Castlevania: Aria of the Ascending Soul

Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix

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Passing through the gates of the Vatican was as different as night and day for Julius. When he was younger, arriving for his appointment with the then Pope, the Vatican had felt... like any other building. Given the reputation as 'the' epicenter of holy presence, he had expected to feel.. something... maybe it was because he was ascending the height of his power to face Dracula?

Returning now and the fissures and pressure in the space was coming from all sides, he didn't see the undead. But he could see what was possibly thralls among normal, honest priests. All the while it was obscured, so much so he couldn't tell which was which.

And that bothered him. Leon's roar made the thralls eyes change, but he couldn't just lash out at every single person and expect them all to be a thrall.

Frustrating all in all.

Both for him and Yoko, who lived here.

For Yoko everything felt perfectly normal. Everything in its place, nothing to warn her senses that there were Thralls or possible vampires on the grounds. No one was approaching them, more concerned about helping those who had missed the event at the gates.

"Rescue the civilians of course but how many are in the Vatican? There are a large number of the children already out but, who is still trapped inside?" Yoko asked, mostly to herself. A sound that she recognized and found comfort in while the rest of her world was skewed in such odd shapes.

"And do not know they are 'trapped'," Leon agreed, his voice came out a rumble as he looked about. "I feel that my presence would be counter productive, given what I am. However; to change back I must be allowed to take a small nap."

"So you don't stay this way?" Julius glanced down at the large regal lion, the pun was so painfully obvious he wasn't sure how he could continue standing there and talk to Leon.

"No, rather I will revert back to that small form again, the same as all our kin now who were exposed to Mathias' little... spell cast." Leon explained as he began studying the windows of the Vatican that he could see. "As invasive as rats I see," many of the windows had people looking out. A strange thing for a person to do in a situation like this. In a panic as the city was, it was the duty of these people of the cloth to give succor. Yet there were those still idling their time away watching the world burn around them.

"Which means we have our targets," Julius agreed.

"Do you need to know how to get to the Vault?" Yoko asked even as she lowered her voice. "If His former Holiness, Dionysus is there..." She began, but couldn't find the words. 'If the Pope who blessed your trip to the castle and got turned is now there?' No, no and no again. It was sloppy and thoughtless and Yoko had learned not to do 'that' when she let Soma's dark nature slip.

"Won't you get..." Julius began but it felt stupid to ask such a thing.

"As much as you may wish to go, the needs of the living exceed the needs of the dead and unde.." Leon pointed out even as he caught himself. "If the path to this 'vault' or entry does require proper hands, I'll go seek out the children. From how it was explained to me, the children have seen Richter transform. Given my ability to speak, they should not be too alarmed at my presence." Leon offered, his tail twitching a bit.

"Nice biblical 'lion lying down with the sheep' image," Yoko agreed, while Leon pulled away from them and began approaching the church.

There really wasn't any time for them to discuss plans anymore so with Leon's abrupt departure the pair were left to also enter the Vatican. "Be safe!" she called out, for which Leons' tail gave a rather overly dramatic swish... perhaps his effort of answering without words. With his roar hopefully the children would be safe with him while they found Pope Alexander.

"We're not getting a map, are we?" Yoko asked helplessly as she looked up at the Vatican only to bemoan as unshead tears started to blur her vision. "I screwed up again..."

"No." Julius countered abruptly, "we've discussed this. Whatever happened here predates you 'or me' so don't assume that you should have magically been aware." Vampire Killer was... confused? "I don't know if Alucard is even aware of this, I never did try to find out when his first trip to the Vatican even happened. Whoever did this was clearly playing a long game."

Thus a vampire.

"Sister Yoko!" Priests began to spill out of the front of the Vatican, hands grasping blankets, towels or for reality to stabilize. Black robes and modest belts akimbo in some cases, they fell to their knees before pair in tears. "Sister Yoko, the Pope has, he's been captured by our brothers and sisters! What is going on?"

Julius remained silent as he observed the priests eyes and wondered how many, if any, were thralls.

All young priests, no one above 25 among them, their began to babble about the events of the day.

Morning prayers were not exactly 'disrupted'. The same number filled into the pews and no one thought nothing off it. Prayers were recited, and upon departure to begin their duties it... was just off. Brothers and Sisters were missing among the milling groups, it was not uncommon for small groups to break off and enter into conversation or discourse. But who were these strangers joining in?

Brother Felipe, with his almost endearing struggle with Latin, was with a head cold and stayed in. So who was this man, who took his spot in their group? He called himself 'Brother Felipe' and he looked like Brother Felipe, but his Latin was impeccable!

"I've been listening to recordings on the internet! I go to sleep listening to it and its helped me improve," 'Brother Felipe' explained.

And yet...

… And yet...

Lunch was made for children as always, but Sister Maggie, among the oldest, was not at her station. Instead she was found sobbing in the gardens and rumors were spreading that the Sisters in the kitchen spoke cruel words to her. Literally chased her out for being 'too old and in the way'!

The Cherub choir taking off was another incident, with backpacks stuffed with something they charged out of the Vatican with a single minded determination! They ignored their elders, squirmed and struggled until they were out the gates.

Several Fathers said the boys had 'stolen' from the offering plates again!?

Which the group had heard about the boys doing that years go. But that was a while back and that was to get the Snuggy a new outfit. They knew it was wrong and now did things the proper way with earning money not stealing! Someone claimed the boys stole one of the chalices even!

Not all the boys were with them, those that had stayed behind had been taken to the one of the offices. In order to 'discuss' what their fellows had done...

Brother Andrew had heard the boys start screaming, begging, crying... then silence...

Finding the Pope was the most logical choice.

They needed his wisdom, and authority to get the Vatican back under control...

So who were those men guarding the doors to the Popes office? Why were to Cardinals being led in... in chains?

"Then the fires outside the walls erupted. Sister! What is going on?" Andrew asked, as he realized no one was running to the Vatican for safety... But it 'was' safe... wasn't it?

"Get out of the Vatican, someone has infiltrated the Vatican and begun turning the clergy against us! We'll deal with the problem." She instructed, and her stomach rolled with that realization.

"If you hear a lion roar, he's with us, and make sure to check the eyes of anyone around you. Anything less than human needs to be avoided at all cost," Julius added.

"Eyes?" Fredrick asked, his cross was clutched so tightly in his hand that it was starting to pierce skin.

"I heard the lion roar, we saw it enter the Church..."

"Then run, just get out of the Church and help those outside until we get this under control." Yoko reiterated before the small group of priests nodded and departed from the building.

"I'll go get the Pope, Yoko you know the priests here better than I," Julius began and Yoko nodded without another word.

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"Reba?" Jane briskly called out as she knocked on the door. Her voice backed by the blasts of energy coming from Francine and that one hunter with the spear.

"You need to help us get Reba out of the guest quarters," this one spirit insisted, floating above so she was safe in her web on the wall. He wore remembered leathers and had this, clearly compensating for something, sized sword strapped to his back.

"Why should I?" Jane asked, as she glanced around, there were several other spirits and no living people among them. She tested the threads of her web, waiting for the vibrations that would reassure her that her former fellows were ok... and waiting...

"That man, 'Michael'? He isn't who he posed to be, he turned on your fellow members and killed just about everyone."

Jane's back back really back, foot began rubbing at her web more intensely as she sat. Disinterest? Yeah, apathy for her fellows obsessions? Yep. That's what she told herself as she sat in her web feeling the chill of the air and indulging in her new experiences with her transformations. She told herself that they didn't matter anymore.

Even believed it for a time...

But now?

"Ok?" She asked unsure of where this was going and unsure of what she should do.

"You know about Francine and Reba..." the spirit began but she shook her head.

"I know Reba was always just the sweet pet type. Everyone appreciated her kindness and sweet personality, but I didn't have much interaction beyond our gathering here because of her health." Jane corrected before began to push herself to her feet.

"Well they were sisters in their past life," A woman noted and got Janes' attention before she began walking down the wall to the ground. "And he's sealed them up in the servants quarters before leaving. Maybe before or after killing the vast majority of other cultists on his way out. But we need information from them and they might be more willing to listen to you... After all you are a surviving member of the same cult."

Jane balked for a moment before looking at the old fashioned dressed women and men before resuming her walk. "Sisters... Why would he kill the others though?"

"We don't know, however; we know that he was Francine and Reba's father in their past life. Their deaths caused him to turn into a vampire and he probably locked them up to protect them. Which feels weird unless he's about to do something massive that could put bulls eyes on their backs." This french maid looking woman added.

"He was a vampire? Oh that's rich..." Jane finally reached the ground and looked about. 'I should find Reba... check on the others, what's left of them at least...' she mused to herself.

"Reba! I need to talk to you!" Jane called out again as she knocked on the door. It wasn't the servants quarters, but she had seen the young girl rushing out and arrive on her own path to the building.

"You're not a hunter are you?" Reba asked timidly, the question causing Jane to look down at herself in amusement.

"I'm one of Celia Fortners followers, though yeah half of me is a hunter now... if I would ever lower myself to eating a fly." Jane joked as she extended one furry foot just to examine.

At the top of her vision she saw the door open a crack.

"Oh you 'are' one of us," with that Reba opened the door fully. Her eyes were puffy, but she didn't look as though she had been harmed. "A man came saying we needed to go with him, he said Father Michael killed the rest of our order. Francine got angry and they started fighting..."

Jane pursed her lips in a disappointed sigh as she stood there, "I hate to tell you this Reba... but..." She tilted her head to the side slightly and shrugged helplessly.

"What?! How... When... I can't believe that! He's always been so good to us!" Reba replied in distress as her gaze moved to skirt Jane's fuzzy spider body to find the signs of Francines' fight.

"Reba. Do you want to live here? In the castle?" Jane asked lowering herself to the ground so she was laying there.

The young woman blinked up at her and her gaze turned inward in introspection. "I do like it here, the servants are super nice and I don't have the same health issues. But, we're not the owners of the castle are we? Why would anyone let us stay like squatters?"

Jane nodded, "we have that in common, if I had a choice to get my human body back to normal and live outside or stay here. I'm staying here. Which is why we should go, you need the castles' owners to grant you permission."

"But... but I can't do anything... I only just started learning to cook! What can I possibly offer to stay here?!" Reba tore at her brain for any talent or skill that would make her a viable person. The stories of the castle spoke how the Dark Children were able to fight to defend it... But she didn't even have a skill...

"That's fine, I'm sure we can learn something, I mean he has zombie 'cooks'. Like they don't have flecks of their own dead skin falling in the foo-," Jane was suddenly cut off by a very irate voice.

"I will have you know!" A clipped British voice began as a zombie maid began rising from the ground, her outraged expression and bluster beginning when Jane...

Placed a furry spider foot on the zombies' head and pressed 'down'.

"Reba, I realize your body betrayed you. But you can't give up on yourself, if there's a chance for us here, we have to take it. That's what we decided when we made the choice to come here. Its the same thing, if we want to stay, clearly our leaders couldn't pull off what they thought they could. So all we can do is hope that the owners are merciful." Jane pointed out, her voice only lightly reproachful, more out of a need to motivate the young girl. Reba was so sheltered, and Dracula had such a 'reputation', as it were, after his reincarnation.

It was always understood that he showed mercy to those who showed loyalty to him, so the callous way that Soma could just execute a supporter was... well...

'Maybe bringing Reba to Dracula isn't a great idea after all..'

Reba mulled over the idea for a bit, wincing at the large explosions even as the zombie returned at just enough distance. As the nice lady and the maid began having a rather loud discourse on 'no the maids were NOT savages and took all precautions to not spill their rotting flesh into the food' against Janes' scorn...

She finally closed the door and crept past the arguing women and slipped away. 'What can I do? What can I offer to get Dracula to let me live here? I... I could clean, but the maids have that covered... I can't fight... I don't even have an ability...What do I tell my parents?!'

There was a painting in the hallway she entered with a hot guy with white hair was visible. He was looking down as though he was watching her. His coat had a soft fur collar and was long and pristine white while a golden field of wheat grew behind him with a loan tree in the distance while the sun was frozen in a setting place. Given the nature of the castle she didn't even question when the painting wavered and the guy ended up sitting on the ground. But he never stopped looking at her, his head tilted a bit to the side as though he was listening...