Aria of the Ascending Soul

Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix

Beta By: Me...

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Reaching the top of the stairs to the Shrine was a practice in self control as Kazu looked from left to right taking in the sight of the shrine. His body had stiffened and his amazement was instantly picked up on by both Trevor and Soma.

Leaning over as though to give some casual comment Soma asked, "tell me straight doc, can it be saved?"

It was enough to break Kazu of his intense shock as he casually shoved Soma back while the girls reached the top of the steps.

"Welp we're here so I need to go rescue Leon from the fate of being a super model lion..." Soma announced as he continued on towards the living areas of the shrine. Mina and the two Lolitas took off after him, the tranquil air of the shrine shattered with cries of 'No! He needs clothes!' and other declarations of what Leon needed. Soma started off at a brisk walk and was quickly accelerating into an out right run.

Which was great because it took all the focus from Kazu and allowed him to stand there and take in the complete and utter chaos of this place. From one end to the other of the shrine everything looked perfectly normal. Despite the cords he had seen from the distance or the cords he had walked through up the stairway. All of it gave him the impression that some great dragon or beast would be at the top of the shrine. Looming over all of it like some supernatural abomination ready to snatch up every innocent life to devour.

Yet here they were with air punctured with seemingly endless portals that spewed out the same thick bloody red threads that he saw on his way here. The natural spirits of the area moved with timid trepidation, avoiding all the cords they saw. While from the corner of his eye he saw a flash of gold and deep purple on his left, causing him to look towards at the portals, each in turn. Was it the lady that Sophia had mentioned before?

Kazu began walking along the grounds, when suddenly Trevor shoved his muzzle out of the bag again. "I don't like this."

"Thank you Mr. Sunshine." Kazu automatically responded, as he moved about from one portal to another. The sensation of aggressive, almost primal power saturated the area in such a way that Kazu couldn't help but feel like he was a type of stalked prey. Making him passively wonder how anyone was able to stay at the shrine when it held this kinda of atmosphere.

Each portal was shaped like a full length mirror with the cords coming from the edges creating the web work that he saw from the distance. The cords were so numerous that it was impossible to just walk around. The cords seemed responsive to sunlight as well, thinning out in direct sunlight while thickening in shade and shadow. So these cords 'were' also feeding off of the darkness in the area, while coexisting with the light and purity of the shrine.

It was also impossible to walk a straight line yet the impression people would get if they saw him trying to climb through this mess... The group had cheerfully walked through all the cords on their way to the shrine unaffected by its presence. So it might have been just the paranoia that came with his abilities.

Maybe he was looking at everything wrong? The plants all around him, from the grass to the trees, looked perfectly healthy. The environment of the shrine looked fine, unaffected by this influx of raw alien power that was seemingly trying to hold the natural order of the shrine in place. So he found himself brought back to the tenets of yin and yang.

The shrine was actively sealing away a demonic castle only to have the seal broken. There should have been a negative feedback from that, yet instead the castle was holding the very seal in place. Probably as a means to stay anchored to the earth that it was no longer connected physically too. But the Castle was an extension of Soma, and if Soma wasn't evil than the Castle itself would have to follow that same path right?

In fact the further he thought on the topic, the more it felt right to think of this as a type of manifestation of the Yin Yang principle. The peace of the shrine balanced with the savagery of the castle, the light of the shrine with the darkness of the castle. Perhaps that in the end was why everything didn't 'feel' out of sorts despite looking like an arachnophobs' worst nightmare. Still, he wondered about the flash of gold he saw and began checking each of the portals. Wondering if it was a set pattern or a random chance in appearing.

Behind the shrine he found a nice quiet spot with another of those portals, free of the view of visitors and possible people in the shrine itself. There were a few trees and bushes that made the place almost feel park like, so he stood at the one portal on ground level and waited patiently. As the minutes ticked by he put his bag down and when he straightened he found a woman, theoretically 'the' woman, standing in the portal.

She had pale blond hair bound up behind her head at the nape of her neck with a white veil with black lace that draped down her back. She wore a long elegant ball gown in a purple that bordered black, trimmed in silver border with a square collar. White lace for cuffs and her dress appeared the type that would be dragged along the ground. She was dressed in European elegance from long ago beyond even the time of the Lolita's possibly.

This also was an aware spirit and not a recollection he noted as she did a double take when she realized he was looking 'at' her not 'past' her. He gave her a polite bow and approached the portal with his hands at his side, unsure of how she would react at being approached. But her reaction showed no sign of apprehension, instead she seemed genuinely curious.

"You can see me?"

"Yes, I'm a medium so I can see the dead," Kazu explained as he reached the portal.

"Ahh... You see the dead, the Shrine has had those types before but they could never see any of this... A few sensed it though," she noted as she gave a faint gesture to the surrounding portals and threads.

"Yes, well, my particular gifts tend to be strong," he admitted with an embarrassed grin. "though this is my first time at this shrine. I came with Soma and the shrine keepers daughter Mina."

"Ahh... you know my Lord Husband?" She inquired with a poise, grace and... English...

It struck him how her mouth was moving and the words he 'heard' were Japanese, but the formation of her lips wasn't. And he wasn't hearing Spanish so it meant she was probably speaking English given her dress. So apparently the portals were also serving as a type of translator? Neat! If not for the undead thing he would have said the Castle sounded nifty and should be brought back!

"Well, ahh, yes, though..." That was the other thing, and it was pretty obvious. He only mentioned Mina and Soma. Given that she spent her time here, it would be easy to assume that she would automatically know who Mina was. But that she recognized Soma as her 'husband' and he knew Soma was Dracula... "We only just met and have started to hang out..."

"I see, well that's nice... He doesn't remember me so please don't bring me up." She suggested as he turned to glance back at the shrine.

"Well he's been getting his memories back, so I wouldn't be surprised if he starts to recall you," Kazu noted before wondering if he could maybe get some information from her. "He's only recalled his human life at the moment... I don't suppose you knew him from that long ago though."

"Oh, I did. That was my first life time, I was named 'Elizabetha', when I was reincarnated my name was changed to 'Lisa'." She explained casually, after that it was a long pause, and she wore an expression of a cool 'your turn right? That's how the Japanese talk right? I don't know...' Finally, when it was clear he wasn't going to say anything, she tilted her head a bit to the side and asked, "I heard my Lord Husband is off to save Sir Leon as well..?"

"Ahh Leon. Yes, seems Mina and some girls they met want to play dress up with the poor Lion and Soma wants to save him from that fate." Kazu elaborated with an embarrassed grin, dealing with nobles was usually easy for him. But the nobles he was used to where those of Japan and he knew little of European nobility. Japanese society frowned on such forward manners, but it felt so out of character for him to try to act out his own Spanish heritage, which probably was why she was looking at him... It was quite possible that she was expecting him to take lead on this conversation and he just wasn't doing it...

"Dress up? I'm afraid we didn't consider such a thing when we designed that shell for him," Lisa commented looking between contrite and unsure. Then again did she 'know' what dressing up a plush toy was?

"So you 'did' create that shell!" Kazu exclaimed as he got the confirmation as to where Leon's lion body came from. His reaction earning him a mildly confused nod from Lisa as his enthusiasm surprised her. "We were wondering because there is no such shell in the company line."

"Ahh... yes well... it was important to get Leon to my Lord Husband and I wanted Leon to have a dignified form. As close to one as possible and still get it chosen," Lisa explained, folding her hands before her.

"Well, it worked... Though why was it so important? If I may be so bold as to ask?" He inquired, while the area continued to be thankfully empty.

"I'm sorry but I don't see why that is a matter I need to discuss with you," she pointed out politely.

He blinked and awkwardly began to nod as he realized she was right, he was a stranger to her and someone not really in the know. But there 'was' Trevor sooo...

"Well, I guess you have a point. I only just found out that my mother and sister are in the Belnades Clan-," suddenly he could have shivered at how the temperature seemed to drop and her expression went from polite to cool and distant in a heart beat.

"Is... this about... your husband and the Belmonts?" Kazu asked, feeling disconcerted at how still she had gotten. She wasn't breathing after all, and she wasn't being threatening, even though the area now seemed almost terrifyingly quiet.

"The issue between my Lord Husband and Sir Leon's clansman is not my concern."

And that was when everything just felt awkward in a non-threatening yet at the same time intimidating way. After a few moments she began to fade out of sight and in a panic he called out for her to stay. It was never a good thing to allow spirits to stay in a negative frame of mind for long periods of time in his experience. A benign spirit was preferable to a malevolent one and watching a spirit twisted into that malevolence always depressed him. That the mention of his mother's bloodline had caused her to get upset meant it was up to him to fix this. Or at least... find out more.

"Please wait... You're Alucards' mother right? He helped me when I was a child so please..." Somehow, just blurting out about Alucard made something in his mind click, that the issue she was angry about wasn't about her husband and the Belmonts... so was it her son? "Is it your son? What did my ancestors..." only to be coldly cut off.

"The penalty for Patricide is damnation young man. Remember that. No matter how good a person you may be, or how many good works you accomplish in your life. Once you have spilled the blood of your own parent. Redemption exists not for you."

And she was gone.

Kazuaki stood there floored by her cold words and her abrupt departure, turning about in a vain hope that she would materialize at some other portal. That maybe he could resume the conversation and maybe get her settled down, when in the corner of his eye he caught sight of his bag.

Trevor flipped the top of the bag open before he hoped out of it, subdued Trevor walked over to stand before the portal that Lisa had just departed from. Before long Kazu could hear a soft 'Damn it' coming from the spirit as his paw began to slowly beat on the ground.

"Trevor?"

"Damn it!" With a frustrated sigh, Trevors' head swung side to side a bit as what his wife had reported finally made sense in the 'worst' possible way. Then he dipped his head down in acknowledge shame before he could even begin to try to speak to the Medium. "Alucard is a half blood we've discussed this. My trade was a woodcutter, and when I confronted Dracula, Soma; Alucard was with us. We never thought to ask him before we left, he agreed to aid us in defeating his father. But we never excluded him from the battle," Trevors' voice was thick as the weight of guilt crashed down on his soul's shoulders. Making his pup ears dip down until they were flat against his face and covering his eyes as though he could hide from the shame.

"What she means is... that she hates us because, by letting Alucard take part in that battle. It doesn't matter that its been for the protection of the human race. It doesn't matter how much the world has gained by not being oppressed by Dracula. Once Alucard dies, he goes to Hell for killing his father, not once, but twice. She hates us for damning her only son..."

Kazu blinked as his mind began to try and fit the facts together despite the gaping holes between some of those facts. "But isn't that the whole thing about the Crucifixion of Christ?"

"For 'humans' yes. Not for the Dark Children, we chose where we went to when we died. We chose the Heaven we went to, but it is not the only one. You go where your faith has lead you, and Dark Children have their own Heaven. So if you're born and told that you don't fit certain qualifications for Heaven you just find a faith that welcomes you. Its fine really... Save Alucard was raised Catholic, its the only Path he would look for and... DAMN IT!"

Trevor sat on the ground his paw batting at a blade of grass morosely while Kazu's ears picked up a rather active sound. The sound of boots rapidly clicking on the ground and growing fainter, followed up by Mina calling out to Soma. Demanding the return of Leon. Which was actually funny because the other two girls were also calling in protest to the Lion theft by calling for 'Reon'. Ah the blessing of being half Spanish and taught about the oh so wonderful letter L.

"No! I refuse to let him be dressed up in whatever insane idea you girls came up with or 'will' come up with!" Soma's voice was faint and growing fainter.

"We never meant any harm to him. We were only focused on defeating Dracula but we had no idea that it would get Alucard barred from any peace." Trevor confessed as he sat there. "After I died, I was so enamored by the peace and joy that I pushed any thought of Alucard out of my mind. It didn't help when Sophia died because she also arrived in Heaven. But I suppose its because of her Faith that brought her there as well. I just... I just got so careless..."

"Kazu, I'm sorry but... I think I'm just going to be quiet and think for a while in the bag... so unless its important." Trevor stood up and walked toward the bag in the most despondent fashion that Kazu had ever seen before. Head down, tail down, the plush toy walked with such a weight to his movements that it was hard to believe he had been stuffed with fluff and not stones.

Kazu mutely nodded his head and let Trevor make his own way into the bag while his eyes drifted over the shrine again. Taking in the growing strength of the cords that were holding the seals in place. The darkness was spreading as shadows while the sun continued to sink lower in the sky; there was no bright flashes of blond hair or pale human skin amid all the portals. There were trees, vivid with color and life, grass thick with the right mix of moisture and health and demonic activity all around the air.

And there he stood unable to do anything.

The realization came slowly as he thought about how the only person who could possibly do anything about the situation was Soma. Strange to think that the person who was viewed as a great evil was the only person he could think of that could remedy this mess. Yet how could Soma fix anything when he couldn't recall anything in his past that might have some influence? At least for now, given that his memories were coming back slowly.

But when they did... when he recalled the event that would drive him to become this evil vampire lord, what was to say he wouldn't revert back? And what about his family? What about said child? What about Alucard who had to deal with his own fathers' lack of memories and the consequence if he got them back? How could someone handle these feelings for as long as Alucard had? Kazu was pretty sure he would have gone straight out numb at this point.

And somehow, the world slipping into night just had further and further context for him.