Chapter One: Surprise to be alive in the Crypt of the Dead

Disclaimer: AOS Characters belong to Ayami Kojima, not me. So no sueing,'kay? Once again, Damien and his friends belong to me, though its only Damien on his own, in a castle he's never been too....which stinks like rotting corpses. Okay, it'll take time to get use to, but hanged in there! Besides, you won't be alone, for long.

Another meaning for this symbol: *** : Location (Just came up right now) Chapter has been refixed.

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'Damn, I know I won't get up in the morning like this.' "Uhn.." The boy awoke by a cool breeze that touched his left cheek as he slowly got up from the ground. After dusting himself off, Damien looks at his surroundings: rocks scattered throughout the area while the ground was damp, and there were skulls on the top part of the walls; very ancient, with eyeless sockets staring down at the youth in wonder. Over to his right, were small rooms that look as if they were rarely used. Torches were held by stone bearers which were walled beside the doorless rooms as they lit the whole place. "A catacomb? How the hell did I got here?.....Ah! Now I remember, at the shrine! It was that stone sphere I touched and everything went white..."

Recalling that memory, Damien noticed his blue guitar was still strapped on his back as he glared at the scenery. "Wherever I am, I'm sure getting out of here...and fast." The american referred to the putrid smell of the catacombs which was so strong, it made Damien want to vomit. Soon, he was able to overcome it and began to walk toward the open path to find a way out.

~*~

***Hakuba Shrine***

Soma looks around the quiet shrine as he reverted back to his human form and walked toward the stone sphere. He hovers a hand on it and closed his eyes. Soft surges of light touches his palm as Soma sensed its energy. "Someone entered the other realm alright, and yet this energy is oddly familier...'Which I really don't want anything to do with ever again, but..Its now a part of me, and I musn't let anyone try to unleash darkness or chaos into this world as he did..' He thought to himself before the albino pressed his hand on the smooth rounded object as a soft wind blew through his white locks. The crescent moon spun once more and light filled the shrine as Soma disappears to other realm, where his supposed alterego's dark home, Castlevania stood. 'Besides, Arikado might be there...I hope so.'

~*~

***Catacombs***

Damien continued onward through the foul and eerie catacombs as his black boots made rough noises on the ground until he stops walking. The path was now leading downward and had no steps, but a smooth surface as he proceeded by jumping on it and slid toward the bottom. He jumps off and lands on the ground as he smiled abit before proceeding further. Suddenly, he heard moaning coming from the area while the foul smell of decomposing corpse began to fill the air, as a hand thrust out from the ground and grabbed Damien's foot. The american fell on his rear as he screamed when he saw the hand's owner. It came from a zombie that was half flesh from head to toe and was missing the other arm. One of the sockets was missing an eye while the other was dangling on the cheek bone as the nose and ear fell off from its face as Damien kicked it off with his boot. He broke free and began to run, when more zombies came out from their tombs and walked quickly toward Damien who dodges them as he unstraps his guitar and swung at them. "Stay the hell away from me! Go back where you came from!!" With a huge swing, he knocked off three heads from the zombies' bodies as they crashed into eachother and stumbled on the ground, motionless.

Suddenly, three yellow orbs came out from the bodies and went inside the american who fell on his back. He got up and shooked his head. "What was that?" Before he was about to say something else, more of them kept coming at him as the youth turned away and ran off before getting ambushed again. But now he encountered a new attacker: A skeleton knight with blue armor and helmet, charged at him on a black horse, while holding a sword as he attacked the boy and struck his arm. Damien stumbled backwards as he covered the wound he got from the skeleton knight with his hand and gritted his teeth. "...Shit!"

The skeleton rider charged at him again and Damien dodges the attack as he held onto his guitar. 'I got to end this, now! Otherwise, I'll be like the rest of them! Here goes!'

The skeleton knight charges at him one last time, but as he did, Damien leaped from the ground and swunged his guitar really hard at the skeleton who went to pieces and the horse disintegrated into flames. The teen lands on the ground as another yellow orb appeared and went inside Damien who fell on his knees. "..........!! Huh? Not again!"

His guitar began glow as Damien covered his eyes from the light and heard an odd high pitch sound coming from the glowing guitar. Damien opened his eyes and much to his surprise, the guitar was nolonger in his hand. In it's place, was a sword with a long and sterling silver blade which reached to his knee. Its handle was dark gray and its foible had a ruby tip. The forte itself had another ruby gem in the center while a gray jawless skull adorn the hilt.

"Whoa...this is frikken weird." He said as the blue eyed youth studied the blade for awhile, then made a smirk as Damien swipes it in an 'X' motion, showing its sleek blade and red gem. "On the other hand, it could be very useful."

With that, Damien continued on foot and ran while holding his new weapon, ready to attack anything that gets in his way.

~*~

***Castle Entrance***

Soma was quiet for a moment as he stood staring at the castle door, closed as if it hadn't been opened for nearly a hundred years. Without hesitation, Soma summons his sword, the Claimh Solais, as he held it tightly in his hand and enters. The door closed behind him and Soma began to run through the corridors toward whatever path lies waiting for him, hoping that whoever may have accidently came here, survive all the way until he can find that person.

~*~

Damien ran quickly and soon encountered some familier faces, including others he never seen. One of them was an arachne that had the upper body of a woman, but lower body of a spider as she spews her spider threads at him. The brown haired youth dodges the attack and with one quick slash, kills the spider as she burns into ashes. A red orb came up from the ground and went inside Damien, who somewhat knew what they were for. "The yellow orbs are likely to increase my strength, but I wonder what does the red one does?"

Then an earth demon came out of nowhere and summons an earthquake as rocks appeared from the ground and moves quickly toward Damien. The american raises his right arm in midair and silky thick threads appeared in his palm and he was picked up. The rocks missed him as Damien stood dangling from his palm. "Cool and just right." Replied Damien, but forgotten that the yellow creature was still there as it swipes its claw at the threads, cutting them loose and the youth began to fall.

In desperation, Damien outstretched his hand again and the web caught a close rock ledge as he swunged forward, then jumps on the winged demon. As the creature tried to shake him off, Damien held on tight as he straddled himself on its shoulders and with both hands, thrust his sword on the back of the demon's neck. The creature cried out in pain as it began to fall and Damien leaps onto the ground, then looks back at the demon disintegrated into ashes.

Afterwards, another red orb appeared and entered his body; including a small bottle he caught in time as Damien continue onward while facing more baddies coming out to attack. Slashes, screams and sounds a flames echoed throughout the area as the american made it to a weird looking doorway. It was blue and had gold trimmings as it stood infront of Damien who hesistates, then went in cautiously, as it closed behind him. He turned around and realized that he was now stuck. 'I don't like this...' He thought. Damien continued walking this time, since there were no enemies in the area, but held onto his weapon just in case.

Suddenly, he was alarmed by a loud roar and stumbled on the ground by the footsteps of a fourlegged creature from the shadows. Whatever it was, it'd sure was a whopper with those big footsteps! Quickly, he got up and stood back while holding his sword as he stared into the white eyes of what now stood before him. A huge dragon creature with orange scales and wings walked toward Damien as each footstep shook the whole area while the youth couldn't move. It was a disgusting sight of the creature that made Damien want to throw up, period. The dragon, from head to tail, had flesh hanging out from its body, while its right side showed the creature's ribs with no organs and blood still dripping underneath as if it was freshly killed by a predator. White eyes, with no pupils, glared down at the boy as if giving a message of death and then...opens it mouth to attack Damien who jumped back.

The fire moved toward him just as the earth demon's attack and the lad moved out of the way. He outstretched his hand to use the earth demon attack, but with no luck, nothing came out. "What?! Damn! Just when I need it the most! Well looks like I'll fight the old fashion way." With the blade in his hand, Damien charged and leaped at it when the zombie dragon uses its head as it pushed the american on the ground. He got to his feet and tried again but the creature had overcome him. It roared and spews out poisonous gas as Damien got struck by it. He fell to his knees and began panting as he looked up at the creature hovering above him. It lifts its foot in midair and stomped down just before Damien dodges it. He gritted his teeth and moved away from the creature to figure out a weak spot; only to find it vague to think due to the poisonous gas the creature casted on him.

'Damn! You idiot! If you hadn't jumped again, you'd be in top shape to think! Now you're finished!' ......No! I can't lose now! But what can I do? Wait!" Then he remembers the small bottle that he also got from the earth demon and took it out of his pocket. The red liquid stood still as Damien looks at it. 'I've only got this...but what if this is just a drink and nothing else? There's only one way to find out...' "Bottoms up!" Exclaimed Damien, as he drunked the liquid down like water and threw the glass on the ground. "I'm still poison, yet...feel like my magic is coming back!" He lifted his head sharply as he felt his hand glowing and curled it into a fist. "I can use the web attack to trap him and then use the other orb I got from that monster to attack with. And lastly, slash him into two, I just only hope it works!"

As the creature came nearer, it opened its big mouth to fire, but as it did, Damien aimed his hand at the zombie dragon and a big spider web closes the mouth from attacking. Then Damien aimed at the bottom where he shot two webs on the ground, trapping its legs from underneath its big form and using the last of his magic for the Earth demon's techinque, the youth slammed his fist on the ground, causing huge rock peaks to appear; then charging toward the dragon and hits it a couple of times.

Without hesitation, Damien cried out in fury as he lunged at the creature, his blade sliced through its neck and the american lands on the ground with eyes closed. The head fell off from the dragon's body as both parts hit the ground with a thud and lying there motionless. Damien breathed in heavily as he touched his chest. "...And that, everyone...was the Chambers' Triple Attack.. He felt his vison began to blurr and he lets the sword fell to the ground, his body growing heavy as he fell to his knees. "Damn...Looks like my time has expired...well at least I took care of that big freak and all...In any minute, I'll wake up from this crazy dream....Uhn!" He fell flat on his face, not moving an inche. Damien Chambers was out of commisson, for good.

Then a green orb came out from the shadows and hovered in the air. It made a heartbeat as it slowly came down to the motionless Chambers and entered his body. Its warmness enveloped his form as the youth began to stir. His eyes quickly opened and Damien got up from the ground. "I'm alive! But how??" The boy checked his arm which was wounded before, only to find nothing on his skin. His body wasn't weary as before, the poison deceased and his vision came back; thus his energy refill to full maximium as the sword was now strapped onto his back, in a leather sheath that resembles a warrior's. "That sound...whatever that sound came from, it healed me completely. Now I can move on in good condition. One thing for sure....I won't forget who or what saved me." Said Damien as he noticed the door to the other side opens and the american continued his path.

As he entered, he found a small statue with a gray light flickering like a lantern and shelves that were really steps leading upward but too high for him to reach. Damien came near the glowing statue and kicks it to the ground as the light came out and entered him. The youth stumbles alittle as he glanced at the broken statue and the steps. He figured perhaps, this techinque can help him climb up there, so he tries. He lands on the ground then tried again, this time, with a double jump and thus found himself on one of the shelves. With a smirk, Damien continued up as he was heading toward the next area which he hoped was the way out.

Little did he knew, that a small imp was watching the whole battle as he flew away to report this to his master.

Shortly after, the imp flew through the Dance Hall where a dark haired man stood as he came infront of him. "Master, I have found a human lurking about, he just defeated the boss in the catacombs." He said.

"Was it Soma?" Asked Arikado who sent his little imp familiar to search for any signs of intruders in the castle. "No, Master. It had blue eyes, brown hair tied in a ponytail and holding a sword with a dark hilt."

"I see. You've done well, my dear imp. Return to your card place until I need you again."

"Yes my lord, but what about the boy?"

"Leave him be. I have a feeling he came here for a reason and while Yoko is at the Floating Gardens, Soma may arrive any minute and might meet up with him."

"Yes, Master." Said the imp as he reverts back to his card form and Arikado placed it in his pocket. He looks up at the ceiling and then toward the path before him. "So, another with powers like Soma's and mine, have entered the castle. This seems to make the Act alittle more...interesting."

To Be Continued....

AN: Just finished chapter one. I proofread it to see if everything was in order and Yoko is tagging along with the others too. So far, it came out well. Though, the battle...well, cava (okay), but I may need to work on my description for a battle abit. Anyway, I thank R.D for reviewing the prologue and others who read it also. Its very nice to hear someone's opinions and all. As for the first chapter, few of you might be wondering about Arikado's dream. 'The first was in a dream he had recently which showed Soma, his father and Death. It was like a vision calling out to him, warning him of Dracula's return in his original form and out of Soma..' At first, I wasn't sure why I added that in the prologue but after reading that myself, I came to the conclusion that Arikado is imaging what will happen if Dracula were to be resurrected out of Soma's form and continued his chaos on the world..thus what would become of Soma if that ever happen. Would he lived as a lost boy, weak without the other half? Or would he be erased from this world, completely? It would be the second choice. There is no way one could lived without his or her other half even if it was evil. It's like when a twin dies, the other dies too, even through seperation, in my opinion. Arikado would definitaly feel total remorse if he ever lost Soma to the darkness. This is all I can come up for a theory, I hope you continue reading and enjoying this story as I too, found it quite enjoying. Please review. ^_^