CHAPTER NINE

Alucard and the rest of the heroes along with an unconscious Soma Cruz escape the crumbling castle of the Order of the Dragon. Their victory over Khronus was short lived as their friend Ezra had went berserk and completed the ritual the order's leader had been doing before the battle. Looking back, they can see the smoldering ruins of what used to be the demonic stronghold.

"What the hell just happened?!" Francisca says.

"I don't know, but it can't be good. For now, let's get Soma to safety. We will return to Hakuba City." Alucard says.

The return trip to Hakuba City fills the heroes with a sense of dread. What happened to their friend, and what did he take from Soma. What caused the hero of light to fall into such darkness? Nobody talks as they are focused on getting back. Upon returning to the metropolis and his organization's headquarters, Alucard feels very uneasy. The source of his unease is Julius Belmont and his daughter Alice who stand alongside Yoko and Mina. At once, they can tell from the looks on the heroes faces that something has gone terribly wrong.

"Alucard, thank goodness your back. How is Soma?" Mina asks.

"He's unharmed, but he hasn't awakened since we retrieved him. I'm pretty sure he's fairly exhausted. Why don't you and Yoko take him to the infirmary for some rest." Alucard says.

"Of course. Haru, can you come with us?" Yoko says.

Haru accompanies Mina and his mother to look after Soma. Julius approaches the vampire and sees the look of great worry.

"So, the mission was a success then?" Julius says.

"Mostly. We were able to defeat Khronus and stop him from reviving Dracula." Alucard says.

"That's good, but where is Ezra?" Julius says.

Alucard doesn't answer him and instead looks down at the floor. The Belmont tries asking him again but doesn't get an answer. Julius's frustrations with his friend peak and he grabs Alucard by his shirt collar and lifts him into the air. His body filled by the powerful anger and fear.

"Mr. Belmont! Please put him down!" Francisca says.

"Stay out of this! Now Alucard, I'm going to ask you one more time. Where is Ezra! He was with you and now he is not." Julius shouts at the top of his lungs. "You were supposed to watch over him! You promised he would return!" He adds.

Alucard looks down and sees tears welling up in his friend's eyes and starting to stream down his face.

"Please, as a friend. Please, tell me…where is my son?" Julius says.

"I'm…I'm sorry Julius. We were able to stop Khronus, but we weren't able to stop Ezra. I fear he has become something terrible." Alucard says.

The Belmont sets his friend down and looks at him, hoping that what he said was just some sort of sick joke, but he knew better; Alucard doesn't make jokes. The shock of this news forces Julius to the ground as his body gives way for the wave of sadness to wash over him. Alice covers her mouth with he hands as a gasp escapes her lips.

"No. No you're lying. I don't believe you. Ezra would never do something like that." Julius says.

"You know I would never lie to you Julius. Me, Haru, and Francisca all saw it with our own eyes." Alucard says.

"Brother….why?" Alice says.

"He took something from Soma as well as the Crimson Stone just before the castle started to crumble. What he took though was a mystery." Alucard says.

Soma along with Mina, Yoko, and Haru walk over to them with troubled expressions.

"Soma, thank goodness your awake. How do you feel?" Alucard says.

"I'm fine, but I'm a little Dizzy. Ezra took my powers from me and made them his own. I'm speaking of course to the power of dominance." Soma says.

"How is that possible?" Julius says.

"The ritual Khronus used was explained to me before I went under. It was called the Uprising Spell. It is supposed to draw out a person's inner darkness before separating it from the original body. Depending on the person preforming the spell, it can have alterations." Soma says.

"But what need would Ezra have for the power of dominance?" Haru says.

Their questioning has to wait as the entire city begins to shake violently. Skyscrapers sway and windows break sending a downpour of glass onto the streets below. Citizens scatter and car horns blare as the sky begins to darken before turning a hellish red hue. In an instant a giant pillar of flame engulfs the center of the city and reach high above the clouds and incinerating anyone and anything unfortunate enough to be caught in it. Soma shields Mina from the intense heat, Alucard shields Yoko and Haru, and Julius protects Alice and Francisca. From within the infernal pillar, rises the shadow of a giant castle. It pierces into the sky high above the rest of the city. The flames die off letting the heroes see something they had hoped to never see again.

"It can't be. Castlevania has risen, but it should have been destroyed almost twenty years ago and never return." Soma says.

"Hahaha…how wrong you are." A raspy and malevolent voice rings out.

A dark shadow races across the ground and rises into the air. A black cloak waves in the wind as a bony hand clenches a menacing scythe with red stained steel. A skeletal face emerged from the black void in the cloak as fiery blue pupils illuminate the holes in it.

"Death." Alucard says.

"Ah Alucard, it's so nice to see you again." Death says.

"I hoped I would never have to see you again. Why are you here?" Alucard says.

"Still as edgy as ever. I am here because my master once again roam the world." Death says.

"But Dracula was your master, and he's not coming back." Alice says.

"Foolish girl, didn't your father teach you anything? Dracula was my master for a time yes. But now he is in the past. A new king of the Crimson Stone has appeared. One who heeds the calling of chaos, and it is my duty to serve them for as long as they fulfill those requirements. You all know him very well." Death says.

"You and your master have been beaten many times before. What makes you sound more confident this time around?" Julius says.

"It's because my master is not a creature of the night as Dracula was before. I think you will find it much tougher both physically and mentally trying to stand against him. I've overstayed my welcome, it's time foe me to go. I look forward to removing your heads from your shoulders. Don't keep me waiting!" Death says as he disappears.

"It seems we have no choice then, we must stop the dark lord before the world becomes his target." Julius says.

"But father, are you really going to go through with this. You know who he is right?" Alice says.

"I know Alice…I know. But the Belmont Clan has stood against darkness in whatever form it may take for centuries. If we don't do something today, we may not have a tomorrow." Julius says. "Alice, I can't be the Belmont to save the world every time a crisis happens, the duty of vampire hunter and defender of humanity is passed down from one generation to the next."

"Father, what are you talking about." Alice says.

"My daughter, will you accept the duty of your lineage as you own? Will you defend humanity from the encroaching force of darkness? Will you be the next vampire hunter?" Julius says.

Taken aback from her father's request, Alice nearly faints from the disbelief of what this would mean. To become the next vampire hunter would set her on a collision course that would end in blood fighting against blood. Though she was not as skilled as her brother, she always followed her duty as a Belmont. Now, that will be challenged.

"Father, if I accept this; blood will fight blood for eternity to come." Alice says.

"I understand this Alice, but you're the only one who can vanquish this horrible night now." Julius says.

Alice looks around at everyone's faces. She sees looks of heartache and hope. They know that this final mission will be impossible unless she picks up the role she had been training to play since she was a toddler. She turns back to her father.

"On my duty as a Belmont, I will accept." Alice says.

"Thank you, my daughter, your mother would be so proud of you if she could see you today." Julius says as he turns to Yoko. "Yoko, bring me the box." He says.

Yoko walks away through a door. She is gone nearly twenty minutes, but she returns with a wooden box with the Belmont Crest branded on the top and a gold lock. Julius reaches into his pocket and pulls out a key. Turning the lock and opening the box, he pulls out something. The base resembling a cross with a metal spike on the end and diamond in the hilt. A long chain extending from it and ending with a spiked ball. The Belmont Crest embedded in the hilt. He hands it to Alice.

"The Vampire Killer is yours Alice." Julius says.

"No way, the legendary Vampire Killer. It's been here all this time." Haru says.

"Even if we have the Vampire Killer on our side, it still won't be enough to stop demons. When Castlevania collapsed in 2035, the whip lost is power as the soul giving it that power left it." Julius says.

"Then what are we going to do if it is just like a normal weapon?" Mina says.

"When Leon Belmont needed to complete the whip, its creator by the name of Rinaldo Gandolfi told him that it could only be completed by merging it with a tainted soul who was willing to." Julius says.

The older Belmont walks over to Alucard and puts his hand on his shoulder. Alucard can notice some tension within his friend.

"Julius, what is it?" Alucard says.

"I want to be with my son when it is his time. I need you to turn me into a vampire." Julius says.

"What?! I can't do that." Alucard says.

"Please Alucard. I want to see my son and be with him till the very end of time if need be. I'm willing to give my life so that the world's may be spared." Julius says.

The vampire sighs and relents. He wants to refuse, but also wants to grant the final wish of his dear friend. He looks as Alice who is obviously upset at her father's decision but sees her nod in agreeance as to what needs to be done. Alucard closes his eyes and bites down of Julius's neck. He sucks the blood from his body and after a few minutes, he lets go. The vampire regurgitates it onto the ground as he finds the taste revolting. Alice's eyes tear up as Julius stands before her.

"It will be alright Alice. As long as you carry the whip, I will always be with you." Julius says.

Alice loses control and runs and hugs her father. She finds it nearly impossible to not cry. She lost he brother, and now her father as well. She looks up to have Julius wiping away her tears and sees him smile for the first time in a long time.

"Please don't cry. Let my last image of you be the brave girl you need to be right now." Julius says.

"I love you father." Alice says.

"I love you to, Alice. Tell Ezra that I love him as well." Julius says.

With a heavy heart and great resolve, Alice brings her arm back and sends the Vampire Killer lashing forward. In an instant it strikes Julius in the chest as a great light illuminates the area. Julius's lifeless body falls to the ground as tears from Alice's face fall as well. The Vampire Killer has been re-forged, but at a heavy cost. Mina cries into Soma's chest as Yoko comforts her too. Haru and Francisca look down as Alucard walks over to the Belmont.

"I know how hard this must be for you but trust me when I say this; his sacrifice shall not be in vain." Alucard says.

Together, the group takes Julius's body and bury it in a graveyard not far from the headquarters. It is a solemn time as few words are spoken out of grief. Alice takes a single rose and lays it on the dirt mound against the headstone.

"I will not fail you father. Rest well, and I'll see you again one day." Alice says.

"Well said Alice" Soma says.

"Alucard, Haru, Francisca; it's time to go." Alice says as she clenches the Vampire Killer.

Now with a new purpose, the new team begins their approach towards Castlevania and ready to bring down the evils that lurk within its walls. Unknown to them, Death had been watching from afar. He returns to the castle and appears in the throne room. He kneels down in front of the throne as a person sits in it drinking a chalice filled with blood.

"My master, those four fools are making their way here. The Belmont has the Vampire Killer."

The person says nothing as he gets up and sets the chalice down on one of the throne's arms. He smirks as fangs can be seen gleaming from the light outside the windows.

"Let them come. Only suffering and pain awaits them. Let us give them a warm welcome. Death, ready the troops and show no mercy." The person says.

"As you wish my master." Death says as he disappears.

The person walks over to the window and grins.

"Come Alice, we will settle this as all families do." The person says before returning back to the shadow submerged throne.

As the heroes approach the castle, lightning crashes and thunder roars overhead. Swarms of vampire bats swirl around the spires and an ominous wind howls through the corpse ridden streets of Hakuba City. With Vampire Killer in hand and a new enemy waiting, the destiny of the Belmont Clan and the other bloodlines that have opposed evil through the centuries has been reborn.