Scene 4

The Golden Prince

Dead leaves floated up from the ground, wreathing the three figures that strode through the graveyard. The symbolism of the fleeing foliage was not lost on the poetic nobleman; nor the symbolism of the tombstones they passed. The newly re-tainted blood that coursed his veins would only add to that desolation and death.

His tainted blood…and Trevor's.

My son is lost to me…

Each step Adrian took felt as heavy as his heart. His golden eyes lifted to the spires of the Clock Tower in the distance; the same one he and his companions strode towards. No, not entirely lost, he knew, as the blond prince's fingers drifted over his mother's sword. Soon, with a single stroke of that blade, and the nightmare would end.

And hell would begin…for what sort of afterlife awaited a man who'd slain his own father and his own son?

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Adrian, love, what is the matter?"

Drifting up from the dark hole of contemplations, the young nobleman glanced at his companions: his beautiful bride and her brother. Maria and Richter stared back him, worry clear upon their faces. Once Adrian committed his newest sin, he fully intended to lock himself away and for good this time.

The former prince shook his head bitterly, angrily. So selfish I was…to think I could live among mortals…to think I could live, love, be one of them…But why not? Why, god, not?

Before he could open his mouth, the sound of snapping branches drew Adrian's gaze away. He, along with Richter and Maria, gasped as they saw Annette running up to them. The blonde woman looked a mess; that hair was splayed across her face and her purple dress was in tatters.

"Richter! Help! They've taken the children!"

Annette crashed into her husband's arms, sobbing. At her words Richter visibly tensed, shouting, "Who, Annie? Who would dare!"

"I would!"

Turning his head as the others did, Adrian half-expected to see Trevor or Shaft. His golden eyes widened to encompass a massive mob, hefting torches and all manner of weapons. At the front of the mob was the priest who'd performed his and Maria's wedding ceremony, each of his hands tightly holding a child of Richter and Annette.

"Mommy, mommy!" they cried in eerie unison.

"Marie! Alan!" Their mother beat her fists at Richter but the vampire hunter did not let her go. Even as he restrained her, Richter's cheeks tightened and his hand clenched around his whip. That relieved Adrian. Somehow he knew that the mere act of Anne might inspire the bloodlust of the crowd. If that should happen and either of the kids got caught in the crossfire…

"Let them go!" Maria stomped her foot.

The priest's eyes were for Adrian alone and in them burned a fire that the nobleman almost felt heat of it. With a slight nod of his head and another man stepped forth and threw the bundle he was carrying. It landed at the former prince's feet. Part of the wrapping uncoiled and Adrian gasped, recognizing it.

The bundle was a dog, the very same one he'd drained of blood.

As if he'd, too, been drained of blood, Adrian looked up at the priest, unable to reply.

"I propose a bargain…" the clergyman said, none of the befuddlement in his expression he'd had on Adrian's wedding day. He was addressing Richter now, though his gaze remained on the nobleman. "Hand over the demon and we will relinquish the children."

"No!" His wife moved toward the priest, but Adrian grabbed her arm.

The priest snarled, "Vampires have no place in this world." He turned to Richter and Annette. "So, what will it be, Belmont? I wish no harm to the children but what greater harm would come of letting this evil creature prey upon our village?" There was a grunting consensus from the mob.

"Please let them go…" Annette was becoming hysterical.

Her green eyes flashing, Maria broke her husband's grip. She would never have been able to do that on her own but the prince could see that she no longer meant to throw herself at the crowd. "Richter, please," she said. "We can't give them Adrian….they'll kill him!"

Never before had Adrian seen the vampire hunter so torn. The man loved Adrian like a brother; was now, in fact, a brother. Clearly he could see that the nobleman was a victim in this twisted scenario….but then his blue eyes flickered to the twins, squirming in the priest's grip. That gaze flickered back from them to Adrian…and back and forth…

How could he watch them die…or sacrifice an innocent man?

"Adrian, I…"

Swiftly, the nobleman's hand went up, silencing the vampire hunter. His beautiful sun-shaded hair twirled as he faced the priest. "There will be no need to blackmail, Richter. I shall deliver myself to you and then you must return the children, unharmed."

The mob growled and grumbled, the firelight from their torches casting shadows upon the gravestones. Still, the priest seemed satisfied. He nodded to another man, who came bearing chains. The metal would not hold one of vampiric strength, Adrian knew, but he had no desire to resist.

"No, stop, stop this madness!" Maria stepped forward and this time Adrian was too slow to stop her from getting between him and the crowd. Her gloved hands waved high in the air. "No one has to die! Let's—" Her words were cut short as she was struck full in the face and she stumbled to the ground, dazed.

Horrified, the nobleman ran over to his wife. The crowd started shouting, fearful. "Maria, what happened?" At her weak gesture upwards, Adrian's gaze flew to the midnight sky.

In a flaming chariot pulled by two nightmares, stood Shaft and Trevor, the latter brandishing the whip he'd used against Maria. To either side of the pair was Death, scythe shining from the firelight, and the Succubus, who winked lustily at Adrian. The sight sent more than a few members of the crowd scurrying in terror.

"Alucard," called the dark priest. "It is time to go home….home to Castlevania!"

The nobleman clenched a fist, wind picking up his black cloak. "No. I am not Alucard and my home is not Castlevania…"

Annoyance burned in Trevor's blue eyes. "Enough, Shaft. He will not accept his heritage. It is time for me to kill my father as he has killed his'." Shaft clutched at the Belmont's arm but Trevor shrugged him off. "Have at you!" The former vampire hunter shouted as tossed a vial the color of his eyes at Adrian.

"Holy Water!"

Twisting at an odd angle, Adrian dodged the burning liquid and it struck the tombstone next to him. Like grease it splattered, striking the nobleman in several places making any effort to evade his son's next attack impossible. The leather whip hit him hard across the chest, forcing the nobleman to back off.

Chaos ensued. Annette screamed and got free of Richter's grasp. The vampire hunter made two paces after her when Death intercepted him, swiping the scythe at his head. Richter ducked then came up snapping with his whip. Maria engaged the Succubus who had been shadowing her sister's steps as Annette's attention remained riveted on the captive children.

The nightmares' screams tore into Adrian's brain as the chariot made a pass for him. Tossing himself to the right, the nobleman almost fell straight into an open grave. He shivered at the thought and climbed to his feet, bringing his blade to deflect Trevor's whip. Shaft was in deep concentration yet, oddly enough, failed to produce anything for his efforts.

Meanwhile, he could see Annette grab her son who was crying. Richter tried to reach their other child, Marie, but Death dogged his steps forcing the vampire hunter to defend himself or be impaled. Maria was likewise still busy with the Succubus. Adrian could see the little girl still held hostage by the priest who had been completely abandoned by the townspeople. The clergyman held her in a death grip with an expression of utter horror.

"Adrian, can you get Marie free?" his wife shouted as she threw a dagger at the Succubus.

Nodding, the nobleman dodged another strike of Trevor's whip and ran toward Marie. In the background he could hear the sounds of battle and the pursuit of the chariot. Adrian had to sidestep the townsfolk's dropped weapons and the patches of flame. His unarmed gloved hand extended, ready to scoop the girl up the instant he reached her.

He was not fast enough.

A shadow passed overhead and the chariot came into view. Adrian cursed, helpless, as Trevor flipped up a knife and slit the priest's throat right in front of them all. Annette screamed and pulled Alan close to her chest. Maria and Richter were still too engaged with the Succubus and Death to be of any assistance.

Then Trevor lifted the girl and teased his knife to her neck. Everything went still for Adrian. The only thing he could hear was his thundering heart; the only thing he could see was the flash of murder in his son's eyes. No, Trevor, please….don't become the monster I was, that my father was…

Trevor smiled. Adrian shivered.

"Trevor I beg you to stop!" The nobleman's hand drifted surreptitiously to the hilt of his sword. His other hand made a fist, fighting the fear and fury in his heart. If his son did not release Marie Adrian would have no choice but to slay him right then and there. If I could manage to get Trevor before he cut the little girl's neck…

He couldn't afford 'ifs' and neither could Marie.

"What?" the former vampire hunter said softly, mockingly. "Brings back memories?"

"Yes…" Adrian let out a heavy breath. "Of dark times and vile deeds. It is not a path you want to walk, my son. You have fought and even defeated such evil many times. Do not allow it to consume you!"

In the background his companions still struggled against their enemies—the cries of pain and victory, of horror and fury sounded as clearly as the wind. Annette was moaning, holding Alan tightly. During all this, Shaft had not come out of his bizarre trance and something about his stance was vaguely familiar to the nobleman.

Then, Shaft's concentration slipped and a curious thing happened.

Trevor twitched, his gaze clouding over. That, too, was familiar. The nobleman titled his head, curious, scrapping desperately at the fringe of his mind to recall exactly how. The former vampire hunter's grip on Marie loosened but that's all that the little girl needed. Before Trevor could come to his senses, in either manner of the word, she darted across the graveyard.

"Marie!" Richter cried, grabbing the little girl. She was weeping and hiccupping; her little pink dress was smeared with the priest's blood. With one hand, the vampire hunter kept Death at bay with a whip and the other held his daughter. Annette was hurrying over with their son as Maria whipped out the Holy Glasses.

The Holy Glasses…? Adrian's mouth gapped open as the implications of that struck his brain. Is it possible…Is Shaft really…Oh, please, god, say it is so! The nobleman would have gone to his son, tried to shake him, but the Succubus leapt into his path. Her claws ripped three slashes across his chest, blood flying with the attack.

"Adrian, the green globe!" Maria shouted from his right, donning the glasses. "I see the green globe!"

Putting a hand to his torso, blood streaming past his fingers, Adrian stumbled to a knee. Though he couldn't see the globe his wife spoke of, he understood the meaning. Hope shined in his heart—hope for Trevor's soul. He was not lost to them yet. Now that the nobleman knew what had gone wrong, he could correct it.

Lifting his sword, Adrian lunged forward. He planned to disable the demon and go after his son.

But the Succubus was already high in the sky…and so was Trevor.

"No!" The nobleman rushed to the spot where the chariot had first risen into the midnight skies. It shrank as it floated higher and higher, obscuring the stars. Trevor stared down at his father, but the expression he wore was indistinguishable. Was he starting to break free of the spell? Was the son lost to him finally coming back?

A hand touched his shoulder. His tortured soul in his golden eyes, Adrian turned to gaze at Maria. She gave his shoulder a squeeze. "We'll find them and get Trevor back." Her other hand hefted the Holy Glasses, the light from the dying flames glinting off them. At the end of his vision, he could see the Belmont family sharing hugs and tears.

...My family almost destroyed theirs….Either I redeem his soul…or lose my own…

But how to find get to him before Shaft replaces the spell…perhaps permanently this time?

If only I could fly…Fly? Yes, I can fly…

Perhaps a hint of his thoughts flickered in the nobleman's eyes for Maria frowned, worried. Giving her an apologetic look, Adrian turned away, walking slowly through the graveyard. His sword trailed the ground, scattering the leaves and the broken weapons. From behind him, the nobleman heard the questions of Richter and Annette, the whispers of the children and Maria's own strained inquiry.

"Adrian, love, what are you doing?"

He halted and glanced over a shoulder. "Know always that I love you, my wife."

He did not see her horrified face, nor heard her gasp. As Adrian gave into the sensations coursing his body, his mouth tore open in a scream. That too, fell on deaf ears. His body contorted, shrinking. Like the bloodlust, the night vision and many other traits of his race, the ability of shape shifting swiftly returned to the reawakened vampire.

Spreading his wings, the bat took off into the skies.

The hunt was on.