Chapter 77: Mina (Epsilon)'s Resolve
Van Helsing's energy blades clashed again and again with my blood spears. Even with the advantage that the blood spear has, namely the rot magic I infused in it, I still couldn't gain the upper hand. This man is almost as skilled as Shadow.
The energy blades in his hands shatters after a few clash against my blood spears but he quickly replaced them as if he never lost them. Such outstanding control of magic. I thought that I, with my magic control ruined by power boosts from the Tears of Diablos, Carmilla's vampiric blood and the Red Moon, could still handle him… but he easily kept up with everything I threw at him, even the rot magic as ranged attack.
As our blades kept clashing, we sensed a presence approaching and we both stopped our clash to witness the presence approach.
It's Silon… or to be more precise, Epsilon of the Seven Shades. I know that my blood's vampiric influence is weak considering I am not a real vampire but… how did she release herself from my influence that easily!? Even my hypnosis! I knew it. She must've had a cheat when she reincarnated! I was right to be wary of her!
Although… why are you looking at me with such a sad eyes?
"Count Dracula…" She called me. How did she know that name? Oh right. Reincarnator.
"I understand why you became what you are… But you need not suffer any longer. I shall put you to rest." She declared with a determined face. Understand what?
"Can you handle him, young lady?" Van Helsing asked her.
"I have to. I must play my role as Mina Harker." She replied. The role of Mina Harker? You're already straying far from the role of Mina Harker by breaking off from my vampirism, you know. Or maybe you want to finish me off like Mina Harker did in that movie where Dracula was portrayed by Gary Oldman? I did thought about that movie when I fed her my blood. Did my thoughts somehow get transferred during the process?
"Very well. I shall leave him to you." Van Helsing said as he stepped back.
Now I face Epsilon, the reincarnator with unknown cheat. Do I send my rot magic infused blood spears at her? Or should I shed away my disguise and return as the Necromancer to fight at my full capacity?
As I was contemplating what to do, I sensed the other Shadow Garden members confronted Carmilla and… with outstanding teamwork, managed to distract her enough to allow Mary to stab her heart, whereupon the girl named Beta would slice her throat, nearly decapitating her.
As I was distracted by Carmilla's defeat, Epsilon moved to stab my heart with her hand which is shaped like a rapier.
Did she just copy my shapeshifting? How? With my blood?
She stared at me with sad eyes as she formed a sword with her other hand and placed the cold steel against my neck.
"I'm sorry… and… thank you... for this gift." She smiled gently as she decapitates me, letting my body and head to fall off the edge of the tower.
Damn… That was a lame way to go. But at least now I can safely discard my Alucard identity and don the Necromancer mask once more. With the Red Moon still active, my vampiric healing factor can heal decapitation and a stab in the heart as long as it's not Van Helsing's magic blades after all.
The crippled bitches suddenly cured themselves and entered the fray, once again interrupting my fight with the Blood Queen. Why won't these rats just die!?
"Don't stand in my way, weaklings!"
"We shall see who the real weakling is!" The girl named Beta said as she lunges towards me, rushing recklessly towards death. I decided to just send some blood spears to put her in her place but… they passed through her.
"What!? Mist form!? Since when did you-!?"
Her minions intercepts my claws when I was about to claw her when she reverts to her physical form. These minions are so annoying. The wolf beastkin and the blonde one in particular are especially bothersome. They are stronger than the rest of the minions, though still weaker than Beta herself.
I moved to claw them but was intercepted by Beta's thrown daggers, which explodes, blasting both my hands off.
"AAARGHHH!" I roared not in pain but in rage. As the daggers are not the same as the accursed silver blades, I can heal my arms in seconds. But those precious seconds are seconds of me without hands. I tried to create more blood spears but I was interrupted by the Blood Queen's own blood spears, which pierced me from behind again. The rats was able to dodge the hail of blood spears though.
As I was distracted by the attack from behind, the blonde one and the wolf beastkin cuts my wings off while the other four elves moved to cut both my legs off, leaving me completely limbless and helpless. Even my arms haven't healed yet.
"AARGHH! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!"
As I roared, Mary lunged towards me with her silver blade in hand.
No… not again… Lord Necromancer…!
Mary stabs my heart with the accursed silver blade once again. The pain is excruciating but it won't kill me. In order to finish me off, Beta moved to decapitate me. I managed to avoid decapitation by a hair's breadth by dodging, her blade only sliced my throat.
"UOOORGHHH!"
Even though I haven't lost my head… the wounds on my throat and heart is enough to leave me powerless, forcing me to revert back to my human form, which is still limbless.
I've never felt this weak since… since before my meeting with Lord Necromancer.
Ahh… Lord Necromancer… I've failed you… Forgive me…
"Huh?" As I was about to close my eyes and accept the inevitable second death, I felt it… his presence.
I see him… Lord Necromancer… My merciful lord… He carried my limbless body in his arms. He has come for me… But… I fear that I have no more time…
"Lord Necromancer… I'm sorry… I've failed you…" I whispered as best as I can with my throat wide open, constantly gushing out blood. He didn't reply and merely stared into my eyes with his ominous glowing red eyes.
My beloved lord's visage is the last sight I ever saw before death takes me once again…
"That's the Necromancer!" 666 muttered hatefully as she beheld the man… the monster who manipulated her father. Her hands holding her rapier tightly, ready to charge towards the monster.
"666! Stand back! He is not an enemy you can face!" Beta ordered her and she obeyed whilst feeling helpless as her enemy is within sight but so out of reach.
The Necromancer didn't even acknowledge their presence and merely stared at the limbless Carmilla in his arms, who breathed her last breath and her form crumbles to dust, as if saddened by her passing.
Is he mourning her death? No… A monster like him wouldn't… Beta thought to herself as she watched the Necromancer's movements warily, never letting him out of her sight.
"Such a shame. She was a valuable research subject." As if to confirm her thoughts, the Necromancer remarked of how Carmilla was merely an experimental subject to him. Even though she felt no love for Carmilla, his cruelty sickens her to the core.
"But at least now I have her replacement." The Necromancer said as he turned his attention towards the Blood Queen, who even in her blood frenzy still eyed the Necromancer warily.
"No you don't!" Mary, understanding the implications behind his words, lunged to intercept him before he could do anything to her queen. But she was stopped by a black armoured skeleton who suddenly appeared in front of her and knocked her away.
"What!?" Mary fell to the floor helplessly and can only watch as the Necromancer approached her queen whilst summoning more of his undead minions to prevent them from interrupting him.
Mary and her Shadow Garden allies are forced to fight his undead minions, who are now stronger and more skilled than the undead warriors they faced before. Even Beta is struggling against her opponent, which is a headless knight.
Their movements are different from the usual minions he summoned! His minions kept getting stronger and stronger! Beta thought as she parried the Dullahan's attack.
Whilst the Shadow Garden members are occupied, the Necromancer faced the Blood Queen. But before he can do anything, a familiar voice was heard behind him.
"Where are you going, nemesis?"
The Necromancer immediately turned back to see his archrival Shadow standing behind him.
"Huh? Lord Shadow!? Since when!? And where's Professor Van Helsing!?" Epsilon muttered in bewilderment.
"So you've come, my nemesis. Unfortunately, I am not here for you." The Necromancer said.
"Ho? You think you can escape me?" Shadow said as he began releasing an enormous amount of magical energy. His purple magic surrounds the entire city.
"I'll have you know that I can teleport away anytime I want. But are you sure you want to destroy this entire city along with your subordinates?" The Necromancer taunted, his position seemingly reversed with that of Shadow's compared to their last encounter in Midgar.
"I… AM…" Seemingly ignoring the Necromancer's words, Shadow chants his signature magic whilst the Necromancer merely watched him warily.
"Aaahh…! Lord Shadow…! Please have mercyyy!" 612, who witnessed his magic firsthand in the past, is horrified when she saw her lord intending to unleash such magic while they are still within range. The other Shadow Garden members are also confused. Only Beta and Epsilon showed no sign of fear or confusion.
"…ATOMIC RECOVERY!" Shadow finished his chant and… instead of a huge explosion, his magic instead healed the wounds of his allies while also curing every ghoul in the city, turning them back into humans, with the exceptions of Alucard's ghouls, who turned to dust. Even the Necromancer's undead minions are affected and turns to dust as the necromancy that kept their unlife is erased by Shadow's magic.
The Blood Queen is also affected, losing consciousness as Shadow's magic helped her keep her raging magic and bloodlust in control, freeing her from her blood frenzy.
"Magnificent, nemesis. Magnificent." The Necromancer complimented whilst clapping his hands.
"Now, what are you going to do, nemesis?"
"Your presence does not change anything. In fact, thanks to you, I can achieve my objective quicker than expected." The Necromancer remarked as he opened a portal on the floor where the Blood Queen lied, allowing her to fall down the portal.
"Lady Elizabeth!" Mary shouted in horror as her queen fell down into the abyss that the Necromancer opened. She tried to reach her queen but the portal already closed.
"Now then. My objective tonight has been achieved and I shall now bid you adieu." The Necromancer mockingly bowed as he teleported away before Shadow could stop him.
I woke up from a very long slumber and found myself strapped to a table in a room that I can only describe as a laboratory… almost like what the Cult used to have back in the old days.
My memory was vague… but I was sure I was fighting several girls, Mary and a giant bat. I also noticed a white haired gentleman with black cape and a black robed man with a skull mask. I was wary of both of them despite my blood frenzy.
I didn't expect the two of them to be the same person though.
The robed man took off his mask, revealing his rather handsome face. From his red eyes I could tell that he is a vampire too. Does he want to use me for his own ends like Crimson did?
"Clau—Lord Necromancer. You've returned." A masked person with short figure said as they entered the room, addressing the white haired man, who is still staring at me.
"Where's Carmilla?"
"Dead."
"Is she… the Blood Queen?" The masked person asked as she turned towards me. So they still called me the Blood Queen? I'd rather be called Elizabeth though.
"Yes. She is the Blood Queen."
"What are you going to do with her?"
"I'm going to extract her blood… and… Aghh…!" He grunted as his pale face suddenly regained a measure of healthy color whilst morphing… into another person's face… a blonde haired handsome boy.
"Claude! Are you okay!?"
"I'm fine. The vampiric pill's effects has worn off." He replied.
I was flabbergasted. Did he… a human being… intentionally turned himself into a vampire? For what purpose? For immortality? Even the Cult who created us thought of us as failed products due to our weakness to the sun.
"Claude… why do you constantly burden yourself?" The masked person asked with concern. It seems they are not just a subordinate but something more to the boy.
"I have to… in order to…"
"Say no more, Claude. Let's get you to bed." Said the masked person as they put the boy's hand on their shoulder and helped him walk, leaving me alone in the lab.
He… intentionally turned himself into a vampire… even if it is temporary… burdening his own body. Does he have a dream… like mine? To create a Haven where both mortals and vampires could coexist? A dream that he must reach at all costs that he's willing to harm himself for?
If that's the case… Claude… I'm willing to lend a hand…
Author's Note:
Finally that ends the battle in the Crimson Tower and the Red Moon arc too. The entire vampire arc took longer than I anticipated. But now Claude got another waifu that he can manipulate.
HundredMasks: ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL INDEED! now, we have the villain you're terrifed of and despise out of the sheer damage they cause, and the villain you can understand and almost pity, two cool villain tropes, and I am absolutely amazed at how well you executed the two, I'm just excited for how this continues because I'm excited for how you'd do the other villain tropes, maybe do an intelligent monster in the post apocalyptic earth arc? so many possibilities and so many villains that could be done, heck I'm excited for how John Smith interacts with Don John, it's the perfect set up for a classic Bond film, or any spy/assassin film
also, in the earth arc, you can make him do some fancy magic to control the monsters and make him seem like the apocalyptic demon that brought the monsters upon earth, or a Godzilla esque monster that wrecks havoc, or maybe an Alien? like a Xenomorph, or maybe have him return to earth a bit earlier in the timeline than Cid got taken and he gets the time to start making monsters straight out of pop culture, there's a lot of good terrifying villains in a post apocalyptic magical earth scenario, Weeping angels for example, they'd be creepy af there
Answer: Glad you liked it. With the vampire arc we're entering what I'm calling the alter ego arcs where both Shadow and the Necromancer will face each other with different identities. Alucard VS Van Helsing is just the beginning. John Smith VS Don Jon has long since foreshadowed. I hope to play with other villain archetypes soon.
Intelligent monster/Godzilla sound kinda interesting. Maybe Shadow being Godzilla and Necromancer being King Ghidorah.
TheVirtualPug: "Claude though... maybe" Please God no!
Villains with harems and harems in general are cringe. I doubt Claude would intentionally degrade himself in such a way. Better to remain monogamous. (SherryxClaude OTP!) Villanous couples are kinda of cool, def something Claude could find interesting.
Answer: Ah, I was being vague because I want to avoid spoilers but I was thinking of Claude possibly using sex as part of manipulating the girls he wants to manipulate. Though I was undecided on how to do it, hence the 'maybe' part. Don't worry though, I won't let this fic degrade to the level of one of those harem fics.
