Singe
Disclaimer: Hellsing belongs to People who are not me. CastleVania belongs to Konami who are also not me. I make no claim on any characters from either Hellsing or CastleVania I'm simply borrowing them without permission.
Rating: PG-13
Synopsis: Alucard is called home but home is not a he remembers it.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You do not need to know anything about castlevania to understand this fic, all castlevania references are explained in the fic.
Italics are thoughts, metal speak and flashbacks
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Part Two: Homecoming
"Why I am not surprised," Integra grumbled when they all arrived. "The great Alucard lives here." The group were facing what had once been a great stone castle but now was little more than ruins. It was impossible to get to by normal means due to a deep gorge on their side and a river on its back. Alucard looked broken hearted to see his home in such ruin. Asmodeous whinnied and pushed the vampire forward with his nose.
"Master?" Seras asked.
"It is tied to my power," Alucard muttered, petting the monster horse before kneeling and lifting a stone. "I should not be surprised that it has fallen, but I am."
"It is strange." Walter mused "I was under the impression that the disturbance originates from here, but this is a ruin."
"A big ruin." Seras breathed leaning on her master. "I'm sure it was beautiful," She spoke quietly trying to be comforting. Integra snorted, but Alucard smiled at his child ruffling her hair before removing his gloves and handing them to her to hold.
"It is beautiful." He smiled and fell silent before leaping the great gorge separating them from the ruins. With a wave, he disappeared into the ruins.
"Now what do we do," Integra muttered under her breath not intending for anyone to hear. She was after all the leader of this little trip, she was meant to be in control. She supposed that they should get back in the car and head back to the village. Although she doubted that anyone would take them in, hotel or not. They had gotten a lot of strange looks in the little village they had arrived in, almost as if the locals knew that she and Walter were the only mortals in that little party.
"Walter!" Seras squeaked suddenly snapping Integra out of her musings. "Did you feel that?"
"What is your master doing?" Walter mused looking to Integra, he went to continue speaking, but the butlers words were cut short when the ground began to shake violently. Seras squealed and grabbed onto Asmodeous who didn't seem at all bothered by the sudden earth shaking. Walter and Integra leaned against the car, the alarm screeching as the ground shook harder. A low rumbling began, but it was joined quickly by another sound, the sound of rocks big and small, moving. A cry from Seras made Integra look at the ruins, something was happening to them. Asmodeous made a horrendous noise and reared.
"Seras!" Integra called worried the horse would kill her. But her worries were in vain, Asmodeous settled and stood calmly once again, he was staring at the ruins. The sound of moving stone was getting louder and Seras looked away from Asmodeous to the ruins and smiled. The stones were indeed moving, lifting and building themselves back into what would be a castle. It was amazing to watch, Seras was put in mind of nature shows which show plants growing in fast forward. The movement was jerky but lightening fast. Seras gasped as within the midst of the chaos she caught sight of a woman. She was beautiful with skin the colour of milk and hair as dark as night. Her dress was blood red and looked ancient. She smiled at Seras, and it sent chills down the young vampire's spine. It was the smile of victory. The woman continued to smile her victorious smile as she turned and walked deeper into the moving stones. Seras lost sight of her quickly.
"Did you see the woman?" she called to Walter who gave her an odd look. Seras shook her head, she was going mad, the cold and the strangeness of this place were clearly affecting her. She looked again for the woman to make sure she was a figment but was quickly distracted by the magic of the stones. Within minutes from the ruins sprouted a grand castle. Soaring buttresses, grand architecture, colored glass windows and great stone demons spewing melting ice replaced what less than fifteen minutes ago had been naught but rubble.
"Good lord protect me." Integra breathed as Castle Dracula reformed before her. A legendary home for demons and devils. The grand rebuild was finished shortly and the last touch fell into place, a golden knocker on the front door in the shape of a bat's head. The front door opened and Alucard emerged walking towards them across the wooden bridge that could be pulled up at will.
"I thought you said you were cold?" he asked smirking. Silence echoed for a moment before Integra snorted.
"Show off." She muttered and stomped across the drawbridge into the castle.
"But of course." Alucard laughed and followed.
The entrance hall of the castle was grand to the point of opulence. The floor was smooth stone with a wide carpet running down the center. The ceiling arched above them, the pillars holding the ceiling arches up were carved from a pale marble and only added to the grandeur. Mind boggling images were painted onto the ceiling. At first glance, they seemed to resemble those from a church scene but when one looked longer one could see that that fact was not so. The images were, in fact, a mockery of a church scene. The paintings depicted demonic entities, riding through the clouds butchering the pristine angles that dwelt there. Seras shivered looking away from the ceiling and looked back to her master. This place suited him, from the subtle grossness of the paintings to the royal red carpet that ran the length of the hall right to the walls and pillars polished so strongly that they acted as a mirror. Seras felt very out of place in her plane Hellsing uniform and longed for a moment for a cloak similar to the one her master had donned, thick and fur lined. As Alucard lead his small partly through the hallway the candles around them lit of their own accord lighting the way ahead. This small magic made Integra shiver, this truly was the dwelling place of her vampire, the way magic was used so trivially spoke volumes.
"Master!" Seras suddenly cried out. Alucard stopped and turned to her, his eyes seemed strange, clouded as if he could no longer focus and it took him a moment before they cleared and he could see his child. "Asmodeous is still outside." Seras breathed, Alucard smiled and this to was different, the mockery was gone from it, and now instead of some insane demonic joker he resembled more than ever the king of demons. Yet there was no malice in this smile, it was condescending but not cruel.
"He is already in the gardens," He spoke looking away, head tilting as if listening to something no one else could hear. "No doubt destroying the orchards."
"You have orchards!" Seras squeaked. The smile returned to Alucard who seemed to be drifting away on music only he could hear, he laughed a little.
"Yes, we have orchards. As well as a chapel, a coliseum, a library, a ridiculous amount of bedrooms, galleries, towers and, of course, extensive gardens." He shrugged. "There's more, but it escapes me at the moment." The ancient king of vampires couldn't help but laugh at the way his Childs' eyes lit up at his words. Absently he shook his head, he had raised fledglings here before and none reacted the way Seras had. They had all taken this place for granted. He remembered when Walter has shown her the room she was to have at Hellsing and how pleased she'd been when she had been given a small four-poster 'coffin'. Alucard's smile grew wider as an idea came to him.
"Master?" Seras asked, noticing her master seemed to have faded out again.
"Come I have something for you," He instructed and led them out of the entrance hall and into a stairwell.
Alucard tried to concentrate as he walked but found his mind to be wandering. He had thought he would be happy to return here and in truth he was, but something was wrong. The Castle was empty and not once in all his years here had this building ever stood empty. There was a hollowness here that he had never noticed before. It was poignant returning here. He had raised a family here, a family who had perished in one of the worst ways possible, the sole survivor apart from himself had been stolen to be brainwashed and had suffered a fate far worse than death. Being in this place brought those memories forward and he could not help the misery that threatened to overwhelm him. Absently his gaze fell on Seras. Unlike Adrian, she had retained her innocence, happiness and sheer radiance all the while accepting that she was not human. It had taken her a long while to come to terms with herself, but she had done it and she seemed happy. Adrian however, poor deluded Adrian had been unable to accept that he was a son to a demonic entity and had -in Alucard's eyes- gone completely mad because of it.
Alucard sighed loudly drawing odd looks from Seras and Integra, he ignored them. Adrian was a weakness of his, one he had never been able to remove. For despite his son's insanity and attempts on his life Alucard still cared for him. If Adrian would return to him, even now after all that had transpired between them, he would still open his arms to him. It was foolish he knew, for he had seen many people duped by such emotions and knew that he himself would one day be destroyed completely by his own weakness, but he couldn't help himself. Adrian had had the same effect on him as Seras had, both made him completely and utterly stupid.
"Master," Seras drew his attention, bringing him out from such dark thoughts. "Are you alright?" he smiled at her and nodded, Seras' expression spoke volumes that she did not believe him.
"I'm feeling somewhat nostalgic," he sighed again. "While I was most happy here not all my memories are as such." Seras looked at him confused and he rolled his eyes. "Never mind police girl." As if to strengthen the end of this conversation he stopped and gestured to Integra and Walter. "This corridor contains bedrooms, choose whichever you wish."
"They better have bathrooms." Integra snapped. Alucard continued to smile and without warning the building began to shake, candles fell from their holders and crashed to the floor, a painting fell. Seras yelped and grabbed onto her master until the mini earthquake stopped. The painting and candles leapt back to their proper places and Alucard laughed.
"They do now my Master." Integra huffed at her vampire and walked down the corridor. Walter, however, remained with the two vampires.
"You're a bugger you do know that?" he asked, Alucard smiled and nodded. "But how did you do that?"
"This is my home. I made this place, it responds to my will power." Alucard smirked. "Now Walter go rest and I'm sure Miss Hellsing will wish to rant at you for some time."
"You're all heart." Walter muttered but obeyed and went down to choose a room for himself. Seras looked up at her master confused
"Should I go to?" she asked after a moment of silence. Alucard shook his head and began to lead her away. The corridor he took her down was as rich as the rest of them, the stone walls were covered by tapestries and paintings. Plush carpeting covered the center of the stone floor adding stateliness to a place that should have been cold and dead.
"I have a different room for you." Alucard nodded to his child as they walked. "It's slightly higher up, but the views are worth the walk."
"Why don't you just do that wooshy thing?" Seras snapped and Alucard laughed out loud. "Well, I don't bloody well know what it's called," Seras muttered as her master continued to laugh.
"It is not called anything police girl and I do not do it now because you will become somewhat lost unless I show you the manual way to get to you room."
"I'm going to get lost anyway," Seras admitted. "This place is huge." Alucard made a small noise of agreement and turned with his child to climb a thin stairway that was hidden behind another tapestry.
"I do not suppose that it will help when the castle becomes bored," He smirked. Seras frowned in confusion at her Master. "This castle is a creature formed from chaos itself. It has a mind of its own."
"It's sentient!?" Seras asked amazed, Alucard shrugged.
"I am unsure, maybe yes. It does like to move, though, one day the library will be in the east wing and the next it will have moved to the north. It's extremely easy to get lost." He smirked widely. "Adrian and I used to 'play' when he was very young and still loved this place. I suppose you would call it hide and seek, he would run off and I could spend days looking for him."
"Who?" Seras asked and Alucard stopped suddenly as if just realizing what he had just let slip. "Who's Adrian?"
"No one important." Her master answered, but it was clear from his expression he was lying. But Seras knew better than most and did not push the question. They reached the top of the stairs now and Alucard drew his fledgling down yet another corridor this one was more elaborate than the others if that was possible. But more than that the décor was obviously feminine. They stopped outside a large door and Seras jumped as she felt her master's hands go over his eyes. Clearly his odd mood had dissipated and he was 'playing' again. She heard the door open and felt him push her gently so she moved forward. He took his hand away and she smiled.
The room was breathtaking. The bed was enormous, made from darkened wood and great red canopy's fell around it, but the cloth was gossamer thin. She could see right through to the actual bed behind. Without thought, she ran to it and leapt. Now this was the bed she had dreamed of having, a huge princess bed. From the bed she looked around, there was a large chest of doors and a huge mirror, powders and paints covered a vanity next to doors and a wardrobe that looked as if it should lead to Narnia stood against the far wall. Again without thought Seras ran to it. She squealed when she opened it, more dresses than she could wear in a lifetime hung inside. Had her master made this for her?
But when she turned to him he was gone.
"How the hell does anyone find their way around this place?" Integra snapped as she walked down what was possibly an endless corridor. "Stupid vampire house." She was trying to locate the dining room that Alucard had instructed her to find when she was ready to. But the directions he gave were deceptive. They seemed simple enough, but she was becoming more and more lost with every turn. Not that she would admit that to anyone.
"Bloody fool place," She grumbled. She stopped at a crossroads and looked left the right then straight ahead. Alucard's directions had said nothing about a cross roads, who on earth had cross roads in their house anyway? She was about to start breaking paintings when she caught a glimpse of black hair and red cloth.
"There you are damned vampire." She snapped walking towards the offending vampire. She stopped when Alucard moved away without a word. "Alucard?" the figure said nothing but continued to walk forwards. Integra frowned even from the back it was obvious the figure was female. But that meant little she had witnessed Alucard changing his gender to suit himself before. The long black hair and blood red dress was enough to reassure her of the figures identity. "Fine." Integra snapped to hungry to argue against playing such silly games. She followed the figure ahead, turning several corners and passing through three empty rooms. The vampire in front of her always remained far ahead. Appearing only at corners to show Integra which way to turn.
"This is ridiculous." Integra huffed hoping she sounded angry. She sighed with relief and irritation when the figure stopped in front of a door at the end of the hallway. "It's about time Alucard." She snapped. She pushed past the vampire and opened the door. She opened her mouth to continue her complaint but stopped dead when a smell touched her nose, a very pleasant smell that cause her empty stomach to make itself known vocally. The smell of food.
The table in the centre of the large dining hall was long enough to fit forty people. Dark carved wood was covered with elaborate cloth and on said cloth sat a multitude of plates. Considering only two of the group ate solid food there was far, far too much for them to eat alone. Alucard sat at the head of the table absently spinning a glass between his fingers. His clothing and gender had changed again, he was himself once again and the red dress was gone. It had been replaced by a simple outfit of dark trousers with a pale colored shirt. The shirt was similar to an old style worn in the 18th century by men of style. It was elegant and suited him although on any other man Integra would have said the shirt was feminine. His hair was pulled back from his face and held in place by a dark ribbon. Again Integra found it suited him. Shaking her head at his insanity, she approached the table to get a better look at the food, some of the food looked absolutely disgusting to her while there were some dishes she thought he might sample.
Sitting she looked at her creature. He seemed distant and unhappy, it was odd Integra thought. She would have assumed he would be happy here, after all he was home. He sighed loudly and Integra growled at him.
"What is wrong with you?" she snapped, "one cross-dress not enough for one day?" Alucard looked confused for a moment but shrugged and gestured to the table.
"They are not here yet," He spoke calmly.
"That's because they are no doubt lost in this twisted maze you call a castle." Integra snapped, looking once again at the food, he couldn't possibly expect her and Walter to eat all of this. She recognized most of the vegetables and some of the fish, but a lot of the roasted meat she did not know and some of the plates held huge piles of raw bleeding meat. The food reached right down to the bottom of the table, there was enough to feed an army in her opinion.
"I was not referring to Walter and Seras," Alucard answered. "I was making a reference to the past inhabitants of my home." The door opened cutting him off and Walter looking relieved. Integra smiled at him and waved him over.
"Are you planning to feed the forty thousand Alucard?" Walter asked taking a seat. Alucard pushed a tall pitcher to his friend and watched as Walter poured himself a glass. As to the question he just shrugged.
"Alucard." Integra's voice was weary. "What past inhabitants?" you could hear the tension in her voice Alucard shrugged.
"You honestly believe I lived here alone? No, this place was once a refuge for those not accepted in your world."
"I don't think I want to know," The Integra muttered poking at a piece of raw something. Alucard sighed.
"My master if you are not going to eat it then don't poke it. Someone may wish to eat it later and they would be offended to find your paw prints all over it." The vampire king muttered, Integra snorted and rose from her seat prepared to yell but was cut short as the door opened again and Seras entered.
The fledgling had taken the time to have a shower and change. She was quite surprised to find that Alucard had somehow convinced the castle to contain modern showers but was very pleased. She had changed her clothing into one of the simpler dresses from the wardrobe not wanting to overdo it in her own eyes.
"You look wonderful Seras," Walter spoke standing to great the young vampire. "You look a queen." Seras blushed at Walter's praise. She wasn't sure if she looked nice or just silly, the dress was beautiful, but obviously it was made for a lady of high society, not some gutter-born common girl.
"It suits you police, girl." Alucard agreed to stand.
"You two look like you just fell out of a bodice ripper," Integra muttered stabbing at some over cooked pork with her fork. Alucard smirked.
"If my Master wants a wardrobe all you need do is ask," He smirked.
"No." Integra said sharply and turned to her plate. Seras sat at the table and sniffed at a kind of pastry she thought looked appetizing but dared not touch. They remained in the dining hall in silence for a few moments before Integra finally spoke again. "Do you know what is wrong yet?" she asked her vampire. Alucard looked up at her and shook his head.
"I'm unsure," He admitted. "Something is amiss, but I cannot put my finger on it. I do not know if something really is wrong or if I'm just being overly nostalgic."
"Nostalgic." Walter frowned, Alucard looked a little awkward.
"Yes," he fumbled for a moment. "In London it was simpler because I did not have my losses thrust into the open the way I do here."
"What on earth does that mean, vampire?" Integra pinched the bridge of her nose. This place made her twitchy and her nerves were running high. She was not in the mood for Alucard's games.
"I think at the moment I feel the way a man does when he returns to an empty house when his family has been killed. All their things are there and the house still smells of them, but it feels empty. Every sound makes him think they have returned but every time he looks they are not there." Alucard felt that was perhaps the best image to use in the description. He currently felt the way he had when Abraham had first held him prisoner, unable to return to his home; completely alone. It was strange that such an old wound had reopened on returning.
"Master?" Seras spoke softly, and when Alucard looked to her she fumbled unsure what to do. She clasped on an idea after a moment and smiled. "Would you show us the castle? I know I got lost I'm sure everyone would be interested in seeing the grounds." Alucard looked at her for a few moments before nodding slowly. He looked to his master, Integra shrugged.
"Do what you wish," She said, "But do remember why we are here." Alucard stood and offered a hand to Seras.
"What would you like to see?" he asked, Seras' mind went completely blank. Alucard smirked. "Perhaps the Gardens first?" Seras nodded and was swallowed in darkness as Alucard moved them through shadow to the gardens.
The garden was beautiful. Filled with night blooming flowers, the wind was soft and sweet. It was strange Seras thought, they were perched on top of a frozen mountain top yet the garden felt as if it were spring. When she asked her master why this was so he had smiled and Seras had frowned. His smile was different, different to the smiles he'd shown in England. It was almost strained as if something more important was on his mind, he was far too distant for Seras' liking.
"I made the garden for someone," He said at last. Knowing a dodge when she saw one Seras shrugged, if he didn't want to say who he'd made the garden for then it was fine by her. The fact he'd made it for someone was enough. "She liked the spring," He said quietly. "She planted most of these. I think it made her happy."
"Who?" Seras asked, at one time she might have been more subtle, but now she knew either he would tell her or he wouldn't it didn't matter how subtle she was.
"Lisa," He said so quietly Seras almost didn't hear him. "She liked these," he gestured to the flowers. "They were pretty I suppose." Absently he crushed a purple blossom in his hand. "And frail, it is strange that frail things attract other frail things."
"Frail," Seras repeated, Alucard looked at her and smiled.
"Lisa was human. A healer, a doctor of sorts although no one would call her that in those days." He shrugged as if this woman meant nothing. "I think," He muttered standing. "That she grew some foul smelling concoction here." He shivered as if disgusted. "Some kind of paste that she would put on cuts."
"Master you can't grow paste." Seras laughed. "This Lisa may have made it from herbs, but you can't grow paste." Alucard gave her a look.
"And there was me thinking she had a plant that grew little jars of foul smelling paste." He muttered sarcastically, he made a face and Seras laughed.
"You're peculiar you know that." Seras laughed using Walter's words, Alucard looked offended.
"That is rich coming from you." He nudged her and she shoved him back. He frowned and pushed harder and she fell into flowers. There was a moment of pure tension created silence before Alucard started laughing.
"You bastard!" Seras snapped, before freezing. She had become closer to her master this was true, but she wasn't sure if she was close enough yet to refer to him as a bastard. But Alucard just laughed, doubled over he gestured to her dress which was covered in mud. "You ruined my dress!" Seras screeched, lifting a handful of mud and hurling it at him.
"You've got more." Alucard managed around the laughter.
"That's not the point," Seras threw more mud and missed her master completely. So she lifted a handful and stomped over to him before mashing it into his hair. "HA!" Alucard froze as wet mud dripped down into his face.
"That's better," Seras muttered wiping her hands on her ruined dress. Alucard opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by a gunshot. He turned to look at Seras.
"Wait here." And he disappeared into the now mud covered patio. Seras sighed loudly but waited as she was instructed. It wasn't long before she heard something. It sounded like the wind and at first she ignored it. But the noise was persistent and after a few moments Seras was certain it was not the wind.
"Little one." Seras jumped and looked around wondering what the sound could possibly be. She shrugged after a moment and put it down to her overactive imagination. She absently fiddled with her dress, stupid master. She giggled a little, he had looked stupid with wet mud covering his hair, dripping into his face, and the game had made him smile. Stupid games always made him smile.
"Little one" the voice made Seras jump again. She had defiantly heard words "little one will you speak with me?"
"Who there?" Seras was ashamed her voice was shaking.
"He has returned." The voice spoke. "You know him well. You know how to make him smile."
"What?" Seras snapped "Tell me who you are?"
"I." The voice seemed to smile. "I am your end."
"POLICE GIRL!" the shout was not angry but excited. Seras span and fell off the bench only to be scooped up in strong arms. "Police girl they are back!" With that said darkness closed around her and they emerged into a hallway. She looked at Alucard who was looking around getting his bearings before he set off down the hallways at breakneck speed. Seras jolted as her master pulled her enthusiastically along. She wondered why they didn't just teleport to where he wanted to go. She was cut short in her thoughts when he leapt into a wall dragging her through. They hung in darkness for a moment before reappearing in Integra's bedroom, Seras blushed. Integra was sitting calmly on the bed the small gun in her hand was aimed at a corner. Walter stood poised by the woman's side, anyone looking would have said he was relaxed but those who knew him were aware of the tension in his frame, his wires were tight in his fingers. Seras sighed loudly, she was too exhausted to deal with this, whatever it was. Collapsing on the bed Seras got a strange look from Integra obviously at the mud covering her from head to toe, she smiled apologetically and followed everyone's eyes to the corner. She couldn't see anything, but she watched with interest as her master went down onto his knees and held out his hand. Seras blinked confused, a small black thing touched her master's ungloved fingertips. After a moment or two of silent coaxing Alucard finally stood and in his arms was a thing.
"What on earth is that?" Seras asked standing to get a better look. The small and purple blob twisted and writhed in her master's arms.
"You're frightening him." Alucard murmured as the purple thing settled once again. Integra could be heard growling.
"Kill it." She snapped. "Kill it now."
"You don't even know what 'it' is." Alucard snapped. "Besides he is not an 'it' he is a he." Seras now even more confused walked closer to her master who tipped his arms a little to let her get a better look, times like this she often forgot how much taller than her he was. The creature in his arms began to twist again but the elder vampire made a soft noise and the twisting stopped. The strange creature obviously trusted him.
Looking at the bundle Seras could make out humane arms and legs, in fact, the whole creature looked like a tiny man. But it was far too round when finally it moved its face to her she smiled. Its face was demonic in appearance, tiny horn stubs rose from its head and its eyes were black holes, but other than that it appeared human. A small fat, horned purple man. Without thought Seras held out a finger, the creature shivered and its tiny clawed hands tightened their grip on Alucard's shirt. Again the master vampire made a small sound and the things grip lessened. Slowly it reached out and poked Seras' finger. Seras gasped, the tiny claws were sharp and a bead of blood welled up on her skin. The tiny creature laughed, a sound like broken glass hitting stone.
"What is it, I mean he," Seras asked again. Alucard smirked at her and loosened his grip on the creature which leapt up and sat on his shoulder unfurling purple wings, dark purple membrane wings which must have been large to the creature but small to everyone else. It took to the air and flew small circles around the elder vampire.
"He's an imp." Alucard smiled widely, absently batting at the imp as it pulled on his hair.
"It attacked me," Integra said firmly. Seras turned noting the small scratch on Integra's cheek for the first time.
"It's a baby," Alucard said as if talking to a five-year-old. "You probably frightened him." The imp made high pitched squeaking sounds and suddenly hurtled towards Seras. Seras squeaked loudly in alarm as the purple child sat on her head and began pulling at her hair.
"A baby?" she asked when she realized she wasn't under attack.
"He won't get much bigger but yes he is still a child. The adult have little spears, god knows where they get them from, though." Alucard muttered straightening his hair that the imp had messed. "I wonder?" He said suddenly before grabbing Seras arm and pulling her towards the door. "Miss Hellsing I recommend you say in here, I shall keep the room empty of creatures for now."
"You had bloody better." Integra snapped standing and heading towards the bathroom. she paused and looked to Walter who was frowning. "You can go with him if you want Walter,"
"But I . . ." the vampiric butler seemed torn between the obvious excitement the elder vampire was giving off and protecting his mistress. Curiosity and duty warred in him.
"I have Alucard's word nothing else will come in here. I'm taking a bath." Integra huffed and slammed the bathroom door, after a few moments the sound of a bath filling reached them and the vampires and the mortal man left the room. They fled down the hallways and stairs until Alucard pulled them into the main entrance hall. The journey through the hallways was becoming somewhat unsettled as Alucard kept sticking his head into walls, peering into rooms and emerging not finding anything. He seemed distressed by this and eventually came to a stop in the main entrance hall.
"Master?" Seras asked
"I thought they'd all be back," Alucard muttered.
"Ma … Master?" a voice spoke behind them. It was a strange voice, hollow, like a man speaking from inside a huge cavern. Everyone froze at the sound, Alucard grinned. "Master?" the voice spoke again. Alucard span and bolted towards the voice. Seras turned and screamed. Alucard had bolted towards a huge skeleton. Looking carefully despite her fear Seras noticed this skeleton had no lower half and while humane it was larger than any human had ever been. It was covered by some kind of ragged shawl and in its left hand it held a scythe.
"Old friend." Alucard stopped in front of the creature hovering just over the ground, a skeletal hand reached out and finger brushed Alucard's hair.
"Illusion," It said firmly, in its deep hollow voice. Seras shivered, it wasn't speaking, at least not the way mortal or immortal men speak, it was speaking directly into their minds. She felt Walter stand behind her and she gratefully leaned back against him.
"No illusion," Alucard smirked. The skeletal creature paused for a moment. It was examining her master. Seras felt worried, the creature was huge and its weapon was even bigger.
"It's you then Lord," It spoke stiffly as if hiding something. Seras screamed again when the creature dropped it's scythe and lifted her master clean off the ground. Alucard thrashed and struggled in the grip of the strange creature. Seras bolted forwards unsure what she could do but determined anyway. Fortunately, before she reached the two warring monsters Alucard managed to free himself. His shirt was torn and he was bleeding, but he was also smiling,
"You." He huffed at the creature. "Need to learn self-control."
"You've been gone for …" The creature snapped, but Alucard stopped it with a wave. The creature turned to look at Seras and Walter. Alucard walked to Seras, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the creature, she couldn't help the slight struggle she gave to start with.
"It's Death!" Seras squeaked trying to get away. Alucard stopped and just looked at her as if she were mad.
"There is no single death." Alucard smiled taking Seras' hand again. "There are many death spirit's and guardians of the dead and this police girl is one of them."
"Lady." The spirit of death bowed to Seras, and Seras was struck with the urge to laugh. Her fear made her giddy and she to dipped her head to the creature. "It is a pleasure to meet you." The creature spoke softly to her. Seras swallowed, but an upbringing where politeness was strictly enforced made her answer.
"I'm pleased to meet you also." Seras looked up at her master who was smirking away to himself, like the cat that had gotten the crème.
"Seras has returned with me," Alucard said still smirking. It was a wonder his face did not hurt.
"Thank you, lady, for bringing him back to us, we have missed him." The spirit of death spoke. "Without our Lord there is no castle. No gateway for us to come through to this world and we are prisoners of the darkness." Seras frowned as the spirit continued. "In the darkness there is nothing, no light, no sound no touch it is pure emptiness. It drives one mad after a while. This castle is filled with wonders and things with which we can partake of."
"Well." Seras didn't know what to say and so said the first thing that came to mind. "I'm glad you're happy now. But I didn't bring him back, Miss Integra Hellsing did that." Seras froze as soon as she had said the words. The spirits eyes glowed red with rage, and Alucard had gone completely still beside her
"Oh." He breathed.
"HELSING!" the spirit roared, Seras squealed. The Spirit seemed larger in its rage. It's arms held aloft as if ready to kill and it's brutal looking weapon raised. "Hellsing In This Place!" It turned and sped towards the stairs but was stopped.
"CALM DOWN!" Alucard yelled, claws digging into the spirits cloth and swinging it around into a wall. Seras half expected the skeletal spirit to come apart, but amazingly it stayed in one piece. "Integra is not to be harmed in any way, she's not responsible for what happened."
"My Lord." The spirit rose to its 'feet' and looked at Alucard the red in it's eyes turning to blue, a sad but calm colour. "My Lord they bound you against your will." Alucard shrugged and made a face.
"Even so she will not be harmed, or threatened or frightened in any way. She will be respected in this place." The king of the undead snapped firmly, the spirits shoulders sagged in defeat.
"My Lord this is not the same as it was with Adrian!" the creature shouted, "I could understand your protection of that one but protecting those who willingly and knowingly do you harm is foolishness." He seemed to struggle with words "Adrian was different but this."
"Yes, old one Adrian was indeed different." The strange melancholy had once again overcome Alucard and Seras swallowed, moving closer to him, wanting to remind him that she was still here. She felt his hand settle on her shoulders holding her to him gratefully.
"Why do you always covet those who will do you harm?" the spirit sounded tired.
"Um," the sound reminded every one of Walters's presence and Alucard smiled at him. "Forgive my ignorance but who is Adrian?" Alucard smiled a little, but it was empty.
"Adrian was someone who lived here a long, long time ago, he was confused." Alucard struggled with his words. "He refused to listen, refused to understand and eventually he went mad. He came at me, but I couldn't hurt him." He sighed. "I believe him to be dead now."
"Insane." Seras breathed
"He joined Belmont." The spirit hissed and Seras frowned. "The Belmont's are a fearsome clan of vampire hunters, hell bent on destroying our Lord."
"There were crazed," Alucard muttered so quietly only Seras heard him. "But they were amusing, I used them to pass the time, eternity is very dull. They were an entertainment until I journeyed abroad."
"And never came back." The spirit muttered Alucard made a face.
"I'm back now." He breathed. Alucard opened his mouth to say more but was cut off when a huge tongue licked up his back. "Uuuuggghhhh." Seras giggled loudly never before had she heard her master say 'uuuuggghhhh' but looking at the creature that had licked him she froze. A wolf four times the size of a horse stood behind Alucard panting heavily, its breath like the wind.
Alucard turned and looked at the creature disapprovingly, but the huge beast simply licked him again, leaving large dollops of saliva dripping down him. Alucard shook himself before disappearing into a void of blackness. The spirit of death seemed surprised by this, Seras laughed.
"He does that a lot, the disappearing into shadows thing." She explained and looked to the huge beast that Walter was now slowly approaching, his hand held out. The beast nosed at the mortals chest, nudging him hard enough to knock him down. Seras laughed and looked to the spirit beside her.
"It's a warg." He explained. "A simple daemon."
"It's not going to start pulling my hair or breathe fire?" Seras looked accusingly at the imp which had followed them and now sat on one of the paintings hanging from the wall.
"The fire warg's breathed fire, but this one is a simple one, he is young, little more than a pup." The skeletal spirit explained.
"Why is everything so young here?" Walter asked as the 'pup' nudged him again and yipped loud enough to make the walls shake.
"The castle is newly risen all life here is young save from us 'old' inhabitants." The look Walter gave him made him explain further. "Myself, one of the medusas our Lord rescued her from Greece, where she was used in plays, they were going to sell her to Rome's coliseum, but your master bought her. There is also a succubus, don't ask me where she came from because I do not know. Another vampire named Orlox, he came from Russia, smitten with our Lord." The spirit laughed and continued. "The creature in the subterranean ice caves she is another from Greece she used to sink ships until they hunted her down." He stopped. "The old mortal who works the library, he is centuries old."
"Library?" Walter asked. The spirit nodded.
"Yes, it is quite vast and has a healthy collection of literature taken from all times and locations."
"Do not lick me again." Alucard snapped stepping through the wall a little to their left, he pointed to the warg pup that once again yipped loudly. The vampire king had unsurprisingly changed his drool covered clothes and retied his hair. Seras felt silly still in her mud covered dress.
"Alucard," Walter called. "I think I am going to try and find your library." He smiled, Alucard nodded
"Do you want a map?" He said simply. "I doubt it would help as no doubt the castle has moved since the last map was created. I will take you if you wish." Seras sighed, she hated library's.
"No need Lord." The spirit of death spoke. "I wish to speak with the old librarian, something is amiss in the castle, there is something here…" he trailed off, Alucard nodded to him "I will accompany your mortal friend." Walter nodded as Death took his arm and steered him down the hallway. Alucard smiled wider shaking his head.
"Police girl." Alucard got her attention. "Come there is something I want to show you." But instead of walking out of the entrance hall, Alucard lifted her by the waist onto the Warg pup. "Hold onto the fur by his neck, you won't hurt him then," He explained climbing up behind her. The pup excited by this, span for a moment in small circles making Seras laugh but it calmed after a moment and Alucard turned it out into the gardens.
"Where are we going?" Seras asked
"If I told you it wouldn't be much of a surprise would it," Alucard smirked in a smug fashion at her. "Now hold onto him here." He moved her hands to where his hand been and held onto her waist. "If you want him to turn just pull a little and he'll turn, to stop him pull back gently with both hands and to speed up which I do not recommend tighten your grip with your legs."
"Wait you want me to steer this thing!" Seras squeaked, Alucard unsurprisingly laughed.
"He's not a thing and be gentle he's still just a pup, be patient with him." He rested his head on her back
"But I don't know where we're going!" Seras shouted as the pup started to run.
"He does." Alucard yawned and closed his eyes.
"MASTER!" Seras screamed the creature under her made a loud growling sound as they burst outside into the orchards. It leapt upwards over the first row of trees and began zigzagging its way through the organized forest. Seras squealed and eventually Alucard sat up properly realizing the distress his fledgling was in.
"Alright make a left here," He muttered. "There a dip, it looks like a ditch, head for that."
"Master, how are these gardens so big? From the outside, the castle doesn't seem that big." Seras asked, her speech broken by the jolting of the warg beneath her. Alucard shrugged as if to say he didn't know. The warg made it into the ditch and followed it.
"It's made from chaos Seras. Chaos's not meant to make sense." He muttered something else that Seras missed and she kicked him. "I said you wouldn't have liked it when the castle decided to turn itself upside down."
"What!" she gasped. "You're serious this place went inverted!" Alucard nodded against her back and nuzzled against her once again getting comfortable as if he would sleep. "Master where now?"
"In a moment you'll see a cave, go down it." He murmured "It takes us down to where I want to show you." Seras nodded and focused on looking ahead waiting to see the cave. Suddenly the warg pup turned having seen the cave long before Seras and they were swallowed by darkness. Seras jumped. "Mmm." Alucard intoned. "It does sneak up on you."
"Master your mean!" Seras snapped, reaching behind to whack at the older vampire who sat up fully and hissed quietly. Seras huffed and turned back to look where they were going, she gasped.
The darkness of the cave was fading into light, she wasn't sure where the light came from, but it was beautiful. Crystals glittered in the walls and ceiling. Without any warning, the warg pup skidded to a stop. Alucard smiled and jumped down, helping his child down. The two vampires walked further into the cave and Seras realized why the warg had stopped when she slipped. The floor was covered with a thin sheet of ice. The cave continued to grow bigger the further in they went until it opened up into an underground cavern. Water fell from holes in the ceiling into deeply eroded pools, crystals glittered from every surface. Diamonds made from ice covered parts of the water. But what really caught Seras eye were the creatures in the water. The strange creatures saw the two enter and dived from their rocks into the deepest pool in fright.
"What?" Seras began
"Nymphs." Alucard smiled. "They are ice nymphs, very pretty but very skittish." Seras frowned as her master helped her jump over a small pool to get to the central one where the nymphs had hidden.
"Master all these creatures they're daemons?" Alucard nodded at her question. "Then why are they more scared of us, or stupidly affectionate or so civilized?" Alucard laughed quietly
"It is true they are as you said, but people fear them for good reason. Some of them are naturally very violent and others, when threatened, can change into something you would never dream of. All of them are very protective of their home and will usually kill intruders." Alucard explained. "Even my nymphs here," he knelt and dipped his hand into the freezing water. "They have the ability to control the ice and can hurl sharpened icicles as many as fifty at once." Seras looked disturbed. "But do not worry while you are with me they will not harm you."
"Why not?" Seras asked
"Because they recognize you as one of mine." Alucard sighed and looked out to the pool. "Do not be so shy." His voice was very quiet and Seras expected nothing to happen and so when the ice exploded upwards and three of the nymph-creatures rose from the water she jumped. They were indeed beautiful, humane with skin as blue as the Mediterranean and eyes the colour of cobalt. Their bodies melted where their legs should have been and became water or ice. They drifted over to them and stared. One laughed a sound similar to dolphins before flipping backwards into the water.
"They are pretty." Seras breathed dodging as one of the back flips sent ice logged water towards her. Alucard smiled and opened his mouth to speak but snapped it shut suddenly. "Master?"
"Shh." He snapped and tilted his head listening. "Death is right there is something here that should not be." Seras shivered at the sound he made, bestial and threatening.
End Chapter Two
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My first Novel, Grey Wings has now been released!
GREY WINGS
Jason is stranded in a dark city, and is in desperate need of help when he has no idea how he will get home.
So, when he collides with Aurelius, an Angel only in the mildest sense of the word – who has committed a crime worthy of great punishment, but has been handed a rare chance at redemption – Jason can see a way home.
However, their journey will be hampered by Fallen Angels, Earth Spirits, and Griffons – and none can say if everyone will make it home.