Chapter Nine
The conference soon ended and as Polaris was wandering the dungeon halls of the Hellsing estate, she overhead Walter and Alucard conversing on the previous topic of this Millennium group,
"We keep killing them and they just keep coming back. You have to at least give them credit for their persistence." The butler commented. Polaris shrugged before turning to leave them when she heard Alucard speak,
"Let them return as many times as they please. We'll just keep killing them. It's that simple." His response made Polaris grin. She always knew there was a reason why she adored the Vampire to the point where she'd never admit it to anyone but him. "At least it's not just the two of us anymore. It's nice to have a few new pieces on the board." He of course was speaking of Polaris and his newly-turned Vampire, Seras.
"Actually, I've been meaning to ask you," Walter couldn't keep his concerns a secret so he continued, "Why did you turn Seras into a Vampire? It just seems so out-of-character. You understand my concerns." Polaris remembers that night just as Alucard does. Perhaps not in the same concept, but nonetheless, it was the night Polaris knew he still walked this Earth.
"It wasn't my decision. It was hers. Have you met her family yet?"
"No. She's orphaned." Of course. Why else would such a naive young woman choose such a fate instead of death? With no family, Polaris could easily related to the girl.
"Of course she is. Beneath that girlish exterior lies a fascinating and complicated creature. Abandoned to a town of death, her co-workers transformed into hungry, mocking, villagers of evil, a sadistic Vampire hunting her down with the intent to rape and kill her. It was as close to Hell as any mortal could imagine. And what does she do? What fate did she choose? Giving up is what kills people. Those who refuse to give up are entitled their time to trample upon the weak." Walter chuckled for a moment before asking,
"So now you're just waiting for her to drink blood. Is that right?"
"All in good time. She'll drink. Eventually she'll drink." Polaris hissed before storming away. The tone in his voice held a strange admiration for the young Vampire. Perhaps it was because of her will to never give up. Perhaps it was something more.
"Hmph. I do not care. I've never cared." She muttered beneath her breath while wandering the halls of the dungeon. Of course she cared, but she'd never admit aloud. Not even when she was certain no one would hear. In the darkness of the dungeon, her eyes shined a sadistic, fierce blue. The only means of knowing when Polaris' anger rose was through her eyes. Even in the midst of her aggravated thoughts, Alucard's voice rang through it all,
"You really should not eavesdrop, Drake." She again cursed that horrid link between their minds. It seemed like every time she let her anger overcome her, that Vampire's voice always echoed, whispered, and rang through her mind. She did not respond even when she halted in her wandering. The only indication she was listening was a quiet hiss in her mind, one of which Alucard seemed to adore,
"Jealousy does not suit you, my dear." His words caused her to growl before continuing in her march to further herself from that Vampire even more so but was soon halted in her tracks as Alucard flickered into sight in front of her.
"Move. Before I paint the walls with your face." Her hands stretched and bubbled as they turned into talons yet again; her fists clenched tight as she stared at him through a glare even the Devil himself would fear. The irises and pupils of her eyes swirled and subtly flashed a slow silver before shifting to a dark storm of blues and shades of Gray; the whites of her eyes began to glow a faint blue as her eyelids lowered into this sadistic, evil glare. Alucard only cackled at her warning,
"I would certainly love to see who would win this fight. What do you say, my dear? Let's continue our disagreement elsewhere." And with that, he vanished. Polaris shortly followed him to the clearing they originally had their disagreement. She arrived in an explosion of mist and fog that eventually blanketed the open field and serving as a sort of visual camouflage. Her expression never softened in the fraction of a section she arrived which only made Alucard enjoy the "disagreement" more. The Ice Drake Polaris, who has existed since the Earth's first Ice Age, was jealous that this man was speaking of such admiration of another woman. She may have been weakened by her previous engagement in South America but her anger and frustration far surpassed that of her physical endurance.
"I won't go so easy on you this time, Drake." Alucard threatened in which made Polaris laugh and cackle,
"Oh please. Even you must admit you are at a disadvantage here, Vampire. Not only is your opponent a Drake but a Drake amidst the early morning fog." Polaris witnessed as Alucard's body was engulfed in a twister of sheer darkness; red-orange eyes began to open amongst the black blanket surrounding the Vampire.
"You forget that you are still weak from your quarrel in South America." His words carried truth with them as the blanket of darkness settled, leaving Alucard standing in a black body suit layered in buckles across his torso and arms. His hair grew longer as it billowed about in the passing breeze, however, that smile showing just how insane he truly was never faltered. His shoulder began to twist and bulge as the head of a canine grew from what seemed like his very body. It snarled and growled as tendrils of drool hung from its grotesque teeth, although, Polaris showed no sign of fear that any other opponent would have,
"A dog? Really? You say that only a man can kill a monster. What about a woman?" She grinned as her own form changed; horns grew from her forehead and twisted similar to an antelope's as her skin began to push pale blue scales through, layering themselves over her arms and neck as her face stretched into a snout. Her eyes changed from what seemed Human to reptilian as majestic wings sprouted from her shoulder-blades. Her hands and feet bubbled and churned as they turned into reptilian talons while her clothing shifted to a simple bikini-like halter top and an extravagant loin cloth that draped to the ground. Perhaps the only thing that never shifted was her hair; her white mane of billowing locks of hair simply molded around her Draconian head as she let loose a pulsating screech. Alucard began to laugh with a snarl,
"Excellent! The King of Vampires against the last living Ice Drake. This is should be amusing beyond recognition!" The canine lunged at Polaris only to be halted as she grasped it's upper and lower jaws with a snarl; the sheer force of this creation shoved Polaris back a few dozen yards before she screeched and threw the grotesque creature to the ground. She stomped her foot onto it's neck before leaping at Alucard, swiping her talons against his chest and leaving four large and gaping gashes across his torso.
"Show me your abilities! Show me what it means to carry that symbol of Ice on your back!" Polaris let loose another pulsating screech as her gaze solidified into their shining pale blue. The surrounding fog began to thicken around them indicating her power as it began to choke the air from Alucard's lungs. He never showed his pain but regardless, it was there. From the blanket of thick fog, Polaris leaped at him yet again only to pin him down as spikes of diamonds began to form from the mist and stab into his arms and legs, pinning him to the ground. Even in her weakened state, Polaris was still able to control her element with expertise regardless of what little strength she had left. A few moments passed before Alucard ripped himself from the ground and stab his hand through one of Polaris' outstretched wings, forcing a hissing yelp from her. He grabbed the bone outlining her wing before crushing it within his grasp and forcing another screeching yelp from her. She retaliated by grasping his neck and shoving him to the ground and raising her other talons as though she were to swipe them at his face, however, before she could follow through, Alucard rolled and pinned her down. He was soon thrown from her by a force of shimmering energy as her aura instinctively protected her; her wounded wing simply hung from her back as she hissed. Her healing abilities still had not resurfaced. Why? It had been days since he fed from her so why couldn't she heal herself? In the midst of her short thought, she was thrown back into a tree only to drop to the ground on her stomach; the breath from her lungs was forced from her chest due to the sudden impact. Bringing herself to her knees, Alucard flickered into sight before grasping a handful of her white mane and lifting her.
"You can still fight even as weak as you are. Wonderful!" He bared his fangs mere inches from her Draconian neck but was kicked back by a taloned foot. Polaris then dropped to the ground in a kneel before standing. Her eyes widened and began to shine brilliantly as the surrounding fog encircled Alucard and flashes of blue and white illuminated the slow, billowing twister. Her vision began to blur slightly due to the sheer weakness coursing through her body. For the first time since her interference, Alucard grunted in pain as shards of diamond-like ice penetrated his arms and shredded his body into slivers of flesh and blood. With a grin, Polaris ceased in her attacked and allowed the fog to thin, revealing a pool of blood, flesh, and black leather. She managed to keep her composure for a moment before dropping to her knees and propping herself up by her hands. Her form resorted back into her illusion of humanity as she gasped for air. Why couldn't she heal herself? Why couldn't she regain her strength? Was it because this Vampire held a small piece of her icy, frozen heart? Was it because the moment she allowed her feelings to overcome her she gave up her heritage? Why?
After a few moments of silence, Alucard's ridiculous cackling echoed through the field as a twister of black and darkness engulfed what was left of his body. She knew he was not dead. He'd suffered far worse than her last attack. Her vision only blurred more as she tried to focus her attention to the Vampire before Polaris' arms gave up. Her body dropped to the ground and her world swirled in black tendrils of unconsciousness. Even if her internal injuries were healed, her strength still had not returned. Alucard stood above her with a grin before crossing his arms,
"Even as weak as you are, you can still fight as though you were fully healed. Well done, my dear Polaris. Well done."
