CHAPTER 9
The sky was cloudy and grey. Lightning flashed through the dark clouds, and a blood-red moon hung in the sky. Henry scanned the massive black sea, and through the shadow and mist, he saw the figure of the unique and equally enormous castle of Count Dracula, sitting on an island.
This was not the first time that he had been to the castle. It was there that he was raised, in the villa that his father, Lord Oldrey, had owned. Unfortunately, that villa was located on Dracula's castle grounds. At the time when he was ten, the villa was taken over by demons, and his father became a vampire. After it was figured out that he wanted to kill his wife and Henry to bestow the same curse upon them, Henry's mother urged Henry to flee from the villa, away from his father's grasp. It was in their hedge maze where he not only became lost, but had a 7-foot tall chainsaw-welding gardener seeking to kill him as well. If it weren't for Cornell's timing and guidance, Henry would not have lived a minute longer. Now, sixteen years later, he became a knight for the church, fighting against evil.
He returned to the castle on one mission: to rescue children that had been kidnapped and brought to the castle. It was his turn to save a child's life...
"Nervous, Oldrey?"
Henry turned to the young man named Reinhardt, who sat on one side of the boat.
"I suppose..." Henry replied, turning back towards the sea. "I never meant to come back here. It brings back terrible memories that I never wanted to revisit. But the church has requested that I go...and so I will."
Reinhardt walked over and placed a confident hand on Henry's shoulder.
"You'll do fine." He said.
Even though his surname was Schneider, he was a Belmont by blood. Reinhardt had a strong, masculine build. He wore a sleeve-less jacket over a black shirt, from which, solid muscle filled his arms. He also wore blue pants, a red bandanna around his neck, and boots. He was about twenty years old, and carried the legendary vampire-killer whip. Henry too was well-built, but not so as Reinhardt. He wore a metal breastplate, shoulder guards, blue pants, boots, and carried a shotgun.
But there was another. Reinhardt looked over to the second boat. "Alright there, Carrie?"
The twelve year old Fernandez sat with her back towards Reinhardt and Henry, with her arms and legs crossed. She had copenhagen-blue hair and wore a blue dress under a green shawl, with dark blue stockings and boots. Carrie nodded twice to acknowledge him.
"Are you sure you want to face Dracula...?" Reinhardt asked uncertainly.
This time, Carrie turned to face him. "What sort of question was that? Of course I do! I've told you that before!"
"You're still so young, and--"
"That doesn't matter! I will defeat him regardless of that. And you will help me Mister Schneider."
"I will...?" Reinhardt joshed.
"Yes, you will."
"What's the magic word...?"
Carrie smiled faintly. She turned back around and crossed her arms and legs once again. "You're hopeless, Mister Schneider..." She sighed.
"There is always hope." Reinhardt said grinning.
"Yes, well...not for you." Carrie chuckled.