CHAPTER 3: The Truth is…
"Please…tell me…"
"…You really want to know…so badly?"
Walter felt a protesting in his heart and a wretched feeling swirling in his stomach. Something told him that he shouldn't have pressed the matter.
"Fine then…if you're that curious, Walter…then I'll tell you…" Alucard gazed at the moon. So bright and round; it reminded him that he hadn't seen a sunrise in centuries. "There is no such thing as an immortal." Turning, he smiled at Walter. It was a human-like smile, the gentlest expression Walter ever saw upon the vampire's face.
"W-What do you mean by that?"
"I mean exactly what I said. There is no such thing as an immortal, myself included."
Shaking his head, Walter stood from his position. "I don't understand. What do you mean by that?"
"It's simple really." He placed a hand over his heart and laughed softly. When was the last time it beat? "My unlife has been prolonged by archaic practices and black magic."
Walter stood frozen, deciding it best to sit again.
"It's a complex system of restraints that retain my power in sections, levels that I'm allowed to access with the correct key, a verbal incantation performed by my Master."
He nodded. "Go on."
The supernatural creature chortled. Perhaps explaining such things wasn't the best idea. So instead he went on the offensive. "Why are you so interested, Înger?"
"Well…" Walter paused. Why was it that he wanted to know?
"No, it's fine. I believe I understand…" His low voice trailed off, deciding what else to share. "But I'm sure the mechanics of my capture are none of your concern. You want to know why, am I correct? Why I'm here in the first place?"
Unsurely, the butler nodded.
"Honestly…I don't know why." That human sort of smile graced the petite vampire's lips again. It was a sad kind of expression and it pained Walter to see it. Deep red eyes gazed back at the moon. Idly, Alucard spoke to the window. "I wonder…how much longer will I exist? Will I see another century go by?" He turned to Walter who was hanging on his partner's every word. Alucard chuckled. "Will I see you grow old and gray?"
He came towards Walter and touched the butler's cheek softly. "If it were my choice, I would rather not…" Retracting the appendage, the nosferatu returned to the chilled window. "If today were my last…I would be content."
Alucard…Walter's mind whispered his partner's name several different times. Was it his wish to die?
Back in the present, both fighters stood facing one another.
"So…I don't understand a damn thing about you, hm?" Alucard twirled around on his heels like a girl. "What is it that I don't understand? I've known you for half a century. I assumed I knew everything there was to know about you."
Walter sighed through his nose. "As I said, it doesn't matter now. I've done all this to fight, not chat with a little Russian tart."
"And you wonder why I took this form. You've always been a child. Fine, be that way," he grinned. "I shouldn't waste my time with a traitorous little bitch like you. Besides, I think it's time I had a meal." The loose blood around Alucard began to collect. As if drawn by a magnetic pull, it formed into a large red stream that inched its way up his arm, absorbing into the sigils on the back of his gloves.
"So, little Angel, let's begin. How do you want to do this?"
Walter huffed. His body wasn't going to last much longer. He had to come up with a plan and fast. Dammit…He cursed within his mind. I have to think of something.
Sharp blue wire came to life and twirled about Alucard, slicing his small body in two. But it was only a matter of seconds before he had reformed. Whilst reforming his shape, the small vampire took hold of Walter's collar. "Is that the best you've got? Snot-nosed little punk…you think you're better than Anderson? At least he was able to face me longer than this…"
The blue-eyed boy could feel his energy draining. Staring into his former partner's eyes, he realized death was imminent. Walter sighed, closing his eyelids. Perhaps it's better this way…to die by your hand. I've nothing left if I can't grant your wish, Alucard. I've failed…
The grey sky seemed to evaporate as the morning sun peaked through the clouds, filtering through Walter's eyelids. It was a gentle light that made him believe he was in a dream. Any other time when he held this shape he would have been running around the manor, preparing food and clean clothes for Sir Arthur Hellsing. The shadows around him would have followed his presence, subtly alerting him that Alucard was bored and watching over the Angel of Death with curiosity.
Those were the days…His throat was dry, almost choking the air out. I wish…I could go back to that time…
The grip on his collar loosened and Walter opened his eyes. Alucard stood transfixed on the morning sun. It was as if he too was stuck in a dream-like state, probably trapped in a loop of memories in his old mind. His small white form began to change into shadows, large reddish-orange eyes popping out every which way. Those eyes stared intently into the sun which seemed to force them closed.
What's happening? He thought before realizing. The Major…his original plan. He's tainted Alucard with the blood of that cat.
Walter looked on as Alucard's form twisted and moved of its own volition. In this state, Alucard was exposed to a typical weakness that vampire's usually possessed: sunlight.
So was that their idea all along? Walter stood back in observance, watching as his former partner ran his eyes over his form, unsure exactly what was happening. Walter sighed and lit a cigarette. It's really over now, isn't it Alucard? And to think…I'm just as useless as I've always been. Defeated by a cat, heh. What a blow to my pride.
Looking away from the sun, Alucard released a chuckle. "What a blow indeed, Angel."
Walter gasped, almost dropping his cigarette. "What?" He turned to the vampire who now possessed a misty composition.
"Heh, and to think you'd forget something like this. I can hear your thoughts as I always have; every last one of them." Alucard snorted as his form changed from small and feminine to his taller, bound form. His shape began to wither and he was almost completely transparent. "You really are just a stupid kid. You never remember anything. It's a wonder you remember how to fight properly."
The cigarette fell from the butler's lips as his mouth opened to form a wide 'O'. He was a fool; he had to be not to remember something like that. It never mattered if Walter held his tongue or not because his thoughts would always betray him in the end. Alucard, like many other supernatural creatures, had the ability to hear thoughts just as one hears people converse.
"But wait…then….you knew?" Walter couldn't fathom the situation. "Then…all this time…you knew? You knew that this was going to happen? You knew I'd do this?" It was then that he couldn't hold back anymore. Hiding behind that cold, unfeeling mask…he couldn't do it anymore. For too long he had remained silent, making plans to betray Hellsing in order to fight this dawn.
But now, he couldn't remember why he had done it. The Major's original plan seemed to work like a charm. So what had Walter accomplished? A few cracked ribs, perhaps a concussion and a bloody nose. He'd lost his humanity, his pride and even his sanity was starting to slip through his fingers. Now that he actually stood back to look at everything, he realized how foolish it all had been.
He wanted to free Alucard. His intentions had been noble. But the execution…everything seemed to fall apart. What had his life been for, he wondered now. He looked to Alucard with a hollow, defeated stare.
Alucard grinned. "I've always heard you, Angel. It's you who didn't bother to notice."
"T-Then why?" Walter bit his lip hard, trying to draw blood. But it was useless. His strength had been used up and he fell in a shaking heap, trying to understand. "Why…why did you…"
A ghostly touch brushed against the butler's face. For a few seconds he wondered if he had been caressed by Alucard or the wind. It was such a light touch, he couldn't decipher it.
"I don't think there's any way I could explain it for you to understand." The vampire grinned at his former partner. "I doubt you ever would."
"Fuck that…I'm not a child anymore. Tell me, dammit!" Walter stood, throwing his arms out to grasp Alucard by the neck. But he never made contact with the nosferatu's wasted form and lost his balance, falling to the ground.
Alucard chuckled. "Not a child anymore, hm?" He knelt before Walter, flashing a smile. "Mulţumesc, Înger. Nu voi uita ceea ce ai încercat să faci." (Romanian: Thank you, Angel. I will not forget what you tried to do.) Turning towards the sunrise, Alucard smiled again. His half millennium of existence was coming to a close; it was now that he could finally be at peace. "This is farewell, my Master, Integra." And with that he disappeared into the sunlight.