Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up. Please feel free to review, and make comments. If you find a spelling or word age mistake, feel free to let me know. Thank you. Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. And any other idea in the story doesn't belong to me.
Behind These Eyes
Chapter 20
Garden Forgotten By Time
By: Kazuma20
Chronicles: Devil Castle: Legatum de Caligo
"Talking in through the com."
The person holding him by his neck snared. He showed his fangs in his mouth to Alexander. He looked at the man who was somewhat tall and muscular. He had long black hair, his skin looked a little pale in color. His eyes were gold in color and had a pair of pointy ears. He wore an old black suit and everything was either black or blood red. On his back was a black cape.
"You shouldn't continue onward, Mr. Armstrong."
"Who are you?" he asked.
Alexander had stopped struggling a little. He then started to see spots and was starting to black out. He was then dropped on the ground and he looked up at him. He was on his knees and started to hack and cough trying to catch his breath.
"Welcome to my house! Enter freely." he said with a bow. "I'm Matthias Cronqvist or Count Orlok and I bid you welcome."
"So, your Count Orlok."
He came out of his bow. "Yes, young heir to the Armstrong Clan. It seems you are not strong enough to defeat me. But if you make it to the Castle Keep alive I'll gladly give you death. Hahahahahahahahaha!!" he commented as he disappeared, being blown away by the wind.
Ranma slammed his hand into the table after he got no response from Alexander. Setsuna had jumped at that a little at that almost spilling the drink in her hand. He had stood up and started to walk around trying to calm him self down. He ran a had threw his hair.
"Calm down Ranma. It doesn't mean he is die."
"I know, but I'm pissed off that he's not answering the comm."
"He'll get in touch with you when he's free."
Ranma sat down in a huff and picked up his drink. He then chugged it down in one gulp and put the glass down on the desk. He sighed and said, "Your right."
Richard appeared from the bushes and saw Alexander standing up on shaky legs. He had picked up the trident off of the ground and walked to him. He stopped next to him as he caught his breath.
"Who was that guy anyway?" he asked.
"That was Matthias Cronqvist or known as Count Orlok."
"So, that's the man we are going to fight?"
"Yes, that was him."
"I really hate to say it, but we are so dead my friend."
"Well, not really."
"And how do you figure that?"
"I was surprise this time. But next I won't be so foolish."
"I hope not."
"I need to get in touch with someone." he replied walking away, before touching his ear.
Ranma was about to take a sip of his drink when he heard a beeping sound. He then placed his glass on the table and then brought his hand up to touch his ear. He sighed as he answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Ranma it's me."
"It's good to hear your voice again my friend."
"Yeah, well it's good to be heard."
"So, what happen?"
"Sorry I didn't answer ran into a little trouble."
"It's okay as long as you're alive."
"I didn't want you to get worried and have an aneurisms over it."
"Yeah," he said with a sigh. "Still contact me if you need anything."
"Like you could help me out here."
"Still regardless still contact me."
"Roger."
The link went dead on him. He closed his connotation to Alexander's COM. He then picked up his drink on the table and gulped it down. Setsuna sat across from him reading a book.
Alexander walked back to Richard and looked around ass he stopped next to him. The stone walkway was broken and some had creaks, a destroyed fountain with green stall water in it. Weeds were overgrown around the area and so were the other plants in the garden.
"So, what enemies do you suspect here?" asked Richard.
"I really don't know."
"My guess it would probably be plant based demons."
"True. Given the area we are in right now." he replied as they walked to the fountain and stopped.
"This place is to big for us just to stick together."
"You do have a point."
"So, we split up here?"
"Yeah. Call me on the radio if you got anything."
"What is your frequency?" he asked as he pulled out his radio.
"I'm at 141.80 if you need me."
"Al right. I almost forgot my frequency is at 141.12."
"Okay. I'm going to put it in the radio." he replied pulling out his radio programming the frequency.
"I did the same with your frequency." said Richard placing his radio back on his belt.
"I head to the left while you go right." he commented heading to the left.
Alexander ran on the smooth walkway and the area was over grown with trees and other foliage. They were held back by an old metal fencer. He stopped when a small creature came into view. It turned to him and he saw that it held to small very sharp axes in its hands. The creature then bounced to him getting ready to attack.
Alexander pulled his katana out and cut right threw it as it got close, blood flew everywhere . Then all of a saddened five more of the creatures jumped out around him. They were all going to try and kill him. He pulled his sword back and cut the one closer to him killing it. The other four jumped at him and he quickly pulled out his gun with his left hand.
The creatures got closer and he pulled the trigger three times. Each shot killed them, he then pulled his sword and slashed at the last one killing it. He sheathed the sword before walking down the hallway that soon turned left.
He walked threw the hallway and it was dark, the only thing to light his way was some torches. He flipped on the flashlight by his waist to get some more light. He looked around and saw that it over grown with various plants.
There were plant vines growing on the stonewall. It looked like it was in disrepair like the rest of the place. He started walking down the hall his foot fall echoed threw out the hall. He held his gun pointed up, incase anymore of those creatures were around.
He heard a beeping and pressed his ear piece, "Alexander here."
"Alexander it's Richard this way's a dead end. There's not much here."
"Okay."
"Also, there seems to bee some sorta cavern underneath this area. I'm going to go check it out."
"All right, but be careful."
"Roger over and out."
"Later."
Alexander kept on walking till he came to a door. It was the only one in the hallway. He opened the door and it creaked, then preceded to walk into the room. It the room was only a table and two chairs. On then table were a couple of books and an unopened scroll on the table.
He looked around and walked to the table. He holstered his gun before picking up the scroll and started to untie the cord, then proceeded to open it up. It was written to be unrolled and read from left to right. He started to read the text.
"Count Orlok started his life out as Matthias Cronqvist. A king of sorts it is said it is he who ordered the death of Vlad Dracula the Impalor's death. After that he retreated to his castle in Austria. Where it is said he became a vampire quickly there after. It is rumored that he once fought along side a man named Leon Armstrong an Irishman. Armstrong is said to like Austria so much he settled here. When his friend closed himself off his castle became evil. Armstrong entered the castle to save his friend, but soon found out Matthias was the one who caused it. After the death his fiancée' because of Matthias. Leon had proclaimed that his clan would fight him till the end. As it is now the Armstrong must maintain order or the darkness will get to strong."
Alexander quit reading the scroll and then proceeded to roll it up. He retied it and stuffed it into his coat's pocket. He upholstered his gun on his left side the headed for the door on the right. He grabbed the door handle and started to open it up and the door fell of its hinges.
"Damn that one's rotten door." he muttered.
He started to walk and stepped on to the door. It creaked under his foot and then went through the door. He grabbed his leg and pulled it out from where it was stuck. There was a hole were his was stuck.
"Son of a bitch."
He stepped over it and entered a large room. The ceiling was three stores up and he looked up at the ceiling. On a ledge was a statue that started to creak and the burst sending concrete shards everywhere. The gargoyle roared and jumped in the air and then flew at Alexander.
Richard ran down the path that Alexander just went down. The door at the end of the hallway was opened. He figured that was the path Alexander took. He stopped at the doorway and saw that Alexander stood in the middle of the room. There were broken pieces of statue around him.
"So, I was too late for the fight." Commented Richard.
Alexander turned around and looked at Richard. 'What the hell?' he replied, "Yes, you just missed the fun."
Richard walked into the room and made his way to Alexander. He stopped next to him and looked around. Before looking to the door to the left, and walked to it. Alexander had turned to the door and saw Richard walk to it.
"Where are you going?" asked Alexander.
"This is the only door in this room."
"Maybe there's a secret passage in here to another room."
"There isn't one."
'I was already suspicious of him as it was. I also thought he was going to check a passage he just found. But to know there was no secret passage in this room makes me more suspicious.' thought Alexander.
"Come on Alexander let's go." shouted Richard.
"I'm coming." he shouted back.
Alexander put his hands into his pocket and walked to the door. He passed Richard and stopped before looking at him with the corner of his eye. The he walked passed him.
'If this guy is not Richard then who is he?'
Richard jumped down from the ledge. He stood up in the cavern and looked around the area was lit only by torches on the wall. In the distance the wall was ruff to the touch. There was no ceiling and was opened to the air.
He started to run down the path then came to a fork and turned left. He had ran down the path for a good ways that was where the ceiling started to appear. It looked like he was under the castle in a secret tunnel. He stopped and turned on his radio to call Alexander.
He waited for a couple of minutes, but still could get a signal on the radio. He thought, 'What the hell? Why can't I get a fucking signal here? It's been spastically made to work underground. So, what the hell.'
He then turned off his radio and started to walk ahead. It was slow not like before were he was running. He had something on his mind and it was nagging at him.
'Why can't I reach him. I hope he didn't turn off his comm.? I got to get out of hereto find out.'
He stopped by a cliff and looked at the other side far away from him. The area gave off an eerie green glow and he smelled something that was of and acidic nature and looked down. There was a pool of acid in his path. He took the halberd and threw it across to the other side and got stuck in the ground.
'Looks like I have to go across, but how?' he thought and looked and saw a ledge. 'I guess that's the only way to go.'
He jumped and grabbed the ledge, then started moving over it. He was moving hand over hand. As he kept on moving he was soon over the middle of the pool of acid. He kept on moving trying to get to the other side fast.
He soon reached the other side and dropped down to the ground. He landed on the ground and turn away to get his halberd. He then turned to look down the tunnel he was about to go down. It was dark and he couldn't see down it. He pulled a flashlight out of his back pocket and turned it on. The light shined down the tunnel, but you couldn't see that far. He started to make his way down the tunnel flashlight in hand.
Alexander and fake-Richard walked down the corridors and came to a big round garden. It was three stories up with exotic plants that wouldn't grow in the natural area. They had looked around trying to find away up. There were stairs surrounding leading to a door, but was systematically destroyed.
"So, how will we get up?" asked Alexander.
"Just fallow me." replied the fake-Richards.
'I'll fallow you for only so far.' he thought. 'Till I find the real Richard anyway.'
The fake-Richard was already on the broken stairs. Alexander jumped up and grabbed the broken part of the wall, with his feet on the wall crouching a moved across the ledge. He came to the end and hanged there with one arm and grabbed the chain on the wall letting go of the ledge. He put his feet on the wall and started to climb up the chain.
After he got a ways up he started to swing. He held on to the chain with one hand and ran across the wall. He would switch hands depending on the side of the wall. There was another ledge on the left side, he swung to the right and when he came to the left he let go. He grabbed the ledge then turned to look behind him and saw a bar hanging in the middle of the room.
He grabbed the whip on his left side with his right hand. He then pulled himself up and placed his feet on the wall. He pushed himself off and turned in the air and swung his whip. It wrapped around the metal bar and he swung across. He came to the other side and landed on the stairs, his feet slide across pulling him back a little. He stopped and pulled his whip free. He then wrapped his whip again, then attached back to his belt.
Soon the fake-Richard stopped next to him. They were close to the door on the third floor the steps were broken in front of him. They both looked across the hole.
"All we got to do is just jump across, then we are at the door."
"It seems to easy. There were no enemies here. I find that weird."
"We should take every opportunity that is easy that comes our way."
"Sure. Okay then let's go on."
"Good. Let's go ahead."
Alexander jumped over the hole and landed on the other side. He was soon followed by the fake-Richard. They then proceeded to walk to the closed stone door and each grabbed a side and pulled. Both pulled till it was enough for them to pass threw. They went and walked into a stone room and the torches lit up around the room. The door closed behind them, and they turned to it.
Alexander ran to the door. He made it to the door and round housed kicked the door. Dusted fell into his air as he hit the door. Fake-Richard stood in the middle of the room.
Richard looked up at the spiral staircase. It went up for five levels into the garden. He needs to find Alexander soon, so they could head into the main area of the castle together. He took a step on the stairs, when all of a sadden a bunch of creatures appeared in front of him.
"You have got to be kidding me."
When he said that the skeleton creatures rushed him. Richard prepared the trident in his hands, and thrust it as they rushed. He then hacked and slashed at them, as he made his way up the stairs. He only had three floors to go, but they just kept on coming.
Richard just kept on going and the skeleton knights started to thin out. He soon killed the last one and then started to run up the stairs. He was getting closer to the end of the stairs. As he got closer to the top it was coming easier to see.
"Goddamn it how much farther is it?!"
"You know Alexander, soon you will die here."
"What did you say?" he asked.
"You will die here this will be your grave. The Armstrong Clan will die here. Soon Count Orlok will have no one to stand in his way as he plunges the world into darkness!!" he screamed out.
The fake Richard soon took on a navy blue completion over his clothes, face, and hands. The trident he held turned a crimson blood color. He then started to laugh to himself.
"So, what the hell are you?" asked Alexander.
"Why do you want to know when you are going to die anyway?"
"No, you're the one who's going to die. I just want to know who I'm going to kill."
"Fine. You are going to die anyway. I'm called Doppelganger. I'm a shadow of your friend Richard."
"A Doppelganger German for 'Double-goer' who acts the same way as another person." he said. "This could be dangerous if he knows how to fight like Richard."
Doppelganger ran at him and trusted the trident out. Alexander jumped to the left and pulled his whip off his hip. He pulled his right arm back and swung the whip. It lashed out and wrapped around the trident. They pulled at each other and the trident stabbed into the ground.
Alexander then ran at the Doppelganger and ran up the shaft of the trident. He jumped up and kicked him in the face. He pulled on his whip in his hand and it came to his as did the trident. It almost hit the Doppelganger in the face.
The Doppelganger caught the trident in his hand as twisted to face Alexander. He had already pulled his hand back and swung the whip. Both weapons hit each other five more times. They both jumped away from one another.
They ran at each other. The Doppelganger readied the trident in front of him. Alexander had already strapped his whip to his side. He then put his right hand behind his back on his katana.
"You are so weak to think you could kill Count Orlok. Foolish human." he chuckled out.
"I will kill Count Orlok."
Doppelganger trusted the trident out aiming for Alexander's head. It sailed at him and was still running at him. He came to a stop with his left leg extended.
Alexander ducked under the trident still running. He had stepped onto the knee and used it as a spring board, then quickly pulled out his sword slicing down the back. The blood flew out and he pulled his sword back, then stabbed the Doppelganger. The sword's tip protruded out of the Doppelganger's chest as more blood flew into the air.
"How? How can a weak mortal kill me?! Me a Doppelganger killed by a weak mortal?!" he screamed out and was spitting up blood.
The Doppelganger fell to his knees in front of Alexander. The trident fell from his hands and clanged on the floor. He brought his hands up and grabbed his head. He then let out an ominous scream.
"NOOOOOOOO!!"
He then started to disappear into the wind. It started with his head then going with the rest of his body. The trident disappeared along with the Doppelganger and soon all that was left was a crimson color jewel.
Alexander walked to the jewel and bent down then picked it up from the ground. He looked at it closer and it was a finely cut ruby. He stood up and turned to the left when he heard and explosion.
Richard finally made it to the top of the stairs. After fighting his way up from the bottom to the top. He was breathing heavily and now was stopped by a stonewall. The stairs had only leaded him to a dead end.
He then thought of something and started to dig in his pockets. He soon found what he was looking for and pulled out some C-4. He then placed it on the wall and pulled out two metal rods then placed it in the C-4. Then he pulled out the detonator and flipped the metal bar so he could push it with his thumb. He walked back down the stair safe away the n press the bar.
The door exploded sending dust and chunks of the wall on the ground. Richard dropped the detonator and walked up the stairs. He headed threw the hole he had just made and saw Alexander. Who stood in the middle of the room holding a jewel.
"So, there you are. I was trying to reach you earlier."
"I guess that Doppelganger of you put up a field that blocked out you comm."
"There was a Doppelganger of me here?"
"Yeah looked just like you, too. Oh, yeah here this goes to your Trident." he commented throwing him a jewel.
"Richard caught it and asked, "What does it do?"
"I don't know. Just attach it to it."
"All right."
Alexander swung his sword and the blood flew off and then sheathed his sword. They both walked to the door and soon reached it. The door was made of stone and opened by itself. Dust fell down from the ceiling and it stopped with a loud thud.
"I wonder what ahead of us?" asked Richard.
"I don't know. There's no use guessing is there?"
"No not really."
"Let's go."
They walked threw the doorway and into a new hall. It was fancy more fancy then the one in the mansion. It meets the old castle standard of elegance.
To Be Continued…In Chapter 21: Dark Night Toccata.
Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to finish the chapter. I been pilling it on in college and it's taking a lot of my time to write. I hope to finish the next chapter faster. Kazuma20 signing out.