Legacy of Dracula's Curse

by LadyPharaoh

It's the year 1476, Wallachia. Lord Dracula has risen from his tomb to spread a foul curse over all of Europe. Many have fought him, but none returned and the sky and the hearts of the people were darkened by his spell. The Church now puts their last hope on a single man in exile, a young Vampire Hunter named Trevor Belmont, to oppose Dracula once and for all.

10. Stream

Tadaah! Now that NaNoWriMo is over, I can get back to everything else!

So, there you go! Have a long chapter as a reward for missing the upload in November. I was contemplating to split it, but couldn't decide if I should, so I let the coin decide.

Hope that you have fun either way and I'll see you around! :D

---

~ 6-1: Stream

How were all these areas connected and holding up?
Before them extended a maze of bridges and waterways. It all hung above some abyss that seemed to have no bottom. Somehow, there were pools of water here and there, but nothing fit together, had no rhyme or reason.
Some architect must have gone mad at some point, designing this wretched place. At least, that was the only explanation that would make sense to them with the sight. All the pillars, broken or not, by the sides connected by arches which were also broken at times. From above other hills, there were waterfalls spilling down from or over the arches.

"Where do we even begin?" Sypha approached the first bridge before them. Her eyes scanned the water underneath it, her body tensed up from being so close to the edge.
Everything would fall down into the abyss, but the streams took different routes. As clear as this circumstance was, their own route wasn't. This place had to lead anybody somewhere else besides to their deaths. It wouldn't be like Dracula to leave any space unused. Everything had to be connected so that his senses could pick up anything that shifted in his realm.
"It's safe to say that we need to strive forward to see if there is any path for us to take", mumbled Trevor while he took a look around them for enemies. For now, he couldn't see if anything was hiding from them. "And watch out that we don't slip on the bridges. I don't know how fast the streams are here, but I am willing to admit that I am not the best swimmer." The priestess turned and frowned at that last sentence, but she wasn't equipped to swim either. In all honesty, the only one who would stand a chance would be Grant. Considering how Alucard, in his very being as a vampire, wasn't going to last long either. It belonged to one of the few ancient curses that vampires had to live with. Anything that represented life and its' flow, would work against them.

With careful steps, the companions walked on the first bridge one after another. Their hands were already on their belts and for good reason. The only place where any monster could have hidden was in the water. From one side shot out a creature and landed right before them. In its' looks, it resembled some form of merman if its' head wasn't resembling a fish. At least, the creature stood on two legs like a human, though the body was covered in scales and fins. Not that they had much time to ponder what kind of fish it was, since the foe leaned forward to spit at them. The spit was at such speed that it became a projectile, hard enough to throw Trevor back who was walking in front. Luckily, it wasn't difficult to deal with the enemy, it was a floppy foe. Sypha whacked it with her staff which was enough to hurl it back into the water. To know that the fish creature was weak could mean that there was more of its' kind to make up for the lack of strength.

"You feeling okay?" Grant helped the hunter back up on his feet. With a groan, Trevor rubbed his chest. The attack left quite some pressure on it still, but everything was intact. The biggest damage would be a painful looking bruise.
Yet, he could see the actual danger behind it: being launched into the water. It was their realm after all and they wouldn't stand any chance.
"We'll need to be quick about this then. At least, as quick as we can be on this slippery surface...", mumbled Trevor as he allowed for Alucard to take the lead of the group. Equipped with a sword and quick reflexes, he could react better if another merman showed its' face.
And it didn't take long for this to occur. In fact, there were more than enough to keep them occupied. The further they got on the bridge, the more attention they drew to themselves. One could call it curiosity from the monsters, others would say that they were guarding it.
But whatever it was, Trevor would not care for the reason.
His Vampire Killer would be the first and last thing that they had seen once they decided to jump out of the stream. This was becoming target practice for each of them, dodging and attacking the foes. They were trying their best to stand in their way and have them fall, but the companions wouldn't have any of it. A single soldier alone would have been overwhelmed by the number of mermen, that was for sure. Together, as a group, their quest had some steadiness to it.

If only that could be said about the bridges.
So far, they couldn't find a single intact one. The end of their own broke off into nothingness and they couldn't see the other end of it either. So, they would need to check if they could climb up to another or jump down on another surface. The next possible path was better from above, so it seemed.
"We might get a better view from that space anyway. It's harder to get to, though it proves to be more effective." At least, that's what Trevor hoped would happen. There wasn't any protest coming from the others. Not that they had much of a choice. Both Alucard and Grant climbed and jumped up to give assistance to the other two.

Now, if one were to ask them if this position was any better than before, they wouldn't be able to tell them. Up above were another couple of bridges to find and even higher pillars. If there was an end to this, it might be as high as the abyss was steep. Yet, what did attract their attention was a couple of lights in the distance. They couldn't quite make out what it was, but this kind of gathering could only mean one thing.
"Civilization?" Grant turned to glance at his peers to see if they had the same thought crossing their minds. By their thoughtful expressions, they were pondering about the same.
"Seeing how infested this place is makes me doubt that anybody even lives down there...", replied Sypha and crossed her arms. Yet, she couldn't tear her gaze away from the lights down in the valley. It was still far ahead, beyond this maze of bridges. The lights were a cluttered mess of shining dots in the middle of the dark.
The pirate tilted his head at that and followed her gaze. "But it does make you wonder how demons would need this much light. In fact, wouldn't you think that they would feel more comfortable in a place that has no light to begin with? Creatures of darkness and all…"
Trevor remembered how in Warakija Village, the monsters didn't use that much light either. Only a circle around a bonfire which didn't offer natural light anyway. The hunter pulled out the map which they had gotten from General Roman a while back and folded it open. His companions huddled behind him to give directions where they would be located. Indeed, there was another group of rivers in the map by some sort of city and even the Curse Castle was drawn in. Trevor's stern expression hardened. "Look, the city has been crossed out… How come that there seems to be life still?"
Grant gave a shrug. Usually, the troop of General Roman did a proper job. It didn't sound like a particular mistake that they would make with a city of considerable size. "Perhaps the group found it invaded, but they were somehow chased away and the people won it back?" The chance was unlikely, yet the only possibility if there were to be humans found there. "I suppose, we have to head towards the city. Which will lead us downwards into the valley anyway and see for ourselves." The pirate didn't sound convinced of his own words. Not sure what he disliked more: not knowing what they'd face or running right into the arms of danger.

For now, it was other couple of mermen that stood in their way and ,from some pillars, dived down crows. Their red eyes were immediately spotted in the shadows. How they focused on the companions only to peck and claw after them. The birds were more of a nuisance than anything to give the mermen a better opportunity against them. Again, it was their number that was more troubling than their powers. Having too much going on was leaving them with scratches indeed. Though the path allowed two of them to stand next to one another, making fighting more efficient. While one would keep the crows off, the other would kick and slash the mermen out of their way. At times, the creatures attempted to spit water at them from the surface without jumping out. A test of patience and concentration rather than strength and wits. Even if they didn't hit any of the warriors, they would make the ground slippery with the spit.

There had to be a better ground to get on. Another fireball from Alucard's hand towards a merman that dared to stick its' head from the surface. Not that this did a whole lot, considering how the beast was covered in water. Here and there, Sypha would use her electricity to keep the mermen away from jumping out. The energy fried them, but the water was too deep to reach all the way down. Thus, the beasts would wait for an opportunity to well up again. The priestess couldn't do this all the time if she wouldn't want to be drained in a matter of moments.

"Over there! I can spot a house!", called Alucard out in surprise. The companions followed his gesture with their eyes. They could vaguely make out a shape on top of one of the hills. A roof, a chimney and a block underneath. "If it holds at least one wall, we can plan our strategy there!" This was even more confusing than the city down the valley, finding a house in the middle of this maze. But having some sort of shelter would be more than welcomed in this crazy mess of a path. With a nearer goal in mind now, the group moved more quicker towards it. With some difficulty, they climbed the nearest pillar upwards and one after another jumped from the top unto the ground.

Having actual earth underneath their feet rooted them a little. It wasn't much less slippery, but from here, the mermen couldn't reach them anymore. A few of the crows still followed along, yet like this, the companions were able to fight them with more ease now. The rest of the feathered foes were chased away by the sight and they could only hear their cries in the distance.
When they had carried themselves upwards the hill, they found a lonely hut at the top of it. Fully intact, that was. Some of the windows were broken and it held a hole here and there, but the condition was far better than what they knew of. When the warriors reached the door, they could hear a couple of sounds coming from the inside. Someone slipped around, bumping into things while it tried to navigate itself in the dark. When Trevor was about to grab the knob, the door was slammed open and the group staggered back. In the light of their lamp, the figure was revealed to be an old man. His eyes were wide open, glaring at the group while his wrinkled hands clutched to a metal pole.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?!", he hissed while his entire frame shuddered in place. His gaze wandered between them, even more disbelief was spreading across his face. He didn't expect to see people as much as they didn't expect a survivor in this maze.
The priestess stepped forward with her empty hands lifted in the air. "Fear not, old man. We have come across this hut during our travel and were curious to see if we could find shelter here. We did not expect to find anyone living in here. But we are more than glad to find life that wasn't created by the Lord of Darkness." Her voice held something calm and soothing, enough for the old man to stop shuddering. Yet, his distrust was still found in his expression and they couldn't blame him for it.
"How do I know that you aren't working for the spawn of Hell?!" He did spot the cross necklaces on Trevor and Sypha which had him lower his pole. "You work in the name of God? There is nothing to find for you in this forsaken land. It would be wiser for you to leave if you cherish your life." The old man was about to turn in the door and close it on them when Sypha raised her voice once again with concern.
"Then why do you decide to stay in this place? It holds nothing of value to you and you would be safer somewhere else." How did this man even find food around here? Perhaps he would hunt for the monsters. They weren't too difficult to kill after all and the man still held a stature that would speak for him being a hunter.
At that, the old man spat on the ground beside him. "Somewhere else? Don't mock me, priest. There is no place in this world that is safe from the Curse. Everything is polluted: the ground, the water and the people. Everything that was once sacred is now defiled and we will meet the apocalypse soon as it is written. I am sure you know what part of the Holy Book I am talking about." Then he proceeded to knock on the wooden frame to keep the bad luck away. When Sypha couldn't find the right words at once to help him with his troubled mind, the man let out a sigh and waved them in. "Come. If it is shelter you seek, you shall receive it for a while. Company is rare these days, I tell you."

As it was, the old man didn't have much hope himself anymore. Alucard sniffled a few times from the dried garlic that the man kept above the doors. Not that he was going to mention that he was a vampire, even if only half. The rest of the interior design was a mess if you could even call it a design. Few stools were thrown over, the table was missing one half while everything on the shelves was either on the ground. The old man, who introduced himself as Sorin, immediately took place in a corner where the only standing stool was. With his metal pipe clutched close to him, he watched the group with wary eyes. Grant approached the chimney and let his fingers run over the fireplace.
"It's all cold and moldy…" The pirate turned to face Sorin and frowned. "When was the last time that you used this?" The pot above it was cold and rusty. Grant couldn't make out the insides of it anymore, most of it was rotten and covered in a coat of moss.
"Can't." Sorin shifted in his seat as if a shudder ran down his spine at the thought. He looked left and right, out of the window. "What if the beasts will spot me here? Better sleeping in a cold room than being dead." He spat out once more. The group glanced at one another, unsure what to make of this behavior.
"The mermen don't survive long outside the water. And the crows react to people crossing their territory rather than seeing light. You should be safe in here", explained Trevor as he crossed the room to join Grant. It would be better to make a fire and warm themselves up. They could attempt to make supper with what they had with them and what they could find lying around in the house.
"No! You must not make it any lighter in here! I'm enough at danger!" Sorin was starting to tremble which had Sypha sit beside him. With slow movement, she took hold of one hand and placed it between her own. His fingers were thin and cold, the knuckles whitened from having tensed so much. Sorin wouldn't calm down much in the hold, but he did let out a few sighs that helped his breathing.
"We assure you that even if we are spotted, we will fight the monsters. We are out traveling to confront the Lord of Darkness himself and make him pay for his sins." The strength in her words was enough to make him glance back at her in silence. His disbelief was mixing with the hope that she was speaking the truth to him. Then Sorin squeezed her hand back and his shoulders as well as his head slumped down. His condition was horrible and his mind most likely messed with as well. Coming out unharmed out of these experiences was impossible and they wouldn't even wish to ask what had happened.
Alucard had taken the pot from the fireplace and went for the door. "I will clean this by the stream so that we may have a bit of warm food." The hunter was almost looking alarmed at these words and stepped to the door. Before he could even open his mouth to speak of his concern, the prince nodded and added: "You may follow me if you like. In the meantime, the others can get a fire going." With that, Alucard wasn't going to be stopped in his tracks and Trevor resigned by following him instead. Grant glanced after them with a frown. With Sypha needing to keep Sorin quiet and calmed, it was up to him to use these pieces of wood to make a fire.

"The man has gone quite mad, hasn't he?" This statement from Trevor was less of a question than a fact. Alucard bent with the pot to clean it out with the water.
"Indeed. To be honest, I haven't expected much else. If anybody survived these attacks, they ought to go crazy at some point", the other responded without taking his eyes away from the task. "We can only hope to not end up like this as well over the course of our journey."
"That won't be easy then." The hunter sat beside him and watched the water. His hand was already on his belt, waiting to take the Vampire Killer out when necessary. "I feel like that we are all already haunted by nightmares. At least, we have one another to talk to." Who knew what Sorin did to fight the loneliness of his existence; talking to the garlic maybe. Everyone else in the area was most likely dead anyway. So, no one could blame the old man for losing his mind and believing that the end was near. Then again, with all the imagery around, it wasn't hard to imagine how the final judgement would approach.
The dhampire checked the insides of the pot while he spoke with a calm voice as if he was getting used to the situation. "We are lucky to travel in a group. Even if we happen to move slower, it gives us a couple more advantages for battle. And our minds, of course." Trevor could tell that Alucard wasn't exactly the type to be around people. He was having difficulty getting used to this group, but his duty towards his mission gave him enough courage. To know that they accomplished this much together lifted Trevor's spirits. The prince glanced up at him for a moment and could see that pride exactly which had him silent for a moment.
"It was a good idea to join your group. I have faith that, together, we can finally put an end to all the cruelty of my father. It carries a hint of fate that I can assist a Belmont in this holy mission again." While speaking, Alucard had avoided his gaze once more. Perhaps it took him a bit more energy to admit to this than he'd like the hunter to know. Not that Trevor minded. In the meantime, a merman peaked out of the water at which he grabbed a rock and hurled it its' way, forcing the monster to go back under the surface. Alucard hadn't even flinched at this quick encounter.
It took the hunter another moment to go back to his previous thought. "It is a mission passed down on us by God and our ancestor Leon Belmont. It would be a great dishonor to both if I was to ignore this." Trevor spoke with such pride about his duty and bloodline that Alucard couldn't help but scoff at that. Was this supposed to be a laugh?
The prince took back the now cleaned pot and stood up again. "You sound just like your mother." Alucard didn't wait for any sort of answer and turned to make his way back to the hut while Trevor could only glance after him.
"Is it that obvious?" Then, with a bit of a frown, he followed right away. Not that Alucard was going to give him an answer to this question. Other than another scoff, that was.

It's been a while since Sorin has had proper food. As they guessed, he has been living off of mermen flesh. At the question whether it was healthy to eat or not, they didn't get a clear answer.
"It is what it is!", he would reply and wave off their concerns. "They taste like fish anyway! I don't think about it too much, since I would rather not starve!" This was the first time that they actually heard Sorin laugh. Yet, they didn't know if this was a laughing matter... The meat might as well be poisonous and mess with his head even more, but there wasn't much argument in it. After all, starving was a terrible alternative and there wasn't any wildlife around.
At least, they were able to find a few spices and dried vegetables to add to the stew that they were attempting. It was all a mess of yellowish grey, but it had been so long since they have all had some form of soup.
"Maybe we should mix in some garlic!", chuckled Sorin at which the group had to force itself not to stare at Alucard right away. It wasn't something that could bring death or any great reaction out of hum, yet it wasn't healthy.
"We should keep it above the doors." An awkward cough from his side. The poor dhampire couldn't even look him in the eyes when he said so. "We would want to be safe, just in case." This logic was flawed. There was no amount which was said to keep off demons, but Sorin was right on track as if this was the most logical step.
"Ah yes, we can't keep our guard down! Good thinking, buddy!" To hear somebody refer to Alucard as their 'buddy' was amusing. The dhampire didn't carry the presence of someone easygoing, but the companions couldn't deny that they had to keep back laughter. Another cough from Alucard. Surely, he had noticed their initial reaction to it.
Other than that, the meal proceeded more peaceful than anybody would have expected it. The former distrust from Sorin had faded away completely. He was feeling at ease with his space again now that the light and warmth from the fire surrounded them. Now, not even the sounds from the streams were this unsettling anymore. But they were a constant reminder of what they should be doing. While they slurped on their soups, Sypha couldn't keep her curiosity in. "Do you know anything about the city up ahead?"
Sorin hesitated in his movement before he let his spoon fall back in the bowl. His tired eyes were fixed on the soup. "I have never seen that city for myself... I have heard that it was taken over by demons rather quick... Lately, I have noticed more and more lights coming from there, but I can't tell if that's a good sign or not." Another glance coming from each of them. If there were people down there, then this would be the last line of defense before they would head for Dracula's Castle.
"Have you thought about investigating yourself? Do you know the way to it?" Of course, they couldn't expect for an old man to go down to the place himself. Yet, he was on his own for so long that he must have had some survival skills. At these questions, Sorin scratched his chin and tilted his head.
"No, not really... I don't trust what's going on down there... I don't know what kind of sorcery is going on... Besides, the Hydra protects the path to the valley and you can't expect me to fight such a beast on my own." A mythological beast, the Hydra. Some form of dragon with many heads attached to long necks. The most known story about one was from the Ancient Greek tale of Hercules. At least, that was what Sypha explained when Trevor threw a puzzled gaze into the round.
"Lord Dracula seems to have liking for Greek mythology, so it seems..." That was his only comment to that while he remembered the Medusa or the Cyclops. Sorin shuddered at the mention of his name and crossed himself many times, but wouldn't dare to speak of him. It was as if the name alone could give him more power.
Alucard leaned back in his chair and placed the bowl down. As someone with almost no appetite, he was quick with eating. "I suppose, he isn't too happy with seeing his minions do random experimentation. Having some sort of model to work after is easier than coming up with an unholy creation on their own. The Devil Forgemasters are skilled, but only few of them. Most of them don't even manage to create living creatures. And when it works halfway, you get something like this large man beast from the Curse Castle." And anybody with dark powers such as his in their blood were able to do this kind of work on their own. The Forgemasters had joined Dracula's army and studied it instead of having it within them. Thus, their work was often… Flawed. Inspiration from Ancient Greek stories wasn't uncommon at this point.
Sorin crossed himself at this tale. "What has humanity done to deserve such punishment? Has God forsaken us and left us in this man made Hell?" His entire frame slumped forward, barely keeping it together. Sypha edged to his side and rubbed his back for comfort while she checked on him.
"This world has not yet fallen into the hands of Satan. This is meant to test our strength and faith, not to leave us behind. God has created us in His image, you would think that He gave us more power than that. The Lord knows of our strengths, of what we can do. So, He can put His trust in us to withstand these horrors that clawed up from Hell. If He can trust in us, then so we should as well." The determination had the old man shudder and he grabbed unto his own cross necklace. Sypha let her hand slip away from his back to leave him with his thoughts.
"Thank you, Father. I think, I needed that talk." Sorin shook his head in defeat. It didn't sound like that he believed his own words, but it was enough to bring over his lips. The priestess appreciated it with a gentle smile and let him be with his thoughts. And not only did the old man soak up these words, but also the companions who let it run through their minds. It wasn't impossible, no, barely conquerable at best. Yet, the fact that God brought them together was a sign. This wasn't meant for a task done on its' own and that was the initial mistake that the group had made. What a blessing it was to have met Trevor, pulling them along and each of them thought about how they even came this far.
Was it luck, skill or fate then? Possibly, it was a mix of all.

When they had finished their lunch, the group rearranged their strategy once more while Sorin was strolled up and down the hut. No one stopped the old man from doing so. There was no point when he was nervous, stuttering about the end of the world being near and how the demons would reign. Sypha always tried to motivate him to sit back down, but he wouldn't listen.
"There is no way around it then, we have to get past the bridge with the Hydra to make it down the valley to the city." Her attention was pulled back by Trevor who leaned over the map which he spread across the table. Both Grant and Alucard stood by his side and followed his gesture with their eyes.
"We could try to find an alternative path to get to it? I am not too keen of fighting against a giant dragon like monster", mumbled Grant in response and twisted his lips a little.
Alucard rolled his eyes. "We can't run around all day and night. It might take us more energy for all the climbing and jumping than actually trying to defend ourselves from the Hydra. There is no need to kill it for there will be no water at some point. So, like the mermen, we can outrun it if we are clever enough about it." He glared at the pirate, there was almost something challenging to it. "Not exactly easy for you, I know, but I think that even you could manage."
At that, Grant ground his teeth. He was trying to keep his comment back for the sake of the plan and that alone amused Alucard more than he'd like to admit. "Believe me, I manage on my own just fine."
Trevor groaned, he wasn't planning on having them argue right now, so he raised his voice. "That is what we will do then. Maybe Sorin can tell us more about where to go, since he is the only one who lives around here. Well, and someone that we can talk to."
Sorin caught them speaking about him and he stopped pacing around before he stumbled to another closet. In worry, Sypha joined him and questioned what he was doing, but Sorin waved her off.
"Need to concentrate!" That was what he would say and the priestess left him this much space. If it was for a knife that he was reaching, she would be there to defend them. Yet, it was no knife nor any other kind of weapon, but a piece of parchment that was revealed in the light. There was childish pride on his face as he presented it to her. "This might help you! If you are to cross the bridge into the valley, it would be useful!" Sypha took the map from his hands and let her eyes scan whatever was on it. The map showed a close-up from the area that they were in, including the city and the Curse Castle. There were more paths on it, some hunting huts and churches added in as well. It wasn't worked over like their own, it all looked so peaceful in comparison.
"T-This is great!", Sypha exclaimed and showed him a bright smile. Yet, concern followed when Sorin got back on his legs and started pacing around. "Is everything quite all right?" Again, the mumbling of the devil and his minions. It was as if he had forgotten what he had done and said.
What a pitiful sight.
The priestess got back on her feet and had him stop, making him look at her eyes. "Sorin, do you wish to give us this map? To help us in our mission?" The old man stared at her perplexed. One could already tell that he was trying to remember what happened moments ago. Then he finally nodded, his eyes still wide open as if afraid what would happen if he said no.
"Yes… Yes, you wish the path… To the Hydra? To get down?" His voice shook so much that they were afraid that he was going to collapse at any second. Yet, some of his memory did return to him, it seemed. "To travel?" Sypha made him sit and Sorin didn't fight back to any of it. Neither of them were sure if he was capable of helping them now. That included getting up and traveling over bridges filled with monsters. When the priestess stepped back, the old man clung to the sleeves of her robe. "Please… Don't leave me behind… I need to know that… You make it through."
"Sorin… We can take you to the city if you wish. Then you don't have to be by yourself anymore." The old man shook his head at the suggestion, crossing himself while his eyes filled with tears.
"There is nothing for me anymore... The end of the world... It is near..." He took his face between his hands and started to sob which tore on the priestess more than she expected. She knelt next to him and rubbed his back again, hoping that it would root him back to reality.
"What can we do to give you relief? To give peace to your mind?" Trying to assist him in the madness of his mind while he battled his own fear of death and despair. Sorin slumped over once more and then glanced up from his hands. His eyes had reddened from crying, the pale cheeks carried a bit more color to them.
"Is there a way to stop the Curse? Would you be able to do so?" If they weren't standing close to him, they wouldn't have heard a single word. It was low enough to be a whisper, it carried no strength whatsoever. Trevor took the initiative then and moved to sit by his side, taking his hand to draw attention to him.
"Believe me when I say that each of us will strive to bring back light to this land." His blue eyes sparked with such determination that it left Sorin baffled but he was unable to look away. "We will defeat the Lord of Darkness and make him pay for what he has done. By God, we will do everything in our power to fight for we have nothing else to lose anymore."
Which was the truth after all. There was nothing else in this world if no one was to stop Lord Dracula. They would all perish at the hand of monsters. One after another, because running away wouldn't work forever. "If you wish to help us, we would be more than grateful to do so. If not, there is no harm in staying behind. You are safe in this hut and you can have light." They were all impressed that Sorin was able to survive for this long on his own anyway. There were groups of people that were maimed by armies but somehow, the old man had found a safe haven. As safe as it could be in the maze anyway.
It took the old man a moment to keep himself together. All the time, he would look back at Trevor as if he was trying to find something in his gaze. "I wish to… Help you." His breathing steadied at that point, at least. Sorin was finding some of his previous confidence back. "I want to know that… Everything will be fine in the end. I want to know that you can make it."
There was a bit of a smile on Trevor's lips at that. The old man was stubborn, he had to admit. But it was just the right amount to survive and keep oneself up in moments of despair. "It's a deal then. You show us the path to the final bridge and we make sure that you don't have to fear the outside anymore."
The smile must have had something radiating to it. Sorin returned it weakly and he sniffled, then nodded and squeezed his hand back for the first time.
"Deal."

Of course, it wasn't making it any easier to have an old man accompany them on their quest. They had to be especially careful even if Sorin said that he would be fine with his metal pole.
"I have taken down these mermen by myself with my trusty weapon! I may be old, but I can defend myself quite well!"
The group wasn't exactly doubting that, considering how he was still alive and kicking. Yet, they weren't so sure how far Sorin had traveled on his own. He knew enough about the maze to say what the most convenient passage was, at least. For someone who lost track of his own thoughts at times, he kept those directions safe in his mind.
Their formation had to change as well. With Sorin in the middle, he would be protected from most foes while he would be able to take a swing at a crow sometimes. Sypha and Alucard were at the back to use their magic while Trevor and Grant kept the path free of mermen. The Vampire Killer reached far enough to hit far away targets while the pirate could slice and kick nearby enemies that would avoid the whip. It was slower this way, but with Sorin doing his best and cursing after the creatures, it was at least not only up to them.

Plus, the old man functioned well as a navigator. Everything was looking familiar to him.
"I remember when all these bridges were still intact! What a sight that was!"
Of course, he would ramble about it at times which didn't help their concentration at all. At any other point, which didn't involve travel and fighting, this might have proven itself to be interesting to them. But, this wasn't something meant to be shared in a maze where they could already hear the thunder in the distance. Their eyes would always spot the lights of the city in the distance. The closer that they got, the clearer the dots became. A once scrambled mess now a lake of lights which promised more than it would be able to keep. With this thought at the back of their minds and the navigation of Sorin, it gave them more power to go on. Having an obvious goal made it all less difficult. At least, a little.

At some point, Sorin was able to lead them to a broad bridge, wide enough to carry all five of them in a single row. The crows were already sitting by the fence by the sides, peeking left and right as if waiting for someone to cross.
"Beyond this bridge, you will get down a hill to the final bridge where the Hydra dwells. Onward from that, it's a climb down into the valley." The old man stopped in his tracks as soon as they got to the rim of the bridge. Each of them stopped, too, to glance at him in confusion at which he lifted his hands in defense. "No, I will not go beyond this point any longer. I may be able to fight those fish faces, but anything bigger than that." He shuddered at the idea and held the weapon close to his chest. "I know that you will do well. Please make it back safe."
Sypha, who stood by his side, took him by his shoulder and showed him the gentlest smile. "We promise. Once everything is over, you will be able to head back to other people and not fear the dark anymore. How would that sound?" If there was any way to return to Sorin after everything was done, it would be good to tell him that the terrors ended.
At that, Sorin smiled to himself as if he could see it all already. "That would be wonderful. If I make it through the end of the world, I will invite you to my house again. Then we have proper food and not be afraid to take away the garlic anymore. I make the best stew in town, you know."
One could tell that Alucard wasn't exactly used to soothing anyone. But by God, he was trying when he mimicked the priestess' gesture. "You know what? I think, that I will have to have a try of the stew then." That answer alone came out strained, but the old man didn't mind at all and showed his few teeth in a grin.
"It's a promise then, buddy!"
They each bid their goodbyes to him. Each of them tried to reassure themselves that Sorin would be able to make it back on his own, though he would wave them off with a frown. His previous cheerful mood had returned to him. Perhaps sparked by the idea that he would be able to see them again and find himself in a better place. A better future, this was what they all aimed for, the promise of a better tomorrow. Finding a single person still kicking and fighting for his life in the middle of this mess, it gave them hope. As strange as that might have sounded.

Without the old man's banter between them, the journey continued on grimmer. Now the sound of the thunderstorm resounded in their ears and the countless streams around them deafened their thoughts. It was almost pleasant to hear the cries of the crows that were now attacking them. Another round of target practice, feathers flying around them like snow. Beneath the bridge were the mermen that kept shooting their spit against the stone. With enough pressure, they were able to break right through it. Yet, they weren't only aiming for the bridge, but also for the pillars holding it up.
"Do they always have to make everything crumble under our feet?!", cried out Grant as he threw his arms up in the air in frustration.
It was as if he summoned the reaction, the bricks behind them were tumbling into the stream. Another curse dropped from his lips before they turned and sped down the bridge. This was a nice change for the crows which would dash down on them, landing a scratch here and there. The priestess tried to focus on her magic once more, but in this hectic scenario, she couldn't summon much. Her concentration broke off quick and even Alucard was having difficulties. Yet, the attacks of the mermen came in handy at times, those being blocked by the crows whenever they dived down. It bought them some time, enough for them to burn up more energy to cross the bridge and finally feel earth under their feet again.

Having to stop their run was almost impossible. The momentum threw almost threw them off, their knees trembling from the adrenaline.
"We fight less than we actually run... I didn't think that this would become such a marathon", panted Alucard as he glanced around, making sure that there was beast crawling close.
Grant snorted at these words, trying to downplay how deep he was breathing. "You were t-the one who suggested running from the Hydra to get out of here…", he sneered and stemmed his hands on his hops. The dhampire growled lowly to himself.
"You can't compare the mermen with the mythological beast of the Hydra. The difference is quite striking, mind you." At that, Alucard didn't get any other answer out of him except for noises of mockery as if the pirate was imitating him. Another groan from Alucard, but he wasn't going to play along.
"We have bigger problems to worry about, children. We have places to get to and a Hydra to avoid", Sypha sneered as she passed them, not even glancing once at them. That was enough to draw their attention to her and distract them from their argument. Without giving any sort of reply, Trevor followed right in her tracks and the two of them were making their way to the final bridge. The other duo could only watch for a moment, awestruck by their own behavior before they would follow up, not even daring to say a word anymore.

There was something intimidating to the last bridge.
It was just as broad, at least, while the color of the stones was darker. Either that or the lights of the city were too bright in contrast. The looming abyss was right ahead, a grim reminder that there was death beyond the streams still. Speaking of which, it seemed even quicker than before. The water crashed against the side of the bridge in an attempt to make its' way through. It almost looked like it was some form of dam and without it, the stream would get out of control.
But the Hydra wasn't one to hide. With its' size, it would have been quite an impossible task anyway. Two heads emerged from the water, half of the body could be spotted from the surface. Its' throats were long and bulgy as if knots of flesh were stacked together and covered in dark red scales. The two heads loomed over them from above, the massive frame threw a shadow on them while the water dripped down from the frame like rain.
"At least…", Grant began with his voice failing him almost immediately. He swallowed thickly while his fingers pulled forth his daggers. "At least, they didn't add more heads like it is said in the myth…"
Like this, the monster was enough of a handful anyway. Unfortunately, it was very well aware of the travelers' intentions and the Hydra raised its' tail out of the water. While one head was focused on them, the other glanced ahead the bridge. The monster then smashed the tail against the bridge, leaving a hole between them and the abyss. Sypha sent a bolt of lightning its' way and the impact had the Hydra shudder, though it didn't leave it in place for long. It seemed like motivation for the monster to show its' own tricks and both heads spewed fire their way. In surprise, the companions escaped in different directions. Each of them could feel the heat along in the breeze, carrying over. The flames dried the water and a thin layer of ash was over the stones. The sight of the stream alone was intimidating enough. From the front, Sypha called out to her friends, clinging to the fence out of reflex.
"I will try to create a floor of ice to connect the two parts of the bridge! You will have to keep it distracted."
The distance was too far to jump and it wouldn't help Alucard if he would have been the only one to glide over. As a bat, he couldn't carry anybody else even with the unnatural size of it. But exactly that might prove itself to be useful for the current situation. Alucard, who was near her, had heard well and understood right away at which he turned and flapped upwards.
The Hydra instantly got a sight of it. One head was trying to snap after the bat while the other was aiming and spitting fire after it. But, Alucard was quick enough to dodge under and above the attacks.
Trevor did not have as many opportunities to act, but he wasn't going to sit back either. The Holy Whip lashed out to harm the scales, though it took quite a few strikes before the Vampire Killer was able to tear skin. Its' skin was rough and steady, not easily pierced. This was also proven by Grant's daggers from which only a few blades were able to get through and between the scales.
"How did the story of the Hydra work?", asked Trevor when the pirate was near. Grant didn't even turn in place and tried to search and aim for weak spots. "How did they defeat it in the story?"
Grant's expression darkened at the memory. It was part of the Hercules legend, the Hydra one of the many enemies.
"Well, whenever they cut off an head, two would grow back in its' place. Not recommended, but they figured if they were to burn the stump after chopping the head off, it worked. Not sure if we can get that close and not exactly what we can expect from ourselves. In this position especially."
Trevor wasn't too happy to hear about it. The solution wasn't much use if they didn't have a method to execute it.
"Running away it is then? Waiting for the ice bridge of ours to get the hell out of here?"
"Afraid so, yes."

The Hydra was able to shift its' attention back and forth with the two heads. One swatted and bit after Alucard while the other spewed more fire at the duo on the bridge. The priestess was trying to keep hidden from the hungry eyes and had folded her hands. Her eyes were closed to gather as much energy as she could in this moment. Any crack would send them tumbling into the dark and who knew what would wait for them down there. Considering that one could survive that fall.
Sypha blocked out every other sound, her mouth forming the words while cool air surrounded her fingers. All her power would be put into this. This was a risk in itself for she wouldn't be able to summon much else, but they counted on her for this to work. The cold surged in her chest, down to her stomach and laid like a blanket over her shoulders, taking hold of her. Her breath escaped her mouth in the form of white fog. With a swing of her arms, it was as if she rolled out a carpet of ice before her that connected with the stone on the other side. Her companions noticed so right away and sprinted towards it while Alucard kept the Hydra busy some more. Yet, with four eyes in total, it noticed something was off from the corner of its' view.

The most worrisome one was the person creating all this ice, so the tail reached out of the water and curled around the priestess. Before anyone could grab unto her to do anything to help her, the Hydra already pulled her back to its' side. One head glared at her pitiful form while holding her up. The other became occupied with Alucard who glided around it as a distraction.
Yet, it wasn't only the dhampire taking action right away, Grant also made his wax towards the Hydra. He jumped from the low fence unto the beast and climbed up its' throat. Now that it could feel that something was on its' scales, the one head forgot about the bat and bit after the itch. Yet, the Hydra bit itself in the throat which had the monster cry out. Grant had already gotten further up and was holding on to the horns on the head. Another blade was flung from his hand and right into the eye. Two different kinds of liquid burst from the impact, one being blood and the other was rather clear. Grant hurled another dagger towards an eye of the other head and slid down the scales while the Hydra swayed in place. Sypha was being swung around, too, under the water and above the water. Her stomach was twisting and her frame froze after being drenched. The robe was heavy, her limbs growing weaker and her sight would fail her at times, but she did pot the pirate by her side a moment later. With the long dagger, he pierced the skin underneath the scales, causing the grip to weaken. With her last remaining strength, Sypha tried to push the tail further open.
"You have to jump!", the pirate called as he struggled for breath, "I'll help you!" Sypha was about to complain, to ask about him, but he already got ready for his plan. In the next second, she couldn't even thank him. Instead, the priestess took a jump with the swing of the tail when it got near the bridge. At the same time, Grant had grasped her soles to push them forward, too, for the extra boost. Without much elegance, Sypha landed on the stones. The momentum threw her off, though it was Trevor who caught her. At least, she was prevented from falling into the stream on the other side.
But what met their sight wasn't calming them in the least. The Hydra staggered in place, biting after itself while Grant tried to find a way to return to the bridge. Doing so from the tail was no option anymore, since it flailed in place too energetically now. Somehow, he would need to find he moment to cling to one of the throats and hope for the best. Yet, the Hydra was struggling in the water, swimming from side to side and further away from the bridge. It almost looked like as if the two heads of the Hydra were fighting over dominance. One leading the other in another direction which led to it spinning in place, then going forward and backwards. Grant could only pale and feel sick from the ride. His focus faded, yet his arms clung to the scales with whatever strength that he has had left.
That alone wasn't of much use as the Hydra turned and crashed into what was the wall of the lake that separated the stream from the abyss. With its' massive body, it was able to leave cracks behind that widened in a matter of seconds. The power of the stream was immense enough to help the cracks finally break apart and the water burst down into the abyss. Unfortunately, the Hydra was too close to the new opening to fight back and instead was dragged along. All the might of the creature meant nothing and it was in the air for a moment before gravity pulled it down into the dark. And with it was the pirate that had no idea how to react other than clinging to whatever he could grasp.

With pure shock and disbelief, the three companions ran up to the side of the bridge. They tried to spot anything that was on the bottom of this abyss, but the night was too intense to make anything out. The hunter didn't find the strength in him to call his name anymore, the air was cut short and he could feel how he was lightheaded from terror and despair. Sypha could not conjure anything else either. Her trembling hands covered her mouth to muffle whatever she was able to press out somehow.
"You go ahead over the bridge and reach the city."
Surprisingly enough, Alucard had found his voice again. When they glanced at him though, they could see how his eyes were wide from the shock as well, his lips thinned and his entire frame tensed. "I will swoop down and see what happened. You have to get further… The ice won't stay here forever." The prince turned to face them, his determination showed in his hardened expression. He wasn't denying his fear to the others. No, they could see that he was afraid of finding out what laid down there and what was of the pirate. "Once everything is settled, I will head back for you… No, we will head forward to the city and meet you." It wasn't like he was believing his own words, but Alucard had to keep his hopes up. Not only for him, but for the others, too.
"Is there... Is there any way that we can go with or help you?", stuttered Trevor as he struggled to put any volume in his words. Alucard shook his head at that and gestured towards the abyss.
"You have no ability that would allow you to get down there alive. It would be of greater help if you were able to find out what is going on in the city. I trust that you both have enough skill to manage to gather something. If it is too much, I will meet you around the area anyway."
The dhampire could see how Sypha was rubbing a few tears away. The initial shock and her own endangerment must have left her shaken. "Please, Alucard… Take care."
"Will do. You, too."
The duo couldn't tell if that had been a smile on Alucard's face or not. At least, his expression smoothed enough for them to know that their words did get to him before he turned into a bat and followed the abyss downwards. As they made their way over the ice bridge with sluggish steps, they couldn't help but follow him with their gaze until he was gone from their sight, too.

As heavy as the sounds were around them, they couldn't quite hear it so much anymore. Both of them were dragged down by their own thoughts while they were able to make their way down the valley. By a larger, dead tree, they have decided to sit down and catch their breaths. The oil lamp kept them company, it threw large shadows on the grass. By a flattened surface, they managed to make a fire to warm themselves up, so they could save some more of the oil. Especially the priestess could use some warmth after taking off the cloak which she hung on a branch. But when it came to her tunic, she would say that she was fine like this, that the cloth would dry quicker.
Now the lights of the city looked mocking to them, a false promise that led them to believe that there was hope.
And yet, there was.
It was the only thing that they could cling to after all, to believe that Grant was somehow still alive and that Alucard would find his way back.
"Everything will be all right."
Trevor didn't know why he was speaking. Perhaps it was to calm himself, to soothe the other. He had also no idea how his voice was this steady at this point while his eyes were focused on the flames before them.
"We will find our way. Our group hasn't met only to be torn apart right away."
Sypha had her hands held against the warmth of the fire. She didn't trail her eyes away either.
"It is an order given by God. The Lord won't have our fight be in vain and He will see what lengths we go to stay strong. This includes our companions. We can't leave them behind." After all, they only had one another in the end. In a way, it was sad to think like this, but at the same time, it was reassuring them. A little companionship of their own, to know that they weren't alone and could trust one another.
"Lay down and get some rest. You have used most of your energy, so you need to sleep some first. This will keep you warm better, I hope", mumbled Trevor after a while as he took off his coat. This he handed to her.
There was such stubbornness to Trevor that Sypha didn't even attempt to speak up against him. Then again, the priestess was exhausted, so the promise of sleep was far too tempting to deny it. "You will... Wake me up when you need to rest yourself, understood?" That was all that she could say against it while she laid down and covered herself with his coat. She could hear chuckling from his side.
"Of course."
And that was all that Sypha could accept. Her eyes were already closing as she picked up that answer. Tiredness washed over her quick and she did nothing to fight back.
They had done quite their share of fighting so far today anyway.