Sometime in the 1100s
He could feel the fear. The fires roared as the village burned, the smell of smoke, blood and burnt flesh filling his nostrils. The warm splatter of human viscera poured over him as he tore the boy in half, metal struck metal, the screams of battle. Through every distraction he could still feel the humans fear. And he loved it.
They fought fanatically, strangely so, but they were no match for his soldiers. For his vampires. Humans never are, he grinned, watching as his brothers and sisters tore them apart. There were only a few left, hidden in the strange temple. They hadn't come out to fight.
The temple wasn't Christian, its doors scraped along the floor as he pushed in, as if they were trying to keep him out. Braziers lit the centre surrounding large book, but the room was dark, cold even. In the middle were two monks, relaxed and waiting, as if their death had not just walked through the door. A shame, he preferred it when they ran. He strolled to the book and roughly flicked through, waiting for a reaction that didn't come.
"What is this language? I have not seen its like before," the book was strange, filled with pictures of strange runes and fantastical beasts.
"I asked a question. Your companions outside died quickly, if messily, but I can make sure you take days, now answer me. For example, what does this say, what does this word mean?" The vampire shoved the book in the monk's face, a picture of a man in flames.
"It is roughly translated as the dragon. It is said when the dragon comes it signifies the end-", the other monk shouted before he could continue.
"The end. How poetic, a good word," he did not give them a chance to reply, ripping through their necks as easily as he would tear parchment. He strolled out, taking in the burning village.
"My lord, there are no more humans, you ordered them impaled?"
"Yes, that should send a message as to what happens when I am treated with disrespect." The vampire stared at the word written in the book.
"I like this name; I shall take it. Tell the humans it is Dracula who rules this land."
He was falling, worlds blurring past as the Infinite Corridor screamed in his ears. He had got the Belmont boy out, somewhere on the Earth, but he couldn't do any more. He didn't have the strength.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't find you. I did all I could. I wish I could tell you how much I love you." Saint Germain murmured it. It would be his last words, he knew it, as the life drained out of him. His last words, never to be heard.
"Pathetic."
The strangers voice came from everywhere, as if it was inside his own head.
"A man with the power to cross dimensions. To cross entire universes, without the will to control it, able to lose the one thing that matters because of your weakness."
"No, I tried…who are you!"
"She's still out there. Trapped and alone, waiting for you to save her, while you bleed out. While you die. I wonder how long it will take for her to give up, to realise that you are not coming, betrayed to die alone because of your weakness."
Saint Germain could barely move, unable to answer his tormentor, he looked up at the door staying open in front of him. A pair of glowing green eyes staring back at him.
"I could save her. We could save her, together. You have the key, and I have the will." Saint Germain could feel it, his wounds were closing. He could feel the strangers power, there was so much power.
"All you have to do, is let me in."
Trevor groaned as he woke up. His arm was burnt and his head was pounding.
'Somehow not dead,' he mused, 'I still can't tell if I'm the luckiest or unluckiest person on this fucking earth.' His train of thought was interrupted by a groan. Turning quick he could see two others lying with him. A large man in red armour and a blonde girl, with strangely pointed ears.
"Unluckiest it is."