He was fine now.

The past three and a half years had been a little rough; first the sudden loss of his mother through corrupt church officials, then having to kill his father to save humanity from his vengeance. Soon afterwards, his very first friends parted ways with him to continue the fight against the remnants of his father's night army. This was quickly topped with betrayals from supposed friends he made in his friends' departure and having to prevent another catastrophe involving his late parents. It was tough for him to say the least.

But his friends ultimately returned, and he ended up acquiring an entire village in their absence. They were people who relied on him, and who he could turn to for support as well. People he could trust and be trusted.

Alucard was home again.

Nothing was without its challenges, though. The headwoman had been preoccupying his thoughts lately for he had come to love her since she arrived. A natural-born leader with a fiery spirit, she was unafraid to seek out his help and spoke freely of her thinking. The Roma woman who saw through his insecurities and dared him to see himself in a better light.

Greta of Dănești was her name: the beacon of courage and compassion for Belmont Village. And she loved Alucard too for all he was.

They had been courting for some time, but he was afraid of what was next. Gathering the courage to ask for marriage was one thing, the prospect of getting rejected was another. He was also uncertain whether Greta wanted children or not as it was never brought up. Would they be a vampire-human cross like him or entirely human? Could he even reproduce as a dhampir?

Questions like this made this half-vampire wish his father was still here. As flawed as Vlad Dracula Țepeș was, ending him left a considerable gap of knowledge that Alucard could not fill in. Vast collections of texts, manuscripts, and artefacts had been destroyed or rendered unusable by the battles fought within the castle. The main priorities now, besides developing the village, were to stabilise the castle and the underground hold above it to delay further deterioration.

Collapse was inevitable, Alucard conceded. The hold could withstand only so much of the castle's massive weight before giving in. It was a shame given the castle's most impressive architecture and its advanced engineering mechanisms were unlike anything he had ever seen. Greta found the design rather ugly but for him it was everything: the place where he was born and raised for all his life. It was a part of him.

His musings on all this were interrupted when a rather stout boy suddenly burst into the room, all ruddied and breathless. It was once his father's study but now converted to an office of his own to hear disputes. As the population of Belmont grew, Alucard began helping Greta out by taking on any issues villagers had that were beyond her scope of knowledge. The headwoman knew the people best obviously, but he was familiar with the surroundings and the contents of the castle and hold.

Sitting at his desk, the prince waited patiently for the unexpected visitor to catch his breath and speak, placing his quill back into the inkwell.

"What is it, Manfri?" Alucard asked calmly. The boy had a tendency to enter without knocking at times, but Alucard usually went easy; only reminding him to knock next time. He had lately been good at remembering it until now.

"T-two people… in hoods… here…" Manfri was still bent over struggling with his breaths as Alucard furrowed his brow in concern.

"Where? And does Greta know about this?"

Having finally caught his breath, the boy brought himself back up. "The centre! I saw them coming in west near the centre square!"

He shifted his eyes around a bit before continuing. "But they're in the hallway now. I brought them to you because they were asking for you," Manfri admitted.

"Is that so?" Alucard questioned.

The boy nodded his head.

"Very well. Bring them in and let Greta know."

As Manfri turned to fetch the two mysterious hooded figures, Alucard gently reminded him again to knock before entering next time.

While awaiting their arrival, Alucard kept an eye on where his sword rested behind the desk before rising from his chair as the boy ushered the figures into the study and quickly closed the door.

They were wearing tattered cloaks, and the left one was significantly taller compared to the right one, the dhampir noted. Perhaps they were a speaker tribe separate from Sypha's, he thought.

"Can I help you with something?"

Grasping the hood with both hands, the smaller one brought it down slowly to reveal a woman with fair hair and light blue eyes.

An exact replica of his dead mother.

Assuming the two to be sorcerers in disguise, Alucard's sword glided in the air to the neck of the "woman", the tip just inches away from piercing the skin.

"How dare you vile creatures take the form of my parents! Have you come to in hopes of defeating me by making a mockery of my losses?" he spat.

There was a sadness in the eyes of the "woman" as she looked down at the blade. "That sword has been in my family for generations."

The voice and accent sounded exactly like his mother's. But it would take more than looks and sound to convince Alucard.

"Say something in your native tongue," he commanded, narrowing his eyes.

"Etwas," the smaller figure said.

Ah, the cheeky reply despite the danger was like his mother's as well. Alucard would know since his insults could be quite colourful thanks to her. Concentration faltering, the sword began to shake as it pointed to the larger figure who had yet to remove their hood or speak.

"Have you nothing to say to me? Or have you no proof of being my father?"

Tentatively, the larger hooded figure uncovered their head to show a perfect visage of his late father.

"Hello, Adrian," he spoke softly. The same voice as his father, too.

Alucard scoffed at hearing his birth name. "I've had traitors who used that name to get close. Do better than that."

The "man" sighed as he took pause, bringing a hand to his chest before continuing. "Do you remember the night we ran with wild abandon as wolves and gazed at the night sky?"

"I may know something about that, but I need to hear more," Alucard pressed, feigning ignorance.

"You had been trying to sneak out of the castle before this because you wanted to do something new with the powers you've recently learnt. Your mother here told you to make the most of every moment because it wasn't always going to be like this."

A sad smile appeared on the "man's" face. "You said you had fun, but you also felt bad that she didn't see the beauty of how the stars looked that night."

Alucard blinked away tears at the memory as he recalled it. "I-I didn't really understand what my mother was telling me at the time. I just wanted to do something different for once instead of being in the castle almost all the time."

"And you got to do so. I've held on to that memory fondly as it was an experience we both ended up needing," the "man" replied.

The floating sword suddenly fell with a clatter, its owner rushing to hold and feel the face of his father. It was slightly lukewarm from being outside in the afternoon sun. Alucard went over to touch his mother.

Warmth. She was hot from the sun like any living person would be.

Alucard was now certain his parents had truly come back from the dead and found their way home. With this, his legs gave out, caught by both parents as he sobbed into their cloaks.

"It's alright… we're here," Lisa soothed, tears brimming in her eyes.

Vlad was in no better state as clear ones rolled down onto their son's head. All he could say was "My boy…" over and over.

The three of them held on to each other for a few moments until Alucard's breathing evened out. He fully stood up, facing his mother and father. "How… H-how did you get here?" Alucard hiccupped.

His parents told him what little they could recall of their resurrection along with the adventures that entailed in the years since. For him, this evoked the memory of the Belmont that was saved from certain death by a portal that was opened around the same time of their return.

"The Infinity Corridor," Alucard breathed out, now putting together how his mother and father were able to come back.

The atmosphere within the room quickly turned sombre after he had spoken. "Are you certain of this?" Vlad questioned darkly. He clearly knew of the gateway given his disturbed look, so Alucard carefully explained the conspiracy devised by humans and vampires alike to bring him and Lisa back to the world as a vessel of destruction and how it was thwarted.

Or so it seemed at the time.

"You told me it was nothing but a fairytale," Alucard tilted his head as he addressed his father.

"It is black magic, something I didn't think you should be concerned about… but now you've seen its power and the consequences," Vlad lowered his head sadly. "It is most unfortunate this is how things turned out to be."

Throughout his explanation, Alucard had observed the expressions on his mother change from confusion to horror as she came to fully understand how she and his father were alive again.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have sprung this upon you when we've just reunited. It's neither yours nor father's fault this happened." he apologised.

"No," Lisa said sternly. "The moment we realised we were back, we resolved ourselves to make the most of our lives from then on. We had a second chance without knowing why and we weren't going to waste it. Which is why—"

A knock at the study door cut the conversation short, the family turning their heads to it. "It's Greta. Everything alright?"

"Shit," Alucard muttered, bringing a palm to his face. He had completely forgotten that he told the boy from earlier to notify the village leader. Regardless, she would have come driven by the sense of new powerful magic.

This was going to be interesting.

"One moment, please," he told his parents, who nodded understandably. Alucard steeled himself before carefully opening the door a crack to keep Greta from catching sight of his mother and father.

She was standing there with a slightly concerned look as he slipped through the crack to join her out in the hallway and quickly closed the door. That was when he took notice of the resident speaker beside her.

"Sypha?" Alucard questioned in confusion.

The village leader waved a hand. "I had a hunch something was up, so I brought her along for some support. Now… tell us what's going on," she narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"Um…" he shifted uneasily, the dreaded moment of explaining now upon him. "Do you remember what happened nearly three years ago?"

The two women stared at him incredulously at what he was asking. "Well, why wouldn't we?" Sypha responded with near laughter.

"And how Trevor seemed to have come back from the dead because of—" Alucard continued.

"—Just get to the point already, Alucard," Greta spoke abruptly.

He signalled with his head towards the door. "My parents… they've returned."

"What? Are you serious?!" Sypha exclaimed. "I thought we destroyed the rebis!"

"The rebis was made from various parts of men and women alike so when it was split, the halves must've reformed separately. We've seen already that whatever goes into the Infinity Corridor doesn't necessarily go back to the original location. Or that's my theory at least," Alucard explained.

"Guess that explains the power I've been sensing from behind you and why it was best to bring Sypha," Greta concluded.

"Too bad Trevor couldn't come along. He would've had the most priceless reaction," Alucard failed to hide his smirk at the thought of the Belmont being completely dumbfounded at seeing his father back again.

Sypha shrugged. "That's how it is. Besides, I don't think he'll be too bummed to have missed out on this. He seems to prefer taking care of Sonia over monster hunting."

"Well then, no time like the present to get this over with," he was about to open the door when Greta jumped in.

"Wait, are your parents even aware of what happened?"

"I may or may not have told them about it," Alucard looked away abashed.

"Isn't that a bit much after seeing them for the first time in years?" Sypha objected.

"I didn't mean to blurt it out so suddenly. It just happened," he defended.

Alucard led the two women into the study where his mother and father were waiting. After the brief introductions were made, an awkward silence hung within the room. He was certain he could feel the vibrations of the minute and second hands of his desk clock. So heavy was the stillness that Alucard wondered if he could cast himself to disappear just to escape from this situation without notice. It was also of no help that his father instantly recognised Sypha from their previous encounter and appeared to be rather uncomfortable with her presence.

After what seemed like an eternity, Sypha broke the silence. "So, Alucard here told us you're a pretty remarkable woman. You taught him how to hunt, cook, and even fence!"

"Did he now?"

Lisa seemed to have been taken aback at the sudden acknowledgement. She turned slightly to face Alucard who looked away in embarrassment, garnering a few laughs.

"He also talked about you often too," Sypha spoke quietly after the laughter died down, staring straight at Vlad.

"I don't believe what I've done to him can really be compared to what my wife has done for him," he remarked sadly.

"Perhaps not everything you did was good, but you were still an important influence in his life. Not only that, but you also taught your wife how to be a doctor so she could help people. I think that says a lot."

Vlad's eyes lingered on the scars on Sypha's arm. She took notice of this, turning her arm towards him so he could have a better look. "My proof that I endured my hardships. That I took you on and survived. I was taught by my people to never hold grudges because they will consume you. Even so, I don't hold this against you."

He lifted his eyes from the scars. "You, my son, and the Belmont were worthy adversaries. I may not have seen it at the time, but I commend you all for your courage and strength to stop me. Speaking of which, where is he? Your husband?"

Sypha gave a tiny smile. "Taking care of our daughter. He couldn't make it for this momentous occasion, so we'll brag all about it to him later."

Alucard covered his mouth with a hand trying to muffle a snigger in response to what Sypha said. She playfully kicked him in the shin while Greta pretended to look annoyed at the antics, hiding a smirk of her own.

Aloud, Lisa happily noted the camaraderie between her son and the two women, relieved that he had made such close friends despite the earlier tragedies and whatever else he had been through in their absence.

Greta agreed with this but took this as an opportunity to spring the question of why Lisa and Vlad had come back to the castle three years after being resurrected.

They explained the closure their son needed to have in the wake of their deaths and having to learn how to carry on with life without them. They resolved to return when they felt it was the appropriate time to do so.

"But you didn't just come back for him, did you?" Greta pointed out.

Indeed, Lisa and Vlad did not just come back solely for their son. But to make amends and start the process of rebuilding what Vlad had destroyed in his grief-stricken rage against humanity after Lisa had been killed.

The castle and the village now surrounding it were the beginning step.

Vlad placed a hand on a nearby wall, shutting his eyes in concentration to get a feel of the damage his creation had taken on. It was extensive, and he concurred with Alucard that the underground hold was the most urgent matter to prevent collapse and ruin the emerging village round it.

But it could be done.

As for damaged and destroyed items in his collection, he could replicate and provide them to any villagers willing to learn of the knowledge here in the castle. It was the right thing to do, Vlad thought. However, he still asked the headwoman if she would allow him to help after the hurt and pain he had previously caused.

"For centuries, this land had been subjugated by the oppressive force of the Church here. It too has caused us and many others suffering," Greta said, as she considered Vlad's offer. "I will allow you to do what's necessary for my people on the condition you can swear you will never raise your hand again in violence."

Vlad firmly took the hand she extended to him, sealing what was to be an unbreakable and strong bond between them.

Nevertheless, there was still the remaining issue of whether to let the village know of the return of Alucard's parents or to have them conceal their identities for the time being. No guarantee could be given that the villagers would immediately accept knowing the once fearsome Dracula was here and willing to help them. But no one could also think of a way to explain Vlad working on the hold and the castle on his own if anyone were to question it.

The difficult decision was made to reveal the resurrection of Vlad and Lisa gradually to the village of Belmont. It was to be a subtle announcement and would have to rely on the fact that Greta had approved of their presence in the village.

Trevor was the first to be given this knowledge, providing Alucard and Sypha with the reaction they had hoped for when they and Greta told him. He sarcastically lamented the missed opportunity to see Vlad Dracula Țepeș back in the flesh as Sonia babbled in his arms, a lovely blend of her parents' features.

In the weeks that followed, Vlad began his meticulous work of repairing and stabilising the castle and the Belmont repository while Lisa took up teaching the villagers the science that Vlad had once taught her long ago. By the time word of their return trickled down, most villagers were only just weary of Vlad, having seen the intricacies of his craftsmanship and devotion to the cause.

Alucard, in the meanwhile, had grown distant from his parents after the initial joy of their reunion died down. A lot had happened in three and a half years, and he could tell his mother and his father had changed since. So did he but it was still a struggle to reconnect again despite his love for them. Alucard decided he was going to let this go on for a few more weeks until Greta talked to him privately one night to have him reach out to them now instead of later.

And so the next day, Alucard reluctantly sought out his father, believing he would be the most challenging to talk to given their complicated history. He found Vlad sitting under a tree close to where many of the villagers fished, observing their movements. As Alucard came up to him, he appeared to be momentarily shocked before making space for them both to sit by each other.

They stayed silent for a few minutes when Vlad spoke. "You've created quite a lovely village. Here, with the castle and with good, hardworking people who are eager to learn. A place to pass on and share knowledge. You've done well."

His son kept his eyes on the river in front of them as the words spilt out. "The father I once knew as a boy is gone."

His father nodded slowly, his voice quiet and reflective. "Yes, I suppose so."

Alucard bent a knee up while chuckling slightly. "Maybe not entirely gone. You haven't quite lost that air of solemnness you carry at times. Even up until…"

"…I cannot undo what's been done. To you, or to these villagers and beyond. I can repair the castle and replicate the artefacts within, but not the lives lost or the suffering I've brought upon. I cannot heal the wounds caused by my actions alone. This is my lasting legacy."

Alucard looked at him from the corners of his eyes. When his father attacked him in their argument after Lisa's death, he was unsure how he felt at first. There was definite surprise and hurt, but Alucard eventually came to accept Vlad had died that day when his mother did because it was so unlike him. He clutched his chest where the scar his father had given him from the attack lay underneath his clothes. "Time has made some of those wounds scar over, but I missed your guidance in my darkest times," Alucard went on as he looked at the ground between them. "Mother's as well."

Vlad gazed down with hurt in his eyes at the spot his son was staring at. "I'm sorry. I've failed you both."

It was something like a cross of a scoff and a laugh that came out of Alucard. "Vampires don't admit fault, nor do they willingly intermingle with others. That's something humans would do."

His father lifted a hand in the air, smirking as he watched the sunlight wash over it. "Well, I don't think I've ever been an ordinary vampire, have I?"

"No, but not like this. For as long as I've been around, you were always somewhat reluctant to talk to people or step out of the castle. Mother had to often get involved to make you do something and now she doesn't have to anymore."

Vlad now had to laugh himself. "The world's not so simple anymore."

Alucard finally turned to look at his father. "It's good the castle's back in your hands. For all of my knowledge and abilities, I wouldn't have been able to save it or the repository below. I'm not as powerful as you."

His father quickly grasped a hand of his, speaking with desperation. Vlad would not dare to hear his son talk of himself like this when he was much more capable than he realised. He may be Vlad's flesh and blood, but he was nothing like his father despite being called Alucard by others.

"You're Adrian, and you're a better man than your own father. I will teach you how the castle works so that you'll be able to run it," Vlad patted Alucard's hand. "It's yours now."

His son shook his head, unable to accept the gift being bestowed upon him. But Vlad still insisted. Alucard had made far better use of the castle than Vlad would have ever in his life. He expressed to his son to let it remain serving as a refuge that shares its knowledge with those willing.

"There are changes coming," Vlad said. "I've seen them on my travels. The knowledge that's been lost is being rediscovered and put to use again. A 'rebirth', as it's being called. You'll help lead this village and the land to this so that they can have a better future."

Alucard had no words to say to this but wanted to give Vlad something back. Something that he could not reciprocate the night he had to kill his father.

He returned the embrace his father tried to give him then.

Initially, Vlad could not process what was happening, completely stiff as his son's arms wrapped around him. It hit him when he felt the weight of the embrace, raising his arms to complete the gesture.

"If you're going to cry, please do it over my shoulder instead of my head. I won't forgive you for that if you get my hair wet again with your tears," Alucard jokingly threatened.

"I won't," his father assured him. "Now tell me about the headwoman, Greta. I've seen how you look and talk to her. I know it all too well."

They talked of how Alucard came to know Greta and fall in love with her. When the topic of marriage came up, Alucard began to go on an odd tangent on children and the reproductive abilities of dhampirs. Confused at first by the derailment, Vlad tried to gently nudge his son back on topic, only for him to forcefully say he just needed more time to work up the courage to ask her. Vlad frowned, seeing the underlying problem in his son's hesitation.

Alucard was afraid to live again.

Even though he had been able to overcome many challenges without his parents and had the support of friends and his courtly love, his son still could not fully open himself. It was understandable given how he had been thrust suddenly with Lisa's death and having to kill his own father. Back when he was a boy, Lisa tried so hard to have him be prepared for her eventual natural death, but it could never account for things like this. It was hurting Vlad to see their son being tortured by his demons.

"You must tell Greta about this. Because if you don't and you keep on making her wait like this until you think you're ready to do so, you'll end up losing her in a far worse way. Regret from inaction is a very heavy burden for anyone to bear, mortal or immortal," Vlad told him sternly.

Alucard looked down for a moment in contemplation. He wanted to feel insulted that the ancient wisdom and intuition of his father could still tear away to the very heart of an issue with ease, forcing him to confront what he thought had been locked away. But there was an irony to it since he was once able to make his father face the harsh truth of his desires in their last battle.

Just like old times.

"You're right. I can't keep doing this. Tonight, I'll ask Greta. I'll show her I can do this," Alucard said.

Vlad smirked, pride lifting his tone. "That's my boy. Now if you'll excuse me, I must get back to the repository."

With that, father and son went their way into the village. It was now past midday and Alucard managed to catch his mother ending her lesson with the villagers for a break in a makeshift laboratory she had set up within the confines of the castle. Pleasantly surprised by the unexpected visit, Lisa greeted him as Adrian before correcting herself, still not used to saying Alucard.

Alucard simply smiled, unbothered and rather pleased to hear his parents still call him Adrian, the name they had given him twenty-two years ago. He apologised for having been distant for the past few weeks while he sorted his feelings out about having her and Vlad back in his life again.

Lisa accepted the apology, understanding what her son was going through. She confessed to him about having needed the time to brush up on her medical knowledge as she had not practised for quite some time.

It was still a shock to Alucard to know that his parents had been living as fishers in an English village since their resurrection. His mother, in particular, had always been so passionate about being a doctor and making a difference in the lives she could help. Instead, she had been contributing to that community in a different way than he could ever have imagined her doing.

Believe it or not, Lisa told him, she too had flaws she wanted to work on. She fought so hard to see the world through a scientific mindset throughout her life even when she found Vlad and had Alucard with him. It was this stubbornness in her views Lisa had realised that made her fail in engaging in more constructive dialogue with the clergymen who accused her of witchcraft—thus leading to her being ultimately executed by the Church. She now wanted to appreciate and accept the things in life that could not be explained.

Alucard chuckled as he thought of how he and his parents had truly changed in three and a half years.

And for the better.

"Now Greta, she reminds me of when I was younger. I can see why you are drawn to her. She'll be a wonderful daughter-in-law," Lisa teased.

Alucard groaned, slightly embarrassed. "Mother."

His mother only grinned in response before moving on. "Have you talked to your father yet? He's been wanting to talk to you about some things."

Her son nodded. "He's giving me the castle even though you've both returned home. Unless…" he gazed straight into Lisa's eyes. "Are you not planning to stay?"

"We're staying here for as long as the village needs us."

Alucard looked down. "And what if I still need you both?"

Lisa gave a sad smile. "You already know the answer to that."

"And what if I don't?" he spoke softly.

His mother sighed heavily, taking his hands. "You've already come so far without us. Look around you, this village is here because of what you and Greta have done! We're both so proud of you, your father and I."

She promised him they would not be gone forever after the work here was done. Once they had done what they could for the places that were affected by Vlad's vengeance, they would return home to stay for good.

Her son squeezed her hands, thanking her. He left Lisa shortly afterwards to let her resume teaching while he headed back to his study for the day. When sunset came, Alucard visited Greta to ask for her hand in marriage. They sat with the warm glow of electric lights and talked for hours about everything. He then proposed, taking a deep breath before doing so.

"I almost thought this day wouldn't come. I would've asked instead, but this wasn't something I could push onto you for once after what you've been through. I accept," Greta said.

They shared a tender kiss together, now finally betrothed.

By late summer, Alucard and Greta were wedded in a beautiful ceremony within the village. A few tears were shed by the many who witnessed it. Some of those tears were surprisingly by Trevor, who was showing more emotion than he did for his own wedding. Sypha would have tried to make him not hear the end of this were she not sobbing uncontrollably herself.

Lisa and Vlad, on the other hand, reacted with what was more in line for a wedding. They proudly beamed through their tears and clapped their hands as their son kissed his wife. A banquet was held afterwards in the castle with wine provided from the last of Vlad's collection and the combined harvest of the villagers.

Toasts were made and drank to the married couple, with Sypha noticeably refraining from the act of drinking. Trevor looked at her bewildered before she excused herself, appearing suddenly nauseous. She returned later on when the other festivities had begun, pulling Trevor aside and whispering. Alucard and Greta could see from where they were the change in Trevor's face as he processed what Sypha was telling him—from concern to surprise to joy at last. Trevor drew his wife into his arms while the newlyweds glanced at each other, moving on to let him and Sypha have their moment together.

When the time came for dance, Alucard saw his father step out onto an empty balcony nearby with his mother following suit. He could not help eyeing from time to time where his parents had gone until Greta tapped him, telling him to go to them. Alucard insisted on remaining, not wanting to leave her alone on their special day. She reassured him that she would be fine as she believed there were some congratulations she had to make for their friends, watching Trevor and Sypha making their way towards them.

Alucard relented, planting a kiss on Greta's cheek. His hand slowly slipped away from hers as he went to join his parents on the balcony they were on. They were resting together on the balustrades, staring at the last ray of light disappearing beneath the horizon. Seeing their son, they separated to give him room to settle between them. He rested with each parent by his side, taking in the beauty of the land.

"Is everything alright?" Alucard asked with slight concern.

"Yes, we were just getting some fresh air and reminiscing about the times before you were born. We'll be back inside soon," Lisa replied.

Her son whistled through his nose. "I remember hearing once that your wedding got a little crazy. Arefu really had quite the character back when we lived close to that village."

Vlad chimed in, putting a claw to his temple. "Thankfully, we don't have to worry about a horse crashing through this one. Some events are best held inside as your mother and I had to learn on our wedding day."

"I think a little crazy is an understatement for how our special day went," Lisa smiled amusingly.

They all laughed heartily at this, enjoying the moment together. Alucard spoke after, reflecting as the twilight set upon the clear sky and the evening star came out.

He had forgotten how to find peace and not feel alone after their deaths, he admitted to his parents. Alucard had grasped at anything to have some semblance of their presence in his life again, which led to some bad choices on his behalf. It was not until helping out Greta and reuniting with Trevor and Sypha that he could look up again and see the stars, remembering that everything was connected to up there. Though he had seen his parents' souls get dragged out of Hell and sent back into the Infinity Corridor by Trevor, Alucard still felt in a way that parts of them had made it back to the stars, unaware at that time they had been brought back to life far away from here.

Regardless now, he knew they would always be together in some form, no matter what.

"You're with me," Alucard took the hands from his parents. "Whether it's in the people you've touched, my heart, or the stars, you'll be there for me. Always."

Lisa and Vlad leaned their heads into Alucard, together as a family.

As the twilight vanished before the three of them, a sea of stars began to shine brilliantly amongst the darkening sky—a reminder illuminating of the origins, becomings, and eventual fates of all things.

And as they gazed upward at the heavens, they saw the tales of those past on and the makings of the new ones.

For they were a part of something far greater than themselves and even long after this time together like this had gone, their tale would live on through the lives of those who came after.

Until all returned whence it came to the stars above.

-The End-


If you're reading this, you made it to the end. Congrats!

But seriously, thanks for reading this, it means a lot. This fic is really special to me and it's one that I've poured literal tears into because of this. I hope you found this story to be somewhat moving. Otherwise, I tried my best.