Castlevania: Of Darkness and Light

Awakening Memories

My heart always belonged to the skies.

The light of the stars reflected on my wings. My joy swelled from the freedom of flight and the love of heaven. I was a celestial of ancient power, though my form was of light, the my wingbeats rippled the stardust. A chorus surrounds me soaring among the cosmos, their voices more beautiful than any sound alive. Humans believed them to be singing, though they were really just talking to one another. They were the voices of my people. My family.

Forms of light appeared alongside me, glimmering wings touching mine, divine markings running down their humanoid bodies as they spoke around me. My wings beat with my brothers and sisters as we soared among the clouds, listening to the joyous voices of the humans in their habitation far below. We were their protectors, Guardians of all Humanity.

A great form soared over us, the reflection of his wings glimmered on our bodies. I sped up, wings glittering like the light on the sea to the leader of our clan. My elder brother, who I adored the most out of all of them.

Together, we would fly as one and defeat humanity's enemy.

The sky grew dark, the stars snuffed out by the ominous grey clouds. As the storm grew the angels vanished around me, even my elder brother who was the strongest of us all.

Brothers! Sisters! Where are you!?

I hovered alone among the thundering storm clouds, lost and afraid searching for my family when a black mountain of cloud rose far above me. Lighting and wind carved it into the figure of a skeletal Grim. It opened its great maw and lunged.

I jolted hyperventilating until my brain realized I was home. It was just a dream.... I steadied my breathing. Just a dream. I curled up my body, tucking in my limbs as I shivered, burying my face into my blanket. You're here, you're safe. Goosebumps prickled across my skin.

In the darkness of midnight, arms pull me into an embrace. Alucard was fast asleep, yet he sensed my shivering and reached out in protection. My bare body pressed against his. Feeling his heart beat against my chest, I clung to him the way a mountaineer clings to a sheer cliff against a gale. He kept me anchored, physically and mentally until the bad dream faded to an unpleasant memory. My body relaxed, my mind soothed by the rise and fall of his chest. His steady, monotonous pulse boomed in my ear. (Vampires have a slower heartbeat than humans.) Sleep came easy.

I didn't stir even when the sunlight breached the curtains. I turned my head away from the window. Alucard hadn't moved his position, and his arms still locked protectively across my naked form. I burrowed my head into his collarbone, blocking out the light. Let me sleep here and stay with him, bodies clinging together like two halves of a whole. I'm good with this existence.

"Good morning, my darling." His voice was like honey against my ear. I answered with a murmur, rustling when fingers ran through my hair. Alucard exhaled, and I thought he went back to sleep when his breathing slowed into its steady hum. "My God you are beautiful." He spoke soothingly. My eyelashes fluttered against his lips and I almost fell back to sleep, his hand cupping my face. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty damn good." I smiled. "It's so nice to sleep in for once, and I have no inclination to get up at all." "Neither do I." I felt his hand gently stroke my face. "I could stay like this forever."

I desperately wanted to, but the aches in my back ordered me otherwise. I grumbled, sitting up in bed rubbing my arms."I had another dream last night." Just thinking about it sent shivers down my spine. "You are remembering." Alucard responded dourly after I described the dream to him.

"I believe so." I shuddered. "I wasn't always alone. I had a family long ago. My brothers and sisters, the Egrigori." The dream flashed in my eyes of the storm and skeletal Grim. "Something happened to them. I don't know what. I just know they're gone and I'm the last." I clutched my arms in tears. "I don't want to remember anymore. I'm happy now. I have a new life and purpose. I've found love. I took starting anew with a blank page for granted, and now that my past is resurfacing again, I wish I could forget it all."

" Shh...it's okay" Alucard embraced me. "It's going to be okay. I'm here for you, my darling, and whatever dark memories arise, I will always be here.You are not alone anymore." He wiped away my tears and kissed me. "Come. Our friends are probably worried about our whereabouts. Perhaps you can show them the Library, I'm sure Sypha would be thrilled of the immeasurable knowledge within those halls."