It has been a few years since the defeat of Chaos with the young man.  It was impressive, to learn that a mortal had the same dark powers as the Count, and that he even had the will to defeat the chaos, fighting…in a way…himself.  It was part of the plan, of course, the most dangerous part, but did the result even have the chance of being the most hopeful one?

Hardly.  But the result was what exactly needed to be done to once again defeat Dracula…even if it had to be inside of that boy.  The plan was a success.

And the castle…hopefully, would be locked away forever. 

Of course…forever is a long time…

This must be the reason I was thinking back on that particular battle…which leads to another…important question.

…Why I am awake again…is there still someone trying to bring back my father?

The candles flicker as I forced open the stone coffin. I frowned.  The castle was locked away inside the eclipse as it should be.

But what caused me to awaken?  What was wrong?

Did I succeed in destroying my father once again…or had I miscalculated…for there was only one reason why I could be awake…

**

            It felt as if he was waiting for something.  The feeling of waiting was something he didn't enjoy…what was he waiting for anyways?

            Soma Cruz looked out on to the moonlight as he silently remembered that day two years ago.   It seemed so surreal…as if nothing happened.  Then again…he didn't want to believe it did.  After something like that…and worse.

            The whole shitfest of that eclipse left him a souvenir.

            "Soma-kun…you're doing it again."

            He spun around only to see his friend standing at the door way, in her hands a platter with dinner she made just for them.  He couldn't help but smile faintly.  Mina had always taken care of him, even when she herself was in danger.  It was surprising that he didn't tell her how much he appreciated…or cared for her presence, but it was perhaps how shy she could be around him that made his nerve…or courage…vanish.

            "Thanks." He carefully took the platter.  Sitting down he almost began to eat his meal when he remembered the statement she had made, "What do you mean I'm doing it again?  What am I doing…again?" Oh yes…real smooth Mr. Cruz…

            "You keep staring out the window as if you're expecting something…and you always have this creepy look in your eyes…like…when you were…him."

            Soma flinched.  He sighed, "Maybe it's the fact he is still inside of me…sleeping."  He couldn't help but have a cold edge in his voice.  He was first relieved to figure out that the spirit inside of him was sleeping…no longer evil, and most of all…that it was all over.  But that didn't stop the annoyance of having to be…reprimanded for whenever that little spirit reminisced.  "Maybe it's the fact the whole ordeal affected me…I told you that already Mina!"

            Mina stepped back and looked to the side, "Gomen nasai…I know…"  A look of pain crossed her face.  It was a soft look, but it was there.

            She didn't mean to offend me…god…I'm such an ass… "No Mina…I'm sorry…I know you didn't mean anything by it." Moving the platter gently aside, he stood, slightly brushing his unusually white hair away from his face.   Walking over to her, he, hesitantly, placed one arm around her, pulling her closer to him, "I know you're worried…but I'm fine."  He forced a smile, it had been easier for him to smile, knowing his faith in friendship grew after the battle with Chaos, yet he still had problems faking one.

            Mina looked up at him and didn't notice the force behind the smile and soon that look went from her face and a bright smile quickly replaced it, "I was only worried in any case." She moved back again but this, more gracefully, not as if she startled or scared.  She sat down on the carpet was his platter was and looked up to him, "Aren't you going to eat?  You're still awfully skinny."  She giggled his coldness towards her forgotten. 

            Soma felt a real smile on his face, then it turned into a grin and he sat down next to her.  He didn't care so much for sitting on floor, just as long as he could sit on the floor next to the only person who truly mattered to him at that moment.

            He slowly lifted the cup of tea to his mouth.  His eyes were closed and he felt at peace.  He could hear Mina eating across from him, the bird singing the songs of the night.  There was someone chanting, but he didn't care for that.  Someone must be praying at the shrine, he thought calmly…

            Yet he could hear something pulsating…like a heart.  It rang louder…and louder…as loud as the heart of Chaos had been before it shattered into oblivion.  The liquid poured into his mouth…there was something…metallic, thick and…not hot…but warm about the tea-

            Soma immediately spat it out, his eyes wide with shock.  Red…everything was red…

            "Soma-kun?  Soma-kun what's wrong?"  The look of shock and terror upon her friend's face frightened her.  She looked as the cup in hand shattered.  The almost clear tea fled of its shattered shell, yet Soma looked at it as if it was poison.

            He couldn't breathe.  The pulsating sound was ringing more and more in his ear.  Red…everything was red…

            He could hear a familiar laugh echoing in the distance.  No wait…it was closer…closer…closer…Mina!

            "NO!  Get away from her!"  A metallic gleam appeared behind the innocent girl as Soma snapped his head up, his eyes wide with rage, anguish…and fear, "Leave us a lone!"

            "Soma-kun!  What's wrong with you?" Mina cringed back, the look in his eyes frightening her…only knowing that he can actually be scared made her horror multiply.

            "It is time to wake from your slumber master…"

            Soma screamed.  A pain shot through him as if something was pushing, crushing the inside of his very being.  He clenched his teeth, trying to fight it, "No…get away from her…get away from Mina…"

            Mina slowly went closer to him, a tear falling from her left eye, "Soma-kun…please…" she whispered, calmly, "What's wrong with you…?"

            Arikado…did you lie to me?  You told me…you told me that it was done!  I know you warned me that someone may try to bring that the Count…but…I thought it was over!  I THOUGHT IT WAS OVER!

            Soma gasped as he felt Mina touch, "No!  Get away from me!  Don't touch me!" He reeled away from her, backing into a corner. 

            "Demo…Soma-kun…why…why are you screaming at me…what's happening?  What is wrong!  Tell me!"

            "No…Mina stay back…I don't want to hurt you!  I don't want to hurt you!"

            The pulsating beat was louder, so excruciating now.  It added to his pain.  He wanted it to end…God…Death would be better than this!

            Speaking of such thing… "Master it is time, your castle calls for you, so does the need for destruction of the humans…starting with her…"

            "No…No please…not her…anyone but her!  I beg of you!"  It appeared as if only Soma could see the grim reaper…his tattered shrouds covering only little of the skeleton frame.  And as if he was a twisted, distorted, dead version of Santa's little elf, here was Death's little helper, peering out off his leader's shoulder.

            "But her time is now, dear Count.  And it is I who shall not do the deed…"

            Soma could feel a puddle of tears form on the ground as the salty droplets feel…like a stream, down his pale face, "No…please…don't make me do this…don't…" What am I doing?…I am Soma!  No one else!  Dracula is just a spirit!  He is nothing!  But why…why am I talking to death as if…as if I was…him…just weaker…and why did I feel…NOTHING when he called me Count!  In fact…that's what I wanted…

            He screamed once more.  He fought the dark…no…the evil power within him.  However, this power was working against him, destroying whatever sense of identity was left in him, "Mina…Mina get out of here!  Go…escape Death while you still can!"

            "But Soma-kun…I don't want to leave you!" Mina crawled over to him.  She didn't sense Death anywhere around her and her thoughts were only on the welfare of her dear Soma.

            The beating…the pulsating sound he heard rocked the very core of his mind…he could feel blood run from his ears, "Don't worry about me, Mina…" He made a weak smile, "Just go…go where…you'll be safe…before…before…" Soma's eyes went wider as he felt his last sense of will leave him.  The beat soon became calm and so was the pain…but Soma grew deathly pale as felt the last of his identity vanish…

            I am Soma…I am Soma…I am…I am…Drac-

            All he could see was red…and before the warm darkness enveloped his numb mind…he heard a single scream.

            And it wasn't his…

Prologue:  Beginning of Chaos

Author Note:  I hope I got this down good…I researched so much into Castlevania Aria of Sorrow it's not even funny.  So…Soma and Alucard did not succeed…even though it appears confused and messed and more complicated than it should be, I didn't help but feel as if the game just…opened up to a sequel with Soma…however…this time we have a slight problem…R/R, flame, whatever…I'm sure I had failed thank you.  Oh and you can guess who made the last scream…