Well didnt expect to leave it this long before updating. Sorry. But good news is there isnt anything wrong with me at the moment, my bloodtest came back normal so focusing on getting back into the swing of things.
Of course i still dont own Evangelion or Shadow Hearts.
"Well that really was a strange one wasn't it?" an old man said walking into the inn, his black and orange monk robes flowing with the small breeze coming in from outside, "I know and it turned out to be the woman next door doing exercises, not a ghost." replied a young blonde woman said in a blue dress, smiling at her older companion.
Shinji turned around on his barstool and gave a small grin before shouting out, "Hey old man! How you been!" he got everyone's attention, "Shinji?" he said in disbelief as he looked at the young man waving at them from the bar, "What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Well… I'll tell you in a minute. But I just want to ask why you never wrote? Margaret visited us… I thought we we're closer then that?", "Sorry Shinji I think we we're hitting a little rough patch. We're truly sorry." Zhuzhen said bowing in forgiveness to him, "Well… okay. I just thought I'd tell you Kawashima is doing fine, so is Mr. Zhen. Oh and Misato is pregnant." Zhuzhen paused for a moment before slapping him on the back, nearly knocking him off the stool and starting giving him his congratulations.
"So that can't be the only reason you travelled half way around the world?", "No. I admit I wasn't expecting to find you so easily but I'm glad I did. I'm looking for a village which is overlooked by a blue castle which is surrounded by a dense forest.", "Why's that?" his face turned serious, "Because I think that's were Yuri is…". Zhuzhen stared at Shinji with a questionable look on his face, "Shinji I know you and he were close but…", "Do you think I would leave my mother, Misato and our unborn child to travel halfway around the world just on a wild goose chase!" Shinji said suddenly becoming angry.
They could of sworn that his eyes turned a different colour but waved it off when he turned back to the bar and hung his head in shame.
"Shinji I'm sorry…", "Forget it. I shouldn't of lost it like that… I seem to be having mood swings lately and I don't know why?" he sat back down trying to clear his head so he could think about his next move.
"Excuse me but I think I know the village your looking for. It's a bit of a walk from here but you can just follow the road out of here to the east, the village of Bistritz.", "Thank you. Shall we go?" Shinji asked standing up, "Don't you want to rest?", "I can rest on the way." he said handing his travelling bag over to the barman, "Look after these would you?" the man nodded and carried his bag into the back room, "I'll look forward to your return.".
Alice was a little surprised to see Shinji when they entered the bar, she truly thought that he was mad at her for not being there for when they left for Japan, "So… Shinji I'm really sorry.", "For what?", "I guess I thought you had abandoned Yuri, and I wasn't thinking. Just leaving you like that…", "Don't worry. I'm sure he's there in the castle so there isn't anything to worry about is there?" Alice was glad that she was once again with friends, Margarete was meant to be joining them soon but Shinji showing up was a bonus for her, he was always so positive and he reminded her so much of Yuri.
"So Bistritz? Do you guys know anything about the place?" Shinji asked on their way out of the village, "Not much. Only that it's a small village that once had a lord ruling over the land from the castle.", "That could be our blue castle then?" he remarked as a worn out man stumbled past them, "Excuse me? Did you say blue castle?" he asked clearly out of breath, "Yes… Can we help you?" Zhuzhen asked.
"I'm from Bistritz. I run the local store with my wife and daughter. In the last month, monsters have been attacking the village and we can't stand it anymore! That's why I came here… I heard there were exorcists in this village." he took in a calming breath as he tried not to fall down, "Well this is lucky then isn't it? These two are the exorcists." Shinji answered for them.
"Will you help us!" the man begged dropping to his knee's, "Of course! Now get off your knee's…" Shinji said hauling the man to his feet, feeling somewhat embarrassed at the action.
"What's your name?", "Terry. These monsters refuse to stay down no matter how many bullets they take, so many have lost their lives…" Terry was helped into the carriage by Shinji before Zhuzhen and Alice climbed in.
"I understand that there is a castle near your village… Could the monsters and the castle be related?" Alice asked, "No. There is no history of the lords attacking their people. However after the last month I believe anything is possible so if you could look into the castle the entire village would be in your debt." Terry thanked them as the carriage pulled away.
"Margarete will have to wait at the inn until we return. But at least we aren't doing this alone. With Shinji here we've got some muscle to deal with any troublemakers." Zhuzhen said with a smile, "I can't thank you enough. Once we arrive I'll take you straight to my shop.".
Arriving just outside the village they quickly dismounted and the carriage quickly rode away, "He didn't hang around." Shinji said looking up at the stone arched gate with two stone deer heads as decoration, he was surprised he could actually make them out since thick fog was covering the area around them.
"Wow. So this is Bistritz. Certainly is a spooky place, its been a while since I've felt such a ghostly presence.", "Don't get too excited Zhuzhen." Shinji said with a grin, "My store is this way. We'd better get inside before the monsters come." Terry said guiding them into the village itself.
It was a very small village with a dirt road with some boarded up houses on either side with a boarded up church beside an old graveyard, at one end with a locked iron gate leading up to the forest beyond the village with the castle visible beyond.
Walking toward the house to the right of the entrance, Terry knocked on the door, "Who is it? Dad, is that you?" a little girl asked from the other side, "Yes. Open the door Nina." a little girl with light brown hair and an orange dress opened the door and let them in.
"Daddy! Your back!" Nina said holding onto her fathers legs with joy, "Yes I'm glad your alright Nina. Michelle? Come out and meet the exorcists I found." a woman with dark brown hair stepped out from the back room she had clearly been awake for some time.
"Exorcists? Is that were you went? I was worried sick.", "They think they can help us… I had to try Michelle we can't keep living like this." Terry explained to his wife, "The mayor came by when you were away. He kept asking for your parcels.", "When will he learn privacy? I'm sorry about this… our mayor is a little odd of late and doesn't understand that he can't poke his nose in where it doesn't belong.", "Sounds like a rotten guy." Shinji said folding his arms.
"All this trouble so close to leaving as well." Michelle said aloud, "Moving to where?" Alice asked, "America. Terry has a friend over there so we'll have somewhere to work straight away and can get settled in.", "Sounds nice…", "It was meant to be, but with all of this… I don't know anymore." Michelle began to tear up when Terry hugged her, "Please you three. Do what you can, my shop is open to you. I will still have to charge but it will be at a discount." Terry explained.
"Oh and a word of warning. The monsters come out when the fog turns red." Zhuzhen looked at Shinji who nodded, "Sound's a lot like what happened in China." Shinji looked at Terry, "Do not go out for any reason. We'll come to you if we need anything.".
Shinji saw Michelle become unsteady on her feet, "Ma'am are you alright?", "I'm fine thank you." Shinji walked over and checked her temperature.
"No your not. Your burning up. Zhuzhen do you have pure and thera leaf? I can make something to sort out that fever.", "Let me guess your mother came up with that?", "Yes just hand me the herbs." Shinji took the herbs and began to mix them together before pouring some water over them making a sort of soup which he gave her to drink.
"Just go to bed. Tomorrow you should be good as new, it will help you sleep as well." Shinji said with a smile, "You know a lot young sir." Terry said, "Not really. Mother is one of the healers at the village where we live. That and it helps to know how to take care of yourself when your travelling.", "Ready kiddo?" Zhuzhen asked as he stood by the door, "Yes. Shall we check around first before checking on the castle?", "But the gate's locked isn't it?" Alice asked.
"Here." Nina said handing them a rustic looking key, "That will open the east gate. Be careful though, there are a lot of wolves in the forest." thanking the little girl they stepped out into the village, hearing the door lock behind them.
Unlocking the gate they headed through and towards the castle high on the hill ahead of them, of course Zhuzhen decided to add his two cents, "What is this? They say it's the Blue Castle but it's not blue at all.", "Does it matter? All we care about is what's inside." Shinji said as they headed through the forest.
"My father told me that most locations are named, based on legends or superstition. I think its nice, it's more evocative.", "I think only you could get away with something like that. If I said it people would throw stones at me." Zhuzhen said seeing the castle just ahead of them, "Don't tempt me…" Shinji joked, both men were glad to be travelling together again.
Standing in front of them was a huge iron door with a stone path leading up to it, lined with lit torches and griffin statues with a lot of old dead looking tree's nearby.
Trying the door he found it was shut tight, but wasn't locked, "Lets go have a look around…" Shinji suggested as they turned away from the door, only for it to open behind them, "Don't say a word old man.". "Well that's different… but I guess its handy if you got your hands full." Zhuzhen said thinking it was some sort of invention, "Let's go then." Shinji said leading them both inside.
"Wow. Father time really took a hammer to this place." Shinji said looking at the ancient looking interior of the castle, "But I guess someone has been here, those torches can't have been burning all this time." Alice noted.
"What was that?" she said quickly turning around looking up to the second floor walkway behind them, "What is it?", "It felt like someone was walking back there." she pointed to the walkway, "There isn't anyone there Alice.", "Well I swear I felt someone…" she looked at the two men who were clearly debating on whether or not to believe her.
"Look there's a staircase." Shinji said quickly pointing a set of stone stairs going down into the depths of the castle, "No. Your kidding me…?" Shinji said once he saw what was at the bottom of the stairs.
"What kind of castle is this? It's full of coffins!" he said walking much slower then the others as they headed down the stairs, "It's an underground chapel? Why underground though?" Alice wondered looking around the chamber. In the basement are eight smaller coffins lined up in two rows of four with a larger one on a raised platform by and statue and a lit candle, and it was open.
"This is strange. I don't feel the evil here that I felt in Bistritz. No sadness or hate just an eternal silence." turning around she stares at the space between the two rows of coffins near the bottom of the stairs, "Who's there? Show yourself." Zhuzhen looks at the spot and see's the vague blurred outline of a figure, "Hello there! Are you the prince of the castle that we were told about?" he watched as the figure begin to walk away, "Where is he?" Shinji asked quickly.
"Halfway up the stairs." Alice said quickly and watched as Shinji's AT field blocked off the staircase, "Stop right there!" Shinji ordered not moving his field an inch, "Now show yourself please." he said with a smile.
"Are you the master of this castle?" Zhuzhen asked not trying to sound demanding and a listless male voice answered him, "Yes I am the master of this castle." he suddenly became visible, surprising them.
With shoulder length blonde hair and piecing blue eyes he would of looked like a normal but attractive person, apart from the purple suit and black boots with a European sword at his hip, "However I seem to of dozed off for a time and I would admit that it seems a lot of things have changed. Monsters are all over the place and some demon has made itself at home in the tower. Now then, Alice, what brings you to my humble abode?".
"Well… two things. Actually." Alice said trying not to gush over the extremely attractive man, "Yes! We're looking into the attacks by monsters on the village, did you wake up about a month ago?" Shinji asked, "Ahh, so you think I'm the one behind the attacks on the village. Am I right?", "Bingo. Glad we came to such a quick understanding Mr. See-through-man." Zhuzhen said bringing his staff into a fighting stance.
"I'm afraid I'm not the master of those monsters. Neither myself or my ancestors have ever harmed the people of our domain. If I did they would come flying out of those caskets and chew me out.", "So does that mean you're a vampire?" Alice asked.
"Yes I am. And being a vampire is much like being human, there are good and bad ones.", "So are you a good one?", "Yes. But I am glad I am awake, I cannot ignore the attacks on the village. So to save me from boredom how about I tag along?" the vampire asked, "Sure. I guess that's alright. What's your name anyway?" Zhuzhen asked.
"My name is Keith Valentine. But just call me Keith." he said bowing like a gentlemen to the group, "Now, look. I understand vampires suck blood. You'd better not chomp into our necks or anything." Zhuzhen said backing off slightly but Keith laughed it off in good humour, "I guess the books say all sorts about us nowadays. True vampires aren't like that, daylight and crosses don't bother us a bit or garlic. Being 'un-dead' doesn't mean we can't be killed, we're just tougher than regular humans." Keith explained.
As they walked back up the stairs they saw a door up on the second floor, "What's on the other side of that door? I can feel something sinister…" Zhuzhen said, "A fearsome demon has taken up residence on the top floor of the tower. He's tougher then he looks so I decided to seal off the passage leading to the tower and the door itself, he put me through the ringer before." Keith explained as they decided to deal with the village first before dealing with the tower.
Hope you enjoyed it. For those who know how the game goes you should know what will happen next, with just a little twist to things.