Scene 4

Like one of the many trees behind him, Alucard stood stock still, the wind picking up his hair and cloak dramatically. The sun dipped low over the horizon and the significance of that did not escape the dhampire, bringing him to full awareness of the danger should the night conquer the day while he had yet to complete his mission. Yet, unfortunately, his quary was safely sequestered in the edifice before him, a near-invisible castle known to those as a...

"A Resting House? I didn't know anybody had those anymore. He must be in there!" came the familiar's voice.

That thought had occured to him as well. So had the knowledge that this felt all too easy. There had to be some sort of defense mechanism to the building, something to keep hunters such as himself away. Though the way it blended in was almost immaculate one of his noble blood could detect the lines where the buidling came in contact with the orange-red sky. There was no door the dhampire saw. Taking a single step forward Alucard quickly found out why the stronghold was unguarded.

As white as the outer eye a bolt of lightning blasted not three inches from his position, smoke rising from the blackened earth.

The smell of ozone irritated the dhampire's nose. He wrinkled it briefly and then surveyed the land around. He had to be a vampire of some import to have mastered the castle and enter it. Alucard, however, was no normal half-blood either. From out of the folds of his volumious ebony cloak he withdrew a bag of knvies. With the same impeccable timing as when he artfully dodged the bone dragons he took a step toward the castle while tossing out a knife. Demon followed close behind. A bolt burned into the soil close enough for him to get a whiff of the scorched grass. He continued on, letting the knvies direct the flow of the lightning, keeping the deadly electricity from torching him to a crisp.

He made not one wrong step. His hair wasn't even singed.

With a gloved hand, Alucard directed his familiar to use his heightened senses to detect the lifeforce within. "How many are there?"

The demon was still a few moments and when he came back he confirmed what the dhampire had already surmised. "Two. A man...and a woman."

His eyes as steely as golden coins Alucard murmured, "Look for an exit door."

Demon flew about the perimeter of the building, peaking and prodding and poking around. His little body was reflected in the mirror-like surface of the Resting House. Alucard heard his mutterings of "...no door here...nope, no door...no, not here..." and the tapping of his spear on the wall. The familiar was apt at discovering concealed doors. He'd been of an incalucable assistance in Castlevania with her myraid hallways that lead nowhere and the rooms that changed with the wind.

And still the night surrendered more to the approaching dawn, the sun dipping behind the mountains...

Alucard stiffened ever so slightly as he picked up the sound of hoofbeats and the smell of a human rider. His hand arched up for the heirloom longsword gifted to him by his mother. His eyes shifted to take in what his ears and nose spoke of: a horse and rider coming at the Resting House at full gallop. His brow knit briefly as he recognized who it was.

Maria.

As twisted timing would have it a dimensional portal opened on the building far, far away from Demon. Like a pool of darkness a huge black carriage exited from the opening. The horses' eyes were as bright as flames and their coats matched the ebony curtains of the vehicle. Something fluttered in the dhampire's mind about the dark-cloaked, silver-haired man driving the carriage...

"Door! Door!" Demon shouted belatedly.

It was one shock after another but Alucard took it all in like staring into a coffee cup. His expression was placid as Maria turned her steed in the direction of the speeding carriage. Demon however reacted with a howled, "She's out of her mind!"

"Die, monster, you don't belong in this world!" shrieked the golden-haired huntress as she hurled out her whip.

The ferocity of which her attack was so brutually repelled surprised even Alucard. A cape flared out and the leather rebounded, striking the woman in the chest. It was like a shockwave had hit, sending both her and her horse tumbling to the grass. Maria groaned and tried to rise but failed, crumpling. Her horse managed to get up but remained by its master, nuzzling her and whining when she didn't respond.

A flicker of sympathy shadowed the dhampire's face. Then his hunter's instinct took over, consuming him in the desire to slay the vampire. Within moments Alucard leapt onto his horse's back and sent her after the fleeing carriage. He could never hope to outpace four horses with his one but if the dhampire could just get within jumping distance so he could board...

The opportunity came as the carriage went under a tunnel. It slowed almost inperceptively but he was not one for wasting a chance. Cape bellowing out like the night's true shadows the half-blood sprang from his galloping horse onto the carriage roof. He landed lightly with a thud, dropping to his hands and knees. The wind stung his face like a lashing whip. As he rose so too did the driver. Even before the man titled his head and peered at the interloper who appeared Alucard felt every drop of his blood freeze.

That was the face of his father.

The high cheekbones, the pale skin like bleached bones, the dark eyes like pits of hell...everything. There was no mistaking the man, the one that gave him life. Alucard's face, for the most part, remained impassive, but inside his thoughts swirled as his beautiful golden hair.

"I'm here for the young woman." His words fell as soft as falling feathers, barely heard amid the creak of the wheels and the thud of horses' hurried path.

"I wouldn't recommend it...Alucard!" So the recognition was on both sides. "Taking on a vampire at night is a mission for morons or fools--which are you!?"

Alucard's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, like the tilt of a gold coin. Father and son observed each other as the carriage continued its track through the barely-lit tunnel. Alucard, unable to contain his...what anger, grief, killing lust?...rushed forward, blade shining like a bolt of lightning as he swung it at his father. His sword met empty air as the vampire ducked. Again the half-blood made a try for the full-blood's face. Suddenly a sword rose up to meet Alucard's. They clashed. It was a test of strength as each sought to make the other release.

"She's here of her own will." The vampire growled deep in his throat. "So unless you changed professons since we last met--and it's been a while, hasn't it?--I suggest you save your sorry ass and leave us to travel in peace."

Though strained as he struggled to keep his sword up, Alucard spoke plainly. "I would if I could believe you but your reputation is less than impeccable under the circumstances.You kidnapped the girl."

A cape flew up as it did before and the sword danced off. A flash of sparks fluttered like falling stars. Unlike with Maria the dhampire did not collaspe, but recoiled slightly and turned the repelling as a way for momentum. Ducking a flash of steel nails he darted in again to take strike at the vampire's head. His father had over-extended himself in the counterattack and could not hope to shield himself in time. Yet then something strange happened.

"Dracula!"

The sword dipped, his eyes widened, lips parted.

The instant his attention was drawn away was but a heartbeat but it was long enough for Dracula to smack his son with the hard-as-a-shield cape. Unable to catch himself Alucard flew off the roof, his hand barely kept hold of the sword. It was a testament to his skill that the dhampire landed on two knees and a hand, uninjuired but for his pride.

At that moment Demon caught up to him, circling his master anxiously. "What happened?"

"She called out his name. It might be true, what he said." His mind continued to spin maddenly as the wheels of the departed carriage. His father. The kidnapper. His father, still living. What horrible circumstances had occured to bring the vampire king back and put him in the path of his patricidual son?

"No..." The familiar landed on his shoulder, tutting. "She's young. She can't know what who he is...not yet."

After the last of the dust settled to earth from where the carriage had gone Alucard stood and made the long track back out the opposite end of the tunnel. No matter how far the dhampire walked he wasn't unable to shake the sight of his father from his tumulous mind...nor the familiar voice of the woman.