Chapter Twenty Four: The Coffin Riddle
All of you are restless already. The rain has started again, but it is not a raging torrent. It is a gentle patter on the small window (which is covered by a black velvet drape). You lay in the bed listening to the natural rhythm and close your eyes. "We can't stay here forever," you say. Vladimir doesn't answer. Carl is playing with a crucifix. "I failed to mention," you remember aloud, "Frankenstein's monster is here." Carl stops playing with the crucifix. Vladimir lifts his head as you open your eyes and look at them. Carl has an inexplicable expression on his face.
"What do you mean?" Carl asks.
"Locked up in a cell by the laboratory," you say. Carl gets up immediately and heads over to the door. He starts removing the furniture-blockade from the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Vladimir says, springing up from the floor. Carl ignores him until he grabs his arm.
"I have to get him!" Carl insists.
"Carl, don't be crazy," Vladimir says, drawing him away from the door. "The laboratory is down. Therefore, the monster is useless to Dracula. Don't worry."
"Dracula may, in a fit of rage, try to repair the laboratory tonight rather than waiting the necessary three days," you interject.
"See!" Carl says desperately, wrenching away from Vladimir and going to the door again.
"No one is leaving this room until we develop a plan!" Vladimir yells. You stare at him from the bed in curiosity. You cannot recall ever seeing him so angry. Carl looks slightly astonished at Vladimir's outburst.
"Well then, let's develop a plan," you say. Vladimir shoves Carl away from the door. The friar is visibly un-nerved. "And let's not loose our wits," you recommend, looking at the ceiling, "There's got to be something we can do."
"Well, first of all, we need to think about this ending sequence," states Vladimir. He and Carl pull chairs up to the bed and sit. "It has to be intricate and tactful. We have to play through all of the scenarios."
"Well, I need someone to create a diversion so I can release Van Helsing," you say, "But the problem is that the Count will be on the lookout for me. He won't care if he sees you and me together, because he will simply choose to go after me first."
"Then we'll go out first…distract the Count…and you can slip off to the tower," Vladimir says.
"What if that doesn't work?" You ask.
"How can it not work?" Vladimir asks in return.
"What if he somehow…just knew where I was…what if…"
"Don't start up on this past lives and sixth sense junk, Mira," Vladimir says, rolling his eyes and sighing heavily.
"It's not junk!" Argues Carl. Vladimir stares at him, aghast.
"You're a friar! You don't believe in such things!" He exclaims.
"Vladimir…there are some things in this world that should be hidden from the public eye," says Carl, "Such as the existence of immortal beings."
"One can only fight the supernatural with supernatural senses," you say, hugging your knees and looking far off into nothing, "He knows me Vladimir… and I know him. It's an ethereal sense that I cannot explain, and it will thwart every plan we try to make in his house." Vladimir is silent.
"Maybe we can use this connection to defeat him," suggests Carl, "Mira…you know his weaknesses!"
"I am his only weakness," you say, "Besides the werewolf and the sun."
"Then you must be the diversion until the werewolf is unleashed," Vladimir says.
"How can I do that?" You ask, lifting your chin from your knees to look at him.
"Talk around him," suggests Vladimir, "I think you can get a head start, at least. That will give you…two minutes, maybe."
"Two minutes only gets me a little less than halfway up the tower," you say, envisioning this as you speak.
"Run and you'll almost reach the top. Then, fight him off," says Vladimir.
"It's not going to work!" You insist. Suddenly, something smashes into the door and you hear the splintering of wood. You all exchange glances in shock. "It's him…" You whisper, "He found me." There is another smash. Vladimir grabs you up in his arms and runs to the back of the room. Carl follows. Vladimir flings open a wall panel and leaps in. Carl jumps in after you and slams the panel just as the door into the room breaks.
Now, you are descending through a dark tunnel that doesn't seem to have an end. "Where are we, Vladimir?" You ask.
"To tell you the truth, I don't really know," he replies.
"Well, how did you know to go this way?" You ask, shifting slightly in his strong arms.
"Carl found it when you were in the laboratory. There is a ceiling passage as well, but it seemed to us that all the danger was occurring above," Vladimir says, "Tell me, Mira. Does this sixth sense of yours act like a… map of some kind?"
"What do you mean, 'a map?'" You ask, looking at him imploringly.
"Do you know where he is and what direction he is coming from?" Vladimir asks.
"No…not really," you say.
"Damn it," Vladimir curses. You see light ahead and soon stand in the doorway of a large crypt. It is poorly lit with a few torches. The floor, however, is well-kept. Vladimir finally sets you down and you begin to walk forward.
"This is Dracula's tomb," you say, as the realization hits you. Ahead is a large stone coffin. You approach it and examine. "Carl, there are inscriptions." Carl comes over immediately and kneels, running a finger over the words.
"An ancient curse on an ancient soul…even destroying this evil will not destroy him in full…for destiny has it that he shall never truly die, until his heart is at rest in the hands of his bride," reads Carl. You stare at the coffin with a sort of hatred. "That's odd…" says Carl, "He had three brides…"
"It speaks of me," you say. Carl and Vladimir both look at you. "I was betrothed to him and I denied him his mortal wedding…his mortal wedding night…his child…" You break off and stare at the coffin, running a hand along the edge. "If only I could go back…"
"Don't wish for that!" Snaps Vladimir. You look at Vladimir, your eyes welling up with tears.
"His life ended by me!" You say, "If it weren't for me, Van Helsing would never have had to kill him! Don't you understand? If I had just accepted the life I was to lead, we wouldn't be here now! We wouldn't be risking our lives and souls!" You are on the breaking point.
"Mira!" Vladimir says fiercely, taking you by the shoulders. He looks you in the eyes and his frustration dies. He sighs. "Mira…" He touches your cheek softly. "You are far too compassionate for your own good…it's in the past. There is nothing to be done about it now. What happened, happened, and it all happened for a reason." Your eyes fall placidly upon the coffin. Carl stands nearby, just watching the two of you. "Mira?" Vladimir calls your attention back. You lift your eyes slowly and look back at him, the tears having not fully vanished, but having not fallen yet. He kisses your forehead modestly, and then your hand. "We're going to win this battle," he says, "Because if we don't, then the world is ended." There is certainly nothing like pressure…
"So, what are we going to do now?" Asks Carl, "I think that the Count will be joining us momentarily, and I think that we don't want to be around when that happens…"
"Too late for that, my dear holy man," A voice says from the ceiling. You all lift your eyes and see Dracula suspended from the ceiling, arms behind his back. With a gentle sway, he drops to the ground and lands with a bare click, strolling towards you. But he keeps his distance still. Carl looks terrified. Vladimir stands in front of you. "I don't like it when people enter my house uninvited," Dracula says, looking at you sternly, "And I don't like it when people refuse my hospitality either."
"What hospitality?" Growls Vladimir. The Count smirks and then chuckles, moving away. He starts lighting a few more candles absentmindedly, as if it is just another thing to occupy his time. He seems very relaxed.
"You know, all I want is Mira. You can go free after you give her to me," he says.
"You can go to hell before you get her," says Vladimir. You stand quietly behind him.
"Give me over Vladimir," you say quietly. He whirls and faces you. Your eyes are downcast. The Count slowly turns and then smiles at you deviously.
"Mira, no. I was entrusted with your life and I shall not turn from that," Vladimir says tersely. You lift your eyes and look at him. Then you look at the Count. He no longer smiles. He just looks serious, as if he does not believe what you are suggesting. You move past Vladimir. He tries to bar the way, but you shove him away. He stands helpless, looking at you as you walk towards the Count.
Dracula doesn't move. He regards you with calm and enchanting eyes. Soon, you are within his reach. But he does not strike, or touch you for that matter. He seems more surprised than anything.
"Mira…no…" whispers Vladimir. When you look at him, there is pain in his eyes. But he does not understand your thoughts. He does not understand the riddle on the Count's coffin. Even then, however, you cannot carry through with the riddle right away…
"I hope you can forgive me, Vladislaus," you say, looking him straight in the eyes.
"Forgive you for what, my love?" He asks charmingly, still staring at you. You smile at him for a long time and then enter a silent staring contest with him. After a minute, the silence is clearly driving him mad. "What, Mira?" He asks in a soft hiss. The smile has not left your lips. You let another minute pass, until you can see that his anger is growing.
"For this," you say, hardly allowing another second to pass before whipping out your sword and striking him soundly on the head with the hilt. He collapses with a hard clunk and you grab Vladimir and Carl. You run, without explaining, through the door and out into the hall. Vladimir looks shocked, and impressed. Carl keeps looking back, half expecting the Count to come rushing after you.
"How long is that going to hold him?" Asks Vladimir.
"Only about a minute," you answer, breathless, "But it will disorient his brain processes. This way." You lead them through more tunnels and pathways, going up, going down, until it seems you have become lost in a labyrinth. You turn immediately to face Vladimir, once you are certain that the Count will not find you. "I have a plan," you say. Vladimir halts abruptly, and Carl nearly falls over. "Look, you must listen and do everything I say. It is too important that you do not mess it up. I cannot unleash Van Helsing. Carl will do it. And you have the antidote, Vladimir. You will do that as planned. You see… the riddle on the Count's coffin has posed another problem for us."
"What problem? It's a silly riddle," says Vladimir, raising a brow, "But continue…"
"The riddle says that he will only truly die when his heart lays at rest in the hands of his bride. His bride, Vladimir. I am his bride. Do you understand?" You say, almost desperately.
"No, I don't understand," Vladimir says.
"I have to become his bride, Vladimir. It was my destiny," you say.
"No!" He says, "No! I won't let you do that!"
"Vladimir! Listen!" You look at him earnestly, "I won't die… I wasn't meant to die… but you must try to understand how everything falls together. Look… this is what I believe. I think that the riddle and the painting are connected."
"That's absurd! They contradict one another!" Vladimir cries, "Think rationally, Mira!"
"This isn't about rationalizing!" You yell, "Look… Dracula can only be killed by a werewolf, this is true. This part we all know already. But the sequence with the warrior stabbing the mortal form in the heart and the rising sun…don't you see? It's representational! The sun represents his bride. The warrior stabbing Dracula's dead mortal form represents a heart at rest. Don't you see? His heart is at rest in the hands of his bride!"
"There must be another way!" Exclaims Vladimir.
"It has nothing to do with the day!" You reply. You take out the key to Van Helsing's cell and give it to Vladimir. He pushes it away, back towards you. "You must unleash Van Helsing!"
"Wait a moment, Mira. In the hands of his bride. I do not think you need to become his bride. I think it is you who must cut out his heart… Then, you must bury it and pray for his soul," says Carl.
"I like that idea better!" says Vladimir, "I will not have you die as a forsaken soul." You sigh.
"But I must still be the diversion for the Count," you say.
"It's too risky! Van Helsing might attack you instead of the Count!" Insists Vladimir.
"Risks must be taken!" You cry. Then you turn to Carl, "Carl… take this key. You and Vladimir go unleash Van Helsing…"
"Mira, I won't let you do this!" Vladimir yells. You glare at him. Carl takes the key.
"Go, Carl," you say. You turn on your heel and walk in the direction you had just come from.
"Mira, don't you dare!" Says Vladimir, almost hysterically. But Carl grabs him and drags him off. And you disappear into the darkness, your destination being Dracula's lair.
The prospects look grimmer than ever, and you are putting yourself in perhaps the most dangerous situation of them all, but sacrifices must be made…
And you are the only one that can afford it.