The cold breeze whistled, tugging at their cloaks and playing with the mist that lingered in the cemetery. The large trees loomed menacingly over both of them, their gnarly branches — void of leaves or color — twisting this way and that in their attempt to reach for the sky. White snow crunched under their leather boots, littering the muddy soil and the old mausoleum. All in all, it made for a mildly disturbing scenery, Maud noted after her dulled eyes sweeped the area. She made it a point to push the heavy stone doors open with very little difficulty, flashing Trevor a fanged grin over her shoulder. The man let out a huff and rolled his eyes before stepping into the building.

Stepping into a mausoleum, although long since abandoned, felt odd for someone like her, if not wrong. It was supposed to be a place where humans buried their loved ones under the protection of their Lord in hopes of reuniting in the afterlife. Which is why Maud's brow furrowed when her eyes fell upon the demons carved intricately on to the walls, their gaping mouths spread into wicked grins filled sharp teeth resembling daggers and their hands curled into dangerous talons. Why the hell would they put such things inside of the building made for the children of God? Maud pursed her lips. The church made no bloody sense—

"Smell anything?" Trevor's question dragged her away from her thoughts, his deep voice echoing in the empty church. He was looking at her expectantly. Anxiety clawed at her throat and Maud felt a hint of embarrassment, a bit of heat crawling up the back of her neck. She could still grow flushed, it seemed.

"Ah, right. Give me a moment, my nose isn't what it used to be." Maud admitted quietly, wetting her lips with the nervous swipe of her tongue. She let her eyes fall closed as she took a deep breath through her nose, filling her lungs to their maximum capacity. She held it there for a moment before exhaling slowly, prying apart the myriad of smells from one another. There was Trevor's scent — musky and manly with a hint of stale booze and old blood — and the mausoleum's dusty, humid smell. But, there was also the soft, feminine scent of lavender and roses, still relatively fresh in comparison to the rest. Maud turned her head in its direction, breathing it in once more, and opened her eyes. Relief melted the tension from her shoulders with the knowledge that her senses were not completely gone, despite the growing possibility of her approaching death.

Trevor followed her stare to the hidden entrance, disguised as another wall besides the statues. His lips lifted into a soft smirk and Maud wasn't sure if he was silently praising her or just mocking her nervousness. Perhaps both. That fucker. She blew a white strand from her face, unamused. The hybrid crossed the room and reached the passage in a few strides, getting a good grip with her calloused hands to hoist herself up. She'd already lifted herself halfway, her feet already set on the demon's head to go through the passage when Trevor's hand wrapped around her ankle, her cold skin greedily absorbing the warmth even through the layers. Maud stopped in her actions, suppressing a shudder, and stared at him in question.

"Careful." He murmured and those warm fingers tightened just barely before he let go altogether. She nodded, ignoring the longing in her chest and the cold ache in her joints. Maud peered into the darkness and saw an inclined path rather than stairs. The air within it was still, the cold drafts of air replaced by a constant warmth. Maud slowly slid her feet in and took a deep breath before pushing off the entrance. She slid down the smooth stone, her cloak whipping around behind her as warm air caressed her cold cheeks. It took a handful of seconds before her feet made contact with even ground, the long garment fluttering around her as she delved deeper into the dark halls. Trevor fell into step behind her, the sound of their footfalls bouncing off the stone walls.

The second pair of footsteps halted, making Maud turn around to see that Trevor had stopped to look at the third torch on the left side of the hallway. It was misaligned and damp at the stop, Maud's nose wrinkling at the smell of— "Fresh oil." Trevor voiced, taking it into his hand. He took out a small knife from his belt and struck the wall, the sparks causing the top of the torch to ignite. Maud squinted her eyes at the sudden light and turned her head away. She vaguely heard Trevor mutter a small apology over the pounding in her temples.

Maud waved her hand dismissively, "It's—" Dull silver eyes fell upon the pipe traveling up the wall and into the ceiling. "Fine…" She trailed off with the tilt of her head, eyebrows pulled together in confusion as she approached the pipes. She placed a chilled hand on its surface — no signs of rusting in sight — and momentarily relished in its warmth despite her surprise. "It's warm." Maud pointed out while placing her other hand on the pipe. She tried not to sigh in relief as the constant ache of her joints alleviated and turned her head to look at her equally confused companion, "Why is there a piping sys—"

Something rustled a short distance away and Maud jumped back just as Trevor unsheathed his sword. The hybrid swiped her tongue over her lips and flexed her fingers in a vain attempt to keep the blood flowing properly. She threw one last glance at the strange pipe before cautiously following after the Belmont. "I can hear you," Trevor called out as they slowly went down the steps, "I'm armed, and a lot less happy than you are… so you best stay well out of our way."

Maud stopped in her tracks when the Speaker's scent grew dangerously thin, and hesitated. She grabbed Trevor's shoulder, her fingers curling into the soft white fur on his cloak to stop him. "Wait, the Speaker's scent is faint here. We need to go the other way." Maud spoke in a hush, worried that she'd lose track of the Elder's grandchild and mildly afraid she'd alert whatever creature was lurking around in the shadows.

Trevor stared into the darkness while adjusting his hold on his sword, the fingers of his other hand tightening around the torch until his knuckles became the color of untainted snow. "Alright." He finally spoke while turning on his heels. A thunderous crack sounded from somewhere under their feet and the stone steps shuddered. Maud met his widening eyes and grimaced.

"Shit."

The floor cracked and crumbled, sending them plunging into the room below. Her breath got caught in her throat as her world tilted, that godawful squirming feeling in her organs back with vengeance. Amidst the flailing and the falling debris, Trevor's arm had looped around her waist, mindful of the sharp weapon in his hand. Their boots slammed into the ground and Maud let out a small breath at the stability, but didn't straighten her spine from their hunched position.

"Ha! See that?" Trevor grinned smugly, the arm looped around her waist squeezing pointedly, "Reflexes like a cat." He pointed out with the arrogant jut of his chin, the flames of the torch casting a rather charming glow to his face.

She found amusement replacing the nausea and she didn't dare fight off the grin that curled at her lips. Their little moment is short lived however, when the floor gave out under them once more. A scream was ripped from their throats this time, the plunge being much deeper than their previous fall. Trevor's torch was lost somewhere during the fall when they hit one of the pipes only to continue their descent at an alarming speed. Something in the back of her head just screamed at her and Maud found herself tucking Trevor into her chest and taking the brunt of the fall.

It hurt less than she thought it would, but the air left her lungs in a rush nonetheless. She couldn't help the grimace that twisted her lips and furrowed her brow, her eyes squeezed shut as she lay waiting for the stars to disappear from when she hit the back of her head against a slab of stone. Blood had begun trickling from the cut, a little thing that will sluggishly knit back together soon enough. The sound of Trevor's groaning ensured that he was indeed alright and it made her discomfort less of a problem. The Belmont also confirmed the fact that he was too fucking good for this shithole of a world when he immediately rolled to the side to avoid crushing her down with his weight and started checking her over. A laugh that was more like a breathless huff left her lips.

Trevor set his hand at the base of her neck, warm fingers ghosting over her pulse, "Are you alright?" She found his voice to be relatively soothing as the stars dissipated and she could open her eyes.

"M'fine," There was a nasty little rasp to her voice that indicated that no, I am not fine and something is definitely broken. Trevor's expression twisted further, concern clear in those icy blues. Maud let out another small huff and waved him away as she heaved herself up, joints popping noisily as she went. She rubbed the back of her head, mindful of the knot holding back her dark brown tresses, with careful fingers, grateful her human companion — Belmont hunter or not — hadn't taken the brunt of the fall. While he probably would have walked it off, it would definitely present to be a problem in the future. Her healing, even as sluggish as it was now, was still better than his.

Her head tilted at the sound of buzzing and she flinched when the oddly shaped torches on the walls flickered to life. Maud blinked slowly as her eyes adjusted to the brightness and allowed herself to gaze upon the source of light. Recognition blazed in her mind, bringing forth the village's tales of vampiric technology. The electricity hummed, travelling through hidden wires woven within the walls to power up the lightbulbs and illuminate the corridor. Her momentary awe was snuffed the second her eyes fell upon the numerous human sized statues littering their surroundings, one of them smelling strongly of lavender.

"What the hell…" She found herself muttering, her upper lip curling back at the strange sight of bits and pieces of human anatomy turned to stone. The Elder's grandchild stood right in the middle, robes frozen in their billowing state and hands held up protectively in front of a shocked expression.

Trevor marched forwards and tapped the top of the Speaker's head with the tip of his sword, the sound of steel scraping against stone filling her ears. "Either someone left the statue of a Speaker down here, or…" The Belmont trailed off as heavy footfalls slowly approached, making the ground tremble under their boots.

Goosebumps rose on every inch of flesh in her body and her dull senses sharpened considerably in alarm. Maud turned to face the creature stomping towards them in large strides with its bulky limbs, its mouth falling open to reveal jagged fangs while its single eye glared down at them. "Might be the cyclops, I think." The hybrid breathed.

Another layer of the cyclops' eye slid open with a disturbingly wet sound and a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of pinks, blues and greens swirled in its sclera. Maud would have taken a moment to admire the dangerously beautiful spectacle if not for the fact that it would literally turn her to stone. She dove out of the way despite the protests of her joints, her cloak whipping around at the speed of which she moved to hide behind a column.

"Stone-eye cyclops. Right out of the family bestiary." Trevor spoke breathlessly in something like disgruntled awe from a few yards away, taking shelter behind another column. "God shits in my dinner once again."

Maud inhaled deeply, clenching her jaw and rolling her shoulders. She'd fought witches, warlocks and werewolves— never a cyclops, but there was always a first time for everything. The cyclops prowled closer and all air left her in a sharp hiss as she rolled out of its way, a stony hand slamming down on her previous spot. It was like a game of hide and seek, she thought humorlessly as she took another place to hide, albeit one to the death. Movement from her right made her turn her head to look at Trevor, who pointed at the Speaker before gesturing at her. Ah, he wanted her to take the Elder's grandchild out of the way. But what of the cyclops?

Seeing her expression, he lifted his sword and gave a firm nod. All right then. Maud steeled herself and slowly slid around the column, muscles tense at the odd, maddening silence. Fuck, she grimaced, feeling like prey was disturbing. With that thought, she sprinted across the corridor and hefted the statue into her arms as she went. There was a grunt and the sound of something soaring through the air before embedding itself into tough skin, Trevor attacking the creature most likely. Maud skid to a stop in the safest corner she could find without leaving her companion by himself in the corridor.

"Come on! Come on! You're dead! Stop and notice you're dead…!" Trevor's frustrated shout reached her ears and Maud turned, only to groan at the sight. Trevor scurried out of the way like a measly mouse as the cyclops fired another beam of colorful light in his direction, the sword stuck in its chest. Muttering a string of curses, Maud set the Speaker against a wall and rushed back to the middle of the room.

"Belmont!" Maud barked, successfully gaining the cyclops' attention and dodging its stocky limbs as she distracted it. Trevor jumped out of his hiding place, alarmed. "Go for the fucking head, you eejit! Why the hell would you go for the chest?!" She damn near screamed at him in disbelief and irritation, ducking out of a giant hand's way.

Trevor's whip lashed out with the flick of his wrist, wrapping around the hilt of his sword and tugging it free with a small spray of blood. The cyclops stumbled, but made no noise other than a low growl from deep within its throat. Maud found herself baring her teeth on instinct at the sound, snarling in response. "Maud, lift!" Trevor called as he flung his sword up and broke into a sprint.

Maud bent at the knees and laced her fingers together to act as a stepping stone, heaving the man up as soon as his foot fell on her palms. Trevor flipped in the air with surprising grace and kicked the hilt of his sword, sending it flying with enough force to bury its blade more than halfway into the cyclops' eyeball. The tall creature collapsed just as Trevor landed on his feet with the gentle flutter of his cloak. Maud cracked her knuckles and flexed her fingers while Trevor coiled his whip to place it back on his belt.

"We make a good team." Trevor said after a moment of silence, dusting off his cloak.

The hybrid tied her hair into a knot again after most of it had fallen during the struggle, leaving the mostly white section to frame her face. She glanced at him, mirroring his oh so small smile, "Mm, not too bad, I think." The familiar sound of gagging and chunky liquid splashing on to the ground made them pause. The Speaker's hood had fallen off, revealing short strawberry blonde hair and soft, feminine features. "I was right." Maud murmured to herself, tucking her arms to her sides to allow her cloak to fall closed.

The pretty Speaker straightened her spine, wiping her lips with the back of her sleeve and staring at the two of them with wide, vivid blue eyes framed by thick lashes. Trevor grunted in the back of his throat, turning to remove his sword from the cyclops' dim eyeball. "I wish Speakers wouldn't do that." He voiced, not at anyone in particular as he inspected the bloodied blade and flicked the offending liquid off with the twist of his wrist.

The young woman's brow furrowed, "What?"

"Dress the girls like boys." Trevor elaborated slowly, sliding the weapon into its sheath. Maud pressed her lips together and absentmindedly thumbed at the hem of her trousers.

"It's safer when we travel…" The Speaker trailed off as she moved closer to them, looking around the room with a confused expression on her face. "What happened?" She questioned.

Maud nodded in the direction of the corpse behind herself and looked down at her petite form with dull silver eyes. "You came across a cyclops." She said in reply, mindful of her fangs.

"Turns you into stone with its eyeball and feeds on your terror while you're trapped in your own body." Trevor added in a low voice, looking as uninterested as one could be.

"Moved you out of the way lest we used you as a stepping stone." Maud continued in a small attempt to lighten the mood.

The smaller woman, a little spitfire it seemed, crossed her arms over her chest. "That would've been very rude." She pointed out in her thick accent and Maud didn't even attempt to hide her amusement while Trevor started at that with an indignant mutter of excuse me? "Who are you two anyways?"

Trevor sighed deeply through his nose, "We met your grandfather. We came down here to recover your remains so the Speakers would go to safety." He vaguely explained.

Her face fell and she uncrossed her arms to point to the path behind her with a slender hand, "But the Sleeping Warrior is still down here." The Speaker interjected.

"There is no Sleeping Warrior," Trevor began as he spread his arms, annoyance seeping into his voice. "Just a cyclops waiting for people stupid enough to go looking." He turned to stare at her, eyes hard. "It's a trap for gullible Speakers. You're not popular around here." With that, he turned on his heel and started walking away.

The Speaker's expression hardened, stubborn written all over her face, "The old wisdom says the tomb is guarded—"

"Yeah, yeah," Trevor waved a hand through the air as if fiscally batting her words away and turned his head to look at her from over his shoulder. "Come on. Time to go home. Your people think you're dead, the least you could do is set that old man's mind to rest."

Maud's eyes darted between them, watching as the Speaker's expression softened at his words. "He thinks I'm dead…?" She asked softly.

The hybrid pursed her lips, "Technically, until a few moments ago, you were." Maud reminded her, kicking a small pebble with the tip of her boot.

"Killing a cyclops is the only way to restore a victim. Didn't think we'd manage it." Trevor added, rather unhelpfully, and eyed his companion from the corner of his eye. Maud let out a small grunt.

The Speaker wrinkled her nose, "Who are you?"

"Trevor. Belmont." He said his last name like an afterthought, looking anything but pleased as he basically spat the word out with venom. Maud shifted her weight and crossed her arms under her cloak, nibbling on the inside of her cheek.

"But the Belmonts fight monsters."

There it is, Maud closed her eyes.

Trevor clenched his jaw and turned his icy blues to the Speaker. "I'm out of practice." He shot back, temper slowly rising. "Let's show you to your grandfather, and then you can come down here and get killed again. Deal?" It sounded more like a statement than a question, but he asked nonetheless.

"Very well." The Speaker spoke in a clipped tone, closing her eyes for a moment before signing and opening them as she placed her hand over her heart. "I am Sypha Belnades."

"I don't care."

"I do." Maud interjected, stepping closer to Sypha. Trevor shook his head and kept walking, rubbing the side of his head. "After all, it's not every day I come across a Speaker magician." She added in a quiet voice, giving the younger woman a small smile.

Sypha gasped softly at the sight of her fangs, awed but not fearful. Maud could smell it clearly; the magic coursing through her veins, simmering just under the surface of her skin. She was young and inexperienced, her magic wild and unrefined, but it had great potential. "You… didn't tell me your name," Sypha breathed, blinking her eyes a few times in a row as if to make sure what she was seeing was true.

Maud found herself chuckling, "Call me Maud." She requested and set a hand on Sypha's shoulder to guide her after Trevor just as the smell of fresh blood reached her nostrils. "And, please, don't look back if you wish to leave without an upset belly."

Sypha didn't dare.

And, in the end, despite the occasional harsh coughing fit and the worried yet stern glares from Trevor, Maud found the trip worth it when Sypha dove into her grandfather's open arms and buried her face into his chest like a child. She even felt a tinge of homesickness when the elderly man lifted his head to give them a grateful smile and thanked them both genuinely. His scent was no longer ridden with sadness, replaced instead with joy that made his aged heart beat just a bit stronger.

"You're welcome." Both she and Trevor spoke at different times, but they meant it all the same.

"I failed to find the Sleeper." Sypha spoke up, closing her eyes as she pressed her cheek against the Elder's chest, "I'm sorry!"

That tender smile never left her grandfather's face as he pulled away from her and set his hands on her shoulders, "Hush now, my angel."

"I very much doubt there's anyone down there." Trevor spoke up, interrupting the soft moment. "It's probably a booby-trapped legend. There's someone wriggling with pleasure in his coffin right now thinking of people like your girl walking into the cyclops he left down there." He continued and Maud reached up to rub the bridge of her nose, sighing softly.

Sypha turned to him with a mild glare. "Or perhaps there is something down there so important that it must be guarded by monsters." She pointed out, moving closer in quick, determined strides.

Trevor stared back at her, unamused, "Your Messiah isn't down there."

"And what makes you so sure?" Sypha questioned.

"You Speakers carry information down through the generations. We Belmonts pass things down as well." Trevor revealed, his voice loud enough to be heard by all of the room's occupants. "Do you remember what we saw down there?" He asked Sypha, who averted her eyes in silence. The hunter walked around her, looking over the Speakers, "Metal veins pumping hot liquid? Torches that light by themselves— that exactly fits descriptions written by my great-grandfather. Descriptions of the inside of Dracula's castle."

Maud scratched her cheek and stared at their astonished expressions. "The whole underground of the mausoleum is filled with vampire technology, so unless you are searching for one, then there is probably nothing for you there." She said in agreement, mildly apologetic as she sensed their disappointment. It was etched on every single one of their faces, clear as day. The Sleeping Soldier had been their last hope. "Now you may focus on packing your things and moving on, like we agreed."

"Oh, yes, of course." The Elder stammered as he regained his composure. "Will you join us until then? To give me the chance to repay what I owe you."

She opened her mouth to refuse, but the words were stuck on the tip of her tongue. Instead she dragged a hand down her face and rubbed the back of her neck, shooting Trevor a small grimace. The man frowned back and went to speak, only for Sypha to beat him to it. "At least stay so I can make something for your cough." She offered, slender fingers curling around the edge of Maud's cloak to gently coax her further into the room.

"I suppose I could stay for that." Maud murmured, letting herself get pushed down on a stool by warm, careful hands.

"I'll come back later." Trevor muttered, sighing tiredly as he turned to the door. "See if you can find some beer for our trip." He called out over his shoulder, but Maud's attention had already been stolen by one of the male Speakers placing a warm hand on her cold cheek.

"Mm, that's nice," Maud grinned, eyes fluttering shut as she basically melted at his touch.

Trevor rolled his eyes and closed the door behind himself.

Maud felt much better after a massage and the tea Sypha had brewed for her, sitting in a corner while watching the Speakers pack their few belongings and answering their curious questions. Can you walk under the sun without protection? Yes. Do you drink human blood? No. Where do you come from? The mountains on the border of Moldav. Are there more like you? Probably not, no… The hands running through her hair to inspect the discoloration in the front were pleasant, making her eyelids flutter as sleep threatened to take her in its grasp. She must have dozed off for a moment because when she opened her eyes, she saw that the Speakers sat in a circle around her.

She was rubbing her eyes when Trevor marched into the building, looking anything but pleased. The Elder obviously didn't notice since he smiled at the man, "Trevor, join us!"

Trevor gave them a terribly unenthusiastic smile, "Sure." He agreed and added, in the same tone as he walked into the room, "By the way, you're all going to die."

Maud rose from her seat, alert, "What happened?" She asked firmly.

The Belmont crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his back against the stone wall. "The current bishop of this place is… Well," Trevor pinched the bridge of his nose. "He's beyond insane. Over the top and into new lands of snake-fuckingly crazy, and convinced that the salvation of Gresit lays in you people being torn to pieces by a mob." He ranted, frustration clear in his voice.

"Oh, for fuck's sake." Maud exclaimed with a scowl, racking a hand through her long bangs. "And they're on their way, I take it." She stated rather than asked and hissed at Trevor's nod. "Damn. You need to get you out of here, now." The hybrid said sternly, turning to look at the Speakers with a piercing gaze.

"By the bishop's logic, you have to die before the night creatures conduct their next raid." Trevor pointed out bluntly when no one made a move to stand.

The Elder glanced down at his granddaughter with a thoughtful expression before looking up at them again. "What happens if we stay and survive?" He queried.

"Then the night creatures will tear through this place and kill everything in sight. Whoever is left will blame you and, well," Maud trailed off with a frustrated sigh, rubbing her temples. "It'll start all over again."

"This feels wrong." The Elder spoke, sounding awfully tired and letting his eyes fall closed for a moment. "To be driven out by a lie that will doom these people, it is not a Speaker thing." His voice trembled with emotion, but it was still strong.

Trevor bristled, jaw clenching and eyes turning into icy daggers. "We had an agreement." He bit out through grit teeth. Maud shifted her weight from one foot to another, silent as she stared at the Elder with dull silver eyes.

"I don't think it's a Belmont thing, either." The old man continued softly, as if he had not been interrupted. Trevor's expression twisted in silent fury, his heart beating away in the confines of his chest.

"I don't care," The hunter spat, waving a dismissive hand through the air as he stepped closer to the circle of Speakers. "You need to leave, and leave now."

Sypha rose to her feet, raising an arm to point out the window with a determined expression painted over her delicate features. "I don't think we can leave these people, not in their time of need!"

Trevor moved closer to her, glaring heatedly, "These people believe you're causing their time of need!"

"Only because they are being misled by the Church." The Elder interjected, his soft voice serving to calm them, if not mildly. The old man stood and looked at them with his wise blue eyes, still so gentle and filled with kindness despite how he'd been treated by the people he wanted to protect. "Does one run away when someone tells lies about them? What has the Church said about the Belmonts? That you have been corrupted by dealings with the supernatural, that you mock God, that you are a threat to the common good, and that evil follows you wherever you go." He listed off, his voice unwavering and stern. "And what did you do in the face of that?"

The Belmont looked at him with his icy hues, his dark eyebrows knitted together. "I didn't run away."

"Really?" The Elder asked softly, a hint of mocking in his voice. "So, what are you running to? Did you have a destination in mind?"

Maud turned her head to look at Trevor, only to find him already staring at her with a conflicted look in his eyes. Her eyes darted to the window, pupils constricting at the orange rays of the setting sun, and she hesitated. She probed at her fangs with the tip of her tongue and scuffed the toe of her boot against the floorboards, scratching at her cheek. She thought of agreeing with Trevor, of leaving this damned city behind and moving on before it was too late and she was too weak to go against Crowley, but guilt coiled around her heart like barbed wire and tightened with each thought. Finally, she let out a soft growl that was soon followed by a small, resigned huff.

"I apologize in advance," Maud spoke as she turned her head away from the window to face the Speakers, and stared directly at the Elder. "But we have no time to waste on life lessons. The sun is setting and you have to find some place to hide while we and your magician take care of the problem." She cast Sypha a brief glance, before Trevor's furious expression came into view.

"We don't have time to deal with mobs and hordes— you don't have time! We go. Now." He said sternly, jaw clenched tightly and icy blue eyes hard.

He meant well, she knew that, but the darkest parts of her mind bristled at his tone. "I won't let them fight alone. I refuse to move on with my life knowing I could have done something." She said strongly, unwavering.

"You'll die fighting Dracula's armies then."

"I could die either way, you know that. If not at the hand of my father then you'll watch me wither away at the end of the damn week." She shot back, tired of skirting around the fact that she might not even come close to finding her sire in time. Trevor said nothing, but she saw the way the corners of his mouth quivered and his eyes softened almost imperceptibly. Maud spoke again after a moment, her voice much softer, "I'd rather go down fighting for what is right than curled up in a corner, thinking of what could've been as my blood seeps from my pores."

They stared at each other for what seemed to be an eternity, and she watched the myriad of emotions that flashed across his gaze. She was a stranger to him, no one significant, but she knew there was something about her that reminded him of someone. Maud wasn't so sure this was about repaying a debt to the lycaon species, to the man that had saved him all those years ago. This was something far deeper than that.

Trevor's hand went to his belt and gripped his sword, calloused fingers curling around the hilt.

"I swear, I just saw it move."

Maud rolled her eyes as she swept the room and halls of the catacombs one last time. "It's been dead for a while now. Whatever you think you saw is either a figment of your imagination or a postmortem spasm." She called out over her shoulder, eyeing one of the many trails that led further into the labyrinth.

She'd managed to make a deal with Trevor, but at a price. She would have to take the Speakers to a safe place while Trevor and the Speaker Magician took care of the mobs and hordes. Once she was sure that the Speakers were out of danger, she would join them. Most of them had found spots where they could huddle together, but the rest were jittery, warily eyeing the corpse of the cyclops as if it would jump up and devour them at any moment.

The Elder came to her side with a gentle smile on his aged face, the corners of his eyes crinkling, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you, my friend, but I believe it is time for you to go." He hummed lightly.

A loose smile tugged at her mouth and Maud glanced at the Speaker from the corner of her eye. "Will everything be alright with you here?" She queried softly.

The elderly man nodded his head, tucking his hands into his long sleeves, "You've done more than enough." He reckoned.

A small laugh, a tad more bitter than she intended, slipped past her lips. "There's no such thing as enough." Maud murmured while thumbing the grey fur on her cloak. "You know where to head if anything were to go sour. We will meet again." She gave her farewells with the small nod of her head before adding as an afterthought, "Hopefully." There was a little smirk on her face, darkly humorous.

He didn't seem to find it as funny, though.

Not in the least, judging by the disapproving shake of his head that reminded her of dear Aunt Ena whenever she caught Maud terrorizing the livestock back when she was just a wean. How nostalgic.

Maud moved quickly, steps silent as she followed the trail she'd been eyeing earlier. She knew she should be going the other way, heading up instead of further into the catacombs, but there was something nagging at her. Like a constant pressure in the back of her mind, insistent and impatient. It had to do with that monstrous side of hers, she knew. If that side was fighting so desperately to find whatever is hiding within these catacombs, despite the illness weighing them down, she might as well comply.

There was nothing out of the ordinary— nothing she could sense aside from that feeling, anyways. The air was still and stale, warmer than outside. All scents she could've tracked before were terribly old, mixing with the smell of dust and thus making them impossible to follow. Following the supernatural counterpart of a gut feeling seemed nonsensical, but here she was.

Disappointing Mother even when she was not near.

Steady fingers pulled the thread through the skin, expertly knitting the flesh together while also dabbing up the blood with a disinfected cloth. Maud grunted softly at the sting and Aunt Ena uttered a quiet apology, not looking up from her work. The hybrid pressed another cloth against the cut on her brow, avoiding her mother's glare by fixing her gaze on the carpet.

"You promised me."

"I know." Maud replied tersely and pressed the cloth harder against the cut, partly to slow the bleeding and partly to obscure her mother's view of her face.

"You told me you would never set foot outside this mountain again."

The next time the needle broke through the skin, she grit her teeth and hissed out a sigh. "I had to do it."

Alba let out a scoff, casting a sideways glance at the short haired witch watching them warily from her seat, and shook her head. "You lied to me, Matilda. You told me you were going hunting when you were actually running off because of some hunch!" She spat the word, eyes lighting up gold with her anger. "You owe this outsider nothing! And yet you go, fighting without thinking. You could've gotten killed—"

"I'm dying anyway! Why does it matter if I just speed up the process?!" It slipped out, loud and angry and she didn't actually mean it, but even Aunt Ena had gone still and Maud knew her words could never be taken back no matter how much she wished for it.

The look on her mother's face would haunt her forever.

Her train of thought was cut off by a ruckus up ahead. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and her fingers curled into claws, her next steps slow even when her heart picked up the pace. She couldn't smell anything over the cloud dust and dirt the rubble had kicked up. Maud evened her breathing and, finally, stepped out of the hallway with bared claws and a growl.

Wide icy blue eyes stared back at her.

"Oh." Maud cleared her throat, tucking her hands into her sides to let her cloak hide them as it fell closed. "I thought you were taking care of the mob, what are you doing down here?" She looked between Trevor and Sypha, who was dusting off her robes.

The Belmont gave her an even stare and slowly pointed up. She followed his finger and found herself staring at a rather large hole in the ceiling that revealed that the hunter and the Speaker had fallen down several stories, not unlike Maud and Trevor's first time in the catacombs.

"Again?" Maud found herself saying, torn between amusement and concern. Her eyes swept over their forms quickly and found them relatively unharmed aside from the lovely bruises that would surely bloom over their skin by morn. "Is this a Belmont curse I should know of?" She asked lightly, only half joking, and continued walking when the insistent tug at her brain became too much to handle.

"Ha. Ha." Ah, so he got it then. Trevor didn't seem amused in the slightest, with that painfully short and sarcastic laugh, but he'd understood the joke. That counted for something, right? Sypha was trying, and failing, not to smile even with that amused twinkle in her eyes.

The chuckle building in her throat died suddenly at the sight of blood red carpets and golden accents leading to a coffin located in the back of the room, bathed in artificial light. Thin, golden pipes stretched across the black tile and connected to both the coffin and the crystal containers filled halfway up with blood. That feeling, that little tug, was more insistent than ever now.

There was a loud clank and the sudden whirring of machinery coming from behind her, causing Maud to turn her head in surprise. She met Trevor's wide eyes and looked down to find that his foot had sunken in, undoubtedly activating whatever this machinery was. "I didn't do that." He said quickly despite his alarmed expression, his eyes darting between her and Sypha.

"You really need to watch where you're stepping." Maud muttered as the lid of the coffin let out a loud hiss of steam. The lid slid ever so slowly to the side before falling with a heavy thump. Her heart started beating faster. There was a pause of two, maybe three seconds. She didn't even breathe.

Finally, a figure floated up from the coffin. It was a slow, effortlessly graceful action. With skin like porcelain and hair of spun gold that shone in the lights, he looked like an angel. However, the gnarly scar crossing his torso and the containers behind him proved he was anything but.

He bowed his head and his hair fell over his shoulders to obscure his face like a golden curtain. One of his hands was placed over his heart, right on the thickest part of the scar. Whoever had stricken him had aimed to kill him.

Maud did not know why it bothered her so.

"Why are you here?" He'd asked this softly, but it seemed terribly loud in the silence of the room as his fingers curled into his palm.

A smile curled at Sypha's lips, adding to her awed expression. "The story— the Messiah sleeps under Gresit! The man who will save us from Dracula." She recited from her heart, nearly breathless.

Maud didn't miss the hunching of the so called Messiah's shoulders and the twitch of his knuckles against his scar. His head tilted, and if not for the small movement of his hair she wouldn't have noticed, "And you? Are you in search of a mythical savior?" His voice grew mocking.

"I fell down a hole and she," Trevor gave Maud a brief glance, the sudden nervousness in his scent alarming, "can't follow instructions." There was a forced smirk on his lips even as little beads of sweat collected on his temple.

"Ha." Maud let out, a heavily sarcastic thing even as her eyes never strayed from the blonde. Trevor could complain all he liked, but their sense of humor was one and the same, bad timing included.

Sypha shot both of them a look before schooling her features and facing her Messiah. "Dracula is abroad in the land. He has an army of monsters." She began, her voice talking a desperate lilt. "He's determined to wipe out all human life wherever he finds it."

"Is that what you believe?" He questioned.

Trevor scoffed quietly. "That Dracula's released his horde in Wallachia? That's a fact. There's no belief involved." He pointed out, a quiet sort of anger in his words. "But that's not what you're asking."

"No."

The hunter's heart started beating faster and Maud slowly adjusted her footing. "You're asking if I believe you're some sleeping messiah who'll save us, and no," Trevor's twisted into a scowl, "I don't."

"Belmont!" Sypha exclaimed, shocked.

"I know what you are." Trevor practically hissed the words out, his fingers curled around Vampire Killer's handle.

The man's lips curled into a dangerous smile that exposed his long fangs. "And what am I?" He asked softly, tauntingly.

A drop of sweat slid down the side of Trevor's face, his heart erratic in the confines of his chest and loud as a drum. Maud almost mistook it for her own. "You're a vampire." Somehow, his whisper felt like a shout.

Smiling still, the man raised his head and opened his eyes to reveal a pair of striking golden irises. Sypha gasped and Maud instinctively moved to hide her, shielding her from whatever would occur in the next few moments.

"So, I have to ask myself," Trevor continued, this time louder and colder, "Have we come down here to wake up the man who'll kill Dracula, or did we come here to wake Dracula?"

That was definitely wrong, Maud knew that for a fact. This one was too young, a wean next to the knowledgeable man that was Vlad Dracula Tepes.

The smile on the blonde's face disappeared as he righted his spine to stare down at Trevor. "You call me Dracula." He stated rather than asked, descending just enough to stare straight at the hunter.

Trevor narrowed his eyes, and sneered, "I'll call you anything you like if you're gonna show me your teeth."

The vampire gestured at Sypha, who stuck close to Maud's side, "She called you Belmont." He raised an eyebrow, "House of Belmont?"

"Trevor Belmont." The hunter grit out. "Last son of the House of Belmont."

"The Belmonts fought creatures of the night, did they not? For generations." It was more of a statement than a question, a sort of taunting observation.

He was looking for a fight and, Maud was sure, he was going to get one.

Trevor's expression tightened. "Say what you mean." He spoke, marching forwards despite Maud's pointed glance.

The blonde levelled him with an unreadable stare. "The Belmonts killed vampires."

The last Belmont gave a cold smile, slowly circling like a predator cornering its prey. The vampire's eyes never left him. "Until the good people decided they didn't want us around." Trevor shot back, lips curling into a cruel smirk. "And now Dracula is carrying out an execution order on the human race."

"Do you care?" The vampire asked, raising a hand in a half hearted questioning gesture before letting it fall to his side again.

"Honestly?" Trevor tilted his head, "I didn't, no. But now… yes, it's time to stop it." He turned to the blonde, heartbeat steady and eyes determined. A smile tugged at Maud's lips, undaunted.

The blonde stared down at him. "Do you think you can?"

"What I think… is that I'm going to have to kill you." Trevor said in reply, his hand returning to the whip at his hip.

"Belmont, no!" Sypha cried out, "He's the one we've been waiting for." She pointed out.

The hunter was circling the vampire again, "No, he's not. He's a vampire." He came to a stop and turned to the blonde. "And he's not been waiting here for hundreds of years, have you?"

The vampire's stone cold expression revealed nothing, "I don't like your tone, Belmont."

"This place is old, but it's not been abandoned. It's alive and working." Trevor pointed out before gesturing at the blonde with his hand, "So, go on, vampire, tell her how long you've been waiting down here."

He glanced at Sypha, as per instructed. "What is the year of your Lord?"

"1476." Sypha replied, now weary.

"Hmm," The blonde hummed and turned his eyes to Trevor, "Perhaps a year, then."

Trevor shot Sypha a look. "There. And on top of that, what kind of messiah creates mechanical death traps to buy himself an uninterrupted nap in a stone coffin?" He asked, pointing at the blonde without lifting his left hand from his whip.

"My defenses were not for you." The vampire corrected.

"You could've told your defenses that." Trevor shot back.

"They are machines, nothing more. They were not intended to protect me from you." The blonde elaborated, actually sounding a tad annoyed, before fully turning to Trevor. "I asked you a question. Do you care?" He demanded, louder.

Trevor froze for a moment, visibility startled, before answering. "I care about doing my family's work. I care about saving human lives." He replied before his expression became one of annoyance, "Am I going to have to kill you?"

"Do you think you can?" The blonde demanded. "If you're really a Belmont and not some runt running around with a family crest, you might be able to." His fingers moved and Maud felt the thrum of magic in the air.

"Trevor." She warned just as a long, thin sword twirled through the air before falling in the vampire's grasp.

"Stay there." Trevor ordered without looking at her, reaching for his own sword.

"Let's find out." The vampire smirked down at him.

"Belmont, you can't do this!" Sypha exclaimed and Maud grabbed her arm to stop her from doing anything brash.

Trevor pointed his sword at him, "Tell that to your floating vampire Jesus here."

The vampire scowled at him, pale fingers tight around the handle of his sword, "You've got nothing but insults, have you? A tired little—"

Vampire Killer lashed out, cracking through the air with enough force to send the blonde flying through the air before he managed to catch himself in a crouch. Trevor smirked, coiling his whip, while the vampire hissed at him. "Stone the fuck up." He remarked, unimpressed, and cracked his whip again.

It was a dangerous dance of blocking and dodging from both parts. The magic of the sword clashed with the blessed whip, often causing sparks to fly when the two collided. Sypha's expression twisted into something like horror and desperation, and she turned to Maud.

"Maud, you can't let this happen." Sypha pleaded, fingers curling around Maud's cloak.

"He's not your messiah!" Trevor called out. "Dracula's castle can appear anywhere, Sypha. And I told you, this is what it looks like on the inside."

"And you know what Dracula looks like?" The vampire taunted, blocking another strike with his sword.

No, he did not. Maud thought that perhaps the Belmonts had at least passed down a portrait of their so-called nemesis. They did not, it seemed.

"Nobody knows what Dracula looks like." Trevor panted, cracking his whip again and again, "You've got fangs, and you sleep in a coffin."

They definitely did not.

The vampire dodged again, by a hair's width, and jumped into the air with effortless grace. Trevor smirked and used his other hand to change the whip's direction. It cracked, catching the blonde across the chest with enough force to make him cry out as it drew blood. His back slammed against one of the columns on the way down, and it took him a moment to get to his knees, open wounds on his abdomen.

He caught the next hit with his sword, Vampire Killer coiling around the blade. Trevor grit his teeth and pulled at it with both hands in a futile attempt to disarm the vampire. The blonde gave a harsh tug, disarming Trevor in return, to which the hunter responded by sprinting forwards and drawing out his sword.

The vampire discarded the whip and met Trevor's blade with his own. Their swords clashed and Maud came to the realization that Trevor was vastly outmatched in swordplay. The blonde was quick to use his speed to his advantage to knock Trevor against the steps leading to the coffin with a painful thump. Trevor got up quickly and was more than ready for the next attack, but the vampire was at an advantage with the length of his sword and his superior strength.

Trevor struggled visibly to push him back, his arms shaking with effort as their swords scrapped against one another. The vampire placed his other hand on his blade to push the hunter back and Trevor—

Trevor Belmont, the last son of the infamous family of hunters, kicked him in the balls.

Maud pinched the bridge of her nose.

If this was her last hope, she might as well pick out that tree now.

"Please. This isn't a bar fight." The vampire spat, annoyed and unperturbed, "Have some class."

Then, Trevor slapped his skull against the blonde's nose. The vampire grunted and stumbled back, shaking his head before baring his fangs at the hunter.

Alright, so perhaps there was some hope.

Of course, Maud had to be proven wrong and Trevor was launched back with the flick of the blonde's wrist before the vampire was upon him.

Make that a bit of hope, then.

Trevor's sword finally snapped under the pressure, but not before he made a cut across the vampire's chest to finish the X. The stupid smirk on his lips meant it was a joke, but, judging by the furious look on the blonde's face, he didn't find it nearly as amusing. Finally, he decided to forgo the sword and simply punched Trevor with enough force to send him falling on his back as blood ran down his nostrils.

He was on top of Trevor in a second, gripping those dark locks in a tight fist to bare his throat for sharp fangs bared in a mocking grin. "Do you have a god to put a last prayer to, Belmont?" The blonde questioned. Maud moved closer, silent and quick, as her claws lengthened into dangerous points.

"Yeah." Trevor grunted, his lips stretching into a bloody grin, "Dear God, please don't let the vampire's guts ruin my good tunic."

The vampire's expression twisted in confusion. "What?" Trevor's kunai dug into his flesh and the blonde grunted in pain. He hissed and tugged at Trevor's hair, "I can still rip your throat out."

Maud caught him by his own hair and curled her fingers around his throat, claws pressing into his pale skin. He went very still and Trevor grinned up at her. "Think you can do that before I rip yours out?" Maud asked lowly, tightening her fingers just enough to make it uncomfortable.

"I thought I was your legendary savior." The vampire spoke, swallowing thickly at the feeling of her claws pressing into his skin.

The hybrid let out a small chuckle, leaning down to put her face next to his, forcing him to arch his back by tugging harder at his hair and making him grunt in discomfort. "My savior? No, darling, her so-called savior." She glanced at Sypha and grinned viciously, his eyes falling to her mouth as he caught sight of her fangs. "And she is just about ready to burn you alive for threatening the life of her real savior."

The blonde's eyes met the ball of fire held between Sypha's fingers. "A Speaker magician." He realized.

"Yes." Sypha replied, "And their goal is mine. To stand up for the people." The stern furrow in her brow softened, her blue eyes darting between Maud and Trevor.

Maud felt the vibrations of the blonde's chuckle against her fingers. "Good. Very good." He voiced, closing his eyes as if contemplating his current position. "A vampire hunter, a magician, and the fabled amalgam."

Wait.

She let go of him as if she'd been burned, taking a step back and eyeing him warily. The blonde got to his feet, his wounds knitting together in seconds, and turned to face all of them. "I am Adrian Tepes. Known to the Wallachians as Alucard…" He said, glancing at each and every one of them before continuing in a quieter voice, "Son of Vlad Dracula Tepes."

Wait.

"I've been asleep here in my private keep under Gresit for a year," Alucard placed a hand over the scar crossing his chest, "To heal the wounds dealt by my father, when I attempted to stop him unleashing his demon armies."

The dhampir.

Her son.

"You are the Sleeping Soldier." Sypha said in relief, lowering her hands to her sides.

He turned to her, "I'm aware of the stories. I'm also aware that the Speakers consider the story to be information from the future." Alucard said before tilting his head. "Do you know the whole story?"

Sypha flushed, her cheeks turning pink, "Yes." She replied reluctantly, avoiding their eyes.

Alucard turned to Trevor, "The Sleeping Soldier will be met by a hunter, a scholar, and a hybrid." He recited and Maud felt like she was going to throw up, gooseflesh spreading over her body.

Trevor glanced at Sypha, "No one told us that." He remarked.

"Why do you think my grandfather tried everything to make you stay?" Sypha shot back.

He stared at her for a moment before letting out a long, tired sigh as he got to his feet. "I hate Speakers." Trevor uttered.

Alucard was already tugging on his coat over a white shirt, followed by a pair of gloves. Sypha turned to him, "So, what happens now?"

"I need a hunter, a scholar, and a hybrid."

Maud bit down on her tongue until she tasted blood and curled her toes inside her boots.

"I need help to save Wallachia." Alucard continued, his sword cutting through the air to sheath itself at his hip. "Perhaps the world," He added as an afterthought, "and defeat my father."

Trevor narrowed his eyes at him. "Why?"

Alucard's head lowered as he went down the steps. "Because it is what my mother would have wanted." He replied quietly, brushing past them. "And we are all, in the end, slaves to our families' wishes…" Alucard trailed off, glancing down at the Vampire Killer as Trevor picked it up.

"You'll help us kill Dracula and save Wallachia?"

"My father has to die." Alucard told him sternly before looking at the three of them. "We four… we can destroy him."

Maud stared at their backs for moment, silent as she'd been for the past few minutes. Her heart felt like it was going to burst from her chest and she felt more nauseous than before. She looked down and gone were the claws, replaced by fingernails that were turning a concerning purple.

But her mind was on Alucard's words, her body tensed as she resisted the urge to flee.

Trevor turned his head, icy blues narrowed in concern, "You alright?"

She looked up from her hands.

"If anyone knows what you are before you tell them, run. Run and don't look back, Maud."

"Why?"

"Because people like you don't exist."

Maud gave him a small grin, "Never better."