Castlevania: Aria of the Ascending Soul
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
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The world shifted balance after the attack on the Vatican.
Eternally blameless in their sins, the Vatican itself, full of obedient followers didn't abandon their faiths. They took the news of the children, run away and orphan fare, with the casual indifference of 'not my child not my problem'. Those who had abandoned the structured education systems for home schooling felt a strong vindication. As there were schools who's funding was intertwined with the local parishes. Encouraging people who had already decided that unity and community were not for them, and chose isolation and fear.
Though the same could not be said of other faiths.
Word was bleeding out that the people who attacked the Vatican 'were' the very priests and nuns of the church itself. Churches were mostly empty during service, some churches didn't even bother opening leading some to suspect they had one of those crazy priests. Arson began among the churches, holy grounds being desecrated.
Alex rushing to one such church to save his Dryad students' tree.
It was a madness that had seemingly taken over, leaving all of Asia in a state of passive confusion. It was a strange sight, for they were used to the idea of mass devotion to a corrupt leader. But to literally see nations rising up and picking apart various churches yet not others.
"They showed a street that had several churches some burned others not." Trevor reported from his bag. "Which isn't good, because what's their reasoning for what they decide burns? Blind hysteria?" Kazu's phone was propped up and muted, but the closed captioning helped as Trevor laid there and observed the news.
'I... can't... ANSWER!' Kazu's inner voice wailed. It was a good discussion to have, especially when trapped in the most mind numbing class in existence.
'Teacher has the flu, substitute day'.
But not a 'fun' or 'good' teacher. A teacher who was going to read them the whole chapter they were studying... In ENGRISH...
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"If you ever want to know the soul of a man. Look at the socks he wears when he knows no one can see his feet." Soma noted sleepily as he leaned against Alucard. A thought well founded given that Alucard had lowered himself to taking off his work shoes and permitted the lowly slipper to hug his foot instead. Then he looked down and added cheerfully, "black, blacker than my soul. Atta boy!"
Leon, now furnished with his own stuff to keep him occupied during class, given he was a 'divine lion', found himself pondering. 'How does your son not throw you out the window, Mathias?'
"oooh Lord Lion is looking at the door! Is someone coming Lord Lion?"
Mina could only inwardly apologize as she looked over at Leon. The honorable soul had been given a great deal of children stuff, a chair, table, large pens and such so he could study or learn. All of her classes now bore these supplies as well as small incense burners. Leon was Christian by birth, so having her people now actively venerate 'him' as a protective spirit was likely distressing to him. More so now that the attacks happened in the Vatican.
Not that she was right, Leon was used to having peasants treat him in similar reverence before he went to rescue Sara. Mina wasn't always around when people started praying and he didn't have it in him to gossip the prayers that these people offered to him. So it fell on him to learn the history of Asia and figure out why he was being asked to protect them. There was few enough churches in Japan, worry or concern felt strange.
So he started studying the past, seeking history while the rest of the class studied the present and the future.
Then Mathias apparently decided to resume his education!
But the man was an alchemist learning would be in his blood, human or vampire.
The knock on the door did nothing to lessen the reverence the people had for his visage, or when the door was opened. But it had been awhile when he last saw Mathias and the man had been mostly confined to laying down. Now, he clearly needed to be laying down again.
Across the room and over multiple dark haired young men and women he could see Mathias, pale haired, paler skin. His attire was of the same type as the other students, with a cane gripped in one hand with his other hand blackened by the Sealing Ring. Alucard was at his father's side having clearly aided the man to his class. Black suited with an aloof demeanor, it was almost amusing how the pair could have been siblings given how young Mathias currently appeared.
"My apologies, the," Soma lifted his blackened hand up and gave it a weak wave, "issue and I are still getting acquainted."
The students were well enough schooled not to shout, but there was a quiet alarmed murmur about the place. Mina was quiet, his hand, even from a distance, was distressing enough she wasn't confident if she saw it move at all. Though there was no cumbersome ring on it, but that it was allowed to get that bad...
Permitted to join class, Soma left this dark Europeans' side and painstakingly made his way across the floor to his desk. His cane bore a hook that was allowing him to carry his bag which drew even more attention to his hand. The stranger shut the door sealing the room again, as Soma settled into his seat next to Hakuba. Using his left hand the whole time though his right arm moved, albeit sluggishly.
Mina watched the fingers flex, though it was more a spastic jerking motion to get to whatever position he was trying for.
"It will get better over time, don't mind me." Soma commented, his voice weary, thankfully his arm's injury served as a valid visual redirect. While Japan wasn't exactly the Middle East in all its 'HELLO SUN' aspects. The clouds weren't thick enough to dispel his reaction to sunlight and that was draining him something horrible.
Also rolling the mind of the schools' staff to let him continue his education despite having as many missed days due to life events. Honestly, using vampiric powers for the sole 'pleasure' of going to a building and spending hours sitting and listening to someone talk. A cheeky yet cheery voice in the back of his mind rambled on about how he didn't 'need' an education. How he could just as easily live in the castle and abandon this 'higher learning' nonsense. The Castle could provide everything he needed.
Except a book on how to soothe your fussy 600 plus year old baby who doesn't like socializing with the humans either. But expects 'you' to.
Leon settled at his own desk and found himself staring uselessly at the blank sheet in front of him. The ring was gone and after school he could possibly get some more information about what happened at the Vatican. If not through Mathias than through Trevor, as the seal to the castle was here in Japan. More over magic was not a skill he had, he was unsure if the seal at the shrine was perhaps protecting the area.
With that in mind, he reached over and picked up a marker, a oddly colored pen that made every line appear as a rainbow.
"Hopefully, this marker will help you pen a brighter future for us!"
The girl in question was easily eight years old, and had been beaming in happiness when Leon awkwardly accepted the marker. He pulled the top off, and carefully turned it around so he could 'write' with it. Though it was just grasping in his fist and writing like a child, but his toy hand had no fingers to hold with. So with all the grace of a child he began writing notes in his own native language, fighting the innate recoil of disgust that it was Mathias who taught him his letters.
'1. Is the seal at Hakuba Shrine shielding the whole of the town or more from what ever is affecting the church?' …
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After class was so much more preferable than being 'in' class, with a teacher spouting Engrish to learning Soma had returned. The world kept moving forward, the students released or going 'to' class flowed about them in the time allotted to some. Amid them were the dead, some casually walking about oblivious to their surroundings. Others distinctly following people, human ghosts and otherwise all of it was so normal. While with Soma's return there was finally someone to answer Trevors' growing list of questions and concerns.
Kazu and Trevor waited with Kazu 'on the phone' with Trevor to discuss the news that had been airing. Now that class was over, he had agreed to wait at the front of the college to help Mina with Soma.
"Its odd that the spirits are completely indifferent to what's going on. I would think they would be much more reactive to whatever is turning people into whatever in Rome."
"Well, you have spirits and you have the dead, its possible that whatever is going on doesn't have any influence on the spirits. As for the dead, well they're European spirits, there's little reason for them to come here given how they likely died." Trevor pointed out as he watched an umbrella float after an elderly couple.
Given the news reports the deaths were likely violent and that lead to traumatic deaths. The victims would not move on, either from the area or from the moment of their deaths. They were all conditioned to believe an Angel would come for them and guide their souls were they worthy.
Even Trevor believed that when he died all those centuries ago.
"Trio is approaching." Kazu noted casually, causing Trevor to start peeking out of his bag.
Class would begin for the evening courses so there were only dwindling numbers of students as they rushed to their classes. There was some space between the group and the other students as Soma's pale haired head appeared. It was a stark change for Kazu to see the guy without the cursed ring on his hand.
Soma appeared exhausted, his dark school clothes reinforcing how pale he naturally was giving off a creepy feeling that Soma was merely a floating head. But as more of the students parted for him, Kazu could see this well polished black cane that Soma was using to walk with. It bore a hook that carried Soma's bag, that sung easily with his slow steps. His steps were clearly tired, and he didn't have a limp that bespoke an injury just... exhaustion.
"Its almost like the cane is a crutch to his exhaustion rather than his physical condition, yet look at his hand. I don't know how long it would take for his hand to heal, but it appears more like it was burned." Trevor observed, the closed fist seemed not held out of a casual style of walking... So maybe the skin had been burned to the point that it just shriveled up like that? 'The skin dried up? Lotion will 'not' be helping if that's the case...' Trevor thought to himself.
Beside Soma, Mina with Leon were a comforting sight, regardless of how odd or intimidating Soma appeared. Mina's light hearted, gentle presence balanced out the brooding tones Soma naturally carried. With Leon's own elevated status meaning he didn't have to pretend to be a toy anymore, but he was now getting veneration. He was dressed in a kimono more lavish and elegant than the adorable ones Mina had been able to get for him.
Which felt right given his position as head of his whole family...
But while Soma was 'here' Sophia had not reappeared, or any other spirit member of the hunter families...
"Its good to see you again," Kazu greeted the trio as they approached and was greeted in return.
"If I wasn't forced to be on all fours all the time I could wear nice clothes like that," Trevor began for his part. Since any sound Leon DARED make was now getting the 'the Divine One speaks!' treatment. Perhaps he was poking a hornets nest but if Leon wanted to live in the modern age, he was going to have to learn modern people!
So long as it wasn't Simon doing the teaching it was bound to be fun!
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The shrine was a good place between Alucards' sanctuary and Kazu's place, so the group went to the shrine. Despite the insane number of steps that Soma was forced to ascend, even as that condemned his contributions for any further conversation. They sat in a side room, away from prying ears, allowing Trevor to hop out of his travel bag and stretch.
It was a small room, meant for intimate business that concerned a small group. Tatami floor, with a warm red wood table in a small rectangle shape with flowing decorative curves in the sides. With a vase holding a few day old flowers as the center piece and a hanging light over head.
Leon was at the head of the table, sitting on his knees as he began pulling out his list, while his mouth formed a straight line.
"Something the matter, Leon?" Trevor asked walking over to his ancestor.
"I've come... to realize... Japanese do not start with business..."
It was better, perhaps being turned into a real lion had given him some greater access to communicating with them?
"Ahh, you picked up on that huh? You're right, they normally chat casual stuff before they get serious." Trevor recognized and nodded, "it took me a while to get that too, Simon as well. Since Yoko traveled between here and Spain so much it took longer for her, and thus Simon, to realize the cultural difference."
"However;" Kazu interjected, "Soma is struggling to stay awake it wouldn't do to talk casually when we have so little time to talk to him." He tilted his head politely towards where Soma sat, closest to the door and clearly trying to sit up and not slump over for a nap.
"I can't tell you much, Brauner has been converting the priests he can get a hold of into Thralls. Think human servants to vampires normally," Soma explained his voice breathy and weakening. "But they weren't all in the Holy City, and the church... the..."
"Soma?" Kazu got up from his seat as Soma began to slump against the table they sat at.
"I... don't think there is much that can be done... He's of Jewish stock, out him as a vampire and you bring back the witch hunts against the Dark Children. Out him as a corrupt priest..."
"And you condemn the Jewish community," Kazu finished, earning a mildly curious expression from Leon.
"So odds of such turned priests. Being here..." Leon began slowly as Trevor nodded.
"Not likely, there are churches in Asia but they're not exactly the most popular. Most people just accept Christianity, Catholicism and Islam are on a sliding scale. Unless you're in China, then Islam falls off the scale in terms of acceptance." Trevor explained and bowed his head when Leon gave a 'shoved' to his 'falls'. "I see you have been watching the news."
"History, actually. Strange that my future, is the past." Leon mused as he turned his attention back onto Mathias. "We spoke on these matters. Mathias refuses to get too deeply involved. Due to the nature and situations... But once his strength returns. Perhaps he can call the turned to him and keep the civilians safe..."
"Can the turned be purified?" Kazu asked, as Mina finally stepped into the room.
"No, fed the blood of a vampire, during sacrament." Mathias answered before he faded into a slower breathing pattern.
"Oh he's good, hiding as a priest and tainting what is meant to be consecrated wine with blood. Sneaky, and planned..." Trevor commented as he noted the bowls of steaming something. "Ok I need music and a napkin."
"Trevor this is a home, 'not' a cafe or restaurant!" Kazu scolded as he grabbed his phone and started looking for videos.
