Countess Cavendish Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland
Elizabeth ran away after a battle where she would be defeated by Diana, who showed how much she had matured, besides having acquired new powers, managing to almost kill the vampire with a balanced battle and thinking about every move, Lancaster left for an unknown place and the girls continued walking through the castle, since they still had a long route ahead of them, meanwhile in another part of the castle the girls started walking through the royal chapel, going towards Chariot who was waiting for her presence, the meeting would only be a matter of time.
Croix, Amanda, Constanze and Jasminka, are starting the ascent through the royal chapel, where they already came across some creatures there, being received by a room where it had a spectral sword, which was easily defeated by the group that focused on shooting the main sword, this way ending with an ease with that sword, but soon came other creatures to attack, even with all the acrobatics Croix simply was also as acrobat and defeated them opening more way in that room and with that they walked to another room, this one was more open, a huge staircase, with beautiful stained glass windows, and skeletons that stayed in them waiting for their presence.
Jasminka: This place is beautiful, but full of demons, it doesn't even look like a chapel.
Croix: Because whoever did it is not a servant of God, this person who did it is a servant of satan, they do a whole distortion, now plug in a trick so we don't have to shoot from there from the bottom up.
Croix aims with the arquebus up, hitting a Bone Pillar that was at the top of the staircase with an iron ball full of spines on top of the skull, quickly the shot was effective against the monster that died and that ball was starting to fall, in the process was hitting everything that was down, killing creature by creature that began to be trying to escape, but soon the girls were shooting the ones that tried to escape and go towards them, the way to the staircase soon was free, they were getting to go up little by little through the place, since some jellyfish heads appeared to disturb a little, going flying from one side to the other, they shot in some, what let more free to go up, arriving soon to the top, where they pass through the door and in the next room they find a corridor.
Amanda: What a pleasant surprise, we didn't die on that staircase only to end up dying in this corridor.
Panthers were waiting to pounce, besides bats and skeleton lancers, what the girls started to shoot, having to deal with the feline creatures that started to run towards the four that were dodging, mainly Croix that simply passed straight through, even killing the bats and skeletons just by boosting and passing by her. The others just kept impressing themselves, hitting the rest of the creatures, besides picking up some hearts and sub-items that were in that corridor.
Croix soon arrived at the end of the corridor and with the arquebus was helping the girls to open the way, since she did not have so many powers like Meridies, they soon get to the corridor finishing with the rest of the creatures and then open the door passing to the next room. Which ends up being a spiral staircase, full of jellyfish heads, with some barrels and buers coming down the place, this way already making the four more alert.
Amanda: I hate these things that are spinning around with lion's heads, they always slow everything down.
Croix: Jellyfish heads are much worse, they get close and there are even the yellow ones that can petrify you, luckily they haven't appeared so far around here, anyway let's keep going because soon we will be near Chariot.
Meridies was propelling herself up the stairway, simply sweeping the way, until reaching the top of the stairway, where she shot the orangutan skeleton that was throwing barrels, leaving the way free for the girls, so much that she comes back and warns the girls that there won't be any more barrels being thrown, since all of them were destroyed along with the creature.
The four then start to climb together, killing the buers that were on the way and also defending themselves from the jellyfish heads that were flying from one side to the other and passing through the gaps that had holes on the castle for them to pass. Arriving at the top if they face with Cloaked Knights, the girls already were focusing a shot and hit a well given in the floating knights, this way managing to open a good path and reach the end of that staircase room.
Croix: We are getting closer to Chariot, I can feel it.
Amanda: I just want to get there soon, there's only boring parts here, I want a part with more action where we have to jump and dodge creatures full of danger, but there are only these dumb creatures.
They pass through the door and arrive at a room where apparently the prayers of Amanda were answered, since some creatures started to appear, a Sniper of Goth suddenly appeared, almost hit an arrow at O'Neill that tries to fight back with an arrow, but it was not enough to kill the creature, With that she kept shooting against the creature and dodging, the others were focusing on hitting small imps that were going towards them, what Croix already warned that he can't let the creatures get close or it could be dangerous for the whole group. The Irish soon managed to finish with a Sniper of Goth and she even got a smile on her face celebrating the death of the creature.
Amanda: That's what I was talking about, creatures like that.
O'Neill, went straight up and was almost hit by an arrow of a skeleton that was waiting for her, but she made sure to dodge and hit the creature, the others followed her, opening more path, jumping from one platform to another, they arrive in a tower, where a sniper of goth appears again and hits a graze arrow on Croix's shoulder, who tries to shoot, but it is not efficient, while Amanda gets an arrow right on the creature's head that ends up falling dead.
Croix: Creatures that are holy, I hate those, we are really having a big problem facing things like that, lucky you have the efficient crossbow with that Amanda.
At the towers they came across a machine that was climbing the walls where skeletons were shooting with arrows, that was right on the way, which Jasminka was trying to hit and causing a huge damage, since one of them collapsed, falling with everything on the platforms below, and the other side was trying to hit it too, But they had to wait for Jasminka's shots to load, so they dodged the multiple arrows, and Amanda was the one who shot some back, and the girls also tried, but soon another sniper of goth came down, leaving Amanda to take care of the creature, while Croix and Constanze worked on the skeletons, trying their best to hit them.
That is until Jasminka got her shot, hitting the machine and with that already freeing enough the skin of the girls who managed to make their way up that tower jumping from platform to platform, where they reach the top and open a chest, where had a stone, by which Croix just ignores.
Croix: You decide between yourselves, I don't really need this stone, it's a leap stone, it will grant you a double jump, which gives you more agility, it can help you to dodge creatures better or reach higher places.
The two pointed to Amanda who takes the stone that was in that trunk, with that, they go walking to another room, in it had a descent, where was a ramp all inclined, that made them quickly slip and with that they started to slip there while creatures and some traps appeared, Meridies was even getting scared, while Amanda was loving that whole experience.
Amanda: That's what I was talking about! A little more fun in that castle!
In the middle of the way Cloaked Knights and snipers of goth appeared, trying to hit the girls, but they were simply slipping very quickly, Amanda was taking advantage to hit the two creatures, as well as the girls, that were being killed even with that slipped, the creatures came trying everything to follow them, but Croix was giving some boosts to get more speed.
In this slide they were arriving more down, until they come across with a ramp, where they are jumping and for little they don't fall in the precipice, thanks to the impulse that was given by Croix they got to land although in a painful way, in a ground that gave in a door, but not everything was a paradise, since a sniper of goth appeared and almost hit an arrow in Amanda but Meridies managed to be able to hold and then throw the arrow back with her hand, which the creature dodges, O'Neill gets up, hitting the creature that went falling in that hole and with that they went to the door, facing another corridor.
Amanda: And there we go with these runners, after such a fucked up slide, we're going to get to these things.
At the corridor had the same as the others, what they were quickly managing to finish, since it didn't have much of a secret, with that they kept going straight through the path, opening the door and coming across a staircase down, where there were two knights waiting for them, armors that when they arrived at the bottom part of that room the two armors were starting to attack with their swords and were soon dodged, the girls shot, but the bullets simply had no effect, in the O'Neill's arrows, what was left only for Jasminka that as usual the cannonball always ends up causing damage and she shot just in the time that the two creatures would join to attack in pair, but the shot ended up catching the two, and one of them hit the other throwing her back.
Amanda: Those things are really hard in the fall.
Croix: Nothing that Jasminka's gun doesn't have a way of solving, that cannon of hers has saved us several times, it's simply the most powerful weapon.
The Antonenko due to the gun's recharge time was running and taking cover, the girls take the opportunity to use some of the sub items, O'Neill uses the bible one, Meridies uses the Hydro storm, making the armors weaken and become slower to attack the girls that are dodging, giving 30 seconds for Jasminka to shoot the first armor hitting her right in the head, defeating her, The other one was still trying to attack Meridies, who took a sword from one of the armors and was defending herself with a melee combat, even impressing the girls that she knows how to fight well in those conditions, without even needing to use firearms, she was holding with the blows until she gave time for the Russian to shoot the other armor in the head and they can have the way free.
Croix: Excellent Jas, your hand cannon well deserved to shoot better, it's an injustice that you don't get faster shots.
Amanda: Itimpresses me that you are a marksman who knows how to fight so well with swords, it takes years of practice to be able to fight well with a sword, I myself was never good at fighting like this, I always lost, now you manage to make it look like the easiest thing in the world.
Croix: A lot of Diana's influence, she taught me a good part of this combat, we were teaching each other all these years, she is the one who knows how to fight like no one else, I was just getting the practice with her in these 10 years and I was improving, after all you never know, a combat can always end up making us lose the weapons, so it is better to know how to act in a situation without them.
A glow started to emanate and an orb appeared, in it had the image of a cannon that Antonenko touched and noticed that the loading bar of the weapon was going faster, what was already an advantage, she even got a smile on her face, the girls followed the path, coming across one more tower, and right away coming across a sniper of Goth that was coming down to give them an arrow, only that was quickly hit by O'Neill, with that they were going up the tower full of the same creatures, what O'Neill was getting fed up, even the machines full of skeleton archers and was in this where Antonenko can test the new upgrade for the cannon, giving a shot that already came out a little more powerful, then she aimed the other one from above and the bar was loading much faster, taking only 10 seconds for the shot to be ready and with that she can shoot the other and was even surprised.
Jasminka: Ionly need to count to 10 now, the shots come out much faster.
Amanda: Now we're the most powerful in the world, there's no way they can't get close to us, we're impossible to stop!
Croix: too much confidence can be your biggest downfall, you have to think down a bit, not even Chariot considered herself the best, even though she was clearly the best, it's always good to keep humble and also not get carried away by too much confidence, sometimes fear is our best friend to survive.
The girls kept going up, kind of O'Neill just kept going until the top of the tower where she opened a chest that she came across another improvement of the crossbow which she could shoot multiple arrows at once just by holding the trigger, for as long as she wanted, she even got a smile on her face, then came down from the top and they went to a corridor, where O'Neill made sure to test the crossbow and managed to open a well given path forward releasing everything, but of course they had limits of arrows, they were only 10 that came out at once.
They arrived until a door, when passing for it they faced an arena, there Ursula
was seated in a table taking tea she soon noticed the presence of Meridies and already got up Croix, put the glasses and could see that there had kind of the shadow of a bishop in the raven that was beside her, besides noticing a greenish glow in the glasses.
Ursula: I see you've survived this far Croix, but you won't get that far now, you'll have to face me and only one of us will make it out alive, in this case only me.
Croix: Chariot, I don't want to hurt her.
Voice of Chariot: Love! If need be you can kill me, I will never be able to regain control of my own body is beyond my control.
Ursula: Because this body doesn't belong to you, now surrender and Arcor! Finish them all off, I will take care of Croix personally.
Ursula points to the raven that becomes a hippogriff, Meridies closes her eyes, puts the arquebus on her back, takes a deep breath, cracks her neck and also her fists, the hippogriff stares at the four, Croix opens his eyes and gets a smile on his face.
Croix: You guys focus on killing this creature, I will take care of Chariot myself, I already know how I will manage.
The girls agree with the head and with that the order to attack starts, Meridies goes with everything to attack Callistis, she hits a whip that wraps all over the arm of the wombat that is already with some wounds, she goes trying to wrap the whip as much as she can on the arm holding the chain, until she gets close and almost Croix doesn't hit a punch on Ursula's face that soon took the whip off the arm of the lilac haired girl.
Croix: I knew you'd dodge it, from the looks of it you're not dumb at all.
Meanwhile the three were trying to hit the hippogriff, but the creature was too fast to be caught by the shots, and when it was hit by Constanze it was not efficient, already Jasminka's shot was just dodged, while O'Neill's arrows simply broke when hitting the creature's body, as if it was made of an unbreakable material, as if it was an iron wall.
Ursula on the other hand was using the cross sub item almost hitting Meridies that dodges giving a crawl and almost hit a punch on Callistis face that ended up wrapping the whip on Croix arm and with that made her be thrown with everything on the floor, then ending up being trampled by the controlled hunter with blue hair, that got both feet on top of the two, but soon she takes a deep breath, trying to apologize, throws a smoke grenade and punches her on the face.
The glasses end up flying and fell down breaking totally emanating a demonic energy coming out of it, in this the blue haired one walked out of the smoke with her hand on her head feeling strong headaches.
Croix: Now you are free my love, I tried what I could, that's what I could come up with.
But it didn't seem that much, Ursula was walking backwards, getting to kneel on the floor in pain Meridies was still a little away, while the girls still continued to fight the hippogriff, Jasminka's shots even caused something, but the monster later regenerated, what was already giving the signs that something could lead to another.
Croix look at Ursula take advantage of the moment that she was like that still dizzy and grab the vampire killer, running towards the hippogriff she goes towards the monster and manage to make in a single hit affect the creature, at the same time ended up making Callistis let out a scream.
Croix: It figures, only the vampire killer will kill that thing.
Only when Croix would give another whipping, she feels her hand loosening from the whip, then the object floats up to Ursula's hands who is just laughing in an evil way, staring at Meridies who gets all scared, her hair remained blue and the wombat was getting tense, not knowing much what to do.
Ursula: Poor girls, you are going to die here, the only way to defeat my hypogriff would be to kill me, by getting the vampire killer and I will not give in until you kill me, you prepare yourselves for I am here to kill you.
Croix: I won't kill you! Chariot! Help us! I got rid of the glasses that were controlling you!
Ursula: Chariot is not here, she died, she...
Ursula is taking a few steps back, getting a bit of a headache, her hair even gained reddish tones, with that Croix took the opportunity to catch the vampire killer again, what the girls were still having difficulties with that hippogriff that was running from one side to the other chasing the girls and trying to hunt them, Meridies arrived to open the way, gave a well given whip in the back of the animal, arriving until tearing the wings, what was making arcor give some screams, as well as Callistis, soon the whip was leaving the hands of the wombat.
Croix: Sorry about that Chariot, but I will need to use violence against you.
Meridies ran up to the blue haired girl, hitting her with a volley and she fell to the ground hurting herself, then she threw a sequence of blows that were held back by Callistis' hands.
Croix: Girls you take care of the hippogriff, I will take care of Chariot!
Ursula punching Croix: I told you I'm not Chariot! I'm Ursula Callistis!
Amanda caught the whip fallen on the ground right at the time that the hippogriff would jump to try to devour her, she gave a beautiful whip on the creature's face, on the other hand Meridies continued to leave in the hand with Callistis, dodging the punches and kicks that the blue haired one was trying to give, but Croix also knows how to hold on well in a fight like that, even though it was evident that who was winning was the controlled one, since the one with lilac hair was already a little tired, so much that she was starting to be hit and losing advantage.
Ursula: You are going to lose the one you love the most today Croix, you are not even fighting for real, you think I am the Chariot, but this mistake of yours will make you dig your own grave hahaha!
Croix: Chariot don't stop being you, I know there's still a part of you there, I know you're not totally dead, I know that, take this body that belongs to you.
In one more attempt, Ursula ends up getting a half hand on her head and that turns to be the perfect opportunity for Amanda who was having trouble using the whip with the hippogriff, seeing that in the fight Callistis was still trying to take the object, she managed to wrap the object around the creature's neck and was starting to force it, the hippogriff even stayed on top of O'Neill, trying to give a peck to Amanda that was dodging and trying to pull the whip, arriving to deliver for Jasminka that was beginning to pull back, little by little entering more in the neck and burning around.
On the other hand Ursula returned to the control of her own body, she gave some steps for back with the hand in the head and later it made the whip to hit the girls later it was trying to levitate until the own hand, but Croix closed the fist, she went running with everything in the direction of the girl, and gave a shoulder pushing itself against a pillar and with this making with that the whip fell in the way, in this who catches is Constanze.
Croix: I'msorry Chariot, but I'll try that.
Against the wall Croix takes Ursula's chin, then starts kissing the callistis, which makes her hair redden, the trio can wrap the whip on the hippogriff's neck and with that they mounted on the creature pushing more and more the whip by the neck that was burning, closer and closer to decapitate the monster, but all this conquest was thrown away when the one with blue hair comes back to the control and give a push to her that make her fall on the ground, giving a look of disgust to Meridies that got all scared and she even managed to catch the whip, holding in hands the object.
Croix: No!
Ursula: I told you I'm not Ursula, you won't succeed with this attempted kiss, you wretch, you still made me perform an act of sodomy and homosexuality!
Croix trying to defend herself: Know that I will never kill you, but if you want to kill me you can try, I would never forgive myself for killing you Chariot...
Croix was trying to walk back, Ursula was walking angrily, slowly towards Meridies wanting to hit a whip, the girls were still mounted on the hippogriff that was running in a random route, they were slowly getting control of the creature and when Callistis would give a powerful and fatal whip on the lilac haired one, was right at the same time that the girls jumped from the hippogriff that was hit with everything on the neck by the lash of the blue haired one and with that the creature was decapitated and fell on the ground catching fire and starting to have spontaneous combustion, indicating that it was defeated, having screams of a man for what it seemed.
Croix opening her eyes: What?
The hippogriff dissolved and Croix's hair returned to its natural red colour, while appearing from an orb was a bishop sitting in place in a greenish ball. That was the same bishop Cedric who was behind the death of Bernadette's wife and had been controlling Chariot's mind all these years.
Bishop Cedric: You have defeated me, but I have not finished my mission here, soon Dracula will go to the right body that belongs to him and it will be a matter of time for that, you are only at the tip of it all, there is still much more of this well to come to us, the curse of Dracula will soon materialise on the right host and this world will be purified at last!
The bishop then disappears in flames, the girls kind of strange all that, already Chariot was slowly waking up, coming back to consciousness, she opens her eyes, rubs them, looks at the girls and then to Croix which gives a tight hug, both start to cry at that moment, seeing that they finally surrendered, staying on each other's side after 10 years, their whereabouts were finally found and to give that beautiful welcome, the two give a seal of lips that they hadn't done for a long time, that was the sign of freedom of Belmont Du Nord that finally can get rid of all the torment.
Chariot: I'm sorry about all this Croix.
Croix: Do you feel why? It's not your fault.
Amanda: What did that bastard mean by right host? And what do you mean Diana's mother isn't Dracula? What are we doing here then?
Chariot getting up: This is all a long story, who came here? Was it you guys or did more people come and thank you so much for being able to save me.
Chariot looked at everything around, noticing that he was in the castle, the whip with some blood marks, Croix half wounded, since afterwards he was starting to take some potions, the girls were doing the same and then they took a deep breath, relieved that finally one of the castle's missions was accomplished.
Chariot: It all happened when I met Dracula, I had almost defeated her, when something made me faint in the middle of the battle, when I woke up hours later I was put in a glasses, but I could see someone resembling Dracula, apparently her sister and also this bishop cedric, they were using spells on me, until I managed to control my head with those glasses and the archor.
Croix: Diana's aunt... I knew she couldn't be trusted, she must surely have something rotten about it.
Chariot: Whose aunt? I don't know, but I'm sure Dracula is still alive, but over the years I've become very suspicious of how she lies this whole weird way of acting, she's not evil entirely, it seems she's been stricken with this curse, so much so that's what Bishop Cedric ordered me to do, to follow it faithfully so I followed the script until she was killed and the curse of Dracula went to the correct host, in this case I'm sure it's the other one that looks like her.
Croix: I knew there was some dirt in that pact, we have to warn the girls when we find them, and Diana was the one I found, when we parted ways I found Bernadette's daughter, she was all scared and confused, her mother was losing control and with that we both left the castle, I spent all these 10 years trying to practice and thinking of a way to try to find you again, we waited for hours and days for your return, but nothing, after that we stayed at your house, training, until we met some hunters, they were also after your whereabouts, they are very reliable, the two daughters of the countess are our allies too, they are extremely powerful.
Chariot: You mean you waited all this and did all this for me? You never forgot me? You didn't really give up on me? I love you so much Croix Meridies.
Croix: I would do it endless times if I had to, I will never forget you my love, I am sure you will love meeting Marianne Leblanc, she is a whip user just like you and got the blessing of having a vampire killer on her hands.
Chariot: How interesting, I am happy to know that I have not been forgotten, you are all to be congratulated for the journey you have taken, you can be sure that I will reward you very well when I return home and you my love, damn the church, we will both be together forever, they don't need to know, you are the great love of my whole life.
Chariot and Croix hug each other again, then they give that all honeyed kiss, the other three watching shrug and decide to get in the mood and they keep kissing each other in what they always do in a trisal triple kiss, with that one more part of the castle got to be ready, they walked a little more to the door of that arena and took a deep breath, Croix gave her hands to Chariot and the two leaned their faces looking to that door that would go to some path in the castle.
Chariot: This path leads to a cart which will drop us off at the castle fortress, we can find ourselves facing them right on the way to Dracula.
Croix: Don't call her that, Bernadette is not to blame for anything that happened in this world, she had to carry this burden of curse, which also goes with my theory that this sister of hers is the one behind it all, I'm sure she was the one who cursed her own sister for some very greedy purpose.
Chariot: Surely not, I saw that woman up close, she stared at me and tortured me with the biggest smile on her face, she told me to my face that I was just going to be a pawn in this whole game, just like her sister.
They got one more ally in this battle, Chariot Belmont Du Nord, after 10 long years of control and disappearance she is found and she sees herself free of that mental control, having a way ahead to meet with the girls and this way being able to show everything that had happened in these years. In this journey through the castle of the countess that is reaching its end.
See you, Belmont witches...