Beginning's End
By: Lazeralk
Standard disclaimers apply.
"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." – Semisonic
Part 12
To my reviewers, thanks so much for the comments, I love you guys! Fear not, my loyal followers, all will be revealed! Lets see if Della is right or not no?
*
Shadow reformed herself, watching with some dismay as Arucard lunged at her again. Her eyes were focused behind him, on Allen's glowing blade and Seras' pale corpse. The glow left the sword and traveled into her body, filling her with black light.
Arucard slammed his stiffened fingers into the collarbone and tore outward. Shadow's arm hit the pool of blood with a splash before dissolving into nothing. Shadow didn't even flinch. She wasn't looking at him. She should be! Why wasn't she?
The light quivered, ever so slightly, like ripples caused by something moving under the surface. They grew stronger, slowly, so very slowly.
What was she looking at? She should be looking here! Arucard hooked his hands into talons and raked them across her face, sending her head snapping to the side. She just brought it back around and kept looking...looking...
The quivering had become a shallow pulse, weak, but regular. The sword pulsed too; it's light casting shadows where there should be none.
He drove his fist through her stomach and out the other side, still she just stood there, not moving or responding, just looking...into nothing. Or perhaps everything, he didn't care. If she didn't want to see her own death, that was her decision.
The pulse was growing stronger as the power moved from one being to the other; the pulse was becoming a beat, steady and sure. A heartbeat.
Arucard drew his hand out of the hole he'd made in her neck. She didn't even look at him. He scowled at her, what was wrong with her; this was no fun at all. Fun? When was this fun? He'd attacked her in all seriousness, intent on killing her. Intent on punishing her for...for what? He didn't remember, or perhaps he did but it no longer seemed important. He just stood there and watched her watch something he couldn't see. Couldn't or wouldn't. All he had to do was turn around.
The heartbeat was strong, and sure and growing faster, more frantic. The heart beat like a drum, booming across an open field. Faster and faster, until the notes blurred together and it was one sound, loud and joyful.
If he turned around, what would he see? Pain? Yes, he'd see pain, but also hope. Hope that he didn't want. If he hoped, and he turned and there was nothing...
The beating stopped, halted abruptly and completely, until only Arucard's rugged breathing could be heard in the echoing silence.
...Then there would be nothing. Truly nothing, for he would...
Someone drew breath, long and hissing. Eyes snapped open and even that had a sound, minute as it may be. One slender gloved hand lifted up out of the sopping blood and watched as it dripped, dripped, dripped.
...He would...die.
The hand fell back down into the blood and splashed. It lay weak and still, looking meek and forlorn surrounded by the water of life.
And then came the whisper, the sweet sweet sound, so quiet and full of love and hope and devotion, all in one word. One sound so full of joy and sorrow and resonating beauty.
"Master."
Red eyes closed and slowly he turned, tears still flowing freely, though he had forgotten them. He turned and he hoped and he...
She watched as he turned, finding joy in the smallest movement, the tiniest detail, the most perfect flaws. She was filled with awe as the light danced across the line of his jaw and inch-by-inch of his glorious ivory skin was shown to her and she...
...saw the black and the red first, the coat and shirt he'd picked out for her not so very long ago. He watched as the muscles in her legs pulled taunt. She moved. She moved. She actually moved. His eyes traced the curve of her hip, the lines of her stomach and breast and he...
...saw the tears coursing down his face and her heart broke for him. She wanted nothing more than to wipe away those tears and apologize over and over again and promise that she'd never cause him pain again. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair and tell him she'd...
...caught sight of her face and watched as her eyes shattered and a new pain hit his heart, a pain that he embraced so fully that it almost scared him to feel it. Her eyes, they were the only proof he needed, she was alive and he...
...always be there for him, not matter what. She met his eyes, his beautiful eyes that he'd given to her and her heart filled up with something so whole and perfect that she thought that this must be heaven so it was ok to tell him that she...
...could think of nothing but to say that he...
"I love you."
"Well it's about damn time."
Shadow, fully reformed, grasped the hilt of the sword and pulled it out of Seras. The girl drew in a sharp gasp and Arucard immediately lifted her into his arms and cradled her to his chest. He gazed into her eyes and slowly brought their faces together, intent on giving her a kiss that would make her blush a hundred years from now. His lips hovered over her's, and he-
"Oh get a room."
"Wait." Said Galina, Ranja and Ahmiyn at her side.
"Will someone please explain what just happened?"
"The Blade to Call All Darkness-"
"Allen."
"Whatever, the Blade was used to slay Isabella in such a way that it drained all of her power and life energy. This type of death was required for her because Isabella was close to twelve hundred years old. Seras was not even a century yet and so could be slain more easily. I convinced the Blade to give Seras all of the power he stole from Isabella, therefore reviving her." Answered Shadow in her usual bored know-it-all tone.
"I was referring to why Isabella betrayed us." Snapped Galina.
"I can answer that." Said Olivia, the human sloshing through the blood to join them.
"She was in league with the demons the whole time. The demons convinced Loki that she was to be left alone, that's why she wasn't in the cages with the others. Galina was left alone so she could guide Mika-uh Arucard here. She planned to have you kill Loki and for you and Fenrir to kill each other so that she could take the throne for herself." She explained.
"Do you remember the first time you tried to take back Bran Castle? The demons cast you all out except for Isabella. I overheard her talking with one of them before she left to join you again and make sure you didn't just give up. I guess she went crazy when you guys killed Fenrir and Arucard was still standing, so she killed Seras as revenge or something."
Arucard started walking away, Seras still held tightly in his arms. The remaining vampires fell to their knees and bowed as he passed, silently pledging their loyalty to the one true King of the Night. The doors to the ballroom opened before he reached them and the blood rushed out of the room and down the stairs, painting a shimmering red carpet for him as he carried his sleeping love to his room.
Galina sighed and ran her fingers through the tawny manes of her beloved beasts and led then after her lord and friend, intent on finding her old room in the castle and getting cleaned up.
Shadow took one last look around before sinking back into the blood and through the shadows to her own world, her own home. She walked the halls of a great and ancient library, the golden-eyed Shadow Walker behind the desk projecting happiness at her return before going back to his books. She placed a small orb to her temple and it filled with pure white light. She put the orb onto the blank cover of an empty book and watched at it sank into the bindings and wrote out her memories. She opened the book when the light was gone and read through the first page before shutting it and sliding it onto a shelf, to be lost among her own sea of pages until it was called on again.
Olivia watched as the rest of the vampires stood up and began to file out of the bloody room. She looked down at her feet, scowling at them as if it were their fault. She felt hands on her shoulders as looked up to see a vampire, covered in blood, his long black hair plastered to his skin. He smiled at her, fangs flashing before offering his arm to her.
"C'mon, lets get you washed up. The King will want to speak with you once he's sure Lady Seras is alright."
"Who...are you?" she asked, eyeing his arm warily.
"I'm Jonas. I use to be one of the Kings retainers. Don't worry, I don't think I could eat anything else tonight." He assured her.
"I'm Olivia." She said, hesitantly taking his arm.
"A pleasure. Now come."
He led her out of the room, leaving the blood and bodies behind them. The lights shut off as they left, the doors swinging shut as they went.
He pushed open a door that looked like very other door in the castle and ushered her into a lavish room before bidding her good night and retiring to the coffin room for a well-deserved rest. Olivia sat down on her comforter and looked around at all the riches that surrounded her and cried for her lost dreams of stardom.
*
Arucard set Seras down on the bed and pulled back the covers, unlacing her boots and pulling them off. She groaned a little but didn't wake up. He careful pried the leather coat away from her blood soaked skin and set it aside as he drew the blankets up to her chin, just the way he knew she liked it.
She smiled in her sleep and seemed to sink into the mattress. He tenderly brushed the hair from her face and dragged a chair over to her bedside. He propped his feet up on the edge of the nightstand and pulled the brim of his hat over his eyes. He took a moment to settle himself before relaxing and slipping into his police-girl's dreams.
*
Seras was highly uncomfortable. The collar was too stiff, her back forced straight by something solid and unyielding around her ribs. There was think cloth binding her legs together, and the she couldn't raise her arms fully.
"You look beautiful police-girl." Came the voice of her master.
"What is this thing?" she asked, pulling at the long sleeves that seemed to have far too much cloth.
"It's a kimono, and I think it looks very nice on you." He said emerging from the shadows to wrap his arms around her. His own red gi sleeved brushing against her skin.
"Oh, it's a little stiff, but if you like it..." she said.
He smiled, and buried his nose in her hair.
"Seras. I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what master?"
"For not protecting you from her." He wasn't smiling anymore.
"It's ok master, I would have much rather it was me than you. I don't know if I could take it if you died for real."
"I almost couldn't, I..."
"Master?" Seras turned around in his arms, searching for his eyes.
"I attacked Shadow, I meant to kill her."
"Master, don't be silly. You and I both know that Shadow is truly immortal. You can't kill her, even if you tried."
"I did try."
"Master." She buried her face in his chest and he tucked her head under his chin and just held her to him, reveling in the inky blackness and the silence around them. They were alone and together, and that's all that mattered.
Seras felt something strange, a sort of tugging inside her.
-Allen? –
-Yes mother? Are you feeling all right now? –
-This is a dream Allen, so I can feel any way I want to. I felt something weird, I thought it might have been you. –
-No, I didn't do anything. –
"Police-girl?"
"I felt something..."
"Police-girl!"
Seras looked up at his shocked face with confusion. What was going on? Why was he looking at he that way? His gaze traveled down her body and she followed it, gazing at her hands with growing horror. Her fingers had elongated into the giant poles that bent and twisted, her kimono was shredded, her skin stretching and turning black. Fur was sprouting from her face, her ears moving up the sides of her head and pointing. Her legs were growing short and hooked, her nails turning into claws.
She was becoming a bat.
End part 12 Yes, I'll explain it in the next chapter; no it's not just a weird dream.
Part 12
To my reviewers, thanks so much for the comments, I love you guys! Fear not, my loyal followers, all will be revealed! Lets see if Della is right or not no?
*
Shadow reformed herself, watching with some dismay as Arucard lunged at her again. Her eyes were focused behind him, on Allen's glowing blade and Seras' pale corpse. The glow left the sword and traveled into her body, filling her with black light.
Arucard slammed his stiffened fingers into the collarbone and tore outward. Shadow's arm hit the pool of blood with a splash before dissolving into nothing. Shadow didn't even flinch. She wasn't looking at him. She should be! Why wasn't she?
The light quivered, ever so slightly, like ripples caused by something moving under the surface. They grew stronger, slowly, so very slowly.
What was she looking at? She should be looking here! Arucard hooked his hands into talons and raked them across her face, sending her head snapping to the side. She just brought it back around and kept looking...looking...
The quivering had become a shallow pulse, weak, but regular. The sword pulsed too; it's light casting shadows where there should be none.
He drove his fist through her stomach and out the other side, still she just stood there, not moving or responding, just looking...into nothing. Or perhaps everything, he didn't care. If she didn't want to see her own death, that was her decision.
The pulse was growing stronger as the power moved from one being to the other; the pulse was becoming a beat, steady and sure. A heartbeat.
Arucard drew his hand out of the hole he'd made in her neck. She didn't even look at him. He scowled at her, what was wrong with her; this was no fun at all. Fun? When was this fun? He'd attacked her in all seriousness, intent on killing her. Intent on punishing her for...for what? He didn't remember, or perhaps he did but it no longer seemed important. He just stood there and watched her watch something he couldn't see. Couldn't or wouldn't. All he had to do was turn around.
The heartbeat was strong, and sure and growing faster, more frantic. The heart beat like a drum, booming across an open field. Faster and faster, until the notes blurred together and it was one sound, loud and joyful.
If he turned around, what would he see? Pain? Yes, he'd see pain, but also hope. Hope that he didn't want. If he hoped, and he turned and there was nothing...
The beating stopped, halted abruptly and completely, until only Arucard's rugged breathing could be heard in the echoing silence.
...Then there would be nothing. Truly nothing, for he would...
Someone drew breath, long and hissing. Eyes snapped open and even that had a sound, minute as it may be. One slender gloved hand lifted up out of the sopping blood and watched as it dripped, dripped, dripped.
...He would...die.
The hand fell back down into the blood and splashed. It lay weak and still, looking meek and forlorn surrounded by the water of life.
And then came the whisper, the sweet sweet sound, so quiet and full of love and hope and devotion, all in one word. One sound so full of joy and sorrow and resonating beauty.
"Master."
Red eyes closed and slowly he turned, tears still flowing freely, though he had forgotten them. He turned and he hoped and he...
She watched as he turned, finding joy in the smallest movement, the tiniest detail, the most perfect flaws. She was filled with awe as the light danced across the line of his jaw and inch-by-inch of his glorious ivory skin was shown to her and she...
...saw the black and the red first, the coat and shirt he'd picked out for her not so very long ago. He watched as the muscles in her legs pulled taunt. She moved. She moved. She actually moved. His eyes traced the curve of her hip, the lines of her stomach and breast and he...
...saw the tears coursing down his face and her heart broke for him. She wanted nothing more than to wipe away those tears and apologize over and over again and promise that she'd never cause him pain again. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair and tell him she'd...
...caught sight of her face and watched as her eyes shattered and a new pain hit his heart, a pain that he embraced so fully that it almost scared him to feel it. Her eyes, they were the only proof he needed, she was alive and he...
...always be there for him, not matter what. She met his eyes, his beautiful eyes that he'd given to her and her heart filled up with something so whole and perfect that she thought that this must be heaven so it was ok to tell him that she...
...could think of nothing but to say that he...
"I love you."
"Well it's about damn time."
Shadow, fully reformed, grasped the hilt of the sword and pulled it out of Seras. The girl drew in a sharp gasp and Arucard immediately lifted her into his arms and cradled her to his chest. He gazed into her eyes and slowly brought their faces together, intent on giving her a kiss that would make her blush a hundred years from now. His lips hovered over her's, and he-
"Oh get a room."
"Wait." Said Galina, Ranja and Ahmiyn at her side.
"Will someone please explain what just happened?"
"The Blade to Call All Darkness-"
"Allen."
"Whatever, the Blade was used to slay Isabella in such a way that it drained all of her power and life energy. This type of death was required for her because Isabella was close to twelve hundred years old. Seras was not even a century yet and so could be slain more easily. I convinced the Blade to give Seras all of the power he stole from Isabella, therefore reviving her." Answered Shadow in her usual bored know-it-all tone.
"I was referring to why Isabella betrayed us." Snapped Galina.
"I can answer that." Said Olivia, the human sloshing through the blood to join them.
"She was in league with the demons the whole time. The demons convinced Loki that she was to be left alone, that's why she wasn't in the cages with the others. Galina was left alone so she could guide Mika-uh Arucard here. She planned to have you kill Loki and for you and Fenrir to kill each other so that she could take the throne for herself." She explained.
"Do you remember the first time you tried to take back Bran Castle? The demons cast you all out except for Isabella. I overheard her talking with one of them before she left to join you again and make sure you didn't just give up. I guess she went crazy when you guys killed Fenrir and Arucard was still standing, so she killed Seras as revenge or something."
Arucard started walking away, Seras still held tightly in his arms. The remaining vampires fell to their knees and bowed as he passed, silently pledging their loyalty to the one true King of the Night. The doors to the ballroom opened before he reached them and the blood rushed out of the room and down the stairs, painting a shimmering red carpet for him as he carried his sleeping love to his room.
Galina sighed and ran her fingers through the tawny manes of her beloved beasts and led then after her lord and friend, intent on finding her old room in the castle and getting cleaned up.
Shadow took one last look around before sinking back into the blood and through the shadows to her own world, her own home. She walked the halls of a great and ancient library, the golden-eyed Shadow Walker behind the desk projecting happiness at her return before going back to his books. She placed a small orb to her temple and it filled with pure white light. She put the orb onto the blank cover of an empty book and watched at it sank into the bindings and wrote out her memories. She opened the book when the light was gone and read through the first page before shutting it and sliding it onto a shelf, to be lost among her own sea of pages until it was called on again.
Olivia watched as the rest of the vampires stood up and began to file out of the bloody room. She looked down at her feet, scowling at them as if it were their fault. She felt hands on her shoulders as looked up to see a vampire, covered in blood, his long black hair plastered to his skin. He smiled at her, fangs flashing before offering his arm to her.
"C'mon, lets get you washed up. The King will want to speak with you once he's sure Lady Seras is alright."
"Who...are you?" she asked, eyeing his arm warily.
"I'm Jonas. I use to be one of the Kings retainers. Don't worry, I don't think I could eat anything else tonight." He assured her.
"I'm Olivia." She said, hesitantly taking his arm.
"A pleasure. Now come."
He led her out of the room, leaving the blood and bodies behind them. The lights shut off as they left, the doors swinging shut as they went.
He pushed open a door that looked like very other door in the castle and ushered her into a lavish room before bidding her good night and retiring to the coffin room for a well-deserved rest. Olivia sat down on her comforter and looked around at all the riches that surrounded her and cried for her lost dreams of stardom.
*
Arucard set Seras down on the bed and pulled back the covers, unlacing her boots and pulling them off. She groaned a little but didn't wake up. He careful pried the leather coat away from her blood soaked skin and set it aside as he drew the blankets up to her chin, just the way he knew she liked it.
She smiled in her sleep and seemed to sink into the mattress. He tenderly brushed the hair from her face and dragged a chair over to her bedside. He propped his feet up on the edge of the nightstand and pulled the brim of his hat over his eyes. He took a moment to settle himself before relaxing and slipping into his police-girl's dreams.
*
Seras was highly uncomfortable. The collar was too stiff, her back forced straight by something solid and unyielding around her ribs. There was think cloth binding her legs together, and the she couldn't raise her arms fully.
"You look beautiful police-girl." Came the voice of her master.
"What is this thing?" she asked, pulling at the long sleeves that seemed to have far too much cloth.
"It's a kimono, and I think it looks very nice on you." He said emerging from the shadows to wrap his arms around her. His own red gi sleeved brushing against her skin.
"Oh, it's a little stiff, but if you like it..." she said.
He smiled, and buried his nose in her hair.
"Seras. I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what master?"
"For not protecting you from her." He wasn't smiling anymore.
"It's ok master, I would have much rather it was me than you. I don't know if I could take it if you died for real."
"I almost couldn't, I..."
"Master?" Seras turned around in his arms, searching for his eyes.
"I attacked Shadow, I meant to kill her."
"Master, don't be silly. You and I both know that Shadow is truly immortal. You can't kill her, even if you tried."
"I did try."
"Master." She buried her face in his chest and he tucked her head under his chin and just held her to him, reveling in the inky blackness and the silence around them. They were alone and together, and that's all that mattered.
Seras felt something strange, a sort of tugging inside her.
-Allen? –
-Yes mother? Are you feeling all right now? –
-This is a dream Allen, so I can feel any way I want to. I felt something weird, I thought it might have been you. –
-No, I didn't do anything. –
"Police-girl?"
"I felt something..."
"Police-girl!"
Seras looked up at his shocked face with confusion. What was going on? Why was he looking at he that way? His gaze traveled down her body and she followed it, gazing at her hands with growing horror. Her fingers had elongated into the giant poles that bent and twisted, her kimono was shredded, her skin stretching and turning black. Fur was sprouting from her face, her ears moving up the sides of her head and pointing. Her legs were growing short and hooked, her nails turning into claws.
She was becoming a bat.
End part 12 Yes, I'll explain it in the next chapter; no it's not just a weird dream.