Castlevania: Aria of the Ascending Soul
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
Beta By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
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Gliding down the grand hallway of the castle the trio hurried towards the study where Alucard and his father were. All three avoided getting close to the walls, and only through the doors of the hallway to minimize the chance of being sealed as they returned to Alucard and the others.
"Charlotte? Jonathan!" Lydia called out, her hands cupping her mouth to project her voice better. Maybe it was foolish? She didn't know, but any bit helped really. "Annette! Julius? Yoko!?"
"Grant?" Soleli called out as well, "Sophia? You can't all be locked up!"
"Sure they can! Never underestimate how bad luck can get," Maxim retorted with a faint shrug.
"Lydia? Hey! Wait come here!" Charlotte could be heard off to the right causing the trio to stop their forward momentum.
Elation fairly exploded in Lydia's chest as she saw the honey blond at a cross section with the rest of the group she had been traveling with. Rushing forward Lydia was filled with relief as she saw Jonathan, Eric, his daughters and then the living along with her. More over there was a group of likely prisoners that the group had liberated.
"Oh you have no idea how glad we are to see you," Maxim noted as he followed along.
"Where have you been?" Loretta asked even as Stella snapped, 'Do you have any idea how worried we were' at the same time.
Soon the trio was surrounded by their fellow dead while the living continued, granting them only a glance before moving on...
"Uh hello?" Soleli asked in confused annoyance only for Eric to shake his head.
"Let them go, the people they rescued will need to be taken to Charlottes' shelter quickly. It would be too time consuming to explain us to them." Eric pointed out as the trio noted the group 'did' look a bit pale. Well 'some' did, others looked relatively fine.
"We were trapped in the dining and kitchen areas," Lydia explained, her gentle, soft voice pulling the men back to the topic on hand. "Apparently the leader who sealed the rooms has also been sealing members in the areas as well. He doesn't seem to check or care... Reba, the member we were trapped with, was not what I expected of these cults. And that made the leader, this 'Michael' person, a bit odd..."
Soleli nodded, "trapped there for hours yet she was able to soothe a pair of turned cultist turned werewolves. I don't get 'how', unless she has a Beast Master gift, yet she got two massive werewolves to obey her."
"Wait, 'two massive werewolves'? Jonathan repeated before turning to look down the hallway they had come from. "You think those were the same wolves?"
Stella leaned over to Loretta, "is it racist if I admit all werewolves look the same to me?" she whispered.
Loretta looked at her sister with a tableware resting flat expression on her face. "Yes, yes it is."
"Well how can I tell? I'm not even alive and even if I was I can't pick up wolf scents..." Stella retorted only to see the expression on their fathers' face as he turned to look at the pair.
"Regardless," Jonathan cut into the conversation with a shake of the head. "So do you know how the weres would have gotten from your area to ours? If its the same weres, also how did you escape?"
Soleli answered with a slight helpless shrug, "magic, the pair were sleeping in the dinning hall in front of the fire. Suddenly a portal opened under each of them whisking them away and neither of us being versed in magic..."
"It was horrible," Lydia added. "Reba was crushed when they disappeared, and we are invisible to them so no one could explain where the pair went to. She never had pets before, I get the idea that she had a very weak constitution before she came to the castle. You would have thought someone killed a puppy in front of her."
"Yeah and the others realizing they were locked in the area started bashing on the doors until Michael arrived." Maxim recounted, "Funny man that one, since he brought down the seal and we got out while we could. For a guy who has no problem sealing his own followers up in rooms regardless of who they are locked with. Reba can't and probably doesn't know how to fight to start with. And yet he was all hovering concern over her."
"Beyond that the 'guests' of the castle were treated rather well by Reba, but how Michael will treat them I have no idea. He may have only been mindful and semi pleasant to them because of his follower," Maxim continued thoughtfully.
"And they're refusing to go back into any of the rooms that Michael 'suggested', smart group really." Soleli added as he tilted his head to indicate where they left the people.
"Well lets go see if Alucard is back," Charlotte offered before floating back a bit to resume their trek.
"What happened to those werewolves?" Maxim asked as the group turned and began making their way back to the front of the castle.
"A self stylized 'scientist' didn't like us freeing his intended lab 'rats' and used magic to summon them into the room. The children dealt with them and then with his zombie victims getting back at him when he tried to control them." She bore a grim smile on her face at that memory, "he had been trying to frankenstien the zombies into something new. They didn't take kindly to it," Stella explained with a shake of her head, "he got access to the oils as well. Did someone put the oils on sale? It's starting to feel like everyone and their dog has it!"
"Yes, it 'is' strange that these cults and supposed hunters have the recipe, but the question is how could they? Shouldn't only the church have it?" Loretta noted as they turned down the hallway that lead to where Alucard and Soma were holed up.
"Valencia might know, because I don't recall the oils predating my interactions with the church," Jonathan noted thoughtfully.
"OH!" Charlotte blinked and nearly smacked herself in the face, "we can't ask for help. Apparently what is empowering the seals is tied to the curse that ties the Belmonts and the allies to Dracula. That includes any of the servants of the castle as well, so if you run into anyone who 'can' see or help?" She shook her head as the three blinked in surprise.
"So wait, does that mean that the seals can't work unless, that..." Maxim began to scratch at his head in confusion. "But that would mean if the three of you left the castle that one time, Brauner couldn't have sealed the castle the way he did. Right?"
"But its not a curse without Dracula sooo," Lydia noted casually earning a quiet nod as the others acknowledged the logic.
"There," Eric pulled their attention to the windows revealing the garden, "interestingly that Alura Une is one of Soma's souls. Our 'shop', and other souls that are under Somas' direct command should be spread out through out the castle."
"That's interesting," Soleli noted as he watched the skeleton gardeners work on planting roses in what appeared to be a path. The Alura Une was in full bloom, pointing and guiding with both hand and stems with a half woman, half spider wearing a light yellow top and white shirt walking along. "And the spider?"
"A cultist had some type of revelation and she's offered her services as well. Mostly not sure how to handle her." John explained and shrugged helplessly at the stunned expression from the others that he got.
'Well at least we have something 'to' report, and we need to get the guys to recover the freed people as soon as we can. Before good ol Michael traps them somewhere more dangerous than with Reba.' Soleli thought to himself. 'Though what 'is' Reba to him? He was fairly dotting on her,' he mused to himself as everyone made it through to the hall that held the study.
With Death currently on guard before the door, with a strange slight glow.
'They must have gotten the people out of the castle," Eric thought with a faint bit of relief. "Soleli, the three of you should go relay what has transpired to our living family and guide them back. We'll report in to Alucard."
"I should go with you, with only Max as a strong caster you need more magical knowledge in your group." Charlotte unabashed announced as she broke off from the larger group and began floating after the trio.
"I don't know how I'm going to feel about not hearing 'Jonathan! Charlotte' on repeat," Stella joked while her sister sighed.
"I'm still here!" Jonathan griped looking at the twins in what could be construed as being offended but maybe not.
"But its not the same," Eric pointed out shaking his head as he did so, though he stopped teasing as they floated into the makeshift 'war room' of sorts.
There was little in the form of change, the group could have just stepped out for a few minutes instead of several hours.
"Alucard, did the FreeLance manage to let you know what was going on?" John asked as the sunlight outside lit up the distant land. The room wasn't facing the rising sun, but they could still see the world growing brighter in its presence.
"No, I sensed their arrival along with a group of humans," Alucard replied, he had a book on his lap with both his hands resting on it as he leaned back in the large comfortable looking chair he sat upon. "Though I am able to say that there will be no bombings of the castle due to the civilians trapped in here." He announced with quick glance at Soma.
He could smell the variety of herbs still hanging in the air and mixing with the wood smoke and magic. Soma had done something, but he couldn't fathom what that was, the book was of limited scope in its knowledge of herbs. Something more advance would be required and that would require the library being open. Confident that his father had done 'something', yet unable to figure out what irritated the Dhampire immensely.
There were messages from Valencia about the church, the uproar of the castle had affected it. Even her hidden son had given a report, alerting him of the state of the Hakuba shrine and its residents. 'How strange to live forever and 'still' feel as though you lack the time to finish the tasks at hand...'
"Well that's good, I guess its time to let you know what's been going on while you've been out," Jonathan replied as his friends floated through out the room, 'getting comfortable' as much as one could...
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"Why can't they..." Charlotte groaned as she rolled her head back and turned back to the castle. "They can't hear us unless we're 'in' the castle..." she recited in irritation. "You would think being 'within the castle walls' and 'on the castle grounds' would be enough but nooooooooooooooooooooo."
Lydia giggled softly in amusement, "does it matter so long as you were able to use your magics?"
"Point taken," Charlotte grumbled as Soleli and Maxim moved among the living to make sure that no one was showing signs of infected injury. Zombies came from being dead, but there were a variety of weres in the castle.
"You know, I never realized until now how beautiful the castle can be when its been motivated," Lydia noted as she looked about, her gaze taking in the morning sunlight and how it affected the landscape. "I know that terrible things are happening, but I hope we can save the castle."
"What?" Soleli blurted out in shock, "have you lost your mind?!"
"Hey!" Maxim retorted instantly defensive as he came over from the crowd of people.
"No, I really want the castle to be ok. Its been used for evil for ages, and now its got a chance to... try to be something better. Hope is a meaningless empty word if we abandon people to their circumstances. Hope exists as a promise that things 'can' get better, but it can't happen if people don't take a chance and give a helping hand. I. I want to believe that the castle wants to change, it clearly wants to keep its Master. And Soma doesn't want to just stay evil."
The other three with her paused and found their own thoughts going back to their lives. For both Maxim and Lydia it had been Juste who had been their hope. Solelis' hope came in the form of his father rescuing him from Dracula. Even if those men were now sealed in plush animal bodies, they had still brought hope for the trio.
While Charlotte closed her eyes, 'if only we had known at the time. We should have been there for her... Maybe that sick gang bang...'
Lydia blinked as she saw the pinched expression of guilt and shame on Charlottes' face. Silently she glided over into Charlottes' line of sight, her expression one of sincere concern. But she didn't bother asking, if Charlotte wanted to talk she would, Lydia was confident of that. She was also aware that there was 'something' in the younger woman's past that affected her, and Jonathan, greatly.
"Alright, I know it looks a little odd to be stuck out here and just not take the gates and step on out. But its for the best we get 'everyone' out here. Right now it looks like the best option is to make one group, instead of smaller ones traveling in packs to town." Sam explained to the group unaware of the conversation going on at the front doors of the Castle.
"But if we're here why not inside the castle? What if it rains or something?" A voice asked in the back and Sam could see a head trying to peer over the taller people in front of him.
"If it rains you can come in, but right now we have protections up that will keep the cults that have been coming after you at bay. We can't stay, however; there are other people who need help getting away from the cults."
"Yeah we've been out here ever since that ghost lady brought us here. Don't get me wrong the area's nice but like food? Water? Not much here!" one man called out while a few others gave soft sounds of agreement.
"I think we can maybe have some of the servants of the castle bring food. If you don't mind the undead aspect of the servants you could end up getting," Max offered. She stood there with her hands out in a 'weigh the options' manner, confident and indifferent.
There was silence for a brief time from the freed prisoners before a few of the voices gave variations of the "they may beat out the cults bullshit..." argument. The people they had released from below had been found here, essentially bumming around the front steps of the castle clueless about what to do next. Now there were others and at least it would hopefully comfort them to have fellow victims. Along with people willing to give them some direction.
"I'll ask about getting you something to rest upon though, maybe some lawn furniture and such," Alexis offered as she turned to return to where Alucard would be residing.
'Several of them look in shock, I won't be surprised if they are treated to something mundanely normal and burst into tears soon.' Alex stood quietly to the side observing the people and his experiences as a college professor coming back into play.
"I realize that you've been through a great deal and we're asking you to essentially stay out in the open," Alex began. "But right now our options are limited, this is the best we can do to both protect you and find the others."
A few heads nodded in acknowledgment, probably encouraged by how the sun made everything appear now. Bright blue sky, the landscape of the grounds was taking on a lush thick grass with the manicured trees looking as rich green as the woods outside.
Back when the woods were 'there'.
The freed prisoners had seen too much, the naive thought that maybe 'one' of these people could be afforded to guide them out didn't exist. Now three groups of people from different parts of the world were grouped together, in some cases what was being said was being translated through Max. But even she wasn't an omniglot, and there was always a chance of someone translating for another person or they were just left following the herd.
Everyone was just having to rely on blind faith in the Castle of Dracula.