Greetings! Here I bring you chapter 09! It was named Trevor, but is contents have nothing based on the Castlevania Netflix Series. I've watched it on the day after the release and this chapter I've originally written two weeks prior, and it follows my story were Adrian was still a child during the time of his mother's death.
Talking about the series, I've liked it to a certain point; the scenery and the anime drawings I thought beautiful and as a Castlevania fan I truly enjoyed to see the Symphony of the Night's castle displayed on TV, as well their choice to keep Dracula with an younger appearance than the one portrayed on the game, with dark hair and a face closer to 'Mathias' image, since it's how I imagine him in this story. The fight between Alucard and Trevor was priceless to see, and I also liked how they portrayed the beginning of the relationship of Dracula and Lisa, although I found a little strange him presenting himself as Vlad Dracula Tepes III after I've played several times Lament of Innocence, but since this game was created years later after Symphony of the Night and Dracula's Curse where the game's developer really presented him as 'Vlad', I forced myself to ignored it to enjoy de show.
However, I've missed the romance between Dracula and Lisa on the beginning, they barely talked before cutting it abruptly off to show her dying on the village, and I though the dialogue between them, as well on the entirely series could've been improved a lot! (I didn't watch in English, but the dubbing in my country's language made me wince sometimes while watching it.)Alucard and his father had minimal interaction to reinforce his decision to fight against him since he was an adult at that time and Trevor could seriously use some soap on his mouth, but I think it was majorly good and the priest dying was also funny to see, I had to laugh at that scene.
Anyway, stop babbling, let's go to the chapter. Hope you enjoy!
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Chapter 09: Trevor
Seated on the throne of his castle, the vampire enjoyed a sip from the goblet of blood; eyes closed, the faint golden illumination of the candlesticks scattered across the room touching his black hair and aristocratic pale face, he seemed to appreciate the absolute quietness that prevailed in the place.
With one of his hands resting on the armband of the seat, he could feel the subtle vibrations that the ancient building emanated as the explosions on the lower floors echoed through the structure. Even before Death entered the Throne Room to report to him about the invaders, he had already sensed their presence when they had crossed the magical barriers of his territory and entered Castlevania.
Inexplicably feeling bored and unwilling to deal that day with the new plague that had the brilliant idea to defying him, the vampire had long ago decided that he would let Death and the others solve that annoying disorder.
The creature appeared in the room half an hour later and knelt before his master.
"Lord Mathias..." Death greeted him respectfully, calling him by his former name. He was the only one the vampire still allowed to call him like that, having used the name 'Dracula' for the last few years. "A group of four people invaded the castle; are attacking the inhabitants and advancing to the Throne Room in order to kill you..."
"And you seem to hold more importance to these, Death, unlike the others... What's the difference?" Mathias asked.
"Their leader is a descendant of the Belmont clan."
The vampire rose from the throne and walked down the small staircase towards his servant.
"So... I see he actually kept that foolish oath..." The man spoke nonchalant. "A descendant of Leon..."
As Mathias passed by Death, his thoughts betrayed him for a moment, leading him to remember the blond knight who in past days had been his best friend, battling companion and brother of consideration. At that time he made his choices just as Leon had, and even if he now agreed that some things might have happened differently, it was too late, for it was something that long ago had been forgotten. This, in recent years, was weighed in consideration after talking several times with his wife about the subject.
These thoughts immediately led him to more recent memories of Lisa's murder at the hands of the villagers and of Adrian's total disappearance, both of which occurred a few years ago. With heavy spirit plunged in mourning and giving little care to the assault against the castle, the vampire walked towards the exit of the Throne Room and told Death with disinterest.
"I have nothing to do with the Belmont clan; make him go away with his companions or find death by choice if he decides to stay. Take this last act for consideration of the good memories I have of Leon. I will not have the same mercy if he returns to invade the castle."
"I fear you cannot do this, my lord…." Death replied, bowing his head. "Your son is with them..."
Mathias stopped.
Slowly, the man turned to stare at the creature with golden eyes filled with great surprise.
"What...?"
"Prince Adrian is with them..." Death repeated. "It is he who is guiding the group to the Throne Room."
Unable to fully believe what he was hearing, the vampire teleported to another spot in the castle and hidden in the shadows he watched the advance of the invaders, realizing the cold and undeniably truth.
As the group reached the upper floor, the lord of the Eternal Night was sitting on his throne waiting for them. With a stern expression and icy glare, as he received them, his attention fell completely on the Belmont heir and not once he took a glance towards the dhampir or the other two companions. After replying coldly the words of the man who had identified himself as Trevor, the vampire darted over them, teleporting to the center of the room, and the violent battle began.
Mathias used his powers to face and overcome each of his opponents, and one by one they began to fall: first was the boy who fought using daggers, the woman next, and then the Belmon heir, caught by surprise in a counter attack. While the three of them laid unconscious on the ground, the lord of darkness finally looked at the last man still standing, his eyes gleaming with accusation.
"Why... Adrian?"
The other observed him for a long time with golden eyes that expressed great emotion, however, he didn't say anything, and approaching the blond-haired man, the vampire went on harshly.
"You fled from your own home without telling anyone... I've spent years looking for you in every province, every city in Europe, for what? To find out that you were hiding with the Belmonts all along? And now you come back with sword in hand seeking to reap my life? Why did you turn your back on me, Adrian?! Answer me!"
His voice echoed through the room, strong and commanding, and after a moment the dhampir finally replied with unmoved conviction.
"I came back to stop you... You... Look around... Look at what you're doing! Your hatred has transformed you and I do not recognize you anymore! You are attacking villages and innocent people, condemning humanity to darkness! You're acting in a way mother would never approve!"
"For a long time I lived in the shadows of humans without interfering in their pathetic and miserable lives, and for what?! For at the first opportunity they had, they come and murdered my wife because of their foolish beliefs and religions? What right did they have to interfere in our lives?! They brought this condemnation upon themselves, and all of them are the same! I will not stop until the last one of them falls!"
"Mother was also one of them." The dhampir argued, staring at the other in disbelief. "She did not judge them or condemned them at any moment! Many are different, so was she. You cannot blame everyone for the errors of a few!"
"Lisa was beside herself in spite of everything interceding in favor of these creatures who dare call me a monster when they barely look at themselves in the mirror! They had no pity or second thoughts before crucifying her on a wooden stake and setting her on fire!"
Mathias shivered visibly, his eyes sparkling with deep fury.
"I will not hesitate, nor will I have mercy!"
Adrian approached the vampire.
"Father, please, I beg you to listen to me!"
"SILENCE!"
The man gave a strong slap at the dhampir's face who staggered back with his hand on his own cheek. A trickle of blood fell from the corner of his lips, his expression surprised and resentful.
"How can you be deceived by their lies, Adrian?!" Mathias shouted at him, possessed. "Preferring to become blind to what they did to Lisa and even more, helping them destroy all the living beings in this castle and your own father?! Or have you already forgotten that?!"
Seeing that his words were drifting away in the wind and his efforts were useless, the dhampir was taken by a deep sadness and looking at the vampire with serious and determined eyes, he slowly told him.
"The cursed blood that runs in my veins is the same as yours... it's something I'll never forget... And Adrian... is part of a past that died with my mother... My name is Alucard, and in respect of her last wish, I will oppose you in everything you do! I will stop you from committing this madness!"
Mathias, wrapped in shadows emanating from his body that scattered around the Throne Room, looked at his son with deep hatred and contempt.
"Your traitor, unworthy... if you wish so much to ally yourself with these miserable worms, so be it... Alucard..." The man spat the name with irony. "You will die with them!"
The vampire attacked using fire and shadow magic against the dhampir who fought bravely, using the maximum of his strength against the immense power that the other possessed; but Alucard wasn't able to hold completely his father's attacks and after a series of blows that were blocked by Mathias, the vampire stole his sword from him and counterattacked in a way that the blond-haired man could not defend himself. The dhampir fell immediately to the ground, unconscious.
Mathias instinctively pointed the silver blade on the other man's chest, over his heart, and breathing heavily, feeling the hatred make the blood boil in his veins, the vampire stopped himself at the last moment from burying the sword into the chest of his fallen opponent.
He was a traitor, his mind screamed at him, a traitor who, in addition to defying him, also guided his enemies inside his house to destroy him. However, as Mathias looked at his face the vampire could not deliver the final blow, for the whirlwind of facts running around in his head gave way to only a single thought; this man was his son, his only son, and the only thing left of Lisa and the family they had been.
With a growl Mathias threw the sword to the ground and torn away from the dhampir, his eyes focused on Trevor Belmont who, having regained consciousness a few seconds ago, struggled to get up quickly.
"You..." The vampire roared through his teeth. "I will never forgive you for what you and your family have done, making my son turn against me... You will die, boy; I will make your soul BURN IN HELL!"
Mathias attacked and Trevor managed to avoid the mighty blow that destroyed several columns that supported the room. The hunter, using the whip, invested against his opponent and managed to push him back, then, he shouted:
"Sypha! Now!"
The witch, already awaked and also standing in a fight position, inflicted a powerful spell on the vampire managing for some seconds to paralyze him.
It was when he felt an agonizing pain exploding in his chest and surprised, Mathias found that his heart had been pierced by a silver sword coming from his back. Blood gushed from the wound and turning his head partially to the side, his gaze met the golden eyes of his son, filled with sadness and remorse.
The hunter raised the Vampire Killer and struck the final blow.
Soma awoke suddenly feeling the air lacking in his lungs; he raised his hand to his own chest where the shadows of the hallucinating pain that had completely pierced his body seemed to echo strongly in his mind. Sweat trickled down his forehead, pale and trembling, the man stood from his bed and after putting on anything he found close, he left the room with hurried footsteps.
His mind was disturbed by the terrible memory that had awakened from the deep of his soul; his heart was filled with hatred, anger and pain, but above all a strong and indescribable sadness that overwhelmed his spirit.
He let himself be led blindly down the corridors of the Belmont mansion until he finally entered the library that was deserted at that late hour of the night.
He approached the window and watched the rain fall steadily, letting the smooth sound envelop his spirit, and that was how he slowly managed to calm himself to the point of organizing his thoughts and get a hold on his emotions. The horrible feeling he felt when he woke passing slowly until it disappeared completely.
His eyes stared gravely at the solitude of the library until his attention fell on an old piano set in the corner of the room. His mind brought him the shadow of a vague and distant memory of himself, in another time, seated, playing the instrument beside a beautiful woman with long golden hair and a beautiful smile on her lips with a small child in her lap while she observed him, her soft laugh echoing along with the music that filled the room.
The next instant it was suddenly gone and his heart tightened for the reminder of the woman who he knew that had once been his wife, and who he could scarcely remember now to be able to tell what had truly happened to her due to his fragmented memory. He knew she had died and that her death had also killed his heart and what remained of his humanity, leaving a deep emptiness and an immense longing that eternity would never be able to fulfill.
And the boy, his son... Adrian...
Soma closed his eyes.
Blinded in his hatred, immersed in the darkness of chaos, over the years, on that night he had faced Trevor Belmont, he had also lost him...
The silver-haired man sat at the piano with his eyes closed, and without really paying attention, his fingers began to slide over the keys playing a soft music that was somewhat familiar and that reminded him of other shadows of fragmented memories of days that were happier. And so the minutes passed until the last note was played and the silence once again settled in the library.
When Soma finally opened his eyes he realized that his son was standing at the library's door, watching him with black eyes filled with a certain emotion. The silver-haired man turned his attention back to the piano, but he didn't play again, staying motionless staring at nothing in particular.
"I didn't know you played piano..." Alucard spoke softly.
"Never tried it before to find out." The other answered in a bitter tone he could not completely contain, without looking at his direction.
The dhampir frowned and entered completely into the place.
"Are you okay, Soma?"
"I cannot sleep." He replied merely and didn't try to continue the conversation.
Alucard, under de effects of the song that seemed to haunt his soul, bringing forward memories he long ago had hidden in the deep of his being, remembered the conversation he had with Yoko some time ago and was also filled with guilty for the rough, dry way he had treated the other man the last time they talked. Watching Soma in silence for some minutes that seemed to pass extremely slow and uncomfortable to the silver-haired man, the dhampir made his decision. He approached the piano and sat down on the bench next to the other, who glanced at him.
"This song..." Alucard started evenly. "My father used to play it for me and my mother in the past."
"Oh..." The silver-haired man whispered, staring at the piano with grave features and distant gaze. After a few seconds of silence, thoughtful, he said. "Sorry... I may not have brought you a good memory, again."
"On the contrary, Soma... it reminded me of days that I was happy, days that I really miss."
It made him look with genuine surprise at the dhampir, and then Alucard suddenly saw the other man's blue eyes take on a sudden shadow.
"Unfortunately it is not possible to bring back the past..." Soma muttered. "Or change things we regret having committed."
Those words come completely unexpected to the black-haired man, who observing his companion with piercing black eyes, asked.
"Was that what you were dreaming about?"
"Perhaps."
The dhampir watched him so intensely that it made him uncomfortable, it if he were trying to see his very soul.
"Soma..."
The silver-haired man forced himself to look at the other's face, who continued slowly.
"No matter how much someone has committed errors at one point in the past… I believe that they can change for the better, as long as this change comes from the heart, sincerely and genuine."
Alucard, speaking truth to himself, couldn't say what had made him say those exact words; the man before him certainly couldn't have committed any serious atrocities as to cause such deep regrets, though the heavy expression and tired eyes on the other's face showed him otherwise, as if he were carrying an extremely heavy burden upon his shoulders. Small details he hadn't noticed in the other before.
It was not his father he was talking to, aware of everything that had been said and done… but at the same time, he was...
The familiarity that Soma showed with each passing day, unknowingly, made the dhampir remember years past, remember the man who once had been very present in his life during his childhood, and that was a feeling that he, without being able to contain it, started to associate with the silver-haired man in a way that the dhampir was barely able to think on how to start to deal with.
At this moment Soma's voice made itself present, breaking his thoughts.
"Even if there is an internal change, Arikado, doesn't change what happened. These are deep marks that have remained in the past like scars that never heal."
The dhampir automatically countered.
"Forgiveness can heal old wounds as long as both sides allow themselves to enjoy this regeneration and are willing to start over."
Soma then gave a bitter laugh.
"To what I have done there is no forgiveness, or nothing that can be done that could compensate or repair my failure."
"And have you tried? Before giving up completely?"
The silver-haired man silenced. Alucard put his hands on the other's shoulders and made him look at himself, saying softly.
"I once tried to give this advice to someone who was very dear to me, and unfortunately he did not listen..." Blue eyes gleamed with restrained emotion. "Soma… do not make the same mistakes as he did… Look at life, at the good things around you, at the good friends that you have at your side. Leave old shadows behind, do not delve into them, for they only serve to corrupt and destroy a good heart."
Soma closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling those words envelop his heart in strong grip, and it was with great willpower that he managed to hold the strength of his emotions. A brief moment of silence passed between them, until at last the silver-haired man whispered.
"I will try."
Alucard, seeing that the other had recovered a little, rose from the bench, still leaving one hand on his shoulder.
"Will you be okay?"
"Yes... you may go and rest." Soma said deliberately avoiding his gaze.
"Do not stay here all night... try to do the same." The dhampir watched him nod his head without saying anything else, and instead of insisting he drifted away.
Walking to the library's door, Alucard stopped at the entrance of the room and looked back at the other man one last time, in his eyes, black by the spell that concealed his real appearance, gleamed the shadow of uncertainty. Yoko's words came to his mind and in an instant he thought about that possibility... Minimal and almost nonexistent...
But so quickly the desire to tell Soma all truth came, immediately he firmly reprimanded himself.
He could not risk it.
The dhampir left the library completely while in the intimate he struggled furiously to stop the whirlwind of thoughts that conflicted itselves in his mind.
