Chapter 18: Biding Time

Integra thought she would never be able to understood Alucard, she believed that he was the most unfathomable creature to ever walk this earth. She truly did believe this, as when she first met him was when she was a mere child. She tried to understand him long ago but then gave up the futile attempt, there were many before her who tried to understand this never-dying monster and all had failed. But she had finally found something that tied him down to whatever sanity he had, something that made him definable.

A monster.

She came from nowhere, she was something which seemingly was understandable, but in the end her mind had more intricacies than she could imagine. Both these monsters individually were incomprehensible but when put together they were even more irrational. But Integra was starting to see the cracks behind their well-crafted masks, the more she saw them interact with each other and how they interacted with other people. Despite seeing the cracks she could not define reasoning for their actions and their basis foundation for their spontaneous emotions.

She walked down the stairs towards the sub-level basements, Alucard had managed to convince her to move Seras's bed and whatever possessions she had to his own private level. She still didn't understand why she had even agreed, maybe it was her own curiosity to know why he wanted to, or was it because she felt some sort of obligation towards him. She still was to understand her very confusing human emotions. She came to a stop right in from of the heavy double bolted doors, she normally had Walter by her side to open them for her but he was currently dealing with a call from some upright senators. Those pesky old men who were always worrying about their own health and safety rather than their own country they were meant to be serving.

She glanced at the various seal carved into the walls and the doors, she touched the engrained carvings. She long ago tried to imagine what this mansion was like under the rule of the first Hellsing, when she sat in the office she tried to think how this entire estate and the monster within was in his command. She had this sense of accomplishment, she had come very far to achieve such a state of peace in the country, but she knew her job was far from done and she doubted it would ever be finished.

She pushed the doors open, squinting her eyes as a burst of stale air hit her. She looked up to vents and the air conditioning, were they broken again? The wiring around this area was always sketchy, she made a mental note to get Walter to fix the blocked vents and rewire the air conditioner. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dimly lit hall, her visioning focusing on the two figures at the coffee table. They were like statues, both sitting perfectly still that even their imitated breathing was stopped, their eye of vision focused on a chess board. She stood in front of them, her presence barely making them bat their eye.

This continued for several more minutes, before Seras leaned back and let out a sigh, "Checkmate in forty-three moves, F-5 bishop to C-8 King". Alucard stared at the board for several more seconds before relenting.

"So it is", he rumbled, "That's eighty-nine wins for you and eighty-six wins for me and one hundred and sixty-four draws".

Integra stared at the board, all of the pieces had not even be moved, in fact if she looked carefully she could see small bits of dust collecting on the pieces. The candles flickered revealing the array of board games strewn around on the floor. There were dozens, all of which were opened and set up perfectly but just like the chessboard, not one piece had even been touched. She blinked her eyes slowly as she slowly looked around in surprise, what in the world was this?

Seras finally regarded the mildly surprised female, "Evening, Miss Integra. What can we do for you?" She started packing away the pieces and board games back into their respective packaging. Alucard got up to pour himself a cup of blood, treading over the boards games. Seras scowled as she got up to pick up the stray pieces.

Integra knew she should tell them about their mission for the night but she let her curiosity get the better of her, "Is that what you have been doing during daytime?"

Seras looked up from the floor and nodded, "We both weren't tired so we decided to play some chess but things quickly escalated and we soon rummaged throughout the entire mansion to find every board game and tried to beat each other. Here's a little tip, never try to gamble with him, he's an efficient bluffer and an excellent liar, and quite a horrible cheat if he doesn't get his way", she grumbled. She always knew he didn't like doing things honestly, there was always some sort of riot when he was around playing these sort of games.

Alucard snorted, "It's gambling Seras, you're meant to cheat yourself into winning. There's no such things as an honest match", Alucard said as he sat back down in front of the coffee table, setting down his glass. His gaze setting upon her moving form, he thought he could beat her in these games, with the advantage that he could read some parts of her mind to make an educated guess of where she was going to move her pieces. But in the end most of the games they played turned into a stalemate with no clear winner. Seras had the upper hand by being able to predict the future, but then Alucard was spontaneous where his actions where not guided by emotion or controlled thought processes. So every game they played they were so evenly tied that it was hard to declare the winner. Seras nodded absentmindedly as she set away the boxes of games.

"Yes, yes whatever you say, Master", she drawled as she sat back down, Alucard gave her a queer look but nonetheless grinned.

Integra set a stack of paper in front of them both, "Your mission for tonight, I want the both of you by the helicopter in ten minutes sharp. Take what you need and leave", she turned away from the two with a slight headache. She didn't know why but every single time she talked to them she came out feeling a little more light-headed, it was okay with just Alucard but with Seras here her headaches became a little too frequent. "And one more thing, try to keep casualties to a minimum", she gave Alucard a glare and nodding to Seras knowing what she tried to imply to her. Seras laughed and waved her out.

As soon as the door closed, the room was engulfed by a silence. Seras abruptly broke the silence by skimming through the report softly humming. Her humming suddenly stopped as she suddenly leaned in and took a long serious look at the papers, her eyes widening as she frantically flipped through the booklet. Her breath hastened, it was coming all together now. She could see it now, it was clearer but there was something still shrouded. "Have a look", she said holding out the report.

She had fallen into a sort of rhythmic pattern, which she had not felt for a long time. A lot of her days before were spent in desolation and derelict with no purpose nor movement. Her health was also declining, it wasn't her physical health, no; that would always remain in perfect condition. It was her mental health which was deteriorating, but now she felt much better and she started feeling some sort of purpose. And she now had someone to keep her company when she was bored and feeling tired. It had missed having someone being there for her, they always moved on when she couldn't.

Alucard took the pages and took a brief read before standing up and putting on his glasses, he held out his hand for Seras. Seras took a look at his gloved hand, trying to remember what they looked without the gloves. She remembered the small delicate bony hands of a child, she remembered the calloused tanned scarred hands of a warrior and then she remembered the pale white bony hands of a dead man. She delicately took his hand in her own small hands and pressed her cheek against it, humming still. Her heated skin quickly enveloped Alucard's hand in warmth, his eyes softened at the sight. They were the very opposites but they were just the same. A contradiction.

He looped his arm around her waist and pulled her up as they walked towards the double doors. Seras grabbed her assault rifle before heading out, her clothes shifting to her uniform. Her eyes slowly fading into a bright blue colour as she let out a breathy sigh. Their bodies faded into the darkness, disappearing into the walls without a hint of them ever being in the room.

Seras closed her eyes as she felt the wind rushing against her skin, the sound of the whirling metal was blocked out. Alucard was dozing off next to her, but as soon as they neared the building he disappeared, leaving Seras by herself as she patiently waited for the helicopter to land.

"Give us a call and we'll come back to pick you up", the pilot yelled over the beating blades. Seras did a mock salute as she nodded, the pilot smirked. She was a better passenger than that red clad vampire, "Right! Good work laddie!" He slowly started pulling the helicopter, the wind pushing Seras back a little. As soon as the helicopter was out of sight, well at least human sight, she turned towards the abandoned building, her eyes narrowing. This was the place, the place which kept flashing in her visions. There were flashed of light and bangs coming from within, Alucard had already started creating mayhem within.

She tread quietly towards to one of the doors, pausing before dusting one of the steps and sitting down. She closed her eyes, trying to discern her visions, her mind falling into a murky abyss as she tried to make sense of her dreams. Her efforts turned out futile, there was just too much noise in her mind. She silently cursed Alucard, after drinking his blood her visions had become more clouded, sure she was able to see further into the future but it taken her ability to see the detail of the future.

'Seras! Come and help me get rid of these zombies. This is too troublesome', she heard Alucard call for her. She slowly blinked her eyes, something was off but she didn't know what. However whatever was going to happen, perhaps she could prevent it by acting upon it. She knew it was a futile effort as the future was not easily changed but she could try. She tried before and it didn't go so well but this time it would be different. She got up quickly, and grabbed her rifle, "Right, sir!" She shouted as she burst through the door, her rifle poised perfectly, her line of vision sharpening as she blasted a round of bullets within seconds. Each piece of metal hitting its mark, either through the head of the heart.

There was a loud moan of pain from the ghouls but Seras ignored it. Alucard stepped aside to pull out a blood bag to take a drink, watching his Seras battle. It was such a beautiful sight, his lovely queen drenched in blood, eyes scarlet red and not once did she even bat her eyes. Never once did she avert her gaze, she took the death and grim head-on with a small lilting smile. She danced before Death and not once did she even care.

She flipped her gun upwards the change the cartridge of bullets, the clatter of metal seemed to take Alucard out of his trance. Seras stopped for a moment, she dropped her rifle suddenly, the gun firing a miss-shot. Alucard threw aside his blood bag, confusion clouding his features, "Seras…?"

A loud shriek came out of her. It was such an earth-shattering cry; like a yowl of a cornered animal fighting with its last breath. The wail was so unearthly, that it closely resembled a bird's screech. All of the ghouls suddenly stopped in their tracks, as if they had been commanded by an ungodly power. She turned suddenly to Alucard, her eyes wide and distraught. "Vlad", she whispered, her voice deathly cold and calm. "That war is not over…" He opened his mouth to say something, but the words got lost upon his lips, Alucard widened his eyes as suddenly her throat was pierced with a silver blade, blood spluttering out from her mouth. Before he could even make any sudden movements, nine more bayonets pierced her body. Seras frozen in shock fell forward onto the floor, the metal grinding against the floor as she struggled to keep her head above the floor. It had been decades since she had felt such excruciating pain.

"Who…?" Alucard growled out as he turned towards the direction at which the bayonets came from. Paper flew past him, cutting his cheek. Paper suddenly flooded the hallway as nails quickly followed after. Sealing the entire hallways with a holy barrier, "What the hell…" Alucard said as he looked around him but his gaze turned upwards, towards the stairs at the very end of the hallway. The thumping of boots, creaking the wooden planks. Alucard scowled, as he spared a glance at Seras. Her gaze focused upon the sound, she gave him a reassuring nod as she slowly got into a sitting position. The blades still lodged in her flesh.

There was a chilling laugh which echoed across the halls, the thumping of boots stopped as a small pitter-patter of blood overtook the silence. He was a tall man shrouded in darkness but there was one thing that shone brilliantly, a silver cross. It glinted across the darkness of the hall. Alucard immediately scowled, Seras merely watched with narrowed eyes. Her eyes trained on the two glinting bayonets, they were blessed blades, it burnt her flesh and her healing was slowed. It was a burning sensation that reminded her too much of her own death. She let out a feral growl which rumbled deep within her chest.

He slowly positioned his sword into a cross, the silver reflecting the light of the moon. "We are the ministers of God. In flaming fire we take vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Catholic gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power – this honour have all his saints. Amen".

Seras knew this man, this paladin. She had seen several times before but they had never met like this before. She knew Alucard only knew him from reports and tales so this encounter would surely be interesting to say the least. Seras gasped out in pain as she slowly pulled the bayonet out from her throat which was impairing her speech. The paladin took notice of this as he regarded her pitiful form.

"My lady, your pain and anguish is quite becoming", his voice rumbled throughout the hall, "Yet death still flees from you, Seras Victoria. The Owl", He grinned as he looked upon her. He knew of her, there wasn't one single person in the Vatican force who didn't know. They had known her meddling since the beginning of their church. She was the highest of the damned, the good Lord only knows how long she has walked upon this earth.

"Vatican Division XIII. Special Vatican Agent Alexander", Alucard said coolly, there was a growing smile dancing upon his lips. He could feel his blood boiling, he knew he should be concerned for his companion but he could not at such a moment. He knew Seras would forgive regardless, she already knew what he was like after knowing him for so long. He could feel something rumbling within him, the calling of a fight, a battle. The very likes which imprisoned him in the first place.

"Bingo, you Protestant Knight dog", Alexander scoffed. He edged forward as if mocking death itself, the two men were now only just metres away from each other. The high running tension was enough to make someone vomit but they calmly stared at each other. And when they spoke it was as if they were having an evening chat over a dining table. It was utterly absurd, and Seras thought that Alucard was no better suited than this. But then again he could go running off with his mouth and something very grim would happen.

They continued to march closer to each other, until they had actually passed each other. "It seems the only ones left, are the two of you", Alexander said darkly.

"Really…?" Alucard replied, they were both smiling and even though they couldn't see it they could hear the smile in their voices. Seras watched the silent stand-off silently counting down in her head. 'Don't let the fight drag on Alucard', Seras thought grimly as she slowly got up.

It was a flash of a moment, but suddenly Alucard at two blades lodged in his own throat but his gun was cocked up at the paladin's head. He laughed as one single bullet was fired, hitting its mark dead one, blood flying from the forehead as he was swung back from the blast. Alucard smiled, as he felt his throat close up, it was excruciatingly painful but he had become quite used to the pain.

Seras tried pulling out the blades, they were different from the last time she remembered. The blessed blades she had felt years was more pure in holy energy, this simply felt like an imitation of it. Nonetheless it was still quite painful. "Stop moving you idiot", Alucard said sternly, "It will only take a minute to pull these out", Seras squirmed under his touch, swatting away his hand impatiently. She was annoyed, all these brawn-heads around her were getting on her nerves.

Her throat was healed well enough now to speak clearly, "That paladin isn't quite dead yet", she said as she watched the man rise from the floor slowly. Like a reincarnated corpse his hands latched onto his bayonets, two more piercing Alucard as he was thrown back. Alucard's eyes widen, that man wasn't an undead like them! No, he was something else, a Vatican dirty secret.

Alucard wasted no time, unloading several of his precious bullets into Alexander. He in return threw several more blessed bayonets into his flesh. The two men battling it out in who could heal the fastest but in the end it was Alucard who failed to heal faster. After all blessed bullets would have no effect on a human. He was pinned onto the wall, and with a final grunt he was stuck. "A regenerator", he laughed out with glee. He had not seen one for so long, and to think there was such a well-versed dancer within the Vatican. Those old fools were not so bad after all!

"Yes! This incantation was engineered through extensive research to destroy you and your kind". The paladin laughed with such glee, pulling out dozens of bayonets from his coat, letting each blade pierce a specific part of Alucard. And a final touch he sliced off the head precisely, letting the blood run across gloved hands. He was disappointed, there had been so many rumours of the great Alucard and his monstrous strength but it turned out to be fruitless rumours. However there was one prize for this night, and that was The Strix. He knew it was better off to kill so such a creature but such a prized creature should be caught and kept under inspection. She held many secrets and her blood was the liquid for true immortality. So much different than a vampires, it was the blood which allowed a man or woman regardless whether virgin or not to become a creature of the night. Without the pain of having to actually drink blood, nor eat flesh to survive. A true immortal, with their own working conscious a person who could consume her blood would become in their own right an everlasting monster.

He turned to inspect how she was only to realise she had crawled away with a trail of blood leading up to her. "I shouldn't have underestimated her", Alexander scowled, as he stabbed Alucard's head and launched it through the hall. Letting the blade and the head to lodge right next to her as she walked slowly.

Seras pulled the blade out of his head and cradled his head gently, "You're getting sloppy sir", she whispered, "You've become dull and so have I", she said as she felt her wounds finally close up. Her blood flowing towards her, trailing back to it master, she reabsorbed her lost blood as she stopped to regard the advancing paladin.

"Where are you going? Running is useless", the paladin called with an upturned smirk. "Dust to dust. For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt return. Amen!" He unsheathed his blades as he watched her form, she had completely stopped moving and her wounds had closed up. But there was one noticeable difference, her eyes were glowing red and there was a dark expression. Alexander knew immediately that she was no longer playing anymore games.

Her hands trailed along the doorway, the barrier burning her skin but suddenly she grabbed onto one of the pieces of paper and despite the great amount of pain she was through, she tore the piece of paper from the wall. Tearing out the nail and shredding the paper in her hands. Alexander let out a low whistle, it was to be expected from such a high level monster but he didn't know that she could so such a thing from the beginning.

She put down Alucard's head down gently, as her body began to burn. It was a pleasant sensation which suddenly turned into a boiling point, the entire hall began to heat up. The wallpaper began to peel and the timber began charring up from the intense heat. The two servants of their own Lord stared at each other for a moment, as blood began trailing along the floor her body began meta-morph. Dancing hues of red and black flashed across her changing body, writing burning itself onto the nearby walls. Her body was vibrating in pure energy as little by little did strange creatures crawl out from within her skin. It was at first small critters, spiders. But then a snakes began entwining around her arm hissing softly. Seras wasn't a fighter, in fact if possible she would like to avoid all sorts of combat, but she wasn't afraid to fight for what she believed in. And she believed in her Masters and what their will was. It had been like that for centuries when she was younger, she was always serving someone out of her own free will.

"Girl, are you going to fight me?" Alexander questioned as his own blades danced in his hands. He licked his lips in anticipation, this night was going to be quite enjoyable.

"I'd prefer not to paladin", Seras said. Blood was power, power was strength and so strength was the ability to do whatever you wanted. She knew that and yet her blood was shirking back, was it because of Alucard's blood. Was it because his blood tainted hers? Nonetheless she knew all she had to do was bide time, her familiars crawled along the floor. Screeching out, wailing, crying, beating their heads. The entire hall had been engulfed in this strange eerie read glow as the dimension within the halls became distorted. She let out a sigh, a cool mist drifted from her lips as she lunged forward.

"Hahaha! What a glorious night!" The paladin laughed as he took up a position, letting his blades fly at her. They pierced her body once more but this time she was prepared for the pain and the extended healing time needed. She tore them out furiously and threw them right back at him. Laughing he deflected them, several shadowy appendages shot out from beneath the floor in hope to grab his legs. He managed to jump away from the clawed hands however one single drop of her blood managed to touch upon his skin.

Seras widened her eyes in happiness as suddenly her blood burnt it way through his skin leaving a "T" like shape. Alexander scowled as he frowned upon the mark, suddenly the mark burst into flames lighting upon his skin in an indomitable rage. "Hurts doesn't it. Being burned that is", Seras smirked as she leaped back to dodge to hurl of blades. She had a great amount of hate for Catholics and Christians and that sort like quite a lot. She didn't hate the people individually, but she could' but more rather she hated what they were based upon. These religions and beliefs were based upon the suffering of others and veiled the true origins of what their religion was founded upon.

The blades which pierced her skin soon lost its effect, the burning sensation was gone and the blades could no longer hit her. Her familiars would not allow it, and Seras could feel the wind outside change. Her Master was coming and this little dance would soon be over. An owl peeled itself away from her skin, its eyes a cold blue as it regarded the paladin.

Alexander inspected his arm, it was burnt so horribly that even his advanced regeneration could not heal it fast enough and the sensation of his skin being burnt would not fade away. It was constant and lingering as his skin blistered and peeled back. But somehow despite the strong flames his clothes were not damaged at all.

"That mark only burns what it needs to burn", Seras smirked, twiddling her fingers. "I learnt that trick from your so-called Vatican. However it is a shame there are no more of those sorcerers which work within the labyrinth of connections you have", she said as her familiars began drawing back into her skin. Her split blood turning into a viscous blood tar which seemed to have its own mind. Crawling and lurching across the floor. "But then again times have changed, and the things we imagine to work as we want don't quite work like that anymore", Seras whispered quietly. She felt a sudden flood of sadness, it was an overflow of emotion that the halls showed it. Hundreds of scrawled out marks began carving its way through the plastered walls, leaving behind a tinge of ash and the smell of fruit.

"Heathen, do not act as if you are one of us", Alexander growled out, his eyes narrowing upon her small form.

"I never tried to", Seras merely answered with clear determined yet sorrowful eyes.

Miss me? (probably not...) I have had a good break, a stressful one filled with exams and subject selection. My heart is in such a bad shape, well it's the holidays no. (again). SO I'm going to try to upload as much as possible, but I got no guarantees.

Until then.

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Peace out.