A Legacy Of Sky And Sea

~*~{Prologue}~*~

Anderson: 

The year is 1958, it's spring and I am stationed in England, the weather being right awful. I'm sitting in my office doing paperwork when I get a knock on the door. 

" It's open, enter." 

" Hello, Father." 

" Oh, Sir Arthur Hellsing, to what do I owe the pleasure?" 

" I have a small request of you, dear boy. I need you to come with me and help Hellsing on a mission involving missing people and a secret city underwater. The lovely lady who brought it to my attention had her sister go missing and requested you specifically to come help. Iscariot's head Cardinal already approved of it, so all I need is a yes from you to get started."

" And pray tell why go to you to collect me instead of coming here herself?" 

" She's the leader of her own religious sect and thought it would be distasteful for her to intrude." 

" Ah, a cult leader. Lovely." 

" Yes, but no. She's the leader of Columbia, well, future leader of Columbia." 

" You mean the Flying City? So she needs my help to find her sister. Why me?" 

" She said you're the only person who could go, blend in, and survive in Rapture. I'm sending Alucard with you to function as a liaison so you have an ally underwater. Rapture is apparently a city of no laws, no rules, and I know that sounds fun to you, but I also know you just recovered from drug use. Alucard will go with you to keep you sober, to keep you sane, and to keep you from becoming a victim of her power over the rational of modest men." 

" I see. Well, color me interested. Let me get my affairs in order, and I'll be on my way. Where am I meeting up with everyone?" 

" Alucard and you will meet up with Lady DeWitt once you get to the lighthouse. You'll be going by boat, but be warned, once you go inside the lighthouse, you two are on your own. No outside weapons will be allowed, so you'll have to get creative, oh, and no wearing anything to show proof you're a priest. Blending in is the key to survival. Godspeed, and good luck." 

I go and get changed into my best suit, making sure I had my legal ID instead of my Vatican one. I always had a small grin reading my name, the Russian of it all telling me my family legacy far better than I deserved. I was named Sashka Rijan Anderson, and I love my name, but because most don't like Russian namesakes, I was renamed and baptized as Alexander Ryan Anderson when I took up. I pocket the information, and I make sure my boots are nice and tight before going to the car I knew was waiting for me. I get driven to boat and I see the vampire in question dressed much more feminine then I was comfortable with. Hair in the modern style, her dress was provocative and yet sensible, the black fishnets paired with the high fashion befit single women...the red coat and the heels did little to leave anything to the imagination and yet, it left several questions in my brain.

" Are you serious right now?" 

" I'm going down a woman to bypass the bullshit, but once there, I'll shift back. Smaller body goes through less physical changes when under pressure." 

" I don't know, I think I prefer you as a woman, less scary like this." 

" Oh trust me, my upper lips aren't the only ones to have teeth. I am plenty scary." 

I swallowed hard as we board the boat, and the trip there was comical as Alucard puked over the side. the chunky blood didn't bother me too much, but the boat hands were concerned. 

" Is the little lady going to be ok? That's a lotta red she's gushing up from her gullet." 

" Red wine and tomato sauced pasta. She had a whole bottle of the stuff to help her get on the bloody boat to start with, the food not doing its job of keeping the wine down, it seems. Not a big fan of open water." 

" Ah, makes sense. Now, get ready, the lighthouse is just over yonder. Remember, once there, Lady DeWitt will explain everything."

" Sounds good, buddy. I'll let the little lady know." 

I walk over and see Alucard in dire need of a nap and a feed. 

" Oh, hi. I'm...I'll be fine once we're on stable footing." 

" Is this why when you tried to cross on the Demeter, you slept?" 

" Yep. Never had good sea legs."   

" Well, good news then. We'll land here in a few, so you can take it easy." 

" Good to know."

We land at a beautiful lighthouse, and I see a young lady waiting for us. 

" Hello, you must be Lady DeWitt. My name is-" 

" Sashka, yes, I know. And this is your partner, Victoria, yes?" 

" Oh, uh, yes." 

" Good. I am Lady Linette DeWitt, granddaughter to Prophet Zachariah Comstock and daughter to Elizabeth Comstock. I come to you with the urgent task of finding my sister. She came down here a few months ago and since then we've lost all contact. My sister is somewhere in there worried out of her mind. She left when Mother told her that she was to be the next head of Columbia, and we are worried. Bring her home, and we will grant you one singular wish within reason. I know you, Miss Victorya, aren't allowed to ask for more power or freedom. Now, do you understand?" 

" What her name so we can find her?" 

" I've called her Betty for so long, I almost forgot her real name. Her name is Lilibet." 

" I see. Now, what does she look like?" 

" Me, but a bit older. She's in her early twenty's if that helps." 

" That helps a lot. Let's get going in, aye?" 

" Yes. Once inside, trust only each other, and be wary of everyone." 

" Understood." 

We open the large golden doors, to a sight that felt straight out of a novel. 

" This place looks...cultish in of itself." 

" 'No Gods, No Kings, Only Man.' Yeesh...that is disturbing." 

" Come on, let's go." 

We go down the stairs to a device that looks like a modded bathysphere. We step in, close the door, and watch the descent into the ocean.