Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
Disclaimer: The characters portrayed within are not mine in any way, shape or form. They belong to Konami, the wonderful people who have given us, among other games, Castlevania, Suikoden, Metal Gear, and Contra. Praise be to Konami!
Author's note: Hello, GreatLight432 here. After playing/beating Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, I was floored by the ending, and how powerfully everyone was portrayed, as well as how vividly their emotions came out. This inspired me to write a fanfic(most likely a one-shot) on Leon's thoughts after everything was finished(for the time being, anyway). Please note that there will be SPOILERS! Do not read any further if you wish to derive enjoyment from the game's ending. As always, R&R!
Requiem of Night
The long battle has finally ended.
No. Perhaps I should say that it has only truly begun...and I fear that it will never truly end.
Allow me to introduce myself in this, the first entry of what I hope shall become a log for the Belmont clan. I am Leon Belmont, former baron and captain of the Cathedral Knights. I once commanded a regiment of the Church's most skilled knights, leading them in battle after battle against 'heretics and heathens' as designated by the Church. Our company was one of the few, and perhaps the only, to boast a proud unbeaten record. Sortie after sortie ended in our victory, thanks in large part to me...and my late friend, Mathias Cronqvist.
Mathias was an unusual man...this much I could see when I first met him. He was well-learned, itself unusual when most people could barely read and write basic letters. He was always studying, his nose buried in some book that he would find on our travels, or even flipping through an old one that he'd brought from home, hoping to glean additional information from its worn pages.
His intellect was invaluable on the battlefield. While I could courageously lead men into battle without hesitation, and could easily beat back most any attack that the heretics could throw at us, Mathias would instead gaze at the broader picture, directing our forces to attack the enemy where it was believed that they were weakest...and much to the surprise of all, myself included, he was invariably right, even if it seemed that his judgement would cost us the entire battle.
Trust grew between us as we acknowledged each other's strength, and that trust quickly deepened into a solid friendship. No secrets were kept between us...if Mathias had a plan that he wanted to enact, he would always inform me beforehand, allowing me to make my own subtle preparations among the men as well. It was this trust that enabled us to not only emerge victorious time and again, but also save many experienced soldiers that the Church would desperately need.
But then...Mathias died.
Looking back on it, I believe that my old friend died the same day that his wife, Elisabetha, did. I curse myself for failing to notice the changes in my friend's demeanor; the way we never talked as much or as deeply as before, or the way he always seemed to be thinking hard about something that pained him deeply.
Perhaps I should explain: Mathias did not die in the sense that you or I know of. Even now...the memory pains me. But explain it I must, and will, for it will be the very foundation of the Belmont clan's dedication to hunting the night.
After the death of Elisabetha, Mathias fell ill and bedridden. I managed to, for the most part, compensate on the battlefield for his absence, but the appearance of monsters in the domain of the Cathedral Knights concerned me greatly...though not nearly as much as when Mathias struggled from his sickbed to tell me that not only was a vampire controlling these monsters, but that this vampire had also kidnapped my betrothed, Sara.
Ignoring the Church's demands that I not move, I abandoned everything I had ever known, racing to the vampire's castle to rescue my beloved. Just as I arrived, I met a man named Rinaldo, who bestowed upon me a whip, as well as providing supplies when I required them, along with information about my opponent, the vampire Walter Bernhard.
Setting forth, I tore through Walter's castle, defeating any and all enemies that were set before me, and eliminating the seal that had barred my entrance to the castle's upper floors. Immediately after entering those upper levels, I came face to face with Walter. I was surprised when my attack did nothing to him, but I quickly shrugged it off when he returned Sara to me.
It was shortly afterwards that I discovered why he had so easily given up Sara; she was tainted.
Grief poured through me when Rinaldo divulged this information. When I asked if there was something, anything, that could be done, he asked me with chilling calm if I could kill Sara.
Sara, at that point, made it known that she had overheard our conversation. Despite my desperate pleas, Rinaldo and Sara's words rang true: with my whip in its current state, there was no way to defeat Walter, which was the only way to cure Sara. The only way to gain the means to defeat Walter was to kill Sara in the midst of a spell Rinaldo would cast.
As Rinaldo prepared the spell, Sara had one last request of me- to never let another suffer the same fate as she. I promised her, with all of the love in my heart, that it would be so. Finally, Rinaldo finished the spell, and bade me to strike.
As I looked up into Sara's serene face, calmly awaiting my blow, I admit that my resolve faltered. But my promise to her kept playing over and over in my mind. It was then, with a roar that was half grief, half rage, that I slew my beloved.
The spell, and Sara's soul, increased the whip's power to such a degree that Walter's Ebony Stone would be useless. After hastily building a grave for the woman I loved, and taking the spare time that I could to mourn, I once more returned to the castle, my heart burning brighter than before with rage and sorrow.
Walter was powerful, I will admit that quite readily. But still, with the power of my rage and whip, he soon fell in defeat. But before I could deliver the killing blow, a spectre appeared above. It was with shock that I recognized this being as the Grim Reaper, or Death. Stepping back in involuntary shock, I watched as he pulled the defeated vampire's soul, body and all, to him, offering it to his master...the one who wields the Crimson Stone.
My shock can not be adequately described when I realized that Death's master was none other than my friend, Mathias. Mathias then calmly explained everything...how he cursed God for taking his wife away from him, when he had spent so much of his life defending God's Church. How he used not only me, but Rinaldo, Sara, even Walter, for this moment; the stealing of a vampire's soul so that he could be eternal, defying God in every way.
My mind was, at that point, numb. I could barely remain standing as Mathias explained. He asked me if I had felt rage at Walter for taking Sara away from me, to which I responded in the affirmative.
And yet, when my friend offered the gift of immortality to me, I knew what my answer should be...not to Mathias, but to this creature that had worn the guise of my old friend since the day Elisabetha died.
"You wretched fool..."
Mathias blinked in shock as I flat out refused his offer, countering with a question; "Is this what Elisabetha would have wanted?!?"
He gave no answer, save for "Death...he's all yours."
I tried to stop him, but Mathias quickly left in a beam of light before I could reach him...leaving me alone with the scythe wielding spectre.
My fight with the Angel of Death was the most grueling I had ever endured. I was taken to the limits of my strength and courage, and then some. At several moments, I thought I was finished...but the whip, in which my Sara's soul resided, spurred me on to continue fighting in ways...that I cannot, even to this day, explain.
But fight on I did, and eventually I was victorious. It was then that I knew that not only vampires could fall before my whip...but ALL who allied themselves with those creatures of the night. When I informed Death of this, however, he simply replied that he would return as long as his master survived.
My bravado was shaken at that. It would make sense; as long as Mathias was still alive, his minions would also enjoy eternal life. Looking up defiantly at Death, I replied, "I see. Give him this message: You have become a cursed being and I will never forgive you. This whip, and my kinsmen will destroy you someday. From this day on, the Belmont clan will hunt the night!"
With those words, I could feel to the very depths of my soul that my path, and the paths of my descendants was set. Mathias and the Belmonts would meet again...but never as friends.
These events I chronicle for my descendants. May it explain well why such an oath was taken. Guard this knowledge in your heart well as you take arms against this creature. And, I beg of you; fulfill to the best of your abilities my love's last wish.
'Leon...I don't want anyone else to suffer my fate!'
- FIN
A/N: Good? Bad? Let me know!
Disclaimer: The characters portrayed within are not mine in any way, shape or form. They belong to Konami, the wonderful people who have given us, among other games, Castlevania, Suikoden, Metal Gear, and Contra. Praise be to Konami!
Author's note: Hello, GreatLight432 here. After playing/beating Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, I was floored by the ending, and how powerfully everyone was portrayed, as well as how vividly their emotions came out. This inspired me to write a fanfic(most likely a one-shot) on Leon's thoughts after everything was finished(for the time being, anyway). Please note that there will be SPOILERS! Do not read any further if you wish to derive enjoyment from the game's ending. As always, R&R!
Requiem of Night
The long battle has finally ended.
No. Perhaps I should say that it has only truly begun...and I fear that it will never truly end.
Allow me to introduce myself in this, the first entry of what I hope shall become a log for the Belmont clan. I am Leon Belmont, former baron and captain of the Cathedral Knights. I once commanded a regiment of the Church's most skilled knights, leading them in battle after battle against 'heretics and heathens' as designated by the Church. Our company was one of the few, and perhaps the only, to boast a proud unbeaten record. Sortie after sortie ended in our victory, thanks in large part to me...and my late friend, Mathias Cronqvist.
Mathias was an unusual man...this much I could see when I first met him. He was well-learned, itself unusual when most people could barely read and write basic letters. He was always studying, his nose buried in some book that he would find on our travels, or even flipping through an old one that he'd brought from home, hoping to glean additional information from its worn pages.
His intellect was invaluable on the battlefield. While I could courageously lead men into battle without hesitation, and could easily beat back most any attack that the heretics could throw at us, Mathias would instead gaze at the broader picture, directing our forces to attack the enemy where it was believed that they were weakest...and much to the surprise of all, myself included, he was invariably right, even if it seemed that his judgement would cost us the entire battle.
Trust grew between us as we acknowledged each other's strength, and that trust quickly deepened into a solid friendship. No secrets were kept between us...if Mathias had a plan that he wanted to enact, he would always inform me beforehand, allowing me to make my own subtle preparations among the men as well. It was this trust that enabled us to not only emerge victorious time and again, but also save many experienced soldiers that the Church would desperately need.
But then...Mathias died.
Looking back on it, I believe that my old friend died the same day that his wife, Elisabetha, did. I curse myself for failing to notice the changes in my friend's demeanor; the way we never talked as much or as deeply as before, or the way he always seemed to be thinking hard about something that pained him deeply.
Perhaps I should explain: Mathias did not die in the sense that you or I know of. Even now...the memory pains me. But explain it I must, and will, for it will be the very foundation of the Belmont clan's dedication to hunting the night.
After the death of Elisabetha, Mathias fell ill and bedridden. I managed to, for the most part, compensate on the battlefield for his absence, but the appearance of monsters in the domain of the Cathedral Knights concerned me greatly...though not nearly as much as when Mathias struggled from his sickbed to tell me that not only was a vampire controlling these monsters, but that this vampire had also kidnapped my betrothed, Sara.
Ignoring the Church's demands that I not move, I abandoned everything I had ever known, racing to the vampire's castle to rescue my beloved. Just as I arrived, I met a man named Rinaldo, who bestowed upon me a whip, as well as providing supplies when I required them, along with information about my opponent, the vampire Walter Bernhard.
Setting forth, I tore through Walter's castle, defeating any and all enemies that were set before me, and eliminating the seal that had barred my entrance to the castle's upper floors. Immediately after entering those upper levels, I came face to face with Walter. I was surprised when my attack did nothing to him, but I quickly shrugged it off when he returned Sara to me.
It was shortly afterwards that I discovered why he had so easily given up Sara; she was tainted.
Grief poured through me when Rinaldo divulged this information. When I asked if there was something, anything, that could be done, he asked me with chilling calm if I could kill Sara.
Sara, at that point, made it known that she had overheard our conversation. Despite my desperate pleas, Rinaldo and Sara's words rang true: with my whip in its current state, there was no way to defeat Walter, which was the only way to cure Sara. The only way to gain the means to defeat Walter was to kill Sara in the midst of a spell Rinaldo would cast.
As Rinaldo prepared the spell, Sara had one last request of me- to never let another suffer the same fate as she. I promised her, with all of the love in my heart, that it would be so. Finally, Rinaldo finished the spell, and bade me to strike.
As I looked up into Sara's serene face, calmly awaiting my blow, I admit that my resolve faltered. But my promise to her kept playing over and over in my mind. It was then, with a roar that was half grief, half rage, that I slew my beloved.
The spell, and Sara's soul, increased the whip's power to such a degree that Walter's Ebony Stone would be useless. After hastily building a grave for the woman I loved, and taking the spare time that I could to mourn, I once more returned to the castle, my heart burning brighter than before with rage and sorrow.
Walter was powerful, I will admit that quite readily. But still, with the power of my rage and whip, he soon fell in defeat. But before I could deliver the killing blow, a spectre appeared above. It was with shock that I recognized this being as the Grim Reaper, or Death. Stepping back in involuntary shock, I watched as he pulled the defeated vampire's soul, body and all, to him, offering it to his master...the one who wields the Crimson Stone.
My shock can not be adequately described when I realized that Death's master was none other than my friend, Mathias. Mathias then calmly explained everything...how he cursed God for taking his wife away from him, when he had spent so much of his life defending God's Church. How he used not only me, but Rinaldo, Sara, even Walter, for this moment; the stealing of a vampire's soul so that he could be eternal, defying God in every way.
My mind was, at that point, numb. I could barely remain standing as Mathias explained. He asked me if I had felt rage at Walter for taking Sara away from me, to which I responded in the affirmative.
And yet, when my friend offered the gift of immortality to me, I knew what my answer should be...not to Mathias, but to this creature that had worn the guise of my old friend since the day Elisabetha died.
"You wretched fool..."
Mathias blinked in shock as I flat out refused his offer, countering with a question; "Is this what Elisabetha would have wanted?!?"
He gave no answer, save for "Death...he's all yours."
I tried to stop him, but Mathias quickly left in a beam of light before I could reach him...leaving me alone with the scythe wielding spectre.
My fight with the Angel of Death was the most grueling I had ever endured. I was taken to the limits of my strength and courage, and then some. At several moments, I thought I was finished...but the whip, in which my Sara's soul resided, spurred me on to continue fighting in ways...that I cannot, even to this day, explain.
But fight on I did, and eventually I was victorious. It was then that I knew that not only vampires could fall before my whip...but ALL who allied themselves with those creatures of the night. When I informed Death of this, however, he simply replied that he would return as long as his master survived.
My bravado was shaken at that. It would make sense; as long as Mathias was still alive, his minions would also enjoy eternal life. Looking up defiantly at Death, I replied, "I see. Give him this message: You have become a cursed being and I will never forgive you. This whip, and my kinsmen will destroy you someday. From this day on, the Belmont clan will hunt the night!"
With those words, I could feel to the very depths of my soul that my path, and the paths of my descendants was set. Mathias and the Belmonts would meet again...but never as friends.
These events I chronicle for my descendants. May it explain well why such an oath was taken. Guard this knowledge in your heart well as you take arms against this creature. And, I beg of you; fulfill to the best of your abilities my love's last wish.
'Leon...I don't want anyone else to suffer my fate!'
- FIN
A/N: Good? Bad? Let me know!