison water. The garlic made those closest explode. Patrick withdrew closer to the wall. He would not give in. He shot more plasma. Bats came from above. Patrick countered with a flurry of flames. The cross made them all burn. He picked the crystals. They would get useful. Another flock of mammals where on the move. Patrick threw some roses at them before jumping. This platform got holes in the floor. Patrick made a glide. He just barely avoided getting crushed by the spike-bed. Though he nearly went into the lava as well. Patrick used the momentum to ride over to the next platform. Battle-droids emerged through the floor. The robots immediately opened fire. Patrick made his body blaze with power. Then he threw himself among the group. His own teeth and claws tore them to shreds. They couldn't withstand his plasma. Patrick even blasted some other bats. Medusa heads where approaching. Patrick shot with ray batteries. They got sent into oblivion. Patrick picked all the crystals about. He reloaded the shotgun. Other bats where advancing. He waisted no time. Patrick went beyond the abyss. He'd reached the second corner of the huge area. A sort of lift was arriving from below. Patrick got into a defensive posture. Then the figure revealed itself. The Minotaur dashed forward. Patrick almost got impaled. Iron bars closed into place. Patrick didn't care what happened with the rising platform. The battle already had begun. The Minotaur kept chasing him about. The huge bulk only was clad in a shabby waistcloth. Patrick wondered if this might be a real monster. Or if it might be another poor soul affected by Aaron's release of Chaos. That was no point. The Minotaur suddenly dashed forward. Patrick fired with his silver bullet. This was no were-beast. The enemy got staggered. But then it caught up to him. Patrick was thrown all across the battlefield. He struck hard against the bars. That made the chamber shake. Rocks fell from the ceiling. Patrick barely managed to roll aside. At first it felt like all the bones in his body got broken. But then he got back up. The Minotaur charged toward his location. Patrick threw stakes. The impact barely impressed the huge monster. Patrick remembered the legend told of a Minotaur living in a labyrinth. Young maidens where sacrifised to him every day. The beast would rape and kill them. Some said only the voloptious where in his taste, since he would eat them at large. He dismissed the matter. Why should he think of such matters anyway? The monster suddenly rleased heavy steam. Patrick retreated even further backward. He knew well enough the tale of Juste Belmont and the battle in 1747. The Minotaur might inflict a stoned state. From afar, he answered with several bursts of plasma. The heavy demon roared with anger and distaste. Even so, Patrick heard pain in his voice. Minotaurus came dashing forward. Patrick let him run. Then he lifted the crucifix. The half-man/part bull tried to alter direction. It was to late already. Patrick released forward with a massive cross-shaped blast of bright energy. The onslaught exploded upon impact. Patrick howled with triumph. Then the villain grabbed hold of him. Patrick got slammed hard against the floor. The impact made other rocks to fall down. Patrick felt like being buried alive. Then he figured. The ceiling was lowering. The bars where not solid enough to keep it up. He made the sign of the cross. He better defeat this madman quick or perish. The bully picked him up again. Patrick swung the cross. The Minotaur groaned. Then it let him go. Patrick had the pistol ready. HE shot the beast in the face. Rocks where coming down. The battlefield was all rubbish. The beast released more steam. Patrick still got some crystals. He dodged the mist which might turn him to stone. Then he threw garlic into the air. The onions exploded. Patrick picked the crystals which came from the candles. There lay even a book. Patrick picked it up. The bull got hold. Patrick was hammered against the floor. He howled with pain. Then Patrick released his final burst of energy. HE still kept the book. HE slammed the book hard against the floor. The holy book then released out arching flames which burned the Minotaur into ashes. Patrick inhaled. The ceiling was about to give way. Patrick gathered as many crystals as he could. Then he went in a near frantic search for the door. There. Patrick turned the metal gate open. Then, without heed, he lept into the smoking air. Patrick landed upon the platform. The impact brought him to his knees. He brought off his backpack. Patrick worshipped the Lord when he noticed the bottles hadn't been destroyed. He still got some red medicine left. Patrick drank all he found. The journey hadn't been easy. Not this far. Patrick reloaded the pistol. That might come in handy. There still was no visible way out of this place. Patrick lifted his head. Thoughtful, he sniffed the air. Someone was singing. Patrick had heard that voice before. "Torah!" He exclaimed. But that wasn't possible. Where could she be? The song made him think of the cool plesent pond of his childhood forest. There, and in the river, he'd learned how to swim. That was when the nature was in balance. So be it. But he couldn't stop thinking. Clear blue crystal pure water was all which he could see. He blinked. The song had silenced. No matter. Patrick couldn't remember the last time when he'd felt so refreshed and clean. Torah's voice clearly had risen in power. More so, when he'd looked around. The music hadn't been without significance. All the lava had vanished. The liquid was water. No mistake. Patrick almost laughed. Though his joy was short lived. The swarm of bats came from above. The huge chamber had dimmed. No longer where there any faint glow to illuminate the dual tower. No matter. He could still see. More then enough when to speak the truth. The mammals where almost in range. Patrick got the holy book. He held it high. His focuse had some result. Two large spinning books protected his position. Patrick heard of such stuff in the legends about Alucard and Richter Belmont's battle against the count in 1797. That was why he kept in place. All until the books disappeared.
Then he collected the crystals they left behind. Fishmen came from below. Clearly Torah's song hadn't cleared them away. Then again, they lived in water. Not in any lava. While Patrick shot with his pistol, he wondered how they might've survived the boiling liquid. He shot bursts of plasma to counter their fireballs. The matter wasn't interesting. Not to him. Some shot streams of poison water. That was the least he needed. Patrick made his body fume with plasma. That held them off long enough for him to bombard the pack with flowers. The roses made them go away. Patrick made the sign of the cross. "Thank You Lord." He said. Patrick took the gemstones. Then he lept. He nearly got slashed by the guillotine when getting above. Patrick was able to glide beneath. He inhaled. The air had become better. Not that it meant anything. There had to be another of those cutting blades. Patrick kept watch while moving along. His pistol couldn't help in this affair. He thought he heard something. Patrick pulled back. The crushing blade almost cut his toes. "Good Lord in Heaven!" Patrick shouted. He just couldn't help it. The guillotine was rising. Patrick made another leap. He just barely got over this time. The bats where on the offensive. Beside, the pillar was lowering into the water. Patrick knew the armour would drag him down. Thus he jumped high into the air. Patrick got upon the tower just as the one behind vanished from sight. There was no time to celebrate the escape. This time he almost got hacked by the spinning blade. The chainsaw was moving round. Patrick toutched his symbols. The blade was already going about for another pass. Patrick got underneath. Although he felt the blade take some hair. His body shuddered while it went above. Then he got up. Patrick would have to get away before it was to late. He jumped into the air. He just landed when the Medusa heads attacked. Patrick threw the stake. This time it went home. He shot more plasma toward the mammals. Patrick picked the crystals. He sidestepped the next in line. Patrick then shot the third Medusa head into ashes. The silver bullets where really useful. HE picked the round of ammunition it left behind. Another cluster of mammals where closing in. Patrick went into the air. This platform got those strange holes in the floor. Patrick didn't stop to investigate. The spike-trap was nearly in place. With another shudder, Patrick got away from the diabolic trap. The next platform wasn't much better. Patrick felt it was about to crumble. He didn't have much choise. Although the mammals where in hot presuit. He made another jump. At least this tower was stabile. The bats came swarming down. "Just come on." Patrick muttered. When they where about to land on his body, Patrick released out a flurry of flames. The onslaught burned them all to ashes. Patrick smiled while gathering the gems. The grimace never reached his eyes. He knocked the candles. He eagerly ate the pot-roust within. Patrick then felt more then re-energized. The battle continued. A group of battle-droids came through concealed openings. Whoever that commander might be, he didn't knew much about his tribe. Patrick retained his true form. The robots opened fire. Patrick where among their numbers. He struck them or bit through their mechanics. Soon they where all defeated. Patrick picked other gemstones. He had to get going. Patrick jumped beyond. Something was wrong. Patrick landed ontop of the spike-trap. That was no better. He knew it might crush him against the ceiling. That was no option. Before it might get to high, the man-beast lept down toward the corner platform. "Bless You, almighty Lord." Patrick said when reaching the ground. That last effort almost got him killed. He inhaled while trying to calm himself. Patrick wondered what might be ahead. "Stop where you are." The voice of a commando-droid instructed. Metal bars closed in the area. This place got rock above. That it hadn't been within the cage of the leopard. There it'd been a real cage. Patrick put the matter aside. This had to be the last of that trio which followed the she-cauger. The same black armour reflected the faint light of lit candles. Pale yellowish light gleemed in the sockets of the bat-shaped head. How he'd reached this place Patrick didn't knew. Nor was he interested. The commando already opened fire. Patrick held up the cross. The symbol repeled some of the energy shot from the wrist cannon. The robot made the rocket roar into life. He lifted above his opponent. Patrick ran forward while hurling roses into the air. The commando-droid answered with heavy blasts released from the shoulder-placed gun. He kept firing. Patrick then lept. He released tripled stakes. They exploded on impact. The robot fell from the sky. But then it got hold of him with a concealed metal wire. Patrick got dragged forward. He channelled plasma through the connection. The commando shuddered. But he didn't let go. Patrick was in a narrow situation. He tried to figure it out. The combat-droid was dragging him along. Patrick suddenly made a back-flip. For a moment, the machine got thrown off balance. Patrick smirked. He then knelt to smash the book against the floor. The arching flames struck against the robot's shielding. Although it was ordmented, the rocket wasn't. The jet-pack exploded. The robot got sent hard against the floor. The burning fuel made a ring of fire to burn around the exteriour of the battleground. Patrick was upon the machine before it might rise. He triggered his gun. The robot got hit hard with silver bullets. At least that made him let go. Released from the wire, Patrick moved in on the enemy. The robot seemed damaged. Patrick withdrew when the devil released the flame-thrower. Patrick made his body shine with plasma. That was all he could do to withstand the onslaught. He stamped with the cross. The robot screamed. The thrower exploded. The droid reached for its belt. Before it might attack, Patrick threw garlic right into its head. The explosion which followed threw even him backward. Patrick pulled himself from the floor. He collected those gems which where left behind. The circle of fire hadn't burned out. Another being had just emerged through a hole in the floor. Patrick reloaded his weapon. The fight wasn't over yet. "Here we go again." He muttered.

Torah was down on her knees. She was finished playing the melody. Even though the ocarina gave some help, the song was so powerful. Oh, so very powerful. Torah inhaled. She toutched her cross. Torah slowly got to her feet. She looked out upon the tower beneath. The song had been worth the effort. The lava had changed. She hoped that would weaken the curse. Torah knew it would only be for a while. The chosen sage was the only who could really restore balance. She put away her items. Torah pulled on her backpack. She felt this wasn't her place. Not anymore. Not when having played the music. Then she noticed. Torah held the red jewel in hand. Why had she got it? The strange gem had been given to Heinrich. Torah put it away. She would keep it. Until she might give it back. She put so much faight in him. The Belmont clan always had been their leaders. Torah put the thing away. If only Rose had been here. She could've explained the matter. Torah began walking. Why hadn't Dracula taken her items? He'd gotten the chanse while she where asleep. Torah shook her head. Now she'd seen him for herself. Through their adventures, they'd discovered what was about to happen. Torah felt a slight shudder. She just prayed her sister was alive.

Clock tower, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Nalla watched her companions arrive. They had been away for quite some time. Robin was the first to enter up the landing-ramp. Vitani was close in presuit. "Get us out from here." The bounty-hunter commanded while pulling off his helmet. Nalla knew better then to ask any questions while he was in such mood. "By the Dark Lord!" Vitani cursed. "I never thought anyone could take them." Robin Corham gave no answer. He was to busy with the controls. Nalla lept for the cockpit. Things hadn't been this way since Robin lost his group on Jam wasteland. She waisted no more time. "Egnite the engines!" She shot to her pilot-droid. The data had already been recorded. The driver knew what to do and how to do it. The vessel soon was ready for takeoff. While she went through the last preperations, Vitani came into the control room. "They are bogh dead." The vampire relayed. "Robin is about to retell for the ship's log." Nalla just nodded. She never liked neither of them. Vego and Raglian had been two of a kind. The demonic kind to be precise. Nalla threw the matter aside. They'd been good to have in a fight. While she thought of the matter, the ship was taking off.

Dual tower, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Aaron sat crosslegged upon the floor. He was in a deep trance. He had summoned more power to make the earth burn. The sorceress had undone all his efforts. Though she had left. The half-blood was not his concearn anyway. Time was in the balance. The plot was near to its conclution. That would be a glorious hour. Not to him. The circle of blood might be fooled. Or pretend to be. Aaron was not sure. He acted upon his own agenda. The Dark Lord had spoken in his dreams. That was why he could make it come true. He would get his revenge. The Lecarde family had gotten the leadership of his species. Only because their ancestor was of a vampire and of Corenel. How a great lord of shadow he might have been. He would keep that promise. He would gain power over those of the elders. Lord Dracula had shown him his power. First Patrick, then Thomas. That was his moment of glory. He broke out of his trance. That poor dog thought he was conquering. Aaron almost laughed. He redressed himself. Soon he would arrive. Then it was time to move this comedy along. He would have sacrificed his companions. That was not important. All which mattered, was the death of Patrick Oldrey.

Patrick got into a defensive posture. He'd learned to not trust anybody. Not that the girl looked the least threatening. But not all where what they appeared to be. Patrick knew that as well. "I am Padmah." The Indian girl presented herself. She really was cute. "I am at your service." She made a sort of bending, all the way down to the ankles. The wide open sandles was of the type a dryad might favour. More so as they left the legs bare. Patrick wasn't impressed. His father, a devoted Victorian, had taken an Indian family into his service. Patrick just remembered that he'd used to play with this girl. "I may do anything you ask." That had been a long time ago. She looked upon him with bright brown eyes. "Padmah." He said. "Get away from here." His voice sank to a whisper. "The dark side is everywhere." Padmah didn't seem concearned. "Shadow has nothing to do with me." She teased. "Master." She reached for him with one slender hand. "I have wanted for you." She smiled, with bright white teeth. "I always have." She might be some year younger then him. "Be with me. Forever and ever." Padmah was clad only in the fur of a rare black and yellow colour. The ring of still burning flames illuminated the cage. Patrick shook his head. This wasn't how it where supposed to be. She wasn't his type. He felt like a wet blanket had been cast upon him. "In the name… " He stammered. Patrick had a feeling like he was drowning. There was difficult just to utter the words. "In the name of the… " He began anew. "In the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Ghost!" Finally he felt like the spell was lifted. HE could think again. Padmah was furious. She no longer acted like some little escort, or something. Patrick had the cross in hand. "Begone with you Satan." He demanded. "In the name of Jesus I cast you back into Hell!" The Indian girl grew rigid. No follower of Satan could withstand that name. Patrick knew it to be true. Then a beam of moonlight shot down from nowhere. Padmah threw her head back. Patrick drew away from her. The Indian girl was growing fur. Soon, the cute little girl was removed. All which remained was the smoldering hatred of the were-tiger. Oh for sure, she was still attractive. At least to one of his kind. Patrick had no mind. The she-tiger was on the move. He was afraid. She was quicker then any other wild cat female he'd met so far. Suddenly she stopped. "You speak of the dark side." Padmah purred. The moonstone amulet shone with a bright yellow. The ring of fire caught a nasty blue colour. "I shall show you the power of the dark side!" Flames egnited the were-tiger's frame. "Prepare to die!" She dashed forward. Her claws and arms where on fire. "Jesus!" Patrick shouted. He'd summoned his own power. His body shone with man-beast plasma. The were-tiger came with sudden claw-swipes. Patrick was cast backward. The glow and gold-plated suit of armour protected him slightly. "Die!" She repeated. She kicked for the head. Patrick got her by the ancle. She screamed with dismayed anger. Patrick struggled to keep hold. She really was so flawless. Patrick didn't want to be seduce by this… This miss murder. He slammed her against the floor just as he threw a garlic at her head. The yellow eyes flashed with malice. The onion exploded. Then Patrick got picked up and tossed into the circle of flame. He still was in his man-beast form. That most likely saved his life. Although his fur wasn't quite enough for the magic fire. He got back up and rolled to might turn out the flames. His backpack was on the floor where he'd lost it while fighting the commando-droid. His enemy was at him again. She came with a swift series of claw-swipes and high kicks. Patrick met her in close hand-to-hand combat. Thus she couldn't use the flames against him. Though she managed to scratch him. Patrick got overcome by a strange sensation. He felt cold and limbless. He fell on the floor, clutching his wound. The were-tiger loomed above, purring. "Now." She said. "You feel the power of the curse." For a moment, the bright yellow light subsided. "Just like I did." Then hatred awake anew. "If I don't have to hold you." She extended her claws. "Then no-one shall." Patrick once heard of an el-guitar which might bewitch those who heard it play. A man once made it to win back his betrothed. But she became a monster who slaughtered him when she couldn't keep him. Patrick tried to calm down. Why think of such garbage? The were-tiger knelt beside him. She was reaching for his neck. Then she screamed. Her fingers just toutched the silver beams upon his rosary. The crucifix made her burn with another, and more brighter, flame. The curse was broken. Patrick got back on foot. He stamped the monster with the cross tied around his wrist. The female tiger lept high into the air. Shadow shrouded her position. Though the flame made it possible to track her mobility. Then she came back. The jump-kick sent him sprawling. Again she was gone. Patrick let lose a flurry of flames. She came in to fast. The repeated kicks sent him upon the floor. She reached for the kill. Patrick shot plasma into her face. Beyond the flames which burned and protected her skin, that hurt. The were-tiger disappeared. Patrick struggled back up. The flying kick sent him back down. The monster purred. Patrick got out his pistol. When she came on the return, he gave her the silver bullets. That made her stagger. She shrieked with pain. The sound was terrible to hear. Patrick jagged his claws deep into her chest. She grew limb in his hands. The light subsided. Patrick dried himself off upon her fur-coat. When he stepped back, the vilian burned into a heap of ashes. Patrick was breathing heavily. This had been slightly to much. He never wanted things to get this far. He wasn't the chosen of his tribe. Patrick gathered. He collected the crystals. He at least had to get away from here. Then he noticed something else. Where the were-tiger had been, there lay an envelope. Patrick almost didn't dare to hope for it. But he opened the paper. Within the envelope, he found another piece of the body of Christ. "Amen." Patrick knelt, making the sign of the cross. "This is my body." Patrick thought he actually could hear the words spoken alaoud. Then he smiled. "Be the will of God." He got up on his feet. He would guide him. This was a proof. If he ever needed one. Patrick smiled. He believed. He opened the small door which led forward. He found another of those small catwalks. Patrick was careful when climbing back out. A swarm of bats was on the move. Patrick threw flowers at them. The roses made them explode. He didn't have time to celebrate the victory. Gemstones rained down upon him. Patrick charged. The walkway was breaking. Was this how Simon Belmont felt when the bridge gave way, beneath the waterfall, in 1688? He put the matter aside. He'd reached the platform. Fishmen came from below. Patrick got the pistol ready. HE shot them all down. He picked the ammunition. Patrick threw more garlic toward the Medusa head just as the bats came. Patrick let go of his pistol. He fried the beasts with plasma. Then he picked his firearm. He swung with the cross. The second head burned into ashes. Patrick claimed the jewel it left. Other bats where approaching. Patrick burned with flames. Then he picked the money. The next head got impaled. Patrick claimed the gem before jumping. He just came upon the tower. He made a glide. The spike-trap smashed down behind. He waisted no time. He got beyond. There where someone waiting for him. While Patrick landed, the female came forward. She was French in origin. Patrick was certain. But then she threw her head back. The were-cauger got illuminated with moonlight. The foe then advanced. Patrick sidestepped. She twirled around. The sudden high kick almost got him off guard. He'd forgotten about their grace and agility. HE ducked under the onslaught. When she came back, he shot with a silver bullet. That was the best strategy when fighting against the lycan. She curled into a ball. Blood stained the pavement. Then she came again. The series of claw-swipes forced him backward. Patrick knew that all she needed was really to push him off of the tower. He swung the cross. He was so quick that she couldn't counter. The symbol made her winch in pain. She made a leap backward. Patrick shot with plasma. The cauger snarled. Then she kicked him down. Patrick groaned. That was close. She came in for the kill. Patrick shot with a cross-shaped blast forward. The impact was hard. For a moment she stood blazing. Then she hit him with successive swipes. Patrick almost got cursed. She clawed for his neck. Patrick stamped with the crucifix. Her hand was on fire. Patrick regained his pistol. The silver bullet in the head finished off the fight. Patrick searched through his backpack. But it was true. The last of his medicine had been crushed during this battle. For a moment he raged against the fallen enemy. Then he gathered. He had to get going. Patrick picked those crystals she left behind. While doing so, the Medusa heads and bats got back. Patrick threw garlic about. He followed up the offensive with roses. The enemies got blasted away. Patrick gained some other crystals before going. He lept through the air. The next tower seemed devoid of any demons. Then again, there where other ways to take him down. Patrick knew that as the tower began to crumble. The armour would drown him even before the fishmen might take him. Patrick made a desperate jump. He barely got upon the platform. Not that his trouble where over. The spinning blade came for him. Bats where advancing. Patrick jumped the saw while shooting mammals. The blade came back. Patrick made another leap before jumping off of the trap. He got to climb upon the pillar. There where already battle-droids about. Patrick made his body blaze with plasma. That blocked their lasers. Then Patrick burned them all with his own flames. The cross really got some power. He picked the jewels before making another jump. The guillotine came down just in front. Patrick almost fell back down. Then he managed to keep hold. The blade moved back up. Patrick got upon the platform. This time he got past the lowering blade. Another guillotine was about to rise. Patrick shot some other bats. He got the crystals. Then he passed under the second trap. There still where one more of them. Patrick wished he could just blast them away. So be it. Neither of his weapons or powers where strong enough. Patrick made the sign of the cross. He went above. This time he landed ontop of the spike-trap. Patrick knew that was no victory. He had to get away. He went into the air. He reached the platform. Patrick inhaled. Things where happening so fast. He was close to the final corner of the room. So far he hadn't seen any exit. Patrick toutched his symbols. He got to believe. Then the Lord would save him. But it was so difficult. Darkness was all around. Patrick shook his head. He wouldn't die here. He tried to gather as best he could. Then Patrick made another leap. He landed just as the metal bars moved into place. Patrick pulled out his sidearm. He was careful when looking around. "Allmighty Lord!" He then exclaimed. At the middle of the room, shining within a sort of crystalline glow, was his blade. His blade! The knight's sword, which he'd lost in the tower of science, was here. Point down, it hung there, right in front of him. Patrick went slowly closer. He felt like in a dream. It was as if this had happened before. But then it was about other people, from some other place and time, then in his own. Patrick made the sign of the cross. He felt unable to make any sign or remark. Patrick was somehow convinced this was destiny. "There we have you." Patrick broke out from his reverie. He looked skyward. "The honrable Patrick Oldrey, captured in a cage, like any poor dog." Patrick knew his eyes where blazing with yellow. "You." He growled. Atop the area, Aaron was standing. He was looking down upon him. Patrick had his shotgun ready. Then the sidearm got knocked from his grasp. The grizzly werewolf ran him down with the shoulderblock. "What the Devil!" He exclaimed. But the lycanthrope had already disappeared among the shadows. "Just a warning." Aaron remarked. "From a friend, to a friend. You might say." Patrick made no remark. Instead he retrived the shotgun. "Do not try to threaten me." His former friend coldly remarked. "Do you not still understand the power which I have achieved?" Patrick thought he saw the gleem of yellow eyes in the darkness. "Unlike your brother." Aaron went on. "He didn't manage to break through the seal which the man-beasts placed upon their power." Patrick frowned. He didn't understand. "The style of our training has its limitations." Patrick was slowly reloading his pistol with only silver bullets. "Count Dracula found a way past that limitation." Patrick had a feeling his "friend" was making fun of him. "Perhaps you might discover the truth eventually." He made a gesture. "Dracula made quite his work with this werewolf. Don't you think?" Then a smile appeared on his features. Patrick noticed it never reached his eyes. "It wouldn't be like you to put down and die. Not when you have come this far." Aaron's smile became a snarl. "I shall be waiting for you." Patrick shook his head. Had all this been for some stupid challenge? All the death and torment only because Aaron lost to his brother? He couldn't believe it. "Wait!" He shouted. "What about Saria!?" But Aaron made no answer. He already had gone. Patrick muttered. Why hadn't he spoke about the dryad. Didn't the chaos, which Aaron released, mean anything to him? Patrick had a look about. He still got other problems. The werewolf had come through an elevator placed near the middle of their battlefield. He wasn't interested. Red glow illuminated the beds of lava. That made him more then a little nervous. The enemy was still lurking about. Patrick knew that. He could almost smell its hatred. Releations between the man-beasts and Lycan never had been much friendly. Since 1047, it had been really violent. Man would hunt them bogh. But his folks would hunt those who claimed the power of moon. He made the sign of the cross. There was no more time for contemplation. The werewolf had decided. The lycanthrope came dashing forward. The muscular bulk might outmatch even his strenght and power. This would be no trip in the park. This was serious. The werewolf attacked with a fierce biting-attack which might tore his head off. That was not the way Patrick would act. But he knew that fightingstyle. Patrick shot up with bogh hands, glowing with plasma. That didn't stop the opponent. Patrick was struck to the floor. The Lycan didn't even seemed hurt. Patrick rolled while the enemy slashed with its claws extended. Just then Patrick pulled the trigger. The silver bullet made him stagger. It wasn't enough. Patrick knew that already. He leached with his own claws ready. He couldn't inflict any cursed state. Not that he wanted. Such was the power of these mutilated beings. Some legends told the black enemy of this world, created the were-beasts as an imitation of his kind. Patrick shuddered. He really wouldn't like to live in a time when Satan was on the loose. That they said. The Devil had been released during that incident in 1047. Patrick got other trouble. The werewolf took him and slammed him hard against the floor. Patrick grunted. He hadn't been knocked cold. He made his own hold. Then Patrick gave him the flurry of flames. The lycanthrope being howled with pained voice. Patrick, although shaken, got free. He got on his feet. The werewolf was circling his position. Patrick held back. They'd bogh been damaged. Patrick wondered if it would release the flaming power of the Lycanthrope. The werewolves long had been among the most loyal supporters the vampire might gather. Suddenly the beast made a surprising leap. Patrick got knocked by the sliding kick. The armour somewhat slowed his reflexes. The villain was clad only in a pair of black trousers, pluss a torn grey tunic which held about the hardened muscles. Patrick ducked. The claw-swipe went above his head. "Monster!" Though not as heavy as the huntress, the werewolf got spiked gauntlets. Patrick threw garlic. His enemy was incredibly quick. He dodged the onion. Patrick suspected he would do that. Instead he charged the plasma with his wooden stakes. The weapon dug deep on impact. Patrick knew it wasn't quite enough. No matter, the plasma burned his flesh. He would howl his triumph. But then Patrick got hit by dual repeated punches. He felt how the oxygen got pressed out of his lungs. Patrick bent over. The werewolf came for the kill. "Jesus!" Patrick grunted, trying to make the name into a challenge. No matter his statement. The name gave strenght to those who would choose to summon. "Take this your scum!" Patrick said while releasing forth one cross-shaped blast of pure gold energy. He lept for his pistol. The werewolf also got in motion. He went high up toward the ceiling. Patrick was desperate while searching for his approach. Although he'd fought against the werewolves before, that had been a cyborg. This was all different. The Lypuston creap came in with a flying kick. Patrick got knocked all across the place. He was plain grateful he didn't happen into the lava. The shape-shifting devil came for him while biting the air. Patrick knew this would be the end. "Not if I can help it." He muttered. The demon lycanthrope suddenly decided it was time. He attacked with another jump-kick which sent Patrick on his back. Then he went down for the final bite. Patrick made no coment. He just put the wild rose into its mouth. The explosion almost made him go deaf and dumb. But the werewolf somehow had avoided the full brunt of the attack. Though the fur of its collard had become burned. Patrick made the sign of the cross. The gesture made the beast turn all rigid. HE picked him up and threw him far away. Patrick landed near where his sword was hanging. Not sure if he really could, Patrick reached for it. He felt bogh cold and heat when the hand toutched the weapon. Then Patrick got on his feet, sword in hand. "I am not the chosen of my tribe!" HE shouted. The werewolf growled. "You'll die!" The lycanthrope howled. Patrick came forward. The enemy came in low. Suddenly the high kick hit him over the chest. The armour saved his ribs. Either way, the impact made him groan. The werewolf picked him up. Patrick didn't loose control this time. The two spinning books made the Lycan release its hold. Patrick remained in place. He couldn't keep up forever. The werewolf had resumed to circle him out. The books disappeared. Patrick had a nasty feeling. He was running out of tricks. That he knew. The werewolf attacked with bogh hands spread wide. The blade was blazing with plasma. Patrick moved into a defensive posture. The devil changed strategy all together. The jaws closed around his body. They felt like being made of steel. "Lord!" Patrick screamed. Then, with only one thing left to do, Patrick once more made his body shine with power. The werewolf howled with disbelief. He let go. The head and front of the villain had been scortched by the massive heat. Patrick was breathing heavily. He'd run out of crystals. Even the monster seemed to realize. Patrick tried to gather. He'd dropped bogh the sword and his shotgun. The werewolf charged. Patrick sidestepped. He went for his weapons. He still got plenty of bullets left. The enemy caught him by the legs. He was knocked hard against the floor. The demon might believe he was knocked cold. But Patrick wasn't out of it yet. He'd retrived his pistol. There only where three rounds left. The werewolf kept coming. Patrick fired. Two bullets. Bogh missed. The enemy howled its disgust. Just then, Patrick fired the last bullet. The silver shot through the enemy. The werewolf was thrown to the floor. Patrick was breathing heavily. He put away the sidearm. He didn't have time to reload. They had been painting the floor with crimson. Patrick would, if he emerged victorious, summon Renon. He would purchase another pack of potions. The werewolf's eyes gleemed with rage and malice. Patrick could smell his anger. The jump-kick caught him off guard. This time he almost rolled into the molton lava. Patrick was sweathing all over his body. The armour slowed him down. He felt like being shot off from his source of power. Aaron had been telling the truth. Patrick inhaled. He felt calm. Strange. Patrick thought the werewolf should've come for him by now. Then Patrick let go. He morphed into his true form. Silver howled his challenge. He was Patrick. He wasn't the chosen. But he would fight to the bitter end. He met the advancing monster. They struggled to press the other backward. They bogh howled and snarled to one another. Silver felt a calm determination beyond any plain conviction. He would find Saria. He would help his friends to defeat Dracula. That almost became a slogan. Silver released plasma forward. At least he could still do as much. The impact gave him a slight upper hand. Silver didn't waist the effort. He instead lept for his blade. The feel of the weapon made him gather. He still was Patrick. He wouldn't make himself become twisted by the curse of Darkness. The curse which the Dark Lord placed upon Europe in 1496 was still in effect. Patrick wouldn't fall, like Isaac did. The werewolf didn't heed any of it. The Lycanthrope came dashing forward. Nearly in range, he lept into the air. Patrick was taken aback. He moved aside. The werewolf's flying kick should've crushed him. Or sent him flying into the lava. The were-beast was careless. Patrick got a bad feeling about this. He then realized there where candles in here. The werewolf was climbing upon the walls and ceiling. He would come with occational jumping or flying kicks. Patrick was able to dodge the offence. He knocked some candles. He thanked the Lord for the items inside. The crystals replenished the mystic force which he needed. The power of his people had always been his to command. At least that tiny portion which was his lot. The werewolf delivered a sudden series of fierce biting-attacks. Patrick was struck forward. The claws scratched the wall where his head had just been. Patrick was on his knees. He still got the blade in hand. The monster growled. Patrick inhaled. He felt like being tore to pieces. That may be the demon's intentions. They glared back at eachother. Then the werewolf slashed. Patrick threw himself flat on the floor. While the werewolf was still gathering, Patrick slashed his chest. The blade almost seemed to bath within crimson blood. Patrick felt all sick. The werewolf gasped. It was like he couldn't get enough air. Patrick tightened the grip on his sword. This wasn't fair. He quickly buried the blade into his throat. The werewolf fell back. He was dead before tumbling. Patrick cleaned his blade upon the enemy's trousers. He felt so tired. Warily, he went upon his knees. Without joy or triumph, he watched his enemy burn. Patrick closed his eyes. He almost felt like weeping. Had he really killed one of his species? Aaron had told him so. He really wept. Why had he done this to him? But Patrick already knew the answer to that. Aaron did it because of hatred and jealousy. Then something else hit him. What about those other creatures? No, he shook his head. They had been mere were-beasts. As for the Minotaur. He toutched bogh symbols. He had to believe. At last he got hold on himself. Patrick could breathe. He decided that he would accept his challenge. He dried the tears. Patrick got to his feet. Whoever he might have been, he must've changed like Monique. Patrick then noticed. Upon the floor there was another mystic ball. Patrick slowly picked it up. There seemed like a fire was burning within. Patrick pulled through his dark blonde hair. Strenght and health seemed to fill his very being. Patrick smiled. HE thought of himself like an empty bucket, being filled with light water. The crystal orb had vanished. Patrick didn't mind. He knew to have wone a great victory. It hadn't been in wain. Patrick knew. One day, even the wolf, people like him, would live together with the lamb. The lamb of God. Patrick smiled, making the sign of the cross. The word should be spread to all the folks of the world. No longer was he troubled. Patrick went through the small metal door. Then he finally realized he'd been going steadily upward. From this point, he could look down upon the pillar on which he'd awaken. Patrick shook his head. That was incredible. Then he got an idea. Patrick went back inside. He stepped upon the werewolf's elevator. The platform lifted toward the ceiling. An hidden opening was moved aside. Patrick soon stood upon where Aaron had been. The view was magnificent. Patrick made the sign of the cross. He wondered who'd made this place. That wasn't important. He went to the furthest end of the cage. There was a catwalk leading onward. Patrick was quick to follow. The catwalk collapsed while he was walking. He got upon a sort of platform. A great rumble then came upon the tower. Patrick watched as the remaining cages all collapsed into the lake beyond. He shuddered. Patrick just couldn't help it. He'd just barely survived. This place was about to crumble. Patrick hurried onward. A second shorter walkway led to another observation point. Here, the passage ended. Patrick sat down. He got to rest for a while. Patrick wondered what might have happened with Torah. Not since she'd sung her melody, he'd heard of her. He shook his head. The rumbling sound grew larger. The pillars all seemed to crack and crumble. Patrick almost ran to the door. The heavy metal wouldn't move. Patrick felt sweath on his brow. He hoped this wasn't one of those magically sealed openings. There where no symbols upon it. Nor was there any card readers. Patrick remembered about the skull key. He put the thing into the keyhole. Eagerly, Patrick turned the skull key around. The door really was opened. Patrick ran inside. HE didn't mind to close it behind. Here was one of those octagonal areas. Patrick had no mind. He went through the dust and opened the second door. Patrick shot the mammals before pulling the door shut. He went up the corridor. There was nobody there. Patrick used the opportunity to reload his pistol. He then resheated his blade. He felt like being ready for the big battle. Patrick smirked. He got a feeling that Aaron would have something to say about the matter. He kept walking. Patrick only stopped to blast some bats. He climbed the staircase. This door wasn't closed. Patrick reached within another octagonal chamber. He knocked some candles. That other door was closed and locked. Patrick shrugged. He made the sign of the cross. After having obtained the mystic orb, he felt like being healed of any bruishes or damages. He went through that other corridor. There was a strange light ahead. Patrick put away his shotgun. There was something strange ahead. He would meet it in time. He made the sign of the cross. Patrick then kept walking. He stopped. Patrick knew that sound. He turned. Three metal wheels where approaching. They began to unfold. Patrick reached for his blade. Two more wheels where advancing from within the glow. Soon, Patrick was surrounded. "At last we meet." A hidden opening was revealed. There was a sort of holo-cam within. Patrick gave his salutation. "I presume you're the new bucket lieutenant." He said. She may be attractive. The type looked like some sort of mix between a sprite and a mutant chameleon. Although only in a hologram, the blue, green and scarlet armour fit tightly around the body. The tail sting was wiggling and twisting. "I am Sting." She said. "Soon, you'll be dead." A group of super battle-droids had joined in the party. Patrick wasn't impressed. "Don't be so sure." He told. "I've defeated your mechanics before." The hologram flickered. Even so, what he could see of her face, didn't change expression. "We shall see." She stated. "More so." A smile appeared on her face. The fangs where exposed. "Vampire." Patrick muttered under his breath. "These are the type II vertions of Brentcorp's production." Sting presented. "They have been replacing all the earlier type of their production." She then gave the command. "Shoot him!" The hologram vanished. The robots advanced. Patrick didn't doubt her bousting. The mechanic killers opened fire.

Heinrich knew he was in trouble. The darkside made black bolts of lightning strike. Flames burned on impact. He blocked with his rising crosses. The enemy gazed with eyes of red flame. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. He knew what damaged those raged flames might accomplish. He got the jewel whip ready. He made a glide beneath the parallel beams. The enemy lifted into the air. Heinrich threw holy water. The preshious liquid burned the demon on contact. He vanished. Heinrich stil got water in his bloodline. He hunted the crystal. There it was. Heinrich struck with the strange weapon. It was made of shining bubble jewels. The demon arrived. He made some nasty footprints within the dust. Heinrich almost tripped on the items concealed by that quality. He suddenly felt an evil chill in the air. A great skeleton, still clad in pieces of ancient armour, had arrived. The huge bulk carried a massive axe in bogh hands. "Father in Heaven!" Heinrich shouted. "I surrender into Your hands!" The darkside opened its jaws. A boiling sort of fireball got shot outward. Heinrich didn't even try to block. He instead ran forward while hurling crosses. The devil shrieked. Heinrich felt all numb by a sudden. The trooper advanced. Heinrich threw axes into the air. That made lightning strike.

Clock tower, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Saria was awake. She felt someone was toutching. Saria's eyes grew wide with horror. Not the darkside again. They never have done anything to her. But their voices and very presence was a pain in her heart. Each time, she almost felt like that hidden force would try to tear her apart. "Be silent." The man-beast demanded. Saria didn't knew him. He didn't really look all that malicious. With his dark hair and grey eyes he looked handsome. Perhaps slightly hardened or discouraged by love or war. Saria still felt there was some great shadow upon him. Suddenly she was afraid. She was afraid in whole other way then when the wicked, or even the Dark Lord, was here. The feel didn't subside. Not even when he released her bonds. His eyes suddenly got that polished look of gold, which his species used to get. "I see why he is so interested." Saria hated herself. She wouldn't, wouldn't at all, try to flirt with this person. He didn't look to be impressed anyway. Again she felt like she where about to blossom. Saria was unsure if she didn't wish it to happen. She so hated to be a captive. The man-beast put other bonds on her. She felt so drousy. Saria fell into a deep sleep.

(A.N: The chapter is short. I hope you enjoyed the combat. This is how I view the dual tower. I would've loved to play it. Because of my curse theme, I use lava instead of water. This to show the power of nature. I think those were-beasts really where of the Lycan tribe. About my translation of the Bible text, the wolf and the lamb. This is only my transcription and have no real basis in any the doctrines of the Christian church. Have a nice time.)

""But greatest among them, is love.""
1. Cor: 13. 13.

Chapter 7b: Mystic tower.
Castle hall, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Sting was experiencing the dark climax of triumph. The accursed hunters have been destroying at least ¾ of their droid army. Although the monsters might summon their own demons or devils. This was glorious. The transporter had been sent to replenish all stocks in guarded regions. The arriving sergeants where already deploying troopers according to her hologram. Black Inviktus stood behind her. The warlock had made no remark. Though she had greeted her comrade of the "Firefist". They had left. The huge underground crawler was taking back all the ruined machinery for reconstruction perposes. At last she deactivated the projection. The lizards had recreated the post with more efficient material. "There have been no further contact with the group 49." The new more advanced marshal-droid reported. Sting acknowledged. Though the contact had been relayed to her. It came through the inplant comunicator she kept in her brain. "Contact alert." The robot alarmed. "The enemy in range." She went to speak with Diter Hauser. "Let me through on the holo-cam." Sting said. "I wish to speak with this man in person." The chief-controler relayed her order. "You're true sir." He then said. Sting went into the field of their projector. She wouldn't let him escape this time.

Tower of sorcery, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Niram stood watching out the window. Snow was falling outside. The perfect storm. The spell had become unleashed. Somehow it had been to easy. Morilin explained it as being related to the castle's chaos power. He knew about the curse of darkness. The curse which the Dark Lord placed upon the land of Europe in 1499. The demon castle Dracula. Those wicked would be drawn to its power. People which hearts had embraced darkness would wish for the return of count Dracula. Such was the way of Chaos. Niram turned to look upon his apprentice. Nigo was reading her lessions. Morilin sat, crosslegged, within one of his pentagrams. The elf had his eyes closed. Niram wondered what he might see. Morilin was using a sort of darkside tecnique which where strange to him. Niram never was a planewalker. So be it. Perhaps the girl had such a talent? That remained to be seen. Morilin inhaled. While he'd been in trance, the elf priest had not been breathing. Not a single time. Niram was impressed. Morilin opened his eyes. "Someone is here." He told. "The one person which Actrise is searching for." Niram smiled. That was good. Perhaps this would be more interesting then he thought.

Torah Fernandez gasped. She couldn't help it. The cold pierced through her body. That made her shudder. She pulled off the backpack. She put on her cap and poncho. Torah inhaled. The clothing at least made her feel better. A distant howl seemed to echo throughout this place. Torah was standing at the threshold. A faint blue glow illuminated her features. Not that it seemed to have any source or outspring. This was the tower of sorcery. Her skills told as much. How, she couldn't tell. She went upon the platform. The place seemed like some sort of viewpoint. It went some five meters to either side. Torah's eyes grew wide. Was the entire area made of glass? That she couldn't tell. There where no fence or column before the sudden abyss. Torah dared a look down. Not that she where afraid of hights. But here, there was nothing at all. The pillar seemed to reach from blue light into blue light. Torah wished she knew what kept things up. The sound of multiple flapping wings made her snap back to reality. The flock came from above like a sweeping swarm. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah fired. She missed. The faint glow obscured matters. Space and distance seemed to be in a blure. No doubt though. The mammals had arrived. She got the iron smash. Torah slashed those closest. The bats where circling about. "Pearls of heat!" She drew back against the wall. Torah stamped with the cross. The symbol made them burn to ashes. Torah picked the crystals. One thing was for sure. The floor was made of solid ice. Torah toutched the wall. It really was glass. The huge windows of stained glass offered a breathtaking view of the storm outside. Torah thought this place might belong to the chapel beneath. That wasn't important. Not to her. Torah went back to the border. Either the glow had got brighter or she'd adapted. But there seemed to be no other way out. There might be one though. If she dared. Platforms of frost seemed to flout in the air. Torah tried to get a better look. There was no use. She couldn't discover what was keeping them up. Torah knelt. The chill felt like freezing her blood. What should she do? Torah got up. She knew. She was a vampire hunter. Torah only wished Mathilda had teatched her how to fly. Yoko disliked flying on a broom. She viewed it like just another European oddity. But Mathilda, who'd been living in England, thought it prpper. Torah put the matter aside. She would ask her if she ever got back to Boston. Torah already noticed the ice to be tricky. If Torah wasn't careful, she might slip or slide. That wasn't going to stop her. Torah jumped. She got upon the platform. The area was larger then she'd first realized. Bats where coming for her. Torah threw garlic at them. She fused with flame. The flock exploded. She got some crystals. They even left money behind. Torah nodded. Although Saria's medallion was cool, she wouldn't have to waist it already. Torah made another leap. She slipped. Torah held on through dare life. Shaking, she managed to climb back ontop. The pillars where of different shape. Although they where all made of the same clear luminous white frost. She wasn't interested. This pillar was slightly lower then that first platform. Torah held tight to the raims of the backpack. She'd hung up the iron smash. They got no place here. Something made her look back. To the left, and above her location, was a sort of crystal shard. At least the top of that pillar looked different from any other. As she watched, the crystal began to glow. Torah decided she better be off. She reached solid ground just as the crystal released a heavy burst of energy toward that other place. Torah had a nicer view from this place. Bogh below and below there where other shards. Torah really didn't like that. Just now, those closest where charging. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah gathered her magic. Thank God they homed onto those crystals. They exploded into pieces. None of them hit her. Torah decided not to waist time. She went for another platform. Torah went through gusts of cold air. The storm was like the sound of countless wailing voices. Torah reached the pillar. She slipped. Torah managed to stay in place. She drew sweath of her brow. She disliked this place. There where stairs carved into that central pillar. If only she could get there. No chanse. The pillars where to far away. Torah wondered if there was any use in this. She would only end up back to where she started. Torah made another jump. She threw roses at the shards. "Star flash!" Torah blocked the beams shot from another direction. "Pearls of heat!" The four transparent bubbles made the mammals scatter. Torah got some of their crystals. She felt a slight shift in the air. Torah had no mind. She was making another jump. This was even worse then the journey through the mine. Here, the blue ring couldn't protect her. Torah stood upon the platform. She wasn't sure. But it looked like she was about to turn. Although the pillar was round. The tower itself was square in shape. At least it looked so. Torah sent stakes about. The mammals gave chase. Torah jumped. She made another leap before the situation changed. Behind her, Torah discovered another of those viewpoints. There might be a way out of here. Torah lept. She almost collided against the formation. She managed to get above. There was no way out. Torah almost felt like a trap was closing in about her. Torah gathered. She got to remain calm if she should ever find her sister. There was nothing really interesting about this platform. Torah knocked some candles. They only gave some crystals. Speaking of which. There was a switch made of yellow glass. Torah was unsure if she should really pull the button. Keeping the cross close, Torah stepped upon it. The crystal switch gave way. Torah stood back. She was, hopefully, ready. She got surprised. Torah watched as yellow platforms appeared. "Thank you." She whispered. This way she might reach that pillar. Then she could climb to the top. Torah was certain she might find the way out. That would be easier said then done. Torah knew that. She only wished Rose was still here. The sound of that strange wind wasn't nice. Torah would've liked to rest for a while. That was no option. She lept back toward that icy platform. Torah managed to reach it without trouble. The mammals had gathered. "Pot of gold!" Torah let loose the spread-shot. The bats got defeated. Crystals and money rained down upon her. The crystal shards where charging up. Torah lept. This time she continued forward. The yellow platform felt solid. She wondered what it might have been made of. "What we are made of." Torah thought aloud. She dismissed the matter. Other bats where on the move. The shards fired. "Opal flash!" They wasn't really all that powerful. But they didn't have to. The impact almost pushed her into the pit. Torah shuddered. That had been to close. She threw red or white roses about. The wild flowers exploded. She went for another leap. This platform was made of plain ice. Torah wondered why she hadn't seen it before. That blue glow might have something to do about the matter. Torah still got difficulty with getting through. The bats came down. "Frozen flash!" Torah gathered all her magic force. None would have to get through. They all got frozen over. Torah claimed the crystals. No time for celebration. She couldn't stay. Torah reached another platform. This pillar was slightly lower then the last. The shards released bursts of energy. Torah ducked. She threw some stakes before sending herself above. This area also was made of yellow glass. That was incredible. Torah knocked the fabric. That even got the sound of normal glass. Torah looked skyward. The sound of leathery wings warned her in time. Though it was difficult to pick up above the howling wind. Torah threw garlic at them. She waited until they got a little closer. Then she finished off with flowers. That battle was over. The crystal shards released their energy. "Frozen flash!" Torah picked the crystals. Some became items when toutching. She waisted no more time. Torah jumped into the air. She went through the freezing air. She landed upon the staircase. Stairs of yellow crystal went further down. Somehow she must've activated them when pulling the switch. Torah preduced the iron smash. She would have to climb upward. Torah began climbing. She reached a sort of depo. The ice monster knocked its massive limbs at her. Torah ducked beneath the boxer. The figure was shrude in appearance. He was cut short by the knee. Not that it ment anything. The figure was cold. So very cold. The smash crashed the formation. She picked the crystals. Bats came flying in. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah kept climbing. She hoped to get out of here before something else happened. Another ice monster appeared. Torah ducked. That was all she could do. "Opal flash!" The shards fired.

Patrick snarled. He was in trouble. Patrick knew that. The witch had been telling the truth. These monsters really where ordmented. Even the fused blade only got repeled by the armour. Not always. The ray batteries worked rather nicely. The destroyer-droids made things difficult. Their shield-generators might block even that laser. The deathly crossfire was as much a danger to either side. Patrick released a flurry of flames. That should've been the payoff. The blasted super battle-droids just kept marching forward. All which lasted where if those shadow or commando-droids where to join in the fun. The machines where blasting the place to pieces. He really was running out of tricks here. "Jesus!" Patrick shouted while releasing forth another cross-shaped blast of energy. The formost destroyer got distracted. Patrick jumped for it. The crucifix burned through its metal skull. But even without the head, the robot kept blasting. Patrick almost howled with triumph. That idiot was blasting its friends as well. He went into the heap while causing explosions. Two of the destroyer-droids got defeated. But then the super battle-droids came blasting in. They marched forward with their guns afire. Patrick fused his blade. This really was getting out of hand.

Dual tower, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Heinrich doused the bone-trooper with holy water. The darkside was immune to the stopwatch. The huge skeleton swung with its battle-axe. Heinrich struck. The flame-whip caused a minour explosion. He got hit by bolts of black electricity. Heinrich groaned. He never got used to such treatment. He threw series of knives while moving about. The darkside disappeared. Heinrich used his laurels. He had to keep up the fight. There! He'd spotted the crystal. He threw the cross. The gem cracked. His enemy reappeared. Heinrich barely dodged the trooper's assault. He made the crystal explode. The enemy staggered. Heinrich summoned more power. The large burning cross appeared. Heinrich was lifted into the air. The symbol burst. The trooper collapsed into a heap. Heinrich put a crystal at its grave. Torah had told him about them. He got away as the remains exploded. The darkside had been hit by his assault. Heinrich pressed his enemy back. The great whip made it disappear. Heinrich made the sign of the cross. Then two more troopers arrised from the rubble. They where armed with huge blades in hand. The battlefield wasn't really large enough. Heinrich threw axes. Flames burned. The darkside roared. The troopers staggered. Heinrich got into a defensive posture.

Tower of sorcery, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Torah bit together. "Orbs of sorcery!" The ice monster got shot to pieces. Torah turned. She reached out with her gauntlets afire. She'd discovered that way to deflect the shard's offensive. Torah smield. Though she really didn't mean it. She picked the crystals. That also could be a waste of power. She was atop the steps. From here, there where no way further up. No stairs. The icy steps just ended. Torah picked together. This ment she would have to go all the way down. She thought about that. There might be a way. She could reach beyond the level in which she first activated the yellow crystal switch. She went off. Before other ice monsters might attack. The shards fired. Torah was to fast this time. She threw garlic at the bats. She had to be quick about it. Torah had altered her footwear. It'd been a Chrismus gift from Benjamin. The soft shoes which she'd used within the castle, wasn't enough to withstand the cold. That was why she'd taken on those heavy shoes she'd used outside. The blizzard seemed to be picking up. Torah hoped she might change that. The red jewel was her responsibility. At least until she could give it back to Heinrich. There was something which made her stop. This wasn't right. The cold seemed to be reaching out for her. "Hand of faight!" Torah didn't knew why she cast that spell. For a moment, the tower was illuminated. Torah could see. The ghosts drew back. "Never!" Torah was screaming at the top of her lungs. The Lord loved her. Jesus had warned her in time. "Opal sun!" The orange explosion released them from the curse. The ghost faded while howling. Torah inhaled. She'd almost become possessed. Torah inhaled. She had to remain calm. She fell into a trance. Torah told the wild to warn her if any other spirits where about. Torah got back to reality. The bats had settled upon her. Torah stamped with the cross. That made them burn. She picked the price. Some gems altered when taking. Torah got up. She continued to go downward. Mist and gloom obscured while she went through a sort of shroud. Then Torah was through. The ghosts was there. Torah struck with the iron smash. How such a weapon could mean anything, she didn't know. The shards fired. Torah ducked. She then went down some other steps. The pillar kept going down. But here, she'd come to the end of the crystal steps. Torah inspected the area. Other pillars where about. As always. Torah toutched the cross. She threw some flowers at the bats. She picked the items. She would have to jump. Torah didn't like it. But that was the only choise. She closed her eyes. Then she went into action. Torah yelped when going abroad. She barely reached the yellow crystal platform. Below where the abyss. Bats came swarming. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah charged. The mammals got fried. The warning came in time. The ghost was almost in range. Torah stamped with the cross. That almost froze her bones. She shook her head. The shards fired. "Opal flash!" The shield gave enough protection. She collected the crystals left by the enemies. Something made her look skyward. Beyond the cold, Torah recognized that foul stench. The fright flouted above. The big hat and shawl concealed the face. The willow spread her arms. Torah lept. The lightning bolt had hit the platform. The mystic crystal seemed to absorb the energy. Torah hoped it wouldn't charge when going back. The wicked being was turning round. Torah song a lyric from the mystic book. The she-lich got stunned. Torah threw tripled garlic into the air. This pillar was made of frost. Torah slipped when trying to get a position. Torah drew sweath from her brow. She managed to gather. Torah made a sudden leap into the air. Her deminitive and agile body made her quicker then most. Torah got ontop. The crystal shards fired. Torah was surrounded. Ghosts where advancing. Torah held high her white rose. "Jesus!" She shouted when hurling the flower. The shining flash wiped them out. Torah felt a little dizzy. Magic might sometime have that effect. She shook her head. Some crystals had fallen down. The shards used their opportunity. They fired. "Star flash!" Torah brandished more of the spirit force. When the shield subsided, Torah threw stakes at them. She fused with frost. Those she hit, shattered into pieces. Torah smield. She really got them this time. She jumped for another platform. Torah almost didn't reach. The pillar was taller then most. She got a perspective. Like the mammals. They came in a swarm. Torah made a full swing. The iron smash cut them down. Some even got defeated by her cross. Torah got some gems. She waisted no more time. The shards where charging. A sudden sence of ill made her aware of their presence. The fright shot down a bolt of lightning. "Dance of the Nutcrackers!" Torah danced. The fairies went with her. Their attack got deflected and crashed into shards of ice. Torah jumped. When reaching this platform, the sorceress brought out the ocarina. Torah played music which made her enemy burn. That was odd. How she just happened to know some tunes from within the mystic book. Torah put it aside. That might be a result of the mixed bloodline. Things might happen. The ghost reached for her. Torah could feel its chilling summon. The moaning voice was sad with eternity. Torah almost felt pitty with him. The iron smash should've ended his misery. Another yellow pillar was ahead. Torah jumped. She got ontop. Evil voices wailed with sadness. The storm was about. "Frozen field." Torah protected from damage. The shards got reflected. Torah almost cheered. She threw stakes at them. Somehow the magic couldn't withstand the tools of a trained vampire hunter. The bats wouldn't leave her alone. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah shot at them. They circled about. Torah presented the cross. The mammals withdrew. Only slightly. Torah tried to figure out a way. The bats came. Just then, the shards shot. Torah held her hands spread. The gauntlets where freezing cold. The enemies got defeated. Wearily, she picked the crystals. Somehow Torah got the strength to continue. She nearly slipped on the ice platform. Torah would have nothing of it. She slashed the ghost. Torah jumped. It was like she wished to escape from the mouning voice. She'd reached the wall. Here there where another alcove. Like those above. Torah just landed. There hung some candles about. Torah was about to knock when she noticed she wasn't alone. Somebody had just landed. Torah wondered how he might fly. Then she noticed it was no "he" at all. "Don't you recognize me?" She asked. Torah moved back. She got the smash ready. "Nigo." She said in a low voice. The fox laughed. "You didn't thought to see me again, did you?" Torah toutched the cross. "Don't try to frighten me." She said. "I know about you so-called "were-foxes". You're nothing more then an mythological being." Torah could sence her anger. "I have achieved power." Nigo said, unsheating her dagger. Torah shook her head. "You made a deal with the Devil." The fox blinked. Torah knew. "But your power is incomplete and untested." Nigo's hand became a fist. "How dare you speak like that!?" Torah held her ground. "You are no better, half-blood scum!" Torah felt like being struck. "Your dryad side make your magic conflicting and dangerous. You have no control." Nigo smirked. "You cannot hide. You have no tree to protect you." Torah reached for her neck. Then she threw it aside. She had decided. Beside, this demon would never understand. "I have control." She said. "I have chosen the idols of man. I use tools to hunt the undead." Torah channelled her magic force. The cross shone with flame. "Shadow is upon you." Torah fell into a trance. She could read her aura. "I may choose my own path in life. I chose to abandon the dark." Torah was speaking the truth. Grandmother Yoko and old Mathilda had teatched her about the matter. They told she didn't have to make the choise immediately. Torah had made her choise. She made it when she saw her grandmother die by the hand of vampires. Nigo was laughing. "Great words from a sorceress in-training." Torah tightened the grip on the iron smash. "I'll kill you for what you've done to me." Nigo was advancing. Torah waited. She still wasn't sure what to expect. The knife was alive with magic. Torah blocked the assault. The ring smash where the items of Carrie Fernandez. Suddenly the opponent laughed anew. "An apprentice vs. an apprentice." She withdrew. "How amusing for those which are watching." Torah made no remark. She wondered if that was true. "Heart of fire!" The fox's hand lit with flame. The flaming blast threw her off balance. The smash held together. Torah managed to repel. Nigo was there. The dagger went for her heart. The shoulder-cape torn by the wind. Torah held the cross in front. The shining glow threw the rookie sorceress backward. "Impressive." Nigo got back up. The lacework where ripped. Her hair was standing on end. "Very impressive." The blue glow made the gems on the knife gleem like distant stars. "Glare stare!" Her eyes shone red. Torah felt chills down her spine. Nigo was no darkside demon. Torah ducked beneath the onslaught. She got up. The stakes shone with frost. Torah didn't know why she'd chosen that element. Sometimes things just came to her. Yoko said that was her intuition. "Black zone!" Nigo made shadow shield her presence. "Storm cross!" The gust of wind almost threw her off of the battlefield. Torah played upon her ocarina. The lyric stunned her opponent. Torah waited for the next move. "Track trick!" The fox made flames burn forward. Torah lept across. She struck with the iron smash. The villain drew back. No matter. Torah stamped with the cross. Nigo screamed. The symbol fried her through cloth and fur to the flesh within. ""Evil's hand!" The shadowed toutch made Torah scream in turn. Nigo laughed. "Storm wing!" Countless red globules got shot outward. Torah used her gauntlets. With spirit in her hand, she might deflect the onslaught. While the enemy was still confused, Torah threw tripled garlic. The freezing explosion made her look away. "Wave of dark!" The massive attack struck her against the far wall. The cross somehow protected from the full effect. Dazed, Torah struggled to pick together. Nigo came for her. The dagger was in her hand. The blade somehow obscure with shadow. Torah got on her feet. She'd knocked the candles when colliding against that barrier. She reached for the crystals. Torah picked the laurels. She knew what they might do. Torah was healed and ready when facing her adversary. The iron smash blocked the objective. Saria's medallion had cooled enough. It was time to showcase her own power. Her sister's tree really would, and could, protect her. "Golden globe!" The shining ball struck the fox hard. "Wing tornado!" The summoned gust struck bogh her and the razor-rings. "I have become more powerful then any half-blood imposture." Nigo bousted. "Magic slash!" The mystic force should've torn her to pieces. "Zapphire curtain!" Torah barely managed to summon her shield. The spell worked. "Virus grenades!" The bomb-like devices shot the shield to rubble. "Mystic sword!" Nigo released forward with a massive beam blade of shining magic. Torah sidestepped. The rose exploded on impact. The red fox spat blood. "Dark charm!" Torah couldn't move. "I have you now." The enemy gloated. "Prepare to die little dryad." She lifted her free arm. "Whirlwind!" This was the end. The storm blew her away. She had the ocarina. The mystic book opened its pages. Torah played the "Lament of storm". The music brought her back to the area. "You!" The fox screamed. "Curse you to death and darkness!" Torah felt just dizzy. Mathilda always said strange things happened with those gifted with magic. That was true. If it wasn't for the mixed bloodline, Torah would've been dead already. Nigo was beaming. "Invisible hand!" The magic strike shook the alcove. The magic ice wouldn't give way that easily. Torah was sure the platform would brake. That didn't happen. No matter. Torah was struck to the ground. The oxygen got struck from her lungs. She felt like being crushed. "Orbs of sorcery!" It almost was impossible to cast the spell. No matter. Nigo was caught of guard. The purplish ball of homing plasma struck her to the ground. That made Torah get up. Nigo had lost her dagger. Torah advanced. She kicked the knife down into the abyss. "Red disc!" The sonic ring struck her to the ground. Nigo came striding forth. "Flame ball!" The gesture was almost spiteful. Torah wasn't dead already. She struck the ball away. Then it came back. Nigo smirked. "My magic also have a homing propencity." She said with glee. Torah didn't answer. The fireball was chasing her about. She had some tricks of her own. She reached with the gauntlets on fire. "No!" Nigo shrieked. Torah felt no pitty as she threw the fireball right back. "Wildfire!" The other sorceress made a flame burn in front. The magic fields collided. The explosion threw her to the ground. Torah threw roses at her. The shining explosion made her to shield her eyes. "Black wing!" The shadow blast came blasting forth. "Star field!" Torah praied the spell would be enough. The mystic blocked the attack. However, the impact almost sent Torah off of the area. She got back up. "Eagle eye!" Nigo shot red beams from within her gaze. Torah dodged the offensive. She had to be careful. More so as she was running low on crystals. Torah was standing at the wall of stain-glass. There still where some candles. "Not today." Nigo stated. "Magic blast!" The mystic shot should've crushed her. Torah managed to glide underneath. Nigo was slightly taller then her. Torah knew she was quite agile. She got up. "Magic slash!" Nigo fired. Torah threw herself flat on the floor. She stamped with the cross. Nigo began to burn. Torah rolled aside. The backpack made things difficult. "Track trick!" Nigo made flames rise and track forward. Torah just barely got out of the way. She got up. "You shall die for having killed my boyfriend! Storm wing!" Torah ran to save herself. She was forced to run in circles around the onslaught. Torah was grateful this spell didn't home onto her. Torah slipped upon the icy floor. She threw the stake. "Arg!" The sound made her curious. Torah blinked. She'd impaled the enemy. Nigo staggered. "Whirlwind!" Torah was at her side. This had to end. The iron smash lay on the floor. Torah put the garlic into her mouth. Nigo's head exploded. The carcas then fell on the floor. Torah went along. She fell on her knees. Before her, the fox burned into ashes. Torah felt no victory. Only relief for being alive. Such violence wasn't her style. Torah shook her head. She'd been stained with blood. Nigo left plenty of crystals left. Torah somewhat resistantly picked them up. They replenished her energy. Torah used the laurels to heal herself. They really got useful. Torah retrived the iron smash. She hung up those items. Torah was more interested in another item. There was no switch upon this side. Torah almost wept. Then she gathered. There would be another alcove. Across from this place. Torah figured she better get going. The stain-glass ghost cut through her line of thought. The glass monster struck with its blade. Torah stepped backward. She couldn't withstand the yelping sound from escaping her lips. Then she struck. Torah used the ring-smash. The ghost got struck into oblivion. There where others about. The mammals had began circling about. Torah lept from the platform. She reached the pillar. Torah threw garlic toward the bats. She had to get across. This was her only chanse. Torah knew that. She dodged the shards. They kept shooting electric beams. She gained some crystals. Torah waisted no time. She kept moving for the central pillar. For some reason, she felt more confident then the first time. Torah reached the next platform. It was made of ice. Torah was careful not to slip. She ducked. The shards kept charging. Torah threw stakes at them. She waisted no more time. The yellow crystal platform was ahead. Torah landed. She looked around. Torah felt slightly confused. This wasn't the way she came. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah charged her own magic. The mammals scattered. She claimed the crystals. Torah wondered if she might've taken another turn from leaving the battle. She struck the ghost down. The storm still howled with countless wailing voices. Torah shuddered. She jumped. This place was different. The eerie blue light had obscured her view. Torah had got closer to the wall again. It went like a sort of gallery. Torah was about to go forward, an icy path leading the way, when the stain-glass ghost approached. Torah ducked beneath his trust. She threw stakes at him. The ghost shattered. Torah got up. She kept walking. Though she got the smash ready. Suddenly an ice monster approached from within the floor. Torah made a back-flip. "Orbs of sorcery!" The shot even destroyed some mammals. Torah picked the gemstones. The wild told of their arrival. The ghosts came from within the tower. Torah saw them as flickers in the light. She struck with the iron smash. The poor souls where released from the spell. Torah gestured toward the mammals. "Orbs of sorcery!" The homing bals left her fingertips just as more stain-glass demons emerged. Although no sunlight was illuminating their windows, the eerie blue glow seemed to be enough. Torah dodged as best she could. The gallery wasn't really all that wide. This was no ideal battleground. "Pearls of heat!" The spread-shot might handle bogh mammals and stain-glass ghosts. Torah got some new crystals. She pressed forward as swarms of bats came flying in. Torah threw garlic. The flaming impact made even the walkway shatter. Torah got struck by some crystals. They replenished her energy. Some became items when taking. Torah got beyond the gap. The ice monster made the air freezing cold. Torah struck with her razor-rings. The icy monster was struck to the ground. She claimed the crystals. Here there where another opening. Torah lept. She got down just as the stain-glass ghost came marching forth. The stake made it shatter. Another was approaching. Torah dashed. She struck through with the smash. The strange figure got crashed. Torah picked the crystals. The area was changing again. Torah reached another alcove. She went out, hoping no other foxes where waiting. Nothing happened. Nothing beside the attacking ghosts. Torah almost got possessed. She didn't see them. The wild marked their approach. Torah felt chills down her spine. The haunt was terrible. "Opal flash!" The spell protected from their toutch as well as the shards. They where firing for her. Torah could hear their mourning voices. She hoped they might be free. The Dark Lord had killed so many. She got some crystals. Torah went further out. The stain-glass ghost got struck to pieces. The cross made the bats burn. Torah felt like being piled with gems and crystals. No matter. She'd been rather cornered by Nigo. They really got in handy by now. She even took the money. She hadn't inspected the backpack. Torah stepped upon the green crystal switch. She would have to inspect the matter. Green pillars appeared. Torah beheld them for a while. They, along with the ice and yellow crystal platforms, might make it less difficult to get across. Torah watched into her bag. Some potions had been crushed. But the purification crystals and other items seemed alright. Torah considered the contract. But then she put it aside. Torah placed a hand upon the purse. Within the laurels rested. She nodded. There might be a way further up the tower. The switch should've made the stairs extend. "Orbs of sorcery!" The mammals never stopped chasing her. Torah lept for the nearest platform. The yellow colour shone dim in the gloom. The hshards fired. They'd began to shoot with an ugly green burst as well as the electricity. "Star flash!" Torah blocked. The impact seemed to shatter the blast like a splash of water. Torah blinked. Had that really been poison liquid? She shook her head. Anything might be possible within this place. She continued. She got to get back up. The ghosts where about.

Niram felt the death of his apprentice. How he could, was mysterious. Ordinary, few wizards would bind together. Some druids and shamans might do that. And the darkside, of course. Speaking of which, Morilin was at his side. The elf had taken on his cloack. That cape was of a wonderful nature. It might change colour. A circumstance which might confuse a watcher without the proper skill or training. Right now, it was altering from a deep green, into blue and yellow. "I can feel it." Morilin Celebrindal exclaimed. Niram made no statement. "She is growing powerful." The warlock continued. Niram nearly bowed his head. He had received the call. Sting had been urgent in her command. He had been summoned to the great hall. His people would need guidance. They would be there, he was sure. "Perhaps she should be destroyed." The elf continued. Niram closed his eyes. Suddenly he felt tired. Morilin thought of little beside his own power. The power of causing destruction. And he was considered a priest and teatcher among his people? Niram let it fall. "I have been summoned." He said. "I am needed." He toutched his scimitar. "Do what you must." The elf never answered. Niram accepted. He gathered his power. HE would have to leave this place.

Clock tower, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
He stood with his hands behind. Many things had happened. Some of which where of less importance. He had decided to dismiss the fairy for lost. Not all would come true. She would not make his wish. So be it. He would leave her behind. The little fay would have to remain. All until the end of days. The hunters would not be stopped for long. Though his rite had worked perfectly. They would come to this place. He would have to leave. That was no loss. The Dark Lord had already told for the dryad to be brought to his throne. The statement made him smile. So it should be indeed. That man-beast would execute the command in time. He was playing the whistle. Such a nice little gift. He played with the ring on his finger. Blood would give back its power. She would not resist him this time. She would not have the opportunity. Not against bogh their will. Nobody could oppose the Dark Lord. All who did, should suffer in Hell. So he said. He believed in that statement. He had learned the price of failure. This time he would let nothing get in his way. He decided. HE cast the spell. The dark force was growing strong. He would go there and make his own wish come true.

Tower of sorcery, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Torah was climbing the staircase. Some said that to rise into the Heaven was like wandering a long stairway. This wasn't like that. Not at all. Not when bats where swirling about. Torah reached the depo just as the ice monster emerged. Torah almost fell back down. The crystalline essence might freeze her in place. Torah threw an onion into the air. The garlic made the ice monster to shatter. Torah ducked beneath the shards. Those where still dangerous. She'd been climbing for quite a while. Still, Torah knew it hadn't been that long. Not since she came into the tower. Her thoughts got cut short. The mammals where swarming in again. She threw roses at them. While they exploded, Torah picked the crystals left by the monster. There where very few candles up here. Torah reached the top of the icey steps. From here, led the green stair onward. Torah smiled. It'd been like she expected. Those switches released the stair. There where other platforms about. Torah was unsure how that may be. She hadn't seen them before. The bats made a second attack. Torah ducked. The wave came flying back. "Orbs of sorcery!" She charged with all her force. The huge homing ball of purple plasma shot the flock into oblivion. "Great is the Father in Heaven!" She cried. The ice monster didn't agree. Torah felt like frozen in place. The ghastly figure seemed to amuse with her misery. She held the cross in hand. The frozen being shattered into a million shards. Torah withdrew. The shards might be fatal. Speaking of which, the crystal shards fired more poison. Torah got above their objective. She threw garlic at them. She would like to get away from this place. Torah crushed the ice monster. The wild warned her as they approached. The ghost might kill her on the spot. "Golden globe!" Torah shot the ghost away. The wailing was terrible to hear. Torah put her hands over her ears. She shook her head. She had to keep moving. The green crystal stairs came to an end. Torah walked around the pillar. The fright was in the air. The flouting figure made lightning strike. "Star flash!" The magic barely held through. The fright drifted even closer. Torah felt sick by the stench of decay and rotting. The strange being used this opportunity to throw an eerie green blob. "Orbs of sorcery!" The explosion gave time to gather. Torah threw garlic into the air. Her enemy got shot. Torah claimed the crystals. The frozen steps where cold beneath her feet. Torah ran forward. The ice monster spread its arms wide. Torah almost ran straight into his chilling embrace. She still got the iron smash. The being got struck down. Torah inhaled. She'd claimed the gems. No matter. She had to be more careful. The bats where on the offensive. Torah slashed with her metal rings. Some burned on contact. The cross blazed with devine power. "Orbs of sorcery!" The flock was spread about. Torah threw herself above the blast. Those shards almost got her. Torah inhaled. She didn't like that. Another ice monster was ahead. The freezing grasp made her shiver with cold. Her gaujntlets where on fire. Torah summoned more magic. The ice monster exploded. The gems and money got in handy. Torah smashed the ghost. The spirits kept chasing her. Torah felt like running in circles. Then again, this was a spiral staircase. She reached another depo. The ghost came through the very fabric. Torah stamped him out with fire. The ghost wailed while fading. Torah drew sweath of her brow. She wondered how she might do that in the cold. Torah went around the corner. She knelt. The ice monster reached above. "Orbs of sorcery!" The vile being got shot to pieces. Torah went to pick the crystals. She put the money away. The shards kept firing. Torah came abroad. Here there where no further steps. Torah lowered her head. She should've known it wasn't going to be that easy. She turned. Torah had to get back down to those other pillars. The mammals came. Torah threw flowers about. The bats circled about. Torah kept a sharp watch while going down. They where not the only danger. The crystal shards shot with poison. The ice monster reached with freezing arms. Torah stepped back. The iron smash released him from the curse. She felt like having been climbing forever. Was this the place? "Orbs of sorcery!" She dismantled the ghosts. Torah was grateful the wild would still aid her. She went down some other steps. This was where she'd noticed the other platforms. Torah inhaled. She better get going. The ice monster would stop her. Torah made a back-flip, which almost brought her away from the staircase. No matter, she threw stakes at him. The enflamed stakes blasted him into oblivion. She picked the gems. Torah threw some garlic toward the mammals. She had to stay calm. This never was easy. Torah jumped. The strange blue glow blurred the area. She managed to land ontop. This pillar was made of that rare green crystal. The bats where at it again. "Orbs of sorcery!" She shot plasma into the air. The shards where charging up. Torah lept before they might fire. The place was made of ice. That made it less stabile. Torah bit together. The shards had somehow changed colour. The foul stench almost made her throw up. The fright was here. The shrouded appearition was above her position. "Opal flash!" Torah cast her spell as the bolt of lightning went home. More electricity came from the crystal shards. Somehow the magic repeled the blast right back. Torah blinked as the shards exploded. She shook her head. Strange things would happen indeed. The fright was still about, shooting green blobs. Torah dodged the objective. She lept for another platform. This was crafted by that yellow glass. Her enemy had arrived. The fright flouted above. "Orbs of sorcery!" The homing balls made it burn to ashes. Torah wondered if there really was anything within those robes. She dismissed the matter. More so, the bats where approaching. The roses made them explode. Some managed to get away. They circled about. Torah almost got touched by that ghost. The smash sent it back into oblivion. Torah inhaled. There was no time for relief. The bats where coming. Torah slashed. The iron smash cut them down. The cross protected from damage. Torah jumped. The frozen platform nearly made her slip down. Torah held on to the fabric. Although slippery, she managed to get ontop. The hshards fired. "Star flash!" The magic spell protected her position. She threw stakes at them. Torah lept. She reached another platform constructed from green glass. The wild warned of their approach. Torah spun. The smash cut down the haunting spirits. How may that be possible? The ghosts where only manifestations of the dead's spirits. Torah got other problems. The bats had figured her location. The swarm was approaching. "Rainbow flame!" The swarm got fried. Torah got all the crystals. The money somehow filled into her purse. Torah dismissed. She still hadn't found the way upward. The girl went for the nearest platform. The ice chilled through the fabric of the shoe. Torah changed her stance. That made the crystal shards miss their objective. "Thanks." Torah smiled. "Orbs of sorcery!" The magic orbs homed onto even their evil magic. The shards got shot. A trio of bats landed upon her. Torah screamed. She just couldn't help it. She hated their disgustive toutch. Torah stamped with the cross. They burned, leaving gems behind. Torah was able to claim as much. They always disappeared. Had she consumed them or something. Torah didn't have the answer. She went for another platform. This was made from that yellow glass. Torah dodged the shards. She was already within the air. Torah almost knocked the head against the gallery. Somehwat shaken, she climbed upon. Even this place was made of ice. Torah wondered how that might be. The stain-glass ghost cut short her speculation. The demon slashed with its sword. Torah shrieked. That almost cut through her face. The iron smash ended his misery. The defeat made portions of the floor to give way. Torah jumped over. She was met by other knights. Their glassy presence felt almost natural within this place. Torah was on the defensive. She crushed and slashed with the ring-smash. The cross protected from their deathly shards. "Orbs of sorcery!" Her magic burned the mammals. The bats where always about. "Rainbow flame!" The spell made them disappear. Though it broke another hole in the floor. Torah went into the air. She landed as the ice monster emerged. She cut it down. Torah claimed the crystals. "Opal shot!" She kept throwing fireballs while moving about. The stain-glass ghosts got crushed. The other ghosts caught fire. Torah felt the platform was about to give way. She ran forward. The gallery collapsed behind. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah shot the ice monster. She didn't have time for the crystals. She reached the alcove. The gallery shattered. Torah watched it fall into the abyss. She hoped it would crush some of the enemies. Wishful thinking. They where to shrude to be caught like that. She went for the center. "Fountain of fire!" The last bats at last got defeated. Torah picked some crystals. She went toward the candles. Torah might find something useful. That didn't happen. There where a switch at least. Torah pulled the button. The light got brighter. Not that it was really helpful. The blue platform looked like if they might've been made of ice. Torah put the matter aside. She better be going. She might still die. There was quite some distance back to the staircase. Torah wondered if Nathan Graves fel this way while he, in 1830, was exploring the abyss stairway. She went into the air. The blue platform was ahead. Torah landed in place. Although it looked like made of ice, the blue glass wasn't that slippy. Torah had noticed the shards might blast them. At least they could with other of their kind. Speaking of which, the crystal shards where charging up. They'd changed colour. The shards shot with poison. "Frozen flash!" Torah was able to block. The stakes made the crystals explode. Torah made another leap. She got to get across. Some bats had arrived. Or they might be survivers of the earlier onslaught. Torah wasn't interested. She shot them all away with roses. At least most of them that is. Some where still about. Torah got upon another pillar. This really was made of ice. The fright appeared out from nowhere. The lightning bolt struck from above. "Zapphire curtain!" Torah was able to shield. The mammals circled about. They got frozen on impact. The enemy was firing. Torah waisted no time. She went upon another platform. She barely got upon it. The yellow glass almost got shattered when the flouting figure shot shards of ice. "Opal flash!" Torah made them shatter. The enemy was still chasing. She let it came. Then she fired. "Hand of fate!" The magic spell completely obliterated the fright. Torah got the gems. They felt nice when replenishing her energy. Torah got the warning. Ghosts where about. Torah crushed her way forward. She lept from platform to platform. The shards kept firing. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah used the laurels to heal herself. She smashed some other mammals. After their defeat, she continued. Torah jumped. She was back upon the stairway. The ice monster knew that. It reached for her. Torah ducked. She stamped with the symbol. The cross made it howl in pain. Although it was without a sound, she could feel its misery. "I'm sorry." Torah said. She swung the iron smash. The crystals lay in place. Torah picked them up. The stairway should've been extended by now. Torah began to climb. The ice monster refused to leave her alone. Torah shivered when their fingers reached her. The iron smash made it shatter. The bats where back. Torah expected they would. She began running. Torah reached that upper depo. She got around the corner. "Pot of gold!" The surprise attack nailed them in place. The ice monster reached from behind. "Help me!" Torah yelped. The monster almost embraced her. She was no victim. Torah shook her head. She reached out. The gauntlets made her channel its energy. For a moment, they where united. Then Torah let go. The impact made the ice monster collapse. The explosion almost threw her outward. Torah clinched to the icy pillar. She had to pull through. The moment was over. Torah began to climb. The ghosts where approaching. Torah inhaled. The battle continued.

Patrick made the sign of the cross. He'd been able to defeat the destroyer-droids. The problem was that the corporal had began throwing grenades. Patrick made two large spinning books to appear in place. They blocked off bogh the explosives and their devastating lasers. The duo of superior battle-droids kept their onslaught going. Patrick growled. He couldn't keep this going forever. Suddenly he reenergized his blade. The books had vanished. Patrick released a flurry of flames. The corporal got thrown off balance. The man-beast was approaching. He threw flowers into the air. The massive explosion made them loose the momentum. Patrick came in low. They drew back. Then Patrick rised his blade accordingly. The corporal lost his head. The robot kept firing. Patrick withdrew. He put the Host in place. The machine crumbled. There was only one left of them. The ordmented super battle-droid was retreating while blasting away. Patrick dodged as best he could. The garlic barely kept him alive. How could it be like this? He'd been certain Castlevania was ahead after the victory of Dabi's path. Now, Vlad Tepes Dracula was here. Patrick deflected the bolts. He howled while hurling plasma. He wouldn't give in. The head fell on the floor. The droid was finished.

Dual tower, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
The spiked ball hammered against the dusted floor. Heinrich dodged. He threw daggers forward. The bone-trooper staggered. That was the only result. He soon began slamming about. Heinrich twirled with the great whip. The mammals got burned. He took the gems. "Get down!" He shouted toward his enemy. Although he'd slain the darkside, and defeated three other troopers, the fight continued. The were-cauger, who'd been circling him, purred. She'd come through the door just as he'd finished that other trooper. Heinrich threw holy water. The vial crushed. She winched in pain. Heinrich had no time. The trooper was about. Heinrich ran while throwing the crystal. The huge bulk got brought to its knees. Heinrich wasn't fooled. He kept in motion. He struck with the whip. The cauger snarled. It didn't really belong to him. Alicia would want it back someday. It'd been crafted for Soleyou Belmont in 1591. Heinrich jumped away from the smashing ball. He threw axes into the air. Rocky pillars rised on impact. The trooper got smashed against the ceiling. Heinrich retrived the crystal. He put it in place. The remains of the skeleton exploded. He picked the crystals. The bone-troopers where no more. No matter, the were-cauger came closer.

Tower of sorcery, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Torah was in the air. She'd decided to explore these pillars before going upward. This time she wouldn't run up and down like a poor child. The blue glass felt solid beneath her feet. The mystic glow really had become brighter. Outside, and inside, the storm was picking up. Torah hoped nobody where outside tonight. The shards shot freezing bursts of energy. Torah lept. Her gym class teatcher would've been proud. Torah slashed the ghost. The spirit mouned when fading. Torah toutched the cross. The mammals where giving chase. Torah hoped to avoid getting bitten. They might inflict a cursed state. Dracula gave them power. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah charged. Dual balls of homing plasma shot toward the enemies. Torah didn't wait to see the outcome. She went into the air. The green platform was ready to meet her. She got ontop. Torah had a look around. The blured vision made it difficult to see for long distances. Torah wished it could just go away. Wishing wouldn't help her. Rose would've agreed. The fay was no mother. Torah ducked. The shards fired electric beams. She got back up. Torah threw stakes at them. She really got a good aim. The shards exploded. Torah pulled the cross to her heart. She hadn't been certain they would. "Pearls of heat!" Bats came swarming. The four bubbles shot them to shreds. Torah got some gems. They changed into objects when toutching. Some did at least. Torah had no idea to wait for other to appear. She got upon another pillar. This really was made of ice. The ghost was here. The wild had warned in time. She stamped with the cross. Torah shielded her ears. The sound of wailing voices was terrible to hear. The bats where getting close. Torah went abroad. The yellow platform almost felt like home. At least she didn't slip while ontop. "Star flash!" The spell protected from poison. Torah threw wild roses about. She fused with frost. The impact was impressive. The blue glow was illuminated. Torah jumped. She reached another blue crystal platform. "Rainbow flame!" The entire swarm got fried. Crystals rained down. Torah felt no victory. They where just mammals. Although the Dark Lord ruled them. Such was the power of the vampire. Torah knew that. She made another jump. She nearly slipped off of the frozen block. Torah gathered. The crystal shards fired. Torah threw herself flat on the platform. This had to end. "Pot of gold!" The golden globes shot them to pieces. Not that she where able to claim any gems. The pillars where to far away. She tried to get up. The ghost used this opportunity. Torah had the cross in her hand. "Jesus Christ, our Lord!" She made it blaze with gold. The spirit got driven off. Torah got to her feet. She slashed some bats. They tried to land on her. Torah felt a slight shiver by that thought. She lept. Torah landed safely upon the alcove. The windows where made of stain-glass. Bats came flying in. Torah had her iron smash ready. The bats didn't attack. Torah's eyes grew wide. Instead, the flock gathered together. The big bat then came flying in. Torah ducked. "Zapphire shard!" The icicles froze the mammal. Torah threw garlic. The being shattered. Torah screamed as the flock landed upon her. She stamped with the cross. Some burned. The big bat reformed. The monster came to fast this time. Although Torah avoided being bitten, she got clawed by that monster. It came back for another pass. Torah reached for the cross. She waited. The enemy came flying forth. Torah sidestepped. The wing passed right by her. Just then, she stamped with the cross. The flock altered direction. They all went on the offensive. Torah was driven back against the wall. Stain-glass ghosts broke free. They attacked with their glass blades. Torah made a full circle. The iron smash cut through their objective. The cross made some mammals burn. The big bat had gathered. The stain-glass demons attacked. Torah was pressed further backward. She twirled and slashed. The monster was on the offence. "Orbs of sorcery!" The demon got defeated. Torah picked the gemstones. The stain-glass knights kept coming. There where no button here. Torah went among the gallery. Other bats where approaching. Torah presented the cross. That made them keep some distance. Torah threw stakes at the monsters. The stain-glass ghosts shattered. The ice monster reached for her. "Orbs of sorcery!" She shot the thing into oblivion. Torah picked some crystals before she continued. The gallery came to a halt. There was no other choise. Torah went for the nearest pillar. It was made of ice. Torah threw more garlic toward the bats. Then she lept. This platform also was made of frost. Speaking of which, the shards shot bursts of freezing energy. "Opal flash!" Torah didn't have time to counterstrike. She lept further away. She got upon a pedestal of yellow glass. She left before other monsters may arrive. She reached the frozen pillar. The eerie blue glow concealed everything. Torah only spotted the closest platforms. The shards where charging up again. She went from pillar to pillar to dodge their blasting. The bats where swarming about. Torah threw flowers at them. The red and white roses cleared them away. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah charged her own magic. The homing balls shot the crystals into oblivion. The shards exploded. Torah almost felt surprised by her own power. She really had grown strong. Actrise wanted her power. The witch wished for her to join with Dracula. She would never do that. Torah slashed the ghost. The moaning voice howled into the nothingness. Torah felt tears on her cheeks. "I had to do it." She told. Torah gathered. She went for another platform. The shards shot blue lasers. Torah ducked. She left the area without firing a shot. She didn't wish to waste more energy. Torah had to find Heinrich. The Belmont might break the curse of the castle. At least he could remove the spell on the tower of sorcery. Pegasus told him to do that. Torah toutched the cross. She'd taken the red jewel from him. That wasn't as it should be. "Fountain of fire!" Torah defeated the mammals. She kept jumping. The icy platform was less stabile. In front where another gallery. Torah frowned. She must've used another way. The center pillar was almost completely obscured. Torah only saw it like a dimmed phantom in the glow. The wild where screaming. She felt their warning. The smash crushed the ghost. She picked the gems. Torah then lept for the gallery. The floor was made of yet more ice. Torah stamped upon it. The floor seemed solid. Torah didn't trust that. She went forward. The ice monster tried to stop her. Torah smashed it to pieces. The monster exploded into multiple tiny shards. Torah got behind the onslaught. There where other candles here. Torah knocked while walking. She found other crystals. Torah picked them up. The ice monster was reaching for her. Torah stepped back. Although only the fingers toutched her, she felt like freezing. "Orbs of sorcery!" She shot the pest to dust. Torah knocked some other candles. There was nothing really interesting. The morning-star wasn't something she expected. Torah picked it up. Perhaps it might upgrade her weapons? She'd hung up the iron smash. The mystical power-up was already fading. Torah felt no diference. She was about to continue when preducing the razor rings. "Wow." That was all she could say. Torah brandished the silver crush. They seemed to almost shine in the darkness. Torah blushed. She didn't ask for something like this. Carrie Fernandez had used this weapon. Torah should've satisfied. Yoko Belnades, her grandmother, never used them. She'd preferred the Warakiyan staff. The magic wand which Sypha Belnades used in 1496. Torah inhaled. She had work to do. The bats had discovered about her. They came flying in. "Pearls of heat! Fountain of fire!" Torah shot with her magic. The warmth made the gallery collapse. Torah lept above the gap. She went forward. The mammals where still whirling about. Torah kept sharp look of their mobility. Thus she almost slipped. Torah got support against the wall. That made the stain-glass ghosts to react. They emerged from the very window. Torah sidestepped while throwing garlic. The silver crush. Destroyed the enemies. Torah was breathing heavily. The bats where approaching. "Orbs of sorcery!" The mammals got blasted. Other stain-glass ghosts emerged. Torah went into battle. She ducked beneath their weapons. Torah twirled and span. She slashed. The ghosts shattered on contact. The ice monster also got defeated. "Pearls of heat!" The gallery was shaking. Torah dashed. With the cross in hand, she made the bats burn. They circled all about. Torah threw stakes at them. She didn't have time to gather their crystals. The entire gallery was about to break. Torah lept out upon another pillar. This was made of solid green crystal. The bats where the only which followed. "Pot of gold!" The onslaught ended their combat. Torah got some crystals. The shards fired. "Opal flash!" Torah protected against the impact. She then went for another pillar. The solid frost made her slip. She went out into the nothingness. Somehow she managed to get hold on another platform. Torah climbed up. She used the cross to defeat the shard above. Others fired. Torah ducked. She left the yellow crystal slag behind. "Orbs of sorcery!" The bats never stopped chasing her. The homing balls of purplish plasma made her enemies to burn. The gems fell down. She got some of them. The ghosts where advancing. Their wailing voices almost disappeared among the mouning wind. "Dance of the Nutcrackers!" Torah made the fairies dance with her. The spirits froze and shattered. Such was appropriate. This was a place for freezing. Torah went for another platform. The ice was cold beneath her feet. Torah lept for the alcove. The ice monster rised from the very fabric. Torah got frozen. She felt like shaking all over her body. The ice monster reached to finish her off. "Not if I can't help it." Torah muttered. She was still shivering with cold. The laurels made her feel better. Torah slammed him to pieces. The ice monster shattered. Torah nodded. She picked the crystals. Torah cheered. She finally had found another crystal switch. Then she'd been correct. Torah stepped upon it. The red crystal switch gave way. For a moment, Torah could see. Far below, there was a frozen sheet. Like that of a frozen lake. Steps of clittering ice, and of multi-coloured crystal, led from top to bottom. Then the storm and gloom hid everything. Almost everything that was. Torah could see the red crystals flouting in the air. Or perhaps not. Perhaps they only went this high. Perhaps the magic may have made things retain their true nature. Torah was unsure. Although having dryad blood, she didn't know much about the laws of nature. Not like this anyway. Torah knocked some candles. The crystals where inside. Torah also gained the pot-roust. The food was delishious. Torah felt happy. This was almost like a feast. She had some of the water in her backpack. They'd carried it all from the Oldhill village. Torah hoped all was alright back there. She got on her feet. It was time to continue. As she rised, Torah noticed the alcove was deeper then she'd first realized. She could actually walk beyond the place. Torah looked back toward the platforms. This might be a short-cut. The distant blue glow obscured everything. Torah stepped closer. "Orbs of sorcery!" The bats got shot into oblivion. A sort of passage seemed to leave forward. Although the place wasn't very large, the view was fantastic. Or it should have been. The storm was outside. Torah had another look backward. She didn't like this place. There was a sort of alter, made by frost. The colour was the same blue. Which where everything in here. The huge stone was yellow in contrast. Torah beheld it curiously. There was something about this thing. Something she couldn't quite remember. "It is for real." Someone was speaking. "That stone is made with alchemy." The aura wasn't good. His flowing cape was ugly green. No, it was strangely brown. Or yellow. Torah looked away. His cape flickered and changed colour each time she watched. Torah felt confused. His cloak was now purple. Or was it black, or orange? It didn't matter. She looked upon the face above. Torah's eyes grew wide. "Though not one of those three, of which the vampire crave for power." Torah shook her head. She wasn't interested in that stuff anyway. "You." She whispered. "You're an elf." The ancient being smiled. There was a certain look in his eyes. "Indeed, I am." He said. "I am Morilin." Torah toutched the cross. "You're no ally." She stated. "You're one of those fallen." The elf suddenly beamed. "Impotent whelp!" The elf boomed. "Your species speak about your intellect and knowledge." He snorted. "You really know nothing at all." His voice grew soft. "I was there, you know. I was there more then 600 years ago." Torah shuddered. She couldn't believe it. "In 1476, I saw Vlad Tepes rise from his grave." Morilin triumphed. "I saw him rise to grasp the eboney and crimson stones. To do battle with Mathias Krohnquist." The storm was roaring outside. "The angel of Death was there." Morilin insisted. " The grim reaper encouraged him. He wanted for count Dracula to emerge, to sit upon the Dark Lord's throne." Torah would have nno more. She dashed, slashing with the silver crush. Morilin made no move. The crush got struck from her grasp. It was like hitting the mountain. "Young fool." Morilin said. His voice still like silk. "I have achieved the power of the dark side." Torah clutched the cross. "I will prevail." She insisted. "I will defeat you." She made another attempt. "You cannot toutch me." Morilin mused. "I already have won." The words made pictures of her own demise appear before her. "Release me!" Torah shouted. "Get out of my brain!" Morilin laughed. "You cannot withstand me." He stated. "Your blood is doomed." Torah shook her head. She instead tried to think of her friends. About Heinrich Schneider, and of Patrick Oldrey. Together they would achieve what they'd come to do. "I'll not let you do this to me!" Torah said. Morilin gloated. "Then what may you do to stop me?" Torah made no comment. Though she had remembered. "I'll do what I must." She said. To her own surprise, Torah smiled. "You aren't Walter." Morilin reached forth. "No!" He shouted. "You cannot!" Torah was at work. She was kneeling. Although the frost was terrible. Torah got no trousers, as she still where dressed in her school uniform. "Oh You great ones of this world." She prayed. "Greatest among them, is love." She reached for the cross. "Door of Holy Spirits!" Torah knew this might be the end. She had praied for the great to save her. The door really opened. Torah couldn't see them. The elf could. He cowared in fear. But the ancient didn't focuse their power on either of them. Instead, a beam of light struck through the stone of alchemy. The strange device was shattered. "This cannot be!" Morilin screamed. "That item is preshious to me!" The yellow stone got splintered. Torah felt a sudden joy. This wouldn't be her final moment. The gate was closed. "Very well then." Morilin said. "But you still do not have the power to defeat me." He smiled. "Night is long." He mused. "And I still have agony." He held his hand high. "Watch. And despair!" She shook her head. Torah presented the cross. "Your banishment is at hand!" She shouted. The enemy wasn't impressed. "Little fool." The warlock laughed. "The great Leon Belmont could do nothing else but to predict the rise of the eternal darkness." Torah held through. "Don't be an idiot!" She shouted. "The Belmont clan is the greatest vampire hunters of all time." Morilin chuckled. "Do not be so sure." He stated. "We shall see." He held his hand out, palm outstretched. Torah expected some form of ranged attack. Instead, a blade of naked steel appeared within his grasp. "The dark side might grant the most glorious gifts." Morilin said. He was reaching for something inside his robes. "But it might also inflict the most delishious pain." His hand clutched. "Feel it." Morilin decleared. "Feel its power!" The sudden roar made a bolt of lightning to strike within her heart. Torah screamed. While the elf was laughing by her misery. He enjoied her pain. "Hand of fate!" Torah shot her magic. The powerful force made electricity explode. Morilin was screaming. "Opal sun!" Torah pressed her momentum. Then she stopped. The elf was laughing again. She didn't understand. The area became clear. Morilin was there. He hadn't even been toutched. "So you see." He said. "There is no way you might defeat me." Torah wasn't that sure. Leon Belmont said the power of his linage, of which she was an ally, could hunt and destroy any being related to the vampire. The silver crush struck against his blade. The elf smiled. That certain look where in his eyes. Torah turned her sight aside. Morilin chuckled. "Such a bright head on the petite body." Torah didn't answer. She'd just realized something else. This black elf was a sword master. One of those which Gabriel Belmont faught in 1047. Torah licked her lips. She had to keep hope alive. "I'm not afraid of you." Torah stated. She turned about. "You should be." Morilin said. Another wail of shadow glided forth from his hand. Torah felt another bolt of his Agony power strike her heart. She screamed. He took pleasure in her pain. Torah bit together. She threw garlic into the air. She didn't use any magic this time. The garlic made more electricity to strike the area. Morilin was like a living charge. Nothing she did seemed to get through. "Join with the dark side." Morilin decleared. "Or die!" Torah wouldn't give in. "Never!" She shouted. This elf was just another of Actrise's dummies. She should've recognized. Morilin struck with his blade. "Then your life is over." Torah made a back-flip. Morilin laughed. "Your pain is so sweet." He whispered. "I want all of it." Torah shook her head. Pain was what fused his power. Morilin struck. Torah presented the cross. The electric bolt got struck backward. Morilin shrieked. The darkness lightning washed over him. Torah heard him scream. He was able to channel it outward. Just then, Torah went forward. She slashed with the ring smash. The silver cut through cloth and flesh. Blood stained the ice. "How dare you?!" Morilin boomed. "How dare you even toutch me!" Torah ran back. The elf had released a sort of electric orb. Torah made a glide beneath. His hand became a fist. The orb exploded. Torah was in reach. She cut through him. The electric force struck her backward. "So it is." Morilin decreed. "Not even the weapons of the great Carrie Fernandez might prevail against the dark side." Torah pulled back. She blocked his stroke. The blade also seemed charged with power. But the silver smash deflected that energy. Torah withdrew. She made a backflip. They'd reach back to the alcove. The dark priest shot another orb. She praied that God would aid her. Then Torah struck the ball itself. The wicked energy exploded on impact. Morilin was struck to the floor. Although the evil energy got channelled away from him. Torah didn't care. She threw stakes at him. Although she didn't fuse with magic, the enemy got impaled. She cheered. The elf got wounded. She'd missed the heart. No matter. She'd begun to understand. Morilin's own evil force might be his undoing. "Do not think to defeat me!" The black elf roared. "You cannot defeat me!" Torah gasped. Morilin could fly. Torah ran. The elf still got his sword ready. He would use it to fire bolts of shadowy electricity. Those she couldn't block. Torah wouldn't even dare to try. Morilin fired another ball. Torah struck with her silver crush. The elf laughed. In turn, he struck with his sword. The blade made the orb fly backward. Torah made another strike. The orb flew toward its master. They made it fly back and forth for quite some time. Then Torah used the cross. The orb flew back. This time he couldn't block. The impact sent him hard against the floor. His blade got stuck in the ice. The evil power got channelled outward. Torah ran. She threw garlic at him. The explosion stunned him in place. Torah ran to might finish him off. Instead, she got struck with a bolt in the heart. Either it wasn't strong enough. Or he was still toying with her. Whatever the case, Torah was struck hard. She managed to get up. Morilin was flouting above. "Not so simple is it?" He taunted. "I have won." Torah toutched the cross. "Not yet." She sidestepped the next shot. She really was getting quite agile. The wicked being came in presuit. Torah ducked under the objective. "Block this!" He shouted. Three balls of black electric power got shot outward. Torah threw wild roses into the air. Two got blasted. Torah blocked the third ball. The elf got shot. Torah dashed. The evil electricity was channelled away from his body. Torah was on the approach. Her faight had strengthened. Torah knew the faight in God would prevail. The dark priest would fall. The crush slashed through his cloack. The elf took it by the arm. Blood stained the floor. Never the less, Morilin was wearing gauntlets. The strange black metal blocked off against the silver. Torah drew back. The elf shot a fountain of sparks into place. "Oh help me, Christ!" Torah shouted. She held the cross. The emblem somehow seemed to push the evil force away from her body. The black pleasure was engulfing his very position. Morilin screamed. Torah stamped with the cross. He struck her. The slam came above her face. "You shall die!" Morilin screamed. "You shall die in pain!" The blast of Agony energy shot her against the wall. Torah thanked God and Jesus for the laurels she'd got. They healed her of damage. Torah got back up. The elf had resumed to the air. He was firing his black electricity from bogh hands. The blade was flouting in the air beside him. Torah thought of Stella Lecarde. She'd almost become turned into a vampire, by Brauner, in 1944. Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin had found a way to remove the curse from bogh Stella and Loretta. The villain made a bolt of pain lightning to track along the floor. The ice got shattered. Torah was able to avoide getting struck. Although she got nailed by some icicles. Torah drew blood of her hand. Morilin laughed. "I feel your agony." He breathed. "Your life belong to the dark side." Torah made no answer. She dodged another shadow bolt. The battlefield had become to narrow. Torah was back out upon the platforms. This one made of red glass. Morilin laughed. "You bring it upon yourself." Torah struck the electric ball. The elf had his sword. He sent it flying backward. Torah had the cross. She blocked the objective. Morilin made an effort to strike. Torah threw flowers at him. The wild roses exploded just before the ball went home. The evil power got channelled outward. He destroyed some of the crystal shards. Torah ducked as they shot beams of flame. Torah had to pull through. She got upon another pillar. This slab was made of ice. Torah threw stakes at him. The impact made him scream. Torah almost felt like going deaf. She didn't have much time. The elf swung his blade. He went for the platform. Torah lept upon another, this made of yellow glass. The bats came whirling in. "Get away from me!" Morilin shouted. "She is mine!" The elf shot shadow beams of agony lightning. Torah made another jump. That man was crazy. He was blasting all and everything. The platform was made of solid ice. Torah somehow felt more secure. The enemy shot another of his electric orbs. Torah struck with her razor-rings. The ball got repeled. Morilin sent it back. Torah jumped. She then struck. From atop a pillar made of green crystal, she sent the electrical orb back at its master. The shards shot at her. "Opal flash!" The beams got deflected. The bursts made for her, shot the evil magician instead. Torah almost giggled. There was no time. The impact made him loose momentum. The orb shot him in the face. Although the evil energy got channelled outward, Torah knew what to do. She went for another platform. Finally she got close enough to strike with the garlic. The onion flew through the air. The black elf felt the brunt of the attack. Blood stained his changing robes. Torah could track him. He was to close. Morilin struck with lightning. Torah screamed. She was struck backward. She fell on her back. The crystal felt solid. The elf came for her. Torah was afraid. He could still toy with her feelings. Like he'd done earlier. She presented the cross. The elf didn't like that. "Do not think he may save you." He warned. "This is the realm of the dark side." Torah got up into a kneeling position. "There is nowhere He can't be." She stated. "Not as long I believe in the words of God." That she'd learned. Torah believed it to be true. The enemy chuckled. "Then your time is over." HE shot with dark electricity. Torah was ready. She lept for another platform. This time, the pillar was made of green crystal. "Do not get in my way!" Morilin gestured for the mammals to stay away. Torah used the opportunity to reach another platform. The great pillar was approaching. It gave no comfort. The enemy had escaped from the swarms of bats. He shot a ball of electricity. This time it came to low. Torah just barely realized. The orb shot the platform. Torah jumped. The slab of blue crystal secured her status. Morilin released tripled orbs. Torah threw garlic to might cover up the assault. The magic exploded. Her enemy shot for the platform. Torah went for that closest to her. He shot another ball in presuit. Torah held the cross. The symbol repeled his evil power. The elf was coming in to fast this time. He didn't managed to dodge or block in time. Torah heard him scream as the power got channelled away from him. Torah threw stakes at him. They buried themselves deep within his flesh. "Good." Morilin said. Blood was dripping from his mouth and nose. "You have killed me." Morilin pulled the wood from his body. "But I shall not go alone." He held the sword above head. "The time for your destruction have arrived." HE beconed. "You shall regret ever having defayed me." Electricity charged through him as the elf came swooping in. "Die!" He howled. Torah lept. She landed upon the central pillar. The elf couldn't change his objective. Torah watched with horror as Morilin crushed himself against the crystal. Then came an explosion. Torah got thrown against the staircase. She fell on the floor. Tears ran down her cheeks. She didn't wished it to be this way. Torah should've been able to defeat him. "Sorry." She whispered. "May the almighty God forgive me that I can't love you." She shook her head. This wasn't the time. Nor the place. Not for this. Torah inhaled. She had to gather. The bats where approaching. She picked the silver crush. Then Torah began climbing.

The blonde sorceress beheld the human girl as she approached. There was quite some distance between here and there. Marina wasn't sure anymore. Before, she had believed the Belmont clan could do what they promised. The "firefist" brought her to this place. Marina closed her eyes. She had changed so much. Her hands and feet where no longer her own. The repair-crew dragged her along the garbage-ruit. She had become infested. To others, it would appear she was waring boots and gauntlets of blue metal. They where not what they appeared. They where nothing but cybernetic attachments. Such a cruel joke it was to reset her fingers. Marina should have been dead. She was not sure she would like to live. Not if she had known it would be like this. Marina had become a cyborg. The shamans encapsulated her organs within syntetic flesh. Before they enclosed within metal. The body-armour of blue and gold metal, relayed her shapes to the world. They had told her she would make an exelent bride for count Dracula. Marina had escaped. Or had she? Marina could no longer do her magic. They made her turn to shadow. She disappeared like drops of dark water. This place was cursed. She could feel it. Although they had done so much. The ancient curse was still so powerful.

Dual tower, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Heinrich had defeated the cauger. He went forward. The door wasn't locked. He went to look upon this area. Far beyond was the tower filled with water. A catwalk led to either side. Heinrich went down the leftmost platform. The bats attacked. Heinrich used the stopwatch. Thus he managed to whip them into oblivion. They left some crystals behind. Heinrich got across the open area. The chain-saw trap almost cut him in half. Heinrich jumped. He got upon another platform. Fishmen came from below. He threw daggers at them. There where more of them. The monsters shot fireballs at him. Heinrich dodged. He threw the cross. He made it spin overhead. The water pillar blocked their assault. Heinrich unsheated his blade. Then he went into battle. The bats attacked. Heinrich hurled vials of holy water into the air. The battle was over. Heinrich lowered his head. The Medusa head came in a wavy pattern. Heinrich almost got struck by the monster. He slashed it in half. More where on the way. Heinrich acknowledged. He made the crystal to explode. That gave him what time he needed to whip the heads into oblivion. He got the gems. He made another leap. The battle hadn't ended. Heinrich got a feeling it'd just begun. So be it. The spike-trap almost crushed him.

Tower of sorcery, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Torah was climbing up the stairs of red crystal. The pinnacle was ahead. Torah wondered if anything might be accomplished. She still hadn't met Heinrich. The ice monster reached for her. Torah ducked. The silver crush smashed him to pieces. She claimed the crystals. The monster even left some money. Torah put it away. She might need it later. If she ever survived, Torah would have to begin anew. She would have to previde for herself. Torah wondered what she might do. The bats cut short her line of thoughts. They came swarming down. Torah threw garlic at them. She made them freeze. The mammals got crushed. Torah picked their crystals. Some became items when toutching. Torah inhaled. She made a swing. The wild hadn't abandoned her. They warned of the approach. Torah was able to defeat the ghost before it got to close. She ran away. Torah didn't managed to hear them howl with despair. The steps of red crystals ended. Before her was another stair of ice. Torah began climbing. The ice monster punched. Torah made a back-flip. The mammals landed upon her body. Torah stamped with the cross. The symbol made them burn to ashes. Torah shuddered. After all what had transpired, she still felt disgusted by their toutch. The bats could drink her blood. They would inflict a vampire curse upon her. Torah didn't wish that to happen. Although she still had the purification crystals. Torah shed the speculations. The ice monster was still there. The crystal shards fired heavy flames. They couldn't burn the staircase. The magic preserved the frost from damage. Torah wasn't that lucky. The ring protected her. Torah shuddered. That was to close. The ice monster had vanished. Torah wondered where it might be. The mammals came again. Torah ran up the staircase. The ice monster reappeared. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah shot it down. She barely dodged the multiple shards. Torah threw stakes at the crystal shards about. They fired bursts of green. Torah lept above. The ghost was at range. Torah stamped it out with flame. She had to get going. She felt like the steps where to continue forever. The storm was still about. Torah wished she might make the blizzard to go away. That was no option. Torah reached the top of the stairs. The rounded top lay bare to ceiling above. Torah had a look around. There was nothing to be seen. "Go to the tower of sorcery." Torah repeated the words of the Pegasus. "Then make your wish come true." They still gave no meaning. Not more then before. At the heart there where an inscription. Torah went to have a better look. There was three triangles of pure gold. All seemingly embedded into the whitish frost. As if pointing toward it, there was a rounded ball of crystal in front. Torah was unshure what to do. She didn't know what to wish for. The stain-glass ghosts gave no clue. They broke from the ceiling. The trio fell down on the platform. Torah blinked. The fall should've made them to shatter. That didn't happen. Instead, they made an attack. "Opal flash!" Torah made her best to shield from the attack. She managed to escape from the circle. Torah threw stakes about. Then she moved in close. The stain-glass ghost shattered. Torah dodged the pieces. She claimed the crystals. The shards where releasing bursts of freezing energy. "Orbs of sorcery!" She charged. The homing balls of pulsating plasma made the crystal shards to explode. Her victory didn't last. That breaking sound was heard from above. A swarm of bats came flying in. Torah slashed for the mammals. The silver crush cut them to shreds. The stain-glass ghosts landed about. The wild warned. Other ghosts also had joined in the chase. "Zapphire curtain!" Saria's medallion was getting hot. Torah felt that. The ghosts couldn't penetrate the shield. She let it down. Torah was able to stamp with the cross. She tried not to listen on their moaning. The stain-glass knights swung with their weapons. Bats came flying in. Torah threw garlic about. She healed with the laurels. The symbol made the monsters keep some distance. Torah dashed. She almost slipped upon the ice. This platform was no better then those below. Torah wished this could just be over. She crushed the last of the knights. The splinters flew about. Torah was able to dodge. She heard that cracking sound again. Torah hung up the crush. She reached into the backpack. Torah hoped there might be a tune to help her. She opened the mystic book. Torah preduced the ocarina. The mammals where still about. Torah tried to read and watch out at the same time. While taking the instrument, the red jewel fell out of the purse. She would have to pick it later. For some reason, the jewel fell in the open space between those strange pyramids. Like before, the pages just seemed to open on the right music. "The Ballad of Blizzard." Torah blinked. She hadn't heard about it before. When she began to play, she realized that was the one she'd played when entering the castle. But here, and now, it somehow sounded more correct. More powerful. The storm seemed to whirl about her. Torah kept playing. Her wish was to purify this place of evil. Then the crystal ball exploded. Torah gasped. She quit playing. She anyway had completed the lyrics. Then again, what was this? Torah held up the item. It seemed to be a key made of gemstone. Torah muttered. She never had seen anything like this before. Awstruck, Torah put it into her pocket. Who knew, it might come in handy someday. Torah nodded. She toutched the cross. Torah still had to get out of this place. She had a look around. Where wher the enemies? Then she noticed one other things. Torah almost slapped herself for lack of notice. The music had been effective. The storm was gone. Just completely gone. That was incredible. Torah put away the book and ocarina. The eerie blue glow also had vanished. Although still the tower of sorcery, things looked less weird. Torah smiled. Sometime, things changed so fast it was difficult to follow. Then again, the place was still haunted. No music, however powerful, could banish the count of the demon castle Dracula. Torah knew that. Beside, the curse itself was still alive. How she knew, was a mystery. Perhaps the dryad bloodline made her able to sence such matters. Torah dismissed the matter. The stain-glass ghosts and mammals hadn't gone away. Torah threw wild roses at them. The flowers made them explode. Torah picked the crystals. She really could need them by now. Then she ran. Torah went for the nearest platform. This was also made of ice. The bats came along. "Orbs of sorcery!" Some got shot. The shards also fired. Torah lept. The starlight shone through the huge windows. Although not as bright, this light felt more healthy. Torah dismissed the matter. The wild warned. She could feel their emotions. The ghost was about to toutch her. Torah stamped with the cross. The shards released bursts of electric power. Torah lept. This new platform was made of blue crystal. There it was again. The stench of rotting flesh. The fright shot an onslaught of fireballs. Then it made lightning strike. Somehow they where more powerful then before. "Orbs of sorcery!" She was as well. Torah released tripled balls of purple plasma. The shrouded being got shot into oblivion. Torah felt no victory. The bats where swarming in. Torah went into the air. She got atop another platform. The yellow crystal felt solid beneath her feet. Torah got some distance. She threw garlic toward the enemies. Torah charged with flame magic. The flock got blasted away. A pitty she didn't get the gems. She threw stakes toward the crystal shards. Torah knew where to go. At least she hoped so. Torah went for another platform. This time it was made of green glass. Torah was grateful she'd pulled all the switches. Still, there was something odd about it. It was like she should've done something else. Torah shed the feeling. She still had to get across. The shards fired beams of electric energy. The bats where still about. Torah wondered if perhaps the Dark Lord himself was behind their numbers. Didn't Christopher Belmont say something like that? Torah slashed with the silver crush. The bats got defeated. The cross made other burn. Torah was grateful she got the crystals this time. She felt their energy renew her strength. Torah lept. There was no point to remain back here. The red crystal was in range. Torah was able to get ontop. The battle continued. Torah threw herself flat on the platform. The shards almost got her this time. "Orbs of sorcery!" Torah shot at them. She missed. Torah knew she should've charged the magic. No time to think further about the problem. Torah jumped. The icy platform almost made her slip into the abyss. Torah looked down. Far below was the sheet of frost. Torah had no doubt that a fall would be fatal. She shivered by the mere thought. Torah pulled together. She threw stakes toward the mammals. Torah then made another jump. She barely reached the alcove. There was a corridor leading forward. Torah leaned against the wall. She had to rest. Only for a while. The battle continued. The bats came like a sweeping swarm. "Rainbow flame!" Torah burned them to ashes. She picked all the gemstones. Some became items. Torah was able to replenish her stocks. When that was over, she went further down the corridor. The walls where made of ice. As where the floor and ceiling. Torah toutched the fabric. At least there was nothing strange about this. The ice monster didn't agree. Torah threw herself backward. The stakes made him shatter. Torah continued. She'd brought out the silver crush. No need to get careless. There had to be monsters about. Torah wouldn't forget about it this time. The shimmer of ice illuminated this area. That was just natural. Torah was glad about it. There wasn't many candles about. Torah didn't dare to knock them. In case the ice would melt. Stranger things had happened. If some Maeglin was about, that was still an option. Torah dismissed the matter. She'd reached another door. She tried to push it open. Nothing happened. Torah preduced the gem key she'd found earlier. This had to work. She didn't want to go back into the tower. The lock gave way. Torah turned the door aside. The area beyond was concealed in shadow. Torah inhaled. She toutched the cross. What could be waiting? Torah didn't knew. However, she went inside.

Patrick reached the top of the area. He had been climbing for quite some time. The man-beast wondered if this was like the place Corenel investigated in 1844. The bats attacked. Patrick shot with his pistol. There really wasn't any candles about this place. The distant stars where the only real source of light. Atop the stairway was a rounded platform. Patrick looked skyward. The windows of stained glass where impressive. This had to be the work of those who once lived in the castle. At least Jacob hadn't told of any such project. Patrick made the sign of the cross. His father was free. That was something to rejoice. Patrick lept for the nearest platform. He hadn't really ran into any resistance since the fight against those robots. This place was haunted. Patrick could smell it. He continued jumping. Patrick had reholstered his shotgun. He shot plasma toward the mammals. Glory be the Lord for the absence of ice monsters. At last he reached solid ground. Patrick wondered why everything was so quiet. Silence before the storm. The old saying made him feel nervous. Patrick wondered how that may be. He went down the corridor. The door was open. Patrick went inside.

Heinrich cracked the great whip. The bats scattered. He made the sign of the cross. Heinrich supposed he should be grateful for being alive. The course of the dual tower had almost been to much. The were-leopard, werewolf, Minotaur and were-tiger had each done what they could to kill him. Heinrich reached the top of the frozen staircase. He'd actually been surprised by his own abilities. Perhaps it had been right to give him the chain-whip after all. Although the undead killer, as some had begun to call it, really belonged to his cousin. He wondered what Alicia might be doing. She was the daughter of his uncle, the oldest of the brothers. Reichardt and Gustaf where good friends. Heinrich went for the nearest platform. He'd began to get used to this. The path of the dual tower had been a real challenge. The bats where about. Heinrich threw holy water. That made them burst into flame. Heinrich didn't manage to colect the gemstones. He shrugged. There would be others ahead. At least if there where candles. Heinrich toutched his crucifix. "Be the will of the Lord." He said. Heinrich continued. Soon he reached the corridor. The passage was made of more frost. Heinrich kept moving. That was one way to keep warm. Heinrich closed the door behind.

Clock tower, castle in Barnsdall. The 7th. Of January 2099 A.D.
Actrise stood with her head lowered. It may seem like she was hearing for something afar. Then she breathed. Isabella Von Krohnquist turned to look upon him. "She is not here." She finally admitted. "He has taken her from this place." The angel of Death sat upon his bleak horse, bogh flouting in the air. "I smell his blood." The witch held her staff high. The green light illuminating the area. "Aaron Grey have betrayed us." For a moment she was beaming. The grim reaper made no sign or remark what so ever. She became calm. A cold rage was blossoming within her heart. She would not gain the price which rightfully belonged to her. Actrise would not see it happen again. "Fear not." Uriel was at last speaking. The vampire would listen. "He cannot hide." The grim reaper lifted the scythe. "Death come to us all." Actrise knew that. "You shall remain here." The fallen angel decleared. "You shall be waiting for me." Above them, the clock was close to midnight. "I shall return." The voice was a mere whisper in her mind. The fear blonde witch acknowledged. He was the grim reaper. He would keep his promise. Actrise would get what she wanted eventually.

(A.N: This chapter might somewhat borring. I hope you don't take it that way. Thanks to LoI and OoT for inspiration about Morilin's battle. And for some other details. The clock tower is ahead. I do hope there will come another "Judgement" game where you might pit Dracula against Mathias. Or perhaps that is material for a future CV Legend rebirth? Have a nice time.)