Author's Note: Greetings everyone! Sorry that it's been a while since I've updated, but me and the server were having some problems. Anyway, what I need to let you know is that this chapter features a great deal of dialogue with the main villain. Other than that, please continue to read and review!

Torches blazed and sacred chants were praised,
as they start to cry, hands held to the sky.
In the night the fires are burning bright.
The ritual has begun, Satan's work is done.
Six-six-six, the number of the beast,
sacrifice is going on tonight-
"The Number of the Beast"-Iron Maiden

Seuche in Deutschland

Chapter XIV

Adrian, Lysander, Alcander, and Christian left the abandoned building, while the orange and red sky turned to black.

"So what now?" asked Christian.

"I don't know," replied Lysander. "I wish we could locate where this man was hiding."

"Perhaps we could locate another abandoned building…or maybe an old graveyard," added Alcander. "Do you know of any, Sander?"

"…Not really…This area's the best place I thought of for abandoned buildings…I don't know of any old graveyards…I wish Luther was here, but as far as I know he's still in Bonn…And since I can't go to him, the only other person I'd know to go to's, Ingo; but he's probably still wondering how someone like me—who's supposed be 'well educated'—could believe in something so 'stupid' as vampires."

"But those're the best kind of people, are they not, Mr. Tepes?" a voice replied.

Adrian, Lysander, Alcander, and Christian turned to the voice. Its owner was a man in his late twenties-early thirties, with brown hair and blue eyes.

"I love people who don't believe," the man added. "It makes my existence so much easier."

Adrian stepped forward. "Who're you?"

"My friends refer to me as Alric."

The party gasped.

"How're you this evening, Mr. Tepes? …Something tells me that the four of you've been looking for me."

Adrian smiled. "Somehow I thought you'd say that. Based on the birth date that's recorded for you in this city—and based on your appearance—I'd say that you've had plenty of time to develop your vampiric powers."

Alric chuckled. "You're very perspective, Adrian Tepes."

"Yes, Dad's very perspective," interjected Alcander. "But there's something I want to know."

"And what's that, young Alcander Tepes?"

"I want to know, how do you know who we are? How do you know me, my brother, my cousin, and my father?"

Once again Alric chuckled. "You ask me many questions, Alcander Tepes; but I suppose that for me to properly answer them I'll have to explain something about myself."

Alcander nodded. "Fine, go ahead!"

Alric smiled. "Thank you…Like most people in this city, I was born and christened here; and my childhood was probably similar to the children whom I grew up with. I played on the city streets, attended my Lutheran Church every Sunday with my parents, and listened to the stories that were read to me from the Bible. Yet there was one unique difference between me and most of the other children I grew up with…I learned the ability to read and write from my parents.

But when my mother died of a fever I began to question much of what I'd learned as a child. My mother died of a fever. She was a good and carrying woman that told me all the time about how much Jesus loved people…But I watched my mother suffer…I watched her suffer for days before died. My mother didn't deserve to suffer, and she certainly didn't deserve to die! I began to wonder where Jesus was for her.

And then shortly after my mother's death, I lost my father as well. My father's death was supposed to've been from the flu, but I knew better. My father was already dead the moment my mother died, and the Church's answer was that it was all 'God's will…'

It was 'God's will' that my mother died? Maybe I'm the only one who thought this, but does the Church use the response, 'it's God's will' when they don't want to think about a tough question? Or perhaps they'll use their other favorite response, 'It's not God, it's the Devil.' Oh yes, the Devil—the King of Evil! But wait! Isn't God supposed to be stronger than the Devil? So why isn't God stopping him? These were questions the Church didn't want me to ask. And the more I asked these questions—and the more I began to read—I started to wonder if the Gnostics of old were partially right when they thought that Yahweh was an evil god.

Because I began to feel this way, I began to read about religions outside the Christian tradition. And this led me into the occult, and the occult led me into vampirism, and vampirism led me to the story of Vlad the Impaler.

The story of Vlad Tepes fascinated me. A man who challenges God for the injustices that happened to him, and was willing to continue that challenge even from beyond the grave…"

"Yet, he's burning in Hell right now," interjected Christian.

Alric laughed. "Oh, come now, Christian Belmont! Due give me the honor to finish my story. And remember, your 'blessed,'" Alric made a quote gesture, "Christ stated, 'Do not judge lest you be judged.' So with that being said, how do you know that Prince Vlad's 'burning in Hell right now'? …Still, Prince Vlad told me that he's been to Hell several times; he said it's not that bad of a place—really.

Anyway, I decided that once I earned enough money I was going to make a pilgrimage to Romania. I wanted to find out more about this man in his home country.

When I arrived in Wallachia, in the year 1807, Dracula's Castle was in ruins; but I learned of its location. Luck was on my side, because I was able to meet Vlad the Impaler. He was not his usual self—due to the affects of the Eucharist—but he was still an imposing figure, and I think that he was shocked that a mortal would come and visit him…"

"You thought wrong," interjected Adrian. "Father has had mortals come to visit him before, hoping to seek power through him."

"But once I told him my story, he was able to understand me. And he told me his story, and that's when I first heard all of your names mentioned. However, of you three I only saw Adrian Tepes the first time I was in Romania, but I'm certain that he doesn't remember me."

"Obviously, I don't."

"That's because I was in the shadows when you, Richter Belmont, and your party from Austria walked through the Castle. And obviously Christian, Lysander, and Alcander were only children at that time, so I had no knowledge of what they looked like…Until twelve years later that is."

"Twelve years later?" asked Alcander.

"Yes, Alcander, twelve years later--even though Dracula was defeated that day in 1807, I didn't lose the powers he'd given me, because I accepted the darkness by my own choice. For twelve years I wandered the earth, and enhanced the gifts that I was given.

Luck has been my friend, I must confess, because when I returned to the Castle in 1819, I saw the new generation of hunters that'd decided to battle Vlad the Impaler. And now you know, Alcander, when I first saw you, your brother, and your cousin…Now I've my own question to ask."

"Very well," responded Adrian.

Alric smiled. "Thank you, Adrian. I was hoping that it'd be you who replied, because this question is addressed specifically to you."

Adrian looked at Alric in anticipation.

"You and I, Adrian, are very much alike. We both lost our mothers in a manner that was despicable. Our mother's never should've died—especially under the circumstances of their deaths. So why…why're you not on the side of your father? Why're you not fighting for what he believed in? Why're you taking the Christian side?"

Adrian paused. "I'm not fighting for what he believed in because I don't believe in it. And for that matter neither did my mother. If you want to consider me taking the Christian side than so be it. My mother told me that there're bad people in this world, but that there're also good people in this world as well. And because, according to the Christian teaching that God became a man, I simply cannot hate God. And because of the choice that I made it's allowed me to become a husband, a father, and a grandfather…I can understand your position as well, but your position threatens the life of everyone I care for. And because of that, I simply can't allow your life to continue."

"You're a fool, Adrian Tepes, and so was your mother."

Adrian glared. "You can call me a fool if you wish…but if you ever call my mother 'a fool' again, I'll remove your tongue!"

Alric smiled, but he also leapt away from Adrian. "Fine then, your mother was simple naive."

Adrian unsheathed his sword.

Alric chuckled. "Relax, young Prince Tepes. I'll give you the opportunity to sever my tongue…but not now. Too many people'd watch us do battle, and they'll inform the authorities. If you want to fight me, why don't you meet in the forest outside the city of Berlin."

Adrian never changed his expression. "Fine!"

And Alric smiled, and morphed his body into mist.