Chapter 3

Making Preparations

Pov: Third Person

Alucard was ready to throw anyone at the door inside.

When Steve threw the door open, a blonde, ponytailed woman and an middle aged man was thrown in by the Vampire before the door was slammed. The clacking of the woman's heels was followed by a loud thump. "T-Thanks, but maybe be just a little quicker!"

Alucard looks to the woman and then at the door. "You do know I can throw you back out?"

The man speaks up. "Oi, friend! She's had a life threatening experience!" he folds his arms.

Steve smiles. "Harold!"

Harold turns to face Steve and his expression changes to that of mild boredom. "Hello, Steve." His expression does drop as he examines the house. "... This will do as a nice shop. Plenty of space, perfect for storage."

Steve points behind him. "Well, there's a bedroom-"

"Nonsense!" Harold speaks up, "The quest for wealth never stops for anything, not even sleep!"

Steve raises an eyebrow. "Not even food?"

The woman steps up. "That's why I accompanied him for a bit."

Steve looks at her. She was wearing a white nurse outfit, with a cap that had the Medical Association logo. A red plus.

Her legs were unadorned, only red heels. Her shapely figure looked... "Where you spying on us a while ago?"

The Nurse turns red a little. "So what? We... We didn't know if you were friendly or not."

Alucard sits down. "Well, we're friend-"

The Nurse approached Alucard, her eyes filled with worry... Alucard raised an eyebrow as her eyes widen. "Harold, we need to leave."

Harold raised an eyebrow also, "What-?"

"He's a vampire!"

Steve and Harold look to each other and then back at the Nurse.

She panics. "A blood sucking vampire!?"

Alucard coughs. "Don't worry. I don't like sweet things."

The Nurse gasps, a faint blush on her face. Before she could speak, Steve spoke up. "Alucard came from a land where Vampires don't go for humans. They go for anything with Blood when they need to. They're even capable of standing in the sunlight."

The Nurse frowns... "... If that's the case..." she extends her hand carefully. "Claire."

Alucard smiles and takes her hand, shaking it gently. "T'is a pleasure."

As the two greet each other, Harold and Steve exchange a stern look. "It's been spotted. That eye."

Steve sighs. "Alucard is not ready yet. We've made armour and decent weaponry, but we need much more time."

Harold looks to Alucard. "I hope you aren't the only defence between us and Cthulhu's eye."

Alucard raised an eyebrow. "Cthulhu? Wasn't he defeated in a violent war."

Steve nods. "Defeated, yes. Killed, far from it. The Dryads that faced him managed to deal significant damage to him, but the parts they managed to tear away from him have been ravaging the land in vengeance and to find their host's body."

Claire frowns. "Why aren't they still not fighting them?"

Steve looks to the Nurse. "They died out. All but one remains. They only approach those that can defeat a strong adversary."

Claire folds her arms. "Why not find her and ask her to help us?"

Harold pats Claire's shoulder, who immediately tenses up "Excuse ME."

"Because my medical lady. She knows the land. That's why we need to get this scrawny vampire bulked up!" he then pulls out a protein shake. "This is for five gold, Alucard."

The vampire was about to rant about the price before Steve steps in. "Actually, he uses the life crystals to 'bulk' himself up."

Claire looks to Steve. "You said Bedroom... I call dibs."

Steve sighed. "We don't have a bed."

Claire would frown suddenly. "What."

Pov: Steve

With Alucard gone to get more materials, I remained at the house. He had built another house for Claire before leaving. Speaking of her, she came in. "Steve, is there a chest I can take?"

I smirk a little. "Yeah but Alucard is using it."

Claire frowns. "You sure he doesn't mind?"

"Anything for a pretty la-"

I heard Claire plopped her items in the chest before heading for the door, "Thanks!"

I turn to see her already gone. "So much for your flirting." I hear Harold behind me.

"Yeah, well the Order of Guides doesn't really have many females among them, so can you blame me?"

Harold sat down. "She went traveling around you know, that Claire. She has quite a backhand on her."

I look to him suddenly. "What?"

"She found something before she found the dungeon. The Crimson."

I lean forward. "She didn't-"

Harold stops me. "Don't worry. She didn't find the dungeon past that. It could spread. We need a Dryad now who could help us. You've been around this land almost as long as her, please tell me you have some sort of lead."

I frown. "I encountered her before, but it was a chance meet. It was night, during a thunderstorm and she gave me a temporary home. She then said that someone would come to permanently defeat Cthlulu. Alucard has to be that 'someone'.

Harold exhaled. "Did she say when she'd reappear?"

I shake my head slowly. "She'll only appears when Alucard defeats the Eye and this isn't no ordinary Demon Eye."

Claire steps in. "We have a problem. There isn't just the Crimson, but a Corrupted land. I saw a big Beastly thing floating around and it wasn't –"

I cursed. Now we had two evils to deal with...

"Ok, we're staying here to tell Alucard. With luck he should return soon..."

Harold stands. "Well. I'm off to check my stock."

With me and Claire alone, I simply recline on my chair.

Looking to her, she sat on a chair dangling her left heel by her toes and checking some paperwork, probably written up after a check up with the vampire prince himself. She notices me with a raised eyebrow. "It's a little rude to stare..."

I blush a little as I look away. "Is that Alucard's?"

She gives a 'Mhm'. "He's an O blood type. And he has a slight resistance to a few aliments. Surprisingly enough after a few minutes in the sun, he didn't burn not blister. Apparently this curse of vampires has worn off completely."

I nod. "So... Besides the blood sucking, he's no different ordinary human?"

"No, he's far stronger than the average human." She said as she flips her heel back onto her foot before standing and stepping towards me. "If what you said about this god is true, then Alucard could very well be the one who can stop it."

Looking at her paper, I take a careful look. "... The upcoming battle will decide that."

I go back to reclining.

Suddenly I'm pulled back as I cry out.

Claire's chest is above me, and as she leans back, her glare meets my gaze. "Listen, pal- we have a fighting chance, don't go all pessimistic on me! When I say we got a chance, we got it!"

I nod quickly. She lets go and I fall to the floor. As I get up. She's back on her chair, dangling her heel and looking at her notes again. "Geez, you're quite feisty." I say with a sweat.

POV: Alucard

After stepping out of another cave, I check why I've acquired. A few life crystals were already used. I felt empowered. I looked around my environment, it wasn't too far from the town.

I take my axe and begin chopping. Building a quick workbench, I start building an Arena. It would of been needed for this battle.

I had made some torches to act as a light source, placing them around the walls that supported a long catwalk of platforms, at least three rows of them. It had taken a while and I found myself heading to the bench to make more. Eventually, I had finished. I sat on the bench, after dusting off the sawdust, smiling at my sturdy arena for whatever enemy challenged me.

Not before after finishing, I hear a twig break. Drawing my lead broadsword and standing, I take stance.

"Who's there?!"