Note: Wow must be doing something right I got 10 reviews after those last chapters yay!! Lol thanx to all of you really makes my day! Sorry I couldn't update sooner was having a hard time getting the login page to come up the site wasn't responding at all…still got there eventually.

Niffers: just read your profile, you like lord of the rings? Lle quena i'lambe tel' Eldalie?

Knnyphph: hmm never thought of that, glad you liked the deer!!

Disclaimer: I own nothing just riding the band wagon right now

Chapter 66

Van Helsing pushed violently through the ancient doors to the Valerius family home and stalked purposefully towards the eastern tower. He heard the distant sound of horses approaching fast, but did not pause to wait for them to catch him up; he had decided that no matter what Dracula was going to die that night.

When Carl and Anna found him, the Friar's notes and journals surrounded him, and he desperately leafed through the pages searching for information.

Sarah's friend watched from the doorway not uttering a sound, they simply had nothing to say this wasn't a game anymore.

Carl stepped towards the hunter tentatively. "Van Helsing?"

The Hunter faced him eyes shinning with determination. "Tell me how to kill him Carl." He demanded of the startled Friar. "Tell me anything you know! I've had enough we're taking him out tonight!"

Anna stepped forward "Just like that? You just 'decide' your going to kill him in the next 12 hours when my family has been trying for four hundred years?" her tone was gentle and the hunter gazed at her.

He was undeterred and his expression was deadly serious when he pointed to Carl. "He wasn't around those four hundred years now was he?"

Everyone turned expectantly towards the friar who looked slightly pleased at his companion's confidence in him.

Jory stepped up to him and patted his shoulder "No pressure then." He said sarcastically.

Marston stepped up beside Anna "So share, how do we kill the undead Nazi?"

Carl swallowed and walked up to the painting on one wall depicting Valerius the elder kneeling before his God in supplication.

"Right so, four hundred years ago Dracula was murdered by Van Helsing, at his father's orders." The friar tapped the portrait. "At the moment of his death he bargained with the devil."

"And was given new life." Van Helsing said impatiently. "We know this, what else?"

Chris turned and whispered to Marston "Since when did we know this?" he asked in confusion.

Marston shrugged "Still reeling from the "Van Helsing's four hundred years old" revelation." He gave the hunter and appraising look. "He looks good for it."

Oblivious Carl again tapped the painting. "That was when Valerius made the bargain, Dracula's death in return for the salvation of his line." He said looking pointedly at Anna.

She shot him an exasperated look. "Carl we know this! What are you getting at?"

"Oh, sorry." He stammered sheepishly.

"In the texts I've been able to translate, the basic theory is that the only thing capable of ending Dracula's immortal life is the very weapon that created it." The Friar pointed out a faded drawing on the page under the ancient writing. Van Helsing stepped forward as the others crowded around to get a better look.

"My sword." He whispered in comprehension.

"Great!" exclaimed Jory excitedly. "We get the sword, storm the castle and kick his ass!"

Everyone looked at him. "Oh good plan, Charge!" yelled Amie sarcastically.

"I wish it were that simple." said Carl sincerely. "But the swords been lost since that night of Dracula's death, there are no records of it ever being wielded again."

Van Helsing shook his head still staring at the ancient illustration. "It's not lost." He said quietly.

"Then where is it?" asked Anna impatiently.

He turned o look at her his eyes troubled "I gave it to Valerius the Elder when I left the order…I vaguely recall him saying that "it shall sleep forever with the dead."

"That's helpful." muttered Bob, earning himself an annoyed glare from his girlfriend.

"But what does that mean?" asked the princess desperately.

Finally they knew how to destroy him, they were closer than any of her ancestors had ever come.

Van Helsing shook his head regretfully. "I know no more than that." He whispered.

The Princess glared at him her accent thickening with anger. "No! There must be more! We are so close!" she began to pace the room passing from one painting to another searching for clues.

"With the dead." She muttered to herself.

Suddenly her eyes widened and she ran from the room, the group shared a glance before they followed, Carl frantically gathering up his notes and tripping over his robes in his haste.

Anna raced into the library glancing only briefly at the ancient Transylvanian map before turning her attention to one of the ancient paintings above the large ornate fireplace. Van Helsing entered the room quickly followed by the bewildered teens who glanced around expectantly.

Amie and Bob both glanced at the map and then frowned. "What's up with you?" asked Jory stepping up next to them.

"Deja'vu." muttered Amie looking at Bob who nodded.

They were interrupted by the cry of triumph from the princess who stood, gazing upon a large painting of what looked like the interior of a palace.

A round room of dark stone, a Candelabra hanging from the ceiling casting a pleasant glow over gleaming suits of armour stood to attention, guarding a large stone sarcophagus, surrounded by a library of ancient books.

"It is the tomb of Valerius the Elder" Anna announced proudly walking forward to touch the aged surface. "Look here in the shadows."

Van Helsing obediently stepped forward to get a better view, his eyes shining eagerly as he beheld the item depicted leaning against the sarcophagus.

"My sword. It lies within the tomb." Anna nodded grinning.

"It sleeps with the dead."

Tony looked up at the painting "So where's the tomb?" he asked expectantly.

As if on cue Carl stumbled into the room, tripping over the hem of his robes to land in a pile of clothes and paper. Laughing Marston and Chris bent and pulled him to his feet.

"You know when you're in a place like this maybe you should lose the dress." Bob suggested smirking when the Friar glared at him in annoyance.

"Where's Valerius's tomb?" asked Van Helsing urgently walking up to his colleague.

Carl froze looking startled "Valerius the elder's tomb?" he enquired.

Van Helsing sighed in exasperated "Yes that tomb."

Carl's eyes widened. "Ah." He supplied hesitantly.

Tony gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Let me guess. "The locations been lost for centuries." He said mimicking the friar's voice.

Carl looked at him "Actually…yes…it has."

The group began to argue among themselves out of frustration, poor Carl found himself attacked on all sides by Anna, Van Helsing and Tony while the others looked on in amazement.

In the midst of all the commotion Amie found herself drawn once again to the painting of the map, Bob followed her as she walked towards it.

"It's something about this not really being a map." She muttered to herself trying desperately to recall the film.

"It was a door." Bob whispered. "The door to Dracula's castle."

Amie's eyes grew wide "What if here it's not? Everything else from the movie's changed, so why not this?" she looked up and spotted four strange words written into the wooden panel directly above the enormous painting.

"Carl? Carl?" She called out to the Friar annoyed that he couldn't hear her over the argument.

Turning quickly she faced the group "HEY CARL!" she yelled making them all jump.

"What?" he asked looking mildly shell shocked.

Amie grinned sweetly. "Could you come here for a minute?"

The friar walked forward to stand in front of the map, Anna and Van Helsing flanking him from both sides.

"What does that mean?" asked Bob pointing towards the inscription. Carl frowned trying to make out the words.

"Formatia trans sicere educatorum…er…enter all ye who seek knowledge." He translated neatly.

Anna shrugged "We're wasting time it's just an old inscription they place at the entrance to a library or a school building." She said dismissively.

Van Helsing frowned. "So then why is it here instead of at the entrance?" he wondered.

Amie and Bob exchanged a triumphant glance "It is a door" Bob exclaimed.

"Er guys that's a wall." Pointed out Chris sarcastically, tapping on the stone.

"No, no it's not!" Amie said excitedly. "In the movie it was a door! Read the inscription." She instructed pointing out the border of Latin that encompassed the massive picture.

Obediently Carl began to intone the words out loud, speaking the ancient language fluently until at the very bottom he hesitated.

"Well?" asked Anna impatiently.

Carl frantically knelt to examine the base of the painting. "I can't finish it, a piece is missing."

Sudden comprehension dawned in Van Helsing's face, now it all made sense to him.

Searching within the folds of his coat he produced a torn piece of cloth his superiors had presented him with at the beginning of his assignment. It was the last piece of the map.

Anna gasped as she saw him hand it to the Friar.

"Where did you get that?"

The hunter ignored her focusing on Carl "Finish it." He ordered.

Carl placed it in its rightful position breathing a sigh of relief as it proved to be a perfect match.

"Deum lacessat ac inaum imbeat aperiri."

Van Helsing heard the translation in his distant memory and repeated it. "In the name of God, open this door!"

Marston and Chris muttered obscenities, as the image of the map shifted and began to dissolve like breath on a pane of glass. The ancient writings and countries faded away until they all found themselves facing a large mirror.

Tony frowned, "I thought you said it was a door."

Amie frowned "It should be."

Anna stepped forward "Maybe it is. Dracula has no reflection in a mirror."

"Because, it's not a mirror at all." Carl finished.

Van Helsing stepped forward scrutinising the glass, tentatively he reached out and felt its surface.

"It feels solid enough." He muttered.

Taking a deep breath he forced his fingers forward gasping in astonishment as the glass part for him like water. He turned with a wide grin on his face and looked around the group.

"I'll see you on the other side." He said stepping all the way through.

Carl and Anna walked up to the mirror, the teens watched them apprehensively.

Carl touched the surface and shivered. "Ladies first." He said looking at the princess.

Anna glanced at him with a wicked glint in her eyes and promptly grasped him by his collar throwing him into the mirror before following himself.

The group glanced at each other. Tony sighed "If the Friar can do it then so can I." he closed his eyes and stepped through the glass.

One by one his friends followed.

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Note:apologies if the movie dialogue is annoying anybody but like I said before its still the film going on all the time.