The Wishing Well

Dark Seraphim410

Chapter 4

"What a peculiar sleep?"

Alucard awoke in his coffin.

"What? I…"

He started to cough as he felt pressure within his chest. He pushed the lid with all his might but it didn't move.

"Master! I thought I heard a…"

Seras walked into his room and heard the noise coming from the coffin. She ran to it and opened the lid.

"Master?!"

Alucard leaned over the side of his coffin and vomited blood.

"The blood from last night? My body didn't absorb it. Why?"

He looked up at Seras. She gasped and took a step back.

"What?"

"We have to report to Integra. Now!"

Seras pulled Alucard out of his coffin. She helped him to his feet but he couldn't stand. She helped him walk with one of his arms over her shoulders. They walked out of the room and to Integra's office. Seras pushed the door opened.

"Seras?! Alucard?! Where are your manners? The King is in our present."

Integra sat at her desk and the King sat across from her with a dog on his lap. The King and Integra stood up as the door opened and the dog jumped to the floor. The King blocked Seras and Alucard's view of Integra.

"Forgive us, Your Highest but something has happened to Alucard."

Integra started to walk to them. Seras and Alucard saw her for the first time. Integra had lost her wrinkles and gained back her missing eye.

"Your eye?! You're younger. Are you a vampire?"

Seras asked as she helped Alucard into a chair. He leaned forward and placed his head in his hands.

"No, idiot, I just have my youth back. What's wrong with Alucard?"

Integra walked to Alucard and held his head up. His vision seemed to spin as he tried to force on her. He smiled softly but even that seemed to hurt.

"You are always beautiful in my eyes even if I can't see straight."

He tried to laugh but was too weak to make the sound. He instead coughed. Integra was surprised when she felt his breath against her skin.

"Are you breathing? Your eyes are brown. You're warm! It's as if you were…"

"Human?"

Integra got up and stepped back. She turned to the King. Alucard held his forehead.

"Several members of the party have reported strange changes that seem to have occurred over night. Some have positive as in your case. Other on the other hand, some have been drastic such as the case of these women."

He handed her a folder.

"The manner must be urgent if Your Highest is handing it personally."

She opened the folder and flipped the report and pictures of four women in their eighty's.

"This is impossible! Shannon and the others from the party seemed to have aged over sixty years."

"They're in the hospital. It seems the change has taken a toll on their bodies."

"What could change a vampire into a human? Age and rejuvenate people?"

"And turn my daughter into a bitch."

"Your Highest, I know your daughter's manners are a bit a on the unkempt side but I don't believe it's enough to warrant name calling."

"No, Integra. She's the dog at my feet."

Integra looked down at the dog that was shaking behind the King.

"What could have done this?"

"The wishing well?"

Alucard said softly.

"Wishing wells are not real."

"Yes, Your Highest, they are not but they could still be used as a tool for witches. What of the crew for the party? Are they all accounted for?"

"No. The young lady who was operating the wishing well is missing."

"Not anymore!"

A woman suddenly appeared in the middle of the room. Her brown hair flowed down her back and rest against her green cotton dress. Her pale freckled covered face turned to Integra and her crystal blue followed.

"Who the hell are you?"

Integra pulled out her gun along with Seras.

"I am Artemis."

"'Mistress of the Animals'?"

"That is one of my titles, Integra."

"What do you want with us? Why did you do this? What is your purpose here?"

"I gave you and Alucard gifts in order to pay a debt. For everyone else, for fun! I mean that Shannon and her friends were really disrespectfully to you. So when they come to the wishing well and placed their wishes, I had something else in mind. Then I turned the Princess into the bitch she truly is. I must say I am very impressed with my work. I mean look at you, Integra. No amount of plastic surgery would bring your youth back like this. I turned back time for you, Integra. You're a normal young woman again. And you, Alucard…"

Artemis stepped forwards towards Alucard but Integra placed on her forehead.

"Don't you go near him."

"Ooh, aren't you protective of him? I'll stay put. Alucard wished to grow old with you. No one can grow old if they're a vampire! So I turned him human."

"Change them back!"

Artemis turned to the King.

"You can't order me around Your Highest. Just remember, I could easily turn you into the cowardly lion that you are if I pleased but I don't think that would be fun."

"What is your purpose?"

"What? Are you deaf, Integra? I did this for you because you and Alucard got me out of a jam a few years back."

"we have never met before."

"She takes different forms…"

Alucard said softly as he lifted his head.

"Usual bear, cat, deer…"

"Deer!"

The word targeted an image in her mind. Artemis smiled as Integra's memory flashed in front of her eyes.

"Alucard, did you hear that?"

A fifteen year old Integra drew her gun.

"Yes, Master, gunshots.

Alucard drew his guns. They had been walking on the grounds of the mansion. The moon was full and the summer air was humid. Integra had her hair up and her brow was heavy with sweat.

More shots followed.

"Over there!"

Integra pointed. She and Alucard walked quickly to a wooden area with larges willows and over grown bushes. In a clearing, an injured deer was laying on the ground. Integra walked up to the deer.

"Be careful, Master. Injured animals are unpredictable."

Integra kneeled down before the deer.

"It's been shot in the leg."

"Get away from that deer!"

Alucard turned around and pointed his gun to the voice that came from behind.

"More food! Perfect! I'll have the deer for an appetizer, you as the main course and you, little girl, will make a special dessert."

The male vampire flashed his fangs towards them. Integra got up with her gun pointed.

"You dare trespass on the Hellsing grounds just for food. You must be the most pathetic excuse of a vampire I have ever seen."

"Bitch! I don't know who the hell you are but you're dead."

The vampire pointed his gun to Integra but she fired first. One shot hit him between the eyes and other hit in the chest, striking him in the heart.

"Beautiful shooting, Master!"

"I've been practicing."

Integra turned to the deer.

"Let's see if…"

The deer suddenly got up and hopped away.

"You were the deer?"

"Yep!"

"If you have this much power why did you not kill that vampire yourself?"

"I was bored that night. I wanted to see what you two were going to do with me. If you had tried to kill me, I would just have killed you. Instead, you saved me from the vampire."

"Why didn't I see you for what you were?"

"Please, Alucard. You might have been the most powerful vampire to walk the earth but you are no match for my power. You didn't see because I didn't want you to.

I think you two are so cute. He wishes to have the ability to grow old and you wishing to be young again. In due time, you'll see how much fun this is."

"Turn everyone back."

"No, Integra! I do whatever I want. You're just going to have to wait and see if I want to change any of you back."

Artemis broke out in laugher and she began to pull her trigger.

"I'm not the one that you should be attending to right now, Integra."

Artemis pointed to Alucard. Integra turned her head to him. Alucard's eyes rolled back and he fell out of the chair. Seras caught him before he fell to the floor.

"Master!"

Integra turned back to Artemis and pulled the trigger. Artemis disappeared and the bullets hit the wall.

"Isn't this fun?!"

Artemis' voice echoed around the room. Integra ran to Alucard. Seras placed him on the floor.

"Alucard, wake up! Wake up!"