Van Helsing had ridden like the wind from the Vatican, they had ridden all day and all night when they could manage it, taking land rather then sea whenever they could, they had arrived at Castle Dracula at midnight on the seventh day of the three weeks, exhausted and battered but ready to fight. Dracula was waiting, he looked haggard and tired but suddenly Van Helsing could see something other than the Demon, the King of the Damned that he had become; he could see his friend, Vladislous Draguilia, the boy who he could just remember riding with on the moor, he could suddenly remember them teasing each other when they had crushes or did something stupid, all the memories flooded back as Dracula took his hand and thanked him for coming. He could see himself and Vlad riding with their 'lady friends' behind them on the moor, he could see them getting drunk on their twenty first birthdays and being, well rowdy and loud and naive, they had been so young then, reckless and carefree, now look where they were, most probably going to their, rather bloody and untimely deaths, but they would not die for nothing, they would die for the beliefs they had shared since they were five, the beliefs that everyone should, could and would be free, that dictating madmen like The Skull, ought to and would be murdered like the bastards they were.
"I'm glad you came, Gabriel" said Dracula.
"So am I, old friend" said Van Helsing.
"You do know that we'll probably die today. Right?" asked Dracula.
"Yes, Vlad I do" said Van Helsing. "But we shall NOT die in vain"
"Good, just thought I'd remind you" said Dracula unconcernedly.
"God, you sound just like you used to" said Van Helsing.
"What, evil, always with some prank to play on our fathers, ect" said Dracula, smirking evilly.
"Yeah" said Van Helsing coolly, an equally evil smirk playing on his lips. "That about sums it up, you always were the bad boy out of us to"
"Oh, was I" said Dracula. "What about that spectacular prank involving an egg and you fathers boots? Oh and that one where we blunted my fathers Axe? All your ideas. And there were more, I can think of at least..."
But Van Helsing cut him off. "Vlad, much as I would love to reminisce about all the terrible things we did as boys, an army is waiting outside for us to command, so lets go play war games then"
"Okay, Gabriel, okay" said Dracula.
They walked out to face the army, feeling quite strange, they weren't even nervous, they were going to die in all probability but something told Van Helsing and Dracula that this would not be any time soon, their horses were waiting, this was it, this was all they had fought for together for thirty six years of their live, thirty year that both had cherished without realising that they did this, they shared a slightly nervous grin upon their eyes meeting, they had quite obviously been thinking the same thing, and it would have been quite hilarious if this hadn't been such a serious time, but they settled for a slight chuckle a they mounted up and set off, it was dusk now and this battle would be one fought under a full moon, it the darkness of an overcast night. This was going to be the last stand, one army would walk away victorious, one would be destroyed and strewn about the battle bloody field, in the shadow lands of the Demons, a land where you worst nightmares came to life and monsters and legends sprung to life out of the ground; the cursed land of Transylvania.
Ans o they came over the crest of a hill, looking down upon the massive stamping, shouting mass that waited in that valley, a valley that would later become known as the Valley of Death.
"Oh my" whispered Anna at his side.
"What is it" asked Van Helsing.
"That must be Castle Vasmare" said Anna "I've heard of it, it is called the castle of the damned"
Van Helsing looked up, he only noticed it now, rising above the forest, the cruel pinnacles and wrought iron armored towers of of the castle, they could see the great wall built of the same black metal, spiked and thorned like a great barbaric rose bush that had not seen light for the duration.
They entered the valley, feeling that horrid smell of death, despair and hopelessness envelop them, a smell they had smelt three times now, once on the way to Rome, once in the lair on The Skull and, for the third time here.
Van Helsing could hardly hear Dracula calling encouragement to his men, he felt Anna's hand on his. "Don't worry, we'll be alright, I promise Gabriel" and suddenly it all clicked, Misha breaking down like that when he said he was leaving, Misha hating Anna, the brides hating Anna and being overly protective of Misha, it was as if he was reading Anna's mind, he could see all her thoughts as if they were his, she had planned this from the beginning, she had planned his letting her come with him, she had been bullying Misha, that was why Misha hated her, he knew now that she had known who Viktor was working with all the time, she had maybe even bribed him to attack in order to buy more time before the were married, she had meant to take him away from Misha. She had led them all to danger for him, because of love; and he had played right into her hands. God, I am so stupid, anyone could have seen this from the moment she tried to turn me against Misha in my house. God what am I? STUPID, say it STUPID!
"Gabriel, are you alright?" asked Anna, her face full of concern.
"Yeah, fine" said Van Helsing, not meeting her eye, he was to angry and his face betrayed his feelings. But she didn't ask anymore, this was obviously enough for her. But not for me, I want to kill her for being a stupid bitch, and myself for ever letting her fall in love with me,( and letting myself fall in love with her) ARHHHHH! I will take out my anger on Vesorion's men and love it!
They started to ride at a gallop toward the great army below as Van Helsing was contemplating all the most painful ways of killing someone (and pretending they were Ann) so he could get rid of this mad urge to wring her neck.
The galloping horses were urged on faster and faster, Dracula was hoping to trample and smash to death as many men as he could before they had to start one to one combat, and this was the great advantage of a smaller army, they could horse all their men and still have horses to spare.
They hit Viktor's front lines. Smack, thwack, bash, slash, cut, shoot! And doubled back to do it again but a rain of gunfire came and many fell, but they once again came around, smashing through the lines, but this time they went right to the middle, only a few stayed on their horses, and the deserted horses, being smart, well trained animals departed swiftly to the edges of the battle, leaving their riders to engage in mortal combat on the ground. Van Helsing immediately took out his sword and began cutting and slashing, he was a very accomplished duelist. But that was hardly necessary, he merely had to pick off those that were already engaged in combat, it was an easy job, and he was quite aware that this was not exactly playing fare, but that didn't matter as Viktor's army weren't either.
He cut and slashed anyone who dared try to stop him, he was quite ruthless and that was what made him a good monster hunter. He continued his bloody work, seeing Dracula among the mass of bodies, he made for him, cutting three heads off and disemboweling several other people on his way, their bodies falling lifeless to the ground, most were dead before they even reached the ground and the adrenalin rush was getting stronger. He cut his way to Dracula's side and they ended up fighting back to back in the heaving mass of lashing and killing bodies.
"Enjoying your party Vlad?" asked Van Helsing.
"What party, I'm not having any fun?" asked Dracula.
"Oh, I thought this was right up your street, Vlad" said Van Helsing in mock surprise.
"It is" he snarled back, sinking his fangs into a man's neck. "You know I love this"
Suddenly a group of werewolves leaped on them and the men took this opportunity to close in and start killing their enemies.
But real fun began as the body of one of Van Helsing's men fell, slashed and ripped, to the ground in front of him and Viktor emerged, his fangs shining in the light of the full moon and dripping with blood, eyes glowing electric blue.
"Well well, if it isn't Gabriel Van Helsing, the famous monster hunter" said Viktor, calmly slaying one on Van Helsing's men.
"I wouldn't expect to see you here, Viktor" sneered Van Helsing coolly, taking in Viktor's fancy armor and elaborate velvet cloak. "I would expect you to be comfortably settled in front of the fire with your brides, probably wearing matching slippers"
"Oh no?" asked Viktor. "You see I may like the hight life, but I like good sport as much as any man"
"So this is what killing people is for you is it?" asked Van Helsing. "Sport, how sad"
Viktor sneered and casually took out four or five of his own men with one swipe of his sword, cutting most of them clean in half.
"You see, Van Helsing" said Viktor. "I can afford to kill five of my own men, but you (he casually killed one of Dracula's men), can't afford to loose one"
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Van Helsing, slicing the nearest enemy in two.
"You are weak" said Viktor. "Weak and unprepared"
"Oh that" said Van Helsing as though it was a throw away comment that meant nothing. "We may not be as strong as you but you have three weaknesses that are proving very useful, want to know what they are?"
"Please enlighten me" said Viktor as though he was humoring a very small child, this was not surrender but just letting his enemy think that it was, but Van Helsing was too old and clever for it. He is just bluffing.
"Sure" he said, he would get Viktor angry with him, that would work very well. "First, as you can see we reduced your army greatly because they were on foot, secondly you are all separated, divided, and thirdly you have no control over you men, it would help to have your trust as they will immediately do whatever they think best when the time comes"
"Oh dear" said Viktor sarcastically. "Such a good thing I'm going to win then isn't it"
"Conceit never got anyone anywhere" laughed Van Helsing.
"Why don't we see if the famous Van Helsing is a master dueler" cooed Viktor.
"Suite yourself" said Van Helsing. This is it, only one of us will walk out of this alive. Wait, I can't be sure of that.
"What shall we say" asked Viktor.
"First one dead" snarled Van Helsing and the deadly game began.
They ducked and slashed, cutting at each other, but each was as good as the other, this was going to be a long winded affair. Van Helsing knew later that they must have fought for about thirty minutes, and that it was in that time that fate turned against them, Van Helsing felt a sharp pain in his side, a burning pain that sent him to his knees in front of Viktor Vesorion, he tried to stand up but couldn't, Viktor raised his sword for the final blow.
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A/N: DA DADA DA, what will happen next? reveiw to find out.
Warning: There will be graphic blood shed in thenext chapter.