New chapter, lets go! Three cheers! And three cheers for my beta reader being a great beta reader for the story and spicing up my bland tone! Hip-hip...Huzzah!
Oh, while I'm still here, I need to actually address the reviews! Unfortunately keep forgetting to do so...my sincerest apologies, readers! And I hope that the first chapter's grammar and spelling is much, much better. Using mobile doesn't help the quality...
darth56: Thank you! I'll keep working on this story regardless of popularity as I enjoy creating this. You'll only see me stop when I no longer have time on my hands.
Hero King Gilgamesh: I'm glad you enjoy her reactions! Hopefully I can get in more of those without making her a bit of a suckup to Ethan, so look forward to their relationship progressing over time!
Guest-Me as Myself: If you read this, this is literally me as myself...I've rewritten the first chapter, honest.
TheOne WhoKnocks and CyberIona: Thanks for the heads up on the shit quality of the first chapter. Hopefully it's better now!
"So...uh here it is?" Ethan scratched his head at the condition of the building. Paint was peeling off the outside of the home, the concrete pathway cracked, gates rusted, windows boarded.
"It...should be." Sylvia's reply came out confused and uncertain.
Ethan shrugged, "Well, let's get this done. We don't even have a day to stop Bathory."
He sprinted for the door and Sylvia ran after him, raising her dress slightly to keep from tripping. Ethan leaped up the stairs and once landing on the porch, the wood groaned and snapped. "SHIT!"
Sylvia cried out as she heard a cat yowl and tread carefully to the spot, peeking down. Three feet below her, Ethan was panicking as the tabby cat scratched at him, "Stopstopstop!"
After some time of dodging, the cat calmed down and hissed at him, running out from under the porch and into the night. Ethan stood with his hands on his hips. He glanced up at her and she lowered a hand, "About damn time!"
"Sorry, I couldn't risk being scratched myself." He chuckled and grabbed her hand. It was effortless for her to yank him up and he dusted himself off, then checked his outfit for damages, "Your face."
He ran a finger over the scratch, "Not much I can do. Anyway, how is this place used for parties?"
He didn't seem to require an answer and Sylvia stayed silent, peeking into one of few windows not covered by boards. After a moment she finally commented, "I was expecting you to fall into a trap when the boards broke."
"Me too." He saw her glancing at the undecorated interior of the home and turned to the doorbell. Pressing it they heard silence save for a crackle from the button. Sylvia gave a confused look at him and he shrugged, "What? Might as well give it a shot."
Immediately, the door opened and a young woman peered out, "Do you need something?"
She noticed their way of dress and blinked, "I think you're at the wrong place for a party."
Ethan shoved the invitation in her face, "This is the place, ain't it? Don't tell me we went all this way for nothing."
Sylvia elbowed him and he hissed back. The girl stared at him then at the wax card, "Sure! Come in. We can't have just anyone coming in."
She smiled at Ethan, handing back the letter, "To make sure, you two never became intimate in bed, have you?"
Ethan smirked, "If you think we have, you think we'd be here?"
She laughed and Sylvia felt uneasy, not embarrassed. It wasn't the same feeling as when Josephine seemingly flirted with Ethan, but an instinct of foreboding.
"Of course, of course...Come in! Make sure to lock the door behind you and follow me."
Sylvia stepped back and tugged on Ethan's sleeve ever so slightly, "I don't like this. Something's off."
"I know, but the sooner we're done, the better." They stepped forward and instantly, the entire place burst with noise, startling them both. The girl grinned at their reaction.
"Magic is everything, isn't it? The party was right in front of you, but you didn't even notice!"
"Are you the host?" Ethan shouted and she nodded.
"Bethany is my name! You two are a bit late, but there's still enough hours for you two to enjoy yourself!" She vanished into the crowd, leaving Ethan to scratch his head.
"You're right as always, Master," a quiet voice spoke. "We got two sneaking in with previously used invitations. A simple trap that isn't quite deadly...although we know they may be working for that detective, I don't like that my back hurts. Should I attend to them again?"
"No Bethany," Bathory smiled, "Just let the place get to them and I'll swoop in to finish the job. I wonder how that Sylvia girl will taste. Now, to lure them apart..."
Ethan's neck prickled and he tugged Sylvia along to the wall-length mirror at the far side of the room. He noticed a woman watching them with a grim expression, but adjusted his jacket casually then remarked, "Did I mention how uncomfortable this is?"
"Yes, it's only been five minutes since you said that last time," Sylvia sighed with irritation. Ethan saw the woman disappear and turned around.
"Really? How long have we been here?"
"Half an hour at most," Sylvia closed her eyes and leaned on him."But it's felt longer."
"Maybe because we're bored..." he looked around, "Not to mention that nobody seems to have noticed us."
"Except that one person you did?" Ethan stared at her and shrugged.
"Dunno. Couldn't place my finger on her...maybe it's just me."
Bethany appeared on the second floor balcony that hung over the room, "Okay people! It's well past midnight and you should be going to bed now! Don't worry about the mess! I'll have it cleaned up in a jiffy!"
The oblivious partygoers immediately turned to shuffle out the room, ditching their conversations in just that moment, leaving no sound but shuffling clothes. Confused, Ethan nodded to a woman with his chin and Sylvia immediately understood. Ethan held a man's arm that was passing by, "Excuse me, you aren't going to help?"
He smiled at him as if Ethan was a child, "Funny thought. I'll tell you this, on my first day here, I've tempted to give my assistance, but someone beat me to volunteering. Never saw the man again." He leaned in to whisper, "I'd let them do the job for you. Better to not find out what goes on at night."
He raised his back and spoke louder, "I've attended many times over the years and had no trouble at all!"
"Really?"
"Of course," he spoke softer, "The first party I've attended was at Bethany's home...Hungary I think! Been attending since."
Ethan frowned, "Didn't she live a few centuries ago?"
"Maybe? I felt like it's been a while here, it has felt like a few centuries...But maybe not!"
"How'd you know?"
The man pounded his chest, "I'm still alive! Young in my thirties!"
He bellowed a hearty laugh and waved farewell, leaving Ethan to cross his arms as he watched him vanish down the lit hallway.
Feeling a tap on his shoulder, he jumped and whirled. Seeing nobody, Ethan whipped his head side to side then stepped away from the wall, I just started falling asleep and hit it. Yes, that's just it.
"Ethan? You're pale as a ghost."
He faced Sylvia as she trudged through the door, "I am? Huh. What'd you find?"
"It seems impossible, but she's from the Holy Roman Empire...believes it's the seventeen hundreds."
"So this place is magical..." Ethan mused then he shot a glance to Sylvia, who gripped his hand and nodded.
He peeked out into the main room then bolted for the door. Almost immediately, Bethany appeared in front of them and he stopped, Sylvia crashing into his back. As he caught her, Bethany spoke with venom in her voice, "What are you two doing outside?"
Ethan turned his head from her to the room, even with the lights, darkness seemed to surround and close in on the center, "Uh...we...we were looking for you. We don't know if rooms could be freely picked o-"
"They're assigned," she said sharply, "You two share the same room, second to last on the left."
"How many?"
Bethany stepped closer threateningly and whispered furiously and slowly, "Would it matter?"
Ethan swallowed as Sylvia tugged on his arm. He didn't dare look back as they walked to their room. Although nothing happened on their trip to their room, Ethan noticed the hallway grew darker as they went further, as if the walls were sucking the light rather than dim lighting.
Not to mention the walk took several minutes.
It certainly didn't fucking help that all the doors and walls looked the same.
He hustled Sylvia through the door and shut it, locked it, and set the deadbolt. Ethan went to peek into an adjoining room and found the bathroom and nodded. Turning on the lights, he proceeded to shut the door but Sylvia stopped it. "Don't leave me alone out here."
"Sylvia, it's just a quick shower. Not ten minutes. Besides, you'll be leaving me for ten minutes when yo-"
She shook her head violently, "I absolutely don't trust this place. I am scared and never have been in my life before. Not by devils, not by zombies, not by death. But this place...I feel so vulnerable. Because the two of us are technically the only people alive among ghosts."
She shut the bathroom door behind her and blushed. Ethan saw the tomato color of her face and raise it to meet his eyes, "Then let's just go to sleep."
She nodded, "Unless we bathe together."
"You out of your mind?!" he all but shouted then kept quiet and pushed her out. He shut off the lights but felt a slight tug from the darkness of the room.
Sylvia felt it too but not moments later, they were lying on the bed, Sylvia having wrapped an arm around him as she pressed onto his back. "I hope we get out of here."
"We will."
"You...better promise..." He tried to reply, but Sylvia was already asleep, breathing evenly through her nose. Ethan smiled and turned onto his right side, staring at Sylvia's relaxed face, empty of the tension and fear from earlier. Sleeping with a small grin, in fact.
"I promise you we will."
Bathory swiped a finger into the jug of blood and sucked on it, "So?"
"They they tried to leave."
"'Tried.' So I assume you stopped them?"
Bethany gave a vampiric grin, "Of course, master."
She gave a laugh that echoed throughout the room and rose, "Show me the couple."
Bathory smiled cruelly as they moved through the halls and passed through the door with ease. She glanced at the locks and scoffed then proceeded to the bed as Bethany stayed back. Taking in the sight of the purple-haired girl clinging to the brown-haired boy made her smile.
Because they wouldn't be together any longer after tonight.
Bathory reached down and stuck out a finger and drew a thin line of blood on the girl's cheek. Running a finger over the wound, she tasted the blood and smiled, "I haven't had this kind of blood in quite a while. A lasting flavor from the girl's determination, a strong kick from her stubborn nature, and sweet taste...from her feelings to the boy."
Bethany quickly averted her attention from the boy, "Master, anything else?"
"Savory...she fears this place. Adds to a perfect finish. Although I could definitely do without the sweet taste," Bathory lamented bitterly, "No matter. I can always kill the boy. Especially if they do work for that brunette detective. Maybe I could get something out of this girl...Sylvia was it?"
"Yes."
"Hmm...Sweet and sour," Bathory chuckled, "If I can direct some hate, maybe I can get a sour taste. Hopefully not bitter nor salty...all three are linked to that emotion."
"I can feel myself getting empowered by her. Maybe a little more." Bathory gave another cut and licked the blood from the wound.
"Let's go."
"Absolutely."
Ethan woke first...or second, he thought when he saw the empty side of the bed beside him. He stood and saw Sylvia dabbing at a cut on her cheek. "How'd you get that?"
She looked at him fearfully, "I have no clue. And this isn't what worries me. Tell me, how rested are you?"
"Pretty well rested. I could actually go outside and buy myself some stuff."
Sylvia pointed at the single window of the room, "Pull aside the curtains."
He did.
Night. Again.
"What the hell? So this means we're on Tuesday already?" Sylvia only stared at him with wide eyes. Something was wrong. And it wasn't just because time doesn't work or that dead people are still living. Ethan noticed that Sylvia was much more...useless than before.
Okay, Sylvia was infinitely more useful than he is, Ethan wrinkled his nose at the confession, but the fact that she's nearly shitting her skirt is something...just, wrong.
It's like that saying, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's a fucking damn duck.
Now, imagine it looks like Sylvia, walks like Sylvia, but scared out of her mind, it's not Sylvia.
"Sylvia," he enunciated the three syllables then it came to him, Holy shit. Fuck this place! He grabbed her shoulders and shook her violently. "Look. This place is messing with your mind. You've been braver, stronger, mentally healthier. Not now."
Her eyes became unfocused and she stared past him, "You don't understan-"
"This place is messing with you!" Ethan slapped her, once. Her eyes cleared and Sylvia took in her surroundings. She inhaled and gave a wide smile. He started to slap her again when she caught it swiftly, turning to him.
"Thank you. Thank you so much." She embraced him and shuddered, muttering in his ear, "I'm glad Bathory's place doesn't affect males. A bit of hindsight."
"Yeah, yeah," Ethan scoffed. She gave him a quick peck, causing him to jump into the air and face away from Sylvia as his face reddened. "You wouldn't be alive if I weren't here, what else is new?"
She smiled and tapped his nose, gaining a look of concern from the intimacy, "You only saved me this time. I'll save you more often."
"Now that you're in your right state of mind, how about some vampire hunting?" Sylvia nodded and the door to their room burst open, Bethany coming in, fangs glistening when she stopped.
"You're...coherent?!"
Ethan's back shone but he was kneed in the chest and flew into the wall, Sylvia brought up Kanshou and Bakuya, clashing them into Bethany's elongated fingernails. Hardened by vampirism and magic, the fight sent sparks into the room as they fought.
Bethany disarmed one of Sylvia's swords in more than one occasion due her enhanced speed, but Sylvia simply continued fighting with one hand, unfazed, until the sword in the air returned to her hand as if it held a mind of its own.
However, no matter how serious the extent Sylvia wounded Bethany, she couldn't kill her. As far as she knows, silver weapons were the solution to vampires. And she had none.
After a long five minutes of clashing, a bloodied Bethany dashed over to Ethan and held her claws over his throat, "And here I was thinking I could just handle you. Now, put those swords away or your boy gets it."
Sylvia gripped the hilt tighter, but saw streams of blood start to flow, Ethan twitching slightly. She gritted her teeth then nodded. Bethany dropped Ethan and Sylvia started to rush to him, only to have Bethany quickly strike at her head.
Even as she fell, her only concern was Ethan.
The metallic, coppery scent made her come back to her sense. The smell was unbearable but she had to find out what was making that smell.
Sylvia fluttered her eyes open, seeing a pink haired woman dressed in a small dress that only dropped to mid-thigh leaning into her face. Her green eyes widened and she grinned, canine fangs showing, "You're awake!"
Her demonic tail flickered thrice and she stepped back. "I was wondering if I had to kill you slowly or quickly," she grinned, "I have plenty of time!"
Sylvia yanked on the chains that kept her against the wall and demanded, "Where's Ethan?! You don't care about males, what did you do to him?"
Bathory smiled as Bethany washed her wounds with blood and pointed at the chained figure she thought was one of the many corpses hung. Unlike most of the corpses, or rather...all the corpses, the hair was cropped, and male genitalia were visible. Weapons lay around him and stab marks peppered his body.
Sylvia's eyes wavered as she stared in disbelief. He didn't go down without a fight, but she saw the disembowelment, the empty chest, ribs torn out to be tossed aside, and the remaining organs that remained. "The brat was annoying, especially with that damned Gates of Babylon, but nothing he could do, right?"
Sylvia was catatonic as Bethany poked at the body in disgust before starting to drag it out with just the tips of her fingers. "..."
One sentence rang in her mind over and over.
Ethan's dead.
"Son of a BITCH!"
Ethan rubbed his head as he sat outside the gates. "My head hurts like hell."
He didn't know how he ended up at this place, it was dilapidated, old, the boards creaked, and he wasn't the type to go act like Ghost Hunters. He had a reason for being here, hence he woke up here, but he wasn't sure what.
His first thought was to speak to the brunnette detective, Josephine, but he didn't know how he knew her either.
For that matter, even know what to tell her.
Regardless, Ethan strolled over to New Scotland Yard in a daze, his mind racing as it racked empty memories. It happened twice in his life already and he didn't like it.
Most annoying damn thing to happen.
He pushed through the oak door and realized something was wrong. Josephine stood with a wide grin, only for it to fade rapidly, "Where's Sylvia?"
"Sylvie-who?" Ethan asked.
"Sylvia."
"Am I supposed to know her?" Ethan tilted his head.
Josephine grew worried, "What do you remember?"
"Only that you spoke to me about something, then I went with some girl to this old-ass house..." Ethan felt his eyes go out of focus and he found a fleeting memory.
And seized it greedily, with both hands.
Sylvia Lyyneheym.
Lubu's mission to find and kill Elizabeth Bathory.
That damned magical mansion.
"Shit." Josephine grabbed his shoulders and shook him.
"What happened?!"
"Long story," he muttered and whipped around, "Follow me."
Ethan dialed a number and the phone rang once before the other line connected.
[Hyoudou residence, this is the residential maid speaking, how may I help you~]
"Curie," Ethan panted as both he and Josephine ran down the streets. "I need the Stjarga-whatever it's called, to help me save Sylvia!"
[Oh my, did the mission to kill Bathory go that poorly already?]
"Of course woman! What do you expect me to do? Defeat all the bad guys I find?"
[To be honest...yes. If you can't do this, how do you expect to be the Hero of Destiny?]
"Well I can't!" Ethan snapped.
[Watch your tone] Curie tutted and inhaled, [Getting the Stjarnagarm won't be a problem, they'll rally at my call at a moment's notice, but can you ensure that all of you can get Sylvia out alive?]
"Is that a question?"
[I'll make it an order.]
Ethan smiled, "I'll do that." Curie hung up and Ethan turned to Josephine, "Backup's coming."
She nodded and they paused at the gates. Standing outside, they waited. A minute passed, two...then at the third, a magic circle appeared on the gravel. Ethan pushed open the gate and the two rushed to the four people that stood on the trail. "Cao Cao-"
The young man turned immediately, not out of rudeness, "No need for a briefing. I know what's going on due to Curie. Told me the whole story. Just get in."
Georg waved his hand and the magic circle that expanded on his fingertips flew away and towards the house. When it passed through, the abandoned place shimmered and transformed into the castle. Heracles smiled and cracked his neck as he stared down the doors.
He ran to it, Cao Cao following immediately and Jeanne following suit. Georg nodded his head silently at Ethan, who pursued them. As Heracles got within a meter away, he clenched his fist and punched. The doors burst open and he immediately smashed the skulls of two vampire maid together.
Cao Cao held open his hand and a spear appeared. Ethan felt the power radiating from it and stumbled. Cao Cao pointed at a fireplace and blasted the mantle. He fought against few enemies as the dust cleared, stabbing and parrying as Jeanne aided his efforts by cutting them down with swords summoned from Blade Blacksmith.
Cao Cao checked the fireplace's former location and shook his head, "Left room!"
He moved, only to jump back as an enemy appeared around the corner, she screeched happily at the sight of Jeanne, who was busy with another maid. Cao Cao started to shout, but the head of the vampire was taken off with a bullet from a .44.
Gun smoking, Josephine blew the smoke out of the pistol and readjusted her aim, taking down another four maids before being attacked from behind. She merely spun on the ground, shoved the gun into the mouth of her assailant, and pulled the trigger, reloading before the sound echoed away. Cao Cao smacked Ethan's head in irritation, "If you can't fight, clear the fireplaces. You'll find the room soon enough. That's the least you can do since a complete human is doing better than you are."
Ethan snapped out of the reviere and sent a holy grenade into one fireplace, the explosion tearing apart the wall and sending more vampires flying out, although in a panic as their skin melted while it burnt as if on dry shrubbery.
"There!" Cao Cao shouted and whistled for Georg. An explosion of ice, fire, and wind tore apart the front of the castle and Georg charged in, leaving Ethan mildly impressed. Not was he just a mage, but a mage who isn't your typical, 'I cannot run or fight.'
"Not like you can fight anyway," Cao Cao shouted at Ethan as if he read his mind, "You go with the detective! I'll guard this place with the rest! If we have to, we'll follow, so don't attack us!"
Sylvia heard the explosions and dying shrieks outside and glanced at the stairwell worriedly. Bathory had no such thoughts and only turned to the tray of tools sitting beside a vat of blood. She heard Cao Cao's rallying shouts and sighed, It won't matter if they save me. Ethan's gone.
Rubble was sent down as another explosion was closer and after some time, Sylvia widened her eyes at the first figure that went down. The second shocked her to the core.
Josephine fired a bullet at Bathory, who simply teleported out of the way, appearing right at Sylvia's side, but the second figure launched an immeasurable amount of weapons at her front, forcing Bathory to dodge. Ethan looked up and smiled, "Hey, you're doing quite fine."
"You're not dead?"
He shrugged, "Maybe, who knows. I know you aren't though." He brought up an enormous pair of scissors and smiled, shredding through the binds easily, "I'm glad Akame ga Kiru existed in real life. Couldn't think of a simpler weapon that could cut through anything."
"Akame ga what?"
He waved his hand, "Don't worry about it too much. Extase is reliable. I think."
Ethan returned the weapon into the Gates of Babylon and thought for a moment, Sylvia rushing ahead to help Josephine instead. Bathory grinned at the interference and deflected Sylvia's strikes. However, each time she tried to reach in to inflict a wound, Sylvia acted defensively and escaped all assaults unharmed.
At each opportunity, Ethan sent a few swords Bathory's way, no wounds were ever inflicted, but he gave Sylvia breathing space. Eventually, after peering through multiple weapons, some that Ethan recognized on sight to his surprise, he picked one particularly large blade.
Spanning an inch wide, nearly a meter long, and a thick hilt, it seemed impractical for a weapon, but it seemed just right. He held it up and felt intense pain run through his body before everything cleared.
He felt more alert and the world seemed slightly slower, the sword felt infinitely lighter than before, and he felt much, much calmer. "The Leviathan's Blade. I like this," he grinned and joined the battle. He pushed Sylvia aside as she was blocking a single arm with both blades, noticing the second one flying at her.
She was caught off-guard but was relieved when he bisected Bathory and lopped off her left arm at the elbow. The two parts of the body fell to the floor and Ethan grinned at Sylvia, putting out his hand and she took it. "Was it supposed to be that easy?"
Sylvia opened her mouth, "I hope s-"
"Behind you!" Josephine shouted and Sylvia thrust herself in front of Ethan, taking a four-clawed wound to the chest, shredding her dress and nearly spilling out her intestines. Bathory grinned in victory and drank the blood on her hands, her eyes flaming in victory.
"Perfect. Now you'll see what I can do with female blood that is just right."
From her position on the ground, sinew, blood vessels, veins, arteries, and skin shot from her abdomen and arm, reattaching themselves onto the discarded body parts. Her body then shrunk to normal size with a snap and she grinned wickedly, "I really hadn't been harmed in years and you must pissed me off, boy."
Woo, this chapter is finished too! Next one is in progress and will be focused around helping Issei utilize his Sacred Gear. Or...er...Lancelot's Noble Phantasm? Not much to mention this time, but until then~
