Disclaimer: Check for it in chapter 1
A/N: Sorry for taking practically a year to update. By the time I regained my inspiration, it was too far away from October to update. Also, I would've updated days sooner, but schoolwork, plus events in my home, were quite hectic. So here's the 7th chapter. Hopefully, I can finish it by early November, at the latest.
Castlevania: Sonnet of Legends
Chapter 7
The painful choice
Door to the throne room
After some hectic climbing of cogs and wheels, both Rachael and Alucard finally reached the long hallway to the throne room. Like in her grandfather's stories, the stairs were outdoors, with no kind of railing to them. While catching her breath, she could feel the cold night breeze against her bare legs. It actually felt relieving, since it was quite a workout climbing and jumping throughout that clocktower.
Just as they were about to cross that long flight of stairs, Renon appeared right in front of them. Alucard quickly drew his sword, but Rachael stopped him.
"No, wait!" She quickly said. "He's not the enemy! He helped me get to where I am now."
Still leering at him, the Dhampire sheathed his sword. "So what does he want?"
Renon tipped his hat and gave a small bow. "I thank you for allowing me to speak." Then he turned towards the Belmont. "I believe this tale has finally reached its climax."
Rachael was a bit confused. "I don't know what you mean."
"In short, I have come to take my leave."
This made her eyes widen. "But why? I still need your help."
"There is a war about to begin, and the death of millions is a wonderful business opportunity for me. Besides, I cannot help you any further. My business here is done."
"But what about the bill?"
Renon smiled at this. "Surprisingly, everything is going to be okay. Maybe God 'is' watching over you or something." He looked at the blank stare in her face, and decided to elaborate. "It has to do with the contract. Have you ever tried to read it?"
"No." She answered. "It's written in a language I can't understand."
"The contract, the part that I didn't mention to your grandfather anyways, reads as thus. Whomever borrows more than 50,000 gold automatically forfeits his soul to Satan." He then saw the look of horror on her face, so he quickly finished up. "However, you managed to spend under the amount. You turned out to be more independent than I anticipated, as I had hoped."
Rachael quickly recovered from her shock. "S-so all this time, you were-"
"Planning your demise." He finished. "I didn't anticipate that I would actually grow to like you, though. So I had your grandfather sign the contract just in case you went over the limit. That way, I would take 'his' soul, instead of yours. Now I know that it still sounds wrong, but you must look into a demons perspective in order to fully understand."
"So you weren't lying about being friends?"
"I was at first, but by the time it came to luring you to the castle, I had a change of heart, so to speak. Unlike most demons, I do not profess in lingering with clients for as long as I did. However, I was being paid a lot of gold by another client to keep tabs on you. Fortunately, you didn't fulfill what was required on the contract, and can now keep your grandfathers soul."
"So what will you do now?"
"Like I always do. Find potential business clients, earn gold, and take the souls of those who cannot afford my wares." Then he tipped his hat again. "I bid you farewell. We'll not meet again. Not in your lifetime, anyways." Renon wasn't much for goodbyes. In fact, he never been encountered with one before. So he made one more bow, and vanished in a puff of smoke.
Rachael, however, was caught in-between the thoughts of relief and anger. Alucard allowed her a few more seconds to get over it before he patted her on the shoulder.
"We must hurry." He said.
So the two walked that long stairway, and then entered the throne room.
Throne room
Rachael looked around. The design was everything her grandfather had explained it to be. Red carpet leading to the throne, crimson colored drapes, columns about, and of course, the throne itself. However, no one was sitting in it.
"He doesn't seem to be here." Rachael finally said.
Alucard, however, knew that someone was there. "Give it some time."
Seconds later, bright light filled the room. When it cleared, there was someone sitting on the throne. It was a vampire of nobility, and the descriptions were everything that the woman with the curse had described it, from the grey beard, to the long hair, to the very clothing.
"Dracula!" exclaimed Rachael.
"Father, we meet again." Alucard said plainly.
Grinning, the Count examined them from his throne. They looked like they had a lot of trouble getting here, much like he expected.
"Greetings, Belmont." He said. "Hello, son. I didn't expect you to be here. Fortunately, my servant, Joachim, had foretold me of your arrival, as did Death."
"This ends here now, father." Alucard said as he drew his sword.
Dracula, however, frowned at his sons behavior.
"No matter how many centuries have passed, you 'still' refuse to see humans for the vile filth that they are! Of course, this can only be expected from the kind of wretched God they follow."
Rachael almost fumed at hearing what he had said. Not only did he insult humans, but also God.
"Hey, watch it! It's your own fault he's against you, anyways!"
"Still your tongue, human!" he shouted. "Do not speak of things that you do not understand!" Then he pointed to a coffin in the nearby corner. "If your God was so just, why then would he allow me to do this! Come out!"
The coffin shook, and a middle aged man came out of it. Sure enough, he was a vampire, but his features gave away his identity, much to Rachael's horror.
"Dad?!"
"That is correct, Belmont. He fell prey to the darkness, thinking of me as another client, and foolishly entering my castle without preparation. So I turned him into a vampire so that I can show you the futility of your ways."
The vampire then lunged at Rachael. Too shocked at the moment, she didn't move. Alucard noticed this, and sliced the vampire in half. At this, tears started to well up Rachael's eyes.
"He has no longer been your father since the day he turned." Alucard said in order to reassure her. Then he turned to 'his' father. "As for you, the time has come for you to return to the darkness form whence you came!"
At this, the Count grinned. "Not yet, my son. First, I have a battle for you. Look over there." He said as he pointed to another coffin.
When he did, Joachim burst out of it, approached Dracula, and bowed.
"I will always serve you, master."
"Good. Then do so by slaying that Belmont. If my son gets in the way, then so be it."
"I will do as you wish, master." He then readied his swords around him. But instead of lunging them at the Belmont, the lunged one at Dracula, piercing him against the wall.
"What are you doing?!" He shouted.
"Sorry master, but I call the shots now!" Then he used his other swords to slice him into pieces. After that, he turned towards Alucard. "Now that I've finished off your father, allow me to do the same to you two!"
A serious battle ensued. The same lights that glowed in the coliseum were now glowing around the room. Rachael tried to whip him, but the barrier around him protected him from damage.
"We have to destroy the glowing lights, first!" Alucard quickly said.
Rachael nodded, and then tried to whip the lights. However, she and the Dhampire had great trouble doing this, due to the massive rain of swords trying to slice them up. Joachim laughed at each of their failed attempts to reach the lights. Finally, he rushed towards Alucard, as barrage of swords flailing wildly. The Dhampire did what he could do dodge the blades, while Rachael used this moment of distraction to whip one of the lights, shattering it into nothingness.
Hissing, Joachim used his telekinesis to hurl the Belmont across the room. This distraction caused him some vulnerability, and Alucard used that moment to destroy the swords that were hovering around him. Noticing this, he used his telekinesis to stun Alucard, and sped after Rachael. The minute she got up, he tackled her, but she used the crystal to make him back off. He then held her still with his physic power, but then he quickly turned around, only to see that Alucard had broken free, and had already destroyed the balls of lights.
Now being vulnerable, he tried to fly to a safe distance, but Alucard quickly threw his sword through Joachim's chest, piercing him, and sending him against the wall. Seconds later, Rachael broke from the psychic grasp, and readied her whip.
"Go ahead and finish me if you wish." Joachim said. "I might've failed at finding the crimson stone, but now that I killed Dracula, I am now the Lord of this castle, and will return someday!"
Just as Rachael was about to slash him with her whip, Joachim began to scream in pain. His body was now glowing red, and within seconds, he vanished into thin air. The two of them looked upwards, and saw the crimson stone flying above them. Seconds later, Death himself appeared.
"I offer this soul to the one who wields the crimson stone!"
Before they could react, a tanned hand quickly caught the stone, and the owner of the hand sat on the throne, kicking off the corpse before he did. Alucard frowned at the sight of the person. Rachael, however, was horrified.
"H-how could you?!" she exclaimed. "How could you do this to me, Nate?!"
Nate laughed. However it wasn't his laugh. Alucard noticed it right on the spot.
"Father? Is that you?"
Nate nodded. "Indeed it is, my son. What Joachim killed was merely a shadow of my former self. My body is not yet fully restored, and I decided to hide in this human host until the time came when I would let myself be known." Then he turned towards Rachael. "If it's any consolation, he had no idea that I possessed him while he was roaming through my treasure room like a thief in the night."
This was too much to Rachael to bear. She didn't know what to think. Seeing her confusion, Nate, that is Dracula's soul, decided to speak again.
"It's all very confusing, I know. But I needed a few key ingredients for my full resurrection. I needed the soul of a vampire, a vessel to hide myself in, and a Belmont who will give up her oath to hunt the night. That's where 'you' come in. Luring you here through that salesman was easier than I expected."
Frowning and full of anger, Rachael readied her weapon. "I will never do such a thing! First you took away my father, then you kidnapped my brother, then you killed my best friend, and now you took away someone who I might've fallen in love with! Your sins are unforgivable! I'll defeat you as you are!"
Nate laughed again. "Go right ahead. However, I urge you not to. Nate's soul still resides in this body. It's dormant right now. If you kill this vessel, you kill Nate as well."
Hearing this dropped her guard. He saw this, and continued to talk.
"And seeing as how I want this Belmont/Vampire feud to come to an end, I offer his life back in exchange for your vow to never hunt the night."
Alucard quickly picked up his sword. "She will not consider your offer, father! I will destroy your vessel so that you cannot use such a pathetic bargaining chip!"
"I figured as much, son. Fortunately, I've arranged something for you." Then he turned towards Death. "Death, take him away. Make sure he never reaches here ever again."
"It shall be done." Death said as he grabbed an unsuspecting Alucard. They were both quickly teleported to an unknown region of the castle.
Nate looked back at Rachael, who looked like she was ready for battle.
"Like I said before, your God cares nothing for you. Otherwise, he would've never put you in such a situation, nor would he have let your loved ones be hurt this way."
"Shut up!" Shouted Rachael as she used her whip against him.
He quickly dodged, and was in mid air.
"I see you have the stubborn streak of the Belmont blood in you. Fortunately, I have back up." Then he flew towards another coffin, and opened it up. "Look inside."
So she did. And to her shock, was a figure that she never thought she would ever see again. She backed up nervously, not sure what to believe.
"K-k-im?! How could this be?"
At first, she thought that she might've become a vampire, but her skin was still the healthy color that it was.
"She is alright, for now." Nate continued. "However, if you want both her and Nate to stay that way, I suggest you agree to my terms."
"But I left her in the catacombs......"
"In which 'I' rescued her. I knew that she would be of use later on, so I kept her around just in case you refused to make a deal."
Rachael had no idea what to do next. With Alucard gone, who would destroy Dracula? And what would happen to the world if she backed out now? And even if she destroyed Nate, it wouldn't stop Dracula from possessing someone else.
Seeing her confusion increase, Nate spoke again.
"You see, the situation is hopeless. Give up your family oath to hunt the night, and I'll spare all of you. And when I rule this planet, I will be sure to spare you as well."
Rachael still didn't know what to do. She wanted to save her friends, but she didn't want Dracula alive, either. Nate saw her hesitation, and decided to encourage her to make the decision in his favor. He took the sleeping Kim in his arms, and flew out the window, and was floating. Rachael looked out the window, wondering what he was up to.
"Listen, Belmont." He started. "Either you accept my deal, or I stop flying. The fall will kill both Nate 'and' Kim. Now would you want 'that' on your conscience?"
Shocked, she was at a loss for words. Would he really do it? Most likely, and that is what made her more scared.
"I'm waiting." He said.
After several minutes of thinking, she finally spoke.
"Okay, you win. I give up my family oath to hunt the night." She knew that this shown a lack of faith, but she felt like she didn't have any other choice.
Nate flew back through the window, set Kim down, and walked over towards Rachael.
"Then it is agreed." He then produced a chalice in one hand, and a knife in the other. "Now that you have given up your quest, I must now drink a little bit of your blood in order to complete my resurrection. Just a few drops will do."
He then cut her arm, and held it in place. Rachael winced in pain as he let some of her blood into the chalice. He healed her wound, and then held her hand.
"To complete this, you must be in full agreement that my resurrection can go as planned."
Rachael looked at her friends, and then back at the chalice. Softly, and sadly, she spoke. "I agree for your resurrection. I agree that my families hunt for the night will end with me."
Smiling, he set down the chalice, and left Nate's body. Rachael quickly caught him, and watched the following events. Dracula's soul entered the chalice. Seconds later, the ground shook, and a bright light covered the room. When it cleared, she saw that in place of the chalice, stood a young and handsome looking man. He had long brown hair, pale skin and a fancy black robe. On his chest, the crimson stone was in place.
"I thank you, child." He said. "Not only am I at full resurrection, but my youth has returned to me as well. In my true form, I am unstoppable. I will now honor my end of the bargain. I will teleport you and your friends back to your home. Take caution, though. Now that you no longer possess the ability to slay all that is against God, fighting me again will only be your guaranteed doom. So live in my new world at peace, and know that no more harm will come to you or your loved ones."
Although her friends were safe, Rachael felt tired and sad. The feeling that she betrayed her species to save her loved ones ate at her. The Vampire killer, the very same whip that once shined with holy energy, was now a mere relic of the past, its glow very much gone. It had now lost all of its power.
Before she could contemplate any further about what she'd done, Dracula teleported Rachael, Kim, and Nate back to her home. When they were gone, the Count grinned evilly.
"Now nothing can stop me now, not even my own son. That is, if he can ever break free of the bind that Death has him in. And the surprise that I left for that Belmont will further guarantee my victory and reign over this world."
He then sat back on this throne, basking in the victory that was at hand.
End of chapter 7.
It's not over yet! There's still more chapters to cover!
Like I was saying in the beginning of this chapter, I'm sorry for taking so long to update. Please review, or send them to
I hope to hear from you soon.