A/N: I decided to write a lot. Also, up until now, the chapters and the updates have been off-numbered because I opened with a prologue. SO! Today, because chapter 15 was so short, I decided to do a DOUBLE UPDATE... So, here you go - this is the CHAPTER 15 AND 16 UPDATE. Enjoy.

Chapter -15-
"Splitting Up"

The sound of combat filled Justus' ears. He felt relaxed but at the back of his mind he ached. His joints, his muscles – he hurt all over. His nose twitched, able to smell something that his subconscious mind easily recognized – the scent of adrenaline. The scent of a woman. The scent of a half-breed werewolf. He also detected the scent of a mortal man. There was another one… another woman. Molly? He couldn't be sure. Yet another smell was present… a nobleman whose blood was wholly different.

Again, Justus found himself slipping in and out of consciousness.

The door at the far end of the chamber swung open. Julius Belmont and Yoko Belnades entered the room, opposite of Soma, Sinopa, Molly, Giakanokus and a man wearing a top hat, white trousers and a red blazer over a vest.

Julius narrowed his gaze. "You." He used his elbows to push back his long coat, both whips at the ready. "You've not aged a day."

The man with the top hat appeared pleased to see the aging Belmont. "My, it's been decades… for you that is."

Julius looked to the floor, seeing the last of a group of monsters fading to ashes. His gaze flitted back to his unconscious great nephew. "What happened to Justus?"

The man in the fancy blazer with petticoat shook his head. "Julius, he's fine. I earned your trust during the Great War of '99, didn't I? Trust me now and relax. Trust me as Hector and Trevor trusted me."

Belmont sighed. "It's hard to trust a man who travels through time and disappears at will. Shouldn't you go back to the 1400's, or, perhaps, to where you belong in the 1800's? You shouldn't come this far in the future; you don't know enough about it and it will get you killed."

"Oh, Julius, I helped you out back in the Great War of '99. Remember? When all those military men were struck dead only to be revived as zombie creatures?"

"Yes, Germain. I remember. You told me how to separate Dracula from his power by using the power of an eclipse. For that, I will be ever grateful but… you're over a hundred and fifty years passed your days. Go back to where you've come from."

"I had to come," said the man, removing his top hat. "There's a paradoxical flux in the time stream. If Alucard and Camilla are allowed to mate, their hateful offspring will change the future in a way that is unconceivable. I went further into time than I've ever journeyed before. I was disgusted to see the world broken with people starving and dying in the streets. The creature that received Dracula's powers was able to bring about the Anti-Christ, which lead to the end of all things. So I've come back little by little until I found out what's causing everything… this castle, in this time period. This cannot be allowed to happen. I theorize that your great nephew may be able to help stop this situation. Have you aged well my friend?"

Julius sighed. "I lost my memory after the fight with Dracula. I wandered the world," he explained, "headed wherever I was needed. I didn't get my memories back until 2035."

Germain nodded. "I know, I saw that but I couldn't jump in and include myself yet." His gaze moved towards everyone else in the room. "But I can tell you now… if you're not successful in driving a wedge between Alucard and Camilla… just know that it won't be a good thing." Germain sighed in a wanton way. "You do know the union of Romania with Bukovina, in 1919, was my work. They even named the treaty after me. Aeon wasn't overly happy that my mission resulted in history naming the treaty after me directly but… he let it slide."

Justus sat up with a groan, hand to his head. Julius turned to his great nephew and knelt to one knee. "How you holding up, kiddo?"

"Uncle J., you're okay…"

"…Yeah, kid. I'm tough, remember?"

Justus looked up at everyone then back to Julius. In a quieter voice, he asked, "Who's the guy with the top hat?"

Julius lifted his voice, replying, "He's the guy that helped me find Jonny Morris as an old man. I got the Vampire Killer from the Morris family, and, with the help of the twins, Stella and Loretta Lecarde, I was able to tap into the whip's imprint of Richter Belmont and unlock its true potential." His expression turned stoic upon mentioning Eric Lecarde's twin daughters.

"What's wrong, Uncle J.?"

Germain put a hand on Julius' shoulder as the aged vampire hunter stood, slowly. He took his top hat off with his other gloved hand and told Justus, "Young man, the Lecarde Twins were in their seventies when they helped your uncle. They had to combine their abilities to unlock the true form of the Vampire Killer for your then-nineteen-year-old Uncle; their children didn't know how to perform the ritual. They were there to witness it. While Julius was unconscious, proving his worth to Richter's memory imprint inside of the whip, the twins were dying from using the last of their energy. The children were distraught, watching their parents die. Johnny Morris and his wife, Charlotte, watched in horror. Loretta's husband, who was eighty-one, died a week later after witnessing his wife pass. Everyone except Jonathan and Charlotte blamed Julius. He was inside the castle during the sisters' funeral, also misunderstood by the Lecarde family – they saw it as furthering the insult and were angry. Not everyone understood everything."

Germain changed his tone in an attempt to change the subject. "Did you know that Julius did something no other Belmont ever did?"

Justus frowned, coming to his feet with the help of his uncle. "You mean separate Dracula from his castle and defeat him for good?" He approached Molly and offered her a wordless hug, she returned the gesture, glad to see him although she appeared confused to see him in his human form.

Germain placed the top hat back upon his head. "No, Julius raised an ARMY and brought the entire group to Dracula's castle."

Julius smirked, looking back at the youthful Justus. "Unlike my family, and unlike the Lecarde family, there actually were people who thought I wasn't crazy. With Richter being the last Belmont to fight Dracula, he laid down the whip for good in 1799. It took two hundred years before another Belmont touched that whip. So, of course they thought I was crazy. It only took two hundred years for people to forget about our family lineage."

Justus relinquished the hug with Molly and said, "A company of soldiers?"

The old Belmont shook his head with a chuckle. "No, kid. A Batallion. A thousand soldiers. History forgot real quick. Even though I had the backing of Pope John Paul II, who provided me with a quarter of my soldiers, his successor, Benedict XVI covered it up. By Christmas of 2005, you couldn't even find information on the Great War of 1999 on the internet anymore. It was covered up by a lot of people and, when I lost my memory, no one even helped me to figure out what I'd done. Benedict ran the show differently. I was considered a crazy guy for a while. I spent six months in an asylum once. My own family members told their only son that their great Uncle was clearly insane."

Justus swallowed. "But they told me to have respect for you, despite labeling you as a 'crazy old man'. And I do or I wouldn't have come out here with you."

"Touché." Julius smiled. He turned to Molly and put his left hand beneath her chin, lifting her head to look at her face in the light. "So… you're a Florescu. How does it feel to be tied to history?"

"I don't feel very historical," she murmured. "I'm a bum. I make money by delivering illegal packages across the Romanian countryside. I'm no one special."

Julius chuckled and shook his head. "You don't even know, do you?" He waited but she didn't answer. His eyes lifted to Yoko then back to Molly. "Kid, you're a mortal relative of Vlad Tepes. You're great grandfather helped to start the Romanian Revolution of 1989, killing eleven hundred people to help overthrow the communist Romanian government. That was both good and bad. It provided just enough malice and conflict to start Dracula's return to the living by providing a lot of blood. A thousand dead people are more than enough. At the same time, it cleared the country a decade before Nostradamus' prediction that Dracula would rise to ultimate power leading up to the change of the Millennia in late 1999. The new government was all-too-happy to let me walk in there with a battalion of mercenaries and start a war… so if it wasn't for your great grandfather, I wouldn't have been allowed to march up to that castle with armed help. It was weird."

Sinopa sighed loud enough to catch everyone's attention. "Droning on about historical prattle isn't what I'm here to do." She turned to Molly and said. "We found you, we saved you from those things that were surrounding you. I understand that you're the keeper of The Diamond. I require it and will pay you twice what your hiring party would pay. You can easily tell them that you lost it when you became trapped in this castle. No one has to know. I wish to keep it from people like the beings in this castle. Once I have it, I will leave and keep it safe. Where is it?"

"It was taken. I ran into a man who had it. He was a little out of sorts… he said he 'didn't need it anymore' so he left it behind. I wish to find it… but if I find it first, I accept your offer of paying double. All the damn trouble it's brought… I'd be all too happy to know it's out of these walls. But you can't leave… there's fallout out there."

"That doesn't concern me," said Sinopa with a smirk.

"Let's help Miss Crevan find her diamond," said Soma. "If we all split up into groups, we can cover more of the castle in a shorter amount of time. The sooner we get that diamond out of here, the sooner we can figure out what to do about Alucard and Camilla. Once that's settled, we can all go home. I'm growing tired of this place. I thought I was done with it once and for all."

"We all feel that way," said Yoko with a nod of agreement. She approached the slightly younger man and hugged him. "It's good to see you again. Hammer is down in the courtyard with his van and the Turkish Prime Minister. I believe he also has Mister James Johnson with him."

Sinopa snorted. "The purgatory librarian? He's one of very few mortals to have been trapped in the chaotic realm by accident. He's been here since the eighteen hundreds."

Germain frowned. "I'll take Mister Johnson back to his correct time so that when he leaves here, he doesn't disturb the flow of time by accident. To be clear, is anyone else here from a time other than 2044?" No one replied. Germain smiled. "Good. I'll head for the courtyard. Does anyone else wish to accompany me?"

Yoko nodded. "Hammer is down there, protecting two people without backup. I'll go with you to ensure nothing else gets in or out of the main gates. I'll also monitor the strength of the magic seal protecting the castle. Should it fail, we'll all be sick with radiation poisoning. If it weakens, I'll be the first to know and will contact the rest of you. If we must, I'll create a barrier and get us away from the castle as a group. My 'umbrella' is only so powerful so… I'm talking about a last-ditch effort. If any of you need anything… supplies from Hammer or help from me, I'll be setting up my own 'shop' in the courtyard. Make sure you come by and what whatever it is that you need."

Julius announced, "The teleportation pads are working again. We saw four monk-like men performing some sort of incantation or ritual upstairs. If anyone crosses their path, becareful. They're powerful magic users. Get help immediately."

Giakanokus frowned. "They're casting a spell that would ultimately control the minds of Alucard and Camilla."

Germain nodded in reply to the man with the fabric face cover. "He's correct. Those men are priests who seek to revive an evil presence within the walls of this castle. Unlike ancestors of their order, these men are doing something a little more sinister than the founders of their dark order."

Julius eyed the time jumper. "Founders?"

"These men," said Germain, "Are modern day versions of Shaft, Barlowe and Rohan Krause. The order has no true name. Some refer to them as the Order of Shadows. They often renamed their order, as Barlowe did, calling it 'Ecclesia' and, at times, the order fooled its own followers to traverse dark roads without their knowledge."

Yoko tilted her head. "I've heard of Barlowe's name but don't know anything about him."

Giakanokus shrugged. "History is written by the winners. The Order of Ecclesia was lost to time. Barlowe was far madder than his predecessors, Rohan and Shaft. He sought to use his disciples to awaken Dracula and use a glyph of immense power to imprison Dracula and confine him so that he, himself, could become all-powerful. He got one of the disciples killed, a young man named Albus. The young man, post-humus, managed to merge his soul with the glyph so that his sister, Shanoa, could live. She never spoke of the incident. Very few know of it."

Silence. Finally, Justus said, "It's like you guys have your own little history that you keep to yourselves. I'm not sure I can follow all this stuff." He cut his eyes to Sinopa. "Let's just stop talking about it, like Miss Crevan asked." He licked his lips. "It was 'Crevan', right?"

"Yes, you are correct," said the kitsune. "We have a plan, everyone. Saint Germain will escort Yoko to the courtyard and take James Johnson from the castle. This place grows in power when innocent blood is spilled. One less innocent on the field means more of a chance of success for the rest of us. Giakanokus and I shall search for the diamond. Justus will go with us temporarily. Molly, here, is susceptible to Dracula's essence – a mere attack would be almost deadly to her, so she will go with us for protection. Once Justus transforms and is able to protect her, the four of us will split into two teams to cover more of the castle. Meanwhile, Julius should continue on to help us cover more surface area. I recommend that Soma Cruz accompany him. Having teams is critical to success."

"I can do it alone," said Julius.

Sinopa narrowed her eyes at Belmont. "You're a delightfully delicious male specimen but you're also stubborn as hell."

"Yeah, I am."

"Yes," Yoko agreed, "He is."

The kitsune sighed. "Jonathan and Charlotte, Stella and Loretta, Eric and John, Richter and Maria…" she paused for effect. "Trevor certainly knew the value of teamwork."

Yoko approached Julius. "Remember when you and I joined forces with Alucard and we stormed the castle in 2036?"

"We thought Soma had become Dracula at that point."

"Yes but we were a team." Yoko smiled weakly. "You can ensure that Soma doesn't run into any problems. Plus, we all know he's quite capable. The two of you would make a great team."

Julis glanced to Cruz, who shrugged in reply. Finally, Belmont nodded. "Fine, I'll take Soma with me." He turned towards Crevan and said, "If anything happens to my nephew, I'll be pissed off, you understand? I'd honestly rather he came with me."

Giakanokus chimed in. "As a familiar, I would like the opportunity to teach him about his gift. Once he's able to transform we can always switch teams. At that point, Soma can accompany me and you can fight alongside of your nephew. Whichever you prefer. I simply want to teach him about his lycan side."

"It's okay, Uncle J.," said Justus. "I'm a fast learner."

Julius nodded. "Okay, kid. If we're not out of here by the time you learn how to become an animal then I want to show you what being a Belmont is all about. Got it?"

"Even if we get out of here in the next hour, I know enough about the Belmont clan, now, to accept your tutelage. Someone has to pass on the whip. I'm finding out that I should probably have kids one day so I can pass it on."

Julius nodded towards Molly. "Don't have kids with her. She's extremely susceptible to harm from Dracula and his ilk. Mixing that sort of weakness into the Belmont bloodline would be very bad. We wouldn't be as proficient at doing our job."

Molly frowned, looking down. Justus sighed and shook his head. "Let's just… split up and find this Alucard guy. Okay?"

Julius turned to Soma then nodded towards the nearest door. "Come on, Dracula. Let's go find your 'son'." He left the room. Soma shook his head, offered nothing more to say and left after the aging Belmont.

Yoko shook her head as well and said, "Well… he's in a particularly FINE mood. And by fine I mean he's being a complete…"

"Jerk," murmured Justus.

"Asshole," said Molly in unison.

"Amusing," murmured Giakanokus a moment later. "He's a business man and this castle is his workspace. He feels like an upper-level manager who is now on some sort of timeline. He feels that his protégé may not be receiving 'proper' training from me and he doesn't like having to babysit another because he dispises his leadership abilities."

"Why?" asked Justus.

Giakanokus frowned. "He led a thousand men to Castle Dracula. He led a thousand men to their death. He felt like he failed them as a leader. So, when he came back in 2035, he fought alone. He survived. To him it was proof that he does better alone than he does in tandem with another. He doesn't want to be responsible for the death of others so he'd rather fight his battles without help." He turned towards Yoko and added, "Remember, a year later, when he left you at the castle gates? He only came back for your help when he realized that he couldn't get any further into the castle without the power of magic seals. Trust me, he wasn't happy to work with people other than himself. Anyhow, we've all reached an agreement on the plan. Let's execute it, shall we?"

Sinopa grinned. "You don't need to be here. Your reconnaissance is finished. Why stay?"

The masked gentleman smiled in a mysterious way. "Because you're cute, Miss Crevan."

She grinned in return. "Sinopa." She turned to Molly and Justus. "Come along, children. It's time for a fieldtrip through Dracula's citadel. Think of it as a scavenger hunt!" She opened a door opposite from the one that Julius and Soma used a moment prior.

Yoko turned to Germain. "Lead the way, sir." The couple left the hall in a different direction. Silence resumed in the corridor while the torches on the wall flickered softly, casting lively shadows throughout the area.

Alucard stepped from a patch of shade with a smirk. "Me? With Camilla? Interesting that they have time guardians helping them. Hmm…" His expression broadened to a smile. "And the hunt is on… This should prove quite interesting."

X

Hammer clenched his teeth together as the rapid muzzle discharge illuminated his face. Everything felt like it was happening in slow motion to him. Hyper focused, the ex-pat kept his hands steady on the weapon. He strafed to the left, trying to keep the weapon's focused spray pattern at hip-height.

The creatures in the doorway were pushing the bodies of their fallen comrades forward, using the fallen demons as a body shield. Hammer inhaled through his teeth and grumbled to himself. "Smart lil' bastards." He thumbed a switch on the handle; the ammo drum fell from the gun handle and bounced on the stone ground. Hammer pulled a fresh magazine from his belt and slapped it home with a satisfying click. He brought his left hand up, jerked back on the sliding mechanism and the gun began firing again.

Johnson looked up from his spot, cowering behind the Turkish Prime Minister. "I don't know what's scarier, that noise or those things coming through the door!"

"Just hold tight, I've got a lot of ammo!" shouted Hammer. He gritted his teeth again, laying into the horde as it advanced behind the wall of dying flesh, using the fallen pawns to continue forward. "This is nuts, man!" He reached his left hand back and withdrew the automatic shotgun slung over his shoulder. "The P90 didn't work, the M-16 isn't working…" he grumbled, dropping another high-capacity ammo drum to the pavement. "But maybe…" Hammer dropped the assault rifle and pulled up his Jackhammer shotgun. "…this might work!"

The shotgun roared to life, causing James Johnson to bring both hands to his ears and cower again. "Christ Almighty! It's a handheld CANNON!"

Buckshot pelted the creatures, splattering blood around the doorway. John Hammer kept his right hand tight on the handle while pushing his left fist into his satchel. He felt around for another ammo drum, but one with a glossy label on one side. He found it by feeling for the smooth textured sticker on the side then pulled it free. "I've got some white phosphorous rounds RIGHT HERE, you sons of bitches!"

He continued spraying buckshot erratically over the creatures in the doorframe. The buckshot that penetrated the body shield caused screams of pain but the enemies continued through the doorway behind their fallen brethren at an alarming rate. Once the last round fired from the gun, he ejected the drum and crammed the new one into place.

John took four steps forward and opened fire. Flames spewed from the re-tempered muzzle, engulfing the enemies and the doorway in white-hot flames. Buckshot loaded into the cartridges were vaporized before they could hit the targets, making the automatic shotgun resemble a flamethrower instead. The barrel of the weapon began to glow. Hammer let off the trigger and mumbled. "Don't want my baby's barrel to distort… can't have that, no sir." He watched almost gleefully as the creatures burned, stuck in the doorway.

All at once an explosion occurred, littering the courtyard in body parts. Hammer thrust his left fist into the air then jerked it back down, shouting, "YEAH!"

The fire seemed to burn itself out in a matter of seconds on the stone framework around the door. The wooden double doors were gone by this point. Stalking through the ashes and debris, Yoko Belnades had her left hand out and her famous scepter thrust forward, acting as a torch. It lit up the doorframe. A man in a top hat followed her into the area, remarking mostly to himself. "Impressive display of magic, madam. You're an arsonists dreamgirl."

Hammer blinked. "No, she's my dream girl!" He saw Yoko cut her eyes to her mate with confusion. Not wanting to come off as jealous, Hammer cleared his throat and in a friendly voice, said, "Hi dream girl!" to her, sounding almost jovial in a way. "Stealing my thunder again? I lit those things up… you had to go and blow'em apart, didn't you?"

Yoko smiled at his teasing and approached the tall dark-skinned man. "Germain, this is my betrothed. John Hammer." She redirected her voice towards Hammer and said, "This is a time guardian. It's difficult to explain but… he's here to help. He'll start by taking James Johnson back to his proper time, outside of the chaotic realm. We may see him again later on."

Germain grinned. "Or maybe I'll show up here from three directions in time and help myself help you guys." He tipped his hat to Hammer then added, "That could result in a Mobius strip with the cross section of a prism if I do say so myself."

"I'm a scientist and a witch. I'm afraid your …whatever you've just said… it goes over my head."

"No matter. I create paradoxes and I fix them. For now, it's time to fix one." He passed Hammer and stopped to look at the van in an appreciative way. "I love the future horseless carriages. They're just amazing technology." He peered around the corner at the Prime Minister and James Johnson. "Which one of you was born in the 1800's?"

Johnson looked up and rubbed the side of his head. "Aren't we all?"

Germain smiled brightly. "Sure!" He opened a golden portal and took James by the shoulder. "C'mon, chap! In ya' go!"

"Wait, where are we…?" James was thrust into the portal and Germain followed. It closed in on itself and disappeared.

The Prime Minister's eyes widened. He turned to Hammer for answers. "What just happened? Where is the little balding man?"

Yoko sighed. "It's a long story. We need to figure out how to get you out of this castle before someone drops another warhead on the seal. I don't want to be trapped in here any longer than I have to be." She turned back to Hammer. "I'm staying here with you, John. At least for a while. I've decided to set up a little magic shop; don't worry, though, there's no competition."

"Oh yeah? What'cha going to sell, sweetheart?"

She grinned. "Well, I'm working on taking a collection of souls given to me by Soma, some things I've found in the castle like Shiitake mushrooms and other things… and I'm going to start crafting spells and potions. I'll need a pot that can handle a cooking fire under it… I'll need something to contain a small fire and something that will burn slowly. I've got my work cut out for me if I intend to help everyone else."

"You're going to cook? I… I've never seen you cook anything."

Her grin disappeared. "Just because I don't make fancy food doesn't mean I don't know how to conjure potions and…" She stopped, looking exasperated for a moment. Belnades took a deep breath and frowned. "Sorry. There's nothing 'domestic' about me – I don't even own a house." Before Hammer could say anything, she turned away from him and walked into the adjacent stable to try and find supplies.

He turned towards the Turkish man and shrugged. "Women, huh?"

"Yes, my friend… Women can be very interesting and emotional. Perhaps she's bipolar?"

"Nah. She's just got a hard life out in the real world. She can go from happy to upset and back to civil or happy in a split second but… she holds grudges. The only bipolar person I ever knew couldn't hold grudges because they'd only be upset with someone until something good happened then they switched back to being pleasant like it was a button or something."

"I…" The worldly leader shook his head. "I'm sure that for many bipolar people in the world, holding grudges can go hand-in-hand. Are you sure she's okay?"

"Look, man, she's a great girl. She's just intense sometimes."

"Fair enough, Mister Hammer. Any woman that can wield fire, lightning and ice the way she does… I would agree, she is 'intense'. It's a bit intimidating to me."

John shrugged and picked up the M-16. He started reloading all his weapons. "You get used to it, bud."

X

Chapter -16-
"Back in Action"

Justus rubbed at the back of his neck, occasionally sliding his hands up through his hair to rub at where his 'ears' used to protrude. "If you're a 'fire' elemental," he said to Sinopa, "then how did you electrocute me?"

"Just because I have mastery over one element doesn't mean I don't practice other ones out of hobby." She glanced back at Justus, deadpanned then told him, "Elvis Presley played the guitar, the piano, and the drums… but he was famous for singing."

The teenager offered a weary nod. "Okay, I understand. You're a jack of all trades but a master at one."

A smirk tugged at the corner of her face. "Cute… but accurate." She glanced over at Molly and asked, "Did Julius insult you? You've been awfully quiet."

"I'm just along for the ride," she said with a sigh. "I really don't care what the old man says. I'm a loner and don't need to dabble into the whole 'bestiality' thing. That's not my speed."

Justus looked away with a frown. Sinopa also dropped the subject, returning her attention to Giakanokus. The two spoke amongst themselves quietly while Molly and Justus walked side-by-side several feet behind them. Bell quietly said to her, "I know I deserve that but, just to be clear, my uncle cured my father. Typically this curse is a dormant gene and only surfaces every few generations. I was just unlucky and got it right after dad – again, it's curable. We came to this country to gather stuff we'd need to make the cure."

"Sorry if I came off as harsh. I'm grateful you've helped me in the past and I'm sorry I shot you earlier… but for your uncle to assume that I would want to hook up with you… I mean, come on, we've only just met." She shook her head and changed topic. "How's the gunshot?"

"A lady named Yoko was able to patch me up and do some sort of healing thing. She sealed the wound and did some sort of magic trick." He lifted his shirt, showing her what looked like a gunshot wound that could have been several years old. "Looks like it happened when I was a kid or something but… that's the mark." He twisted at the hip and showed her the other mark on his back. "That's where it came out."

Molly rubbed her left temple. "This place just gets weirder and weirder… if people have that ability why can't doctors do it?"

"I wish I knew," said the ex-werewolf with a frown. "I was just getting used to being that thing, too. Honestly, I feel safer and more sure of myself when I change."

"Fair enough." She stuffed her right hand into her shoulder bag as if it were an enormous pocket. "Do you really think that lady can get me a lot of money?"

Justus chuckled. "Having seen all the stuff I've seen in the last day or two… yeah, I'm starting to believe it." He glanced back at her and nodded in a reassuring way. "I honestly believe she can get you serious money for your diamond."

"Good. I want to retire from being a freelance messenger girl. It's dangerous, it's cold in the wintertime and it's miserable. I could use the money."

"I could help you get started in England after all of this craziness stops."

She smiled slightly. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, everywhere is hiring right now. You're bilingual so you could easily find a good paying job. Employers pay extra for that depending on what they need you for."

"You make it sound nice." She lifted her eyes back to the two supernatural people in front. "I'm impressed and disgusted at the same time," she murmured with a nod towards Sinopa. The kitsune had her hands behind her back. She wiggled her fingertips, creating intricately designed flames in the shapes of everything from a flower to a butterfly. The dancing flames would rise up, take form then disappear again. However, the woman's posture was a grotesquely feminine one, looking as though she were completely enchanted by Giakanokus. "See how she's walking like that and has her hands behind her back and is appearing to hang onto every word he says? Yeah… girls don't do that stuff in real life. They do it to play with men's affections. Right now, he feels like he's got her wrapped around his finger but in truth… she's baiting him – I think she wants to have her way with him."

They watched the couple up ahead. Giakanokus opened his arms, gesturing in unison to his words while the two engaged in conversation. He opened his arms to express something of immense nature and she offered a faux swoon in reply. Justus had to agree it was a little strange, considering the two had just met. "He seems comfortable with her."

"He wants to get laid," Molly said. "He's a man, she's a woman who wants control and, most likely, she wants to get laid, too."

"Well, I see what you mean now. They're flirting pretty hard with one another."

Quite suddenly, Sinopa glanced over her shoulder and offered a knowing grin at the younger couple. She quickly returned her attention to the man with the half-mask over his nose. The look made both Justus and Molly feel awkward. Fields whispered to Justus, "Do you think she can hear us?"

"I was wondering the same thing," he murmured in return. "Don't let her bother you – she's just eye-candy."

"…Who can throw fireballs," said Molly with a frown. "I wonder what the other guy looks like without the noseband covering half of his face."

The castle shook, causing Justus to blink. The conversation was forgotten and he reached for the sword he'd purchased from Hammer earlier. "I hope that wasn't another bomb."

Giakanokus shook his head. "No, I think you'll find it's time to learn how to be yourself again, though."

Justus glanced at the now-quiet Molly then back up at the other couple. "You mean being a monster again?"

Sinopa turned about with a brilliant smile. "Oh, dear, a werewolf isn't a monster. A beast, perhaps, but not a 'monster'. However, the thing that just shook these walls? It must know we're passing through this vestibule, dear… mm, that creature certainly deserves the term, 'monster'. I was sort of hoping we wouldn't have disturbed it."

Molly clenched her jaw tightly. "Disturbed what …spit it out, lady… what did we disturb?"

Without warning the wall, further up the hall, shattered into chunks of stone, granite and basalt. The pieces were strewn across the floor followed by an ear-splitting roar. All four of them put their hands over their ears from the sonic sound. The roar became amplified as the creature neared the gaping hole in the wall down the hall – its shadow loomed forth, across the floor, just ahead. As its roar intensified, all four people were knocked to the ground. They continued to hold their ears for another moment until the long-winded cry concluded.

Justus sat up, half dizzy from the volume of the sound. "WHAT THE FU—" His exclamation was cut off by a snort that was louder than an airplane engine at takeoff. He mouthed a vituperative string of curse words but it went unheard by the creature's lumbering sounds.

"Bahamut," said Sinopa between loud breaths expelled by the creature around the corner. The shadow crawled across the floor then up along the facing wall. A behemoth bull-like creature lumbered through the opening in the crumbling section of the wall. It turned to the left, coming to face the quartet. Sinopa was the first to her feet. "If anyone has a weak stomach, you'd better turn-" Her words went unheard at the end from another loud noise that came from the creature.

The enormous horned bull continued into the hallway, dragging its lower body behind itself. Flesh and fur were rotting at the torso, displaying its ribcage. Behind it, the creature's entrails left a slimy trail, laden with maggots on the floor. Its lower spine dragged the ground, creating a scraping noise somewhat similar to fingernails on a chalkboard.

It stopped to look at them then expelled steamy hot air from its nose. Justus stood up, along with Molly and Giakanokus. The teenager shook his head slowly. "He's got to be almost two stories tall. What did this to him and why didn't they finish it?"

Molly ribbed Justus in his side. "You idiot, someone did kill it. Just like those zombies, things come back to life in this god-forsaken castle."

Justus couldn't think of anything to add. He put the sword back into its sheath and frowned. "How do we …? How do we fight that thing? Sinopa? Can you set it on fire?"

Creven glanced back at him over her shoulder, leering at the teen. "That thing is so rotted it's probably liable to torch itself if it rubs up against a chandelier – do you really want a two story undead fireball barreling down the hallway at us?"

A sigh. "Point taken," said Bell, unable to take his eyes off the enormous creature ahead of them. It didn't move, as if watching to see what its prey would do next. It huffed through its nose much like a bull. "How is this stuff even real?"

Giakanokus simply said, "It's mentioned in the Book of Job, 40:15-24. They described it as being more… aquatic… Then again, not every detail in the Bible is completely accurate; it was written by fallible mortal men."

Sinopa nodded in agreement. "Too true."

"I, uh… only go to church on the holidays," said Justus, adding, "Does the bible say how to kill this thing?"

"Of course not." The man with the noseband smiled somewhat then said, "It's time to teach you what being a were-beast is all about."

"You going to show me how it's done?"

Giakanokus chuckled. "I'm going to tell you how to get it done. Start by inducing pain. You might be in mortal danger but the transformation doesn't occur unless you perceive pain."

"How… do I manage to injure myself?"

"Anyway you wish," said the man. "Many clench their hands into fists because driving your fingernails into your palms will work quite well. Especially since you'll have paw pads grow in its place, which heals the wounds immediately."

"I'm not sure you should send in the newbie, here." Justus looked back at Molly then over towards Sinopa. They both remained quiet. He fidgeted nervously for a moment then sighed. "Okay, fine. If I can turn, I'll do it." He tightened his forearms and balled his fists up so hard that his fingernails began to make his palms bleed. The pain caused his heart rate to spike. The sensation caused his adrenaline to saturate his blood. The pain in his palms hurt like hell but then became forgotten over a fresh sensation of pain in his lower spine, his ankles, his jaw, the top of his head and joints. It was similar to what he'd been experiencing almost all week.

As Justus Bell watched the lumbering creature, he noticed it appeared more colorful to him. The entire world began to grow more vibrant – he could see color distinction better, unlike normal animals. Sound became muddled momentarily as his ear canals rerouted to the protruding triangles that poked through his hair. He felt his teeth shifting – it was like a dentist grinding a drill against his molars and front teeth.

He tried to stand tall and deal with the pain like a man but it wasn't something he was used to. As his ankles began to change, Bell dropped to the ground, hands and knees. He curled his tongue back, away from his teeth as fangs came in. His nose bled from the shifting of his sinus cavities; his nasal passages shifted and changed dramatically.

A groan escaped his throat but it shifted in mid moan to a guttural growl, sounding quite feral in nature. The pain in his lower spine became immense as the tail came in, forced to grow down into his left pant leg. The fabric became constricting around his arms and legs. His torso enlarged from a painful growth in his ribcage. The enlarging of his lungs initially left him feeling somewhat winded.

The crotch of his pants became painful from his enlarging hip, groin and the muscular thickening of his thighs. His knees and ankles caused an unpleasant cracking sound. His feet changed in shape, feeling as though he'd just been caned on his heels. The pants ripped, releasing some of the pressure. He drew in a deep, fresh breath of air and shouted in pain but the scream was foreign sounding… it was instead replaced by the howl of a wolf.

Molly brought her hands to her ears while Sinopa smiled brightly in satisfaction. Giakanokus folded his arms across his chest, watching the transformation with interest. His eyes remained stoic while focusing on Justus to monitor his transition.

Bell's pants split again in the back, allowing part of his tail to become free along the inseam. His palms no longer bled but his claws grew in from a rapid extension of his fingernails, causing the cuticles to become spotty with red droplets. As his muzzle formed, his gums bled lightly but it was enough for him to taste the salty, metallic liquid on his tongue. Saliva dribbled down over his now-fuzzy chin. The drool helped to wash away the taste of blood but it went forward, over his front teeth, dripping to the floor.

Hair on the back of his neck bristled up – the sensation was electrifying. But after a moment the sensation could be felt everywhere from head to toe. His shirt ripped at the shoulders, the sleeves and the down the back until it was in tatters. Another split in his pants caused the trousers to shred from the back belt loop all the way down his right leg. They remained intact around his ankles.

He reached for the floor, to try and stop the vertigo. The world was spinning around him briefly and he needed to grab onto something. Inadvertently, Justus drove his claws into the floor, leaving gouges in the stone surface.

The behemoth bull-like creature moved forward slowly, sniffing at the air to try and determine what was going on and why his prey looked vulnerable. Its head lowered, it scraped a hoof along the floor then, without further warning, it charged. Horns lowered, the bull headbutted Justus with incredible force. The British teenager was launched upwards, lodged into the wall about fifteen feet above the floor. He remained stuck within, motionless.

"Not a good time," said Sinopa to the other male. "You should have had him transform half an hour ago. Why now? It left him prone to attack."

"Just wait," said Giakanokus. He lifted his arms towards the women, guiding them to back up. "Give this thing some room – we need to protect the human girl."

Molly looked back down from where Justus was stuck in the wall and shouted, "I have a name, asshole! Are you just going to leave Justus stuck up there?"

Sinopa sighed and guided Molly back. "I admire your feisty spirit, girl, but you need to move back. Come, this way." She led Molly Fields across the room to the back corner of the hall, twenty-five feet from the behemoth bull.

Frustrated that Justus was hurt… or worse… she reached into her recently regain satchel, drew out her revolver and fired it. Both the kitsune vixen and the half-breed familiar put their hands over their ears. The round struck the bull in one of his eyes, causing her target to splatter. The bloody splash of crimson stained the bull's face. It bellowed in anger, throwing its head listlessly from left to right. The walls on either side were knocked down and a crack ran across the ceiling.

All at once, part of the ceiling collapsed, flattening the bull into the floor. A hole above made it easy to see into the room upstairs but a cloud of dust and debris rose up until it was difficult to see much of anything in the hallway.

The dust settled and the behemoth bull was motionless under the pile of stone pieces. Sinopa and Giakanokus looked on with a measure of surprise. "The bull dispatched itself," said the man quietly. He looked back up at the wall and frowned. "We have to get him out of there."

"You're welcome, Goddammit," grumbled Molly. She shoved the gun back in her back and shouted, "JUSTUS!" She blinked, hearing a soft groan from above. "He's not dead!"

"Neither is that thing," replied Sinopa. "I don't smell adrenaline anymore – I think he's dazed under all that rubble." She turned towards the pile and leaned towards it. Her five soft tails swished about behind the kitsune female as she focused on sensing its life energy. "It's conscious, for sure, but stunned. We don't have long to get Justus out of that wall." She turned back towards Bell and gestured with her hand towards Molly. "Stay back. That thing could snap out of it at any moment."

"Maybe it's being weighed down by the stone and debris."

Giakanokus shook his head. "Miss Fields, that 'thing' is all muscle and filled with undead motivation. Fazed, maybe… But being trapped is highly unlikely. We don't have much time." He turned back to face Justus and thrust his fingertips into the wall, scaling it calmly.

Sinopa frowned thoughtfully. "We're wasting time by toying with creatures like this bull…thing. The longer it takes, the less likely we are to find Tamamo-no-Mae's Sessho-seki."

Giakanokus continued up the wall then braced himself adjacent to where Justus was embedded within. "Sinopa, Hoji no longer haunts the Killing Stone. Genno managed to calm the spirit."

Sinopa narrowed her eyes. "I know that, dumbass. But an essence of power was left within that diamond. I require it to get it out of the mortal realm."

Molly threw her arms outwards. "Whatever the hell you two are talking about, who cares. Let's get Justus out of there and get the hell out of here!"

Crevan smiled. "Like the girl said, we should get the boy and leave before that thing…" The rubble began to shift as the creature grunted. Sinopa brought her palm to her face with a sigh of frustration. "Chikushoume." She balled her fists up with a frown. "Fuzakennayo," she added at the end, grumbling under her breath. Sinopa cleared her throat then, in a sweet voice, called up to Giakanokus. "Obviously, from up there you can see that our little friend is waking up from his all-too-brief nap. Let's go."

Giakanokus glanced over his shoulder then back at Justus. He was apparently holding a conversation with the newly transformed werewolf, which made Molly feel better, regardless of the creature starting to get up onto its two front hooves. The rubble continued to shift, falling away from the creature's body.

Sinopa ran her fingers back through her hair. Her small triangular fox ears lay back in her hair, a sign of her aggravation. She approached Molly, further down the hall and lifted her right palm. A thin wall of flames lifted from the floor, creating a barrier. She kept it thin so as to keep it from being too bright. It illuminated their faces but moved around the women in a protective way. Molly brought a hand up to protect her eyes from the heat emanating from the thin orange wall.

The behemoth pulled itself from the crumbling rubble then let out an angry bellow. It was loud enough to ripple the flame shield. The semi-forked hallway was coated in a fresh layer of dust that came from the remaining ceiling. Sinopa folded her arms, looking angry. "I wish he would hurry up. There's no reason he has to teach Justus how to fight with a creature like that."

"I think we're on the same page," said the other girl. "Miss Crevan, I hate to bring this up now but… since we have a moment to just stand here together… how do you plan on paying me?"

"In gold, obviously. Something you can change over to money. I don't carry paper money or credit cards, dear."

"I've heard that 'kitsune' use leaves, twigs and rocks than create an illusion of…"

Sinopa turned towards her. "First of all, it's not pronounced 'kit sue nay' young lady. It's pronounced, 'keets nay.' Two syllables. Kitsune," she repeated herself at the end, "Keets…nay. Got it? Good. Second of all, Lord Inari Daimyojin is the kami of fertility, rice, agriculture, foxes, industry and worldly success. Inari's kitsune are pure white and act as his messengers. Do you see me wearing a red votive bib? No. You damn well don't. For all you know, I could be a Kumiho, a Huli Jing, a Barguest… But let's just say, for the sake of argument, I'm actually Japanese under this human guise. Why do you think I would trick you? You're helping me to obtain something I need. Having it taken from me was an immense loss. Having your help in finding it is something my kind takes very seriously. We go out of our way to help those who help us."

"Is that the only reason you're here?" she asked, adding, "Miss Crevan, please understand that I'm not questioning your motives… I just don't understand them."

Sinopa glared through the flames, watching the bull come to its senses by shaking off the remaining debris from its body. "I came for my star ball. I met Julius Belmont and am trying to trick him into sleeping with me by telling him that the Belmont's power is waning and it needs to be infused with a fresh shot of supernatural power. Would I have his child? Sure, the Belmont line is a prestigious name in the ever-dwindling supernatural community. But now I'm eyeing him," she nodded up towards Giakanokus. "He's cute, he's strong and he's more personable than Julius. I like to converse with a man, not just lay down for him. I want a man who can engage my mind as much as my body. Julius isn't much of a talker. But, in the end, I want my diamond back. I'd chosen that one in 1999. It's an important diamond and I've made it mine for the last forty-some years. I want it back."

Molly offered a moue of disgust. "You're trying to sleep with two men?"

"Listen, mesuinu, I'm not some… some… shikima…" She trailed off, looking somewhat flustered. "…Yariman." Sinopa huffed, rolling her left wrist to try and gesture with her hand. "I'm not… some horny slut. The kitsune are a positive race of spirit messengers. We make faithful guardians, friends, lovers and wives. Trading information and culture ideas with the Chinese and the Koreans – that's where the kitsune got its negative attributes. We are playful and we toy with the rich and the greedy but trust me, when I give you gold… you'll feel the weight and take it to the bank and they'll give you real money for it. Are we now on the same page?"

"Sorry, it's just difficult for me to trust anyone because…" The bull broke into a sudden charge, causing both women to turn around. With a wave of Sinopa's hand, the flames parted like a curtain, allowing Molly to watch with wide eyes.

Quite suddenly, Justus leapt from the wall, leaving Giakanokus hanging up on the stone bulkhead alone. The full-blooded werewolf dove his claws into the enormous bull's skull. With nauseating ease, he ripped one of its long horns free then turned about and drove the entire horn through the bull's neck. It erupted from the creature's throat, spurting coagulated blood on the floor.

Justus hopped down onto the beast's back, took the horn still jutting up from the back of its neck then kicked the bloody horn so hard that it tore through the neck, causing the head to become detached from the body. The enormous head hit the ground, shifting from the weight of the one remaining horn. The body continued forward from momentum, tripping over its disconnected head. Justus leapt towards the wall and, like Giakanokus, drove his claws into the bricks, holding on. The bull slammed into another wall and dropped, motionless.

The body began to rapidly decompose, leaving a twisted leathery husk on the floor adjacent to a bloody skull. The organs, eyes and brain began to age at an accelerated rate as if entropy increased in an instant. The gnarled remains smoldered then, at the end of the seemingly melodramatic moment, a single wisp of steam fizzled up from the remains.

Sinopa removed the shield and Molly hurried out towards the werewolf, unable to tear her eyes from the dust and decay on the floor. "Did that thing just… melt then fizzle out?"

"I think so…" Justus turned to her, a frown tugging at his newly re-formed muzzle. "I'm a freak again."

She placed her palm on the side of his maw. "I'm sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I won't shoot you again."

"Heh." He pushed a fang against his lower lip then his eyes went to the floor. "I appreciate it. I should probably get some fresh clothes."

"Just wear something baggy next time." Molly lifted a finger, gesturing for him to wait then she went back to the curved wall where the werewolf had been thrown earlier. She knelt and picked up a sword in its sheath then carried it back to him. "Should I hold onto this? You won't need it anymore. At least not right now."

"True." He looked up, seeing Sinopa approach with clothing that looked his size. He quirked a brow in confusion. "How did…? Where did that come from?"

Creven rolled her eyes, glanced at Molly then said, "I'm sure these are probably just an illusion. It's really a fig leaf for you to hide your…" Her eyes lowered and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "That. So… enjoy your fig leaf." She draped the garb over his arm then walked back towards Giakanokus to check on him.

"What was that about?"

Molly shook her head with a sigh. "Nothing. I insulted her earlier. I'm curious though… I wonder where she got these from."

"It's a yukata," said Crevan from further down the hall. "It'll give you plenty of room to move around." She spoke with Giakanokus for a moment then returned to the younger couple. "He's okay."

Justus looked at the strange cotton attire for a moment then lifted his eyes back to her. "Does it look like what you're wearing?"

"No," said Crevan. She brought a finger to her neckline. "This is a Juban kimono." Her finger trailed downwards. "Montuki kimono." Her finger lowered further, "Haori himo, and the belt is the obi under the hakama." Her finger pointed to the floor. "Tabi socks and setta sandals." She brought her fingers back up to her sleeves. "The Montuki Haori jacket." Her fingers came up to her sternum. "Date-eri." She lifted her other hand, holding a small rectangular object then, with a flick of her wrist, opened a folding fan. She saw the confusion in his eyes. "This is a fan." And, to amuse herself, she fanned Justus' face. "See? A fan. You don't get one of these."

Giakanokus approached the group. "What she's not telling you of this wafuku is that she's in drag – this is how a man dresses." He gave the kitsune a pat on the shoulder and walked passed her. The glue in his 'mohawk' had been sweated away so that now the center section of his hair was lying to the left, giving a purely 'anime' feel. He looked up causing the other three to glance upwards.

At the far end of the hall, Soma Cruz and Julius Belmont entered the room. Julius narrowed his gaze, looking first at his re-transformed nephew. "It appears the way we took has circled back around." Belmont approached his nephew with a frown. "So… it finally happened again."

"Yeah," said Justus, hooking a thumb at the other man then bringing the folded cotton clothes back to cover himself. "Giakanokus helped me figure it out just in time to fight a… thing. Do these creatures even have names?"

"Everything has a name," said the man with the noseband.

Julius sidestepped to the man in all black. He quirked a brow. "What gives with your hair falling over? You in a Flock Of Seagulls cover band, kid?"

Giakanokus tilted his head. "Sorry, I'm not familiar with them."

"Eighties humor," came the concise reply. "No sign of Alucard yet." He nodded back to Soma then shifted with a side-nod towards the far end of the hallway. Julius climbed up over some of the rubble and continued over the pile with Soma hurrying to keep up with him. Belmont called back to the group, "Stay out of trouble, Justus. I don't need Tina Bell coming after me." He opened a door for Soma, gestured him through then followed, shutting the door behind himself.

Molly looked back at Justus, as did Giakanokus.

Sinopa shrugged. "That's the chattiest I've ever see him. He must be in a good mood."

"That other guy was awful quiet, though." Justus began to pull the remaining pieces of cloth from his ankles and wrists then he dressed himself in the simplistic Japanese robe. Sinopa had been right, it was comfortable and easy to wear considering his larger size and enlarged upper body, not to mention the tail. The robe kept the tail in check so it was stowed away. He turned towards the three and shrugged. "Well?"

"It's fine," said Crevan. She coiled her hands around Giakanokus' bicep and said, "He thinks so, too. You look fine, Justus."

Molly shrugged. "You look like you just got out of the tub."

Sinopa snorted. "Justus, dear, don't listen to the girl. Westerners have no concept of culture or taste anymore. It's not a bathrobe." She nodded to a door nearby. "Since Julius came from the east and headed west, let's change course and go north."

"Yeah, sure." Justus lifted the flowing sleeves, examining them for a moment. He shrugged and said, "Let's go kill something and find your diamond. I hope that Alucard guy is okay."

The kitsune shrugged. "I'm sure he's fine. Situations like this wouldn't happen if my Hoshi no Tama wasn't stolen from me in the first place. I understand it has history in this castle from before I initially obtained it… but it no longer has a place on this plane."

Molly sighed then said, "Lead the way." She waited until Giakanokus and Sinopa headed forth then she approached Justus, falling into step with him, and said, "Those two are weird."

"Yeah, I guess." The werewolf lifted his paws, gesturing to the strange clothing. "This has to be the weirdest thing I've ever warn."

"It fits well, though," said Molly, nodding firmly in agreement.

X

Julius and Soma came to a stop as they entered a large stone arena at the heart of the castle. Cruz frowned. "What's wrong?"

Julius snorted in disdain. He pointed to a dusty stone chair at the far end. "Richter Belmont sat right there working for the dark priest, Shaft. He was brainwashed into thinking he was the lord of the castle. He sat there, waiting to fight other humans to the death. That was several centuries ago but the story of it still disgusts me every time I think about it."

"How do you know so much about the details of this castle and your family's involvements?" Soma approached one of the crackling torches on the wall that was set up in a ring around the large arena.

"Knowledge and history make me better at my job."

"Aren't you working with Yoko for the church, now?"

Julius shrugged. "First and foremost, my job is this." He opened his arms, gesturing to the castle around them. "I'm a Belmont. I kill vampires, Soma. It's what I do." He kicked up a small amount of dust at the center of the arena. "Alucard fought Richter here. I don't know all the details but Alucard was triumphant."

"I thought the Belmonts couldn't be beat?"

"Remember nine years ago when you beat me? I didn't give it my all. Deep down, Richter probably didn't want to fight against Alucard; if a Belmont fights with heart..." He paused then frowned. "Well, that's not true either – Belmonts' have died doing this job. It's not exactly safe." Julius offered nothing more than a shrug. A sharp noise caused him to blink. Julius glanced around, seeing metal shutters slide down over the doors at either end of the small arena. The old man narrowed his gaze. "Get ready kid – something's going on."

A third voice joined the group. "I fought Richter right here," came the aloof tone of Alucard. "It wasn't pretty but he lived." He offered a nod towards Soma. "And my one-time father… the two of you, huh? Working together. Impressive."

"Cut the chitchat. First of all, where's the diamond at?" asked Belmont.

"I left it behind – I no longer need it," said the vampire with a roll of his shoulders. "And what are you boys doing in my neck of the woods, hmm?"

Soma looked back at Julius and whispered, "Something's different about him."

Julius spoke loud and clear in reply to Soma, not caring to hide his conversation. "Yeah, something's different alright. This is either a doppelganger of Alucard or he inadvertently touched the damn diamond. He's not the same person right now."

The dhampire snorted in disdain. "I'm starting to see things clearly. After over six hundred years I am finally getting it."

Cruz tilted his head. "Get what? We're all on the same side, here."

"There are no sides," said Alucard. "You're trespassing on my property – willed to me by my father. Simply leave and I'll be pleased. And to be clear, I did touch that diamond. I touched it in unison to Camilla."

"Don't you remember us?" asked Soma.

"Of course I do," said the silvery-haired eternal youth. "But the reincarnated soul of my father is now in a weak-hearted body. And my father's greatest nemesis is now an old man. I have a fresh out look on things now. Did you both know that humans kill my mother and my father? What are they worth? Nothing. I have no desire to wage war against all of humanity but I have no problems waging war with those who are trespassing in my domain."

"If you're going to act like this," said Julius, "Then you really should return to torpor."

"Forgive me, Julius Belmont. You won't be putting me there."

"He's not some slouch," said Soma. "Julius is a…"

Alucard waved a hand in a dismissive fashion. "…Old man, put out to pasture. He lost to you, and it was your first time even holding weapons. Yes, I know, he let you win. Whatever. Even if he beat you, you've not been in combat training for nearly seven hundred years. Dracula is dead; the Belmont clansmen now have no reason to take up arms, you see? The circle is complete. It's time to begin a new story without the same good guys and the same bad guys. But before that happens, it's time for everyone here to leave my home. I will give you some time to comply. If you're still here when I decide that time is up… we'll take this situation to the next level."

The body of Alucard began a rapid morph, changing into a sizable bat. It screeched then flapped its wings, leaving through a small window in the ceiling. Once he was gone, the metal shutters began to lift. One of them got stuck in its track; the other disappeared completely from the doorway.

Soma frowned. "Now what? Honestly, he doesn't seem all that evil… just a bit of a dick."

"He's not in his right mind," said Julius with a frown. "Apparently he didn't receive the full essence of his father from contact with that diamond. I'm curious as to how Camilla will act when she shows up. Either way, if he was imbued with the hate of Dracula, Alucard would have attacked us just now."

"What does it mean that he's just asked us to leave instead?"

"That it hasn't corrupted him to the point where he's pure evil. However, it has messed with his head. It will probably have messed with Camilla's head. If those two are allowed to have progeny, then you'll see a being that rivals the original Dracula. We can't allow that."

"So, now what, Julius?"

"C'mon kid. Let's keep moving. First thing's first – we gotta find the diamond and give it to Sinopa so she can get it out of this castle. The sooner the better. I don't want that thing falling into the wrong hands."

"This is all so strange." Soma sighed then said, "I hope Hammer is okay. Anyway, let's keep moving then. Twenty-four hours is plenty of time if we work together."

Julius nodded wordlessly to the monologue then offered a side-nod towards one of the entrances and left, leading Cruz through it. "C'mon, kiddo."

X

N/A: YAY! Lol Okay… so - long update, because it's two combined, yeah?
So anyhow, I'm going to finish the final chapter of Sly Cooper: Dawn of Progeny then I'll come back and add more to this story. Thanks for reading!

I called the update "DOUBLEPACK" because I was playing the GBA doublepack with Aria of Sorrow and Harmony of Dissonance. To me, the name made sense. xD