I took a break from writing my other Van Helsing Fanfiction to write this. I'll finish it off when I finish my other Fanfiction.
It was easy for Murundio to worm his way into the Masquerade Ball at Velkova Palace. All he had to do was show up in costume and a mask and he was let in, no questions asked. He found that a little weird but Murundio shrugged it off.
This was a very peculiar scene, this was. There were Gypsy Street Performers, fire-eaters, jugglers, tight-rope walkers and high wire acro-bats. Dozens and dozens of people of people wore masks of various descriptions.
Murundio remained unfazed by his peculiar surroundings and instead scanned the faces of everyone surrounding him, looking for someone in particular.
Hidden in his jacket was a silver stake, destined for the monster that had taken his beloved wife, Aleera.
Count Dracula.
Murundio heard the palaces doors open and he turned to see who had entered. He sighed in disappointment. It was just two men, not the wicked Count.
One of the men sported a large cape and black mask while the other was dressed as a scrawny jester.
"Well, this is different," the jester remarked.
"Dracula must have something up his sleeve," the masked one replied. Murundio frowned.
"So in situations like this, do we have a solid plan? Or do we just improvise?" the jester asked.
"A bit of both, actually," the masked one replied.
Murundio's frown deepened. What were these two on about? Despite himself, Murundio felt himself begin to get curious and he followed the two men to the banquet table. The banquet was filled with all sorts of food. The two men including Murundio inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of well-prepared food.
"Smells wonderful, doesn't it?" the jester said.
"Not everything," the masked one remarked.
"What do you smell?"
The masked one inhaled deeply a second time.
"Everything. Warm pretzels, juniper juice, ladies perfume and rotted human flesh."
Murundio's mouth tightened and he took another sniff of the air. He couldn't smell out of the ordinary.
"You really know how to put the damper on the evening," the jester muttered. Murundio decided that he had heard enough.
"Who are you guys?" he asked. The jester and masked one whirled around to face him.
"Depends on who's asking," the masked one said.
"My name is Murundio Munwelle," Murundio replied.
"What are you doing here, Murundio?" the masked one asked.
"Dracula stole my wife away from me. I'm here to get even with him." Murundio showed them the silver stake. He saw the masked one frown.
"What are your names?" Murundio asked.
"My name is Gabriel Van Helsing," the masked one said.
"I'm Friar Carl," the jester said. Murundio raised an eye-brow.
"Van Helsing? As in the most wanted man in Europe?"
"It would seem so. Dracula has taken something from us, also. A young woman named Anna Valerious. Carl and I have come to get her back," Van Helsing explained.
"Well good luck with that," Murundio snorted. "He already took my wife, Aleera, and I have no doubts he'll do the same with your Anna."
"Aleera was your wife?" Carl asked.
"Naturally. She was a gentle creature before Dracula took her," Murundio said.
"That must have been tough," Van Helsing said. Murundio looked around.
"It would be easier to spot the Count from there," he said, pointing to the second story balcony.
"Good thinking," Gabriel said.
Murundio was right- they could see much better up on top of the second storey balcony.
"Ah, there they are," Carl said, pointing to a line of dancing people. Murundio heart stopped when he caught sight of the Count. He was dancing with a pretty girl dressed in an orange dress. Murundio guessed she was Anna Valerious.
He put a hand on the silver stake. Van Helsing noticed the movement.
"I wouldn't put too much faith in that, Murundio," he said.
"What do you mean? The only way to kill a vampire is sunlight, holy water and a stake through the heart."
"I've already tried," Van Helsing said. Murundio glanced over at Van Helsing.
"You staked Dracula? So why isn't he dead?"
"I don't know. The things that kill other vampires don't seem to have an effect on Dracula."
"That is very alarming," Murundio replied.
"Yes it is," Van Helsing murmured. He scanned his surroundings.
"Carl, I have an idea," Van Helsing said.
"I'm not going to like it, am I?" the friar asked. Van Helsing grinned wickedly.
"See that fire-eater down there next to where Dracula and Anna are dancing?"
"Yes," Carl said suspiciously.
"I want you to go down there, and when you see me, give him a little nudge," Van Helsing said. Carl paled but made his way to the stairs.
Murundio watched as Van Helsing eyed the highwire acrobats. One of them swung close to where they were standing and Van Helsing reached out, caught him, and delivered a blow to the acrobat's stomach. As the acrobat cried out and doubled over in pain, Van Helsing kicked his had before launching himself foreword off the balcony on the swing.
Suddenly, the acrobat Van Helsing had beaten snapped his head up, revealing long, pointy fangs.
The acrobat was a Vampire!
Without thinking, Murundio lurched himself foreword, whipped the silver stake out of his jacket, and staked the vampire where it lay.
The acrobat screamed and exploded. There was another cry and Murundio looked over the balcony and saw that Dracula was on fire. He watched as Van Helsing swooped in, grab the woman named Anna, and swing back up to the balcony. Murundio quickly got out of their way.
"Anna! Anna, wake up!" Van Helsing said to the woman, shaking her slightly. Anna's eyes cleared and she let out a groan of anger, tearing the various jewellery pieces off herself.
"Gabriel," came the smooth silky voice of Count Dracula. Murundio's lip curled in distaste. He peered over the balcony, along with Van Helsing. Dracula had lined all the people in the room up.
"Oh, Gabriel," Dracula repeated, meeting Van Helsing's eyes. Dracula then met Murundio's eyes and smiled.
"Welcome to my Summer Palace, boys" he sneered. There was a shout at the doors.
"Master! Master! Look Master, look!" one of the little girls cried.
"We have him, Master! We have him!" a man with a twisted back proclaimed. He was leading a group of what Murundio recognised as Dwergi. They were carrying a chained up-
Wait, what were they carrying?
It looked like a man, except it's skin was mottled and deformed, it's head bold, and where it's heart should be, was a glass case with strange green energy sparking around inside it.
"Aaaagh you wretched Undead! I shall have my revenge!" it shouted pityingly. Murundio was confused but he felt sorry for the poor creature. He looked over to Van Helsing and noted he had gone very pale and very still.
"Though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of Death, I shall fear no evil!" the creature continued.
"No. This can't happen," Van Helsing breathed. He looked defeated and Murundio realised there was more at stake here than getting even with Dracula.
"You are nothing but damned bones! And damned souls! Who will burn in the flames of heeeell!" the creature shouted. Murundio felt a sudden need to rescue the creature.
Dracula turned back around to face them, clearly gloating.
"Now that everything is as it should be… ladies and gentlemen… I give to you… VAN HELSING!" Dracula shouted. Suddenly, all the people in the room opened their mouth and sprouted fangs. Murundio's breath froze.
The entire place was filled with Vampires! How were they to escape?
'C'mon!" Van Helsing hissed to Murundio and Anna.
They ran through the Palace, the vampires not too far behind them.
"How do we escape?" Murundio asked.
"There's a decent body of water around the palace, we just need to find the right window!" Van Helsing replied.
"Where's Carl?" Anna asked as they entered a room.
"Here I am!" Carl said happily, coming around the corner. He carried a strange contraption in his hand that looked suspiciously like a grenade.
"Now I know what it's for! Now I know what it's for!" he smiled, but then frowned.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
Murundio, Van Helsing and Anna all answered at the same time.
"Through that window!"
Carl let out a cry as Anna and Van Helsing grabbed him by the elbows and crashed through the window. Murundio looked behind him and saw that Carl had dropped his contraption. It had started to glow a bright golden colour. The door opened and a bunch of vampires entered, hissing and shouting. Murundio wasted no time in jumping out the window after the others. His body hit the water and went under just as the world was lit up by a brilliant golden light. Murundio came up out of the water just as the light faded.
"Carl, you're genius!" Van Helsing grinned as dozens of smoking Vampire bones fell into the water around them.
"A genius with access to unstable chemicals!" Carl said a little worriedly.
"That was amazing!" Murundio said. He went to help Anna, who was struggling to keep afloat with that big orange dress of hers.
There was a sudden shout and Murundio twisted around in the water to see the twisted little man on a boat with the Dwergi paddling. Chained to mast was the creature from inside. He wore the most saddest look on his face and Murundio felt his heart open up to the monster.
Van Helsing gave a cry of anger, and started to swim after the boat. The twisted little man shouted orders to the Dwergi in Hungarian and the Dwergi started to paddle the boast faster.
"Say goodbye to your friends," the little man smirked, waving to Van Helsing. There was shrieking sound and a metal gate was lowered, cutting Van Helsing off from the boat.
"I'll find you! I'll find you and set you free! I swear to God!" Van Helsing shouted to the creature.
Dracula flew past in his bat form.
"God hasn't helped you in years, Van Helsing! Why should he start now?" Dracula shouted. There was a high pitched laugh and Aleera- Murundio's beautiful Aleera- joined Dracula as they flew away. Murundio, Carl and Anna swam up to the gate.
"I must save him," Van Helsing murmured.
"Who is he, anyway?" Murundio asked.
"He is called the Frankenstein Monster. Dracula wants to use him to bring his dead children to life," Van Helsing answered.
"Dead children?" Murundio asked. Van Helsing shook his head.
"It's a long story."
"You can't save him, Van Helsing," Carl said sadly. Van Helsing turned sharply to face him.
"What, why?"
"I cabled Rome earlier to apprise them of our situation," Carl answered.
"And what did they say?"
"That even if you somehow kill Dracula, Rome orders you to kill Frankenstein as well."
"He isn't evil." There was an edge to Van Helsing's voice that Murundio didn't like.
"Yes, but they say he isn't human either," Carl answered.
"Do they know him?! Have they talked to him?! Who are they to judge?!" Van Helsing shouted, suddenly angrily.
"They want you to destroy them so that he may never again be used for evil," Car said in a frightened tone.
"Yeah, did you tell them what I'm to become?!" Van Helsing shouted. He lurched forward in the water and wrapped a hand around Carl's throat.
"Did they tell you how to kill me?! Of the correct angle of the stake that enters my heart?! The exact measure of silver in each bullet, huh?!" Van Helsing shouted, enraged as he lifted Carl out of the water.
"No, stop!" Anna shouted, gabbing for Van Helsing. Murundio tried to get Van Helsing to let go of Carl, but he was so strong! It was like there was other-worldy strength flowing through Van Helsing.
"No, I left you out!" Carl chocked. Van Helsing let Carl go and swung around, shoving Murundio and Anna backwards. He roared like a beast.
Murundio was shocked! What was this madness? What kind of monster was Van Helsing?
Van Helsing seemed to calm down. He looked over at Carl, a guilty look on his face.
"I am sorry," he said. Carl nodded his forgiveness. Van Helsing glanced over at Anna.
"It's starting."
"What's starting? What's going on? Are you some sort of beast?" Murundio asked.
"I was bitten by a werewolf," Van Helsing answered. Murundio's eyes widened.
"Look, Murundio, it's dangerous, what we're trying to accomplish. You could be killed," Van Helsing continued.
"What are you saying?" Murundio asked.
"I'm saying maybe I think it's time we said our goodbyes and parted our ways."
"No," Murundio said sharply.
"Van Helsing's right. We thank you for your help, but you should go," Anna said.
"No," Murundio repeated. "Look, I came to this ball to get even with Dracula for stealing my wife and making her a vampire. I didn't get my revenge. But I sense that what you three are trying to accomplish is big and important and will potentially course trouble for Dracula. I want to help."
"We need all the help we can get," Carl said to Van Helsing. Van Helsing sighed.
"Alright, fine. But if you get killed, it's on your neck and I make no promises that I'll bury your dead corpse," he said.
"Fair enough. Where to now?" Murundio asked.
"Castle Frankenstein," Anna answered.