My staff glowed in warning long before the first fires appeared on the horizon. Its light intensified as the fires drew nearer, hundreds of them. I could see the glint of their armor even from atop the Castle stronghold. The night breeze carried the stink of vampires and dark magic, heading this way.
"They are coming." I warned Alucard and Greta. The glyphs illuminated my skin as the divine power coursed through my veins.
"And we are ready." Greta responded undaunted by the rising storm. She gathered all her fighters and spread them throughout the castle. A spearguard lined in front of the entrance, archers crowned every tower and parapet. Inside the castle gate, the main hallway was crowded by warriors and barricades, armed ready should the spearguard need to retreat.
Everyone who was capable of fighting, young or old, man or woman, was summoned for battle. Those who couldn't fight, the elderly, the injured, mothers and children, were sheltered in the wine cellar; the deepest part of the castle shielded by thickened walls and thresholds lined with salt. I set a magic barrier over each entrance for extra protection.
"I want to fight with you!" Aiden protested, hugging my waist. "No, this isn't your battle. You should be lucky to never see another fight in your life."
"But I'm tired of running!" Aiden cried. "I can wield a knife just as well as anyone! Let me stand and fight!"
"You're just a boy." I persisted, eyes flickering with an idea. "There is another way you can help." I showed Aiden, along with Amara, Magnus, and a few other refugees a secret underground passage leading out of the castle into a cave with a door in the local woods. "Vampires may have used it to travel to and from the castle in daylight. Should things get dire , take this passageway and get the hell outta Dodge. Don't return here until it's safe, and don't worry about me."
"I don't want to run again." Aiden said weakly.
"I know. I've a strong feeling this time will be different,and if you do have to run you'll be able to come back." I knelt and hugged the boy, kissing him on the cheek. "Keep a strong heart and don't give up hope. You've made it this far."
Greta called for me from the door and I ran to her, shutting it closed. "They're approaching the castle. Vampires and night beasts. I smell dark sorcery."
"So do I."
"Are you ready?"
I raised my staff in the air letting my glyphs shine. "Ready as I'll ever be."
The humans inside the castle's entrance waited in subdued fear. None of them were trained warriors, let alone vampire hunters. Even within the castle's strong fortified walls they feared for their very lives.
"They are afraid." Alucard murmured obviously.
"They have every right to be." Greta responded.
I breathed deeply and sang.
Bring to me all of my arrows
Bring to me my crossbow too
I fear we might need them both
Before the night is through
Once a world of glittering hope
This world is not the world I knew
The only light left to shine
Is between me and you
On our own
In a world of stone
We are not alone
Greta turned giving me a intrigued look, had she not felt the power in my voice she would've thought me crazy. Angels' voices manifested the power to influence the spirits of mortals. Be it giving them inner strength or humbling them in the presence of the divine, it literally could sway them to actions if they wished. My voice sounded nothing like what one would imagine. It wasn't heavenly or dainty like a maiden's song, rather sharp with the clarity of a ringing bell. Though nonetheless beautiful, least that's what Alucard remarked.
I saw the bravery return to the humans, and their hearts filled with hope. They readied their silver weapons, clipping bags of salt to their belts.
I had once believed in angels
They were everywhere I looked
A gentle hand guiding me
To give more than I took
But I have died a thousand times
Watching all these angels fall
Their lonely eyes haunt me still
We will avenge them all
On our own
In a world of stone
We are not alone
A horn blew from the towers. It was time.
We met the army of armored vampires and snarling night creatures with equal might. The spearmen had dipped the heads of their weapons in salt . As the vampires sprung to attack, many were pierced by silver spears, screaming bloody murder and melting from the salt on the metal. Many humans fell from their teeth and claws, blood and entrails soiling the earth.
Morae will have a busy night.
My temples throbbed in an oncoming headache, probably brought on by the stress of a battle. I pushed it aside, running and leaping onto the galloping unicorn's back. A cheer rose up when I rode onto the battlefield.
Flexing my hand a swath of white flame separated the army from the castle, those caught in its wake screaming and melting into gurgling pools. I struck my staff on the ground and bursts of holy light erupted from beneath the earth, exploding the night creatures and unlucky vampires standing atop.
"Turn your focus on the Mal'ahk!" Roared one of the vampire generals. "Kill her while she's locked in human flesh!"
Now who told them that!?
The unicorn reared at the onslaught of vampires. The bloodthirsty fiends could still fly over the flames, and many of them did, slashing and clawing at me with bared fangs. I deflected them back with bursts of my light shield, slicing their necks with my sword. The vampires shrieked and hissed from the silver blade burning their flesh,but others persisted like a horde of rabid bats. The unicorn managed to gore one straight through the skull and kick another back with the force enough to punch a hole in his chest sending his pumping heart flying .
The unicorn screamed and reared again, I held on raising my staff skyward with a divine light.
A blue blaze flashed through the air as Alucard came to my aid, his sword decapitating the remaining vampires. "Thanks for the save." I huffed, pinching my throbbing temples. Screams erupted from the humans and the burning night creatures braving their way through the flames. The unicorn burst into a gallop with Alucard soaring beside us, his steel blade encased in a bright blue flame.
Together, we fought the army of Night repelling them back. Alucard slicing the enemies clean through after I immolated them in holy flame. He watched my back and I watched his, blasting and exploding the vampires with fire and light beams. Alucard must've learned a trick from me, for when an onslaught vampire spearmen and the warty-spiderlike night creatures attacked, he lashed out a blue beam from his gleaming sword. The brutes splattered at our feet. I nodded with an approving smile when Alucard smirked at me.
A war cry rippled behind us. The foes kept coming, bracing through the holy flames with a desperate determination. A group of them broke off to onslaught Greta and her warriors. "Come on!"I raised my staff and raced to their aid. Alucard followed swiftly along.
Greta fought boldly with sword and hammer. An array of crumpled corpses already strewn around her feet. Yet the vampires kept closing in, slaying many of her folk. They were met with light blasts and sword decapitation from both of us. "Look at you two being the power couple." Greta remarked.
"We saw you needed backup." I blasted a whole through a vampire's skull.
"They keep coming!" Greta seethed. "Remember to pace yourself angel!"
"Got it." I sighed. I grimaced, the headache once thrumming in the recesses of my brain now bursting up in full force. "What's wrong?" Greta demanded shocked.
"Nothing! I'll be fine." I gritted my teeth at the castle towers with an idea flickering in my mind.
"Tell the archers to ready their bows." I bellowed in my divine voice, getting the vampires' attention. "Hey bloodsuckers! Wanna piece of me!?" The vampires turned my direction bearing their teeth.
"Well come and get me!! " I sped off across the battlefield towards the castle. "An all you can eat heavenly buffet !!" The group of vampires sped after me, leaving the night creatures to my allies.
"My God she really is the mother of all Belmonts." Alucard gaped with a slight tinge to his cheeks. Demons fell at his blade.
"Has she gone mad?" Greta watched in disbelief, still fighting creatures.
"I don't think so." Alucard gazed at the hidden archers. "At the Vampires! Don't hit my angel!!"
When I got close to the castle, I whispered sharply at the archers and signaled. "Now!!" I held up a force-field as arrows rained down, silver heads and dipped with salt. The vampires fell like apples.
The shield dispersed when I cried out, nearly dropping my staff as my headache blared in a vengeance. Feeling like I took a blow to the head, I almost fell off, gripping my head in pain.The unicorn neighed, tossing his head as the glyphs on his horn blazed. My own markings beamed brightly, burning my skin.
My headache resurfaced a hidden memory. I've felt this once before. "Oh no..." My voice is faint and wiry. I kicked the unicorn leading him with all urgency to the castle gates.
"Where are you going!?" Greta called to me while battling night creatures. Alucard screamed my name. I ignored them, galloping faster than I've ever gone before, passing the startled cries of the humans waiting for the fight and through the dark castle halls.
To the Western Wing. Alucard's childhood room.
The unicorn halted full stop, nearly throwing me off his back. He screamed and stomped his hooves, ears pinned back as he bared his teeth. I dismounted him, the throbbing now competing with the familiar thrum in the back of my head.
Around me the castle halls glowed ominous red, stirring up subconscious memories of a night not so long ago, yet in another lifetime. A cobblestone in the wall burned at my touch, yet I braced myself and hauled it off anyway. My stomach dropped seeing the symbol burning in the wall, no longer concealed.
The alchemical sign of Saturn.
"No." I gasped barely able to catch my breath."That bastard! That fucking bastard I should have kept better tabs on him I knew he was bad news!!" My head swam from the realization of a graver danger none could have perceived, a hundred times worse than the invading army the damned. "Not again."I struggled to speak through heavy breathing. "Not again! They'll all-!!"
Alucard's voice was a faint echo despite standing at my side. I barely noticed him, hunched over supporting myself with a hand on the wall hyperventilating. My staff dropped to my feet.
"I'm here my love." He firmly held my hand. "You're safe." His touch lowered my heart-rate and breathing. I steadily inhaled through my nose and exhaled out my mouth. "I'm in the western corridor with my friends."
Breathe in...............out.
"Alucard is here, so is Greta, and the unicorn is here too. He's shining in a silvery light."
In.................out.
"The halls are very dark and dusty because this is an area barely used. There's an old weathered tapestry on the left wall and it shows animals hunting. There's old swords decorated on the right and they've gone rusty. I think he might have used them at some point but now they're for show."
In...................out.
"The old lamps on the ceiling are covered in cobwebs. One. Two. Three.." I silently counted the lamps while slowly breathing in..............out.
"What the hell is going on?" Greta watched perplexed. "Is she in panic?"
"Yes. Give her a moment." Alucard explained tense. "It's a self soothing technique a friend of mine taught her." I nodded at him,placing a hand on my chest as I breathed in and out again, feeling my heart already slowed to normal. "Thank you........Alucard."
Alucard stroked the hair from my face, handing me my staff. I gripped it tightly, the glyphs prickling my skin. The back of my head throbbed. "We need to get everyone out of here." I warned Greta urgently. "Get everyone out of the castle now!"
"Are you out of your bloody mind?" Greta snapped. "There's an army of vampires out there!"
"It doesn't matter!!" I cried on the edge of another panic. "Get everyone out of here before it's too late! They'll die! They'll all die and I won't be able to stop it this time!"
"Stop what?" Greta demanded.
"Easy." Alucard warned her curtly, taking my hand again. "Breathe. Go slow if you need to. It's okay."
"Stop the..." I did the breathing technique again before speaking in a calm, yet wavering voice. "Stop the ritual to open the portal to Hell and resurrect Dracula."
Now it was their turn to be struck silent.
"The portal can be opened by performing a dark ritual using an Alchemist's Key and Saturn signs." I pointed to the Hell mark on the wall. Alucard understood very well the processions of the Dark Arts, but for Greta, it was unknown territory. He still let me talk. "We call it Death Magic because you need to harvest a massive amount of souls for it to work . Not just any souls, it has to be souls of people that have just passed away, they give off a powerful energy. Don't you see? There has to be a lot of them."
"Dear God...." Greta murmured, the severity of the situation dawning on her. "Can this be stopped?"
"Hypothetically yes." I shivered. " We'd have to scour the entire castle and remove every mark inscribed, but we don't have time!" I felt tremors within the floor and the thundering screams below. "What's happening!? Have they breached the castle!?"
"Not yet." Greta confirmed to my relief. " We've shut and barricaded the gate but that won't stop them. They have an enormous fire breathing night beast ......the wards should hold them back." She stared at me intently. "How did you know about the ritual?"
I sighed revealing the truth of my memory. "I saw it happen before and put a stop to it. In the city of Arges as my past self. The monks captured a Hellbeast and utilized its power as the Key along with the alchemical signs of Saturn they hid throughout the city to open a portal to Hell. The Angelic council kept it secret from me because they wanted it to succeed. They hoped the mass casualties would bait in an ancient Enemy they believed could be defeated. I overheard and acted against them. I warned the people of Arges about the priory's dark intentions and bade them to scour their city removing those signs. The humans did most of the work while I took down the Hellbeast. The ritual was botched, the door closed, and I was repaid in chains."
I rubbed the back of my shoulders as if feeling what I lost. "They cast me out for my disobedience, that I'm sure of. Stripped me of my wings and memories, sending me hurtling to earth in a human packaged fireball."
"Well it's a good thing you did." Greta patted my shoulder. "Or we'd be a hell of a lot worse off without you."
"I certainly would."Alucard stroked my hand.
A tremor rippled through the castle and I doubled over clenching my head in pain. My companions rushed to help me up. "It's happening!" I shivered. "There might be a chance!!"
Greta called following me with the unicorn. Alucard leapt to my side with the cape billowing behind him. The essence of dark magic was overpowering, even for the unicorn who refused to move another step. I braced myself, baring the brunt of the storm as I marched on reaching the open door of Alucard's old bedroom, fighting against the tightened knot in the back of my brain.
What I saw put me in a rage I've rarely felt.
Inside Alucard's childhood room the Alchemist performed the dark ritual. A glowing circled glyph burned the floor before him as he held an open spellbook with one hand, controlling a floating key with the other. Above him a cloud of shadowed skulls gasped and moaned in agony. The entire room was bathed in a bloody red glow, the electrifying air prickled every hair on my skin.
"I think the fuck not!" I shot a beam at him, but a forcefield blocked my attack. "Such an impulsive little mage. Think I hadn't prepared ahead should you have come trying to kill me in fury . Not very angelic of you." Saint Germain laughed.
"What in hell are you doing?" Alucard demanded enraged.
"I am opening a door into the Infinite Corridor." Saint Germain responded casually.
"I think his mind has gone." Greta observed.
"The Infinite Corridor is a fairy tale." Alucard snarled.
"No it's not." I grimaced."The Infinite Corridor is a passageway to other worlds. Angels are the only beings with the innate ability to control it and they've been using it to travel different times and worlds since the beginning of creation."
I felt as if I was telling him a family secret. "They can see openings drift in out of existence, that's what the shimmers are! All this time I was seeing doors into the Infinite Corridor but I don't remember how to control it and even if I did, I lack the power in this form. Just being near one of these damn things is overwhelming for me, and that's the biggest shimmer I've seen!"
"So your memory is clearer than I thought." The Alchemist smirked. "What a pleasant surprise."
"I remember because you told me shithead!"
"Your grace, such coarse language isn't suitable for one of your status. You've been among the muck-ridden humans for too long." Saint Germain mocked before addressing my companions. "For angels, control over the Infinite Corridor is mere child's play but for us, it takes a bit more effort. It is very hard to control for mortal humans. I'm truly sorry that the souls of your people are being sacrificed to the cause, dear Greta, but they would have died of rickets or angry badgers soon enough anyway."
"I've never heard such callousness." Alucard snarled. "This is Death Magic. You're using the energies of death....."
"To open the corridor and direct a portal to Hell. And I need this spot here, where I presume you killed your father, to anchor the connection."
"My father?!"
"I'm bringing him back from Hell." The alchemist smiled in a devious glee. "And your mother. You're welcome to stay and watch. You can wave if you like."
"I am going to fucking murder you!" Alucard snarled.
"You bastard you won't get away with this!!" I struck the barrier with my glowing staff, sparks flying on impact and jolting me back. My glyphs burned across my body, glowing up my limbs and inside my clothes unseen.
"Who's going to stop me?" Saint Germain laughed. " Certainly not you, Zaharial, fallen Watcher trapped in a human body that is ridiculously mortal and cannot maintain your true power. You'll kill yourself just attempting to break this wall, you're welcome to go ahead and try." He cast a sneering look. "You should have taken my advice, now you'll get to die like the humans you sacrificed everything for!"
"FUCK YOU!" I struck the barrier again and again, glyphs gleaming.
"Such a hot temper." Saint Germain tsked. "You've found yourself quite the woman, Alucard. Don't be glum, your father won't be alone. I need a Key to control the corridor. In Lindenfeld it was a many souled creature of magic and in Arges it was a lesser creature of the same breed (News travels fast Zaharial, especially one of your deeds!). I need my own Key to fully control the corridor, so I, Saint Germain, am going to pull Dracula and Lisa Tepes out of Hell, fuse their souls together, and lock them in the body of a Rebis."
My sight changed to grey and I struck my staff with all my might, only to be jolted back. "You can't!" I hissed, picking myself up. "Don't you know how low you have to stoop to create one of those monstrosities!? Drop the shield now so I can crack you in the skull and send you to Hell myself!"
Greta barked at me to restrain myself before asking what a Rebis was.
"It's a word for a hermaphrodite creature." Alucard explained with an equal amount of rage (though less explosive about it.) "A body that is both man and woman."
"The pinnacle of alchemy. The ultimate entity." Saint Germain boasted .
"The pinnacle of blasphemy and the ultimate sin." I spat.
"Why are you doing this? What possible reason is there to commit such an act?" Alucard demanded.
"What possible reason? Two reasons. The woman I love is lost somewhere in the Infinite Corridor. And I am an alchemist. I seek perfection of knowledge, the achievement of the great work, the magnum opus, which can be reached by the creation of the Rebis, the divine hermaphrodite, the fusion of male and female into an alchemical creature of perfect power and knowledge. And I can ride it, Alucard. I create it. I bind it. I own it. I will find my love. I will command the Infinite Corridor. I will have complete access to a million different worlds. Like God."
"You are not God!!" I screamed. "And the woman you love isn't lost! She's free! She's wandering the Corridor exploring every world and dimension having the time of her life! She warned me not to trust you and she was right, why would anyone stick around with a batshit lunatic with a god complex!? You weren't meant to travel the Corridor, just as you weren't meant to deal with dark magic beyond your mortal understanding!"
Saint Germain dropped his smug air and gave me a pained look full of hope. "You saw her?"
"I did. In a dream." I admitted, lowering my hackles for the first time. "She told me about you, how you helped her get back home. She is grateful to you for that and she still loves you but...." I didn't know how I would put this without further hurting him. (Not that I cared, but even in a riled state I knew it was a stupid idea pissing off an alchemist in the middle of a death ritual.)
"You cannot hold onto something that wants to be set free." Alucard spoke my words in a softer tone. " You can only enjoy the time you have with them while they're in your life. If you truly love her, you would let her go. You weren't meant to walk her path. Cherish the memories you have of her and live knowing you are forever in her heart. An angel's love is eternal and unconditional, she will always love you."
"And we feel love as if it's new." I added. Honestly I thought there was a chance we got through to him, but the revolted glare he gave told us otherwise.
"You two sicken me." He snarled. "A saccharine pair of lovebirds flouting everything I could have had. Don't act like you wouldn't do the same in my position, Alucard. If our roles were reversed, you would go to whatever lengths to reunite with your dear angel. You would do everything in your power to be with her."
"Not at such a high cost." Alucard responded after a moment's pause. "Not if I knew if she was happy being where she was, even in a place I couldn't reach her."
I swear I thought I couldn't fall in deeper love with this man.
The entire castle shook to its foundation, followed by a thundering roar. "They've breached the door!" Greta bellowed. I struck the barrier again only to be jolted back. "Enough!" The human grabbed my arm. "There's nothing we can do!"
" I can't let this happen!" I roared rushing forward . "I have to stop him!" She and Alucard restrained my arms. "You cannot stop him! Come on! The fight is downstairs!" Greta commanded.
"They'll all die!" I screamed in heated tears.
"They'll die faster now the enemy has infiltrated the castle!" Greta snapped. "Come on! Stop blaming yourself for what you cannot do and focus on what you can do. They need you Zaharial, more than ever, and so do we! Help us in this fight!"
I looked painfully at my comrades. "All right." I relented, giving a hateful glare at the alchemist before running with them to the main chamber.
The army breached the door and the humans were retreating, pursued by the hungry vampires who hunted them down like beasts. Those who put up a fight only made the game better. I sensed their souls being sucked into the ritual. I saw the vortex of orbs being pulled to Alucard's childhood bedroom like ships in a maelstrom.
Night creatures sprung through the open gate unscathed by the deactivated ward. Saint Germain's work, no doubt. I should have kept an eye on him.
A gargantuan hellbeast charged through the now burst open door, yawning wide its glowing maw spitting out molten plasma. Alucard sent his sword flying through the creature's gullet, exploding its gut in a burst of fire.
"Nice hit! Now what ya gonna do? Fight with your bare hands?"
"I better go get my sword." Alucard grinned at me and sprung forward. Greta sprinted to his aid. I turned to the screams of humans and leapt to defend them. Time for my sword.
Plunge it into his heart, that's what Mary said when she gave me her deceased husband's weapon. She meant Alucard, but I bet she'd never guess I'd take on a horde on my own. I got up close and personal with the snarling vampires, stunning them with flashes of holy light and plunging my silver blade into their hearts.
"Kill the girl!" One rasped. "Kill the angel!!"
I hate being the center of attention! I pelted their skulls with light beams, blasting open their brains. One hulking foul smelling specimen got too close for comfort, brandishing his viking sword and rasping his fangs near my face. "I'm going to kill you angel." His rancid breath curled my stomach. "I'm going to rip open your pretty chest and feast on your beating heart. Send you back to your God."
He knocked the staff out of my hand, grabbing and twisting my arm. My scream brought Alucard towards me with the fury of Hell in his eyes. Stone night creatures blocked his way and surrounded him.
"They say an angel's mortal blood is the most delectable thing in existence. That it gives the vampire who drinks it an immeasurable power, and the ability to walk in the sun." He rasped a snickering laugh watching Alucard fighting the golems. "It must be sweet enough he's taken a nice bite out of you, and a bit more than that too. The smell is still fresh on you. You've had a good time with him eh Watcher? Seduced him with your heavenly wiles? You're not as pure and saintly like the rest. More like your condemned brothers."
The vampire forced me to my knees. I flicked my gaze to my sword at my feet. " I'll be invincible, unstoppable! Your pathetic livestock will all die.I'll drink you dry and be a king among vampires, more than Dracula ever was. What do you think of that, you little whore?
I grabbed the sword and plunged it through his throat."I think if you're going to kill someone, shut up and kill them! Don't stand there talking about it!!"
The vampire shriveled into bones with a gurgling scream.
"That was fucking annoying." I got up and dusted myself off, nonchalantly approaching the golem night creatures and summoning a gust of wind, blowing away the glyphs on their bodies. Without the marks of Life they disintegrated into sand. I helped Alucard up with a smile.
"Thank you." He picked up his sword. More enemies came pouring in and we jumped to meet their blades. We were tiring. Alucard wasn't as swift on his feet and faltered dodges, getting swiped in the cheek.
I stood in front of him when he hissed, a line of blood oozing from his cheek, and I cut down the night creature. My glyphs burned as they did when I was nearing my limits. If I push more, I'm putting my life at risk.
There's too many of them. They just keep coming, more and more, and our strength isn't limitless. We gave each other the same desperate look.
"If this is where it ends,I'm glad we're together."
"So am I." Alucard closed his eyes, lowering his chin. "I love you."
"I love you too."
A throng of night creatures and vampires pounced on us with saber claws and steeled blades. We held each other close, side by side, brandishing our signature weapons.
If this is where it ends, we're not going down without a fight!
An inferno erupted behind us, incinerating the throng in midair, yet not a single lick of its flames touched us. The snap of the Morning Star's chain lashed out beside Alucard.
I stared on in utter disbelief. No fucking way.....
"Evening." My last living descendant stood at my mate's side . My Speaker legacy stood at mine.
"As if our day wasn't going badly enough. It's Trevor Belmont." Alucard chuckled mirthful.
"About time you showed up! You're late to the party!" I laughed overjoyed.
"You two don't seem to be doing very well. What are we looking at?" Sypha asked urgently.
"Vampires and night creatures trying to kill a castle full of human refugees, and a madman upstairs." Alucard grimaced.
Trevor brandished the Morning Star and tossed away his cape. Sypha ignited her fireball, and Alucard bared his brightly gleaming sword. "Shall we?" Trevor smirked with a twinkle in his eyes.
The return of our friends renewed the power and strength within me. I thrust forward my shining staff, the glyphs shimmering brilliantly on my body and did not burn. "Hell yeah!!"
We leapt into the battlefield together as one. My cape wings flaring brilliantly behind me and the song of Oncoming Victory booming in my soul without needing a voice.
So bring the mead and bring the ale
To help us face this fight again
Good fortune will shine down on us
Together we will win!
And they will never break our spirit
We will never turn and run
And we will rise stronger still
When we stand as one!