Castlevania: The Vampire Hunter Chronicles

Chapter One: The Return Journey

Disclaimer: I do not own Castlevania or any of the characters associated with Castlevania.

Simon Belmont felt a sense of relief as he rode his horse away from the ruins of Castlevania, looking back to make sure that his nightmare was over and that he could expect his life to be easy or as easy as it got for a Belmont. He wasn't planning on living off his fame like other vampire hunters had done, but he would marry the woman he had his eyes on as soon as he settled back into normal life. Of course he would also rise again to fight whatever minions of evil made themselves known to the world as he looked at the land that he had saved. Around the castle had been dead earth with nothing but grey grass that looked like it was made out of the ashes of cremated bodies and dry desolate earth, but soon the ground would give rise to life. Looking into the rising sun, Simon Belmont felt pride in the act that he had made his ancestors proud and lived up to the surname that was given to him. Right before he reached the woods that led back to the town, he saw a raven standing on a tree branch as it looked at where the castle had been and then when it saw him, the bird took flight into the night. Not seeing any harm in this, Simon went along his way through the no longer dangerous forest to the village on the other side.

"Simon Belmont is back," cried one of the townspeople as he ran to rang the bell to signal the heroes successful return from Dracula's castle, which would also signal the end of the darkness that had plagued the town.

"Make way for the mayor," cried the law enforcers as they parted the crowd so that the town mayor could come and greet the Belmont in person. "Make way for Mayor Baldwin."

"Ah, Master Simon Belmont, you have done this land and the world the greatest deed of all," said the old Baldwin as he raised one boney hand to point at the returning hero. "It has been decided that you deserve the title of Lord of all the lands that the monstrous Count Dracula held and all of your descendants will own this territory as well as the title. I wish that there were some other way to give you a land that was more prosperous than that piece of dead land, but it would seem that the young king has no respect for heroes these days."

"Dracula's lands are most generous since it would give me so much land that will soon be prosperous," replied Simon Belmont as he got off of his horse and bowed before the mayor.

"Oh no, Lord Belmont, it is I who should bow to you," replied the aged mayor as he bowed before Simon and then clapped his hands. The whole town soon followed and there was cheer for the returning hero, for the one who conquered evil, Simon Belmont. "Come, let there be a joyous celebration for the return of peace, for the return of safety, for the return of the light, and for the return of Belmonts!"

"I have gone to see him," said the figure in black as he made his way to the figure dressed in white trousers and a white tunic with brown boots. "You're clothing is still as white as ever, Leto, but right now that is not important. What is important is that the man who has thrice killed our master is drinking to his health and you were supposed to make sure that he would be dead by now, yet he is not dead. I would like to know what you intend to do about Simon Belmont."

"What we need is another vampire," replied Leto as he walked down from his altar to the dark lord, Dracula, and he stopped to pick up his sword so that he could hold it up to the light. The light hit a jewel that opened the great chamber where lie the coffins of other vampires, weaker than Dracula, but still powerful in their own right. "I believe it would be only proper that we release Mobious on the world and see if we can't get Belmont to come to the castle for him."

"You know, neither of us have the power to raise Castlevania, even if we did bring back Mobious," exclaimed the figure in black as he kept his own sword sheathed. "We are just devil forgers, and the only one who can raise it now is Carmilla, but I do not wish to put her in harm's way."

"Iscariot, you are very well falling in love with her," laughed Leto as he walked down the corridor and found his way to the place where Mobious's coffin lay. "I'll let you on a little secret, Joshua Iscariot. She also feels the same way for you and by bringing her here, she will give you the dark gift and you and she will live forever, happily ever after. Now go find a girl for her resurrection and I'll go find a man for his resurrection. Come now, your family should be use to getting their hands dirty, your ancestor was Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, after all."

"We are not all Judas's, we are each a different individual," retorted Joshua as he walked out of the cave. "But we are also bound by the emotions that could bring about our ruin and as such, we are all Judas's of a different nature, for as he betrayed Christ, I now betray my own morals, but I do it in the name of love."

Simon Belmont ran a hand through his blond hair as he walked up the steps towards the room of her house, the vampire huntress whom he asked to protect the village while he was gone. Sonia Fortner (yes I know I'm taking two names from two characters, but only one of them is canon in the main scheme and she is not even born yet.), known as the Blade Mistress, she had trained to be a vampire hunter just like her father and brother, but she never got the chance to fight alongside her father and brother. They both ran off to Dracula's castle and never returned, like many vampire hunters before them, but she still worked hard to become strong, often challenging the men in the bar to an arm wrestling match and never lost a single time. Simon could admit when he was impressed and he would never fail to tell her this when he was impressed with her, but he wasn't there to tell her how impressed he was with her, he was there to tell her how he felt about her. That's why he was walking into the pub, brushing past the line that developed to try and get their chance with the Amazonian who was crushing all of the men, but he knew that she was a bit miffed that he had left her in the village each time to go after Dracula. The first time he had gone so far as to tie her to her bed and tell the manager to feed her, but to let her out until he returned. Then of course he had to give her the burden of taking care of the town so that she would stay, it would be a miracle if she felt anything towards him besides the urge to punch something, probably him.

"Hello there, Sonia," said Simon, trying to act like it was the most natural thing to do, but inside he was flinching from the punch that he expected to come flying at him, but it never came.

"I see your back in good health, just like I asked," replied Sonia as she went back to pinning a man's arm onto the table. "Well, shouldn't you be at your banquet where they'll be toasting to your health and your honor while the sweet maidens of the village come to rub all over your muscles."

"None of that is to my liking and you know that, Sonia," replied Simon as he sat down next to her, but no man wanted to go up against a man who had taken down Dracula single handedly. "I much rather prefer a stronger woman with more of an attitude than most of the innocent young maidens of the village."

"Your words are only dancing around what I hope you to say, Simon," said Sonia as she set her drink down and got up to leave, the crowd of men breaking up and leaving the tavern. "Now then if you will excuse me I have a young sick girl who needs to be cared for."

"A young sick girl in your care," asked Belmont with a cocked brow.

"Her name is Lydia and she lost her parents in one of the attacks," replied Sonia as she put on her coat and walked forward toward the door. "She has developed an illness and I am taking care of her until the doctors return to Transylvania."

"Wait," commanded Simon as he motioned for her to stay silent and listened to the sound of bells. "The town bells! There is an attack on the village!"