Despite the event of telling the souls, Alexander was actually at peace with the idea, it only made sense that going through the past would also yield to the start of Death's employ to the vampire lord, if it didn't end at Trevor's efforts, as he focused on the classes he gave to those wanting them, the increase of able fighters across Europe also having an effect on the local monsters, but their homes and bases were untouched as each time that they tried, the forces were repelled or destroyed, overconfidence and lack of belief being their main downfalls, but he still taught those that listened and heard, the recent session done as he turned to his other reason to be in the room still. He had returned to conjuring monsters and experimenting with abilities to get a handle on the power, currently there was a Lady Cat standing in the center of the chamber before her attire became armored and her claws developing to rival steel, but she was called back, the ability shift disappearing before a Spear Guard appeared and was paired with an owl, the teal-blue radiating from them as Alexander waved once more and they disappeared, leaving him alone in the room as he leaned back and worked on some papers to keep his mind free for the time being. Gregor had informed him that the Church was getting more restless with the current events of the world, the crowning also in their minds as something was off and the teams were also dropping into realms that don't accept their presence with more unknown monsters than just Europe's brand of terror.
Wallman gave him plenty of knowledge and understanding about the various monsters as it was part of his studies and guides to understand the monsters free, in Dracula's control, and were rival powers to the vampire lord, but none of those monsters sought to enter the European realm and kept themselves in solace, in the far reaches of society, their power only called forth by cultists and rogue officials for promise of great power and fame. Vision chirped as it flew out and floated about as Alexander nodded. "Yes, my focus was on the recent events occurring cross the land, something about it is... fishy, like something coming in the storm of battle, but how large, I have no clue." A sad sound followed and Vision nestled against Alexander's cheek as he sighed. "No, this is not going to be like with my ancestor, this will be..." But Vision stopped the thought short as Alexander slightly nodded to the noise. "I know, we are all afraid, I have never personally looked into the history of Belmont, but before Trevor, there is another who was actually notable, one Leon Belmont, but details of his journey is shrouded in mystery." Vision bobbed as it flew about as Alexander stood up. "Well, are you a chatty little ball of words, I understand, but let's see to something." Vision nodded before slipping under the cloak and Alexander stood up and headed out, the building itself seeing time as several students took to decorating the exterior with their mark, these groups being called 'sects' in the class room and they have been trying to prove each other to their peers while others kept to themselves, but the biggest sects being the 'Fullbusters', accounting themselves with a range of elemental powers, and the 'Scarlets', weapon masters without peer, even among the Church, had labeled themselves about the place as families took sides to support their children or the likely sects which is good as they levy their support to those young students, but it was also bad as some could use their talents for personal gains and wicked darkness. The reason for his depart was under concern of the sects, they had made an active arrangement to kill and bring in the greater monsters that they can muster, a rite of passage to be leader, but the number of monsters was rising to unhealthy levels and some of the sect members had personally asked him to see if he could talk some sense into Yuna, a young woman from parts in the East, and Levin, a noble son of one of the Church's crowning guards. While the rest of the team was dealing with the Fallen Armory, getting some training into black smithy, and tended to the presence of the other villages, he was basically on his own... but not as a familiar face came rushing for him and he nodded as she spoke. "Yes, you can come with, but be by my side at all times, Shanoa would kill me if you got hurt on my account." It went unchallenged that Mist had become the daughter of Shanoa and Alexander and they somehow agreed to the whole thing beforehand, so if one of them went somewhere, Mist either stayed or followed the parent out.
They soon arrived to the outskirts of the village and Alexander pulled out a map to see where he needed to go. 'The sect members of both Scarlet and Fullbuster said that they were making their way to a site of Dracula's Castle, some believing that the castle itself was always shifting across the land, but it was mostly the place where Shanoa and I had encountered him and its shadow.' He headed on through the looming forest, through the paths and trails that none dared to follow before he soon came back out and beheld the ruins of Wygol and the Order building, continuing on as he entered the village, buildings destroyed, stores ruined, and the very plants have perished for too long alone as Mist sadly spoke in the tongue, starting to be mentioned as the Monster's Tongue, and Alexander nodded. "Yes, I thought this village would survive, but it seems like it was simply lost for too long." He turned and headed to the Order chapel, the very foundation ruined as pieces and parts of the building had crumpled in, but his entering the structure was easy enough as Mist clanged onto him as he searched with no remains of book, body, or mention of any falling there, sharing in the fate as Wygol as he stopped at a window and peered out to see a campsite set up at the cliff face, fire still burning to light up the place and show where to go next.
Using the Werewolf's speed, he closed in and stopped short as he spotted several young folks guarding the perimeter, some dressed in the Church's armor and cloth while others were donned in traditional attire, the thought of Chinese or Japanese-styled armor crossing his mind on the garbs themselves before he stood up and watched, they patrolling about the location with distaste in their faces, clearly not likely to work together and that could be a disaster waiting to happen. Mist spoke up and Alexander nodded, but that was a mistake as a rustle in the trees and a trio of ninja dropped in, weapons out and all female and branded with the symbol of the moon. Alexander gauged his chances as one spoke up, the five outside the range of the others. "Invader, you dare to attack us here with your cowardly ways!?"
"That depends on my intentions here, who are you to strike my charge and I with fury in your hearts?" A katana lashed to the side of his neck as the lead continued.
"We are the Lunar Whisper and we will not be undone by your vile words, dark one." Alexander paused for a moment as the Lunar Whisper was a chosen few among the sect that have proven themselves thrice over and who are devoted to their leader, their rival counterparts were the Knight Templar, both sides not seeing eye to eye and it is clear that neither would yield to reason when it came down to it. However, Alexander was not phased as he snarled to the blade and the one holding it, the peaceful way to go was through lust-inducing words from the Succubus combined with Blackmore, but he wasn't feeling too civil about it as he growled.
"Get your blade off my neck or it will be your hand lost in the transaction." They held their ground with resolve and Alexander ripped loose, Mist shouted out, but it was not enough as he vanished and, with a slash, the hand was slashed off. The lead screeched in pain as the other two fought to stop the figure, but ample cracks and pops resounded from their bodies as Alexander did not yield, reappearing over the lead and doing the same to her allies before Mist grappled on and Alexander stopped, his teal eyes fading back to blue as the Lunar Whisper were actively sobbing from the beatdown they just endured, a frown present on his face as the monsters felt the same way before he spoke. "My apologies, you were not making it simple and I am just disappointed in your reckless belief." Raising a hand, water started to flow all around him as the trio soon found that they could move again, bones mending and limbs realigned, even the severed hand returned to place before the water receded to the trees and soil, the trio standing up once more before dropping to their knees and bowing.
"Forgive us, Great One!" Alexander motioned for them to stand and they all stood up as the lead asked, her mark fully on her back. "What brings you this far from the village?"
"Your leaders, some of the sect members were concerned with this endeavor and wanted me to see if sense can be put back into them, though not through my hostile behavior, that was uncivil of me."
"I see..." The lead nodded as she continued. "We haven't seen them, they were meant to be in the camp with the rest of us, but only the second-in-commands are in charge here and no one is willing to exchange information." Alexander nodded as the lead walked to the village. "Please, follow us to the leaders' tents, we can find out more this way, now that you have arrived."
"Let us pray that it is so, Lunar Whisper." They headed on through and all quickly knew WHO was walking into their camp, some stopping everything and some dropping their armor or weapons before scrambling to picking them back up. The Lunar Whisper were surprised by this, but Alexander kept walking, his presence a powerful tool as he found the meeting tent, where the seconds would be at the time, and entered to a series of arguments.
"You ignorant fool, your honor is useless in the face of this, if we are to make progress, we have to accept that they are gone, they didn't even dare to tell us where they went!"
"No, it is your cowardice that refuses to send out parties to find them and bring them back, they are our commanders and you dare to believe that you can manage the Fullbuster Sect without your noble prince!" One side was a sorceress, garbed in attire that focused on both magical enhancement and focus, despite some parts of it missing to show off the abdomen and legs, the other was dressed like a more modern samurai with a lighter version of the helmet under arm and a pair of samurai swords on the other side. Alexander frowned as he looked to the Lunar Whisper and they bowed with apology as he turned back to the pair and spoke up.
"Excuse me?" But his voice was ignored as they continued to argue.
"Daft imbecile, have you no self-preservation!?; This land is filled with monsters that are more powerful than those that we have faced thus far, it is useless to continue!"
"It is a samurai's duty to protect their lord, I will not be a wandering fool for abandoning my charge here and taking up a leaderless mantle, that is a dishonor in of itself, witch!"
"Hello?"
"You are treading on thin ground there, ronin!"
"I would like you to try anything, witch!" Both got ready to fight, but it also made them guard their guard as Alexander shouted.
"ENOUGH!" The table cleaved in half as both jumped and turned to the figure standing there with the projection of Death hovering him, teal-blue glowing as the Lunar Whisper quickly dropped in panic at the power surging and the two quickly were forced down as well as Alexander scoffed. "Did I come all this way for a bunch of children who can't tell right from wrong!?; NO, I came this far out, to the location where Dracula's Castle once stood, to talk sense into the leaders of the Fullbusters and Scarlets and, now I hear that they are MISSING!?"
"I-I-It's not o-o-our fault...!" The sorceress stammered as the samurai was quiet, fear gripping both as Alexander continued.
"THEN WHERE ARE THEY!" The sorceress looked half-way to a heart attack when the samurai spoke, hands resting on the ground as he plead.
"Forgive us, sir!" Alexander's attention turned to the armored individual as he continued in his plea. "They departed for the castle to search for a powerful monster to slay, but we haven't had word back from them!" The avatar faded as the air returned and the cloth lost its frigid coating from the burst of power as Alexander spoke.
"When we return to Moythium, I will expect a three thousand word parchment on the recklessness of betrayal and I expect there to be five copies BOTH!" Both flinched as Alexander turned to the Lunar Whisper. "Send word to the camp that Alexander has arrived and he is MOST disappointed in this company, stand by for extraction once I have found and brought the commanders back and under NO conditions is there to be an early march, understood!?"
"Yes, Milord!" The trio rushed out as Alexander left as well and he looked to the castle before empowering himself with the Werewolf once more and sped toward the ruins, to find headstrong commanders.
Alexander arrived to the main gate and it was clear that the pair made ground as the corpses of fallen armor and undead littered the ground before he walked on through, the dead shambling to stand before Alexander lashed out a hand and burned them all, Mist keeping close as she held onto her father figure. "Return once you are at full strength, never before." He continued on as the dead were counted, monsters that made homage there after the fall, some being minor monsters while others were worth notice like the Sword Lords, the Giant Skeletons, or even the Great Armors, that showed that the pair had skill where it was meant to be in combating monsters, but even those were not seen as leadership material as he continued on through the ruins and to the crumbled clocktower, the real prizes being somewhere that held some measure of power still, the clocktower the greatest as the throne room was collapsed and it somehow remained standing in the test of time itself. "Stay close, we could be in for some trouble." Mist nodded as she clung to him, the threats of the castle itself laid low by the hand of the pair or by his hand to return them to the beyond to properly recover as the sound of gears and cogs grinded in the air, Alexander's arm holding Mist close as he leapt up the towering ruin and paused at the room where he had faced Death for the first time and found his 'commanders'. It was clear who was who as Yuna donned a shinobi attire, the abdomen exposed with the mark of the moon on it as she carried a pair of katanas and a large scroll on her back which must be used to evoke elemental powers while Levin was armed with a rapier and foil, dressed in a noble swashbuckler attire, but their foe who dealt them injures from head to toe loomed before them as a cape fluttered in the wind, pale skin smirking back and arms folded as the pair panted in exhaust as the vampire taunted.
"Come now, stand, show me the willpower of your pathetic race." Both made attempts to stand, but collapsed down as Levin laid on the floor and Yuna with her knees under her, tears burning in their eyes the vampire just laughed at their pain, floating over and gripping Yuna by the jaw. "Now you know what we of the night are able to do, and your figure and body will make a nice addition to my wonderful harem, the male will forever be a servant to my thirst of blood, now it is time to taste." Yuna whimpered as the vampire bared his fangs to the exposed neck before Alexander cleared his throat, Mist retreating some distance and holding a charm close as Alexander stepped forward, the Vampire stopping as all attention rested on him.
"I believe this is the part where you either walk away or be destroyed like any other that I have faced, Vampire." He released Yuna as she laid on the ground as the vampire just smirked.
"A human who believes himself to be a power far more than monsters themselves, you clearly have a death wish." Alexander reached in and pulled forth his blade and readied himself with it.
"I have fought many before me, giants that would have crushed me, titans that know no bounds, and demons whose souls reside beyond, you are no exception as you have no sense of life or purpose." Both clashed as Alexander stood his ground to the threat as he exceled in speed, conjuring of razor-sharp knives, and claws while Alexander was more of testing it out, seeing where the faults were and the strengths as well as he parried a few more blows before locking blade to claws with the vampire, his face still frowning as the vampire smiled still.
"You cannot best the night, we are eternal, we are everlasting, we will not fall to your pitiful ways, we will endure and we will conquer, like our greatest member Dracula, master of all that serve in his command."
"Then you have never heard the stories..." The vampire was unprepared as the blade suddenly slashed and black blood flowed out from the palms and from the left shoulder as he continued. "Stories that tell of the Belmonts and their guardians, warriors and fighters bound to code of hunting the night and slaying the one who brought this power to bear, Dracula, the vampire lord whose emotions were shattered once more as they were in ages past." The blade slid across his shoulder as Alexander continued, his visible right eye blazing teal as he continued. "The reason I do not fear you is because I have seen the power and the horror that came from man's own faults when they yield to the shadows or allow a demon to arise for their own faults and desires, it is a world where the living fight and die for ideals and where monsters and fiends desire to further the destruction for their own gains, however..." A hand slid across the blade as he hummed and opened his eyes once more as the blade change in teal flames before he swung it, wind milling the new tool before its blade cut into the stone cleanly and he held the new length as he commanded. "I do not fear death for I have faced him and lived to tell the tale." None could tell what the weapon was as it still glowed, the vampire, foolish to believe himself immune, charged.
"You are nothing, Death will have his sweet way on your soul once I drain your corpse of its bounty!" Alexander swung with ease and speed and the glow disappeared as the blade cleaved through the vampire's torso, eyes widened in shock as the handle was black as night, the blade shining like pure moonlight, and its designs across hummed with a frigid and ghastly power as Alexander turned with the Reaper's scythe and towered over the now-cleaved corpse who couldn't find the power to reform.
"I am not afraid, fear is something that I don't bend too easily from, and if I see the vampire lord himself..." The power hummed from him like a beacon and the vampire could only stare in panic as he finished. "He will pray for the mercy given to him in days gone past, never return and never endanger the land of the living again, else, you will find me waiting, my blade waiting for its next target." The undead monster dissolved into dust from the brief glow of the sunlight and the fear as Alexander willed the blade back and sheathed it before looking back to the pair, fear evident on their faces as he spoke. "Now then... I believe I came here for a lesson in discipline..." Both cringed as Alexander continued, frown apparent on his face. "I will hear your members and see WHAT is to be done with the both of you and your reckless desires." With that, both were taken back to the camp and while they were praised to have survived, the greatest challenge came when all were requested to head to the village for a severe lesson of focus and understanding...
Yuna and Levin were not in the best of positions, stripped of their rank and forced to work as mere slaves of the work place with their more eager followers who demanded retribution for this harsh action, but both of them knew, this was punishment for running off and trying to face down a greater creature of darkness, but one that yielded a lesson for them, one that was taught to them with ease, the benefit of trust and allies, they were valuable and never to be replaced for zealots of blood or powers beyond, one had to learn the limits of their own power, learn the strength of those around them, and use them where they most benefit from, to learn from a new location or a new set of skills opened the way for more as one of the militiaman arrived and pulled out a parchment. "I am here for Levin La'Bast and Yuna Undyna." Both stood up and walked over as the members yelled for payment and mercy, but it was unheard of as the man continued. "The Conjurer will see you now, follow me." And so, they were leaded through the roads and streets of Moythium until they entered the Militia Academy as it was dubbed, lead up the stairs before standing before the door to the one person who held their final judgements in his hand, two mighty soldiers in heavy-plate armor towered over them as the militiaman continued. "He awaits you in here, do not disappoint." Silence filled their souls as the door opened and both walked in, the cloak a clear sign of who as it closed and both sat down before the words came out.
"You two are meant to be beacons to those that follow you and all I have been hearing is unlawful imprisonment?" Both cringed as Alexander continued. "This shows they are rash, they are undisciplined, and untrained, did your families and allies send you on this journey to better yourselves alone or did they send irrational members to play caretaker for?" Neither wanted to speak or say anything as Alexander finished. "As of today, they are in the employment of Moythium, their training will be from the ground up, they will learn or be drafted back home with breadbaskets as their reward." Levin finally spoke as he straightened up.
"That, Sir, would be a dishonor." Alexander looked back as Levin continued, his high rank forgotten for the time being. "Before I even heard of the growing ranks of people from this village, I thought I would be the most vulnerable above everything if the Church was ever attacked, I learned under their guidance when I found myself among them and grew as a person, I know that we are not tacticians or leaders to start, but they follow us and it means a lot." Alexander huffed, but it sounded playful as he turned and faced them once more.
"Indeed it does, Levin, your father would be pleased to know that you hold your troops in high regard." He shook his head as he walked to the side with the two watching. "However, the fact that they were left to their own devices without any indication as to your own whereabouts and your second-in-commands in the sects shows that they are immature, that they were never taught why or how to manage the power given to them. I may not know how things are accomplished in the East, but here, we either ordain to a code or stand as brigands." Yuna stood up as she replied.
"I am not at your leisure to tell you what my people choose to strive for..." The hand that rested on the table started to emit frost and Yuna gulped as Alexander spoke with some venom in his tone.
"YOU have quite the tone to address me like that, your secrets are NOT privy to the ears of the Church, nor am I above inquiring the FULL extent of your relations within your home country, I will get dangerous if I feel that I cannot trust those that put their lives in my hands, secrets are one thing that I WILL not abide when loyalty is questioned!" Without even looking the, the table froze over and shattered with a simple tap of his hand, both looking nervous as Alexander pulled his hand back and looked at them. "Make it so that your members understand the full extent of your error, to fault you alone is folly, it impacts the company or group as well if their commanders go alone and leave this trusted soldiers to fend for themselves, honor and trust is not given, it is earned. You both are dismissed..." They nodded as they stood up and departed, the point getting across as the door opened and closed to his eyes before he sighed. "My rage filled me, but this is the hard decision, they must learn and, if I must intervene, then I must to ensure that they understand that the world is not what they see, but what its true face is revealed to be..."
