Chapter 3: The Other Vampire
Anderson came in fast and hard, swinging the sword in his left hand in a horizontal slash aimed at Matt's neck, while stabbing forward with the other sword, aiming at Matt's stomach when he was standing.
As Matt dropped down under the first slash, he threw himself to the side to avoid the thrust, which suddenly found itself aimed right between his eyes. As he rolled to avoid a downward slash, Matt shifted his grip on the sword he had caught, making it so the sword ran down the length of his arm. As he rolled to his feet, he met Anderson's rush head on.
Anderson swung the sword in his left hand at Matt's neck, while swinging the other at Matt's knees, preventing Matt from ducking, or jumping. Matt surprised him by deflecting the left sword with the blade he had in his hand, then stepping forward. Anderson found his forward momentum stopped as Matt's action of stepping forward caused Anderson to crash into him. Matt was protected from the sword he hadn't deflected since he was now standing within Anderson's defenses.
Anderson crooked his arms and prepared to drive his swords into his own chest, impaling Matt in the process. Before he could drive either sword home, Matt shot up on his tiptoes, and gave the taller Anderson a rather forceful head-but.
As Anderson reeled from the blow, he suddenly felt a hand grab his shirt before he was hoisted into the air and throw into the brick wall of the alley.
Anderson lay on the ground for a moment, collecting his wits, before forcing himself to his feet. Once standing, he took a step toward Matt, only to be driven back to the wall, with a searing pain in his chest, just to the right of his heart.
Anderson looked down and blinked in surprise at seeing his own sword jutting out of his chest, pinning him to the alley wall.
After a moment, he dropped the sword in his right hand, and pulled the sword out. He then threw the crimson stained blade at Matt, while retrieving his discarded sword and once again charging.
Matt dodged to the left of the sword instead of catching it, and then waited for Anderson to reach him while the sword hit the ground with a clatter.
A second later, Anderson had reached him, and started swinging and stabbing like mad, and Matt was forced to twist, turn, duck and jump to avoid the blessed blades. This lethal dance continued for another minute before Matt saw his opening.
As Anderson raised both arms overhead, readying himself to bring them down in an x-slash, Matt's arms snapped out, grabbing both of Anderson's wrists as he brought his arms down. Before Anderson could realize what had happened, Matt tightened his grip and crushed the bones in both of Anderson's wrists, rendering his hands momentarily useless.
As Anderson's eyes widened when the pain registered, Matt dragged him forward by the wrists, and brought his right knee up into Anderson's ribs, followed quickly by his left. Several cracks resounded in the alley as several of Anderson's ribs gave way under the blows.
Matt released Anderson's wrists, and with a brief focusing of power, kept himself in the air while he brought both of his legs up to his chest. Once he was ready, he shoved both legs into Anderson's already weakened chest, sending the insane priest flying, as well as sending Anderson's broken ribs stabbing into his lungs. As Anderson crashed down, he coughed up a liberal amount of blood, which splattered over his clothes.
After a moment of desperate coughing, Anderson shuddered and lay still, but Matt never took his eyes off of him for an instant.
And for good reason.
Anderson's body suddenly twitched, and a gout of blood fountained from his mouth to splatter over the ground and his clothes.
Matt's eyes narrowed as he focused his power. In an instant, he had mentally grabbed the hilts of Anderson's three swords and raised them into the air. They hung there for a moment, a faint blue glow around each hilt, before all three blades suddenly flew up and stabbed down into Anderson's abdomen, pinning the priest to the ground, and earning another fountain of blood.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then Anderson started laughing.
"Haha...haha HA HA HA HA!!"
"You always start laughing at the weirdest times. Most people wouldn't laugh when both their own ribs and their own blessed swords have punctured their lungs. Not to mention your wrists are shattered, and you've lost enough blood that even you've gotta be dizzy."
Anderson didn't verbally respond. Instead, he lifted his right hand, which hung at a lopsided angle, and somehow managed to close most of his fingers. Matt couldn't help the dark grin that spread across his lips at Anderson's antics.
Here he was, pinned to the ground by his own swords, covered with blood, his wrists shattered, and he finds a way to give Matt the finger.
(Figures.)
"I've got better things to do than beat on a regenerator that doesn't know when to quit. Till next time Anderson."
With that, Matt turned and walked away, back toward the shadows deeper in the alley.
But he didn't get five steps before he had to throw himself to the side as a blessed sword flew through the space he had occupied.
Matt climbed to his feet and turned to see Anderson standing, covered in blood, with a sword once again in each hand.
"Bad tactics to turn your back on an opponent before the fights over."
Anderson then threw his arms to the side, making his body look like a rather large, lopsided, and bloody cross, before bring his arms in and making another cross with his swords.
Matt, realizing what Anderson was doing, reached into his jacket and withdrew the required item, just as Anderson finished his spell.
In an instant, dozens of papers flew out, and were pinned to the wall by throwing knives at a uniform ten feet apart on both sides of the alley.
Matt's eyes narrowed as he felt all of his powers abruptly vanish.
(Time for the real fight.)
Anderson stood to his full height and studied his opponent.
Matt stood about 30 feet away, apparently completely relaxed, with the exception of his eyes, which were narrowed and burning with intensely controlled rage. His left hand was placed against his waist, while his right hung loosely at his side, with the item he had drawn.
Matt shifted down into the same stance he had faced Seras with earlier that night when he had gained the pipe from her, and held his sword before him in a tight, two handed grip. At that moment, there was a break in the cloud's above, and the moonlight filtered down onto the blade of his katana, and the light refracted onto the walls of the alley, making both Matt's and Anderson's shadows appear as two demons, each poised to fight.
Anderson briefly marveled at the shadows abilities to show what was truly happening at that moment, without lies, and at the same time make it all darkly and terribly beautiful.
With silent agreement, Matt and Anderson charged each other.
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Seras Victoria ran with everything she had, and in the back of her head, she was grateful that the streets were all but empty. Otherwise people would've marveled at the girl who would've been outrunning cars for the past ten minutes.
As Seras completed another block, and turned the corner, she finally started to slow down, nearing the alleyway about half way down the block. As she got closer, she heard a sound that wasn't unlike silver chimes, echoing in a series of beautiful but deadly notes.
Once she reached the alley, she ventured down it, entering the purified area. She strained her eyes and ears, since her vampire senses no longer worked, as she walked down the dark alley. As she got further into the alley, she pulled out her gun, clicking the safety off, and loading a bullet into the chamber.
As she rounded a dumpster, Seras found who she was looking for. Matt and Alex were engaged in a sword fight, which explained the chimes, and both were illuminated by the moonlight as they fought.
For a moment, Seras simply stared at them, marveling at how they seemed to be cast from liquid silver in the light, with the exception of their eyes, Matt's a violent crimson and Alex's an insane emerald green, and listening to the chimes of their swords as they clashed. They both moved with such speed and grace that it seemed more of a dance than a deadly fight, and she realized just how outclassed she had been earlier against Matt. Here he showed himself to be on a whole different level when it came to fighting than Seras.
Matt's blade suddenly struck Alex in the side, leaving a deep gash as Matt dragged it across Alex's body. Seras snapped out of her daze as she saw the blood trailing the sword into the air, and covering the tip. She then noticed the other injuries on both fighters. Matt had a few minor cuts on his chest and arms, and one on his face. They didn't bleed much, but still enough to stain his clothes with blood, which appeared nearly black in the moonlight. Alex was also wounded, with several gashes, these much deeper than the ones on Matt, and slightly more in number.
Seras decided that now was a good time to stop before Alex was cut apart by an obviously superior opponent.
BLAM!!
Matt and Alex reflexively jumped away from the bullet, though it was merely aimed between them, and turned to face this new threat. Both paused as they saw Seras standing before them, smoking gun still in hand and ready to be pointed at whoever attacked.
"I think that's enough."
Both Matt and Alex blinked and lowered their weapons slightly.
Alex spoke first, his voice confused.
"But Seras..."
Seras cut him off.
"Remember the other vampire of my choice that you said you would not attack Alex?"
When Alex nodded, she continued.
"He's the one I choose."
Alex blinked in surprise before nodding. He may have thought that Seras would've taken a while longer to decide, but he had no qualms with Matt as an ally. After all, Alex knew from first hand experience just how dangerous Matt was, and although Alex didn't like Matt, Alex still respected Matt's power.
Matt was slightly confused by what the two were talking about, but didn't show it. When Anderson suddenly pointed at Matt with one of his swords, Matt's own came up in response; ready to deflect any attack sent his way. However, instead of attacking, Anderson spoke.
"Do you swear to come to my aid against a new evil when I call?"
Matt's eyes appeared contemplative as he studied Anderson over the blade. After a moment, Matt nodded.
"Good. Until battle once again brings us together. Matt. Seras."
With that, Alexander Anderson put his swords away, inclined his head to each of them, then walked away, disappearing into the shadow's as the cloud's once again covered the moon.
Matt blinked before saying, "Well, that's odd."
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The vampire peered down into the alley as Anderson walked away, and Seras walked up to Matt, finally holstering her gun.
Deciding that no new information could be gained with its continued presence here, the vampire turned away from the alley, and started walking across the roof. As it walked, it slowly turned into mist, before vanishing altogether.
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Matt stared after Alex, contemplating the priests' behavior. He was slightly startled when Seras spoke.
"What's odd?"
"Hmm? Oh. Anderson's behavior. He never just stops' fighting like that and leaves, even if I have every advantage. I normally have to leave him momentarily helpless before I can leave."
Seras nodded.
"I know what you mean. I've watched him fight Alucard twice. The first time he stopped when Sir Integra appeared with an order from the Iscariot organization, the second time, he didn't stop until Alucard had blown off both of his arms and broken Alex's last sword."
Matt nodded at Seras' words, and then studied the papers pinned to the walls.
"You think he could've at least removed these before he left."
Seras laughed a little before speaking again.
"I think he doesn't know how to do it except for going around and manually taking each one off, and he's too lazy to do that."
Matt chuckled at Seras' explanation before heading for the entrance to the alley.
"Shall we away, Miss Victoria?"
Seras smiled slightly while nodding, and they both left the alley, heading for Hellsing HQ.
End Chapter 3.
So, what do you think?
For those of you hoping for a longer chapter, I apologize for it being so short. The next one should be a bit longer.
Right, please review.
Anderson came in fast and hard, swinging the sword in his left hand in a horizontal slash aimed at Matt's neck, while stabbing forward with the other sword, aiming at Matt's stomach when he was standing.
As Matt dropped down under the first slash, he threw himself to the side to avoid the thrust, which suddenly found itself aimed right between his eyes. As he rolled to avoid a downward slash, Matt shifted his grip on the sword he had caught, making it so the sword ran down the length of his arm. As he rolled to his feet, he met Anderson's rush head on.
Anderson swung the sword in his left hand at Matt's neck, while swinging the other at Matt's knees, preventing Matt from ducking, or jumping. Matt surprised him by deflecting the left sword with the blade he had in his hand, then stepping forward. Anderson found his forward momentum stopped as Matt's action of stepping forward caused Anderson to crash into him. Matt was protected from the sword he hadn't deflected since he was now standing within Anderson's defenses.
Anderson crooked his arms and prepared to drive his swords into his own chest, impaling Matt in the process. Before he could drive either sword home, Matt shot up on his tiptoes, and gave the taller Anderson a rather forceful head-but.
As Anderson reeled from the blow, he suddenly felt a hand grab his shirt before he was hoisted into the air and throw into the brick wall of the alley.
Anderson lay on the ground for a moment, collecting his wits, before forcing himself to his feet. Once standing, he took a step toward Matt, only to be driven back to the wall, with a searing pain in his chest, just to the right of his heart.
Anderson looked down and blinked in surprise at seeing his own sword jutting out of his chest, pinning him to the alley wall.
After a moment, he dropped the sword in his right hand, and pulled the sword out. He then threw the crimson stained blade at Matt, while retrieving his discarded sword and once again charging.
Matt dodged to the left of the sword instead of catching it, and then waited for Anderson to reach him while the sword hit the ground with a clatter.
A second later, Anderson had reached him, and started swinging and stabbing like mad, and Matt was forced to twist, turn, duck and jump to avoid the blessed blades. This lethal dance continued for another minute before Matt saw his opening.
As Anderson raised both arms overhead, readying himself to bring them down in an x-slash, Matt's arms snapped out, grabbing both of Anderson's wrists as he brought his arms down. Before Anderson could realize what had happened, Matt tightened his grip and crushed the bones in both of Anderson's wrists, rendering his hands momentarily useless.
As Anderson's eyes widened when the pain registered, Matt dragged him forward by the wrists, and brought his right knee up into Anderson's ribs, followed quickly by his left. Several cracks resounded in the alley as several of Anderson's ribs gave way under the blows.
Matt released Anderson's wrists, and with a brief focusing of power, kept himself in the air while he brought both of his legs up to his chest. Once he was ready, he shoved both legs into Anderson's already weakened chest, sending the insane priest flying, as well as sending Anderson's broken ribs stabbing into his lungs. As Anderson crashed down, he coughed up a liberal amount of blood, which splattered over his clothes.
After a moment of desperate coughing, Anderson shuddered and lay still, but Matt never took his eyes off of him for an instant.
And for good reason.
Anderson's body suddenly twitched, and a gout of blood fountained from his mouth to splatter over the ground and his clothes.
Matt's eyes narrowed as he focused his power. In an instant, he had mentally grabbed the hilts of Anderson's three swords and raised them into the air. They hung there for a moment, a faint blue glow around each hilt, before all three blades suddenly flew up and stabbed down into Anderson's abdomen, pinning the priest to the ground, and earning another fountain of blood.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then Anderson started laughing.
"Haha...haha HA HA HA HA!!"
"You always start laughing at the weirdest times. Most people wouldn't laugh when both their own ribs and their own blessed swords have punctured their lungs. Not to mention your wrists are shattered, and you've lost enough blood that even you've gotta be dizzy."
Anderson didn't verbally respond. Instead, he lifted his right hand, which hung at a lopsided angle, and somehow managed to close most of his fingers. Matt couldn't help the dark grin that spread across his lips at Anderson's antics.
Here he was, pinned to the ground by his own swords, covered with blood, his wrists shattered, and he finds a way to give Matt the finger.
(Figures.)
"I've got better things to do than beat on a regenerator that doesn't know when to quit. Till next time Anderson."
With that, Matt turned and walked away, back toward the shadows deeper in the alley.
But he didn't get five steps before he had to throw himself to the side as a blessed sword flew through the space he had occupied.
Matt climbed to his feet and turned to see Anderson standing, covered in blood, with a sword once again in each hand.
"Bad tactics to turn your back on an opponent before the fights over."
Anderson then threw his arms to the side, making his body look like a rather large, lopsided, and bloody cross, before bring his arms in and making another cross with his swords.
Matt, realizing what Anderson was doing, reached into his jacket and withdrew the required item, just as Anderson finished his spell.
In an instant, dozens of papers flew out, and were pinned to the wall by throwing knives at a uniform ten feet apart on both sides of the alley.
Matt's eyes narrowed as he felt all of his powers abruptly vanish.
(Time for the real fight.)
Anderson stood to his full height and studied his opponent.
Matt stood about 30 feet away, apparently completely relaxed, with the exception of his eyes, which were narrowed and burning with intensely controlled rage. His left hand was placed against his waist, while his right hung loosely at his side, with the item he had drawn.
Matt shifted down into the same stance he had faced Seras with earlier that night when he had gained the pipe from her, and held his sword before him in a tight, two handed grip. At that moment, there was a break in the cloud's above, and the moonlight filtered down onto the blade of his katana, and the light refracted onto the walls of the alley, making both Matt's and Anderson's shadows appear as two demons, each poised to fight.
Anderson briefly marveled at the shadows abilities to show what was truly happening at that moment, without lies, and at the same time make it all darkly and terribly beautiful.
With silent agreement, Matt and Anderson charged each other.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-
Seras Victoria ran with everything she had, and in the back of her head, she was grateful that the streets were all but empty. Otherwise people would've marveled at the girl who would've been outrunning cars for the past ten minutes.
As Seras completed another block, and turned the corner, she finally started to slow down, nearing the alleyway about half way down the block. As she got closer, she heard a sound that wasn't unlike silver chimes, echoing in a series of beautiful but deadly notes.
Once she reached the alley, she ventured down it, entering the purified area. She strained her eyes and ears, since her vampire senses no longer worked, as she walked down the dark alley. As she got further into the alley, she pulled out her gun, clicking the safety off, and loading a bullet into the chamber.
As she rounded a dumpster, Seras found who she was looking for. Matt and Alex were engaged in a sword fight, which explained the chimes, and both were illuminated by the moonlight as they fought.
For a moment, Seras simply stared at them, marveling at how they seemed to be cast from liquid silver in the light, with the exception of their eyes, Matt's a violent crimson and Alex's an insane emerald green, and listening to the chimes of their swords as they clashed. They both moved with such speed and grace that it seemed more of a dance than a deadly fight, and she realized just how outclassed she had been earlier against Matt. Here he showed himself to be on a whole different level when it came to fighting than Seras.
Matt's blade suddenly struck Alex in the side, leaving a deep gash as Matt dragged it across Alex's body. Seras snapped out of her daze as she saw the blood trailing the sword into the air, and covering the tip. She then noticed the other injuries on both fighters. Matt had a few minor cuts on his chest and arms, and one on his face. They didn't bleed much, but still enough to stain his clothes with blood, which appeared nearly black in the moonlight. Alex was also wounded, with several gashes, these much deeper than the ones on Matt, and slightly more in number.
Seras decided that now was a good time to stop before Alex was cut apart by an obviously superior opponent.
BLAM!!
Matt and Alex reflexively jumped away from the bullet, though it was merely aimed between them, and turned to face this new threat. Both paused as they saw Seras standing before them, smoking gun still in hand and ready to be pointed at whoever attacked.
"I think that's enough."
Both Matt and Alex blinked and lowered their weapons slightly.
Alex spoke first, his voice confused.
"But Seras..."
Seras cut him off.
"Remember the other vampire of my choice that you said you would not attack Alex?"
When Alex nodded, she continued.
"He's the one I choose."
Alex blinked in surprise before nodding. He may have thought that Seras would've taken a while longer to decide, but he had no qualms with Matt as an ally. After all, Alex knew from first hand experience just how dangerous Matt was, and although Alex didn't like Matt, Alex still respected Matt's power.
Matt was slightly confused by what the two were talking about, but didn't show it. When Anderson suddenly pointed at Matt with one of his swords, Matt's own came up in response; ready to deflect any attack sent his way. However, instead of attacking, Anderson spoke.
"Do you swear to come to my aid against a new evil when I call?"
Matt's eyes appeared contemplative as he studied Anderson over the blade. After a moment, Matt nodded.
"Good. Until battle once again brings us together. Matt. Seras."
With that, Alexander Anderson put his swords away, inclined his head to each of them, then walked away, disappearing into the shadow's as the cloud's once again covered the moon.
Matt blinked before saying, "Well, that's odd."
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-
The vampire peered down into the alley as Anderson walked away, and Seras walked up to Matt, finally holstering her gun.
Deciding that no new information could be gained with its continued presence here, the vampire turned away from the alley, and started walking across the roof. As it walked, it slowly turned into mist, before vanishing altogether.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-
Matt stared after Alex, contemplating the priests' behavior. He was slightly startled when Seras spoke.
"What's odd?"
"Hmm? Oh. Anderson's behavior. He never just stops' fighting like that and leaves, even if I have every advantage. I normally have to leave him momentarily helpless before I can leave."
Seras nodded.
"I know what you mean. I've watched him fight Alucard twice. The first time he stopped when Sir Integra appeared with an order from the Iscariot organization, the second time, he didn't stop until Alucard had blown off both of his arms and broken Alex's last sword."
Matt nodded at Seras' words, and then studied the papers pinned to the walls.
"You think he could've at least removed these before he left."
Seras laughed a little before speaking again.
"I think he doesn't know how to do it except for going around and manually taking each one off, and he's too lazy to do that."
Matt chuckled at Seras' explanation before heading for the entrance to the alley.
"Shall we away, Miss Victoria?"
Seras smiled slightly while nodding, and they both left the alley, heading for Hellsing HQ.
End Chapter 3.
So, what do you think?
For those of you hoping for a longer chapter, I apologize for it being so short. The next one should be a bit longer.
Right, please review.