When the fairies had completed their task, Adrian was still asleep. But his breathing was deeper and he was clean. His hair was no longer stained with rubies.

As Dracula stood beside the bed, looking down at his son, he was reminded of just how much he looked like his mother; how beautiful he was. His eyes fell onto the angry red scar across his chest, only half visible from where it got cut off by the blanket. He marred that beauty. Damaged a priceless memory. And he could never take it back, and it would never be forgotten. Even his most talented fairies could not heal that scar. It was a permanent reminder of what he had done. Perhaps it had a factor in the cause of the wedge that drove them apart.

When would they finally be brought back together? This separation...it was just painful for Dracula. Knowing that his only son hated him. Knowing that his own actions had a role in it. Knowing that he didn't regret them as much as he should. It was all those damn humans' fault! If they had not burned his wife because of their inflated egos...if those two humans Adrian was traveling with had kept him happy...perhaps none of this would've ever happened. Maybe they'd still be a happy family. Maybe Adrian would have friends he could rely on, not just himself. Perhaps humanity would've welcomed them in. Perhaps Lisa could've helped them with their problems and teach Adrian to do the same. Perhaps...it'd just be a better world. But it wasn't. And would never be until Dracula found more humans like his late wife. Which would probably ne-

The king of vampires was in the middle of his internal monologue when the sound of crashes traveled down the hall into the room where he was. It sounded like the many lamps that decorated the corridors shattering on the marble floors. Screams were layered under it, like eerie violins under the sound of torturous singing.

When Dracula stepped outside, he was met with a sight he'd never forget. The inhabitants of the castle carved beyond recognition. Their blood painting macabre scenes on the walls. Shattered glass of the lamp covers lie on the floor, some in the corpses eyes, some in their throats, some just lying there, out of the way.

There was an enemy in the castle...and Dracula had a feeling that it was there for Adrian.

One hour prior

Hector looked on as the inhabitants who were present in the castle's main foyer-mainly the vampire members of the war council-watched as Dracula carried an injured Alucard deeper into the castle. Their eyes were filled with disgust and hatred, but they didn't dare to speak their minds in front of Dracula, who'd probably rip their throats out.

Under normal circumstances, Hector would gather up Isaac (more like meet in the middle on their way to Dracula's study) and head after their lord. But this wasn't normal circumstances. Alucard was injured, perhaps dying, Dracula did not need anyone butting in even if they were trying to make him feel slightly better. What the mighty vampire needed right now was for the young master to awaken. But that would probably not happen for at least a couple of days. At the very least, Hector could be allowed to keep the man company.

The grey haired devil forgemaster's dark corner space was invaded by another, welcomed presence. He did not need to look up to know who was there.

"Do you think they might try to kill him?"

Blunt and to the point like always, Isaac followed Hector's line of sight to the group of generals at the bottom of the grand staircase. The disgust in their eyes had increasingly grown as Dracula faded out of sight. And as much as Hector hated to admit it, Alucard was treading a fragile enough path that one small crack might end up with him dead. He and Isaac might be the only ones who did not hold any resentment towards the young dhampir. With the others, he was feared, envied, lusted after, hated, and all other sins that came with the creatures of Castlevania. And the boy could still die, which made it easier for the others to plot for his demise.

But that is why Hector and Isaac were there. To protect Dracula, and with him, Alucard. It did not matter if the threat came from within or outside the castle walls. They would throw their lives at their masters' feet to keep them safe.

"They might. But they won't succeed. Because we're here." Hector responded.

Isaac nodded. "Mm. If anyone dares to betray Lord Dracula, then they shall be disposed off without him ever finding out."

Dracula had been long gone for quite awhile now, and yet, there was still a feralness in the night creatures' eyes. Hector could even see hints of fangs peeking out from behind parted lips.

"Why do you think they are still like that?" He asked Isaac.

"Most likely because they can still smell Young Master Alucard's blood from here."

"Does it smell disgusting?" Hector wondered that because of their faces. If it was an unpleasant odor or not.

"I think it is quite the opposite." Isaac leaned back against the wall, watching the vampires with the eyes of a predator. "It must smell rather heavenly, for all of them to quit fighting with each other. Not to mention if it smelled any way revolting, they'd most likely all flee to their chambers in an effort to get away from the smell."

"It must be that mixture between human and vampire blood that smells so good to them."

A light cloud of comfortable silence covered the two as they continued to watch as the vampires and other creatures stood and slowly wandered around the castle like usual, over whatever pleasure Alucard's scent had given them.

Soon it was just Hector and Isaac in the grand foyer, just listening to the sounds that the castle had to offer and enjoying each other's presence. They didn't know what it was they were waiting for, and they must've stood there for perhaps three quarters of an hour before they moved to leave to check up on Dracula. But they never got as far as the throne at the top of the stairs before heavy footsteps mixed with the clinking of armor flooded their ears.

Soldiers pooled out from the shadows, quickly covering the foyer like a hoard of insects. What surprised Isaac the most out of all this was not the fact that they were being invaded by an enemy. It was that instead of the soldiers wearing only one color of armor, they wore many colors. All the colors, in fact. Black of their own forces, white of Carmilla's, red, and yellow, and blue, and green of all the smaller vampire clans. They were all there. Pooled together in a giant mess of color.

They were the traitors.

Recently, the castle and the neighboring clans were having cases of disappearing traitors from their prisons. No one knew where they had gone. Until now of course. They had all joined up to create a large army and overthrow the vampire rulers.

Of course this was just a hunch of Isaac's, but...it could be right. His hunches always seemed to end up right in some way.

The enemy soldiers drew their swords, and with quick movements, Isaac pushed Hector behind his back, handing his grey haired companion a dagger to defend himself with.

Hector was never that strong against normal humans, against vampires he could be easily slain. It was up to Isaac to make sure that the other man did not die. Dracula could not be one devil forgemaster short. Especially in this time where the master's worries were focused on only the young master. Isaac needed to hold them off until he or Hector could get to Dracula or the other generals.

A few seconds of stillness passed, neither parties moving, until the army charged.

Freeing the spiked belt at his side, a few swipes of his arm had a vampire's throat torn out and a dagger through its heart.

The smokey dust landed in waves upon the long red carpet trailing up the left half of the grand staircase.

The other soldiers paused after seeing one of their own slain by human hands and that moment of hesitance was all that Isaac needed to turn around and usher Hector up the stairs. They needed to get to the generals. Dracula's chambers were too far away, but Isaac knew where Carmilla was at this time of day, and knowing her, she'd take charge of the other generals and have them hold off the army. Then the two forgemasters could find Dracula and tell him what had happened.

"Get them!" A soldier yelled.

Luckily for Hector and Isaac, the armor the vampires were wearing slowed them down a bit, so they, even as humans, were still ahead of them and matched with their home field advantage, and Isaac striking those who got too close with his belt, they stayed far enough ahead to lose the army.

"Where...are we going?" Hector asked in between pants.

"To the library. Carmilla should be there."

The two ran for what seemed like forever before finally reaching the large double doors of the library.

Carmilla always liked to study in here. Study the history of Castlevania. The Tepes family. The Belmonts. Anything that would give her an advantage at getting into other people heads. Isaac asked once. Carmilla gained a bit of respect from him after that tidbit of information was shared.

But right now wasn't the time for worrying about those things and dazing about the past.

Isaac shoved the doors open with a bang and the two ran inside, paying no heed to the plentiful amount of chairs they were knocking over in their journey to where Carmilla was sitting in the far corner of the library.

She looked up at them with a raised eyebrow, setting her open book onto a nearby table.

"What is so important that you dare disrupt my time alone with such a racket?"

"An enemy army has invaded the castle," Hector explained, hands upon his knees to catch his breath.

"I believe they are the traitors of our forces, among others," Isaac said.

"Traitors?"

Carmilla needed to ask. Why would traitors attempt to overthrow the most powerful vampire ever created? Shouldn't they know first hand that all that awaited them would be gruesome deaths? Shouldn't they be more concerned with their own lives? Why didn't they just disappear forever? It was rather strange to Carmilla. Your own life should come first. After you set a plan that killed off your enemies and kept you alive...then you could do as you want. But whatever this army of traitors was doing now...was practically suicide.

"Yes," Isaac replied to her inquiry. "The traitors. They wear all of the colors. I do not know how they got in, but they are in."

"And what do you want me to do about this?"

"Get the other generals. Hold them off. We need to get to Dracula to alert him of the situation."

"Fine. But only because I still have stuff to do here. Any other time and I'd let you all die."

The two humans and the female vampire glared at each other for a second before Carmilla got up from her spot and they all left the library, each going in different directions.

A few minutes later, once Hector and Isaac had gotten a good way down the hall they heard the beginnings of the fight downstairs.

Who knew how long the six generals would be able to hold off the army? But Hector hoped that it was long enough for them to warn Dracula. They were about halfway to his chambers; they might make it.

Of course as soon as the grey haired forgemaster thought that, their plans and hopes were shattered roughly a dozen more traitorous soldiers stepped from the shadows, all weilding their weapon of choice.

Axes, maces, hammers, swords, daggers...they had them all. It wasn't very good odds for Hector and Isaac, two humans armed with nothing but a dagger each and Isaac's spiked belt.

They were screwed. But they fought anyway.

One of the vampires made the first move, running towards Hector with his battle ax raised overhead, but a quick, last second dodge sent him stumbling, allowing Isaac to quickly decapitate it with his belt and dagger.

One down...only thirteen more to go.

And during the midst of battle, neither Hector nor Isaac noticed the sudden silence that stretched out from the foyer, covering all but them in an eerie blanket. The atmosphere thickened, and all they felt was the urge that they needed to get this done quickly. Or else they'd regret it.

Whew. This turned out to be a pretty long chapter. And we got to be introduced to Isaac, Hector, and Carmilla~. I did not originally intend for any of those characters to make such an important appearance in this chapter, but oh well. I must say, it did fight me, but at the end of the day, I'm quite proud of myself and this chapter. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it, feel free to leave your thoughts in a review, and I'll see you next chapter~

Bye-bye~

Majesty