Alexander had dismissed himself from Gregor to take some time to himself as he worked in the shop, trying to figure it out as it went on. Glyphs were a manifestation of everyday objects, the Order made them to combat monsters and, with the coming times and expanded resources, they would be able to get stronger, more powerful Glyphs to maintain order in the world, but to have an actual Glyph marking one's body is a FAR different story. Alexander leaned back as he continued in his diagram, detailing the Glyphs he has seen and where they were placed. Shanoa's Glyph correspond with each other as two were marked on the shoulders and a large one lined her back, Sapphire's mark was different in size and shape, but not fully in function, she seemed to exert the power, raw and unrefined, as a imperfect Werecat transformation while Shanoa, after her own time with the powers, learned to control them for perfect uses, making her the ideal teacher for Sapphire.
"No... that is not a good sign..." It was a bad thought, how exactly would this mark even come to pass, he was in the Giant's Dwelling before so he should know WHAT magical power even would infect that place, but maybe... He glanced at the statue and lifted it up, turning its wooden frame as he studied it before a small portal opened to his left and a hand reached out, his reflexes quick as he grabbed the hand and pulled, pulling a bloated man of the rift as Alexander held him against the counter. "Wallman, what are you doing!?"
"Peace, Master, peace!" Alexander released and Wallman shook his wrist as he grimaced. "Tight grip as ever, but still the same human that has required my essence." He cleared his throat as he held a tome in his other arm and spoke. "If I may, I would like to investigate this 'idol'." Alexander was not quite trusting of Wallman as he utilized the Miss Murder's ability, but it was a wise plan to consult with another that shares in magical knowledge.
"Well, since I have no clear idea of how this has come to be, let us look it over as a team." Wallman nodded as Alexander blasted some wind and turned the sign before both headed to the back and started to look into it, Alexander holding the wooden object in hand. "I feel such magical power emitting from this small thing, but it makes no sense, it is just a statue of a monstrous bear monster."
"I am aware of what breed it is, it is the northern species of Werebear, an unheard breed of the standard Werebear also known as the Frozen Raider, not many humans or monsters know of its breed for it has long since died out, the only place in the world where one could easily find a skeleton is in the Frozen North, Russia I believe you humans often call it..." Wallman traced a finger over the wooden frame as he continued in thought, clearly feeling the energy as well. "What puzzles me is why would there be cultists from Russia of all places, in Europe, Transylvania to be more exact...?"
Alex rolled the piece before he spotted something. "Hey... it looks like someone scripted something on the bottom..." Both looked to see an inscription craved into the bottom of the wood, but Alexander frowned his brow as he spoke. "This is not in English, this is..."
"It's Hungarian, an odd choice of words, let me translate this..." Alexander nodded as Wallman pulled out his tome and started to turn the pages before stating its meaning with a rub of his jaw. "The word of Elizabeth is evident, but the rest that followed is strange, 'Elizabeth shall be successful'..."
"Who is Elizabeth?" Wallman shook his head as the book closed and the idol was set back down.
"Not sure, it could be a number of people across the world, but I have no hard proof that one of these women would be responsible and what will they succeed in...?" Wallman rubbed his jaw again as he contemplated. "You know, you could force me to reveal everything..."
"And take away your freedom as it is?" Alexander shook his head as he sat back down. "You are not one to be pushed over and I respect you very more than what any of you think, if I turn my back on you, then I have been repeating a cycle of pain for not only myself, but everyone else, even you all among the souls..." Wallman opened his mouth to speak, but closed it as he looked to the side in grief as soon Rusalka, Alphonso, and Blackmore emerged out of separate rifts and into the wide chamber as Alexander continued with a sad smile. "But is that my problem, that I am being too nice and lenient to all of you, that I am just a wreck waiting to happen again...?"
"Not likely..." The skeletal lord said as he leaned on the wall that he was standing by. "I know that we are not on equal terms in trust and respect, but you... you are more than what those idiots say about you, you are truly worth notice..."
"...And if nothing else..." Rusalka hovered close before taking Alexander's face and pulling him into a hug. "You have mended some of our hearts and souls, bringing us to a full strength, no one else would have done such a thing, Dracula was once our master, but you are ours now."
"Dear Rusalka, let the boy breathe, you could be drowning him in your smothering." Blackmore chuckled as Alexander started to flail before Rusalka released and Alex breathed as the shadow continued from the gentleman. "Geez, I have heard people drowning, but by smothering?, I need to add that to the records."
"...Don't you dare..." The young man breathed as he looked among the four before him. "...Thanks, I was just... missing something here, perhaps it is some form of kinship, a friend or loved one... I need time to figure it out, but for now, we have a small lead."
"Indeed and I know the issue." Alphonso said as he rolled a hand. "When you sentenced Goliath and his power entered my vessel, I felt a shift in the Dwelling, it was set before any of us were even available to look into it, someone set up the magical properties in one of the columns supporting the ancient dwelling." The bony lord shook his head as he continued. "Problem is I didn't get a bearing on the column, it was masked by magic, stronger magic than what you had at the time."
"Yes, I have to add to that opinion as well." Rusalka said as she hovered back and clasped her hands together, still large, but seemed a tad small than before. "I remember the power as well, but the power is... it is foreign, completely different from the layout of Transylvania back then, like someone had planted that beforehand to ensure something happened..." All stopped as they turned to Alexander before Wallman started to look through his book in panic before Rusalka interjected. "Well, anything in there that could help us out!?"
"Whoa whoa, don't leave me out of the loop!"
"It is impossible... impossible, that crazed loon couldn't have planned THAT far ahead!"
"The madman is dead, he should still be dead, end of the line, period!"
"What if it is not like that, what if he planned it before we even knew?!" A loud whistle rang out and the monsters stopped short as their master's brow was raised and Wallman sweated for a bit before he cleared his throat.
"May I take a look at the statue... like personally?" Alexander nodded, but the parting of hands suddenly caught the idol on fire as Wallman dropped it to Rusalka's sudden water orb around it as Alexander himself sprung to his feet.
"What the heck was that!?"
"A protective charm or aura..." Wallman grimaced with the other three. "We are not allowed to touch it, it has been infused with some power to prevent it from falling into Dracula's hands... into our hands." The water receded to Alexander picking it up. "I believe now why it took so long for this to fall into the humans' hands, Elmendan... is crouching for the strike."
"You know, how you are saying that and me hearing it, it doesn't sound TOO good in the long run."
"Because it isn't, sir, Elmendan is taking his time, he knew one day, his heir would find their way into time itself and give him what he desires... a fresh, powerful body that could save his schemes and endeavors for the grand end." Wallman was FAR too panicked as he continued. "That's what this whole is, it is a setup for Elmendan to return to life and be free from Dracula with all the power he collected in the short period of time!"
"So my ancestor is going to make a play on my life?" To a silent nod and a grim look on all of them, even the other monsters within were brought down before Alexander spoke. "Well, this is quite the turn, but I am set on this path and if he thinks that I will give it up without a fight... he WILL be shocked of what is to come in the end." The monsters nodded as they went through their rifts once more and the door was knocked on, prompting Alex to pick up the damaged statue and answer the door, tossing the wooden thing onto his desk and opening the door to Shanoa and Kenmur nodding to him and coming in. "So are we ready?"
"Yeah, we are ready, I think that we should head to the next time to see where the trail leads." Shanoa was back in her usual attire, having it mended while the newest clothing came together and Kenmur had the insight to ready a pair of broadswords in exchange for his shotgun as they looked among each other. "Alexander, are you ready?"
"More than I had expected..." The rift opened once more and they stepped on in, the sign still turned and the windows covered as Gregor had placed guards to ensure that whatever the brute was up to, he would not succeed...