Disclaimer- I do not own the Castlevania characters, but I do own everything else.

Hmm... It's been a while since I posted. I want to thank those who reviewed the last chapter, and I want to say I'm sorry for the wait. Heh... I have finally finished the chapter, and I now present it... Enjoy!

Chapter 10

They were walking for what seemed like forever, when Joachim asked the other to stop and rest for the night. He had noticed the way, Leon's shoulder slightly sagged, as he took each step. And he knew it wasn't going to take much more for him to fall from exhaustion. "Let's stop and rest."

Leon acted like he didn't acknowledge the other for a moment before nodding. Turning around, he retraced his steps, plopping against the nearest hedge. So far the two had walked through the maze, without coming across any more zombies or other creatures. Neither knew if it was a good or bad sign. The hunter could feel the path calling to him. Throughout the day he came up with possible theories, but none had seemed plausible.

Joachim watched with rapt attention, as the his companion closed his hues, relaxing against the walls. 'He reminds me of myself when I was younger.' Saying nothing, he did the same, instantly letting sleep claim him.

Leon smiled a little. Turning his head, he opened one pool, watching the other. It had become a sort of habit for him, even though he had just met the other. After watching the other for a few more minutes sleep had also claimed him.
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"We should go on and see if we can find the edge." Joachim spoke, looking around. The two had been woken up only minutes before, due to another zombie attack. Whoever was controlling these creatures knew when to strike. They would have to be more careful from now on.

Leon nodded, pulling a white bandage around his arm, where a claw had swiped. Wincing, he felt the potion do it's work. Grabbing onto the offered hand, he pulled himself up. "This way." He pointed one of his shaken fingers. 'This is bad. I wasn't even this weary when I was in Walter's castle.'

Joachim noticed, that the man needed blood and fast, but there were no sources down here. From his left he heard what sounded like a woman's scream. Facing in that direction, he saw a middle aged woman running down the hedges towards them, her arms extended, as she tried to flee from an invisible attacker. It seemed like the host of the gardens wanted them alive and healthy.

Leon looked around at the sight, and was bombarded with a fleshy object in his hands. Falling backwards he looked up at the woman. "Uhm."

The woman trembled, keeping her arms wound tightly around the other man. Looking over to the other for help, the hunter tried to pry her from his body. "Don't!" She squeaked. "I am your meal, sir."

Both men's pools widened at that. Why would someone volunteer to kill themselves, to sustain the life of another? Hopefully this woman was not serious. "Ma'am you do know what this means?" Leon questioned her softly. He kept his pools on Joachim, a questioning gaze in them. He watched the other shrug, before walking forward.

The woman removed her tear stained face from the other. With no hint of fear she condemned herself to her fate. "If I don't die like this, then I will be turned into to one of the many creatures you have killed. I would rather die knowing that I helped those that would thwart it's plans." Removing the bits of brown hair, that had settled themselves at her neck, she bent her neck over.

"Do it Leon." Joachim told him, feeling sympathy for the human. He would never let anyone have that fate if it could be avoided. Key would have to be stopped. 'Why are there always those who harm for fun?' He asked himself, thinking back to things he had seen in his years.

Looking unsure Leon looked down at the woman's neck, feeling instinct come over him. He felt a pain at his gums, as his fangs made their appearance. Slowly, he licked the area right above the woman's pulsing jugular. Biting down, he felt the other moan, before he started to lap up the thick red substance. When he had his fill he pulled back, turning away to wipe the traces of blood on his sleeve and avoid watching the other die. Looking to the painted ceiling, he wondered what he had done to deserve such a fate.

"It is done." Joachim muttered a few minutes later. He had killed the woman, and buried her in a shallow grave. He just hoped it was enough to save her. Walking past the hunter he continued, making sure his mind was blank.
Leon silently stood, and followed the feelings as his guide. Lost deep in thought, he wondered what it must have been like for Joachim to have to do that and kill someone, why the man was following him, and why it didn't bother him as much as it should have.
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Ian looked at the large statue in the middle of the garden. Placing a hand over it, he started to run it along the rock. Sighing, he looked around the room for what he needed. "It seems that you are needed Alastor." Focusing his energy, he started to chant pouring his energy into resurrecting the stone.

Slowly, the rock began to crumble as the form of a muscular man with long black hair. Two sets of wings black as the purest night, began to flap in agitation. As more of the rock began to crumble the outline of a white loin cloth with black seams, and brown sandals. When the remaining stone crumbled, the man opened his pools, revealing red with swirls of black. Smirking like a madman, he pulled a blade from a sheath on his side. Jumping down faster than Ian could move, the blood red pulsing blade was against his throat. The owner spoke in a deep cold tone. "Why have you awakened me?"
Ian trembled slightly, his focus on the black vines that seemed to protrude from the blades metal, ready to wrap around him. "My master Simon Key wanted to give you new souls to feed."

The man thought about it, removing the blade and slowly sheathing it. "Tell your master that they had better be good, or he will be next."

Nodding, Ian left the scene in a haze of black.

Alone, the man looked around at his surroundings. "Ah a garden how nice." He closed his pools, hearing the screams of the sinful souls running around. Grinning, he found himself liking the place. 'This being has done a good job. I will be well sated.' Whipping around, he heard the footsteps of two new beings. "What do we have here?" He spoke softly, moving to the shadows. Looking down he ripped away a piece of rotting skin. "It seems that I will need those souls sooner then I expected."

"Be quiet." Joachim shushed the hunter, calling his swords again. He sensed a very powerful evil presence.
Leon did the same, feeling his gut lead to the place, the other was afraid. Walking into a large circular area of a stone platform, he looked around, taking in the scenery. He noticed a large stone pillar with crumbled stone around it, in the center, but otherwise nothing else looked different, expect for the one hedge behind it. Instead of grass it was a wall, a small indent in the center.

"Looks like I get to play." Alastor announced his presence, walking out slowly, his sword drawn.

Joachim looked over, pools widening at the sight of the black vines. Ducking one of their grabs he wasted no time in running up to the monster, attacking it with a barrage of his swords. Each bounced off without leaving a mark. Running over to Leon he whispered in the other's ear. "Belmont I think now would be a good time to help me fight."

Leon looked over at the man, and noticed that part of his body were rotting away in chunks. An idea came to his head. Getting as close as he dared, he rolled to the right, as the sword went to stab him, and extended his weapon, making sure it hit one of the spots. Instantly, a black substance started to pour out of it.

Screaming in pain, Alastor looked down. "How could this happen?" He asked more to himself then his opponents. It hadn't occurred to him that the decaying skin would slow him down in any way. 'I will need some souls very soon.' Closing his pools, he focused on letting his vines dart out, to catch at least one of them.

Leon and Joachim both dodged as many of the weird black wispy vines as much as they could. In one of his back flips, the blonde was cut in the leg. Crashing down, he felt his himself slam on the ground, and a sharp pain in his right.
Alastor laughed, cruelly as he watched the other go down. Making an his move on the other being, he started to fly over, sword raised over his head. Unfortunately, Joachim noticed, and ducked watching the other sail over him. Alastor sailed straight into the wall.

Not wanting to let the monster have enough time to recover, he sent one of his swords after a large patch of brownish green flesh on the man's bare back, looking at the marking on the man's back; a black feather, with a red and black scythe behind it. The attacker screamed in pain.

Leon noticed that the decaying creature's life force was demising rapidly by the way he was moving. And knew it would take only one more shot to kill it. Feeling the vine start to disintegrate, he slowly stood, noticing the pain on focused on one side of his body. Taking his fallen whip in his head, he headed toward the man.

Alastor picked himself out of the wall, feeling the tattoo that bound him to the world disappear. Not wanting to go down without any fresh souls, he launched his final attack at the staggering blonde.

Leon saw the other charge towards him, standing his ground, he gripped the whip harder, watching the movements of the other carefully. When the other was a few feet away from him, he thrust his weapon outwards, letting the whip strike the creature in the face, ripping off his face.

Feeling the flesh fall, he felt the last of his life force leave his body. Falling down, he spoke his last words. "You may have beaten me, but we will meet again." With that he resigned to his fate.

Slumping over, Leon watched the body disintegrate leaving a blood red stone. Too tired to go pick it up, he called for Joachim to do it. "Joachim will you please go get that."

Joachim was roused out of his shocked state. Taking a quick look at the stone, he deemed it safe. Bending down to pick it up, he noticed a symbol inside it. It was the same one as the tattoo that he had pulled off. 'I wonder if that is the key to these creatures powers.' As his finger's wrapped around the stone a bright light blinded him, he could feel his fatigue disappear.

As the light cleared, Leon dared to stand up again. The pain in his side was gone, as was the cut he had received early. Looking between the stone and the wall, he gestured for Joachim to put it in. The stone clicked into place, before revealing a warp pad. Joachim removed the stone, before walking over to join Leon onto the magic. They felt themselves being transported back to the center of the long hallways. Looking at the pedestal, Leon stretched one of his hands out. "Do you want to do the honors?"

Joachim stepped forward, matching the stone with the path. The stone clicked into place, though nothing happened. "Where to now?"

"To the right." Walking down the hallway, Leon geared himself up, for going through the whole process again.


A/N: Review plz. The next update should not take as long. I hope. -crosses fingers-