Epilogue time! So this is it. Please leave a review after you finish I would greatly appreciate it, Good, Bad, Ugly, I like Cheese. Whatever you want. I told you there was a time travel part in this so deal with it.
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Modern day mid-2021
A flight of two helicopters, Mi-8AMTSh 'Hip' assault transport and MI-24 Super Hind gunship, flies through the Carpathian Mountains as the spring thaw begins to take over the region. In the distance appeared to be the ruins of a former kingdom that time forgot with rubble saturating the area. But, as a door gunner pointed out, the remains of a V22 Osprey transport say otherwise. Between the two choppers were a total of ten personal armed to the teeth to include the task force commander, Karl Dael, and Consoulwoman Claudia Marlin on its roster. The two choppers were of the more modern variety equip with a myriad of sensors and weapons to fight anything on earth. The Super Hind's gunner reports nothing on their thermal sights as they begin to circle the area.
Claudia stands up to look out the troop door of the Super Hind. Karl sat on the door strapped in so he wouldn't fall out, "I don't see anything moving around either." He tells her via the communication system of the aircraft.
"Vulture group," Claudia says on the radio net to the flight of helicopters. "This is Madam 1. Begin decent. LZ is the area around the downed Osprey. Weapons are tight and be on high alert."
The two helicopters' circles around till they find suitable positions around the destroyed Osprey. Claudia and Karl dismount with weapons in hand as three other soldiers follow behind them. From the Hip, more heavily armed troops dismount from the side entrances to begin setting up a small observation post to act as the temporary HQ. The soldiers set up security around the Hip transport as the Hind takes off to provide support.
The soldiers were a mix of men and women dressed in olive drab uniforms clutching a mix of AK-101 and 103 assault rifles. Claudia moves forward with Karl rallying the troops to follow behind her. They march through past the ruins of the Osprey to reach the remains of the small village. Large tree like remains liter the area along with small piles of crystallized remains of lycans scattered around them. The ground was cracked open as if some had ordered a carpet bombing of the area with 1000-to-2000-pound bombs.
"Whoever did this didn't want this place to be remembered." Karl remarks as they pass the remains of the Maidan of War statue in the village center. He looks up at the remains of the castle to see its imposing towers were brough to earth leaving only jagged remains standing among the ruins below. They push forward past the remains to reach the castle. Crossing the small river, they drop the draw bridge and move up the side entrance to the remains of the front door.
Four troops move to the door to breech it. They kick the door down and clear the open floor. To no ones surprise their was obvious decay with in the home as the mural of the three daughters was scratched up and crumbling. Shattered pots and vases littered the ground along with the crystalized remains of what appeared to be females. The group then move to the main hall to see evidence of claw marks and dried blood on the walls.
"There's some shell casings here." A female trooper reports. "A mix of 9mm and shotgun shells. I think I see a few pieces of shrapnel in the walls to from a grenade or two."
"Looks like someone went to war with the Lady of the House." Karl remarks to Claudia. "Poor bastard."
Claudia says nothing as she storms into the hall. To her surprise, there was significant fire damage from an unattended fire and, from what see could see, an unclean chimney. The once grand staircase was charred and burned nearing falling apart.
"First group clear the upstairs, second group clear the bottom, Third group check the crypt, and myself and the madam as check out the courtyard." Karl says dividing up the group. "Keep coms with each other! No Blue on Blue!"
Claudia moves forward with out a word said as she storms through the door to the dinning room. She was greeted by shattered windows and crystalized corpses. Karl follows behind her and stops to notice blood leading to the kitchen. "Claudia, Hold up."
He raises his weapon, a customized AK103, and moves forward flashing his weapon mounted light into the dark corners of the kitchen. The memories of the torture chambers down below and his first introduction to Bela fills his mind as he moved cautiously. Howling winds and crackling glass catches his attention making him move deeper to the back storage room. To his shock, he found the crystalized remains of Bela Dimitrescu.
Lowering his weapon, he looks at the face of the crystal Bela. From what he could see in her face was nothing short of fear in her eyes. The number of shell casings on the ground tells him whoever had fought her fought hard for his life, as did she.
"I told you what would happen when you got cocky…" He told the statue with a heavy heart. "Stupid girl…"
A heavy wind blew through the window knocking the statue over sending it to the ground to shatter into pieces. But to his surprise once more was something from over seventy plus years ago laying in the pile of crystalized remains: The brass shotgun shell he gave to her.
He took the shell and put it in his pocket. "Damn her. Damn her to hell." He curses aloud as he turns back, the cursing meant more for him than for the girl.
"Bela is dead. I assume the same for the rest of them." Karl reports rejoining Claudia in the dining room.
"Damn it." She responds moving out to the courtyard. Karl follows behind her as she charges forward franticly.
"Madam 1, Black 3, Found a mound of remains in the Dimitrescu crypt. Testing DNA now." The radio sounds in Karl's and Claudia's headset.
Claudia runs through the castle at breakneck speed through several door till reaching the back entrance towards the river. Green figures toting Kalashnikovs let her know where to go as she runs with red eyes. Throwing open the doors she startled the troops nearly getting herself shot in the process.
"Madam Marlin!" One of the soldiers says nearly dropping the DNA tester.
"Is it her?" Claudia demands, her voice hoarse and heavy.
The soldiers back away from the crystallize mound as Claudia falls to her knees crying her eyes out. Karl enters the room to see the strong and forever confident Claudia crying like a broken child.
"Pull security outside." Karl orders the soldiers. They vacated the crypt quickly leaving the two alone with the remains of Alcina.
To Karl it didn't make any sense to see such a large mound of remains for one woman, but then he remembers the talk about her powers. This, he assumed, must have been one of her powers that ended in her demise.
As she weeps the rest of the teams report that the rest of the castle was in pieces from weather damage and combat with bullet holes, shrapnel, and claw marks covering its walls. Signs of a struggle between parties was riff as well with holes in the floors or blown out sections of walls. More exploration into the depths of castle find more evidence of sadistic murder and other events that simply shouldn't have been seen in the first place.
"Hunter 1, Black 2, we found a large painting in a workshop. It appears undamaged." The radio calls out.
"Claudia." Karl says, kneeling to comfort her. "They found a painting of her. Do you want us to take it?"
"No…" Claudia says, wiping her tears from her eyes. "I did what I could and she made her choice."
"Black 2, Hunter 1, Take photos of it. We'll have someone at base recreate it." Karl orders.
"You're too much sometimes." Claudia spits as she gazes at the mound of crystals. "Damn her…"
"You said it yourself, she made her choice." Karl reaffirms.
"I know, but I still can't help but feel frustrated at her." Claudia tells him. "Lil Alcina was the closest thing I had to a daughter till I had Sally. I loved her as if she was my own and I can't help but feel responsible for this."
"You can't blame yourself for what she did." Karl says to her, helping her to her feet. "The best we can do is pay our respects and leave her be."
With a heavy heart Claudia bows her head and hugs Karl, "I hate that your right…"
She turns to the mount and looks over the only human portion of it. With tears still dripping down her face she says with a soft voice, "I love you, my little Alcina. I hope we meet again in another life."
Karl turns her away from the mound and walks towards the door to the crypt, "Close the doors. We're done here."
The force meets back at the LZ and begin loading back into the helicopters. To the dismay of the soldiers, there was nothing to take besides the remains of the none blood infused wine. Claudia refused them to take any of the Dimitrescu riches, but the wine was fine. Though the sea of rotor wash, Claudia swore she could hear the voice of a younger Alcina calling to her. But she turns her head and takes a seat on the troop door with Karl. As the Hind begins to hover off the ground she stares at the castle as the memories of days go by play in her mind like a black and white movie of old.
She lays her head on Karl's shoulder, wrapping herself around his arm as they leave the village to rest for the final time.