[ Another set of creaks and groans, through nothing near as violent as the movement, and the entrance hallway expands outward a little. There are doorways where there ought to be doorways, but beyond most of them is more of that writhing darkness. The engine room connects to the entrance, which is not exactly accurate to the way the castle’s layout should be. Inside there is the castle’s heart, withered and stuttering and burning so, so low.

The other room isn’t a room so much as a few spots of things visible in that darkness through a door that ought to lead to the library. Tiny things - a wolf doll, a portrait of Lisa, a simple silver ring. Things that it’s kept, things that it’s strained against centuries of exhaustion to keep, that remind it of happier times.

Other things appear too, in the entranceway. Skeletons, fanged ones. At least six of them, some bones bleached cleaner than others by time. ]

Shit.

[ That explains it. ]

Hey castle - can you hear me? You weren’t hiding in the Abbey, were you? Not really. You wanted to be found, found by people who wanted to steal Dracula’s secrets. Lured them to the Abbey and trapped them there.

[ It gave up its body to make sure that nobody would ever access Dracula’s knowledge without its say so. To draw any enemies to itself and keep Alucard safe. There’s a note of accusation to Trevor’s tone, but even he has to admit - shit, good castle. ]