Alexander hummed once more as he took in the amount needed to reopen the Fallen Armory again, this time being a custom weapons shop as he took Hammer's stock and sorted through it with the party, but setting it up in Japan was sort of reckless, but there was little else that could be done for now.
Honestly, it was a surprise that no one was going to give them trouble as they took to a small hotel to rest, he shaking his head before putting the list on the bedside table while Shanoa braided her hair with Mist's as well. "I am not really seeing a way to open the Fallen Armory again without getting a massive amount of money pulled out of us for the mere housing."
"I understand, but I am grateful that we were able to rest for a time, but let us be honest, you would be interested in heading back to Europe over everything else, Japan is not really fitting into your beliefs." Alex huffed as he rested his head on a arm and spoke back.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. It is just not as easy as a move back into our former home for the heck of it. Even my allies are getting mixed messages about going back, some are leaning to going while the others just want to stay put for a bit." Shanoa nodded with a smile and Alex sighed before the door opened from the adjacent room, Kenmur walking in with Ragnell, in rifle form, resting on his back before he sat on the floor and pulled Ragnell off as he started to talk to Alex.
"Hey, we have been laying low for a while, Alex, but I think we just involved the local crazies into our lives."
"What makes you think that?" To that, Kenmur gestured to the window and Alex stood up to peer out and looked down to see... there were a few too many black cars down below in the parking lot, the few members there, however, had symbols of crosses on their jackets as they peered about in shades, Alex frowning as it was strange, what exactly was the Church doing in the East in the first place?
Sure, it could be just 'preaching' their faith and belief to the people around them, but those guys down below looked like business for some reason and he had a feeling that something else was going on as he stepped away and spoke with sitting back down. "Okay, the Church is here, but what I don't understand is why they are here in the first place, we are in Japan, not in Europe anymore."
"It gets stranger, Sir Alexander." Ragnell answered as the members looked at the now-moving rifle in the air as it bobbed, a single eye appearing on the stock as he continued. "I feel a dark power wandering or prowling the halls of this hotel, I suspect that whoever else is here, they are not here for idle chatter."
"I see..." Alex answered as he sat down and focused, the hotel room and its members fading out as Alex prowled the halls himself, swiftly and quickly, before he entered the second floor, the feeling of power strong as he looked around, trying to find the source before it focused in, it standing right in front of him as he looked with shock as the pale face and red eyes beamed before he spoke.
"I thought as much..." Alexander warped back and gasped in his own body as the members moved to stop him from falling over before he spoke in panic.
"Alucard... he's found us..." The name sent them into a panic, as all of them gathered their supplies, everything, and moved to leave quickly, Alexander's sense kicking in to Alucard now blitzing through the floors on his way to the tenth, just as the party made it to the elevator and Alex forced the shaft alive, it opening to him and dropping them fast as a lingering 'Wait!' echoed upstairs before they made it to the lobby and booked it, the employees moving to aid in the departure, but Alex was quicker in paying and getting them out of there before Alucard could catch them, the party's reaction being for flight as why was Alucard here, what was he doing here, and what is his purpose here!?
Channeling the Gear Golem, Alex quickly made a train-car and everyone got in as the Church members jumped before moving to intercept, but they were too slow as the train blew alive and it roared away, the members awed as Alucard made it in his Genya form and huffed with a smirk as the roaring vessel blazed away.
"I guess I should have expected that, those members have a slight tragic history with the Church." He turned to the first agent who saluted to him. "Any chance of tracking that train down?"
"No, I don't think any of us here can do it, Sir." The agent answered before she continued. "But why would they take off like that, you were here to greet them and ask them to join us." Genya laughed as he turned back to the road where the vessel faded down on.
"I don't think that Helmsmith knew that really, I think he just jumped the gun this time." He snapped and motioned for everyone to round up, they had a band to find and bring into the fold...
Alexander thumped his head a few times before Shanoa stopped him for the third time as she spoke, the train still going to a destination that it was interested of going to. "To be fair, I didn't believe that we were not too careful."
"We. ran. from. Alucard. How. is. that. not. too. careful!" He groaned with rubbing his head before taking a seat with Shanoa sitting with him and gripping his hand while Mist finally took a seat beside him and snuggled against him. "Okay, so Alucard was at the hotel, he was there for a reason, but why...? Was it to recruit us for something...?" Alexaner hummed as he turned his attention to the moving Gear Train that rode through the ways and moved like a swift bullet train while also avoiding the chance to crash. "Where are we bound, Gear Train?" It was a loud rumble, but Alex got the message as he questioned. "Italy? Not that I am questioning why we are heading for Italy, but are you certain that we are not heading for France or England?" Another low rumble and Alex nodded as he spoke. "Let's rest, everyone, it's going to be a while before we arrive to Italy anyway..."
They did so, not even questioning why the train was going to be cutting through Asia to reach Europe like this, Alex allowing his power to steer the way as they tracked on, the small band safe for the time as Europe would be facing the will of Helmsmith once more once he had settled down in Italy to begin with...
They arrived and started to set up shop right quick as a large building, each one hosting their own things in the complex as it turned into a blooming business, but Alexander was not going to focus on that right then, even with the growing changes to the world that he knows, he was also there to figure out what else was standing out and he found it.
It was a European cult, dedicated to Count Dracula, that was underneath everything, even had their fingers controlling the minor authorities to an extent, their title 'With Light'. Their presence was first known during the events of World War Two when they further aided Elizabeth with her goals of reviving her uncle in a lesser part and the cult that Graham lead had the same interests as them as they used With Light to further open up to the sealed castle, their sorcerers were quite strong to do that, but now, they hid like roaches from the eyes of the world, belief going to be toward gathering their numbers, mustering their strengths and doing what they can to take the world by storm.
The flapping of wings heralded the return of Vision as Alex raised his hand and took the small Peeping Eye in hand. "What is it that you have seen and heard...?" With that, Vision transmitted its thoughts to him.
'It is clear to us all that Graham has failed in becoming Lord Dracula.'
'Indeed, he was too certain of himself in belief that his birth heralded the revival of the Dark Lord in the beginning.'
'Now, With Light must do what they must to ensure that the ultimate evil be brought to life so that the ultimate good will emerge to battle once more.'
'And when that times comes... we will strike the good down, the world needs true leadership, not the sort those sloth-ridden fools have become.'
'Indeed, but how, Great Leader...?'
'It is simple, we seek the shattered powers of our Great Lord and bring them into the fold, we must also take into account who was the one who severed the Castle's life line in the first place, his power is grand, so we would have two options, force this one into yielding to the dark power or slay him to supplant our own dark lord into his place, evil reigns over good as good is too foolish to believe the battle over...' Vision's thoughts ended and Alex opened his eyes as he spoke.
"I see... another cult devoted to Dracula, but are aware that Dracula's power may be fragmented, we could be in danger before long." Vision flapped about before resting on his shoulder and spoke. "But if that's the case... we need to practice improving ourselves and bettering our skills, maybe even grow them further." He hummed as he finished.
"Let the Light come, we will see what they have in store and use that to our advantage..."
