Warning: If you want to know the base of this story, read my Van Helsing 2, for this is merely a revision of my original story.
Disclaimer: Universal Studios, Stephen Sommers, and the crew of Van Helsing own the base characters, but I own Alvonia Elra, Sereno Harven, Enchantress, Darkbane, and Hervok Vorra. I don't own Vampire, The Gillman, The Invisible Man, The Wolf Man, or the Banshee. Thanks. (The dialogue in this chapter is from the movie, but I added more for some extra explanation!)
Author's Note: I am writing two different versions of Chapter 4, and I decided to post this one because it is sort of an AU to the other one. This is a flashback of what happened during the Anna and Gabriel times. (AU!) It is sort of an extended version to their conversations, and it shows something that will happen in this story that will be the reason for the return of a character...And I am not going to tell unless you e-mail me! (Oh, and the chapter ends off with a nice little AU face-off between Anna and Aleera!)
Van Helsing: Legends of Blood Reign
Chapter 4: The Memories Revised
The snow fell to the ground gracefully. Each strong gust of wind hit Gabriel's cape as he walked up to Castle Dracula. Behind him walked Anna and Carl.
"Van Helsing, wait!" Anna called. He stopped and turned around.
"Yes?" he asked. She closed her eyes and fingered something around her neck. He looked as she opened her eyes again.
"Ever since my father has been missing, Dracula never made an appearance, only his brides did" she breathed. Carl trotted up behind them, the snow crunching beneath his feet.
"Maybe Dracula was busy" Carl said. They turned and saw the friar looking up at Castle Dracula.
"What do you mean?" Van Helsing asked. Anna put her hand to his face and turned him back. She then pulled a number of trinkets out from behind her corset.
"Ever since I was a child, I would ask my mother what these meant" she said, going through each one. Gabriel noticed that one held the Valerious Crest.
"Does Dracula have something to do with this?" he asked. She closed her eyes and a tear ran down her cheek.
"Mother always used to tell me that these trinkets were to protect me, and they have..." she broke off, another tear running down her cheek.
"What are you saying, Anna?" he asked.
"Maybe Dracula has a certain power over these trinkets! Maybe he needed Anna to have them so that she would be lead back to him!" Carl exclaimed. "Dracula wanted you as his bride, Anna! You refused, and now he only has one bride left! If you go in there and confront Dracula, he may seduce your mind once and for all!" the friar said.
"Let's not jump to conclusions, Carl!" Gabriel said, turning back to Anna. She smiled and placed the trinkets back inside her shirt, then turning to Castle Dracula.
"I believe that if we go in there, we shall be fine" she choked out.
"Are you sure?" Gabriel asked. She smiled and leaned up to his ear.
"Positive" she whispered. He smiled and they walked up the path to Dracula.
"Do we have a plan? It doesn't have to be Wellington's at Waterloo, but some sort of a plan would be nice!" Carl announced. Van Helsing looked up at the stone pillars and the many fires that were alight in the Castle.
"We're going to go in there and stop Dracula's plan. If we don't, then he will have more power than ever" Gabriel said.
"He's right. If anything gets in our way, we will kill it!" she replied.
"Well, you just let me know how that goes!" Carl squealed. Gabriel shook his head.
"Carl, you're staying!" he growled. "We need a way to get in there, and that way needs to be fast!" he said. Carl pointed to Gabriel's chest. Blood dripped from the wound were he had been bitten by the werewolf. Anna gasped.
"As grateful as I am to be out of the cold, that doesn't seem like a good thing!" Carl exclaimed.
"It's gotten worse! The venom is reaching its limit! If we don't do something soon..." Anna exclaimed. Van Helsing looked at both of them, and then closed his eyes. He felt his hands grabbing the other two's backs and they were flying. Up into the tallest region of Castle Dracula they went. Gabriel yelled a cry as they flew in. The three landed with care. He crouched to the ground and felt the werewolf inside him taking over. There was nothing to stop the transformation now. The three looked up to see the many eggs of Dracula's offspring.
"So all of these are...?" Carl began.
"Yes" Anna replied.
"And inside them are..." he asked again.
"Yes" Gabriel told him. The three stopped to see Igor walking with a large bundle of chords under his arm.
"How did you find? It's impossible!" he said. Van Helsing reached for his Tojo Blade and ignited it. It hit Igor and plastered him to the wall. Gabriel walked up and put a hand up to the servants' neck.
"Please, please don't kill me!" he pleaded.
"Why not? Give me a reason!" Van Helsing asked. They all heard a yell coming from the chamber next to them. They went to a wall that had five bars, all that could see into where Frankenstein was captured in a large block of ice. They all heard an ear-piercing screech. Gabriel turned to Igor.
"My master has awaken"
Dracula felt the ice melt away from him slowly. With each slumber, he slept in a pillar of ice, for that's what his castle was built upon. He stood up and looked around. There was his only remaining wife, Aleera, watching him.
"What are you doing, my bride?" he asked. She smiled and flew up to him.
"My lord, there are intruders in our home!" she exclaimed.
"Gabriel and the Princess, I presume?" he asked. She nodded. A smile curled upon the man's face. He felt a feeling of triumph overrule him.
"It seems that our intruders won't be such a nuisance when I speak with them again!" he spat, his eyes glowing. Aleera smiled and cackled. Dracula held his hand out and felt his bride's hand enter his. The two smiled at each other and changed to their demon form. They let a scream emit from their chests.
"There is a cure!" Frankenstein announced.
"What?" Gabriel asked.
"Dracula, he has a cure to remove the curse of the werewolf! Go, find the cure, save yourself!" he said as the ice traveled up more.
Count Vladislaus landed to his feet. A smile still masked his face. Tonight was the night he would be successful. His children would live, for the monster would provide his dear children life. He laughed aloud and looked around. The nearest window displayed a blanket of ice rain pelting the glass. He changed to hell beast form and soared through the window, his heart racing. He could be free once more. There would be no worries. No matter what happened, the Valerious family couldn't succeed in their task to end his life. Dracula circled the air once more and flew inside. Human form engulfed him, and he walked through the doors that sheltered the room. He smiled and looked up and down, observing the many Dwerger that walked back and forth. He heard words such as: "He will be happy" and "The monster". Everything was going as planned. He turned around once and then saw The Frankenstein Monster struggling on the stretcher he lay on.
"Aargh!" he yelled, struggling as the busy Dwerger attempted to strap him down.
"What are you complaining about?" Dracula asked. Frankenstein went quite, a look of disgust on his face. "We are trying to prove that God isn't the only one who can create life!" he hissed, tossing his head back with the last word. "Now, give your life to my children! Give!" he yelled. The stretcher went up and reached the top of the turret. Dracula turned around and walked out of the room. His hair flowed behind him. He was free, but not until he was rid of Van Helsing.
"Come on, you heard him! Let's find it!" Anna pleaded. They stepped away from the chamber.
"Wait, why does Dracula have a cure?" he asked eagerly.
"I don't care!" Anna yelled, anticipation flowing in her veins.
"I do" he whispered. He remembered Igor and rushed over to him. He put his hand under his neck again. "WHY?" he growled.
The painting at Valerious Manor came back into Carl's mind. The writings along the picture, the werewolf and the vampire hitting heads. Now, it all made sense.
"Because the only thing that can end Dracula is a werewolf! That's how it was stated in old legend! A vampire can be finished by the bane of a werewolf! That's what the painting meant!" Carl told them.
"But Dracula has been using werewolves to do his bidding for centuries! Why would he need such a cure?" Anna asked.
"Yes, yes, but if one ever had the will to turn on him, he'd need the cure to remove the curse to make the werewolf human before it bit him! If Dracula was bit by a werewolf, he can be killed and our task would be done!" Carl said. Van Helsing went over to Igor and grabbed him by his neck again.
"You are going to take these two to the antidote!" he announced.
"No, I'm not" Igor replied lazily. Van Helsing picked him up and placed him on the nearest rock. "Yes, I am" he corrected himself. Carl went up next to Van Helsing.
"Here's the plan: When the bell begins to toll midnight, you'll be able to kill Dracula, since you have wolves bane in your blood! Anna and I just need to find the cure and get it into you before the final stroke of midnight! If we don't, the result might be..." he broke off. The result might be painful.
"Are you insane? What kind of plan is that, we can't just waltz into the presence of a werewolf!" she yelled.
"Thanks!" Gabriel said. Anna went red.
"Sorry..." she said. Van Helsing turned to Igor and picked up a large device that had many holes down the knife.
"If they even suspect that you are misleading them..." he turned, clipped the device once, and handed it to Anna. "Clip off one of his fingers"
"Oh I'll clip off something" she said coolly.
"The tower over there, that's where it is!" Igor chimed in.
"What about the other one?" Gabriel demanded. Igor leaned back and moaned. "Give me that!" he demanded, lunging for the device.
"That's where we resemble the laboratory, would I lie to you?" Igor stressed. Van Helsing brought him up again.
"Not if you want to live!" he growled. He turned to the other two and pulled a silver stake out. "If I'm not cured by midnight" he ignited the stake and it zoomed up.
"I don't think I could!" Carl said. Anna looked at it and felt her heart drop. What if he didn't succeed? What if the whole thing was a failure? What if her family was never allowed past the gates of St. Peter?
"You must" Gabriel told him. Carl hesitated for a moment and grabbed the stake.
"Come on!" Carl told Igor, grabbing him by the shoulders. The two began toward the tower.
"Anna, wait" Gabriel said.
"I don't like this plan!" she complained.
"We don't have a choice, Anna, just don't die!" he told her.
"You still don't understand! It doesn't matter what happens to me, we must save my family! There is no other way!" she told him. He looked into her soft eyes. This was the first time he had noticed what she meant. Her family meant so much to her. He must succeed.
"If you're late, run like hell!" he told her. She went to run away but he grabbed her. She gave him a confused look. "Don't be late" he said. The two looked at each other for a moment. They shared a kiss, and then broke off. "Now go, go, go" he told her. She nodded and ran away. Gabriel saw the three going toward the tower. He felt the warmth filling his body. Did Anna feel...no. That wasn't a thing to think about no. Not before Dracula was killed. After this was all over, Anna's worries would be lifted. He wanted for her to be happy, to have joy, but ever since they had met, she had one purpose in mind: To be rid of Count Dracula. He remembered that and sped toward the nearest door.
Dracula walked up to the door in front of him. When he walked through, he knew who would be there. He knew what had to be done.
Gabriel reached the door, his hand held firmly on the handle. He turned it and the door swung open. There stood Dracula, pride written all over his face.
"Hello Gabriel!" he said. Van Helsing stepped back and watched to vampire take a step further toward him.
"Dracula" he said in response. The two stood for a moment.
"Isn't it such a nice night to be wondering, or should I say intruding someone's homestead? But, then again, why should it matter to me? I don't believe that you can do anything to halt me in my tracks, Gabriel" he told him cruelly. Van Helsing smiled and pointed to his chest.
"Don't be so sure of yourself, Dracula! Even I can stop you again. I can end you!" he told his enemy. Dracula rolled his eyes.
"Haven't we gone over this before, Gabriel? I can't die!" he laughed. "Y
"You are so easy to say that, Dracula!" he said. And just then, as if a flood ran into him, the memories swirled back as if they were there the whole time: Flashes of memories swayed back to him: Dracula falling to the ground, his lips moving fast. A group of werewolves circled Gabriel. The Vatican in flames.
"It would seem so! If you would just listen to me now, I could help you regain those memories, recall old times, but your arrogance is a signal for me..." he stopped, seeing the expression on his old friend's face. "Why are you so surprised at the return of old memories! I could help those painful dreams and visions fade away!" he tried. The venom in Gabriel's veins burned. It was becoming to much.
"LETS GET THIS OVER WITH!" Gabriel yelled. The venom surged through his whole body. He smiled as his teeth turned into fangs. Dracula's eyes grew wide.
"This cannot be!" he yelled. Gabriel felt the werewolf inside him taking over. Dark, grey hair circled him, and he was fully changed into a werewolf, even though midnight hadn't struck.
"What have you done?" Dracula demanded, bringing his hand up. His pointer finger was curled in an angry matter. The wolf howled a howl of grief and anger. All hate curled up inside him.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha! You seem to amuse me, my friend!" he laughed. Gabriel fell the venom curling back down and he began to change back. The moon outside was still kept in a warm blanket of the moon. He was back to normal form, clothes and all. What had happened? Dracula grinned his white teeth and changed to his demon hell beast form. Gabriel's eyes grew wide and he ran from the room. Down the passage he went and then, finally, a pair of stairs met him. He ran up the stairs and turned to his left. There was a rope hanging in the next room. The Monster Hunter readied and jumped toward the rope. He swung there for a moment, bats flying away as he did so.
Aleera landed next to her husband. The two stood in their human forms, looking at their eggs.
"Success" she said. Dracula laughed. The two turned and walked back into the main laboratory. They noticed that some of the Dwerger ran around with fire about them. "Master!" Aleera said. Dracula looked up to where she pointed to see Van Helsing atop the turret. Both the vampire's fangs grew and they changed back to hell beast form. They crashed through the window and screeched.
"Go to the tower!" Dracula commanded. Aleera shook her head and flew toward the tower to her right. Dracula flapped his wings and lunged at Van Helsing. The Monster Hunter yelled as he began to fall down toward the ground.
Anna turned to Carl. Carl turned to Igor. The three looked at each other, but Anna and Carl looked at Igor with disgust. They neared the foot of the cave and saw what they needed. The antidote was in a case of either glass or some other material, as Carl thought.
"There it is!" Igor drawled, lifting a ragged finger up to it. Anna turned to him and shot a disgusted glare.
"I'll go first" she said, hitting the servant in the chest with the clipping-device. He nodded as she walked in. She neared further and further, Carl slowly following behind. Just then, Igor pushed Carl's back and he fell down.
"Carl!" Anna gasped.
"You think you get Igor? Igor get you!" he growled, pressing the button the released the door. "Stay as long as you like, fools!" he yelled back. Anna gasped.
"Are you OK Carl?" she asked. He got up and looked around. There it was, the antidote. The two stepped up and looked into it.
"Yes, I'm fine" Carl replied. A silence fell over the two as they watched the serum with awe.
"Grab it" she said.
"You grab it! I know not to be the first one to stick my hand in a viscous material!" he told her. After staring at it for another moment, they could see Aleera lowering herself from the ceiling, her mouth wide open, fangs displaying. The two backed up and watched her land to the ground.
"Did I scare you?" she asked Carl.
"No!" he said shakily. A smile curved upon her face.
"Then maybe I need to try, a little harder!" she hissed, cackling afterward. Anna pushed the serum case and it dropped to the ground, the acid spilling over the bride. She screeched and Carl smiled.
"VISCOUS MATERIEL, what did I tell you?" he asked her. Anna saw it rolling across the floor.
"Grab it! Grab it!" she exclaimed.
Van Helsing walked through the halls, his head whirring with thoughts. He noticed the Dwerger on fire. Some were screaming, others falling to the ground. Behind him landed Dracula.
"You are too late, my friend!" he announced. Gabriel turned around to see Dracula walking toward him. "My children live!" he growled.
"And the only way to kill them, is to kill you!" he replied.
"Correct!" he smiled, raising his arms. Lightning flashed outside. Van Helsing felt the memories coming back: The Vatican in flames, a man giving him a sword, Dracula dropping to the ground.
"So be it!" he said. Dracula watched him transform again. The hell beast lunged at the werewolf and they growled at each other. Dracula flew up in the air, the werewolf following. Its claws caught his wings, and they were sent downward.
Anna had sent Carl off to give the antidote to Van Helsing.
"You can't go till I say you can go, Princess!" Aleera said, the acid burning her face. "And I say you can go when you're dead!" Aleera hit Anna across the face and the woman was sent flying across the room. Aleera's face went back to normal and she flew over to Anna. The Princess got to her feet and held her sword out.
"Stop this now, Aleera! Alls this is, is foolish games!" she told her. Aleera cackled and went to hit Anna again when the sword came down and hit the Countesses' hand.
"Aaaah!" she screamed. Anna grinned and felt the blood rushing in her veins. She hit her enemy in the face with a square fist, and then she dropped her sword. Her arm smacked Aleera hard and she was sent to the ground. Anna smiled and walked over. She leaned down and picked her blade up. Aleera flew to her feet and flew both Anna and her to the window. The glass shattered and the Princess flew out. Aleera cackled and flew back in, a triumphant smile upon her face. Anna was hanging by the edge of the cliff. Rain poured down around her. She felt her blood flowing up, and then she jumped back into the room. Aleera was spinning around with joy, laughing. Anna lunged in and sent a hit at Aleera.
Van Helsing woke up and looked around. The ship was still sailing in the waters. Thonious and Carl were asleep, also. He closed his eyes and fell back asleep. The night stars twinkled.
Author's Note: Well? I thought it would be cool to add the movie with some more material, so, next chapter is actually story! Unless you want to see more of the Anna Vs. Aleera fight! Wait, wouldn't that be a great Fanfiction? Anna VS. Aleera! Hmmm...just wait for that! Oh! Reviews!
Lady VladislausThanks for the review! Every review is welcome! I will continue with more plot points and more soon! If you want a sort of story (this is a revision of Van Helsing 2) then go to my profile! Thanks!
Artemis1860: Thanks again for the reviews! I appreciate every new one I get. As I said in Night Dreams, I am going to write Van Helsing: Prophecy Fighters which will be a sequel to Legends of Blood Reign. I don't want to spoil my readers, so I can't give a plot
about what's going to be in it! I'm not even half-way through LOBR!
Mistress of Destruction: Thanks for the review! I try as hard as I can to keep to Hugh Jackman's rendition of Gabriel Van Helsing. I try to keep to Carl and Jinnete, so I just keep watching their scenes from the movie over and over. Thanks again! (Oh, and Thonious' character is supposed to be like Barbossa, but I won't make it too much like him.
