The next day, the two couples were finishing their tour of the changes. Adrian had also decided to show Trevor more of the castle at Eva's urging. The hope was to help him feel less like his ancestral home had been defiled. Sypha wanted to see the training area as well. That was partially so she could see more of what Eva was capable of now. She was also interested in the fact that Adrian had started to teach the other woman magic, and she wanted to see how that was going.
It was late afternoon by the time the four of them reached the training area. Trevor frowned at the fact that there wasn't much to it, but Sypha ignored that as she pulled Eva out into the middle of the clearing. It was enough for what they needed. She turned to the other woman with excitement. "So, what else have you found since your heritage was unlocked? We Speakers have very little information about Nephilim."
Eva felt slightly like she was under a microscope, but couldn't get mad about it. Sypha was too eager. She chuckled as she moved to one of the nearby trees. "Not much, really. I know my light is deadly to night creatures, but beyond that, it's mostly just like I'm nudging nature a little."
Sypha gave her a frown, but Eva didn't let her start with the questions. Instead, she reached up and cupped the buds on the branch closest to her. A light shined for a moment, and when she lowered her arms, a riot of blooms popped out along the length of the branch. She also noticed that a vine had been creeping along the branch that she hadn't seen. At least not until it wrapped around one of her wrists as everything else grew. She sighed as she extricated herself from the new growth and turned back to her friend. "See? Healing is part of that too."
Trevor was the first to speak afterward. "Impressive. I suppose you could make your enemies faint from the smell."
Both Eva and Sypha gave him a dirty look at his sarcasm, but Sypha's cleared quickly. She soon turned back to Eva with a grin. "Have you thought about using this power as a weapon? Besides demons, you could possibly entangle others, slowing them down. The vine seemed to react as much as the flowers. It is not without merit."
Eva's frown turned contemplative. "Adrian and I have talked about a few ways to use this offensively, but not against anything but dark creatures." She paused and furrowed her brow as she thought of the possibilities. It wasn't long before she shook her head and shrugged. "It could be possible, but to do so, I would need to have vines conveniently around. I doubt I could count on that."
Sypha nodded sagely. "What about seeds? Could you do the same thing if you carried seeds?"
Trevor snorted, but Sypha gave him another quelling look before she continued. "I am not suggesting that you have a sackful, just a few for emergencies."
Eva still did not look convinced. "I have never tried to grow something from a seed. It might work, but that is more than just a nudge. I doubt it will be a useful skill any time soon."
Trevor patted her on the shoulder as he passed by to join Sypha. "Don't let it stop you from trying. You won't get anywhere if you give up before you start."
Eva gave the other man a smile. Times like this one made the rest of his smartassery bearable. She didn't get a chance to thank him, though. Sypha was once again giving her that excited look that meant she had something on her mind. "Wait! You asked yesterday if I knew how to work light. You use light naturally. I think it might be possible for us to use your power to accomplish what you were aiming for!"
Adrian stepped forward with a frown. "I have seen her project a field large enough to protect herself, but never something on that scale. Plus, how could it be sustained?"
Sypha shook her head at him. "Magic is nothing more than intent. I could work with her. Plus, I still think it would be best to use mirrors instead of having her try to cover the whole castle in the same manner as she would create a barrier. They would allow the spell to be anchored and permanent."
Adrian still looked unconvinced. "It could work, in theory. However, she barely has scratched the surface of what she is capable of. As much as I hate to admit it, the fact that she was kept separate from her power for most of her life has surely stunted what her capabilities should have been."
Eva looked between the two for a moment before she stepped forward with determination. "You're right, but like you said earlier, there is no point in grumbling about it. I think this would be an excellent use of my power. Plus, it needs to be done, no matter what else is to come. Maybe, if we can figure out how to use my light for this, it would be even more helpful."
Sypha's gaze had turned excited again. "Exactly! If we can work with you so that you can project this light instead of just holding it, then I might be able to figure out how to at least direct it. Also, I can work with you to help you learn the basics of magic. If you could imbue the ward with more than just the intent to hide the castle, it should work to not only conceal but also repel. At least those that could not pass beyond the consecrated effect."
Trevor gave her a look like he didn't quite understand. "Wait, are you suggesting that this barrier of light you want to create could not only hide this monster of a building but could also keep out night creatures? And I thought the memory idea was nuts."
Eva rolled her eyes at him but ignored his comment as she focused on Sypha. "I haven't been able to project my power beyond myself yet, but I agree that it should be feasible. I haven't had much luck with magic yet, but perhaps now that I have concrete proof that I can work energy outside myself, perhaps my block won't be as bad."
Adrian gave her an understanding look. "With your background, it is understandable. You have seen so much now that I would think it is no longer an issue."
Trevor waved off their somber conversation. "Yay. I can see that insanity is contagious. Well, at least it's interesting to watch." The other three gave him looks that ranged from irritated to exasperated. Still, they all ignored it as they turned to figure out the best way to approach the problem.
Hector was watching as several of his recently created night horde worked on finishing setting up his workspace. As soon as the table was up, he entered the tent and was followed by another group that had been holding the remnants of the battles that were fought on the way to the new campsite. He sighed before he turned to start. He knew if he did not, then there would be consequences.
He wasn't sure how long he had been working, but he knew it had to be some time in the middle of the night when the tent flap was pushed aside. He barely looked up to see Lenore before he turned back to his work. He was shocked that she made no comment, but wasn't going to ask why.
She stood to the side while he finished his current work, but stepped forward as soon as the new demon was ushered out to join the rest of the horde. Hector had to fight not to frown at her when she blocked his way to the table. She ignored the look as she gave him a smile.
"I thought I would bring you something as a show of good faith."
Hector did frown at that point, but Lenore just smiled as she finally showed what had been hidden behind her back. She placed the body of a puppy on the table that had recently been vacated. It looked like it was barely old enough to walk on its own, which could be why it had starved to death.
His gaze shot up to the vampire with confusion. Lenore just smiled again as she gestured to the puppy. "I was told that you used to have a companion you kept by your side. I know this can't replace what you had before, but perhaps you can gain some comfort here as well."
Hector felt a stirring inside at the reminder that this female had been kind to him once before. He shoved the thought down instantly. Her kindness always came with a cost. It took him several seconds before he was able to speak civilly. "A war camp is no place for such trivialities."
Lenore frowned at his dismissal, but she wiped it away quickly. She moved to put a hand on his chest as she smiled up at him. "War is when these things are needed most. You should not lose yourself to your duties. It is not all death and destruction."
He vehemently wanted to disagree, but even if he had wanted to, he was not given a chance to. An armored vampire burst into the tent with nearly frantic movements. He bowed to Lenore before he spoke. "My Lady, I have been sent to bring you to Lady Striga's tent. The Queen Carmilla has arrived with Lady Morana. They have asked for your presence immediately."
Lenore frowned at the interruption but nodded. "I will be there shortly." She then waved the guard out and turned back to Hector. "Don't discard this chance just to spite me. At least consider my words." She didn't allow him any time to respond before she ducked out to follow the guard to where her sisters were waiting.
Hector watched the whole thing with interest. Why was Carmilla in camp? It had been decided that she would stay behind to ensure things were kept in line in Styria, so why leave when the campaign had barely begun. And with Morana as well. Something must have happened. It was an interesting question, but even that was pushed aside when he turned back to the table.
No matter how much he wanted to ignore Lenore's words, the sight of the tiny, mistreated body stirred something inside. He ran a hand down the puppy's head once before he sighed. No matter her motive, he knew he could not ignore the chance to give this poor beast another chance. Despite his circumstances, a small smile played around the edges of his lips as he brought his hammer down, and blue flames surrounded the tiny body.
It was late by the time the two couples made their way back into the castle for the evening meal. Despite that, Adrian and Eva worked together to make a quick meal before they all turned in. It was a quiet affair after the busy afternoon.
When they were all finished, Sypha stood with an awkward motion to Trevor. "I suppose we should get to our bed. It's such a wonderful bed, after all."
Eva gave her a worried look, but it was Adrian that spoke up. "Sypha, before you head off, can you please tell us why you are here? I can tell that you would much rather be on the road. That was the reason you didn't stay in the first place."
He shared a quick look with Eva before he continued. "We are both glad to see you, and your timing was perfect with everything we are trying to accomplish, but I can't help but feel that there is another reason."
Sypha and Trevor shared another look before the Speaker sighed and sat back down. However, it was Trevor that spoke up with a hard look. "You are right, but it isn't pleasant."
Eva wrinkled her nose and had to bite back a sigh. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me. Obviously, a little peace and quiet is impossible to find these days."
Sypha shared a commiserating look as she picked up where Trevor had left off. "There are several reasons, but they will not be easy to hear." She then turned to Alucard with a sympathetic look. "It is about your father."
Adrian sat forward sharply, and Eva moved to take his hand. He was frowning when he spoke. "What do you mean? How is that possible?"
Sypha tried to keep her voice calm. "We had been traveling and taking care of the remaining night horde when we stopped in a village. We had not planned on it, but we got caught up in a local problem that turned out to be much more."
Trevor stood and took a few steps away before he turned back with a frown. "I may tease you for being insane, but those monks were the real deal." He then pinned Alucard with a glare. "They were trying to pull Dracula out of hell. They wanted to bring him back to exact his revenge. They practically worshiped him."
Adrian stood with a curse. He paced for a few seconds before he pinned the other two with a glare. "Since you are here and not still there, I must assume you somehow managed to stop this from happening. However, this does not bode well. If they tried it once, it will happen again. We need to figure out how to stop it permanently."
Eva could see how much this news bothered her lover. For more than the obvious reasons. She stood and took his hand again. She was thankful to see his tension lessen at her actions, though his frown did not go away as he turned back to the others. "You said there were several reasons. What else happened?"
Sypha pointed to the seats. "You may as well settle in. It will take some time to explain."
None of them looked happy as they settled back in. Still, the Speaker launched into the story as soon as they were. It was nearly an hour later that the two travelers were done with their tale. Both Eva and Adrian were wearing disgusted looks when they finished.
Eva had to swallow her nausea before she spoke. "God, the line between what makes a man and a monster is nonexistent."
It was Adrian's turn to squeeze her fingers. He didn't disagree, but he did not like hearing those words coming from her. She shook off her disgust at his gesture and gave him a tight smile before she turned back to the others. "Sorry, I know nothing is all one way or the other. It just bothers me to hear that during this time, when people should be focused on helping one another, there are still assholes like that."
Trevor snorted at her observance, but Sypha spoke up before he could say something. "Agreed. Still, there was one good thing that came from this. We now know that the infinite corridor exists. It may take time to find another location where it opens, and controlling it will take some research. However, that could be a way for you to go home."
Eva gasped at that news, and Adrian froze next to her. He knew she had already told him she did not want to leave, but this could change things. With a ready solution, she could change her mind.
When she noticed him release her hand, she looked over with wide eyes. Her expression changed as soon as she caught his eye and saw all his doubts. She blinked twice before she reached for him again. She gave him a soft smile before she turned back to Sypha and shook her head. "I do appreciate that you thought about me, but I can't go home now, even if I wanted to. Which, for the record, I don't."
Sypha gave her a confused look. "While I cannot say I am not glad you wish to stay, why can't you go home?"
Eva felt her cheeks heat as she worked through what she wanted to say. She glanced at the man next to her, but had to look away before she could answer. "I have already decided that Adrian means more to me than any life I might have had. I didn't have anyone left for me there. That's just part of the problem. If I went back as I am, I would never have peace. These wings would ensure that I would end up in someone's lab at best, if not in pieces, because ignorant people felt I was a threat. I have no place there anymore."
Trevor made a strangled sound before he spoke up. "I'm not sure if I should be more concerned that you want to stay with this guy, or understanding about being pulled into something that you feel is crazy."
Sypha gave him a glare but chose to ignore him. She instead turned to Eva with a frown. "I had the impression that humanity had evolved past that. Why would they be so cruel?"
It was Eva's turn to make a disgusted noise. She shook her head and shrugged. "Humanity has made some amazing developments, but their nature hasn't changed much. There are some amazing people that go above and beyond. For them, kindness isn't a chore; it's simply how they are. But for every person like that, there are ten that just don't care. Even worse, there is still that handful that is ruthless and ignorant. It is a balance, but those few make it dangerous for me, no matter that it isn't everyone."
Adrian finally spoke up next to her. He was still frowning, but his grip on her hand was steady once more. "We should not be surprised that so little has changed." He then gave Eva a smile. "Still, I will not complain that you wish to stay. Though, I promise we will figure out how to help you conceal those beautiful wings. You will not need to live with that fear forever."
Trevor rolled his eyes at the moment between the other two. "Alright. Enough of that." When he received several glares, he brushed them off and continued. "Besides, there was one other thing we needed to let you know."
Adrian sighed but nodded to the other man. "I imagine there is something we will need to assist with. That is the only reason I can think of that you agreed to come here."
Eva nudged him for being rude, but Trevor ignored them both. "You aren't wrong."
It was Sypha's turn to nudge her lover for being antagonistic. Both women felt like rolling their eyes. Still, the Speaker knew this had to come out. She gave the other two a determined look. "We do believe we will all need to work together. There have been many rumors that have made their way across the land since Dracula's death. However, some are prevalent enough that we cannot ignore them. Two, in particular, could prove just as troubling as crazy monks looking for the infinite corridor."
The other couple gave her a nod to continue. "The first was about a magician. It is said he is building an army of the undead and using them to start an empire. It is supposed to be somewhere far to the west, but if this is happening, it will only be a matter of time before he expands."
"The other are various rumors of a man traveling with a horde of demons. The tales say he was looking for a way to cross the ocean to one of the countries nearby. There are no details of where he came from or confirmation that he succeeded, but there is no doubt he is someone of power. Neither of these things bode well in these chaotic times."
There was complete silence after she spoke for several moments. Finally, Alucard stood and gave the other two a troubled look. "This is dire news indeed, but have no doubt that we will work together for a solution. I cannot deny that my father was the one to start this insanity. His actions brought us to this point, and I will not rest until it is ceased."
Sypha gave him a sympathetic look, and Eva stood to join him. Her voice was soft when she spoke. "You shouldn't feel as though this will all be on you. You will not be alone. Not as long as I am still breathing. I promise."
The look he gave her was a mix of grateful and troubled, but his only response was to take her hand before he turned back to the others. "It is late tonight. We have much to prepare. For now, let us rest. Tomorrow we will see if we can do some reconnaissance. We are not without resources here."
All their faces were grim as they bid each other goodnight and headed to their respective rooms. Despite their agreement to rest for the morrow, neither couple managed to find sleep for several hours.
A/N: Hello all! I know it has been nearly a week since I posted anything, and I apologize. I am just now getting back to being able to think. But, now that I feel better, we are on the edge of the final showdown. Obviously, there is a bit more set up, but we are nearing the last stretch. I hope you all enjoy! Thanks for reading. Cheers!
