Refer to Switch 8: Olrox invites Adrian into a parlor to ask him questions.

Parlor of Ashes

He didn't quite recognize the drink given to him, but Adrian guessed that it wasn't dangerous, as both had been poured from the same jug. Then again, what had Olrox done to the glasses? He was thirsty, but Adrian did his best to ignore it. He shouldn't let this last long. "I find safe areas that the monsters stay away from. They have similar features, so it's not hard to pick them out. What's hard is finding them."

"You must learn quickly," Olrox said, looking over him. "A good trait to have around here. What does Vlad want you for?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. I never saw him before all this happened."

Leaning forward with his arms on the table, Olrox said, "I think he wants you here because you're his son."

"What makes you say that?" Adrian asked, trying to sound uncertain.

"The hints are all about you. Your blood smells like his." He reached over and ran his fingers down Adrian's cheek. "Your eyes and face are like his too, softened a little by the grace of youth, and possibly your mother. The lay of your hair, perhaps, although not the color." He took a strand of his white hair. "It may be a sign of supernatural means surrounding your existence. This stark color is normally given by age, not by birth. Yet, it gives you an exotic allure; you should be proud."

What was this vampire trying to do? It made Adrian feel uncomfortable. This definitely hadn't been a good idea. He tried to push the armored hand away. "But he's a vampire. How could he be my father?"

"That is a puzzle, isn't it?" Olrox seemed to be looking into his eyes, as if his own eyes could pierce through that metal helmet. Maybe they could. Then he clasped one of Adrian's fingers. "Don't be nervous. I like the good things in life, not the bad. You can trust me."

Something about his words sounded odd, like they were trying to put him to sleep. Adrian tried to keep alert, fight it off. But it was unexpectedly difficult, like trying to continue to read when he was halfway asleep. Closing his eyes, he hoped that he wouldn't fall asleep.

A crashing of glass startled him, although it was hard to shake the enchantment (as it most likely was). Opening his eyes, he saw Olrox get flung into the wall. In his place was Vlad, scowling at his challenger. "You've overstepped your bounds with this plot," he said sharply.

Olrox warped to another spot in the room, but Vlad was by Adrian's side faster. "He came in here on his own," he said, an odd hiss coming with his 's'. "He wants to make trouble for you."

"That is not of your concern." he raised his hand, forming a large fireball. While Olrox warped after it had been launched, the spell changed direction and hit him anyhow. The challenger then struck back by summoning a swarm of ghostly skulls; Adrian felt his head droop as he found it harder to follow the battle going on around him. But Vlad did seem serious about not letting him get harmed, even getting hit once instead. At least once.

The thing that broke his weariness was the tolling of the bells in Clock Tower. Adrian looked around and found that the room was quite demolished: the clock was in pieces, the furnishings turned to blacked husks, two walls blown away. However, neither he nor the chair he was sitting in had been so much as scratched. Vlad was standing by him, hand on the back of the chair; Olrox was trying to stand, but much of his armor had been destroyed and his hand was to his chest in a guarded manner.

And Death was hovering between them. "I will be making my decision on who deserves to be the master of Castlevania soon," he said. "You have one more chance to give your arguments. Meet me in the Throne Room by the next tolling of the bells, in ten minutes." Then he turned to black smoke, which dissipated into nothing. But a few more words of his came, "And bring that boy as well. The woman can stay where she is."

"Woman?" Olrox asked.

"Yes, I've been keeping a few guests safe," Vlad said, smug with confidence. He then griped Adrian's arm and brought him to his feet. A snap of his fingers brought him to full awareness. "Let's go; we can discuss other matters later."

With the helmet's visor broken, Adrian could see the shriveled black orbs that were in the other vampire's eye sockets. But the rest of his expression told everything. Olrox was confounded by the revelation that Vlad had been keeping 'guests' all along.