Fanfiction Fanatic: Thank you. The plot is really starting to get going now!
Blood-Fangs: It's another chance, but it's a last chance. Glad you're clear about the werewolf thing though.
Blix Howlett: It sounds like a matter of leverage. If Van Helsing fails the task, then both he and the monster could be killed. Of course he hasn't said that. But that's the drift I'm getting. I'm writing this darn thing and I am even getting my own surprises from it, lol.
Chapter 9
As the morning dawned, Van Helsing departed from his bedroom to swiftly descend from the ground floor to the dark underground of the Vatican. As usual, religious followers of many different cults were working and experimenting in the warm cavernous room. The sounds of electrical whirring came from a large pulley that was being powered by two friars. As Van Helsing swept past them he could hear their triumphant cries.
"It's working! It's working!"
Van Helsing gave a wry smile to himself as he spied a small figure carrying large boxes that towered over his face as he trundled towards the generator device. The shuffle of his walk told Van Helsing it was Carl. Carl hurried to the other friars who were still energetically rolling a large wheel that looked suspiciously like it had been taken off a ship's helm.
"Don't let it stop!" he cried excitedly as he lowered the boxes to a nearby table. He spun around in a hurry only to find his way blocked by a tall and rather imposing figure. He looked up slowly, peering at the leather cladded man through the magnified lenses on his helmet, "Oh.." he said meekly to Van Helsing, "Is it time to go already? I was kind of hoping you had overlaid."
"I noticed when you didn't wake me up," said Van Helsing as he glanced over to the generator which had now begun buzzing quite dangerously, "But I'm always an early riser."
"Yes.." muttered Carl quietly, clearly not pleased.
Van Helsing gestured his empty sack to Carl, "Come on, what do we need to take this time?"
Carl made a pitiful face as the bag was gestured, "I don't want to go to England," he whined quietly.
"Well, you are," said Van Helsing simply as he pressed the brown sack firmly into Carl's hands upon striding around him. A hand latched onto Carl's hood on his robes and dragged him away from his electrical experiment. With a grudging sigh, Carl turned and slouched after the other man. "So, what do we need to kill a witch?" Van Helsing asked upon arriving at a table of weapons. He picked up a ring of garlic upon inspection which Carl immediately grabbed out of his hand.
"That's for vampires; we're done with vampires for today. Witch-hunting is different."
"Well, what do we need?"
"Can't be anything elemental, almost all witches have elemental powers and will just combat it with the natural opposite. Set fire to her and she'll douse it. Try to drown her, she evaporate it, and so on and so forth," explained Carl as he walked down the table, viewing the available weaponry. "The good thing is, they are weak against most physical attacks. However, some, depending how powerful they are can block with magic." He stopped, turning to look to Van Helsing as he fired a question, "Is she a potion brewer or a wand wielder?"
Van Helsing stared at him, "I don't know. Jinette never said which sort. He just said sorceress."
"Well that includes both. Good God this is going to be a tricky one."
"Well that's nothing new," murmured Van Helsing sarcastically as he picked up a black velvet pouch from the table.
Carl snorted quietly to himself as he pulled the infamous crossbow off the desk and began to inspect its hinges for faults. He glanced idly to the pouch Van Helsing picked up before he looked back to the fastenings of the crossbow. However, with a gasp he snapped his head back over to Van Helsing as the man opened the pouch and tipped the contents into his open bare palm, "No!"
"Argh!" Van Helsing let out a cry as gleaming silver bullets tumbled out of the dark inside of the velvet bag and settled in the centre of his exposed palm. Upon contact they immediately began to burn viciously at the skin. Van Helsing threw the collection of bullets down on the table, backing away as he held his wounded hand.
"Are you alright?" cried Carl as he dropped down the crossbow and spun to his friend.
Some of the surrounding workers were looking over to the pair with critical expressions, eyes wandering over what might have hurt him so. There had been word of his werewolf form in Transylvania, but only Carl and the Frankenstein's monster knew the curse was still at large. The Cardinal was angered by the original placement of the curse. If he knew Van Helsing was still fully tainted, the assassination would be already complete.
"Just burnt himself, it's alright," said Carl frantically as he shooed away those who had paused in their passing. With slight noises of understanding the groups returned to their work. He turned back to Van Helsing, murmuring in undertone, "You only touched them, it won't kill you. Will sting for a while though."
Van Helsing quickly nodded, staring down at his palm which showed clear burn wounds, "Alright.. just keep anything silver away from me, got that?"
"Most definitely," murmured Carl as he pushed away the collection of silver stakes that sat in a rack at the front of the table. Van Helsing walked slowly to the table again, watching the red scarring gleam from his palm as the skin blistered.
"Right.. the crossbow, so what else?"
"Well, you can take a set of pistols," said Carl, returning to the sack as he placed a leather belt equipped with black and gold coloured guns, "We'll take a crucifix too, some witches aren't too keen on seeing it."
"But it won't hurt them?" said Van Helsing upon watching Carl dip his hand into the sack to drop in the crucifix.
"It'll distract them," explained Carl as he turned back to the bench adding a few items as he roamed the objects there. "Swords are a bit too clumsy against a witch. Need something fast. Ah, daggers will do the trick. Good for close range." And in the sack went strapped up daggers. He lifted the sack and swung it over his shoulder as he turned to look up at Van Helsing, "Look, usually they are pretty easy to kill once you've worn out their magic. So just stay alive for as long as possible as she fights and wait until her power is weakened."
Van Helsing picked up the large trusty crossbow in his good hand, leaning the tip of the heavy mechanism on his shoulder, "Sounds pretty easy then," he called as he strode away through a crowd of monks.
"Well, not really!" Carl cried as he followed after him, "Van Helsing, wait for me!"
A short while later, the pair strode through the gates of Vatican City and stepped out into the sunny streets of Rome. Distant life could be heard as carriages rattled past on winding streets and children could be heard playing. "So, we'll be getting a train to France," explained Van Helsing as he strode down the small street. He hitched a large bag on his shoulder that he had acquired upon leaving, "and then a ship from Dieppe to Lewes, then north to London."
"She's in London?" questioned Carl.
"Well, near it. A little south of it. Will be interesting to see how it's getting on without Dr. Jekyll," he mused for a moment, remembering the battle between himself and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll's rather evil side. "By the way, you ought to buy the tickets. I'm not exactly a welcomed face," he lowered his usual large hat over his face slightly as they passed a group of women outside a tailoring shop.
"Well I hope you have the coin," retorted Carl as they hurried down the street.
"Yes," sighed Van Helsing as he glanced behind him to make sure no one had twigged.
Carl pulled the sack further up his shoulder, giving a wince at the weight, "How long till we get to the station?" He asked as they turned into a large busy road.
"It's just over there," answered Van Helsing and he pointed to the far end of the road on the opposite side. The entrance could be seen amidst the range of little shops.
"Oh, thank you, God," sighed Carl softly as the pair turned and hurried across the road as carriages passed behind them.
Luckily, the pair got through the station quickly and without being detected. Van Helsing was glad to be inside once they entered their compartment that had twin beds in. Van Helsing dumped his collection of heavy sacks on the floor, the crossbow since been deposited inside the sack as to not alarm the public. With a weary sigh, Van Helsing dropped down on one of the beds, not even taking off his boots as he flung his feet up onto the covers and lay there with his forearm resting over his eyes. Carl observed this act with a wince in his expression at the dirtied boots. He stepped over to his own bed, sitting down on the edge whilst he watched Van Helsing warily from beneath his Friar hood.
"What?" grunted Van Helsing as he pulled his arm from his face and peered over to Carl.
"Nothing," mumbled Carl quietly as shook his head and turned his eyes to look out of the window instead. The sun was shining a warm glow over the train station that was so different to the previous few nights of cold and furious storms. The sky was a periwinkle blue that gleamed with utter perfection from the lack of foreboding grey clouds. Instead only a few wisps of harmless ivory clouds drifted by at a peaceful rate.
Van Helsing clearly did not share the appreciation for some glorious weather, for his arm heavily slumped back over his face. The long coat sleeve laying over most of his features. His hat slumped back slightly as he laid, but Van Helsing didn't have the effort to return it to his skull.
However, if he had chosen to observe the sky outside, then it would have been apparent.. that with clear sunshine days.. come clear moonlit nights.
Thank you for reading this chapter! So, our pair are now on towards France!
