Castlevania: Aria of the Ascending Soul
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
Beta By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
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Two rooms, one a suite that was essentially a pie. It had all the light, creamy frothy colors for the walls, the bed, the curtains with the baked crust for the carpet and furniture. If that wasn't a sign that someone was hungry, there was no sign... other than.
"Why do the sweets in Japan taste different than in America?" Sam asked as he laid on the bed, staring at the inside of his hat. He was in all the restive posture of one about to be laid in their casket while Max held the phone.
The other room was thousands of miles away in Europe, a well lit office grading the last papers before exams.
"Japan doesn't use sugar or at least the same type of sugar?" Alex suggested from his office as he graded papers. "Has he tried the mochi yet, Max?"
"I would have... but a certain woman got to them first!" Sam answered cutting off the smug grin and answer that was going to be Max's. "How could you eat the 'whole' box Max? I thought we were partners!" Sam demanded in the most wounded tone a man could make made from under his hat that had been placed over his face.
"It was delicious! Why say 'no' to that?" She countered with a manic grin while she held up the cellphone so that Alex could hear them both.
"Five 'dozen' mochi!" Sam retorted sharply, "and she didn't save me even one! ONE Lex! Not a single 'one'!"
"Sixty? You ate 'sixty' mochi and you live to tell the tale?!" Alex's asked in horrified awe that a mere 'human' could do such and live. "You realize you're a human right? Not a cartoon rabbit?!"
"Oh I'm stuffed alright. But it was 'so' worth it, you only get the same generic stuff in America, but 'real' mochi with all the flavors possible?" Max asked with a grin. "They made mochi in house! None of that boxed and shipped stuff."
While Alex stared at the screen of his computer, shaking his head at both the answer and Max's stomach. "So has Soma agreed into going with you to America?" 'Kid shouldn't play so many video games. He's literally sitting next to a living dryad in class and got the answer wrong.'
"Begrudgingly," Sam answered. "But he mentioned that Alucard is in Europe... and he's... Scary actually. You wait for what feels like eternity and no one notices you because they're busy. Yet the bartenders either don't notice you or can't get to you because of another customer. Soma doesn't even touch the bar and he has three bartenders all over him. Which this wasn't just at Duality, so it wasn't any of the clan trying to keep him appeased. We went 'bar' hopping this happened 'everywhere'." Sam noted, pushing his hat up just enough to expose his mouth so his voice was clear.
"And he's 'tall' maybe no one told you Lex, but Soma is like his son, and while he may stick out with just the hair color alone? He's tall even for an 'American'. He doesn't put himself out there either, we think that the things that would annoys him clammed up. Literally 'if it annoys him, it will move out of his way' and he doesn't say or do anything..."
"But no one is telling him anything and he already pinged that the cults are congregating in Europe. How is he figuring this out when he's not a part of the cult? Sure he can research the cults through the internet. But he mentioned a few things later in the night that was pretty on the nose for someone being forced to stay in the dark." Max backed up as she laid down on the couch, 'uh oh... I'm... not going to be getting up on my own anymore...'
"My last contact with Alexis didn't hold much hope that Lord Alucard is there though... She said that the cult is building a church on the foundation of the Castle.." He began when the pair on the other end of the phone cut him off in various tones of complete shock.
"What?!"
"Have they lost their fucking MIND?!"
Expected responses sure. "Yes, it seems that they have come to accept that Soma 'is' the reincarnation that they've been looking for. But that Soma is ignoring their summons is viewed that we Hunters are restraining him from his 'true purpose'. Amazingly enough they know about the ring he wears so they must have some form of surveillance on him as well. So they are trying to find a way to 'unshackle' him as it were. There's a Cardinal among them, one of Graham's followers, who is overseeing this whole mistake. Sister thought, hoped rather, that it was Lord Alucard himself. Unfortunately its not, just another crazed cultist with a title."
"You know, there's a thought that's been bugging me..." Max spoke up, "These cults want to bring back Dracula... But we know what he does when someone goes after his wife. We can expect something similar if they go after his son. But these are 'humans'... Historically no Dark Child has gone after Alucard 'because' of what Dracula may do. If you're a cult of humans why incite the rage Dracula on humans?"
"Not all of them are really human though," Sam pointed out. "If I remember right, part of Fortners' shtick was about 'Keeping God Good', but in reality wanting to keep her ability to summon demons. Both sides of these cults have people who have natural dark powers. Be it from potentially being Dracula, or just by luck of draw. But there's also the second that doesn't have powers and merely are willing to sacrifice for the 'higher good'."
"He's right, roughly one part wants to keep their powers, another part wants the 'higher good' with your remaining group wanting world burning. It doesn't matter if thousands, hell millions of innocent people die. So long as 'their' particular vision of God is maintained than the losses are acceptable. Regardless of what the flip of the coin is, Soma blaming humans or dark children. There's going to be bloodshed, with the bulk of the concern being on Julius. It took him relying on Lord Alucard and Yoko to deal with Soma the last time. If we don't find Lord Alucard, or worst, he's dead? Yoko can't do it alone, and we can only do so much. No one wants to sacrifice more Morris' to the Whips hunger."
"Well at least the clans know and are on the move to find him," Max noted with a sigh. "Man, between this and the clan meet and greet."
"Sorry," Sam muttered, earning a shrug from Max.
"Hey it happens..."
"His passports are up to date right? Given he traveled to Fortner's would be castle on his own," Alex inquired, shifting to another paper.
"Well uh, yeah, but I don't think he's using it," Sam answered awkwardly. "Seems the Estate Alucard lives on allows him to skip pesky things like national borders and such."
"Yep, Soma literally said that he just needs the address to where we need to meet up at and he'll just use the Estate to get there." Max added with a side of, "which is really creepy because he's literally skipping human modes of doing anything."
"Yeah, if the Castle were still a player in this he would just use that, and Alucard is going to be furious. We're supposed to make Soma be more in touch with his human side, and he's diving off the proverbial diving board," Sam grumbled.
"Well he's not stupid," Alex noted. "So where 'are' we taking him first?"
"We were thinking maybe not to America at all..." Max answered as she tried to roll over and nope.
"The way Julius talks about it, Soma just automatically is attracted to places of Darkness now. He's an aware bloodhound finding all the places that are tied to darkness. So we were thinking of maybe letting him loose in Europe and seeing what he finds." Sam began with a sigh, "all the mochi..."
"That... might be dangerous you know," Alex warned sitting back from his work and looking at his phone. "They've accepted that Soma 'is' Dracula, and they may have his son. We can't afford to let them get their hands on both."
"And Soma with or without his powers is a threat. With them and welcome back to Dracula. Without them and … who knows what happens if he tries to press against the seal..." Sam agreed with a sigh.
"Vampire Mafia or Werewolf gang wars?" Alex finally asked turning his attention to grading.
"Vampire Mafia, I doubt that Soma getting bitten would matter given what he is. Soma striding into a vampire get together like he owns the place and he's 'Dracula'. That ring seals almost all his powers after all," Sam answered easily.
"He can't use the souls he controls yeah. But he can still command the Dark Children around him. Because once you've been touched by darkness? You're one of his," Max finished, as she really tried to roll off the couch. 'I regret NOTHING!' She then busily strove to prop up the cellphone in case she got off the couch.
"And we are all royally fucked," Sam added. "Because we've all been touched by darkness... We hunters are just shy of vulnerable, but you get around the right crowd and..."
"That means Vampire Mafia, or even Werewolf gangs are instantly going to bow in the presence of their Lord and Master. Orders or not."
"Should we address the fact that he doesn't like it either? Soma literally mentioned that he's essentially trying to retire. He'll tolerate the bowing and scraping, but he'd rather just be an average guy." Max pointed out as she stuck her arms out and wiggled 'really' hard. 'Almost... Almost! OMPH!'
"What was that?" Alex asked at the sound of a body falling carried itself from his phone.
"Max face planted," Sam nonchalantly answered.
"I REGRET NOTHING!" Max shouted from the floor before she began working to get her limbs under her. 'Now do I want to crawl like I feel or do I believe my legs can hold me up so I can walk like a human...'
'She ate all the mochi, let her suffer for her sin.' Sam thought as he resolutely stared at the ceiling above.
'Soma is going to have so much fun with the two of you. But hey! At least I might actually get back up in keeping you two out of trouble.' Alex thought as continued working. "But back on topic, going to introduce Soma.. won't that put his life in danger? No one in America is really interested in him, they just want to do their own thing. Won't bringing him over, open up a can of worms?"
"Well we're not going to introduce him to 'everyone', just the usual suspects if you will..." Sam countered as he rolled over to look for the phone.
"Yes, but we're talking mafias and gangs that have humans in it. It might end up a few degrees from the source. But what stops anyone from putting a hit out on Soma? Not brilliant a plan I know, but since he's 'trying to be human and all'. You know there's going to be idiots that will start looking to take the throne for themselves." Alex pointed out pragmatically as Max gave up trying to get up from the floor.
"Whether he wants to or whether he doesn't. I doubt he knows he still commands the living Dark Children and not just their souls." Max added as she laid down on her side.
"That's not to say that its all peaceful here in Europe either..." Alex continued. "My Dark students know that something is up. They've become unsettled by things which they can not put words to, some of what my sister has said. Which brings up a fearful thought. Human sacrifices can be used to seal Lord Alucards' powers as well... Could some of these human sacrifices be used to help keep him subdued?"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\The Princes' Chamber\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
The chamber was modest in size and was made up as though in apology for that modesty. The center of the chamber was an altar made of gray veined marble stone. It was carved elaborately in sigils of dead languages that glowed with life. The sigils fluidly carried down from the marble altar to the floor, and spiraled out from the altar. Placed about with mathematical precision were candles that burned on stands of looping black metal. These stands were linked together by geometric shapes that completed the other sigils, creating layers upon layers of visual style words. Illuminating the room in soft golden lights, powered by the young human sacrifices.
All to keep the prince sleeping.
Whatever awareness Alucard retained kept him from even breathing, instead he laid upon the altar as still as a corpse. Frozen in a state of vampiric slumber. The spells empowered by numerous human sacrifices kept his power feeding in an near endless loop upon himself. Constantly attempting to reject the human souls and unable to awaken due to yet another layer of spells.
The seal that helped keep his Lord Father's power in check also kept him the closest to being human. Or as close as one of his stature and nature could allow. So long as he was human, he could be controlled, subdued. As long as he slept, he couldn't call his father or the Belmonts for aid, all he could do was sleep. The deep slumbering rest of the dead.
Which they needed.
As delicate as brain surgery, a single slip could illicit a reaction strong enough to awaken the prince. With a cry of pain strong enough to disrupt a global web of darkness. Already the Shrines' seals were weakened, the hated whip was seen in the care of the Belmonts once more. All that remained of the original trinity of seals was the Prince himself.
But merely ripping the seal away would corrupt the loop of souls that was keeping him asleep. Resulting in a disruption that would bring down the Dark Lord from where ever he was hiding in Japan unto them. Even if he was in a new body, blind to the relationship between himself and the ages old dhampire currently resting in the room. The dhampire had darkness woven into his blood, his DNA, and while the flesh may have been different, Dracula 'would' hear his childs' cry for him.
And he would answer.
For all the supposed aloof disinterest that Alucard displayed to the world, by allowing his father to live as he had. Revealed just how much he was still that same silly little boy trying to play hero. Strike him and he would run to hide behind his daddy's legs. Which they couldn't afford, the seal needed to be undone, yes. But delicately.
With two streams of Dracula's power undone previously dammed up behind the Eclipse and the whip. Dracula was already being re energized by his potential in barely tolerable measures. Adding Alucard's coupled with a scream of pain that would erupt as he was forced back into his own full power without any say or control? Dracula would be exposed to the rush of power, the anguish of his own offspring, and would turn every darkness touched human into one of his own pawns.
Just to find his little kid.
"Will this work, Sir? The current wielder of the whip is the same man who destroyed our Lords' body. He's old, not even strong enough face Lord Dracula without help. So how can he possibly activate our traps?" the young disciple asked. Well, 'young' was a relative word in this matter, it was this blond young man who had crafted all the sigils in the room. A modern Michelangelo if ever there had been one. Working and sleeping only, he had been tasked carving each sigil into the stonework of the room for the past few years. Starting on a scaffolding that allowed him to work on the ceiling, then down the walls.
Work of impeccable skill, as each sigil was of matching groove and depth, a difficult task even under the best of circumstances.
"That's the point, he can't. It won't just be one Belmont it will be a clans worth of them, they can't afford to abandon the prince. All concentrated with enough power to set off the alarms that would restore the prince to his power and bring forth our Lord."
"And if they don't find him?"
"They will, they are hunters after all. Most unknown to our Lord and Master, so that when he arrived, with the Prince dead surrounded by the Hunters. He doesn't need to turn on the hunters, or even intentionally mean to hurt them. He will slay them all with just the full release of his power. They shored up his power after all. Your work will keep most of the Princes' power contained to this room, just enough to lure our Lord here. Then while surrounded by the hated Hunters, the full scope of what he is to wield will be restored. Destroying our enemies and returning our Master."