Part 2: The Unattainable Truth
Disclaimer: Don't own Van Helsing, blah, blah blah, you know the rest.
They reached the harbour later on that day. Carl enquired about the ship to Rome whilst Van Helsing waited nearby. Then Carl informed him that the ship that was leaving for Rome was not due to go until the next day. He instructed Carl to find somewhere to stay for the night, which he dually did. It was the only place available and it could be found just at the edge of the forest.
They had gotten separate rooms, it had taken a few hours to get the room, so much so that it was sundown, the two were tired when they reached the inn and retired immediately to their respective rooms to sleep. Van Helsing wearily fell heavy on the bed.
There was a wolf baying at the moon outside Van Helsing's room. He didn't remember wakening up, but now he was sitting at the edge of a bed fully clothed. It was hard to believe for him that a night ago he was a werewolf basking in the powerful light of the moon that held him in its grasp. Now he was only human once again and although he was being caught in the moons light, it did not hold the same effect on him as it did that that night. It was inside him still though, he could feel it, and he didn't like it. He moved to the window and spotted the wolf that was howling and he found that it was staring directly at him. He then made his way outside, the wolf looked at him before looking at the woodland, Van Helsing followed suit and looked in also, as he stared into the infinite abyss of the forest. Then it came close to him and looked as if it was going to pounce in him, Van Helsing braced for the worst.
Instead it backed up a bit and sat down and then unexpectedly, it spoke to him.
"I know you" it said before sprinting away from him. This revelation troubled him so much that he decided to follow it, call it a reflex that he had.
By the time that he had caught up with the wolf it was asleep, but its ears perked up on hearing Van Helsing, it rose from its sleep before speaking to him again.
"You're the one that I was called on to help again".
"Again?" he repeated slightly confused he backed up just a little.
"Yes, but something tells me that you do not remember me, I can tell, you always moved about cautiously when you didn't know what people were telling you" it continued to speak "Animal spirits are assigned to every living person to remind them not to forget their wild cousins, you are confused my friend, I cannot help you until you realise what is in your nature" it said as it partially disappeared, leaving golden brown orbs staring at him. "And what is that" replied Van Helsing.
"Don't you remember" it said before the orbs disappeared also.
When he looked up, he was no longer in the forest but in Dracula's lair, there was a werewolf baying at the moon, it was him, he figured, it looked around at him and started to growl before pouncing him, tearing into his flesh….
And then he woke up with a start.
He checked his clothes, no bloody werewolf bite could be seen, and it was just a nightmare.
Early morning sunlight dotted its way along the room.
The sheets were tossed where he lay. And then he remembered that he was setting sail for Rome. And then he groaned he would have to meet Cardinal Jinette.
Van Helsing walked along the pier that morning; they were to board the ship later that day to Rome and Vatican City. The trip to Vasaria had changed him, both inside and out. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end when he spotted the setting moon, although cured of lycanthropy, the wolf had stayed with him, and somehow he knew that it would always be with him, to help him and to scorn him.
Both of them were not looking forward to their return to Rome.