Disclaimer: See the Prologue.
Extraneous: Also see the Prologue in order to see all of the marks that will be used.
Author's note: I know that the last chapter that I posted was just a filler (for the most part, anyway). HOWEVER, it does still have serious implications into how the final configuration will come out. So please, do not neglect it. Anyway, ONTO THE FIC!
Chapter 8: Search For The Seal, Part 2
Last time:
We learned exactly how Seth Belmont was reunited with his elder brother, Timothy, and how they came to the Forge. We also learned that the guys were mostly goofing-off, because they had nothing better to do while Saito was gone. In addition, we learn of the death of two more of Shaft's favorite guardians: Cerberus (the three-headed hellhound that nearly crushed Aramis back in Chapter 4), who was slain through a combination of skills from Saito, Maria, and Karina, and Paranoia (That ANNOYING mirror boss in Dawn of Sorrows), who was completely destroyed by Alucard. Let us rejoin Soma and his friends as they continue to ascend towards the Clock Tower...
Following Saito&Co: Chapel Tower: Castle Dracula: Eclipse
Time Period: 2040 AD
"Well, that wasn't too hard," Saito commented as he reached the top of the narrow passage. Soma nodded in agreement before cautiously opening the door. He took one step into the hallway beyond, and he nearly swore aloud. "Not more of those stained-glass things!" he groaned aloud as he saw that the left wall was lined with the dreaded windows. Saito rolled his eyes before sliding past Soma. He approached the first window before smashing it outwards with his fist. His reward was a blue Guardian Soul, and he looked back at Soma, smiling easily. "I'll be more than willing to lead for now." Dracula's reincarnation nodded before falling into line behind the mage. Saito led the way, smashing the windows out with a natural ease. After he had collected nine souls, he proceeded through the exit, and immediately located the warp room that Mina had activated. Smiling to himself, he kept climbing, followed closely by the rest of the group.
Boss Room: Chapel Tower
As soon as Soma and his friends had passed through the door, it slid shut. However, Saito was not paying attention to that. Rather, he was already dropping to the lower levels in order to take a look at the wings of the King of Ravens. "I take it that you are Mina's healer friend?" the golden-eyed man asked the mage. Saito nodded before proceeding to check the damage that had been done to the wings of Malphas. Slowly shaking his head, he allowed a tiny sigh to pass his lips. "Well, it appears that I should be able to regenerate your feathers in a few minutes. I just need for you to remain very still." The man nodded before he settled down, allowing Saito to work his own brand of magic. "Brisingir."
It was only a matter of minutes before Malphas was healed, and he looked up with gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thank you very much, Master Saito." "There is no need to be so formal, my friend. Just call me Saito." "If you insist. Anyway, I might as well show you guys a shortcut that I created to easily get to the top. However, it doesn't exactly work without wings..." he said sheepishly, looking from Soma to Maria, then back to the Oricaltos. However, his eyes suddenly widened when he saw that Maria had sprouted snow-white feathered wings from her back, and she merely shrugged. Soma allowed his wings to reappear, and then he gestured towards the passage. However, when he spoke, his voice came out much deeper, and it had a fairly distinct Transylvanian accent. "Lead the way, King of Ravens. I am certain that the Aluras are not expecting any visitors any time soon." Malphas bowed his head and gently smiled before lifting-off the ground. "With absolute pleasure, my liege."
As it turned out, the passage was fairly wide, allowing both Maria and Malphas to get used to their wings. However, the journey quickly came to an end, and they stopped before the door leading back into the Floating Gardens.
Soma grinned wickedly as he took a quick look through the door. "It looks like I was right. I might as well try out my new accent and give them a fright that they will never forget." Saito grinned wickedly at the young man, his own fangs flashing in the darkness. "We might as well have some fun while we can. Go for it!" Soma nodded as he turned to look at the door. He then slowly opened it and stepped through, making certain to remain in the shadows.
Floating Gardens
The head Alura was busy lashing out at Alicia when she failed to notice the shadowy figures who entered from the Chapel Tower. However, her blood chilled when she heard a voice that was too-familiar. "And WHAT do you think you are doing, young lady?" the voice snapped from the shadows behind the youngest plant. Every one of the Aluras stopped in that moment, and two of them promptly fainted. The lead plant turned pale as the voice spoke once more from the shadows. "How DARE you! I should have known better than to leave that damn Dark Priest in charge. After all, he has only upset the balance of the castle even further." "Master? Is that really you?" Alicia asked timidly. The man chuckled lightly before speaking once again. "In one sense of the word, I am your master. However, I am not exactly the same." "What do you mean by that? If you are not the Master, then who in the hell are you?" the oldest plant snapped, her vines twirling aggressively as she faced the shadowy figure. He sighed aloud before stepping into the light, and the Alura Une gasped in shock.
His eyes were silver with crimson flecks, and his hair was frost-white. His smile chilled her to the bone, and she noticed that he was holding a wineglass full of red liquid. He also had white wings with a single stripe down the middle, and his clothing was like nothing she had ever seen before. He continued to speak easily, the next phrase merely rolling off of his tongue, despite the accent. "I am. THE human. REINCARNATION. Of Count Vladislav Tepes III il Dragulia." He then drained the wineglass in a single gulp, and tossed it back to one of the figures behind him. When he spoke again, his voice was back to normal. "My name is Soma Cruz. Get used to it."
The plant tried to lash out, but she soon realized that there was something restraining her. Her eyers then widened as she realized that she could still see the tiny scars on the pinion feathers where she had cut them off. "You know, Cora, I've been waiting a long time to be able to fly again. I might as well get part of my revenge by restraining you while Cruz finishes his job." With that, Malphas nodded at Soma, and the white-haired man drew his sword. Muttering silently to himself, he shifted the blade into a firey form before he began his charge. From there, everything seemed to slow down from Saito's viewpoint. He watched as Soma's feet left the ground, and then his wings flashed as he used them to increase the speed of his attack. It didn't take long, and Cora, the one who had tortured Malphas for such a long time, was soon a smoldering pile of ashes. Soma reverted the Claimh Solais back to it's traditional form before sheathing it. He then dusted-off his hands before looking at the remaining Aluras. "Are there any questions? No? GOOD!"
Meanwhile, Saito was kneeling next to Alicia, assessing her injuries. He slowly shook his head before he smiled gently at the young blonde. "I promise that I'll heal you after all of this is finished. That way, I can return you to your family in one piece." Tears of gratitude shone in the eyes of the young plant, and she bowed her head to the Oricaltos. "I shall gladly await your return, Saito. Please, come out of this alive." The mage smiled before ruffling Alicia's hair. "I can promise you this much: I will survive the battles to come." Saito then stood up, stretched, and then looked directly at Soma. "Shall we be moving on then?" "Let's."
While that group is busy heading for the Clock Tower, we now join Mina as she fights her way towards the cell of Orlox...
Following Mina: Execution Chambers: Clock Tower
Stupid Guillotiners... Mina thought to herself as she continued to rip the monsters to shreds with her scythe. However, they continued to come flying at her from all angles. She had already collected nine souls from them, but they refused to give-up. She sighed aloud as she suddenly utilized the Wind Demon Soul, unleashing a twister that literally ripped the remaining monsters apart. Shaking her head sadly, Mina descended to the door. She peered inside, and smiled gently before calling into the cell. "You might want to step away from the hinges. I don't think Karina would be very pleased with me if I accidentally cut you in half." There was a slight chuckle from behind the door, and then the man answered. "I am ready when you are, Death. Just get that stupid thing out of my way!" Mina giggled lightly as she swung her blade down, removing the hinges in one smooth motion. The door then promptly fell outward, propelled by a light push from Orlox. The black-haired, golden-eyed vampire was finally freed once again. He stretched lazily before looking directly at his savior. He then raised an eyebrow. "I did not expect you to be female," he said, bowing lightly. "Please accept my sincerest apologies." Mina, however, smiled and shook her head. "That's all right. I've gotten kinda used to it. Anyway, I need to be moving on. After all, it isn't every day that you get the chance to beat a Doppelganger of your boyfriend," she called with a giggle as she exited the room. Orlox slowly shook his head. It appears as if I have much work to do, including eliminating Legion. Ah, well. I might as well get started with that now.
Following Orlox: Boss Room: Floating Gardens
As soon as the vampiric Count had entered the second room in search of Soma and his friends, the door slammed behind him. Turning towards the center of the room, Orlox cursed his luck before drawing his broadsword. Well, it looks like I found Legion after all. He immediately spread his wings and launched at the sphere of bodies, hacking and slashing his way through in an attempt to get rid of the core. However, he soon heard a mental voice that told him something else. In order to gain the soul, you must defeat all four portions of the outer shell. Orlox stopped for a moment, then dashed towards one of the corners of the room as he responded. Who in the hell are you? Let's just say that I know what I am doing, Count. For now, you may call me the Oricaltos. I have a feeling that we will be meeting fairly soon. HOWEVER, please try not to get killed before we arrive. I don't really want Karina removing my head. Orlox laughed easily as he dodged the first laser once again before proceeding to slash through the remaining portions of the shell. I'll be fine. Just tell her that she worries too much. I'll keep that in mind, Orlox. The two remaining portions of the shell soon fell away, revealing the truly ugly form of the core. As the lasers began to try and track his movements, the vampire dashed in to cut-off all three before the battle took too long. It was only a matter of minutes before the job was done, and the massive creature had dissolved in a burst of flame. The blue Guardian Soul shot into Orlox, shortly before the healing sphere dropped into his right hand. He absorbed the power, and then cleaned and sheathed his sword before looking at the closest door. He smiled as it opened, revealing four people who were waiting for the battle to be finished. "Master Orlox! What happened to your hair?" Karina cried out as she rushed into the room. The count blinked sheepishly before he shrugged and smiled. "Legion happened." "I know what you mean," the white-haired young man said as he stepped into the room. "I might as well introduce myself. My name is Soma Cruz, but you already know me for WHAT I am, not who," he said, extending his right hand.
The Count reached out and shook it, nodding his head at the young man's words. "You truly are Vlad's reincarnation." He then turned towards the remaining two figures, and his eyes widened with shock when he saw who the woman was. "Lady Renard! I had no idea that you would be here!" He quickly fell to one knee and bowed his head, only to be lifted up easily when the woman smiled. "That was to be expected, Orlox. Besides, I think you still need to be introduced to the man who brought Soma here." Turning towards the door, she beckoned slowly for the young man to come forward. He stepped into the light, bowing easily to the older man. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you face-to-face, Count Orlox. My full name would take too long for now, so please, just call me Saito." He lifted his crystal-blue eyes merrily to the vampire, his hair hanging calmly around his face. The young mage was dressed in black from head-to-foot, and he had both wings and a tail. He looked like a demon of old, and Orlox snorted back a laugh. "That is fine with me, my friend. After all, it is not everyday that I get to meet a hybrid." Saito smiled, but then his eyes narrowed as he sensed a slight disturbance. "Come on. I think Mina just reached the boss room." Soma nodded, and then the five rushed back towards the Clock Tower, praying that they did not arrive too late...
Following Mina: Boss Room: Clock Tower
As soon as she stepped through the door, Mina sensed that she was in for the longest fight of her life. The copy of Soma was already rushing forward, his sword out and swinging without a second thought. The copy had extended blue wings, which slightly shocked Mina, but then he came rushing across the room. Mina raised the scythe and blocked the blow before hurling the copy across the room using the Rycuda soul. She then spun her scythe twice before whipping it out to her right side. In that instant, the weapon changed. The blade melted back into the pole, and then the pole grew shorter as a hilt formed within Mina's palm. Soon, the change was complete, leaving Mina holding a dark-gray traditional sword. A single ruby glittered on the pommel, and the blade itself seemed to be swirling, the color rippling and shifting along the length of the blade as Death took a defensive stance. The Doppelganger rushed forward, intent on putting an end to the fight.
Well, it looks like that battle has finally started. However, let us head back to 1666, where Shaft is watching everything from his personal chambers.
Following Baal: Boss Room: Inverted Observation Tower: Castle Dracula (Inverted): Transylvania
Time Period: 1666 AD
Shaft's eyes widened as he watched the fight between the Doppelganger and Mina Hakuba. "Well, it appears as if she has mastered the blade-shifting abilities of her weapon," an amused voice called from the shadows as Baal entered the room. "It appears that you are correct, Lord of Terror," Shaft sneered at the hulking figure. "Now get back to work, unless you want me to send Menace after you." Baal sighed aloud before bowing to the dark priest. "If you insist, Master Shaft," he spat the title out as he left the room.
As soon as the door had closed behind him, Baal breathed a heavy sigh of relief. If only the Oricaltos knew what kind of Hell I am being put through right now. However, there ARE a few things that I can do to warn him of Shaft's plans. I just hope that I am not too late in implementing my plans, he thought to himself as he hurried down to the normal castle. He hurried through the corridors, changing his shape as he rushed along. Instead of the hulking stone figure that he had been for quite a while, Baal was taking on a more human form. He had shrunk from his massive size to nearly Saito's height, and his eyes had shifted from a burning red to a slightly calmer forest-green. He kept his black hair cropped short, and he was wearing jeans and a turquoise turtleneck. After checking one of the mirrors to make sure that his appearance was normal, the young man rushed downstairs. His feet had memorized the path, and they carried him swiftly to his destination.
Underground Cemetery: Castle Dracula (Normal): Transylvania
"Count Vlad, it appears that I was wrong about you." The unusual voice caused the sleeping vampire to wake up, and he looked up at the young man waiting at his cell door, slightly annoyed. "Who are you, and why did Shaft send you down here? If you came to take away my Lisa, then I am afraid that you will not be going very far." The green-eyed young man slowly shook his head as he thought for a few moments. I might as well tell him the truth... "My name is Baal, and you know me as the Lord of Terror. However, I am coming here of my own accord, not because Shaft sent me, but because I need your help." The blood-red eyes of the Count widened with shock and surprise that Baal had decided to come in human form, and that he was asking for his help. He sighed quietly to himself, and then he looked directly into the man's eyes. "What do you want me to tell Soma?" Baal looked away, slightly nervous. "Well, I need him to grab something for me..." Dracula raised an eyebrow before slowly standing up, trying not to disturb his wife. However, it was not as successful as he had hoped.
The blonde bride of the Prince of Darkness raised her head and slowly blinked her brown eyes. Upon seeing the young man outside of their cell, she looked sleepily at Vlad, her expression slightly puzzled. "What's going on here?" she asked, trying (without success) to stifle a yawn as she slowly stretched her long arms before standing up. Dracula turned to his wife with a small smile on his face. "It appears as if Shaft is the true mastermind, and the young man here was merely asking for my help." He then turned back towards the door, in order to find that Baal had stopped speaking and was looking nervously over his shoulder towards the main entrance to the Cemetery. "What is it that Soma needs to grab, besides the Chaos Rings and the Chaos Seal?" "Well, it appears as if my original sword was sealed in the final room of the Chaos Realm, and I need that blade if I am going to become human after my third defeat." Lisa raised an eyebrow at this statement before asking a question. "What do you mean by 'third defeat'? I thought that you had already been beaten once!" "Well, I know that I will be facing the Oricaltos and his allies two more times: once in this time period, and once in the distant future during the battle of the Makai Kingdom. After that, I will be free of the dark influence. You see, I am not the original Lord of Terror." At this, both Vlad and Lisa raised an eyebrow, and the Lord of Terror briefly stopped. However, he continued when the Count gestured for him to go on with his statement.
"Rather, I am the one who possesses his dark spirit, and ALL of his powers. Once the Oricaltos and I finish my third fight, then I should be strong enough to trigger the final battle between the darkness inside of me and my true self, which is human. In order to do that, I need my sword, Cthrek Goru." "The original 'Sword of the Dark Destruction', correct? A black, metamorphic sword that only you could possibly wield." Baal slowly nodded, and the Prince of Darkness grinned at him. "I will do my best to let Soma know, but in return, I need to be freed briefly..." "...during the Catholic conference, right?" Baal finished, smiling as he watched the vampire nod in stunned silence. "I will make sure that I am close to Belnades when it happens. After all, we are now on the same side in this war." Dracula smiled at Baal, and then he bowed to the young man. "I shall do as you ask, Lord of Terror. Now, don't you have a conference to get to?" "I was just getting to that, Master Vlad. I hope to see you in the very near future. Good luck, and may the Oricaltos be with you always." With that, Baal turned and rushed back towards the original Master's Chamber, unknowingly taking the path that Soma Cruz would follow, years later...
Well, that was an interesting development! Anyway, it's time that we get back to the battle between Mina and the Doppelganger. Here we go again!
Following Mina: Boss Room: Clock Tower: Castle Dracula: Eclipse
Time Period: 2040 AD
The duplicate's sword clashed with Mina's newly reformed blade, and she was pushed back by the strength of the attack, but not before she landed a blow right under the man's left eye. The man's eyes narrowed, and he launched two lightning bolts at Death, utilizing the Lightning Doll Soul. While Mina was busy rolling away, the Doppelganger shifted into bat form. He then began to circle the room, launching fireballs at will. Mina swore silently as she ducked under Soma's double. The copy was utilizing his Bat Company form, and it was having fun launching massive fireballs at her. Annoyed, Mina swung her sword, clipping one of the wings and knocking the imitation back into its human shape. She then lunged forward, determined to end the fight. However, the Doppelganger was quick to summon his Harpy Familiar, and the beast screeched harshly as it dove to attack Mina. At that point, SOMETHING else decided to intervene.
Mina dove to her right just as the Harpy began to dive. However, she did NOT anticipate a sword materializing out of nowhere and slashing at the beast. Distracted by this new target, the Harpy attacked the blade, only to be slashed repeatedly. Mina got up, slowly shook her head in order to see clearly, and then she rushed forward, lunging at her opponent with tremendous speed. The copy dodged back, just narrowly avoiding being impaled on the point of Mina's sword. His pure silver eyes narrowed as he lashed out, knocking Death's sword out of her hands. He smiled wickedly before lunging at her, but his eyes widened in shock when Mina raised a barrier, stopping the blade less than two inches from her skull. The duplicate grinned down at her before raising his sword once again. However, that was his fatal mistake. Mina mentally called out to her blade, and it rushed back into her hand. She then thrust forward, putting her blade through the copy's heart.
In the blink of an eye, the Harpy familiar disappeared, leaving the sword hanging in mid-air. Every single soul that the copy possessed, including the so-called "Vampiric Wings" ability soul that Soma had gained from Karina, rushed into Mina's body, leaving her out-of-breath. Then the healing sphere dropped onto her back, healing all of her injuries. The young woman slowly raised her eyes, looking quizzically at the sword hanging before her. She then shrugged, and gently smiled as she realized exactly what it was. "You're one of Master Alucard's familiars, aren't you?" she asked, and she was relieved when the demon materialized in the form of a faint outline. "That is correct, Miss Mina. My name is Sophia, and I am Alucard's Sword Familiar." "I see that you took the form of a Nemesis Demon, Sophia," came a voice from the door, and the young woman materialized even further, revealing her true human shape. She was tall and slender, with downcast golden eyes and long reddish-gold hair. She was dressed in a close-fitting outfit that left her long arms and legs bare, and she blushed furiously as she sheathed her sword and bowed towards the doorway. "It gladdens my heart to know that you are still alive and well, Master Orlox," the young woman spoke softly. She slowly raised her eyes, and a tiny smile appeared as she saw that Orlox's eyes were glistening merrily. "Come along, both of you. Master Alucard requested that we meet him on the Final Floor ASAP." both women nodded, and Mina sighed gently as she released her wings. The feathers were jet black, and they shimmered as she moved. Smiling secretly to herself, she rushed over to give Soma a hug. "Well, what are we waiting for?" she called, following Saito down and away from the room.
The Oricaltos slowly shook his head. That girl will never give up for as long as she lives. That's what I like about her the most. I have to agree with you on that one, came a slightly amused voice from deeper in the castle. Saito's eyes widened as he stopped. He had recognized that voice easily, and there was only one explanation as to why he had known who it was. Soma gained that accent of yours for a while, Count. It's good to hear your voice again, Vlad. Likewise. Listen to me, and listen well, Oricaltos. I have a favor to ask of you. Go right ahead, Vlad! Well, for starters, I need you to be at the Catholic conference in New York after you are finished here. I'll be going there right after the battle of the Master's Chamber. After all, a certain Cardinal is constantly denying my existence, and I need to set him straight. Very good point, Saito. Anyway, I also need you to tell Soma something for me. Sure! What do you want him to know? Well, it concerns one particular sword...
Soma and his friends waited silently while Saito finished his conversation with the unknown voice. When the hybrid finally turned to look at Soma, there was a slightly amused look in his eyes. "There is a boss waiting for us on the Final Floor. I was thinking that Karina should be the one to take care of it." Looking at the blushing vampire, he tossed a towel to Orlox. "Use that to make your hair a LITTLE more presentable. After all, we WILL be seeing Alucard fairly soon." The vampiric count nodded before toweling his hair dry, leaving a series of red streaks on the white cotton. He then offered it back to the mage, a slightly sheepish grin on his face. "Sorry if the blood ruined it." Saito smiled before slowly shaking his head. "Nah, It's fine with me. Anyway, it's time that we move on, and finish with this portion of the journey." Everyone nodded, and then they proceeded into the next area.
Following Karina: Boss Room: Final Floor
After several minutes of fighting past Succubus and Lilith demons, the group finally managed to reach the blue door. Karina looked over at Saito, and the mage nodded before gesturing easily. The young vampire took a deep breath as she placed her palm on the door, opening it with a silent command. She then passed through into the room beyond, and the door quietly slid shut behind her, leaving her trapped in the same room as a very angry Pazuzu. The goat-like demon snarled at Karina as he drew his axe. "Well, it appears as-if they sent a weakling to finish me off. This is going to be slightly amusing." Karina's eyes narrowed as she drew her swords before combining them. "We shall see, fool. I am much stronger than I appear, and it's time that you learned your lesson," she spat as she utilized the Lightning Doll Soul to force him back. She then dashed forward, lashing out hard and fast with her sword. The great demon blocked the attack, and was about to counter it when his eyes suddenly widened in shock. Karina merely smiled as she split her sword back into two blades, utilizing one to block his axe and using the other to slash him repeatedly in the face. He stumbled backwards, his face a bloody mess. "Damn you, woman! It's time that I finish you off, once and for all!" "Funny, I was thinking the same exact thing," Karina said with a grin as she lunged forward, spreading her wings and preparing to impale the monster. Pazuzu lashed out at that moment, sending his axe spinning directly at Karina's throat. She just managed to duck, and the blade passed over her head with a slight breeze. It then returned to the demon, passing over her once more. Karina snarled and used her dash slide, keeping low to the ground and decreasing the distance between herself and her opponent. As Pazuzu caught the axe and raised it for the finishing blow, Karina acted without conscious thought. Combining both swords once more, she sprang upwards, unleashing an uppercut stroke that split the demon straight-up his spine. The monster smiled before both halves fell in opposite directions, the blue Guardian Soul rushing over to rest in the palm of her right hand. Absently, she clenched her fist, absorbing the soul and the healing sphere that followed. As the door opened behind her, she turned and looked at her friends, smiling brilliantly. "Come on, you guys! I can sense Alucard from here." "You aren't the only one," Saito commented, returning her smile. Let's get moving!"
As the group headed into one of the larger courtyards, they heard the distinctive woosh of several fireballs being released at once, in addition to the traditional call of "HELLFIRE!" Soma looked at Saito and nodded before he held up his hand and conjured a small fireball. "Hey, Alucard. You might want to watch your back next time you try a stunt like that." The elder son of Vlad Dracula spun around, his sword flashing once as he removed the head of the Dead Crusader behind him, absorbing it's soul. He then raised his head, his golden eyes glittering as he saw his wife and two of his familiars. "Thank you for bringing them to me intact, Soma." "You're very welcome, Adrian," the auburn-haired young man next to Cruz said, a smile lightly crossing his face. "I believe that we both spoke earlier. My name is Saito." Adrian Fahrenheit Tepes smiled easily before bowing. "It is truly a pleasure to meet you, Oricaltos. Come. It is time that we get to the Master's Chamber." With that, Dracula's eldest son led the group towards the stone staircase. At the base of the steps, everyone stopped, and Soma turned to look at his friends. "It is up to you now, Soma Cruz. Will you choose Order, or Chaos? Before you make your decision, keep this in mind: Order was not always right, and Chaos was not always wrong. At one point in time, the two were reversed." Soma nodded to the mage before proceeding up the long staircase in order to face his destiny.
Following Soma: Master's Chamber: Castle Dracula: Eclipse
Well, this place hasn't changed since I was last here, Soma thought as he stepped into the room. The floor was still inch-deep in blood, and the throne had not changed. And neither had the occupant. As the man got up from the throne and stretched, his golden eyes blinking lazily at the young man, he allowed a small smile to cross his face as he drew a black sword. The man's white suit and silver hair were quite a stark contrast to the rest of the room, and he smiled wickedly at Soma. "It has been too long, Cruz. Now it is time that I prove to you that I should have been the one to inherit Dracula's power." Soma snorted with disdain. "Oh, come on, Graham Jones. You remember how I crushed you the last time you said that, remember?" "Of course I do, Soma. However, I did NOT have Dracula's sword back then, and now that it is in my possession, Master Shaft's plan to bring order to the world is complete. Soon, I will kill you and ALL of your friends, ensuring that there is no more Chaos in the world." The former missionary held out his sword for Soma's inspection, and he grinned wickedly. "Behold the opposite of your sword. This blade is known as Claimh Mortuous, the Sword of Death. With it, I will bring an end to you!"
Author's note2: I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to my only two reviewers so far:
ElementPriestess: Thank you for all of the encouragement so far, reviewing both this story and Shadows of the Obligate. I know that I have changed a few words from their original context, but I merely did it for the purpose of continuity. Also, please note that there IS a difference in the spelling between my version of the word and the version found in Eragon and Eldest. Other than that, I hope that you have enjoyed the ride so far.
Jeikobu Kyoudai-teiru: Thank you as well for the encouragement. I know that it has been a while, but I will continue my updates as quickly as I can.
As for the rest of you: PLEASE! Let me know what you think of my story so far. It's actually a little depressing when only two people are reviewing your stories.
It appears as if nothing is as it seems. Shaft has summoned Menace, and is the Avatar of Order. With Soma and his friends representing Chaos, the battle is only beginning. What will happen during the battle between Soma and Graham? What sort of diabolical tricks has Shaft given to the former missionary? And who will be the ultimate victor in the battle to control the fate of Saito's mission? Find out next time in Interlude II: Battle of the Master's Chamber. Also, please remember to READ AND REVIEW. Thank you.