Castlevania: Lisa's Last Words
Chapter 7: Legacy
'Belmont.' The taste of the girl's blood struck Dracula dumb with amusement, its unmistakable essence evoking a true, genuine laughter that had been dormant for centuries, aside from amusement he had occasionally derived from the suffering of others. The irony was palpable, and Dracula couldn't help but laugh uncontrollably for several minutes, the sound echoing through the night. The girl looked at him, perplexed, as if she thought the Dark Lord had finally succumbed to madness. However, it was the world that was mad, and he couldn't help but submit to the insanity.
As his laughter subsided, Dracula gazed down at the girl, still chuckling, his eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "Forgive me, child. I haven't laughed like that in a very long time..." His voice trailed off, his mind still reeling from the revelation, his thoughts a jumble of contradictions. For as much as he might have anticipated encountering challenges and obstacles in his quest to reunite with his lost love, he had never expected this twist of fate. The Belmont bloodline, once a constant thorn in his side, had unexpectedly reappeared in this innocent girl, the very same girl who was Lisa's reincarnation, a coincidence that was as astonishing as it was unlikely. However, Dracula knew there were no true coincidences in this world.
The complexity of the situation was not lost on him, and Dracula's gaze lingered on the girl, his mind racing with the implications of this unexpected turn of events. The Belmonts, once his sworn enemies, had now become inextricably linked to his own dead wife, her reincarnation carrying the Belmont bloodline was both unexpected and inexplicable.
Earlier, During his first visit, Dracula had conducted a discreet reconnaissance of the village, and now thinking on it, he recalled a complete absence of Church warriors or combat instructors. The notion that the maiden was a heretofore undisclosed member of the venerable Belmont family, a reserve hidden away, as it were, was exceedingly far-fetched and unlikely. It was far more likely this girl was a child born out of wedlock, her lineage unknown to any among the living. Dracula took another taste and sniff of the blood, his discerning senses honing in on her origins. While she wasn't a descendant of Richter or Simon, he was convinced that she hailed from Leon's line. A Belmont man or woman seeking solace outside the bounds of matrimony would have been all it took to create this unexpected lineage, they were still human in the end.
Dark thoughts, born of habit from his centuries-long vendetta, began to creep into Dracula's mind, tempting him to exploit her for his own purposes. There was so much he could do with her in his hands. Even the Vampire Killer could be rendered useless, and then, the Belmonts would... But the girl's innocent gaze dispelled those thoughts, its pure and untainted nature a stark contrast to the darkness that had defined him for so long. She was unaware of his past, his wars, and his vendetta, and she didn't deserve to be a pawn in his game of revenge, a mere instrument of his wrath. Her innocence was a balm to his soul, and for the first time in centuries, Dracula felt hesitation while faced with such a perfect opportunity.
As he gazed at her, the magic flame descended upon her chest, then merged with her heart, its radiance gradually fading into her skin. Dracula had thought the girl odd yet ordinary when they had first met, but now he saw that Belmont or not, she was never ordinary. The girl looked perplexed but quickly returned her attention to him, her eyes locking onto his with an unspoken understanding.
"I... I don't believe we've been properly introduced," Dracula said, feeling a rare sense of awkwardness. "You know me as Matt. I have many names - Vlad Tepes, Mathias Cronqvist, among others. But most know me as the scourge of humanity, Count Dracula." He wasn't sure why he was being so forthcoming with her, but her presence disarmed him, piercing the armor of his darkness with a gentle touch.
"Hmm... Okay, Mr. Dracula," Bethany said with a playful giggle. "I'm Bethany! Mom called me Beth."
Dracula smiled, noting the derivative of Elisabeta, a name that echoed through the centuries. "A lovely name for a lovely young lady, madame." He turned to leave, but Bethany's voice stopped him, her words laced with a hint of apprehension.
"Are you going again?" She sounded concerned, her voice trembling with a fear of being left alone. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around his leg, holding him in place in her weak yet determined grasp. "Please don't go." The pleading in her eyes tempted him, and Dracula felt a pang of responsibility, a sense of duty to protect this young girl who had unwittingly captured his heart.
Dracula felt a profound and poignant tug as Bethany grasped him, her small hand wrapping around his leg with a gentle yet unyielding grip. He had intended to withdraw and ponder his next move, but her hold rendered him powerless, his resolve crumbling beneath the weight of her innocence. He placed a hand on her head, speaking with a tenderness he had long forgotten. "I will not leave you. You have my word." He vowed, his promise echoing through the silence. "We must depart this place, for others will come, and soon." Bethany took his hand, her trust implicit, and together they left the village, disappearing into the shadows of the forest.
As they walked, Dracula couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility towards this young girl, who had unwittingly bound him with her pure heart and unwavering trust. The darkness within him stirred, its malevolent presence still palpable, but he pushed it aside, determined to shield her from the dangers that lurked in the darkness, his heart slowly awakening from its centuries-long slumber, its frozen chambers thawing beneath the warmth of her presence. The weight of his immortality bore down upon him, but for the first time in centuries, his curse of vampirism felt as not a curse any longer. He saw he could find solace in the company of this innocent child, who saw beyond the monster and beheld the man within.
'This is irritating.' Richter thought. Richter's frustration mounted as he scoured Castlevania for any sign of Dracula's presence, only to come up empty-handed. If Death's words were true, the cunning vampire could be anywhere in the world, making it a daunting task even for the legendary vampire hunter to track him down. A witch with the knowledge could cast a locating spell, but Richter knew of none, and even his ally Maria didn't possess such expertise, and her whereabouts were unknown.
Richter returned to the nearby town, which he had hastily passed through on his way to the castle, and found it peculiar that it hadn't been ravaged by Dracula's minions or burned to the ground. He assumed it was a temporary reprieve, as towns often sprouted up around Castlevania's location, only to be devastated by Dracula's forces and then rebuilt during the castle's slumber.
To avoid drawing attention, Richter acquired a cloak from a merchant stall and walked through the town, covering himself. He knew better than to assume Dracula didn't have followers among the townsfolk, so he tried to blend in. In fact, the entire town could be loyal to Dracula for all he knew. Someone had brought Dracula back, but Death hadn't revealed who or why.
Richter took a seat at the local tavern, passing a few coins to the bar waitress to sit undisturbed. As he settled in, he pondered his next move, knowing he would have to keep his ears open for rumors. But until he heard something, he could only wait. Richter knew the wait wouldn't be long; Dracula couldn't resist engaging in evil for long. It was only a matter of time before news reached him.
After a few hours of waiting for rumors with no results, Richter decided to leave and begin his journey home. He would sleep on the road, far enough away from the castle to see the sunrise. His horse was still waiting where he had hitched it, and he set off into the eternal night surrounding Castlevania. Fortunately his home village of Nosgoth was only a few days' travel on horseback. The Belmonts never lived far from the Dark Lord's domain.
As he traveled, Richter found the sun and stopped to rest for a few hours before continuing. It was safer than sleeping at night. His return home would be brief, as he knew his enemy was out there, planning something. Richter was determined to stop him before too much carnage was left in his wake. He would remain vigilant, knowing that Dracula's next move could come at any moment, and he had to be ready to face him once again.