Chapter XIV: Inferno
.
Sol was at a loss. The report had come in that Sir Integral Hellsing and Alucard were missing. Walter was delayed by a group of ghouls and didn't have a chance to save his Master.
But Sol knew better. For he was linked with the two. For all his life he was annoyed with the certain link he had with the vampire but he could not help it. It was his fate to bear the curse.
The curse of his life.
But one consolation of that curse that he had a chance to meet Celes. One might think that Sol was mental for falling for a vampire but he didn't care. Insanity ran within his family, beginning with his grandfather.
Jonathan Harker.
Though his insanity was not that severe, it was the beginning of the family paranoia for Jonathan believed that a great evil was lurking in the night.
The family paranoia stopped with Sol when he had witnessed first hand the evil that his grandfather had spoken of.
Sol came face to face for the first time with a vampire.
A vampire that killed his friends.
It happened long ago while he and his friends were walking from school. It was a peaceful night and the moon was full and blatantly ignored his family's lesson about full moons and the night.
And he had regretted it for the rest of his life.
"You seemed troubled, Master Sol," Walter said as he looked at the young man. Sol had heard him come up to him earlier but pain no attention. His thoughts were ruffled as it was.
"Quite," Sol sighed. "How's Lady Andrea's training holding up?"
"Lady Celes was quite astonished that she was performing well," the steward said. "Permit me to be blunt?" with a nod from Sol, Walter continued. "She looks like Lady Celes."
"She should," Sol smiled. "I wonder if Lady Celes noticed it yet."
"She will," Walter said with certainty. "I also noticed that you two are beginning to get closer." He eyed Sol speculatively but he didn't waver. Sol will not deny that fact to anyone. "Nothing last forever," Walter said in a soft tone.
"That's where you're wrong," Sol said as he faced the man. The vehement words that formed in his mind did not escape his mouth. He didn't want to get into that kind of discussion. Instead, he sighed and regarded the man seriously. "Where are we in the search of Sir Hellsing?"
"Not much," Walter frowned. "No clues and no leads."
"Then we must ask around," Sol said with a smile.
.
"I don't understand. Why are we here?" Celes asked as she, Andrea and Sol entered the basement of the British Museum.
"We need information," Sol said as he opened a steel door that lead to a dark corridor. "I saved a friend from death and had her transferred here so she could enjoy the solitude she desires. No one knows she's here and I would appreciate that we kept this between ourselves."
"There's an old soul waiting for us," Andrea suddenly said. "She could feel us coming."
"Her powers had increased when she had been regenerated," Sol sighed. "She was quite miffed at first but after a while, she was glad for the opportunity to finish reading her books." Celes paused as she gazed at Sol confusingly. If he was saying what she thought he was saying......... this can't be. They reached the end of the corridor where another door marred their progress.
Sol slightly knocked on the door and opened it.
"I'm surprised that you didn't trip over the museum's artifacts," a wise voice came from the shadows. Celes's eyes widened when she saw the shelves of books and the candles that were lined on the shelves.
Celes froze when she saw a child sitting quietly on her chair in the darkened corner.
Sol smiled as he walked over and gave the child a kiss on her cheek.
"Hello, Lady Helena."
..
Sir Integral Hellsing awoke, suddenly feeling strained. She didn't know where she was or how she had gotten there.
The last thing she remembered was a bright flash and Alucard getting captured by a force greater than she had ever seen before.
She had been careless. She regretted that she did not heed Sol's warning until it was too late.
But one consolation came from her mistake. In Sol's insistence, she brought something he gave her. And it might save her life.
.
Sol was at a loss. The report had come in that Sir Integral Hellsing and Alucard were missing. Walter was delayed by a group of ghouls and didn't have a chance to save his Master.
But Sol knew better. For he was linked with the two. For all his life he was annoyed with the certain link he had with the vampire but he could not help it. It was his fate to bear the curse.
The curse of his life.
But one consolation of that curse that he had a chance to meet Celes. One might think that Sol was mental for falling for a vampire but he didn't care. Insanity ran within his family, beginning with his grandfather.
Jonathan Harker.
Though his insanity was not that severe, it was the beginning of the family paranoia for Jonathan believed that a great evil was lurking in the night.
The family paranoia stopped with Sol when he had witnessed first hand the evil that his grandfather had spoken of.
Sol came face to face for the first time with a vampire.
A vampire that killed his friends.
It happened long ago while he and his friends were walking from school. It was a peaceful night and the moon was full and blatantly ignored his family's lesson about full moons and the night.
And he had regretted it for the rest of his life.
"You seemed troubled, Master Sol," Walter said as he looked at the young man. Sol had heard him come up to him earlier but pain no attention. His thoughts were ruffled as it was.
"Quite," Sol sighed. "How's Lady Andrea's training holding up?"
"Lady Celes was quite astonished that she was performing well," the steward said. "Permit me to be blunt?" with a nod from Sol, Walter continued. "She looks like Lady Celes."
"She should," Sol smiled. "I wonder if Lady Celes noticed it yet."
"She will," Walter said with certainty. "I also noticed that you two are beginning to get closer." He eyed Sol speculatively but he didn't waver. Sol will not deny that fact to anyone. "Nothing last forever," Walter said in a soft tone.
"That's where you're wrong," Sol said as he faced the man. The vehement words that formed in his mind did not escape his mouth. He didn't want to get into that kind of discussion. Instead, he sighed and regarded the man seriously. "Where are we in the search of Sir Hellsing?"
"Not much," Walter frowned. "No clues and no leads."
"Then we must ask around," Sol said with a smile.
.
"I don't understand. Why are we here?" Celes asked as she, Andrea and Sol entered the basement of the British Museum.
"We need information," Sol said as he opened a steel door that lead to a dark corridor. "I saved a friend from death and had her transferred here so she could enjoy the solitude she desires. No one knows she's here and I would appreciate that we kept this between ourselves."
"There's an old soul waiting for us," Andrea suddenly said. "She could feel us coming."
"Her powers had increased when she had been regenerated," Sol sighed. "She was quite miffed at first but after a while, she was glad for the opportunity to finish reading her books." Celes paused as she gazed at Sol confusingly. If he was saying what she thought he was saying......... this can't be. They reached the end of the corridor where another door marred their progress.
Sol slightly knocked on the door and opened it.
"I'm surprised that you didn't trip over the museum's artifacts," a wise voice came from the shadows. Celes's eyes widened when she saw the shelves of books and the candles that were lined on the shelves.
Celes froze when she saw a child sitting quietly on her chair in the darkened corner.
Sol smiled as he walked over and gave the child a kiss on her cheek.
"Hello, Lady Helena."
..
Sir Integral Hellsing awoke, suddenly feeling strained. She didn't know where she was or how she had gotten there.
The last thing she remembered was a bright flash and Alucard getting captured by a force greater than she had ever seen before.
She had been careless. She regretted that she did not heed Sol's warning until it was too late.
But one consolation came from her mistake. In Sol's insistence, she brought something he gave her. And it might save her life.