Fandom Castlevania: Night's Dirge [Closed]

[Lucyfer]

Gresit was sealed up. There was one entrance, which a young human man located as he walked around the closed up city, frowning all the while. It was through a sewage pipe, which was hardly a pleasant thought. ‘It had to be here of all places.’ Johann thought as he finally reached the point where he’d started, and began to walk back towards the carriage of Lucia Belune, which waited outside the city for night to fall. Which, it was finally starting to do, which also meant a return of those accursed night creatures.

He was not looking forward to the night, even if he would have the protection of Lucia, and he nervously pushed a hand through his blonde hair as he glanced up at the trees, walking towards the gilded black carriage.

Even the nightmares seemed anxious, one digging its hoof into the dirt in agitation, while the other tossed its head back and forth, as if trying to catch sight of something. “Easy, Marius, easy,” he could recognize them well enough, and as he spoke, Marius let out a whinny, as Danica rose.

“There you are! Took you long enough,” none of them were presently speaking Romanian, instead speaking Ruthenian, despite being deep in Romania. Neither Johann, nor Danica, were native to Romania, though they were familiar with it from visits. “How long does it take to find an entrance?”

“I was trying to find a better one,” he sighed, coming around to the carriage door, which he opened to find Lucia reading a book, pressed to the far edge to the avoid the light of the sun. Even the shade of the forest and the curtained window had her paranoid of sunlight, “Duchess Belune,” he knew the formality was not necessary, especially by the way her lips curved in a smile, one brow lifting, “There is an entrance to Gresit…through a sewage pipe.”

“Ew.” Danica, despite being in her 40s, was the one to express disgust first.

Lucia just chuckled, a rolling and pleasant sound, as the black-haired woman started to uncurl a bit, noticing that not much light was coming in from where the door had opened, “I have been through much worse than that,” she noted. A little sewage was hardly going to get in her way, “though I suppose I will not have to.”

“What do you mean?” Johann asked.

“Flight.” She had not wanted to shift into an owl, but it was easier than going through a sewage pipe.

“Now you’re just showing off,” Johann grumbled. “What about us? With the night creatures out there…if you’re not with us….”

“You both are capable…but fair point,” she sighed, “I suppose I’ll trudge through the muck with you. Shall we get the carriage closer?”

“Yes,” Johann said, and Danica was quick to step up and into the carriage, “I’ll get us over there now,” and he shut the door just as soon as Danica was within, and then made sure to hook up the two nightmares back to the carriage, and get them turned towards the lovely sewage pipe that was their way into Gresit.

When it came to a stop, Johann was soon around again and opened the carriage door, noting, “It may be dark enough to make it into the pipe and start towards the city.”

Lucia gave him a dubious look, but when she heard a demonic outcry, she almost pushed by Danica to get out, “Yes, I agree,” was all she said, even as she felt the rays of the setting sun scald what bits of flesh were revealed to it. She was swiftly in the pipe, and half-way through it in seconds, as Danica and Johann struggled to pull themselves in. She didn’t go back to the edge to help.

Not with the sun still visible enough to cause her pain.

Eventually, the duo made it up and into the sewage pipe, Danica hoisting her blue and white dress up high to keep it out of the muck. She gave a look down at the hem of Lucia’s dark dress, and scowled as she realized it didn’t go quite so far down to be bothered – above the ankle. And the heels helped. Johann put a gentle hand on Danica’s back, and they walked through the pipe, hearing someone shouting, and the sounds of lots of people moving about.

When they came out on the other side of the pipe, it was fairly easy to see what was going on. Someone was helping to organize Gresit, in preparation for the Night Creatures.

“Should we help?” Danica asked, dropping down, Johann catching her and setting her neatly upon the cobblestone, as the trio looked out at the organization.

Then the demonic shrieks returned.

“We’re here for Adrian….” Lucia said, but her eyes had shifted skyward, hearing the demonic shrieks and watching some of the winged demons come down, as others started to crawl over the walls. “…but I suppose a small detour wouldn’t hurt.” Her form shifted to that of an owl, and she took flight immediately.

“This is literally going to hurt,” Johann complained, but when Danica laughed at him and sprinted ahead to join the ranks of those with holy water buckets, he also ran ahead to go help with those instructed to hold the pikes and pointy objects, as a Speaker Magician began to form a barrier to close in the demons and keep them on a single path – at least, those that couldn’t fly.

“Hi friends – oh, er, I mean, hello!” He shifted from Ruthenian to Romanian, accent heavy, as he took up one of the make-shift polearms and moved his way to the front of the group aligned to deal with the demons which were in an increasingly short and narrow space, thanks to the icy walls.

He cast one stray look up to see that, as expected, Lucia had decided to play with the winged demons, proving to be a hellion with talons.

She wouldn’t have wanted to expose herself as a vampire – being a strange owl was somehow better, by her logic.

Especially as she was able to dive and make a demon slam into the cobblestone in its chase after her.

“Oh! Wow!” Sypha was surprised by it, but didn’t lose her focus, as one of those with a bucket of holy water hurled it on the crashed demon.

It worked – much to the surprise of even Sypha, who hadn’t been so sure the man was truly of the clothe.

The ground trembled a bit where the demon struck, but it went unnoticed in the larger scheme, as Sypha made sure to lure the demons towards the path of the blessed weapons.

 

[AnxietyandSparklingWater]

" Sypha he told you and the other speakers to stay underground. It's safest there." Aveline chided, but regardless she followed her new friend through the streets of Gresit. She had known Sypha for roughly a month and had expected something to this extent, she was a brilliant woman but also very bold and confidant in herself. She had the skills to walk confidently towards a mob with night( and the demon hoard that came with it) fast approaching without any fear.

" I will not let Trevor fight my battles for me. If you're that worried about the others then stay and guard them." Sypha said simply, but Aveline kept up with her easily. " If you fight then so do I." She declared.

From under her sage green cloak Aveline pulled a long polearm off her back, it was folded in half but with a flick of her wrist it stood proudly at it's full height and was easily almost twice the length of Aveline. The blade was something like a modified Vougle blade with a sharp tip for stabbing, but the top and bottom of the polearm sported a blade on either end.

" That is what you've kept under you're cloak?" Sypha asked with wide eyes. " I'm glad you're on my side."

" I've been traveling alone for almost two years, I needed some way to protect myself. It might of been over kill before, but since Dracula kicked started the end of the world it's been helpful." Aveline defended herself.

They arrived at the square where Trevor was surrounded by townspeople, but Aveline took her place beside Sypha as the speaker cast her magic to form a barrier around him.

" A sorcerer!" " A witch!" the cries from the mob mixed together as they stepped away from the flames protecting Trevor from their blades and rage.

" No I am a speaker and a scholar of magic! I serve no demon and I do no evil!" she proclaimed, the force of her magic moving the hair and cloaks of both her and Aveline.

" You never told me you were a magician, what are you two doing here?' Trevor asked as a path to safety was cut through the ring of fire.

" You never asked, just like how I never asked you to fight my battles for me." Sypha called out to him. " I am no speaker so there was no need for me to hide, and I wasn't going to let you fight alone Trevor, though Sypha discovered me slipping away and joined me." Aveline added some what sheepishly.

She and Sypha descended the building to join Trevor on the ground, where he had incited the crowd against the corrupt church official who had initially turned the mob against the speakers. Aveline vaguely looked over the corpse with a frown, she felt pity for the man but at the same time the church was to blame for many of the issues that had befallen Wallachia.

The explosion of a building turned her attention away from the body as Sypha said what they were all thinking " They're here. The hoard has come."

Trevor stopped the running villagers, his mind already at work as he realized the only way to survive this hoard. " Retreat to the back of the square! Pikes up front now, and I need an ordained priest to begin blessing water from the well!" He shouted out orders as the villagers hurried to accommodate him, their lives on the line.

" Impressive Trevor. It seems you're not a Belmont just in name!" Aveline called out with a soft chuckle, then dived into the fight. The pikemen had separated as the demons sent blasts of fire their way, but between Trevors whip and her dancing around the demons the system that Trevor had put in place work. Walls of ice blocked them in, pikeman stopped them from jumping away, water and salt weakened them, and anything too far outside of the villagers capabilities she, Trevor, or Sypha took care of.

" Have you two noticed anything odd?" Trevor asked as piles of bodies hit the ground around their feet. The ground seemed to tremble with every body that hit, and Trevor and Aveline bouncing around as they pleased didn't help.

" What kind of odd? The demon hoard kind of odd?" Sypha snarked as she sent another bucket of salt exploding.

" I was thinking more like an owl fighting off hoard demons odd, but yeah that works too." Trevor sassed back, then jumped back as a larger hoard demon jumped at him. It managed to claw at his arm, but Sypha brought a hard block of Ice down.

The demon dodged, stomping heavily on the ground, before jumping at the trio. Sypha caught the demon in a sudden growth of icy spikes, while Trevors whip silenced the monsters cries of " There's an army of us! From hell!". But the explosion from the demon after contact with Trevors consecrated whip caused the ground to crumble out from under their feet. Villagers around them ran to the edges, but for Trevor, Aveline, and Sypha they were too far in the middle to get out.

They fell through the ground, and from pure instinct alone Trevor used his whip to pull Aveline and Sypha to him. He knew that his body wouldn't of eased the fall for the girls, but an ingrained instinct in him told him ' put yourself between them and the ground. Maybe just maybe they'll survive'. But Syphas magic slowed their fall, and instead of dying they crashed down through some boards into a much deeper part of the catacombs then they had been before.

 

[Lucyfer]

There was a brief exchange of glances between Danica and Johann as they heard the man organizing the situation mention the ‘owl’. “Maybe they disturbed its tree,” Danica couldn’t help but comment, hoping that a man so well versed in slaying demons was not familiar with the fact that many vampires could shapeshift. Some only to mist, others to wolves, but it was not an uncommon feature of the species.

Then again, he probably wouldn’t expect one to be fighting the Night Creatures.

Just as the Night Creatures weren’t expecting it and flew into a rage at it.

A rage strong enough to literally break open the ground, and reveal a buried city of sorts. Danica and Johann were far enough away at that point, but three others fell in, even as Danica tried to rush to the edge, rather than away, to grab them – it was far too late by then.

Lucia Belune noticed as well, and rather than stay above, she zipped down after them. This looked to be what she wanted to find – the catacombs below Gresit, the Sleeping Soldier, ‘Adrian….’ If the information she had was good, which given its source, she was fairly certain that it was.

She wasn’t sure how long she could pull off this ‘weird owl’ role, though, before that whip came her way – from the way the Night’s Creatures reacted, she was convinced she did not want to be stricken by it. She didn’t know who the stranger was, but she recognized the sigil on his back – Belmont. Their legend reached so far as her home. That meant nothing good for Adrian – she definitely wanted to beat the strange man to him, if he didn’t just focus on getting out of there.

So, she perched upon a wooden plank, and looked out at the vast workings before her, while the Speaker woman, and the other who didn’t quite smell human, gathered themselves in the new environment.

Sypha started to rise and look out over the catacombs, “We’re…in the catacombs again. I think we’re deeper than I went before,” she spoke, almost to herself, as she started to walk forward towards the gears that were running, opearing something beneath the city.

Activating traps.

The walls suddenly began to push out towards them, sections of it attempting to crush anyone who stood between them. Sypha jolted at the sound of the first one, and then looked back and reached out for Aveline, “Run!” With a burst of wind at her own feet, she moved to pull Aveline along with her to get away from the walls, not realizing that there was nothing but another fall up ahead, and that it would only continue to lead to more of the area around them breaking down.

 

[AnxietyandSparklingWater]

" All of this was under Gresit?" Aveline asked in awe after recovering from their wall. Even if Sypha had saved them from falling to their death and splattering all over the ground no one liked to be thrown through wooden boards or land on a stone floor.

" We already saw something like it back in the catacombs where Sypha was." Trevor commented, his eyes sliding over all the gears and mechanics that seemed to be powering something. He wasn't even a bit sure of what they could do, but the words of his families grimore were vivid in his head. Draculas castle could travel anywhere at a moments notice, and this complex and foreign interior was something only seen in Draculas castle. But he kept his thoughts to himself, he wasn't going to worry the girls just yet. And if they could get out of here without fighting Dracula then he didn't see a reason to get a rise out of them.

The slamming sections of wall was shocking and sent dust flying, making it hard to figure out what was going on or where to go. But a burst of wind from Sypha cleared the path and all three ran through what were clearly traps or defenses. They ended up sliding down some type of ramp and were stuck with no way to move forward other than to climb up and around the many suspended gears in the place. But just like how the floor had given way to them back up on the street in Gresit so too did this floor crumble under this.

" We have horrible luck!" Aveline cried out as the ground disappeared under her. She used a large piece of floor to kick off with and was able to grab onto a gear like Trevor had, but Sypha had used magic to propel herself upward and was somewhere more stable.

They all met in the middle on one of the bars connecting two wheels, and Trevor used his whip like a clothes line and let Sypha and Aveline climb it before swinging on his whip behind to meet them. The metal gave away just like everything else had that night and Trevor groaned.

" For god's sake." he would of rubbed at the head ache he was suddenly having if it wasn't important to stay focused to survive.

" Who ever built this place didn't do a very good job at it," Aveline signed.

The metal they were on fell down and the focus of falling had shaken all three off of the structure and left them to fall through a hole, but they were still alive when the dust cleared.

" Where did we end up?" Aveline asked curiously, they were in some sort of tomb. The room was more grand than the other parts of the catacombs they had been in before, there was a vibrant rug and more of those electric torches. It left Aveline and Sypha curious and in awe, but Trevor was even more on guard.

He accidentally stepped on some type of control and sent the machines in the room whirling, and both Aveline and Sypha gave him an unimpressed look.

" I didn't do that."

But from the hissing of the machines the coffin in front of them opened, and out of it came a beautiful blond man with a large scar on his chest. It left them all in various stages of shock and awe.

Because for Sypha they had found the sleeping soldier from legend who would save them.

To Trevor they had just found some sort of creature, maybe even Dracula himself if his families grimore and his gut feeling meant anything.

And to Aveline, who was part fairy and as such was a sucker for blond men and women alike, she had just stumble upon the most beautiful man she had ever seen. But the scar on his chest left her more concerned and confused than anything, why was he hurt and why he was here? So many stories below Gresit?

 

[Lucyfer]

Flying and dodging the falling bits of debris and breaking catacombs was a breeze for the vampiress, and as it distracted the group from the following owl, all the better. Although, it seemed in their progress, whether to find a way out or just to avoid being crushed to death, they were led right into an elaborate tomb, with blood feeding into it on either side. ‘Not good.’ Not who needed to be meeting Adrian right now, for who else would be in there?

She flew in, just as the supposedly alert hunter stepped on a button on the floor, and kickstarted the tomb into opening itself up.

The blonde dhampir son of Dracula was pushed out of the tomb as it came to life, and Lucia felt a pang as she saw the scar over his chest, knowing full well who put it there. ‘How could you…?’ Whatever would Lisa have said?

The others were, naturally, in various stages of shock.

Alucard, however, was regaining his bearings, being woken what seemed to be early, given the scar hadn’t healed. A hand lifted to it as he took in the presence of four others, scenting them before seeing them with his own golden eyes. Two humans, one vampire, and one…other. He couldn’t pinpoint it, though it almost seemed human.

“Why are you here?” The first words rolled off of his tongue, as he kept his gaze down, still trying to feel out what he would need to do in this situation. Was this a hostile group?

“The story…the Messiah sleeps under Gresit,” Sypha breathed out in sheer awe. “The man who will save us from Dracula.”

With a vampire present? Alucard lifted his gaze, golden eyes finally alighting on the group. He noticed then, the crest of the Belmont on one man, and his doubt increased – even if he knew the story of the Sleeping Soldier, and knew that a hunter was needed. And the vampire? Shapeshifted. No wonder.

While the fourth appeared as human as the others, albeit short, and with haunting blue eyes given her darker hair. His curiosity was piqued, but he was more invested in survival right then, and his gaze cast itself back to the owl. “And you? How long do you intend to trick them?”

Immediately on being called out, Lucia dropped from the owl form, just off the rug. Thankfully, clothes and weapons came with these transformations, and so she appeared much in the same black dress she’d been in before, “I honestly never intended to stop tricking them, but then they found you….”

He scoffed, “And are you here to stop Dracula, too? Or are you here on his behalf?”

“You know me better than that, Adrian,” Lucia snapped, “Seems I’m in the same boat as these new strangers. I came here for your help in stopping him. You’re the only one who knows Dracula castle so well.”

Sypha was now the one baffled, and quite confused, given the owl had just taken the form of…well, she wasn’t human, was she? Sypha couldn’t quite make out many of her features, not facing her full on, but humans didn’t have eyes like that. Nor did they have eyes like Adrian, for that matter – but he was their savior, so –, “You know each other?” Had not the Sleeper been there for a hundred years?

Well if this woman was a long-lived…wait wouldn’t that make her a vampire?

 

[AnxietyandSparklingWater]

Aveline too a cautious step back hearing the mans question. ' And you? How long do you intend to trick them?' and for a moment she thought he was talking to her, that maybe he had seen through her and knew what she was. But she was actually relieved to hear something or someone behind them.

" We were followed down here?" Trevor mumbled to himself, his eyes taking in the not one but two vampires that were suddenly flanking them from either side of the room. Despite knowing that Sypha and Aveline were capable, they had proven themselves to him back on the surface as far as he was concerned, he stepped back towards them and used an out stretched arm to try and tuck them behind him.

" I don't know what you two are talking about, but I didn't come down here to find anything. I fell down a hole." Trevor said, his hand casually inching towards his whip.

" I just fell down here too, but I think this is a lot better than fighting that hoard of draculas demons up above ground." Aveline added.

Trevor spared a glance over at Sypha, and even then his hunter instincts chastised him for it. In his head he could hear his father roaring about what to do when faced with a vampire, and looking away from them wasn't on that list. She didn't seem to understand that her man of legend wasn't the blond floating in front of them.

" I think it's rather clear what this all is Sypha, and who they are." Trevor said with a scoff. " This man is no sleeping messiah tucked under ground to save us all. This man and the woman who was just a literal owl are vampires. "

" Vampires that seem to be against the order of mass human extinction Dracula has issues." Aveline added as her blue green eyes shined with the connections she was quickly making. It was clear the two knew one another, and it sounded like they were against what Dracula had done though their reasons for opposing him were still unknown.

" Is that so? Well excuse me if I don't believe they want to save humanity out of the goodness of their unbeating hearts." Trevor scoffed.

" Trevor! Don't say stuff like that, he's the man from legend who is meant to help us! And maybe the woman who is here is also part of the legend." Sypha scolded him.

" Please Sypha he hasn't been waiting here for hundreds of years. This place is old but not abandoned and what kind of messiah sets up death traps to stop people from interrupting their nap?" Trevor added, finding a sort of anger in this whole situation. Sypha clearly didn't see that this wasn't something from legend, this was a vampire and whether he agreed with Draculas plans to kill all humans or not that left him on edge.

" Ah speaking of which most of the building fell to pieces on our way here, I hope you weren't planning on them really keeping people out." Aveline added sheepishly. They couldn't change the fact the floor literally crumbled under them more than once, but still someone had been sleeping here and she felt bad for ruining their home? Sanctuary?

 

[Lucyfer]

Seeing the Belmont’s hand moving towards a whip, Lucia couldn’t help the slight shift in her own posture, one foot moving behind the other, and her hand placing itself on the hilt of her gladius. The short sword remained her preference, but she did not draw it.

She’d be fast enough if the man grabbed his whip. Of that, she was certain.

“They really did just fall down a hole,” Lucia noted, knowing her comment would be received by Alucard in case he had any doubts of it. Though, it seemed the Speaker knew what she was on about here, and at the mention of a prophecy, her brows raised. She almost laughed.

She stopped believing in prophecy a long time ago. She wasn’t about to be involved in one. She shook her head at that, but didn’t verbally acknowledge it, as Adrian’s expression grew all the more irritated with the conversation.

“The traps were not for you,” he said, almost apologetic as he looked to the woman who tried to explain what had happened – how they were no longer useful in keeping out those they were intended to keep out. “They were not for any humans,” they were for his father, or his father’s minions, to keep them from getting to him, “I needed the rest to recover from my wound, and I could not risk being caught by others.” His fingers curled into a fist over the scar, before he brought it back down to his side, letting his feet touch the ground. “Demon hordes?”

Lucia gave a silent nod, and Sypha filled in, “Yes, they appeared first in Wallachia, and they have been spreading. Dracula appears to be waging a war against all of humanity, and if you can help us at all – either of you,” Sypha invited the other one in as well, glancing back at her, noting the placement of her hand briefly, but looking up from that to her expression once more, “This world needs you.”

“It was my intent already,” Lucia answered, and fixed a look to the Belmont, “and you do not have to believe I am doing this out of the kindness of my cold, dead heart. If it makes it easier to trust me, assume I am doing it out of my selfish desire to keep humans around so I have food. I am sure that is something you understand.” She could feast on animal blood, but…no. It was revolting. She preferred humans.

It was not so hard to drink and not kill them, unlike some vampires who never learned their manners.

Alucard let out a slight chuckle, though there was a hint of exasperation to it on hearing the dry tone he’d grown so familiar with from Lucia. One she used so often with Lisa when she started quizzing her about vampires and vampirism, and Roman culture. “Please, Lucia. Let’s not threaten the others involved in the prophecy now.”

Sypha’s eyes lit up a bit. She’d thought – she’d hoped – but she hadn’t been sure, of course. But she knew there were five figures. And there were five people here…, “At least, I suspect the rest of you must be involved, as the prophecy of the Sleeping Soldier involves an Elder, a Hunter,” pointed look to Belmont, “a Wanderer,” admittedly, he wasn’t sure whether to look at the strange woman, or the Speaker, there, “and a Scholar. If we are to take down Dracula, we will need all of us.”

“I never agreed to this,” Lucia couldn’t help but comment, and Alucard ignored it, much as she knew he would.

“I am Adrian Tepes…known to the people here as Alucard.” He introduced, “And so what I prefer, now.” It was the name his mother’s people had given him…and now he was taking it on, as he stood in opposition to his father.

That was enough to stir a pang in Lucia’s chest. Name changes…she knew all about that. Adrian had been a name bestowed lovingly on him by his parents.

“I am Sypha Belnades,” and to make a point, mostly to Trevor, she moved by his side and offered her hand. Alucard arched a brow at it, but accepted the gesture all the same.

 

[AnxietyandSparklingWater]

" That sounds more like the vampires I know." Trevor said. The need for blood was something he understood, it made it easy to figure out patterns to vampires. Made them predictable. And of course when Dracula started his plan to kill humanity Trevor had imagined that not every vampire would be a fan of the plan, they needed humans to live. Or at least most of them were too stuck up to resort to animal blood. He remembered a vampire spitting in his face once about how he'd never stoop so low, and that hadn't even been anything more than some minion. He imagined that higher up vampires, like the two in front of him, also weren't fans of animal blood. In fact glancing behind this Alucard guy he could only imagine that those two large glass tubes we holding human blood. The thought made his nose crinkle in distaste.

" You really believe in this prophecy?" Aveline asked Sypha with a raised eyebrow.

" I do." Sypha said with a confident nod of her head. She knew she couldn't expect Alucard to really be some magical savior, but she believed that everyone in this room was here for a reason. " I believe that we are here for a reason. Maybe not prophecy, maybe it is just fate. Above ground the three of us fought so well together against the hoard! I imagine if everyone in this room fought together we could really stop Dracula."

It was the conviction that really sold Aveline. She didn't think she was anything special or from a legend, she just knew she was a girl running from a part of herself she was afraid she had inherited from her mother. But if some good could come from her aimless wandering around the world, and if she could make friends along the way, then who was she to discourage the young woman who had been so kind to her since they had first met almost a month ago.

" If that is the case then you're clearly the scholar, Ms " I am a scholar of the magic arts.'" Aveline teased Sypha. She had no problems settled with the role of the wanderer, it fit very well actually.

" I don't believe in prophecy." Trevor argued, and Sypha opened her mouth to argue but he continued talking. " but I do believe in what my family stood for, which was protecting the people of Wallachia even though they turned on us. I'm done doing nothing."

" Aw Trevor that is so much growth! You're more mature than you were literally an hour ago." Aveline praised him and playfully nudged his side, but he grumbled and crossed his arms over his chest.

Stepping away from Trevors side Aveline also offered her hand to Alucard with a bright smile and blue-green eyes glimming slightly under her pitch black bangs. " And i'm Aveline Varor." He left her curious and that showed in her eyes, she had never met a vampire before but had heard stories about their beauty and looking from him to the other woman it was clear those weren't just stories.

" and what might we call you?" Sypha asked Lucia curiously.

" A few things come to mind." Trevor chuckled, but his hand stayed on the blade by her side. Vampire or not he admired anyone that could handle themselves.

" Like beautiful." Aveline said, but her attention was more focused on finding a way out of here. Hopefully falling through the ceiling hadn't destroyed the main way in and out of this place.

 

[Lucyfer]

Lucia smirked a bit as the hunter agreed that her logic was more sound than kindness. While it wasn’t a lie, there was kindness involved as well, but there’d be no convincing the hunter of that so soon. Best to work with what he could trust, for now. It kept her alive without an argument over her appreciation of human ambition and creative talents, the way they used their time in their too-short lives to create beauty, or technology, their innovation in the face of mortality and futility was…inspiring.

Something that, at times, she felt she’d forgotten when her fingers moved over the strings of an instrument in a long-dead song, rather than something new.

The topic easily slid back to the prophecy after that, the Speaker professing her faith in it, and the one who would introduce herself as Aveline agreeing. Lucia remained rather against the idea of prophecy or fate, but if it meant more people were going to work together against Dracula, who was she to argue? So long as the hunter didn’t try to stake her or Adr—Alucard, she’d deal with the company.

She refrained from snickering at Trevor’s expense when Aveline called him out on growth. She caught the wry little smirk on Alucard’s face at it, as well, as he took the hand of Aveline. “A pleasure to meet you as well, Wanderer Aveline,” Alucard greeted, the smile not quite losing its wryness or amusement from the comments towards Trevor. Though, it faltered off when Trevor seemed to insinuate an insult towards Lucia, it was restored by Aveline.

Who’s hand he realized he hadn’t let go. He did release it then, “One of many names I suspect you’ve heard.” Alucard hardly knew her history so well as some, but he was willing to play up Aveline’s flattery to help Lucia acclimate.

It did bring a smile to her face, though she couldn’t help but add, “Yes, alongside bitch and leech,” she said with a shrug, figuring Trevor had something like that in mind, “I prefer Lucia Belune, but I suppose I’ll answer to anything that seems to refer to me.” She had in the past, after all.

She stepped forward then, to join the party a bit closer, though much like Trevor her hand hardly budged from her weapon. “And you must be Trevor Belmont. Fantastic.” The sarcasm dripped from the last word. His name had been said enough – the first name. The latter, not so much, but the crest was too well known. “Alucard, do you have a good way out?”

“Yes, actually,” he motioned back, behind his coffin, “This should lead us back up into the catacombs proper, and through the church, into Gresit. There is a cyclops though….”

“Already dealt with – Trevor killed it.” Sypha acknowledged.

“Ah, well then. It should be as simple as walking, then.” Alucard stated, and walked around his coffin to start to retrieve his coat, and his sword, while hitting a button within the coffin to release the hidden door.

The wall did indeed part, revealing another entrance into the tomb of the Sleeping Soldier.

 

[AnxietyandSparklingWater]

" Well you'll hear no such names from us. Right Trevor?" Aveline said, pointing a sickingly sweet smile in his direction. " After all it would make working together very hard If we went around insulting each other."

" What are you? My mother?" Trevor asked dryly.

" Of course not, your god rest her soul. However I think between me and Sypha we'll be able to keep the peace, even if that means reminding you to be nice."

" You speak like you know me."

" I've known you for less than 2 days but it's clear to me that you're not used to company."

" and you still smell of stale ale." Sypha added, which got a laugh out of Aveline.

" Are you two done shredding me to pieces?"

"Yes."

"Not even close."

Trevor threw his hands up in the air, he knew he wouldn't be able to win against these two and instead walked over to the secret door that Alucard had opened.

" Looks like you were closer to finding you're sleeping messiah than you knew, Sypha." Trevor said as they moved through the door and back into the large open space where he had slayed the cyclops. It still laid dead on the ground, with the rest of the speakers still down there waiting to be retrieved. They looked shocked and confused to see Sypha, Aveline, and Trevor return for them through some digger part of the catacombs but Sypha wasted no time hurrying back to her people to explain everything that had happened and was going to happen.

" I'm not sure if i'm more curious about how you killed this creature Trevor, or how you got this down here Alucard." Aveline said, curiously circling the corpse of the monster because she hadn't seen one before.

She was a naturally curious girl, a side effect of being part fairy. She always wanted to know things, her curiosity could drive her anywhere and get her into a bit of trouble as well. The only reason she had ended up so close to the speakers of Gresit was because she had never met a speaker before, and while that had worked out in the end she did end up becoming an enemy of the city for a while. With Trevor turning the mob against the church in the end, however, she felt like things had evened out in the end though.

" I never want to fight a cyclops ever again." Trevor said with a hint of distain in his voice as he just walked past the body. " I'll be back above ground when ever you finish gawking at that thing."

Aveline watched Trevors retreating back with a small frown as she joined Lucia and Alucards side. " I worry about him." She confessed. She didn't know the man well but she could see his issues from a mile away, and while they were a threat to the ragtag team they had put together she was also worried about him emotionally. He had clearly been on his own for a while, his manners proved it, and she didn't think that was good for a person.

 

[Lucyfer]

Lucia had to admit, it was fascinating to have the two women stick up for her. She had gotten used to fending for herself and building her allies up. They didn’t hesitate to come to her defense, but now and then, a part of her still thought back to Carmilla, a younger vampiress, but the first who had truly stuck up for her, and given her insight into how to become…free. ‘You won’t support this madness.’ While she and Carmilla had their issues, at least Lucia was fairly certain that Carmilla wouldn’t be throwing in with Dracula, either.

She hated mad men – hardly seeing that she was becoming a mad woman in the process. A pity. They’d had much in common.

The comment on how Alucard got down there earned an answer, “It was not all that exciting, really,” he indicated, “This was all here before me,” a place built before, a place Dracula knew of – one of his father’s intended resting places if anything went wrong. A place for him to hide that Alucard instead used.

Lucia had been silent on the way back, remaining at the end of the group, her hand leaving the hilt of the sword as they came into sight of the Speakers and Sypha hurried over to them. She hung back with Alucard, outside of this newfound group, just as he was, but more to steal a moment.

His wound wasn’t healed. Not physically, not emotionally, and she took a moment to touch his arm and draw his attention away from the Speakers and Trevor’s departure. “Hm?”

“Hm?” She hummed it back, expression open to indicate he should know what she was looking for.

No laugh came from his lips, but the expression softened from its consideration of the new surroundings. “I’m all right. …I will be all right.”

Lucia nodded, “Are you sure this is what you want to do?” This was his father. She would not make him commit patricide if he was truly not all right with it. Her hand slipped down his arm, and he sighed.

“I wish there were any other way,” he confessed, “I wish I could bring him back, but…,” again his hand lifted to his chest, to the wound, now covered by the shirt, “he is gone, Lucia.” All that he was, all that he could have been – gone.

Lucia’s expression fell, but she gave a nod. She would watch to make sure his resolve remained. The last thing they needed was it fading away at the last second, for him to join Dracula and kill them. Family was…difficult.

So was their new group, as Aveline joined the trio and commented on Trevor. Despite her worry, she did not go after him, and Lucia sighed, “I need to check on my people as it is,” she said, and pushed some of her dark hair back behind an ear, “I’ll make sure he doesn’t do anything too foolish,” like find more ale. He probably didn’t need that.

Alucard gave a slight nod, thinking he would wait for Sypha to return with any information from the Speakers, or an indication they should move as a group.

That, and once Lucia separated from them, he couldn’t help but ask, “Forgive me if I am being rude,” his curiosity wouldn’t go away, the nagging scent still playing at his senses, “but what are you?”

It was clear now what he was, or so he thought. Clear what Lucia was, and Sypha, and Trevor. He felt he was missing information he should know, or have, in this situation. He was blissfully unaware she had not relayed anything like that to the others in the party, or that Lucia, also, hadn’t figured it out on her own.

 

[AnxietyandSparklingWater]

" Thank you Lucia." Aveline called out after her. She was totally sure about Lucia just yet, there was a certain amount of distance she seemed to put out but maybe that was just the nature of the best when it came to traveling with new people. She was sure all of them had some secrets or personal space they wanted to keep, and it wasn't like this group was going to stay together forever. Dracula needed to be killed quickly, so in theory the group would dissolve just as quickly.

She looked at Alucard curiously, wondering what was on his mind, but she froze for a second hearing his question. ' what are you?' how did she respond to that? blow It off and act human when he clearly knew something was up? tell him the truth and hope to keep it a secret? She could only imagine how it would bit her in the ass if the others found out she told Alucard the truth but not them, still he had asked. Yes that was a good defense, ' you never asked' that would blow over well.

In a moment of panic she grabbed Alucards jacket sleeve and pulled him off behind one of the columns and out of sight from Sypha, she didn't want to risk the chance that she could read lips or something. Sypha was amazing but she didn't want it to back fire on her.

" You must be both the most observant person I've ever met and the most blunt." she said softly, not wanting to risk being over heard by anyone but she doubted that the Dhampir had any issues hearing her.

" I'm...not entirely human," she clearly struggled with the confession, especially with saying it to someone she had just met. " but that is not something the others know. Sypha and Trevor both think i'm totally human and i'd like to keep it that way. Trevor is on edge enough as it is and Sypha...I don't want her to think I don't trust her."

Her half fairy nature was something she had struggled with since she was a child. She was an outcast in both worlds, and the only person that had ever fully accepted her was her father and he had passed not too many years ago. Now she traveled as a human, tried to live like her father had to be more like him and less like her mother. But if this battle to get to Dracula was going to be hard like she expected, then hiding the abilities that came with being half haltija might be brought up. However that was a bridge she'd cross when the time came.

" But for reference i'm part Haltija, so please keep pure iron and any other anti-fae things you can think of away from me." with a deep breath Aveline replaced her frown with a smile and stepped out from behind the column. " Now lets gather Sypha and the other speakers then head back to the surface."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stepping out back on the surface Trevor made sure to enjoy the fresh air and the tell tale signs that soon sun rise would be upon them. The sounds of the night hoard were gone, so they had either killed everyone in the village and already made off with what ever parts they wanted or the villagers had handled themselves well with what little he taught them before he fell into that blasted hole.

He ventured out from the crypt that worked as an entrance to the catacombs and frowned at the smell of fire, but when he returned to the square he found that the villagers had actually been able to handle themselves well without him and the others. They were actually burning the remains of all the creatures they had slayed and seemed to be well on their way to party. They had never been able to fend off the hoard before and while they had lost people to the attack they knew they could fight back now, and with practice they would only get better.

" there you are sir! I think I can stand with the rest of Gresit when I saw we owe you one, we almost all feel bad for almost killing you!" A random man said as he took Trevors hand and shook it was fever.

" You almost all feel bad?" Trevor grumbled more to himself, then glanced around the crowd hoping to spot anyone that still had the idea of killing him on their mind.

However another man simply pushed a tankard of ale into his hand, and Trevor wasn't going to argue with that.

" This has been one hell of a day." he mumbled to himself before taking a deep drink of ale, though in the back of his head he wondered if he should even be drinking ale with this new mission that seemed to have been dropped in his lap. But if what he knew about vampires held it, and he was certain it did, then with the sun about to come up they would be stuck here until night fell, so he might as well drink the day away.

" There he is!" A voice he didn't know called out, and he looked over the rim of his tankard with a raised eyebrow as a middle aged woman and a young man hurried her way. Vaguely he remembered them as the two that had suddenly joined the fight, though mostly he remembered their odd accents. They clearly weren't natives to Wallachia.

" Can I help you?" He asked them, but they were scanning the skys around him and the direction he came from.

" Ah yes we were just wondering if you've seen-" they shared a look not sure how much Trevor knew. Their mistress would never reveal herself to him unless she had a reason, so it was possible he didn't know a vampire had followed him down into underground.

"T-That owl that helped with the fight was amazing, Yes?" Johann asked, and while Trevor wasn't the smartest he made the connection.

" If you're asking about a certain dark haired woman who seems to have a thing for owls, she should be coming out anytime now."

Johann and Danica shared a cautious glance, but hurried towards the catabombs that Trevor had motioned to, and he took the full chance now that he was once again left alone to drink deeply from his tankard once more.

 

[Lucyfer]

Alucard let himself be pulled along by Aveline, an apologetic grimace coming to his face as she pointed out how observant he was – and painfully blunt. It was true – a trait he inherited from his mother, no doubt. She had always been that way. It was something his father had so loved about her…how observant she was, and how blunt. It made her so…unafraid. Even of her death.

As she confessed what she was, his eyebrows lifted in surprise. He’d heard of fae, of course, and plenty of other creatures. Dracula expressed that some were real, and while his mother seemed to have some difficulty with it, he did not. He had seen Dracula wield literal magic – he knew such things besides Dracula had to exist in the world. Now demons were abroad.

Why not fae?

And why not half-fae?

“I understand – and I thank you for sharing it with me,” that much was true. He never had the luxury of hiding what he was, but if he could…he likely would have wished to pass for human, just as well. Be…normal. Whatever normal was. “I have heard little of what you are before, but I will not pry further until you are ready to share. I know what it is to be half.” Too well. He would respect her wishes, and never own up to knowing, lest he break the fragile trust she’d started to forge with Sypha, and Trevor.

He turned his lips into a smile as she indicated they should gather the others, “Agreed.” And he would move with her towards Sypha and the Speakers, as Sypha was finishing up.

“And there he is – the Sleeping Soldier, Alucard,” she said then, smiling brightly to him, “the Elder of the prophecy was the woman in here earlier, she’s…?”

“She went after Trevor, I presume to keep him out of trouble.” Alucard couldn’t help but smirk a bit, “I suppose he needs a babysitter, who better?” There were going to be a few jokes at Lucia’s expense for being the ‘elder’, but he knew she was likely to toss them right back. He’d never in his life been a soldier, after all.

Sypha nodded, “And I am the Scholar,” she boasted, straightening, “and our Aveline is the Wanderer. We have all five! We are set to stop Dracula and save the world!”

Her own grandfather smiled kindly, but it was touched with sorrow, “It pleases me, Sypha, that you have found your path…though it parts from ours.” As he said it, some of the light in Sypha’s gaze dimmed. “I hope that you will find us again when it is over, though I cannot say where we will be….”

“You are leaving?” Sypha had not considered it, and found herself almost immediately protesting, “But the people of Gresit still need you!”

And she still needed to find them.

Her grandfather reached out to put his hands on her shoulders, “Many others do, and many others need to know what happened here, and how to defend themselves. We need to learn this story, and carry it on, Sypha….”

As the sorrow deepened in her blue eyes, Alucard stepped forward, “We will find them again after this. You will have my help, at least, as gratitude for bringing us all together,” Sypha shifted her gaze up towards him, a smile blooming on her lips once more, “but we should get them to those who defended Gresit, to learn how. They are right – many others are in danger.

~***~

Lucia was hardly a minute behind Trevor, but the man knew the town better than her. She had to move by sound, and with the wariness that came with becoming aware there was a light on the horizon. Her carriage was sufficient protection, but it was also in a direction she didn’t know. She was half-tempted to shift again into an owl, but the shout of Johann reached her.

“Lucia! There you are!” His steps were more hurried than Danica’s, though the woman wasn’t far behind, skirts held up. Lucia paused, to allow them to reach her, and she gave a nod, looking them over.

“You’re all right?”

“Yes, thankfully,” Johann said.

Danica added in, “Why are you like this? Did you find Adrian?”

“Alucard, now,” she emphasized, and observed the pained look that hit Danica’s eyes. Johann did not seem so phased, more confused than anything. “Yes. We are going after Dracula. He seems to think there is a prophecy – he called me out in front of the Belmont.”

Danica barely stifled a gasp, “I thought the crest familiar,” her eyes were now the observant ones, running along Lucia, who only laughed a bit at the concern. “You’re going to be traveling with a Belmont?”

“So it seems. Where is he? His friends are worried about him and I meant to keep him out of trouble.”

“You, ah, may be too late for that.” Johann noted, and when she arched a brow, he sheepishly added, “We left him with a tankard of ale.”

A string of curses parted her lips, Latin, and she stalked off, Johann quickly taking the lead to point her towards the square where the others were. Intuitively, she lowered her head a bit, and folded her arms over her chest so she could hide her nails. The dark hair that fell forward would help to obscure her eyes, as she walked to where Trevor was, and reached to take his tankard of ale – or what was left of it.

“Let’s make a deal, hunter,” she’d add in the process. Keeping him sober was probably important to the success of all of this. And potentially to her life. She knew enough angry and irrational drunks to know it was something she preferred to avoid.

Even at the risk of pissing him off right then.

Johann was the one to wince, expecting a bad reaction immediately.

 

[AnxietyandSparklingWater]

Alucards understanding of her position was something Aveline had hoped for, but actually knowing that he would hide her secret was still a relief and a weight off her shoulders. She suppose he could understand because he said he was a halfling like she was, which meant the wife of Dracula that the church had burnt a little over a year ago was most likely his mother. Oh that thought just tugged at her heart strings. She knew what it was like to lose a parent, especially when its sudden but there was a world of difference between you're father dying because of the elements and you're mother being burned to death by the church. Plus her fathers death had been almost two years ago, she had more time to heal than Alucard had.

" Thank you for you're understanding." She said truly grateful.

It was nice to know there was someone who struggled like she, to be part of two worlds that weren't meant for you. And he wasn't pushing for any explanations either, though she was sure he'd get to see her in action at some point during this mission. He'd see what she could do and she'd make sure he knew she was capable.

" Prehaps when I feel more...comfortable telling you about myself you will do the same. I am a very curious person Alucard, and you have certainly caught my interest." Her large blue green eyes were always intense, especially when looking at someone from under her dark bangs, but they were intense in a curious way. She wanted to learn everything she could, she wanted to understand the world around her, and until a few minutes ago she hadn't even known Dhampirs were real but there was one in front of her now. And this dhampire was the son of Dracula no less, she was sure he had stories to tell and she was all years.

But for now she backed off and joined the circle of speakers Sypha had gathered. The pain in Syphas eyes was real, she seemed to not of realized that their path would not include her people. But it was best to not risk more lives than necessary but if the speakers kept traveling like they were known to do there was a chance she'd have a very hard time tracking them down when everything was said and done.

But Alucard was proving himself to be very understanding, despite this kind of air around him that almost projected from him that he was distant. He actually tried to comfort Sypha, which Aveline appreciated. She gave Alucard a thankful smile then happily hugged Sypha from behind, which highlighted that even Sypha had a few inches on the short fae girl.

" Once we defeat Dracula you'll be able to unite with everyone under happy circumstances, and i'll help you look for them too! I'm sure I have some contacts that will notice a group of speakers moving around." She assured her.

"I- Thank you. Both of you." Sypha rested a gentle hand on Avelines arm and smiled at them both, then helped them lead the group back up to the surface level where Trevor and Lucia had already returned to.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You never knew how much you missed something until you did have it anymore. Trevor always cursed ale when he woke up in the morning with a hang over but he always missed it and longed for a taste before the night was out. To him a bad day was a day with no ale. And right now as his tankard of ale was taken from him, the sensation of missing something important hit him. When he was younger that feeling had been related to his family, which had been charred and gone up in smoke, but now that he was older he told himself all he missed was his ale. Yes he missed his ale because that was the only important thing to him now, well that and finding some nice tree to sleep under.

Ale was the best thing to hold dear because people made ale all over the country, ale was endless. But families that were only human and could die so easily, you only ever had one of those didn't you?

" Hey!" Trevor said with a frown and the beginning of a fire in his eyes. He had gotten into fights for less, someone grabbing your ale from you when all you wanted to do was forget was a horrible thing.

" Oh you want to make a deal with me?" He asked as he cocked an unimpressed eyebrow.

All sorts of ideas came to mind, he didn't know anything about Lucia other than that she was a vampire with a dry sense of humor, which was unfortunate because he had a thing for sarcastic women. Though he normally preferred them alive and with a beating heart.

" Do this deal include you giving me back my ale and me not turning you into a winter cloak?" But after he said that he winced internally a bit. He thought of Avelines tight smile and the fire that danced at Syphas finger tips, they wanted him to be nice and get along with everyone.

The problem was that he was suddenly thrown into this crazy mission where he felt in over his head and was surrounded by people he didn't know. He had known Sypha and Aveline for about a day and the two were already trying to break through the walls he had put up over the decade to keep himself alive and safe.

But as stubborn as he was he knew he shouldn't be stirring up trouble or pissing off a vampire, though the hunter in him told him that he stood a chance against her with the sun coming. But he also knew with all these people still in the square they were a large risk, he wouldn't endanger innocent people over a tankard of ale. Still with a big important mission that needed undertaking and his new resolve to help the suffering people of Wallachia he would have to shelf the ale for the most part. A drunk hunter didn't stand a chance against skeleton much less a vampire, who actually looked pretty annoyed with him.

But that wouldn't be the first and most certainly not the last time he saw a woman annoyed with him. Sypha seemed to flash him a disappointed look more often than not.

 

[Lucyfer]

There had been a moment before the reunion with the Speakers, where the expressed curiosity and intense gaze brought a touch of color to Alucard’s cheeks, and he’d stumbled over a, “Yes, well,” before they had left the subjects of curiosities behind. It lingered there, though, and Alucard would hardly deny he wanted to know more about her.

That they had a similarity, so rare to find in this world, was one reason.

Others lingered in the stunning way her eyes could peer at him, what he’d noticed even from a distance when he first saw her, and what only became more alluring up close.

It was a thought he was able to put aside in favor of empathizing with Sypha’s struggles, and the way Aveline was quick to add her reassurances. They would help Sypha reunite with her people after this. ‘Together.’ Whether the same would be said of Trevor and Lucia was another story. Alucard could imagine that Lucia wanted to return to her frozen home, and Trevor…well…who knew.

“You’re welcome,” Alucard said, as the Elder gave them both a soft smile, before gesturing them on up.

They moved with the group of blue-clad people, back to the surface, which reeked of death and smoke. Alucard’s nose wrinkled in disgust, and he thought to bring his hand up to cover his nose, but didn’t. He would have to get used to this, wouldn’t he? This kind of scent would follow them, wherever they went.

“The square is this way, I imagine that is where Trevor has gone.” And so from Trevor they could learn more of the story – Sypha had told them of the holy water and salt, but Trevor was the true hunter, he may be able to add to it, details they could spread to other towns which may have more time to prepare.

And indeed, they did soon come upon the square, and Trevor with Lucia – holding a tankard of ale out to him.

“I thought she was going to keep him out of trouble,” Alucard murmured, unaware of the words spoken before the tankard was offered.

~***~

Johann found himself tensing a bit as the hunter shouted out, but Danica put a careful hand on his shoulder, to make sure he didn’t escalate a situation that didn’t need it. The hunter didn’t lunge at Lucia, which was saying something – especially given he was, literally, a hunter, and this was no joking matter. They’d both had to deal with hunters enough to know that avoiding fights was preferable.

But it was night.

And Lucia was more than capable at night.

“No, I’m afraid not – though I would be impressed if you could somehow turn me into a cloak.” Considering she’d turn to ash, “You don’t drink, until we defeat Dracula, and I won’t drink.” He spoke of his family back in the catacombs, and that he believed in what they stood for. If that was true, this was a deal he couldn’t refuse.

“Lucia!” Danica was the one to snap at her, and Lucia glanced over Trevor’s shoulder to her, seeing how the older woman worried her lower lip then, not sure how to chastise the Roman for the apparent stupidity. “You’ll starve….”

“I’ll be fine,” she could go a while, and if not, she did add, “I’ll refrain from humans,” in a lower voice, to make sure it wouldn’t carry. For all the people of Gresit knew, she was just agreeing to stay sober with Trevor. “And when it’s over…I’ll buy you the first seven pints.” She knew he wasn’t about to give it up – just as she wasn’t going to give up humans.

A refrain he couldn’t refuse, and hopefully, a reward that was enticing enough. “Deal?” Although with the question, she held the tankard back out to him. It was not something she could force on him. He could grab the tankard and disagree – or refuse it. Either way, she’d have some insight into how to deal with him, even if the deal failed. She’d know how much his family’s history meant, just as well.

 

[AnxietyandSparklingWater]

Trevor had been ready to scoff at what ever Lucia had offered him, what did she think she had to offer that would make him pass up on ale that he felt he deserved? It had been a long time since people had actually thanked him and been happy to have a Belmont around. That ale would be the first kindness given to him in years and she expected him to let her take it from him.

His hand was already half way to the drink when he heard the offer, ' you don't drink until we defeat Dracula, and I won't drink.' His hand stilled and he looked her in the eye. His gaze was strong and unwavering, trying to detect any sign that she was lying. Could he trust a vampire? He suppose he didn't really have any choice he'd be traveling with two of them, and the idea of keeping a few more innocent out of the hands of at least one more vampire was tempting.

He could survive without ale, as much as Sypha or even a whiny part of him said otherwise, but vampires needed blood. Human blood in particular was supposed to be delicious and for all he knew it gave the vampire drinker more of a boost than animals blood did.

Regardless of the truth Lucia was offering a lot up just to get him to sit down the ale and focus on his task. And if it meant protecting even a handful of people then he was willing to throw away his tankard for a time and live with the ghosts he had been repressing for years.

He grabbed the tankard from Lucia, and for a moment he thought he saw a flash of disappointment in her eyes, but then he poured out what was left in the tankard. ' At least I got a couple drinks in before wasting good ale,' he thought to himself, then tossed the empty tankard to the side.

" Then we best kill Dracula before you and I die of thrist." He said with a dry chuckle.

He finally looked away from Lucia hearing others approach, and saw that everyone had finally left the catacombs. " Took you all long enough, I thought you fell through that shitty floor again." he said as he rested a hand on his hip.

" and I thought you were going to behave, why are you throwing around ale?" Sypha asked with a frown.

" That? Just showing you all that i'll set the ale down while we've got business to tend to." He assured her, as Aveline stopped to pull a villager aside and quietly asked her to fetch something.

" I made a deal and I keep my word." He said with a nod to Lucia. " I expect you to keep yours as well."

" Then lets celebrate you taking this seriously." Aveline said, thanking the villager as they returned with a new tankard which she offered Trevor.

He took It with a cautious look, then sniffed it, but since it didn't smell like ale he took a sip. Then another larger one. " This is great, what is this?" he asked, going back for another drink.

" Oh my....that's water trevor. Plain water." Aveline said, suddenly realizing just how deeply their hunters issues went.

" How about we all find a place to settle into when the sun rises, the speakers have some questions for you Trevor. They want information on how to combat demons, then they'll set off to spread their knowledge to any town or village that needs it. After they set off then we can plan our next step as well." Sypha suggested, but kept a cautious eye on the east where the sun could rise from any second.

" Perhaps I can get the villagers to open the gates so I can bring in the carriage." Johann said, then hurried off with the hopes that with the demons gone and the people filled with a new hope they'd at least be happy enough to let him bring in the carriage.

" We can head back to the speakers house." Aveline added, though Trevor some what sheepishly rubbed at the back of his neck.

" Yeah about that...it might not still be in perfect condition."

" It's better than nothing." Aveline decided, then turned on her heel and started to walk off towards the house, but Syphas voice carried over with a hint of concern.

" Aveline the house is the other direction...How can you possible travel on your own with such a horrible sense of direction?"

" when you don't have a set destination then it's impossible to get lost." Aveline said, defending herself with her own sheepishly look on her face.

 

[Lucyfer]

Lucia did, indeed, feel a pang of disappointment when Trevor took the pint, but it shifted almost immediately as he dumped it, a smile curving across her lips. This would be the first bridge built, then. One of many she would likely have to build with the hunter to make sure that when Dracula was dead, he didn’t turn on her right after. She had some hope, though. She had learned not all humans, and not all hunters, were alike.

Perhaps Trevor would learn not all vampires were, either. There were those worth killing – the same was true of humans, though.

“At least we’ll suffer withdrawal together.” She returned the dry humor easily.

If she could make him see how similar they were, rather than how different, she’d call it a victory.

The smile remained as the others approached, Sypha accusing Trevor of misbehaving, but Lucia quietly shook her head, defending his act, as he stated he would keep his end of the bargain. “You have my word, Belmont. I will keep my end, as well.” Alucard arched a brow, able to read between the lines. So Lucia was keeping him in line…but at a cost to herself.

It was true that blood had potencies. Human blood was, indeed, better, besides just being tastier. He was not so worried about himself. He could live on a mix of human food and blood and be fine.

A new tankard was offered to Trevor, and both Lucia and Alucard watched with some interest as he sniffed it, before seeming to fall in love with it. Alucard could not contain his laughter, as Lucia just heaved a sigh. “Do you know the best part of it, Trevor? It’s cheaper than ale.” Alucard stated, “and it won’t send you to an early grave.” Though he gave an appreciative look towards Aveline after.

She was a thoughtful one, wasn’t she?

Much as Sypha was, aware of the hour, and her…companions. While Alucard could stand the sun, he knew that Lucia could not. “Did you bring Marius and Sulla?” He asked, recalling those steeds as Johann left. Then, he noted, “We’ll be able to travel in the day with her carriage – but we should make sure the Speakers are prepared before.”

“I di—oh no.” Something like horror crossed Lucia’s face as she realized Johann was going out to the horses on his own. The horses that were demons. Johann wasn’t as familiar with them as she was, or Danica, and she was not so sure he’d enjoy the sight that was likely waiting for him. “Excuse me, I have to make sure Johann doesn’t die of fright.”

“Why would he—oh! Oh dear.” Danica paled as well. “Um, we’ll be back!” She hurried after Lucia, as Sypha canted her head.

“Certainly the horses are dead,” Sypha noted, “Is that what is wrong?” The night’s creatures would have attacked tamed horses, right? Especially outside the gates.

“…No.” Alucard knew. The Nightmares had likely done quite well in defending themselves…and were probably enjoying a pleasant feast on the remains of those demonic bodies. Not exactly a pleasant sight, but Nightmares were obligate carnivores. “Let’s go to the Speaker’s house, I am sure they will catch up.” He didn’t have any desire to witness it, either.

“I’ll show you to it,” Sypha gave an exaggerated sigh as she moved forward, putting a hand on the back of Aveline's shoulder to turn her towards the proper direction, “Will you be all right in the sun, Alucard?”

“Hm? Oh, yes. It’s not pleasant, but it is not going to kill me anytime soon.”

“How quickly does a vampire die in sunlight?” Sypha supposed this would be important to know.

“Direct sunlight? A minute, tops.” Sypha was actually quite surprised to hear that, and it showed, “with shade, or well covered, they can go a while longer in sunlight – but it depends on how good the shade or cover is.” Only total darkness would really keep them alive at day, and he knew that Lucia’s carriage would suffice. She had years to consider, and traveled often enough.

 

[AnxietyandSparklingWater]

Trevor couldn't help laughing at Lucias comment, at least he wouldn't be the only one suffering from their little deal. But he cast a look her way when she wasn't looking and frowned. The deal was good protection for now, the lack of blood would weaken her and make it possible for him to stand a chance against her if they double crossed one another, but at the same time weakening her when they were going after the King of the night and Master of all Vampires might not of been the best idea. But only time would tell them what they needed to do when it came to fighting Dracula. If it came down to it and they were desperate to defeat Dracula then he was willing to bite the bit and do what ever was needed. He was ready to die for the cause if it meant saving humanity and doing what his family did best.

Even now he thought back to the tomb where they found Alucard, he had been right to fight to the death against Lucia and Alucard if need be. Two less vampires in the world was better even if it meant him dying, but now these two vampires were willing to fight by his side to stop Dracula. It kind of change his opinion of vampires a bit, especially seeing the way that they got along with the humans around them. But once more the stern voice of his father was in his head, vampires could manipulate anyone to get what they wanted. He shouldn't think that just because their goals aligned that Alucard and Lucia could be fully trusted.

He took another drink of water and frown. It was times like this when voices and memories came to him that he wanted nothing more than a tankard of ale, but he had made a promise and with nothing to his name but his word he wasn't going to break the shaky trust they had just created.

" It sounds like Lucia brought some rather odd horses with her." Aveline hummed as she watched Lucia and her human friend disappear in the crowds of people to save their friend from what sounded like a frightful scare. " I can't wait to see them." She concluded with a happy clap of her hands, then allowed Sypha to steer her in the right direction.

" Can you at least read a map?" Sypha asked her. " I can read quite well, but i can't make sense of maps for the life of me." Aveline didn't sound troubled at all by this fact, but Sypha signed a bit.

" Ok then you won't be in charge of the map."

" Probably for the best."

Aveline wasn't totally sure why maps just didn't make sense to her, though part of her wondered if it was another fae thing or just something about her personal. There were certainly enough stories about faes tricking humans and leading them the wrong direction, maybe the fae part of her was at war with her human half. Though the thought made her chuckle a bit.

" If you and the sun don't mix you should probably wear more than that. Walking around this time of year in anything less than a full on cloak makes you stand out as supernatural in and of itself." Trevor pointed out as they headed towards the speakers home.

" You could always lend him your cloak, Trevor." Aveline suggested.

" And have him stick it up? No thank you."

" If anyone is getting bad end of the deal it would be Alucard." Sypha scoffed.

" You can use my cloak, Alucard. The hood will come in handy i imagine." Aveline offered, already reaching to unclasp it but Trevor snorted out a laugh and put a large hand on her head to emphasize the height difference between the two of them.

" Do you really think you're little cloak will do him any good? You're the size of an imp. I think I've actually killed gnomes bigger than you."

" and I have killed Boars with better manners than you. They also smell better." Aveline huffed and smacked Trevors hand off her head.

 

[Lucyfer]

Lucia tried so hard to stifle the laugh that rose when she heard the stifled scream of Johann, managing to make it to put a hand at his back as he started to stumble backwards. The scene, indeed, was not a pretty one. Bloody hooves and bloody maws, the sharp teeth proof that these horses were not at all normal, were not blood from the horses, but the unfortunate hellish creatures that had come upon them. Yet, the nightmares grazed on them as if it was grass, stamping on them with the same ease. “You know they eat meat,” Lucia chided a bit, turning Johann around as she moved on towards the steeds.

“I…I…wasn’t…those are demons. They’re eating demons.”

“Yes, yes they are,” Lucia agreed, clicking her tongue on the roof of her mouth. Both horses lifted their heads, “Veni.” They were trained in Latin, of course, and the steeds came forward. They were no longer attached to the carriage, thankfully – the last thing she needed was the carriage reeking of demon blood. She led them back to the carriage and hooked them back up, as Danica brought a few buckets of water to wash off their muzzles and hooves of the blood. They weren’t exactly going to get them into the town like that.

Though, as the sun rose ever higher, they did begin to look more…normal. The fiery manes were losing their blue tint, and becoming more gray, like smoke, but it fell flat along their necks. Their black bodies looked less like shadow, less spectral, and even their eyes seemed to lose their hellish gleam – though they never gained pupils, and the teeth never flattened.

Lucia did not stay out much longer, eventually sliding up into the carriage and shutting the door, locking it fast behind her, and letting out a sigh. ‘Great.’ Seclusion. Unable to see, only able to hear what went on outside.

And she heard them reach the gates, and the brief conversation as the town folk were clearly uncertain about letting the carriage pass through – but Danica was able to put just the right amount pressure and insistence to get them through, and then work on navigating the way to the Speaker’s house by asking around. Most the people knew where they’d been staying, after all.

~***~

Alucard snorted at Aveline’s cheer. Most would not be happy to see Nightmares, and he was still uncertain how, exactly, the vampiress came by them, let alone tamed them, but that was a story for another day. He didn’t state it. He’d let Aveline be surprised when she saw the beasts that stood around 19 hands.

“As Lucia is coming with us, if we have need of a map, I believe her friends are competent with reading maps,” had to be, to come from her home, all the way out here. “Though…I am not sure where we would even start.” Dracula’s castle moved. Even if they got a heading, it might move before they got there.

He was still trying to figure that out.

His attire was brought up, and he arched a brow at Trevor. Sypha’s comment only earned a, “No thanks, I prefer being able to breathe,” and Trevor hardly smelled good. He couldn’t imagine his clothes were any better. He didn’t need to be bathed in that.

Sypha understood.

As a cloak was offered, by the smallest in the party, he chuckled as he shook his head, “I assure you, my coat is sufficient,” he said, brushing an arm down the long sleeve. “I appreciate the offer. If I do happen to need anything, I will make you all aware.” And in all likelihood, find a better sized cloak among Lucia’s things.

They reached the home of the Speakers, or what was left of it, as the sun started to finally paint the sky. Alucard did move to where he could sit in the shade, as the Elder moved to greet them, “We are all glad you have made it out well,” he had not said that before, and noticed again that a member was missing. No matter – the sun was coming up, and Sypha had mentioned what the other was already. Alucard had even shifted into the shade of a remaining wall. “And what you have done for the town and her people, Trevor…it is commendable.”

Another stepped forward, slightly darker of skin, and darker of hair, “We would like to take that knowledge with us, as we leave Gresit – to help other towns from these fiends.”

A blonde nodded enthusiastically, “Please, tell us, so we can help others!”

“They might not try to toss out so quickly then,” another laughed a bit, but it wasn’t full of humor. It was more sobering. The horrible reality that they lived as nomads was not forgotten. They would always be accused of horrible things because they stood in opposition to the church.

 

[AnxietyandSparklingWater]

" I was just doing what my family did." Trevor said to the elder. It had been so long since someone thought highly of him and his work, but there was a bit of pride in being able to talk about his family doing good again.

Trevor took a slight step back as the speakers stood up and stepped towards him, eager for knowledge on how to defeat the creatures Wallachia was plagued by. It wasn't meant to be rude but being surrounded was never a good thing, the mob they had just fought off hours before proved that, but he made himself relax. The fighter in him didn't need to be on guard around the speakers, these kind people that were willing to let a mob have at them because they still thought the mob deserved their help. Half the time they couldn't help themselves, and that was probably by Trevor had tried to help them in the first place. The speakers had always been good to his family and they were good people.

Though he thought anyone that loved learning that much was a bit odd.

" Well I can't teach you all the tactics that I learned over my life time, but in general if you want to kill a demon Holy water and salt are the way to go. Rubbing swords or weapons in salt allows you to kill a demon, holy water will burn them away. When you do go to these new places insist they get someone ordinated by the church to bless the water and keep it around in the buckets full, the same goes for salt. Also fighting with long weapons in a pattern of-" once Trevor got started he found it hard to hold himself.

There were people willing to listen to him, and the speakers were eagerly soaking up everything he was saying. They wanted to help and he wanted to help in his own way too. All this knowledge that he was burdened with, this knowledge that lead the church to excommunicating his family, had a use that could keep people alive. He was only one man but this knowledge would save more lives that he would in his whole life, and that brought a tenderness to his face.

As Trevor spoke to the speakers and hopefully gave them all the knowledge they could need to help better prepare the citizens of Wallachia for the demon hoards Aveline moved to sit under the shade of the wall with Alucard. Sypha was also eagerly listening in and she was probably hoping to hear something new that could be helpful, but Aveline already knew what Trevor was talking about. Her mothers village was full of all sorts of books and knowledge from the immortals that had lived and compiled it, and books had been a great comfort to her growing up.

Aveline pulled her hood up and then laid on the ground, yawning softly as the energy that had kept her going up until now started to fade. They had fought all night against mobs and then demons, and with the sun rising it seemed to hit her. But she knew she couldn't sleep just yet, Lucia was on her way back and the speakers would most likely pack up and leave as soon as they got their wagons ready and it would be rude to sleep when they could use the help.

" I assume that since we're going after Dracula and a bunch of monsters that my days of getting a good nights sleep are gone." She complained, but it wasn't like she needed the beauty sleep. She was eternally stuck with a youthful face and body, no age or disease would waste her away like what happened to humans. But she still had appearances to keep up, and she was truthfully tired. Fighting demons was hungry work.

 

[Lucyfer]

Once he began to talk, it was clear even to Alucard that there was still some pride to Trevor. Some hope within him, that was beginning to see the light of day again. The Speakers paid ample attention to him, and Alucard was…glad. They would help people, while all of them traveled to find Dracula, and deal with him.

Somehow.

His gaze shifted to the half-fae as she came to rest near him, laying down. His brows lifted in surprise at how comfortable she made herself, wondering how she could be so relaxed around him, so soon. Was it that shared trait? Was it the secret shared instead? Secrets did have an ability to bind people….

He had to relax, once he realized he’d tensed, not quite certain why. He let out a puff of air as a light smile touched his lips, “Perhaps not nights, but mornings,” Alucard noted. “The carriage would have room to spare if you needed to rest. I do not think Lucia would mind,” she would likely be spending her time reading, or resting, as well. Even if they did not need to rest unless trying to heal.

The sound of the wheels did alert Alucard to the arrival, the horses impossibly light footed when they wanted to be. He brought a hand down lightly to her shoulder, leaning forward a bit as he started to prepare himself to rise, “Come – you wanted to see the steeds, did you not?” He could introduce her to them, as the carriage finally came to a stop, Johann and Danica up in the bench of it. Danica was the first off, patting Sulla’s neck as she passed him by and approached the group.

“Sorry for the delay,” she spoke it more to Sypha as she sidled alongside her, who seemed enraptured in what Trevor was saying. Still, she managed a nod of acknowledgment, and Danica tuned in, catching the gist of the subject quickly enough.

Johann was a bit more hesitant in leaving the bench, his gestures more measured. He wasn’t about to forget what he’d witnessed so soon. Even if the nightmares never gave him reason to worry about himself…right then he did.

 

[AnxietyandSparklingWater]

" I've never been a fan of mornings, I don't mind sleeping through them." Aveline hummed. Despite laying on a cold dirt floor she didn't have a problem using the moment to rest, she had been traveling on her own for almost two years now and was used to trying to grab a bit of sleep when ever she could. Not every town had an inn and sometimes you couldn't always reach a town before night fell. Though she preferred sleeping up in trees instead of sleeping on the ground, and she hadn't fallen out of a tree yet so she didn't see the harm in it.

But she was pulled out of her light doze but a light hand on her shoulder, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up as Alucard leaned forward to tell her about the horses.

" That's right the horses!" she gasped softly and busied herself getting up and dusting off her cloak. She seemed to have found her second wind and quickly followed Alucard over to the horses, if you could call them that. They clearly weren't normal horses, their eyes had no pupils and the sharp teeth were a give away as well.

" Oh these are the things of nightmares." She said, but she wasn't scared she was more curious. How these creatures were able to walk through the country side and not rally every villager against them the moment they saw them she had no idea. But she wanted to touch one.

" Do you know their names, or If they're safe to touch?" She asked Alucard curiously and stepped a bit closer to them. She had been around normal horses before and had an idea of how to handle herself around them, but this was different.

"I'd be careful." Trevor called out, having finished with his impromptu lecture to the speakers, who had now gathered together to discuss what they heard and make sure they got everything right. " Those are night-mares. Literally hell horses. They eat meat, hence the choppers on those guys."

" I'm the definition of careful." Aveline defended.

" Yes well, try not to get your hand bitten off." Sypha said as she moved away from her fellow speakers. " I'm going to head out and get a wagon for everyone. The elder has told me he wants to leave as soon as possible, so with luck all of us will be leaving gresit around noon. But it'd be nice if we knew where we're going."

" Oh right, the whole ' moving castle' does make it hard to pin a location." Trevor said with a frown. The moving castle had been an issue his family had been trying to solve for centuries, but if they had the answer they would of gone after Dracula themselves years ago. Still unless the others had any ideas then he suppose as much as he hated to say it, he'd have to offer to take them home.

He'd have to lead them to the home he left behind almost 10 years ago, the same place where he spent weeks digging through charred wood and ash looking for anything left of his family to bury properly. His fists clenched just thinking about it.

" I might have an idea of where to start looking." He finally said, but the tight look on his face showed that this was hard for him, and the tone to his voice was rough like he was fighting to push the words out.

" My old home, the Belmont estate. We had an archive like no other with all the information we compiled over hundreds of years in addition to what ever bits and bods we thought might be useful or best locked away. I can't read or understand magic but i'm sure Sypha could do something with it, and maybe there is something in there that can we can use." If the family achieves failed them then he didn't know what they would do, but it was a good lead.

 

[Lucyfer]

“One of them is Marius, the other is Sulla,” Alucard introduced. He couldn’t recognize them on sight like Johann or Danica, but he knew the names – Lucia used to tell him such stories of Rome and some of the great people who had shaped it. She’d once commented that she should have named Marius, ‘Antony’, because he was an aggressive asshole.

Alucard did lift a hand to one, placing his hand lightly on its neck. It turned its head slightly towards him, and he gave Aveline an encouraging nod as Trevor noted they were carnivores. “I don’t think they are going to bite your hand,” they weren’t turning to bite his hand, after all.

Johann piped up, “That one is Sulla. He’s the calmer one.” The other one, Marius, seemed to be giving them some serious side-eye for the attention that Sulla was getting. Danica noticed it and couldn’t help but laugh a bit, as the Speaker group broke up. She moved to wrap her arms around the muzzle of the steed, reminding it that it was loved, too.

All while Trevor struggled a moment, before he spoke, to give them a heading.

Alucard broke his gaze away from the familiar horses to listen to him then, nodding slightly. That would make sense, “If anyone would have information we could use, it would be your family,” they had been pursuing Dracula for years, long before he went mad. “Although, they never caught Dracula….” Doubt touched his tone.

“Do you have a better idea, Adri—Alucard?” Danica challenged.

Alucard shook his head. “No, I’ve been racking my brain and I couldn’t think of a way to track it, let alone reach it before it moves.” He confessed, “If there is magic there, or other knowledge, perhaps it is something a Belmont could not access…but others here could.” They had Sypha, the scholar.

What better place to take a scholar? To make use of her?

The others would have their roles, too, but perhaps this was how she was meant to shine in the group. So, Alucard gave another nod. “It’s as good a place as any.”

“Just give us the directions and we’ll be sure to get everyone there,” Danica said then, “Where is it near?” They could at least begin to head in the right direction, “What town?”

 

[AnxietyandSparklingWater]

" Oh look at you both. So unique and beautiful in their own way." Aveline said as she moved to pet Marius's neck. " nothing wrong with being a little more aggressive than you're friend." She said, though she doubted that the horse could understand her.

Talking to animals was a side effect of being around them though, as anyone with pets or raised around animals would attest to. She grew up in the valley of a mountain filled with animals and surrounded by people that could turn into animals, so she didn't feel silly. In fact animals were some of the best and first friends she had ever made.

Turning her attention from the horses Aveline frowned at the way Trevor seemed to be struggle with himself.

" My families years of hoarding have to come in handy some how." He defended. " I can assume you that it's bigger than you'd expect." He could still remember seeing the library for the first time, and all the levels down it went. The only issue was that he didn't know how to open the door, but that was a bridge they could cross when they came to it.

" My family did not practice dark magic, unlike what the church would leave you believe, but it's very possible that the answer to stopping draculas moving castle is a magical one. And in that case the family archives are the place to start." He insisted.

" What better place to start than the home of famous monster hunters." Aveline piped in, agreeing with Trevor. But at the same time he seemed a little on edge about the topic. Clearly family was a touchy subject for hima nd he was putting himself and his feelings out by bringing up his home. But he was determined to really try to defeat Dracula, no matter the costs to him.

" My family home rather far to the north. The estate was large with the family estate up top a mountain. It'd be quite a trip." he confessed. " But having a carriage or wagon instead of walking on foot will certainly speed things up." He assured everyone.

" Can we reach it by following the main road north? Because if so we can help other villagers and towns on the way." Aveline asked curiously.

" The main road will take us part of the way but we'll have to leave the main path at some point. You have to travel through a couple forests to get there, and even then it's been so many years I don't know if the paths still exist. But I'll know the mountain when I see it, we just have to get up on top of it." Trevor said with conviction. He'd never forget his childhood home, no matter how many years pasted or any amount of plants growing over the path.

" It is the best we have." Danica said, and both Aveline and Johann nodded in agreement.

" Then when Sypha returns and the speakers have left we should gather supplies and head off." Aveline mused then stepped away from the nightmares with a sign, she was quickly become large fans of theirs. " Hopefully we can catch the villagers before they drink themselves too silly to barter." Plus she needed to buy some seeds for fruits and vegetables. She wouldn't be eating meat on this trip, which would be the easiest thing for them to get on their journey.

 

[Lucyfer]

“There’s no reason not to get some supplies now – we needed to restock a bit soon, anyway,” Johann noted. The Duchess might not need so much, but her companions still did, and so she always made sure to bring a bit of gold along so they could buy things, or other objects along to trade. Books were still somewhat of a rarity, without any manner of mass production, so those were easy to trade for quite a bit and Lucia had plenty of time to spend copying what she had.

Alucard said, “Sypha may have some things that she wishes to pick up with us.”

“Well, I’ll be staying at the carriage, I can let her know where you’ve all run off to,” Danica noted, leaning back against it. Someone had to stay. While the nightmares were certainly a fairly good defense that kept most from approaching it, someone with an ability to reason had to stay. Much as Lucia hated it, the day did a number on her ability to defend herself, if only because of how it confined her to a small space.

Danica knew she hardly seemed the first choice for such a thing, but the fact she didn’t, only made her job easier when someone did try anything. They weren’t expecting the knives.

Johann nodded, “Well, I can at least start picking up food. Anyone allergic to anything, or hate anything?”

Alucard shook his head. There was nothing he could really think of, off-hand, though that might be due to a year of sleep and not eating. “Oh, I should pick up a goat.” He raised his voice just a bit, just enough, so he knew he’d get Lucia’s attention.

“Do not pick up a goat.” Her voice glowered from within the carriage. She knew why he was suggesting the damn goat.

“We can name it Bob!” Danica added, as Johann bobbed his head in agreement, and heard the protesting groan from inside the carriage.

“Buy a goat and I’m cutting you both off.”

“It would be easier than….” Well…her trying to hunt food. At night. With the Night’s Creatures prowling.

“No it won’t. You’ll get attached to it.”

“…fair point.” Danica agreed. “Don’t get a goat, just food, and if we’re going towards a mountain, they may need some warmer clothes.” They had plenty of warm clothes for themselves in the carriage, tucked in trunks under the benches.