Courting Death

To most vampires, staying hidden was required for survival. Olrox had never liked that, but it was a truth that most vampires actually weren't that hard to kill. Humans had many ways they could grow strong, many techniques that would turn a vampire to dust eternally. And when they felt threatened, heroes among humans would rise and conquer the darkness. Thus, most vampires stayed hidden in the shadows, preying carefully so that they weren't discovered.

Living like that would turn the vampire into a beast, nothing more than a simple predator that would only survive. To become truly powerful, one had to be feared. To be feared, one had to be seen and recognized. That did require power, to be out in the open and take down the vampire hunters. But when one took on the hunters and emerged victorious, the path to true power was wide open. It was such a delicious thrill, seeing the hopes of humans dashed and feeling their despair grow into worship.

Olrox loved that, but he wasn't going to settle for ruling over just one town of thralls. No, he had become a vampire so that he did not have to give up the decadence of the world. One town alone did not give him all the luxuries he desired. He needed the whole world to make his dreams of grandeur possible, with all its wealth and finery at his beck and call. As such, he needed to aim for the pinnacle of power; he needed to become Dracula and use that notoriety to cower everyone. It couldn't be that hard, since the current Dracula wasn't even trying to spread his influence like he should.

And, there was the one he needed to get the attention of, the one who came to him when he accepted the gift of undeath. Olrox loved beautiful things, of course, but something he loved more was power and those who expressed power in their very being. And Death was one like that, one who could inspire terror with his visage alone. He should be exalted for it. But from the looks of things, the current Dracula was treating him as nothing but a servant.

It was unforgivable! But Olrox was prepared to bring Death to his side and become Dracula instead. He'd spent a lot of time and money on this plan: catching Death's attention by spreading fear of death, bribing demons to turn their loyalty from Dracula, establishing his own foothold into Castlevania. There was a pesky obstacle that was keeping him from simply eliminating Vlad Tepes as Dracula, but today's meeting should address that.

If it would happen today. Death came and went by his own time; one could only hope to catch him properly. Tilting a glass of champagne in his hands, Olrox watched the glistening bubbles and shine of crystalline glass. "We may have eternity before us, but I hope you don't plan on making me wait an eternity," he said wistfully.

"You spend so much time looking at the world that I doubt you've truly looked at eternity yet," Death said without warning.

Olrox straightened up from his slouch so fast that he had to catch a splash of champagne before it escaped the glass. "Ah, perhaps," he admitted, keep collected before the only being he admired these days. "But all those who claim to have done so seem so bored and aloof, like nothing excites them anymore. It seems like such a dull way of being. I would rather take bliss in the moment, with what is before me."

Death drifted over to the marble fireplace in the room. "I am a being of eternity; all things are ephemeral to my eyes. Though I admit there is a beauty to grasping the ephemeral and admiring it while it lasts."

Setting his glass down, Olrox got up to join him. "Have you ever tried living entirely within a moment, to forget what has been and what may be to take what is ephemeral for eternal? When you can absorb yourself in that moment and in what passion may lie there..." he reached out to take his hand, more if he'd be allowed.

Death put a bone finger to Olrox's finger of flesh, stopping him. "You are asking a giant to see from an ant's perspective."

"No, it's asking a god to see from a mayfly's perspective, isn't it?" Olrox said, feeling indignant for him again. There was no point to coaxing Death with small talk since that invariably led him to leaving. "You are meant to be a god, not what you have become. You once had all of humanity under your thumb. To me, you should be worshiped like that once again."

"That would be difficult to attain again," he said, as though it didn't trouble him to give up. "When you fall from that far, humans do not fear you to the same degree as they know you can be overcome. They still worship me, simply not the same as their ancestors did."

"But I bet no one worships you as I do," Olrox said, reaching over to him again. He got his hand on Death's cowl, although a tilt of his head was a warning that he wasn't being allowed any closer yet. So Olrox gestured to the captive flames dancing with each other. "I thought this interplay of moonlight through stained glass with the faintness of the fireplace and candles was well suited to you, a dreamy mix of what can and can't be seen. I made all of this with the thought of how you would look in it, to make apparent what I find beautiful within you."

Death looked away from him, back at the fire. What was it going to take to truly impress him? Although this was the absolute closest Death had allowed him so far; Olrox felt like he could melt from it, yet he wanted even more. Something had to be capable of reaching him; there must be a way of getting closer.

"You have done well in making this section your own," Death finally said. "The castle will not respond to just anyone. And whatever you may think, I am a servant, to the castle. The castle is a thing of chaos, a thing of eternity. In what you have created, I see that it may well be seeking someone who thinks more of the moment."

"Or perhaps someone who sees what's truly important," he said, not taking his eyes off him.

"Then what did you have in mind for taking control? Shaft does not acknowledge you and currently his soul is feeding the castle the most."

"Shaft is a fool that follows someone who cannot give up the trappings of humanity," Olrox said. Vlad Tepes was, at his core, a sentimental fool who mourned what he had lost. While he tried to deny it, it was clear from the touches he added to the castle, from the paintings that were scattered everywhere. "We should strike at the weakness they have. I hear Vlad has a son out there who bears the blessings of a vampire."

"That one refuses to acknowledge the darkness within himself," Death said.

Good. "All the more reason to use him against his father. And while we're at it, we can bring in the Belmont hunter as he is obsessed with that family. That obsession gives them power over him. While those forces tear Shaft and Vlad apart, I will be able to rise up to claim the whole castle. Right?"

"They will find your quarters, even you yourself," he said.

"But being within Castlevania means that my death need not be permanent, isn't that so?" He left Death's side a moment to pick up a bauble that he'd left on the fireplace. It was a glass orb that swirled up sparkling flakes of silver and gold when moved; a dark vortex lay in the center of it, not moving at all. "Let them defeat me in the moment. My soul can reach the core of the castle, I'm sure of it. When Vlad inevitably falters in the face of his son, I can snatch the name of Dracula from him. Then I can raise you to your proper station."

"Don't overreach yourself for my sake," Death said, coming forward. Olrox handed him the glass bauble. After shaking it into a flurry, he added, "I see. Perhaps you do have some understanding of eternity after all. How do you intend to bring the Belmont and Vlad's son here without Shaft suspecting that it's to overthrow his hold?"

"By convincing him that it is his idea that leads to their presence," Olrox said, then began explaining the plan in more detail.

And this time, Death stuck around even after that important discussion.

Nearly everything was ephemeral to the eyes of Death, or anyone else who truly knew eternity.

As such, there was little point in being loyal to anything that was ephemeral. One had to be loyal to what was eternal. Dracula was a being both ephemeral and eternal; the names might change, even the person might change, but the role would not change. Dracula was a lord of darkness, a human who surpassed death to become greater than demons. While Death was loyal to Dracula, he knew that the role was bound to change hands. He was loyal to Dracula, but not any particular Dracula as long as they fulfilled their role.

Vlad Tepes Dracula had started off in a promising way, conquering many peoples and making them fear death even more. But he was sentimental, driven to darkness through love and grief. In the end, he could not detach himself from that. It was inevitable that the role would fall out of his hands.

And this one trying to replace him now… he would seek to restore Death to the status of a god?

That kind of worship was ephemeral. Many humans had shifted over to monotheistic beliefs, especially since his first defeat. To overturn that would require events of such magnitude that backlash would rise up immediately. It would require the beings of darkness to risk themselves in coming out into the open, into the daylight. That would give humans an unprecedented chance to figure out how to bring them under control. Despite being a servant of Chaos, Death was not one to take unnecessary risks.

Still, Olrox was right in that few had ever worshiped him like he did. Very few had honestly professed their love to him because most beings knew they were ephemeral. They feared him, or kept a dignified respect of him. Olrox was an indulgent seeker of pleasure, one who wished to be pampered with luxury. But in his dealings with humans and other vampires, he had proven that he was willing to get dirty and fight for his dreams of beauty. Yet he did not fight unnecessarily either.

And, perhaps it wasn't so bad to step away from eternity briefly and indulge in the ephemeral.

Death materialized in front of the core of the castle, where the soul of Olrox was searching. "Castlevania," he said, causing a hush around them. "I speak on behalf of Olrox, who seeks to become the new Master. Let him in."

Discordant whispers shuffled around; Chaos spoke in the tones of madness.

Nodding to the whispers, he replied, "He has overcome me without violence. If we are to seek a different path, he is ideal for that."

It accepted his word, opening up the path to the last trial. To make sure he had a good start, Death held his hand out. Olrox grasped it and was brought back into the material realm with that action. "Then you accept me fully?" he asked, taking it for the most important matter here.

"I should not say so until the castle does," Death said. "But I will accompany you for this trial. Is that a sufficient answer?"

"For now," he said, drawing himself closer. "After this, though, I'm going to show you such delights that even you will have your eyes opened."

Death doubted that, but he nodded and followed along.