Castlevania: Aria of the Ascending Soul
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
Beta By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
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Long and large, the hallway had fewer doors on the left and right. Alcoves of statues and seats lined the walls with movie and theater posters. They were full sized posters revealing movies from through out the years not just recent releases. The fact that there were 'theater' ones was a curious sight as it would have implied that there was a stage with actors... Or maybe it was some type of movie version of that too? Who knew, when the Castle was making such grandiose alterations to itself? Off to one side was even a small stand with what appeared to be a self sustaining popcorn machine!
"Julius!" Grant called out cheerfully as he floated towards the Belmont, his eyes scanning and noting only Yoko's presence. "Where..." Then he took note of the posters lining the walls and slowed to a stop as he began studying them. 'There's a theater in the castle!? What new take on madness...'
The pair watched as Grant distractedly gestured for the two others who had been with them and their expressions got mutually grim. As Julius moodily stroked his short neat beard Yoko answered in his stead.
"Soma passed out and Alucard is looking after him."
"I don't want any further sass about keeping hostages. I, at least, have the decency not to turn them into Dark Children or monsters intentionally."
It was the 'intentionally' that made Yoko snerk in response even as Eric blinked in confusion at the statement.
"Do you not realize how serious the situation is?" Eric began, but part of the force that would have been in his voice quickly faded.
"Very," Alucard answered... And there was nothing further that came from the man. Instead he turned his attention to the door and allowed an awkward silence to follow him in passing.
"I'll see if I can get the Castle to adjust a few things..." Soma offered as he closed his eyes, his attention clearly turned inward.
"Again?" Yoko replied with a slightly concerned frown as she glanced at Julius.
The older hunter looked just as concerned, as he began smoothing down his already straight beard further. Thus giving him the appearance that he was pulling the corners of his mouth further down than he was. While the pair watched as Soma suddenly dropped to one knee and placed his hand on the cold stone of the floor.
When the Morris' had asked for the light to be increased Soma had just stood in silence. His focus clearly turned inward. Despite the warm fire in the fireplace, or the other creature comforts that the room afforded them... Yoko began to feel cold herself before it focused into her stomach as Julius knelt down next to the reincarnated Dark Lord. He placed his hand on Soma's shoulder, and Yoko could hear the soft words of concern from the older man.
"I need... Its all I can do..." Soma answered, his voice exhausted before he fell over.
"Soma!" alarmed and more worried than ever Yoko rushed over, dropping down to check on Soma. The reincarnated Dark Lords' pulse was weak, but present, his skin was barely warm at all as she looked up at Julius. "He's got a pulse, steady though not strong..."
Alucard had already moved to her side, his presence towering and silent, not even a whisper of wind. "He's over taxed himself."
It was all the dhampire said before he gathered up Soma and carried his reincarnated father over to a plush lounging couch. In the room it had been placed before the fireplace leaving the fabric comfortably warm for those needing to warm up on a chill night. Rich, warm brown wooden framework with a soft maroon fabric, it held Soma while the three of them were left conversing out of concern.
"Yesh, sounds like you lot have had a time of it yourself," Grant acknowledged with a shake of his head. "Wish I had better news to give you... but I haven't. Was traveling about when I managed to run into the two heads of these 'ere cults. And one of them went and sealed up the library. Seems they're trying to break into the Master Chambers before young Soma gets there..."
"Meanwhile, from what we were told, Sam's group ran into a cult member who got turned into a monster... then turned 'back' into a human. Only with all the powers of a monster or Dark Child. We don't really know how, Alucard said it was possible, but we don't know much else beyond that." Julius explained stoically. "He has the servants keeping surveillance for any other groups of humans being used as bait or hostages. At least in rooms 'with' these changed cultists."
"But with both Soma and Alucard on the same page, Alucard could be serving as a proxy Lord of the Castle now." Yoko noted aloud as she stood there, folding her arms across her chest as her thoughts focused on the Library. "Why seal the library? Did they mention anything? I mean trying to break into the Master Chambers makes all the sense, but the library?"
"Its a repository of books spanning the globe through out the ages given what Richter had written about it." Julius explained, "there's bound to be something in there we can use... and he even said there is a Master Librarian." The older hunter gave a slightly grimace of a smile, "Granted he doesn't help hunters, but if we were to go there on behalf of the 'Lord and Prince' of the Castle..."
"Aye, though it was the man who did the sealing, the woman had already left..." Grant added a passing feeling that it needed to be said, as he tossed his head back towards where he came from. "Yer saying something is going on down below too?"
"Yes, Grant can you enter the Library?" Yoko asked, 'Wait, if Alucard can hop from here to his estate then Simon and the other hunters could...' but would it be a good idea to try and get them? All she could mentally envision was the poor hunters trying to so much as attack one cultist and getting punted for their effort. 'Maybe I'll tell them about this when I get back...'
"I tried but, no, lass. Whatever is in there is stuck there until the rooms are unsealed," Grant reported. Meanwhile an adult maid and a young boy dressed in servants attire entered the hallway, walking in their direction. It was strange to see the upper floors devoid of any demonic entities. "But I'll be going to let Al know about the library. Might as well serve as a messenger for everyone."
"Unless you end up in a room that gets sealed as well," Yoko teased, before her lips twisted at the thought... "Wait..."
"Point taken..." Grant replied while earning a small sound from Julius.
"Jonathan told me about a vampire who did such a thing. A painter by trade, he had sealed up various parts of the castle using them..." Julius recalled before bringing his focus onto Grant fully. "Was the seal you saw a painting?"
"I didn't get to see it being placed. I was listening, not watching while in a wall," Grant explained. "But if they be sealing the castle our kin will be trapped in those areas..."
"Along with us possibly, from what I recall they had to transverse paintings to unseal the Castle. But if you didn't see an enchanted painting around the door of the library," Julius pointed out as he dove into the memory of that tale. Sure Jonathan 'was' roaming around the castle, but if he was sealed in an area it would be pointless. "Let as many of our fellow hunters know that the areas are being sealed."
"Oh and pray that we don't end up with Soma being forced to go it alone," Yoko added. "Not in the state of decline he's going into. Al probably wouldn't mind going to the Master Chambers alone so long as Soma was looked after though sooo."
"Aye..." Grant agreed with a nod and a sigh, Grant floated off with only a backwards wave as he went looking for the grumpy Dhampire. While the two living hunters were left to reassess what they should do with the servants, a maid and a page by the sight of it, walking into ear shot.
"Hello! Would it be ok if you helped us out with a question or two?" Yoko called, waving a cheery hand at the pair and, to her own surprise, received a cheerful wave back!
"Yes?" the adult maid replied, nudging her companion into a more professional stance.
"Well we know there's an active battle down below, but has there been any other new deaths since then in the castle?" Yoko asked for which the lead Maid nodded in answer.
"Damn it..." Julius growled into his beard. "So I suppose they're being converted by the Castle?"
His angry question was answered by the maid nodding and holding her hand out to the young boy at her side. Earning horrified eyebrow raises from the two hunters who turned their attention to the 'new employee'. The boy had brown hair that was typical for a child of his age, the corners of his mouth held lines the way puppets did. His clothes were that of a page of sorts, though the material looked modern in cut and weave.
With a neutral expression he looked up at the adults expectantly with a very faint clatter sound as though blocks of wood were being struck. If no one looked him in the eye, he appeared no different than any other child really. But the now that their focus was solely on him they could see the slight jerkiness to his movements. A puppet on invisible strings.
"Hey kid... First day on the job?" Yoko asked, with a pained smile on her face.
The boy rotated his head to look up at her before answering, "Yes ma'am!" yet his voice held so much life and energy it was hard to believe he was a mere puppet now.
"What brings you down here? The other maids seem to have cleaning well in hand," Julius asked the maid who turned to face him.
"We've been assigned to attend to our Lord and Master," she replied.
"ooooh..." Yoko replied glancing at the maid, were it just her, there wouldn't have been a problem. But Yoko couldn't help but feel a bit wary about how Soma would react if he woke up to see a newly changed 'child' trying to 'attend' to him... "You might want to warn Soma before introducing him to the child..."
"Is there a problem?" the maid asked, her voice clipped slightly in annoyance. The corners of her mouth became pinched to express the disapproval that couldn't extend to the woman's eyes. While the child at her side started to look disappointed.
"Look, the Lord of the Castle is 'not' going to be thrilled knowing that the people here are being 'killed'. I get that its too late, and its probably a high honor to serve him, but there are bad people in the Castle. Bad people hurting..." Yoko began to flounder as the small boy looked up at her.
"Its ok, I don't mind being like this. Mommy and daddy are here too! Mommy's gone to the kitchens and daddy's in the garden..."
"I know son," Julius answered moving forward so he could place his strong, weathered hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. Under the sturdy uniform, Julius could feel the solid presence of a wooden shoulder. A little closer to the arm and he wondered if he would feel the ball and socket joint needed for a puppet. "But your... Your masters are good people who won't take well knowing that you and your family are... well in this situation."
"Well let the nice maid here do the introductions ok? Wouldn't want the Master to get upset that these cultists have gotten away with so much. Not in his state..." Yoko suggested, fighting back the bile that rose in her throat. The cult had already begun killing more people and here was a 'family'?
"A cult? Were they why we were brought here?" The boy asked earning a nod from the blond witch. "Oh... You know this place is fun! The zombies were a bit scary at first, but everyone was super helpful and nice! I-I thought it was a funny park thing. You know, like during Halloween..." The boy carried on, his eyes blinked, a soft but clear clacking sound as wood hit wood. While his voice began to waver, emotions starting to filter in that weren't there when he began speaking.
"Well we know the Lord of the Castle, he's a nice guy. He's in college at the moment so he's not really back into the groove of having servants. I doubt he would be hard on you! So don't worry! I'm sure you'll do a fine job!" Yoko explained, struggling to sound encouraging when she wanted to cry.
The boy lost the evolving sad droop to his frame and returned to a more happier posture. He started to dash down the hallway when the maid gave a disapproving squeak, "Wait for me Charles!"
Julius took a step back to give the maid a straight path to the small boy before lowering his head. He could hear Yoko choke a bit where she was standing. He wanted to send her away but he couldn't afford to lose what living help he had.
There was a gulping sob off to one of the alcoves in the hallway they were in, it was soft and slightly muffled. A sound easily lost had there been more living people making noise, but with only the two hunters... With a shared glance the pair moved towards the sound before suddenly a growing familiar blond haired head poked out of a wall.
"I'm sorry, its just..." Annette began as she wiped away at what would have been tears. Had she still been alive. But seeing a child like this...The memories of her time in the Castle, the way that influenced and began to change her. If not for Richter and Maria, she had no idea what she would have been turned into. And the boy 'already' had changed.
"Its ok, Annette. We're just as stunned as you," Julius admitted before looking around, 'is there anyone else here?'
"What are you doing here anyway?" Yoko asked, earning a trite expression from her fellow blond. The woman looked down before giving a slight tilt of the head towards the room on her left. "Soo there was a wall telling a story and I, um... got distracted."
It was so realistic and normal that it allowed Yoko to give a small giggle in reaction. A moment of levity to buoy the sadness of seeing Charles.
"Yes, it just ended and I floated out of the room when I heard your conversation... I confess I'm completely baffled by it as well. When I was here, it took much longer than what they've been exposed to, for the slow impulse to change to start." She explained, recalling those dark and terrifying hours when she had been a prisoner in the Castle.
"True, while Grant was actively turned into a troll by Dracula and Sophia was turned by a cyclops..." Julius mused aloud as her words brought to mind those bits of historical facts. His tone shifted to hold a bit more optimism, "perhaps some of the people will have a chance to survive after all."
"Julius?" Annette asked politely.
"If they weren't killed, only transformed. We just need to defeat whatever transformed them..." Julius explained even as he crossed his arms in annoyance. "But that will only help the living who have been turned. Those who have been directly killed are lost to us all together."
The woman nodded as Julius sighed, then quickly gave Annette her new marching orders. Sending the blond off to find as many of the spirits she could and alert them of the seals going up around the castle. While also getting as much of a head count as she could, in case some of them already 'had' been locked up.
"We only really need the Library and the Master Chambers don't we?" Yoko commented as she watched Annette float away. "With the library being as expansive as it is, its bound to have something that can help us."
"Yes, and if we can get Soma to the Master..." Julius cut himself off with a frown before he went back to stroking his beard. "Or perhaps we're too late, Soma didn't handle the past two orders to the castle at all well. I doubt he's of any real use to us regarding the cult. Though I find it interesting and worrisome that half of them would opt to seal the Castle away... Sounds like they're not as fully unified as they would want any of us to believe."
"Huh why do you say that Uncle?" Yoko asked as the older man resumed their original walk.
"Because humans with dark powers aren't as strong as possible candidates for Dark Lord. Someone strong enough on their own to seal away any part of the castle can't possibly be human. The 'Fathers' group were the ones that mostly turned into monsters from what we were told. Yet he retained his humanity? Either he's like what the others are facing down below, and he changed into an empowered human. Or he was never human to start with."
"I see your point... So I guess its a three way dance in the Castle?" Yoko suggested with a half smile. "Ok, well I'm not my mom but maybe this time you'll let me help!"
Julius nodded as they started to approach the doors leading out of the long passage, unsure of what they would find beyond this set of doors. Humans in hiding? Humans turned into monsters?