Disclaimer: Kohta Hirano and Clamp own most of the characters. Niko however is mine. Once that's clear, I'm stopping the disclaimers. No more.
Chapter twelve! Meet the real Bad Guy and his plans.
He cast a long look at the image that was developing in front of him. His small smile widened just a bit.
They had finally found a place fitting for their task. It was an old, abandoned Air Force hangar. He was standing in one of the higher platforms looking down at the hangar floor. He was not a tall man, nor was he big or imposing, and he did not look scary or dress flashy. His eyes were always closed, for he had no need of them, and an eternal, enigmatic smile danced on his lips.
His shoulder short, cloud-white hair moved slightly, rocked by the air that filtered through one of the broken windows. Outside it rained, and it was dark. He shifted his head towards the window and looked out through it for an instant. Then he turned back to the scene on the hangar floor.
Twenty powerful sorcerers formed a wide circle there. The air in the hangar was heavy with heat and power and flooded by the chant they were performing all at once, perfectly synchronized. They all wore identical white robes and had their skulls shaved. They all had their eyes closed and their arms extended to the sides, almost touching each other's hands.
In the centre of this circle three figures lay unconscious. The instructions for the ritual they were performing were very clear. They needed a half demon, a half celestial being, and a celestial being to summon a Demon.
A vampire, a half Angel and an Angel. The three of them lay side by side, the Angel in the centre. He had cut his wings so they wouldn't bother them. They were just too big for his taste. Wings were, after all, quite useless. Wasn't it simpler to hover? But then again, God wasn't all that practical actually…
He felt someone coming to him but he didn't turn. He smiled wider knowing who it was.
"Master Shamshiel?" a soft voice asked politely. Still, he did not turn. He made a little movement with his head to acknowledge his presence, though. "Master I come from the meeting in the hotel. I have spoken to the priest and Barus. They don't get along… but they will work together to get what they want."
A short nod from Shamshiel.
"My lord…" a hesitance. Shamshiel turned now, interested. A tall, browned haired man stood in front of him, head politely bowed. Shamshiel leaned against the security pipes and crossed his arms. "I have doubts about them both."
"What kind of doubts?"
"The priest will go with his heart… I'm afraid he will not allow Barus to keep Ryuu. And Barus, well… he's certainly not stable."
"Hmm…" Shamshiel smiled. "They are not a problem. We only need them to use them as bait. I doubt the priest can kill Vlad. As far as Barus is concerned… I do not mind as long as he keeps Gingetsu off our way."
"Yes." The man nodded in agreement. "But My Lord, would it no be simpler if you just killed them both?"
"No Eric, I have no intentions of killing Vlad. I like him, he entertains me. Gingetsu deserves non of my attention."
"Yes My Lord." Eric flashed his black eyes to the hangar and carefully approached the edge of the platform to observe the ritual. "Is this all we need, My Lord?"
"No." Shamshiel answered. "We need powerful blood to complete the ritual. Powerful and pure blood. And of course there is the timing issue. Also we will need many mirrors and pure maidens to use as gateways."
"Where will we get that rare blood, My Lord?"
"I have a very good idea." Shamshiel answered turning to see the ritual too. "No, this is just half what we need. But time is approaching Eric. You will see true power then."
"Won't God send his guardians to retrieve this Angel?"
"God is a big kid with and ant farm Eric. Little can he do about things that happen down here. And actually little he cares. Do not worry about Angels. You just make sure Hellsing stays in the bait track we have set for them and that the sorcerers keep the vampires away from our rituals."
"Yes My Lord."
Eric turned his eyes back to the ritual.
Shamshiel opened his eyes only a bit to look at it directly in set of through his mind eye. Violet feline orbs flashed darkly down. And the smile widened as he saw the Angel, the most beautiful creature God had ever created, open his eyes slowly to see his bloody stumps there where he had once had stunning white feathered wings.
He laughed quietly at his pain. But he felt annoyed when the Angel did not show his fear. He narrowed his eyes and closed them again.
+break+
Kazuhiko leaned his back against the door and looked at Integra with frank annoyance. He didn't like her since she had ordered Walter search their files and he wasn't liking her more right now.
He finally pulled away from the door and straightened to look at her directly to her eyes.
"What did just happened here?" she asked dangerously low, which Kazuhiko noticed and didn't help his mood.
"Gingetsu was injured. He went down to get Niko and Alucard attacked him." Integra seemed to want to say something but Kazuhiko wasn't going to stand for her shit right now. He didn't let her talk. "Gingetsu's blood is different from that of regular humans. It's less thick and dense and it flows easier. He was injured, bleeding a lot and I don't think he was thinking completely clear. Alucard wasn't in his normal state either, he was drunk or something I don't know and I frankly don't care. He cornered Gingetsu against the wall for his blood and Gingetsu slashed him through to get him off. I think Alucard was in some kind of doze induced by Gingetsu's blood. I don't think he wanted to bite him, attack him or whatever but Gingetsu reacted naturally to the danger."
"What did he do?"
"I'm still trying to find out." Kazuhiko muttered thoughtful. "When Walter and I got there he had his blade and the Casull. Don't ask me how he got it or how he shot it. Can I be dismissed?"
"Yes get out."
Kazuhiko glared at her and left.
+break+
Gingetsu sat on the chair near the table. He hadn't said a word since Kazuhiko and Walter had stopped him and he didn't look particularly happy. Not that he ever did, but now it was worse.
Walter had taken Alucard to his room and brought down some blood packs while Seras stayed with her master. While Gingetsu attacked Alucard Niko had kept Seras inside her room so she wouldn't lose control and jump on Gingetsu.
The blonde lowered his head thoughtful. He wondered why he hadn't reacted earlier… it was late when he summoned his sword.
Something had shoved him against the wall so suddenly and with such power that he had been stunned a bit out of the hit. When he finally reacted to what had happened Alucard was already over him, pinning him to the wall. He had fought, of course, but pushing the vampire was like pushing a wall… When he realised that pushing him would be to no avail he tried to summon his sword, but he couldn't concentrate with Alucard sniffing, nipping and licking his neck… then when trying to shove him off he had come across the gun holster beneath his red clothes. Reaching for them while Alucard seemed to be dozed he had pulled out the first he found, the silver one, removed the secure and shot him twice directly on the chest.
Alucard had groaned fiercely and Gingetsu had feared he would bite him, but instead of panicking he shot three more times and shove him off using his arms and the wall behind him as a support.
Before Alucard could react Gingetsu had regained his concentration, summoned his sword and made a deep cut on the vampire, from shoulder to waist across the chest. When Alucard straightened back he shot the last bullet and lowered the gun.
That's when Kazuhiko and Walter had found them.
Gingetsu took his hand to the cut on his neck. He had the sensation of still feeling that cold tongue in the cut… it was disgusting.
Niko appeared right in front of him. She looked worried. He raised his eyes to her, and he realised how heavy they were.
"You're loosing too much blood, sir." Niko said going for the aid kit under the bed. She got it and kneeled beside him looking for antiseptic and bandages.
"You knew." Gingetsu quietly asked. She looked at him very serious.
"About your blood… yes."
"You should have told me."
"I didn't want to tell you your blood is intoxicating for vampires… didn't think it would help out friendship…"
"I want to know." he cut her off.
"Ok…" Niko closed her eyes and thought for a moment. "It's somehow richer… it's less dense than the common, lighter, but much sweeter, much sweeter than even that of a virgin… it's heavy at the same time with power. It's smell is stronger, deeper, it's like a perfume you always use… we cant' really ignore it, it attracts us to you… that's why vampires al all over you so often. It calls out to them, to us."
There was a heavy silence. He kept staring back at her, cold and distant.
"Nagisa…"
"Yes?"
"I can bandage it."
Niko sated at him, expressionless. She finally stood and disappeared.
Gingetsu leaned forward and bandaged his neck tightly and securely. Feeling strangely heavy after the blood loss and the night's movements, he went to his bed and lay down in it, on his side, although he didn't expect to sleep much.
But then sleep overcame him, and he gave into it. On the far side of his room Niko used her powers to put a blanket over him. He was using them too to pull his nightmares away. He wouldn't be pleased when he knew, but at least she could help him as long as he didn't realise… It was always better than those drugs they wanted him to take.
+break+
Integra inhaled deeply off her cigar. She was sitting in her study, looking out the window. She was very upset and worried about Alucard and Gingetsu. More upset that worried actually.
She brushed a long bang of her platinum blonde hair behind her ear and sighed, closing her eyes. She was tired, it was about time to go to bed herself. She would speak to Walter in the morning about the mission.
She crashed her cigar against the silver ashtray she held in her hand and turned her chair to face the desk.
She placed the ashtray in the desk and got up to leave the study, stretching her arms. Casting one last look around herself to see if there was anything else she should do before leaving, she decided it was done for the night.
As she walked the corridor to her bedroom, she stopped before a great window, looking outside at the stars as the moon light fell on her face, on her body.
She stood there just a bit, admitting the beauty of the night. Alucard had taught her to notice it and she remembered every word he had said to her across the years. He was, after all, something close to a father to her.
Integra closed the door of her bedroom behind her and walked to the bed. She sat on it and took off her shoes and her jacket.
As she loosened her tie she thought of all the things that were going on lately. Those three Japanese coming, the new attacks and the magic that had injured Nagisa, the new proximity between Alucard and his fledgling, Walter going back out the field to lend a hand. They were all things she hadn't really expected.
She wondered how this was going to end.
"You will know soon enough." A voice whispered around her. Integra stood in a jump, immediately going for her beretta. She looked around her room, aiming her gun. Nothing.
"Your human weapons can do but a scratch on me, my dear."
"Who are you? Show yourself!" Integra groaned, still aiming her handgun.
"Oh, you will see me, but not yet. Not yet." The voice said.
"Who are you?"
"It's not time for you to know."
"What are you doing here?"
"Just checking on you… watching your safety…"
"I am safe. I have a vampire taking care of me. Now get out or I will send him against you."
"If you mean that sad little pet you call Alucard, you do as you please… he can do nothing against me."
Integra's eye twitched. What did he mean he could nothing against him…? Alucard was one of the most powerful creatures in the world.
"Oh but that's not true, Hellsing Lady." The voice softly whispered. Great, Integra thought: a mind reader. "You trust his powers too much, seeing he is only a twisted human… "
"Shut it."
"He is like a child to me… a little boy that does not know how terrible the power he beheld could be… how incredibly overwhelming if he knew how to use it. He is a seed, he is something that could be… and yet he will never become, because of you and your line." He finished coolly.
"Who are you?" she yelled, alarmed and irritated.
"I am that thing your pet will never become. I am the seed that grew. I am the son of the Lord of the Nightmares, he who you believe so opposite to who you so worship… "
"You're a demon…" Integra paled.
In front of her one only eye opened to reveal a feline violet orb. It was vertical, like if he was lying sideways and looking at her. The more feline eyes opened beneath it, this time imitating the human look, violet and cold. The three orbs stared at her.
"Yes. A true demon You wrongly accuse Alucard of being one… when he is not half what we truly are."
"No… it can't be. You can't come to this dimension. There are rules…"
"The thin lines dividing our astral planes are getting weaker… I passed."
"The rules…"
"The rules were broken hundreds of years ago by he who you believe in… did he not send Gabriel to speak to Mary? Did he not send his Archangels to speak to those he believed worthy of his attention? No… the rules are no longer standing."
"He will stop you."
"He tried already… his messenger will be my gateway."
"You have an Angel…"
"An Angel, a vampire and an Elf to open the gateway for a true demon… brilliant."
"You are opening this astral plane to the demons in Hell… you bastard."
"Ah, ah… you are catching on quite fast my dear."
The demon said. A Cheshire white smiled appeared under the eyes. He reminded her too much of Alucard right now. She raised her gun and shot to the upper eye.
The bullet exploded in hundreds of little pieces before ever reaching the target. Integra paled more.
"Don't bother calling your pet… he can't hear you." He said. "I supposed he would need some rest after that incident with the Clover… I am blocking his mind."
"You provoked the attack…" she said very low.
"I merely presented the opportunity… I thought Alucard was powerful enough to save me the trouble of killing the Clover… I obviously misjudged him. Strange how nobody noticed Gingetsu was bleeding more that usual…" he mocked in a thoughtful tone. She gritted her teeth.
t
"What do you want with me?" she finally barked.
"Why I thought that was obvious…" the smile widened and Integra shivered. "I will use you in the blood ritual to open the gate to hell. But you don't worry… bleeding to death is not that bad… it will only hurt you when He pulls you down to His kingdom for all eternity."
Then the smile disappeared, along with the three eyes. Integra leaned against the wall, shaking, feeling drained of her energy.
"But don't worry my beautiful maiden… it's not time yet." The last whisper before a mind used his powers to lead Integra into a dreamless sleep.
Strong arms carried her to bed, laid her there and covered her with the sheets and blankets. Three purple eyes looked at her warmly… what a waste. So beautiful…
Then Shamshiel disappeared.
Ok! Yeah that's it for now. I have a pretty good idea how this is going to end and actually have pictured it in my mind… it won't be long now. Well I don't think so anyway, but you know me… I trail off a lot. So please review me! I love reviews and to know what you guys think about the way it's developing.
Bye bye
Namariel out!