Chapter Two: Back...So soon?
Vladislaus Dragulia could not help but feel pleasure at seeing the mortal world again. He had suffered indescribable torment under the relentless whims of the Devil for what seemed an eternity. Once again among mortals, he discovered that it had only been ten years. My...how time reference is lost to those who aren't living. But things of the past were never forgotten. He remembered Gabriel Van Helsing with such hatred that only the Devil could admire. This second opportunity would not be as fruitless as the other. Gabriel would pay more dearly than with just his life. He had to make certain that his soul would suffer greater peril and loss than even his had over four centuries ago.
To his shock and appeasement, the Valerious family no longer existed. The young gypsy princess Anna must have been destroyed during their last attempt eliminate him. He felt no pain at her loss, but then again, he felt very little. With the Valerious clan out of the way, it would make things that much easier. Now, he could perhaps return to his old original home, considering it was vacated.
He grinned wickedly to himself as he tugged his cloak tighter about his body. For now, the pleasures of the city awaited him...
Back at the crypt...
Over the next few days, Carl, Brother Thomas, and Brother James had managed to break down most of the false door that had hidden the other room.
Inside, they had discovered more wall murals, all in gorgeous tiles. It was all elaborately done, including the one sarcophagus that was laid at the far end of the chamber. Several angelic statues had their wings and arms raised elegantly over the lid, and Latin inscriptions littered the base of the sarcophagus. This chamber seemed to have been built perhaps a century after the previous one. Christianity was still then a newborn child, but there was the possibility of a secret Christian sect having built it. Such would explain all the references to God and Christ upon the walls. However, it was the inscriptions naming the entombed that were the most enthralling to Carl. They referred to the corpse, if there was one, as Praepondero or "tipper of scales," something along those lines. He, for one, wanted to have a look inside the sarcophagus.
Brother Thomas let out what sounded like a rather wimpy squeak when Carl began to heave at the lid. "This is most unwise, Brother Carl. This is defilement!"
Carl grunted. "I'm not going to disturb anything, my friend. I'm going to merely look."
Brother James entered from the other room. "Carl, the cardinal...." He stopped to realize what Carl was about to do. "I don't think the cardinal..."
Carl cut him short. "I know. I know. I'm just LOOKING."
The lid was heavier than it appeared, being marble and all. It took almost all the energy he had left for the day to succeed in sliding it halfway off.
Brother Thomas dropped the string of Rosary beads that he had been praying with for the forgiveness of Carl's sin, and Brother James exited the room just as quickly as he had entered it. And Carl...well, if he had wet a river in his undergarments earlier about the reference to the Left Hand of God, then there was an ocean in his undergarments now. For before him laid the freshest most beautiful corpse he had ever seen...
Vladislaus Dragulia could not help but feel pleasure at seeing the mortal world again. He had suffered indescribable torment under the relentless whims of the Devil for what seemed an eternity. Once again among mortals, he discovered that it had only been ten years. My...how time reference is lost to those who aren't living. But things of the past were never forgotten. He remembered Gabriel Van Helsing with such hatred that only the Devil could admire. This second opportunity would not be as fruitless as the other. Gabriel would pay more dearly than with just his life. He had to make certain that his soul would suffer greater peril and loss than even his had over four centuries ago.
To his shock and appeasement, the Valerious family no longer existed. The young gypsy princess Anna must have been destroyed during their last attempt eliminate him. He felt no pain at her loss, but then again, he felt very little. With the Valerious clan out of the way, it would make things that much easier. Now, he could perhaps return to his old original home, considering it was vacated.
He grinned wickedly to himself as he tugged his cloak tighter about his body. For now, the pleasures of the city awaited him...
Back at the crypt...
Over the next few days, Carl, Brother Thomas, and Brother James had managed to break down most of the false door that had hidden the other room.
Inside, they had discovered more wall murals, all in gorgeous tiles. It was all elaborately done, including the one sarcophagus that was laid at the far end of the chamber. Several angelic statues had their wings and arms raised elegantly over the lid, and Latin inscriptions littered the base of the sarcophagus. This chamber seemed to have been built perhaps a century after the previous one. Christianity was still then a newborn child, but there was the possibility of a secret Christian sect having built it. Such would explain all the references to God and Christ upon the walls. However, it was the inscriptions naming the entombed that were the most enthralling to Carl. They referred to the corpse, if there was one, as Praepondero or "tipper of scales," something along those lines. He, for one, wanted to have a look inside the sarcophagus.
Brother Thomas let out what sounded like a rather wimpy squeak when Carl began to heave at the lid. "This is most unwise, Brother Carl. This is defilement!"
Carl grunted. "I'm not going to disturb anything, my friend. I'm going to merely look."
Brother James entered from the other room. "Carl, the cardinal...." He stopped to realize what Carl was about to do. "I don't think the cardinal..."
Carl cut him short. "I know. I know. I'm just LOOKING."
The lid was heavier than it appeared, being marble and all. It took almost all the energy he had left for the day to succeed in sliding it halfway off.
Brother Thomas dropped the string of Rosary beads that he had been praying with for the forgiveness of Carl's sin, and Brother James exited the room just as quickly as he had entered it. And Carl...well, if he had wet a river in his undergarments earlier about the reference to the Left Hand of God, then there was an ocean in his undergarments now. For before him laid the freshest most beautiful corpse he had ever seen...