Part 3: "Schooled at forepangs, wilder wring."
Disclaimer: Don't own Van Helsing, don't own the quote comes from the estate of G.M. Hopkins, Jesuit priest and poet, and comes from the poem, 'No worst there is none', no blood sucking leeches, please.
No moon was in the sky, he felt his spirit weakened, he felt drained. The events of the past month had left him tired. He had completed three difficult missions and in the process, lost the woman that he loved, that was his equal. He was cranky and meeting with Cardinal Jinette didn't help his mood. Carl said nothing on the way to Vatican City, Van Helsing wasn't in the mood for talking. It was the beginning of the month when they reached the Vatican; Carl was led away with a group of other monks and the gate and brought underground to the Vatican Armoury.
Van Helsing walked confidently towards the confessional. "Bless me father for I have sinned…." He started to say when just the Cardinal interrupted him "You were supposed to save her, not end her life". Van Helsing looked up, a mixture of anger and grief filled him, but instead of answering Cardinal Jinette back, he kept quiet.
Then he spotted a surprised look on Jinette's face before it melted away to a look of saddened recognition, "You loved her, didn't you" he said.
"Yes" said Van Helsing quietly, not to reveal the spear through his own heart that what he truly felt. Then Jinette sighed. "The only thing that I would consider saying to you at moments like this is that all things happen for a specific purpose" Jinette said to him softly. Van Helsing looked at Jinette with a look of part acceptance; he got right to the point "What do you want me for". This shocked the cardinal who couldn't believe that Van Helsing was willing to work, so soon after having his heart shattered by what had happened in Transylvania. "Are you sure that you want to go on this mission, so soon after her death" he asked him then. "Yes" he answered. They then walked down the stairs together, for the first time ever in silence; usually Van Helsing got a lecture about how he messed up the mission in some small way. He entered the armoury where there could be heard the noisy clamouring of people of his religion and others preparing weapons. Cardinal Jinette walked towards a projector and signalled a young priest beside him to slot in the first slide.
Werewolves…..
This was the image that greeted Van Helsing. A pang of grief filled him, just days ago, he had become one of these savage beasts. He had killed Anna as one of them. He vaguely heard Cardinal Jinette speak about his mission. He felt something inside of him urge him to scream out "For god sake it's too soon for this type of mission" but he buried this feeling deep inside. He had to go to Norway and track down a pack of werewolves that had ravaged remote villages. Apparently, they had already sent another Knight of the Holy Order who subsequently went missing a couple of weeks ago. He was presumed dead or bitten by now. He had to escort someone who had come seeking their help as well, safely back to her country, as it was believed that now it was no longer safe for her to stay there. Cardinal Jinette spotted the disbelief in Van Helsing's eyes as he finished briefing him on his mission. He went over and said to him quietly and in a desperate voice, "You know that I wouldn't have put you on this type of mission so soon after what had happened to you in Transylvania, but we are desperate and you are our best hope at ending these werewolves bloody reign of terror, once and for all, you know these creatures, my son"
"I'll accept this mission" Van Helsing replied.
"Thank you, my friend, now come over here, I need to show you something" said Cardinal Jinette walking over to a table where there lay a silver sword. Cardinal Jinette handed the sword over to Van Helsing saying "Take this, it may come in handy when dealing with these werewolves, Carl will deal with any other provisions that you may need."
"Thank you, Cardinal Jinette" Van Helsing replied and made his way over to Carl.
Van Helsing went over to Carl, who was, for once, quiet as he worked. Carl had seen a different side to Van Helsing on this last mission, the side that was unsure of what each hour would bring and with each hour that night of Anna's death, he grew more and more bestial and less the man that he was.
He was now, yet again a hunter of these evil creatures, but at the back of his mind he admired these creatures, simply for their sheer tenacity and wily nature, they certainly made his monotonous morbid job a little more interesting. But now there was a part of him that pitied them, because, he had guessed because he had become a werewolf himself, but he knew that he could not afford to let that reason cloud his judgement. He was sent to do a specific job and that was to kill these werewolves and that was just what he was going to do.
Carl kept on working where he was, but did not turn to face Van Helsing as he suddenly spoke to him, "Van Helsing, I know that this mission is a difficult one for you, there is no point pretending for me, and god knows what might happen to you….". "I know Carl, but I'll be alright, you would have to trust me" replied Van Helsing to his friend. Carl just gave him a look as if to say I know before he said "I have requested the cardinal to let me come with you, just to make sure that you don't get into trouble". "Did he agree to let you go" Van Helsing asked surprised at what he had just heard. "Yes" he replied simply. "Alright, but if you get into any trouble, you're on your own". He said with a mock severity in his voice. Instead of shooting Van Helsing a look of pure fear, Carl just shot him a withered look. This was far different than before, Van Helsing noticed, this perhaps was a sign of how their working relationship had changed since the last time they were both at the Vatican.
Carl followed him, as usual pottering behind him. They left that night but stopped to rest in a forest, far different to where they were the previous night, he mused. Van Helsing made it comfortable for him to sleep and drifted off.
That night she came to him in his dreams.
Dream Scene:
The moon illuminated the sky and he found himself in a clearing. There was a woman there who had her back to him, she was familiar, and he felt at ease with her. Then she turned around, it was Anna. "Anna? I thought you were dead" he found himself saying in disbelief. "I am you saved my family, they and I are eternally grateful to you" she said. "I loved you, you know that, why did it have to be that way, why should I live and you die?" he asked her. "God has a greater purpose for you, you'll see and understand in time" she replied. Her words, at that moment echoed that of the cardinal. Then the wolf from his previous dream joined her there, it nuzzled up against her, she stroked its head gently, as that was happening, he got a feeling as if it was happening to him. "You will love and be loved again Gabriel" Anna told him adding "And I will always be there if you need me". With that, she left the clearing. He tried to follow, but he would not be let out of the clearing, the way was blocked.
He looked back; the wolf was sitting, just staring at him purposefully. "What do you want from me" he asked the wolf. "I want you to be able to accept what's within you" it replied. At that moment he sensed something behind him, he spun around only to be faced with a towering werewolf. The beast lunged at him and expecting the worst he closed his eyes. He then felt something nudging him, it was the beast, and its own original threatening stare had softened. Surprised and touched by the beast's own gentleness, he reached out and strokes its head, slowly but surely the beasts own form disappeared into Van Helsing's own hand, he feels the power of the beast surging through his body, but it didn't cause him to change.
"Do you understand now what needs to be done" the wolf said, and with that it left. Van Helsing stares down at his hand in disbelief at what just occurred.
Van Helsing woke up to the dimmed light of the setting moon, Carl was still asleep. He walked up to a tree and leaned against it and watched the waxing crescent set, his dream bothered him. Was this to be his fate, was he really meant all the time to be a werewolf, was that why he was given this mission? He knew that time would indeed tell, and from what he could tell from his own dreams, that time was coming soon. With that he woke Carl and gathered up their belongings and headed to the pier to set sail on the ship to Norway.
She waited aboard the ship and wished for dawn to come quickly. She clutched the piece of paper with the knights of the holy order stamp on it close to her. Soon she would be going home with escorts, and hoped that this return would finally end the war that was raging in her own homeland.