Selqueyth-Thank you so very much for the lovely reviews so far. I only
hope that my writings continue to please readers. Remember, my ideas
behind the history of Van Helsing are nothing more than ideas. I hope that
one day, Kevin Ryan reveals his Helsing's history to us.
Chapter Four: Some Things Should Take Time
Dracula most certainly had wasted no time in finding the old Valerious manor. To his delight, an old neighboring Lord from the next town over had purchased the place, leaving it furbished with all its original items. The old man had not been a fool either. He had left the care of the manor in the hands of priest, knowing what sort of doorway was being kept in the place.
He bought the Valerious manor from the man and dismissed the priest. He had to keep a more refined and hidden profile now that he had returned. No sense in giving Van Helsing good reasons to come back to Transylvania just yet. No. He had quite a bit of planning to do. His vengeance had to come into play perfectly. This would perhaps take a few years, maybe more, but Gabriel and he had all the time in the world, no? Perhaps he would even find the time and desire to take on some new brides. The remembrance of his previous efforts to have live children disheartened him. He had no idea as to what happened to the Frankenstein monster. He would invest some resources into finding the details of that matter, no doubt. Until he knew for sure, he had to make do with what little momentary pleasures this existence had to offer.
Praepondero had become quite the favorite assistant within the safe confinements of the Order. Undoubtedly due to her unworldly charm, quick intellect, and ...beauty. Fey beauty. Carl had to add that. Most of the workers around here were male. Well, at least she isn't a siren, or at least he hoped not. For if she was, they would surely be in the worst of trouble.
She had been quick to learn and read up on some of the history and science of the day, pleasing Carl nonetheless when she efficiently was able to assist him in some of his new inventions. In fact, it was perhaps to best to have her around in the lab, for she noticed almost all of the clumsy mistakes of everyone and corrected them. They would sometimes be the most simple of things, but it proved that she had an eye for detail.
"How much sulfuric acid is needed for the next mixture?" Praepondero waved a glass beaker in his general direction. Her Italian was much improved with her exposure to it. "Thirty of fifty milliliters?"
Carl raised one of the lenses on his strange headgear to take a quick glance as to what she was referring to. "How about a little less this time? Say twenty-five?"
"Very well."
He continued to slowly add different ingredients to the small cauldron bubbling over a meeker. "You seem to do very well in these sorts of sciences, Praepondero. Almost as if you have done it before."
"I have."
Carl almost spelt a vile of red ichors that he was pouring into the cauldron. "You have?"
"Well, it not perhaps the same as Chemistry." She pondered upon a thought. "I think I read one of the books referring as what I had done before as alchemy."
He went back to his work with a sigh of relief. "That is practically what Chemistry comes from, my dear. There came a point when we realized that there was no magic, and so it became simply alchemy." He simplified the concept as much as he could.
She handed him the beaker of sulfuric acid. "For my people, there is alchemy. I am not human, remember?"
He scoffed. "Are you telling me that you believe in ...well... magic?"
"Your idea of magic and mine are different. It is not called magic. Nor does all of it come from Dark Influences, as your Church claims. We called it....Yrya...or The Flow of things. The Creator gave it to us as a means of countering the strengths of the dark forces in our world. Its manipulation is not given lightly to my people. It comes through a blessing. If ever abused, punishment is harsh."
She had been with the Order for almost a year now, and still the things she told him about were new and fantastical. "Alchemy? You mean you can cook up these contents and add...a ...kick to them?"
She frowned at his odd use of language. "I cannot add a kick to them. I could make them more efficient or potent. The ability to do is limited on your world though. Yrya was made for our world, our use. I can only perform the simplest of cantrips, and even those drain me. My manipulation of Yrya is dependent upon how strong the tie between my world and I are." She shrugged as she handed him the next vial. "As you know, that tie is no longer as it once was."
"Uh, yeah. Sure." He was still halfway confused about all the things she had told him. It would take him more time to sort these new ideas out. "Ah, by the way. One of my...friends and customers is coming by for some new goodies." He jerked his head in the direction of some of his new inventions. "We should get this new potion finished and tested by the time he arrives."
"Understood." She continued her work. "Does this friend have a name?"
A deep voice sounded behind her. "Helsing. Gabriel Van Helsing."
Carl and her spun around to meet the face of this voice. Before them stood a tall man with long dark hair whose face had a handsome countenance underneath unshaven stubble and careworn features. He wore a large dark cloak and wide brimmed hat. He carried the airs of a traveler use to wear and tear.
"You're early! I thought I told you that I wouldn't be finished until later this evening?"
"Carl, you're never finished." The man smiled.
Carl grinned back. "True. True."
"So, Carl, going to introduce me to your new assistant?"
Carl quietly thanked God for her new attire. She wore her beautiful locks of hair in intricate braids woven around her head, hiding those all too suspicious ears of hers. The cardinal had given her the simple robes of a convent to wear, hiding most of pale skin. Her facial expression had turned from a look of curiosity to a dawning of recognition and horror. She knew him?
"Helsing this is...Praepondero." He inclined his head to her and then turned back to his work.
Helsing nodded politely to her. "If you don't mind my asking, what sort of name is that?"
She laughed and Carl quickly turned around to grab her by the arm. He steered her away to the other side of the large work table and handed different instruments to her. "If you would be so kind to finish this for me while I entertain our guest?"
She nodded her lovely head and set to work immediately.
Carl went over to Helsing and took the leather equipment bag from him. "Time to see your new toys, no?"
The taller man gave him a suspicious look. "You're keeping something from me, aren't you?"
Carl smiled nervously. "Of course not." Saints! He was keeping far too much from him, and he intended to keep that way for awhile.
"Fine, Carl. Fine. Show me the weapons."
Chapter Four: Some Things Should Take Time
Dracula most certainly had wasted no time in finding the old Valerious manor. To his delight, an old neighboring Lord from the next town over had purchased the place, leaving it furbished with all its original items. The old man had not been a fool either. He had left the care of the manor in the hands of priest, knowing what sort of doorway was being kept in the place.
He bought the Valerious manor from the man and dismissed the priest. He had to keep a more refined and hidden profile now that he had returned. No sense in giving Van Helsing good reasons to come back to Transylvania just yet. No. He had quite a bit of planning to do. His vengeance had to come into play perfectly. This would perhaps take a few years, maybe more, but Gabriel and he had all the time in the world, no? Perhaps he would even find the time and desire to take on some new brides. The remembrance of his previous efforts to have live children disheartened him. He had no idea as to what happened to the Frankenstein monster. He would invest some resources into finding the details of that matter, no doubt. Until he knew for sure, he had to make do with what little momentary pleasures this existence had to offer.
Praepondero had become quite the favorite assistant within the safe confinements of the Order. Undoubtedly due to her unworldly charm, quick intellect, and ...beauty. Fey beauty. Carl had to add that. Most of the workers around here were male. Well, at least she isn't a siren, or at least he hoped not. For if she was, they would surely be in the worst of trouble.
She had been quick to learn and read up on some of the history and science of the day, pleasing Carl nonetheless when she efficiently was able to assist him in some of his new inventions. In fact, it was perhaps to best to have her around in the lab, for she noticed almost all of the clumsy mistakes of everyone and corrected them. They would sometimes be the most simple of things, but it proved that she had an eye for detail.
"How much sulfuric acid is needed for the next mixture?" Praepondero waved a glass beaker in his general direction. Her Italian was much improved with her exposure to it. "Thirty of fifty milliliters?"
Carl raised one of the lenses on his strange headgear to take a quick glance as to what she was referring to. "How about a little less this time? Say twenty-five?"
"Very well."
He continued to slowly add different ingredients to the small cauldron bubbling over a meeker. "You seem to do very well in these sorts of sciences, Praepondero. Almost as if you have done it before."
"I have."
Carl almost spelt a vile of red ichors that he was pouring into the cauldron. "You have?"
"Well, it not perhaps the same as Chemistry." She pondered upon a thought. "I think I read one of the books referring as what I had done before as alchemy."
He went back to his work with a sigh of relief. "That is practically what Chemistry comes from, my dear. There came a point when we realized that there was no magic, and so it became simply alchemy." He simplified the concept as much as he could.
She handed him the beaker of sulfuric acid. "For my people, there is alchemy. I am not human, remember?"
He scoffed. "Are you telling me that you believe in ...well... magic?"
"Your idea of magic and mine are different. It is not called magic. Nor does all of it come from Dark Influences, as your Church claims. We called it....Yrya...or The Flow of things. The Creator gave it to us as a means of countering the strengths of the dark forces in our world. Its manipulation is not given lightly to my people. It comes through a blessing. If ever abused, punishment is harsh."
She had been with the Order for almost a year now, and still the things she told him about were new and fantastical. "Alchemy? You mean you can cook up these contents and add...a ...kick to them?"
She frowned at his odd use of language. "I cannot add a kick to them. I could make them more efficient or potent. The ability to do is limited on your world though. Yrya was made for our world, our use. I can only perform the simplest of cantrips, and even those drain me. My manipulation of Yrya is dependent upon how strong the tie between my world and I are." She shrugged as she handed him the next vial. "As you know, that tie is no longer as it once was."
"Uh, yeah. Sure." He was still halfway confused about all the things she had told him. It would take him more time to sort these new ideas out. "Ah, by the way. One of my...friends and customers is coming by for some new goodies." He jerked his head in the direction of some of his new inventions. "We should get this new potion finished and tested by the time he arrives."
"Understood." She continued her work. "Does this friend have a name?"
A deep voice sounded behind her. "Helsing. Gabriel Van Helsing."
Carl and her spun around to meet the face of this voice. Before them stood a tall man with long dark hair whose face had a handsome countenance underneath unshaven stubble and careworn features. He wore a large dark cloak and wide brimmed hat. He carried the airs of a traveler use to wear and tear.
"You're early! I thought I told you that I wouldn't be finished until later this evening?"
"Carl, you're never finished." The man smiled.
Carl grinned back. "True. True."
"So, Carl, going to introduce me to your new assistant?"
Carl quietly thanked God for her new attire. She wore her beautiful locks of hair in intricate braids woven around her head, hiding those all too suspicious ears of hers. The cardinal had given her the simple robes of a convent to wear, hiding most of pale skin. Her facial expression had turned from a look of curiosity to a dawning of recognition and horror. She knew him?
"Helsing this is...Praepondero." He inclined his head to her and then turned back to his work.
Helsing nodded politely to her. "If you don't mind my asking, what sort of name is that?"
She laughed and Carl quickly turned around to grab her by the arm. He steered her away to the other side of the large work table and handed different instruments to her. "If you would be so kind to finish this for me while I entertain our guest?"
She nodded her lovely head and set to work immediately.
Carl went over to Helsing and took the leather equipment bag from him. "Time to see your new toys, no?"
The taller man gave him a suspicious look. "You're keeping something from me, aren't you?"
Carl smiled nervously. "Of course not." Saints! He was keeping far too much from him, and he intended to keep that way for awhile.
"Fine, Carl. Fine. Show me the weapons."