The two opposing forces ran at each other. This was it. Nadja threw herself repeatedly at any and every enemy she saw. Her knives too found the hearts of many. Or at least she hoped so. Nadja didn't waste time checking when the target had fallen. She was not holding back, not with all the frustration built up inside. Alisa fought Dracula somewhere behind her. An Upiry vampire ran at Nadja and they started wrestling.
"Alisa!" Lars yelled somewhere behind them.
Nadja tossed the Upiry away and turned to see Dracula holding both Lars and Alisa by their throats. They were both struggling against him and hurt by his grip. Nadja saw red. No one hurt her brother like that. She ran at them, oblivious to the fights going on around them.
"You won't be able to protect her from me, little boy." Dracula taunted.
"Let them go!"
Nadja bellowed as she took hold of Dracula's ears and kicked him hard from behind. Something seemed to click into place in her mind, as she suddenly felt the presence of everyone in her vicinity. Lars pulsed warmly in her mind. Dracula fell forwards and lost his grip on both the young vampires. The Pyras ruby lay in Nadja's hand. She ran over to Lars to check up on him and saw the Dracas ruby back in his possession, where it should be. Something suddenly tightened around her, squeezing her hard. It felt like a giant hand tried to cut her in half. By the grunts he made and the pained expression on his face, Nadja deduced that Lars was experiencing the same. One look over her shoulder confirmed Nadja's suspicion. The Vikla ruby was glowing, Dracula was using its power on them. A gunshot sounded and the tightness around Nadja's chest vanished instantly. She fell forwards and dropped the Pyras ruby as she caught herself. Dracula fell to the ground with a thud, but Nadja ignored him.
"Lars, are you alri-" She followed his gaze and broke off.
Alisa was staring at her own hand, a black hole forming on it. Then, just as Dracula had, she fell, only Nadja caught her before she hit the floor.
"She's unconscious.."
Nadja whispered as she laid Alisa carefully down. When she turned back to Lars, she saw van Helsing standing over him, pointing his gun at his chest. Lars was frozen in fear, but Nadja was not. She got out a knife and prepared to run at van Helsing. To her surprise, he lowered his gun and prodded Dracula with his foot.
"Redmasks! Stop!" He yelled.
And that they did. Every Redmask suddenly stopped fighting at once. Nadja helped Lars to his feet, hissing angrily at van Helsing as she did so.
"Upiry!" Abraham continued. "If you want your revenge, get me the rubies!"
The whole of the Upiry clan leapt forward and ripped the rubies off of Dracula. Nadja pulled her brother back, away from the madness, the Pyras ruby laying forgotten behind where Nadja had fallen. They rushed out of there. The Heirs left, while the Shadows remained to get Alisa as well. To Nadja's surprise, Dracula was brought along too, as were Calvina and, by extension, Nicu. Once safely on board the Elisabetha, tables were cleared for Alisa and Dracula, who were both still unconscious.
"Wake her up!" Tammo yelled, wild in his gaze.
Hindrik held him back. He too was fighting an inner battle. "We can't Tam, you saw what happened!"
"Yes we can!" Tammo rounded on Dracula. Nadja was pleased to see the same anger in Tam that she herself had felt when Ragnar had taken Lars. "You monster! Bring her back to me!"
"Stay away from him." Hindrik pulled Tam away from Dracula. "It's going to be alright, we'll find a way." Hindrik returned to Alisa's side.
"Hva skal vi gjøre nå? What are we supposed to do now?" Inger asked, approaching Lars.
"Hvordan skal jeg vite det? How am I supposed to know?" The hopelessness in his voice was almost painful to hear.
"Vi har to rubiner igjen fra kampen. We have two rubies left from the battle." She handed him the Dracas ruby. "Her er din. Du er klanlederen vår. This is yours. You are our clan leader."
"Hva har det å si, jeg klarte ikke å hjelpe henne engang! What does that matter, I couldn't even help her!" Lars threw the ruby away. It landed by the window, under the rays of the newly risen sun. "Jeg klarte ikke hjelpe noen! Jeg er ikke en leder. I couldn't help anyone! I am no leader."
Nadja picked up the ruby.
"Det var et bakholdsangrep. Van Helsing vendte seg mot oss. It was a surprise attack. Van Helsing turned against us." She paused and bent down beside him. "Lars, det er ingenting du kunne ha gjort. Lars, there is nothing you could've done."
"Jeg fortjener ikke bære Dracas rubinen. Jeg er ment for å lede klanen vår, men det går galt med alle som er i nærheten av meg. I don't deserve to carry the Dracas ruby. I'm meant to lead our clan, but bad things happen to everyone close to me."
"Jeg vet det. I know." She whispered. "Ikke gjør det her mot deg selv. Don't do this to yourself."
Nadja came over with the Dracas ruby. She glanced over at Inger, before speaking to Lars with her mind. "Lars, husker du hva du sa til meg etter Viola døde? Du sa at vi Dracaser ikke mister seltillitten eller graver oss ned i selvfortvilelse. Du sa vi er sterke, og at vi lærer fra ethvert nederlag, at det er derfor vi alltid går seirende ut. Lars, remember what you told me, after Viola died? You said us Dracas don't think lowly of ourselves or fall into despair. You said we're strong and learn from every defeat, which is why we always emerge victorious. Now, it's your turn. Show us your inner Dracas." She handed him the Dracas ruby. "Nå er det din tur til å lede oss til seier. Vis oss din indre Dracas. Now, it's your turn to lead us to victory. Show us your inner Dracas." Nadja was pleased to see Lars close his hand around the ruby, and continued aloud. "Far valgte deg av en grunn. Han så styrken i deg, og han tror på deg. Det gjør jeg også, det gjør vi alle. Reis deg og vis oss akkurat hvorfor du fortjener det. Father chose you for a reason. He saw the strength in you and he believes in you. As do I, we all do. Now stand up and show us why you deserve that."
Ivy came over. "Lars, we need you. Alisa needs you. Joanne and Malcolm, they need you too. Van Helsing has them. We need to make a plan to get them back. Please Lars, snap out of it. Just forget about the Caminada ruby. Use the Dracas ruby to get into her mind and bring her back. You have to get her back."
Nicu and Karen entered and approached the table where Alisa and Dracula lay.
"Bring her back! If there's anything you can do, do it! Come on!"
Lars got to his feet. They had gotten through to him. He donned the Dracas ruby, walked up to Alisa and put his hands on her temple. In a couple of minutes, Lars would open his eyes just as Alisa awoke. Although that was the plan, it didn't turn out that way. Lars raised his head, but Alisa did not awake as he did so. Nothing had changed, but why?
"I can't get in. Their minds are one now. I can't break into two minds at once, it's not possible." He paused. "Unless.."
Lars met Nadja's eyes, and she understood at once. She came up on his side and got ready. Ready to break into Dracula's mind.
"What are you doing?" Nicu asked. "I thought it was impossible."
"It is, alone. Their minds are one, which is why I need help from my other half." Lars inclined his head at Nadja, who smiled at the nickname. "Together, we can break into one mind each, yet still hold together through the connection between us."
"Of course. As long as your minds are as united as theirs, you should be able to do it." Inger agreed.
"On three." Lars began. "One."
"Two." Nadja continued, as the two siblings got into position and closed their eyes.
"Three."
Nadja opened her eyes to see Dracula standing beside her. It was working. Dracula spoke, but Nadja couldn't hear what he was saying. There was something wrong. Something so devastatingly wrong it made her mind split into two. Or maybe that was it, the cause rather than an aftereffect. Without thinking, partly because she didn't feel able, Nadja grabbed Dracula's wrist and pulled him forwards. She knew by instinct what she had to do. She needed to find Lars, and followed the tug on her mind. When Dracula slowed, evidently wanting to watch the scene in front of them, Nadja pulled harder.
"Come on!" She grunted.
Although Dracula couldn't take his eyes off them, Nadja didn't even notice the different scenes they passed. They rounded a corner to see Lars and Alisa. Nadja's mind immediately ceased trying to carve itself to pieces. She almost fell to the floor in relief. Judging by the look on his face and the way he threw his arms around her, Lars had experienced the same. They held each other tightly for a few moments, before breaking the hug, though still holding onto each other as if letting go would rip them apart. Only then did Nadja realise where they were. They were aboard the Elisabetha, staring at themselves. Lars and Nadja, shoulder to shoulder, each clutching either Dracula or Alisa, who were both lying on the tables, shaking.
"Let's go back." Nadja suggested.
"I can end this right here. As soon as I wake up." Dracula said, not really speaking to anyone in particular.
"You could. But you won't." Alisa claimed.
Dracula turned to look at her. "Why not?"
"Because I think you have more honour than what you've shown us so far."
Tammo came running in past them, claiming to have seen van Helsing. Had he left the ship, alone, during daytime?
"I talked to van Helsing, and he wants to make a deal." Tammo said. "Our four rubies for Joanne, Malcolm and the map. A trade."
Nadja looked up at Lars, and their eyes met. They were both wearing their clans' ruby, and they would both have to give them up.
"We need the map." Alisa said, breaking the silence. "We both do. We need to work together."
"Why do you think I would do that?" Dracula asked her.
"You need me to defeat him. He's too powerful for you alone. It's always been between us, not van Helsing. Let's remove him together, then we can race to the Knot after that."
"Be careful who you trust, Alisa von Vamalia." Dracula warned.
"Don't forget what happened when you decided to trust van Helsing, Alisa. Think through this." Nadja begged her.
"I will take the deal." Dracula interrupted. "But you must keep your friends away from me." He glanced over at Nadja.
"I will." Alisa said. "To both of you."
Alisa looked from Dracula to Nadja and back. When their eyes met, Nadja nodded her support for Alisa's decision. It was as Hindrik had said, they all trusted Alisa because she did what was best for everyone. Now was not the time to selfishly cling to her ruby, but the time to push herself aside to save Malcolm and Joanne.
"That's it then, deal made. Let's go back." Lars declared.
"I have one more request of my own first. Release Calvina." Alisa announced.
Dracula nodded, and they all took it as a sign to leave. Nadja raised her head and withdrew her hands. In her peripheral vision, she saw Lars do the same. They hugged once more, and it felt like each hug they shared made their minds melt even closer together. It was wonderful.
"Alisa, you're back!"
Nicu sounded about to cry, but he luckily didn't. That would make this already emotionally charged moment too much for Nadja. Instead, Nicu helped Alisa sit up. Dracula attempted the same, only to find he was bound by chains. Hissing broke out around them, and Nadja pulled away from her brother.
"Stop, everyone." Alisa got down from the table and approached Dracula. "Are we still doing this?"
"I believe we are." He replied.
"Release him from the chains. I've made a deal with him. He's going to help us against van Helsing."
"You're not actually serious, are you?" Tammo asked in outrage.
"Yes I am. I'll explain later, just please, release him from the chains."
Hindrik stepped forwards to follow Alisa's order.
"Are you going to hold up your end of the bargain?" Alisa asked.
"You have my word." Dracula promised.
Nicu stepped forwards. "Your word? Does that mean anything?"
"Nicu, take him to your mother." Alisa interrupted. "Do it."
He did. Nicu sat waiting along with Alisa, Nadja and Lars when Calvina came up the stairs towards them. As she approached them, her son got to his feet. They hugged, tears falling from both of their eyes. That proved it. Calvina was human again.
"I'm so sorry." Calvina muttered.
"I've missed you." Nicu whispered back.
Nadja had been right. Tears were too much for her, but even so, she couldn't stop herself from smiling if she had tried.