CHAPTER ELEVEN
The time has come. The four heroes stare at the large wooden doors that lead from the Pinnacle to the Castle Keep. After defeating Death, the four could only imagine what strength the new Dark Lord had at his disposal. But those thoughts could wait, as the time to fight the new breed of darkness has arrived. With a mighty push, they open the colossal barrier and lock eyes with their final destination. One by one, they slowly climb the stairs. Alice's thoughts run wild and everywhere. Will she be forced to kill her only sibling. She didn't want to, but her blood urged her on to make a tough choice. Alucard reminisces the times he climbed these very steps alongside Trevor, and again to stop the possessed Richter. He to wonders if his friend will need to meet his end but knows that if it comes to that; no hesitation will be with him. Haru and Francisca hope that their friend will be able to come to his senses and a battle can avoided but agree to end him for the good of the world if he is truly lost to the darkness. The light of the crescent moon shines down upon the streets of the city. No longer burning, the charred rooftops are bathed in a soft golden light. The chime of the Clock Tower rings out signaling the arrival of midnight as bats take flight from their roosts. After ascending for what seemed like eternity, they crest the stairway and stand before another large door branded with an inverted Belmont crest. Beyond this barrier lies the end of the journey. Alice looks at the Vampire Killer before turning around to face her allies. Alucard is able to tell right away that something troubles the young Belmont.
"You look troubled by something Alice. Tell us what's wrong." Alucard says.
"I'm still heavily conflicted about this coming struggle. I know what he may have become, and that he needs to be destroyed. However, he is still my brother and I love him very much." Alice says.
"I understand where you are coming from. I grieved for days when I had to slay my father to protect humanity. It was the most difficult choice I had to make, but it was a necessary decision that allowed humanity to survive another day. If your brother truly threatens humanity and the world, you can't hesitate to strike." Alucard says.
"I know that. My blood tells me to preform my duty, but my heart tells me something else. His blood is the same as mine, so maybe there is something I can do." Alice says.
"What is your plan?" Haru says.
"I'll go in alone and try to reason with him. He might attack if all of us go in together. He would never do anything to hurt me, so I'll try and bring him back to the light." Alice says.
"Are you insane? Challenging a dark lord alone with the intent to not fight would be suicide." Alucard says.
"I know it sounds crazy, but it's worth a shot. I can't kill him without at least trying words first." Alice says.
"And if that fails to work?" Francisca says.
"Then I'll have no other choice but to destroy him." Alice says as she clenches the Vampire Killer.
"Alright, but we'll be watching. The first moment we even think he has a chance of attacking, then we have no choice but to retaliate. Stay safe Alice." Alucard says.
With a nod of assurance, Alice turns around and exhales a deep breath. Butterflies fill her gut as she slowly walks forward. Pressing a hand on the door, she pushes hard, and it opens with a loud creak. The force of darkness expelling from the inner sanctum sends shivers down her spine and almost seems to be pushing her away. She presses on into the chamber as he allies watch on; waiting for what comes next. The inside of the keep is dark with not a speck of light to guide her. It is cold inside almost to the point of freezing one's soul. She stops in her tracks when she hears the sound of liquid being gulped and then a chalice being smashed onto the floor…and then a familiar voice.
"Welcome to my castle brave warrior. I've been waiting for you to arrive here." The voice says.
The sound of fingers snapping resonates through the chamber as candelabra's flare to life and illuminate the room in an ominous glow of orange. Alice gasps and covers her mouth; nearly dropping the Vampire Killer at the sight of what lies before her. A demonic throne with a skull bleeding from its eyes at the top and sitting in that throne is none other than Ezra. The Crimson Stone hangs from his neck on a pendant. His eyes have changed from their once calming blue to a fiery and rage filled red. His skin has also turned noticeably paler and hair from its golden blonde to platinum blonde. Blood drips from the corner of his mouth but is gone when he licks it away allowing her to see sharp fangs within. Alice feels like vomiting and prepares to grab her whip but catching a glimpse of her brother's face makes her see something interesting. He doesn't an expression of anger, but instead confusion.
"Alice?" Ezra says.
"It's me brother and it's alright now." Alice says.
With blinding speed, Ezra races over to his sister and hugs her tightly. She was surprised by such an affectionate action by one known by others as a dark lord. She felt no aggression or deception in this, but instead happiness. She slowly wrapped her arms around him and held him there for a moment; a moment she wished would last for eternity. Soon, they broke the hug and Ezra looked at her smiling.
"Alice, I didn't think I'd see you here. I cannot help but wonder why." Ezra says.
"I didn't want to be here. I wanted to see you back at our home, not in the throne of this castle. Ezra; what's happened to you?" Alice says.
"I guess I have some explaining to do. After Khronus was defeated, I overheard what the others had said. They said the rest of the order may have escaped, and they would have to be hunted down along with other followers of Dracula. I knew that I would be dragged into the struggle regardless of what anyone had said otherwise." Ezra says
"You mean like father said." Alice says.
"Yes. Father told me that I would be free to live my own life after the Order was defeated. Yet Khronus told me something very interesting that shined a new perspective on the situation. After father learned of Soma's true nature, he attacked him with the intent to strike him down. Why? To defeat Dracula at any cost no matter what; all to follow the legacy of our ancestors. Even though he knew of Soma's pure spirit, he still attacked him away due to his blood clouding his judgement. I knew that his judgement would be shrouded again when learning that other's like Khronus may exist. I would not have it that way. I needed power to end this once and for all, and I got that power." Ezra says.
"At what cost? Nearly killing your friends, breaking your father's heart along with mine, and killing dozens of innocents with the armies of Dracula?" Alice says.
"Alice, I'm only doing this to attain peace for the future. I have no quarrel with the world or humanity, but I will not stand aside while my destiny is being shackled by my blood." Ezra says.
"I can't believe your saying these things. You're insane." Alice says.
"Come on sis, it's me. Sure, something's may have changed, but at heart I'm still the same brother that left on the journey. Alice, things can be different. No longer will we be bound by an old duty. Come with me, we can change this world for the better." Ezra says.
Alice can sense the true meaning behind his words. She knows that no matter what he says, it isn't meaningful. Whether she likes it or not, she knows her brother is gone and replaced by this empty husk with a semblance of life and purity. She begins tearing up and looks away from her former brother. Ezra tries to come closer to comfort her but is met by a hand pushing him away.
"Alice please!" Ezra says.
"Stop! Just stop talking! You're not the brother I know anymore!" Alice says.
"B-but…" Ezra says.
"No. It pains me to see you this way, but I see everything now. It hurts me to do this, but I see that there is no other way out of this." Alice says.
"What are you saying?" Ezra says.
He watches as Alice unfurls the Vampire Killer. The holy energy radiates from it and it sears Ezra's skin forcing him to back away. He looks at his sister and then at the whip. He feels that something else is there which intrigues him.
"Alice, please…don't do this." Ezra says.
"I'm sorry Ezra, but this is the only way now. Father would have never wanted this, but I know he understands as well. In his name, I will defeat you." Alice says.
Unable to wait any longer, Alucard, Haru, and Francisca emerge from the shadows with their weapons ready. Ezra catches a sight of them, and his sadness turns into a rage. His eyes sharpen and he bares his fangs. Alucard sees what his friend has become and is full of disbelief.
"Ezra, it's time to end this now." Alucard says.
"You! What have you done to my little sister!? Why did you turn her against me?! Tell me why now!" Ezra says.
"You did this to her yourself." Haru says.
"I wish it wasn't this way, but now this is the only route for us to take. We're sorry Ezra." Francisca says.
"I'll make you all pay for what you've done. I'll kill each one you and then feed your remains to the night hordes!" Ezra says.
Darkness pulsates off of Ezra and pushes Alice back towards her friends. She brandishes the Vampire Killer; ready to strike at a moments notice. Alucard readies the Crissaegrim and fixates on the enemy. Haru readies his rod as lighting crackles from the end. Francisca grabs both of her daggers and prepares to attack. Ezra lifts his hands in the air and flames appear from nothingness. They consume his lower arms and take the form of hellish gauntlets with razor sharp claws of flame; the Chaos Claws. Alongside that, he places a hand on his chest and pulls out an icy blade from thin air; the Void Sword. He clenches his teeth hard as the whites of his eyes turn to black with red pupils.
"Words will do little now. Enough talk! Have at you!" Ezra says
The final battle has begun. Ezra vanishes into darkness as the heroes turn to each other's backs to try and detect him from all side. The dark lord reappears and shoots a volley of fire balls from his hands. Haru creates an ice shield to block the attack. Francisca runs to the side and slashes at her former friend, but she is blocked by the Void Sword. The young Danasty stares into the dark eyes of her friend, and then watches him vanish yet again. Ezra reappears on the far side of the room and then punches the ground. Alucard and Alice feel the floor beneath their feet become intensely hot. They barely manage to dodge a giant column of flame; a second too slow and they would have been incinerated. The heroes continue to dodge more infernal pillars until they stop. Ezra runs at Alucard with his blade and clashes with the vampire.
"Ezra, stop this foolishness now!" Alucard says
"You're words mean nothing! You turned my sister against me and sided with my father. I never wanted to fight, but you forced me to this!" Ezra says.
The dark lord's strength prevails. Ezra pushes Alucard backwards before delivering a fiery punch to the vampire's gut. Alucard doubles down in pain and looks up to see his former friend raising the Void Sword to strike. Alice gets there just in the nick of time to block the blow with the Vampire Killer.
"Back off Alice! I don't wish to harm you!" Ezra says.
"If you don't wish to harm me, then stop this now! Every moment you stay lost to darkness hurts me all the more! Just please listen to me!" Alice says.
"For what? So you can try and make me come back to a life I never wanted to live to begin with? I attained this power to break our family's accursed cycle. I will not go back to it!" Ezra says.
Becoming more frustrated than ever, Alice uses a strength that surprised even her brother. She pushes him back and then lashes the Vampire Killer forward. The speed of the attack is blinding, and the whip crashes into Ezra's shoulder. An explosion of holy energy shakes the keep as Ezra is sent flying back into the wall. He grabs his shoulder and lets out an unearthly scream of agony. In that moment, Alice sees her brother in pain, and it almost tears her apart, but she feels a hand on her shoulder.
"Alice don't falter now! We have to do this!" Alucard says.
She recollects herself and readies her stance. Haru creates a wall of flame around Ezra hoping to trap him. The young Belnades then starts to close the wall in. The dark lord stabs his sword into the ground and dispels the inferno with chilling air. Francisca throws her daggers at Ezra and sees them knocked away. She retrieves them and has Haru charge them up with electricity. The young Danasty charges at the dark lord and locks blades. Ezra slashes at her with his sword, but Francisca proves to be too fast as she effortlessly dodges his strikes and delivers her own flurry of supercharged slashes. Haru joins in by throwing icicle spears at Ezra from behind. The dark lord is forced to teleport away. Ezra appears a few feet away where he creates beams of ice form his blade and send them forward towards his former allies. Haru creates a wall of flame to protect them both from the icy projectiles. Ezra then dives through the wall of fire and delivers a powerful punch to Francisca. She goes flying and knocks into Haru.
"Your tricks will not work with me! I can't believe I was ever foolish enough to think you two we're strong in the first place." Ezra says.
"That's not true. The old Ezra truly believed in us not matter what happened. His belief made us strong, but our resolve to save you will only make use more powerful!" Haru says.
"And you don't truly think that way. This darkness and this castle has corrupted your mind. This isn't you!" Francisca says.
"I grow tired of your impudent whining!" Ezra says.
He raises his hand and charges up a large fireball. Ezra then throws it at the two, but Alucard races over there and destroys it with the Crissaegrim. Alice sends the Vampire Killer forward and it hits Ezra in the back. He is knocked to the ground, but soon gets back up. He turns around and his eyes lock onto his sister. Haru senses a coming attack and acts quickly. Ezra tries to move but stops instantly as ice traps his feet to the floor. Alucard and Francisca team up and both run at their former friend. Together, they deliver a mighty kick which knocks Ezra free and flying towards Alice. As she prepares to strike again, the dark lord regains his senses and transforms into a bat; swiftly evading the whip and flying to safety on the other side of the room.
"We've got him on the defensive. We can do this!" Francisca says.
"You vermin are more capable than I thought. I might actually have to put in my full effort." Ezra says.
"What? What does he mean by "Full Effort"?" Haru says.
Ezra becomes surrounded by a red aura it cracks the stone beneath him. He uses the Void Sword to send a wave of ice towards Haru. The young Belnades tries to block it with flame, but even the fire is from by the ice and the wave continues forward. It crashes into Haru and sends him spiraling into the wall. Alucard turns around in shock and then is grabbed at the throat by Ezra. The searing flames of his gauntlets singe the vampire's neck causing a rare but horrifying scream of pain from Alucard. Francisca tries to slash at Ezra from behind to help, but she is then struck by a thrown Alucard. Alice looks around to see her allies out of commission and then turns to see Ezra pointing his sword mere inches from her face.
"Alice, I'll offer you one more chance; join me…or face my unbridled wrath." Ezra says.
"I won't! You hurt your friends, you kill innocents, you break my heart and that of our father, and you still have the nerve to ask me to join you?! You're not the brother I once loved anymore!" Alice says.
"What a shame. I was hoping that we could have been family again, but now I see that too is part of my wretched past. I'm sorry sister, but you have left me no choice." Ezra says.
Alice sees her brother toss aside the Void Sword and Chaos Claws before outstretching his arms out to his side. She witnesses his eyes turn pure black before he shout's the words "Playtime's over! Give me power!". The dark lord's clothes begin to rip as his muscles begin to bulge to terrifying size and his skin turn deep blue. His hands and feet become grotesque and clawed. Two golden horns emerge from his head and fangs even longer. She backs away as he grows larger before assuming his new form. Alucard remembers this and tries to help, but the pain in his body still holds tight and he forced to watch Ezra become a monstrous creature like him father. The dark lord roars at Alice and slashes at her with a giant swipe. The young Belmont is racked across her arm and lets out a shriek as blood oozes from her wound. Ezra then kicks her forward and she rolls towards the opposing wall. She gets up and throws her cross boomerang at her brother. It strikes, but it barely fazes him as he runs forward. Alice barely manages to evade as Ezra smashes the wall. He turns around and sends out a fireball from his mouth. The young Belmont destroys it with her whip and then unleashes her own attack on the beast. The whip strikes Ezra in the head and causes him to roar in pain. The dark lord shoots another fireball before turning into a swarm of bats. Alice destroys the fireball, but she is then assaulted by the swarm as she is sliced by their razor-sharp wings. He reforms and slashes at his sister again. Alice barely holds back with her whip and she drops to one knee. Ezra's blazing eyes pierce right into her; the hot air from his nostrils feel like fire against her face. Haru manages to recover and summons lightning. The bolt strikes Ezra and distracts him long enough for Alice to recover and then strike again with the Vampire Killer. It hits Ezra and makes him roar again. Alucard recovers next and then transforms into a bat. He flies overhead to distract the dark lord who launches fireballs to knock him down. Francisca is last to join the fight as she runs up and sinks her daggers into Ezra's back. The dark lord tries to shake her off, but she remains holding fast. Alice then strikes again with the whip and then another and another. The four heroes attack from all sides to bring down the monstrosity; Alice with the Vampire Killer, Haru with the elements, Francisca with insane agility and Daggers, and Alucard with the Crissaegrim. Ezra has had enough, and then swipes his tail across the floor and finally knocks all of them away. He turns around with immense hatred and focuses on Alice. He gradually begins to run at her as flames escape from the sides of his mouth. The other three heroes watch as Alice; bruised and battered; run to. The two titanic forces jump into the air; Ezra ready to strike with his massive claws stained red from the blood of the heroes, and Alice with the Vampire Killer. A blinding light erupts from the clash, forcing the onlookers to cover their eyes to avoid being blinded. They soon can look again as Ezra and Alice are turned away from each other. They hold their breath awaiting any movement from either, but instead hear something. The drip of blood pelting the floor from the dark lord, and they see the Vampire Killer stained red. Alice turns around to see her brother slowly transform back into his human form and fall to his knees. She runs to him as he falls to the ground.
"EZRA!" Alice shouts.
Alucard races over and stops her by grabbing her arm. She looks back at him as tears fall uncontrollably. She hears no words from him, but only the sad shake of his head before turning again to face Ezra. She sees him catch himself before slowly turning to face the two as Haru and Francisca join them. All of them see not only hatred and malice in Ezra's expression but sadness and hurt, and bloody tears as they fall from his eyes.
"It seems…this is where it ends for now. This is only just the beginning. My destiny and the destiny of the Belmont Clan are now tied by this curse. As long as you exist, so will I. The struggle will only end when one of us is completely eradicated. I will return someday, and when I do…I will kill each and every one you!" Ezra says.
The dark lord's body begins to be consumed by blue flames that eat away at him. Alice's eyes flood with unimaginable sorrow. Alucard only looks on with disappointment and regret that the cycle has restarted once again. Francisca and Haru look down in heartache as they witness their friend slowly burning away and completely fallen into darkness. Alice looks up and sees only his head remains but sees something peculiar. The right side of her brother's face was always hidden by his hair, but for a brief moment it was visible. Instead of the murderous red she previously saw during the struggle, she sees the calm blue they once were. He soon completely disappears from the world leaving the four heroes behind in the keep. None of them say anything as they stand together in silence. Before long, the walls begin to shake signaling the collapse of the castle. They race through the halls they once fought though before exiting the courtyard and out though the front entrance. They regroup back with Yoko, Soma, and Mina as they witness the fall of Castlevania from a rooftop. All of them stand in absolute silence with only the sounds of crumbling stone and cracking glass to be heard. Soon, the skyline no longer bears the demon castle as the orange light of the sun starts to peak over the horizon. Alice turns around and begins to walk away from everyone with the Vampire Killer in hand.
"Alice, where are you going?" Alucard says.
She doesn't answer and soon exits the roof onto the streets below. She continues walking until they can't see her anymore. She becomes obscured by the light of the new day with many things on her mind. Her brother will return one day to do battle with the Belmont's again. And she would keep the legacy alive to ensure the world would never be without a Belmont again. And when he does return on that day, he would feel the sting of the Vampire Killer again.
THE END