Bralia would be poetic as well, all things considered. I'm sure the location's significance would not escape Isaac's attention.
[So much of Dracula's defeat and death was wrapped up in that city. Alucard can't possibly know that it is the same space where Carmilla asserted her control over the forgemaster entirely, but if he did, it'd only reinforce his opinion that it is the correct location because of how it resounds in this ghoulish tale.]
Then it'd be wise to go from Bralia to Istanbul, and then Istanbul to Rhodes. It's an all sea route save for the stops in cities along the coast, and the Ottomans have trade routes to the west. All of it's established, it's genuinely just a matter of catching boats at the right time.
[Alucard knows what books to rely on. He's no spellcaster, but he has watched Sypha for so many years now. Working viewing mirrors, that he comprehends. It'll be an attempt, and if worst comes to worst, then they simply make the injuries real. It isn't the ideal solution, but it is available to them all the same.]
No, no night creature returned here. [But more to the point: they wouldn't have been welcome. This is a house allied with the Belmonts these days, there'd be no having it.]
I can track your progress through remote viewing. I...will speak to Trevor and Sypha about the rest. It may be that Sypha and I follow after you for a time. [Trevor is Trevor, after all.]
[He'll say no more than that. If Hector has his way, no one else will ever know the full significance of Bralia, but the name is sure to prick Isaac's ears. Hopefully the confrontation will not come until later. He imagines that after this amount of time, the surviving townspeople have rebuilt and resumed their lives there. Rosaly would have cared about their plight, and so he now had to care in her absence.]
I'll barter passage on vessels with the smallest crews I can find. That won't raise any suspicion. [The sailors will still be in danger, but at least the chance for collateral damage will be limited. Besides, the fewer people he has to interact with, the better. That is something that hasn't changed over the years.
He exhales a long breath.] Of course. [He mentally reconciles 'Trevor' and 'Syphia' with 'The Belmont' and 'The Speaker'. The arrangement Adrian proposes is the lesser of the evils, everything considered.]
It sounds like you have your plan in hand. The last thing to figure out is, how long should it take me to find what I seek here? I must have some time to conjured my creatures, whether it be here or on the route to Bralia.
Then that gives this plan a greater chance of success.
[That's all that matters. What happens to Hector after, Alucard will need to pay attention to, but he isn't worried. Being scarred by this kind of loss seems to have already decided Hector's course, and it isn't the path that Dracula took. That is more than enough. Isaac? Isaac needs to be stopped.]
I'll help you pay for passage. Nothing that would rouse suspicion, but enough to ensure they'll let you aboard. [It's easy enough to manage.]
What is the average time you'd need to conjure? I can't permit it on these grounds directly, but I know the valley well enough at this point. There are spaces you can take advantage of.
[In spite of his overall state of grief, Hector finds himself raising an eyebrow. Adrian has opened his doors to Hector, fed him a meal, and is now giving him an allowance. Young Master Țepeș, taking in strays. What a strange world, where Lord Dracula’s son could become his reluctant ally.]
So eager to be rid of me, you’ll throw coin at it. [He teases. He could insist that he needs to charity and could make his own way, but why complicate the matter? Pride pales in the face of his revenge.]
It’s hard to say. This is something new. A handful of hours, maybe less if I have the crystals, and somewhere to forge near water. That should make it easier to focus on conjuring an aquatic form.
[He’s not sure if the location has any real bearing on it or if it’s all due to his internal sense of theatrics.]
[Alucard knows that if he was not alone in the house, this discussion would be so very different. The tone, the terms, even the willingness to assist. Hector is a massive problem and has caused so much destruction both by allying with Dracula and then serving under Carmilla. But there's more sympathy in the vampire because of loss, and because there is a far greater threat than Hector afoot.
He can lie to himself about the reasons for why he's allowing it. Pragmatism, mostly. Honoring his father's fondness for the man. But no, it's the same sense of loss, and wanting to avoid a second coming of Dracula's fury either by resurrecting the man himself or having another follow that path of grief and devastation.]
What am I supposed to do with all of it anyway besides buy more books that are usually inaccurate? [They're so, so inaccurate.]
['A Massive Problem' is probably what will go on Hector's gravestone. By Hector's scale, this interaction is actually going rather well.]
You really do need to get out more. [Hector doesn't doubt that Adrian has more money than he knows what to do with, but as someone who has never had much coin in hand, Hector's got plenty of notions to how it could be spent. Hell, if the inaccuracies bother Adrian, he could patronize scholars to write new ones.]
Point me in the right direction and I'll be off to see it done. [They have their plan sketched out, now all that's left is the doing. Hector...probably has more of a chance of winning with Adrian's plan than he would have blindly charging in on his own.
...he supposes he should say 'thank you', but he won't. If Hector survives, he'll raise a pet and send it toward the castle for Adrian to find. The dhampir would likely say 'no' if he asked about it, so if he doesn't die, he's going to just do it.]
I get out plenty, thank you. [He says it a little too defensively, as if this isn't the first time he's had the accusation that's leveled at him. In many ways, staying in the castle isn't a choice. But Alucard does not suspect he'd enjoy much of being among other humans, even if the act of travel is something he would doubtlessly enjoy.]
I can go get a map of the area for you - it'll be to your long term benefit.
[Hector may need to know the area better than just turn right at the big tree. Of that much, Alucard is confident. There is a pause in him though, aware that he hasn't asked an important question.]
Will you need food and other supplies? Forgive any rudeness when I say your task at hand seems to have discouraged proper packing.
[Hector is also 200% right about the fact Alucard would refuse the dog, but only because he'd be expected to.]
[Adrian's protests sound exactly like what a hermit would say. Hector's a hermit, he should know. But if Adrian's dead-set on his castle-dwelling ways, Hector has not the standing nor the inclination to press the issue any further. He shrugs.]
If you have a map small enough to be easily carried, I'll take it. [He does at least have a few essentials stowed on his person- weapons, a flask for water, a few coins and flint for a fire or for kindling the spark of unlife. The rest, he can find along the way or live without. He has a meal in him now, so he's probably set for eating for a day or two.]
You needn't concern yourself with the rest. I don't want to be weighed down. I can resupply in Bralia, when I have my new summoned friends to help bear the weight.
I believe I do, if you'll give me a few moments to find it.
[With that, Alucard rises to his feet. There'll be a map. Coin, as promised, and at this point, an extra water flask and food because if nothing else, his mother would accept nothing less. Hospitality is important, but more than that, this plan needs to work. Needs to. So giving extra food and water? That's insurance.
Alucard's not about to let Hector know that though.
Oh who's he kidding, this is a chance to be a smartass, he's going to take it.]
Because extra pieces of dried meat weigh ever-so-much.
[Adrian goes away and comes back with the provisions Hector actually needs but is too stubborn to ask for. He feels like a child being chastised for his bravado, and he grumbles.]
...would’ve been fine without it....
[He reminds himself of his mission, of Rosaly, and forces himself to put aside his sulking. Even if Adrian is a know-it-all. An insufferable one. He rises up from his seat, startling the fairy on his shoulder, and takes the offered supplies.]
So, you work your magic, I sneak off and work my magic, and then you call upon your Speaker so the farcical hunt can begin?
Perhaps, but if the weather turns, I'd rather be safe than sorry.
[That's his story and he's sticking to it! Alucard has the map aside though, because this is important. He unfolds the full of it, the things not being much larger than a slightly larger than average book. The whole thing is hand made, and clearly comes from after Dracula's defeat. The castle is well marked, as are the ruins of the Belmont home. The whole of the terrain is meticulous, and okay, Alucard totally made it himself because he's a nerd.]
In so many words, yes. And if there is failure, then the Belmont assists us to destroy Isaac.
[One slender finger points at a stream that cascades down from the higher elevation, then starts to trace it's route.]
This is about five miles from where we are now. Probably the best source of water for you to work with, and I know that there's a cave system further up.
[Hector and the fairy both study the map, although Hector's not sure if she can actually make anything of it, or if she's just mimicking him. The spot Alucard indicates should give him adequate shelter to work.]
That will do.
[He doesn't want to think about the Belmont being unleashed as plan B. He's heard horror stories about the man, ranging from 'he can singlehandedly kill a horde of night creatures with his whip' to 'he can singlehandedly kill a horde of night creatures with his stench'.]
And you're going to watch me with your remote viewing. Do you have to know where I'll be to do it, or can you find anyone?
[He's not planning on doing anything that he needs to hide, necessarily, but the idea that Adrian can spy on him is still disconcerting. Useful in this context, but still not filling him with warm feelings.]
I don't need to know where you are precisely. It just helps. And I will strive not to intrude on personal moments.
[It may not be easily accomplished, but Alucard does believe in putting in a level effort to avoid being a creep while a person sleeps or truly needs time alone. The cave, the cave he can find effortlessly. The route to the east? That'll be harder.]
Do you have any other questions or worries?
[It's a question that's tinged with actual concern.]
[‘Is it something Isaac could have learned to do,’ he doesn’t ask. Even if Isaac couldn’t, there are others who want him dead. He thought he’d made a safe home for himself and Rosaly, but he’d been living on borrowed time. He doesn’t thing Adrian would spy on him, but the thought of anyone from his past having looked in unseen on his new life sends his stomach churning. His face loses its color.
He’d never truly been free of that darkness. It followed him like a plague on the wind.]
It doesn’t matter. Look when you need. I’ve got nothing left to hide.
Viewing mirrors? No. Anyone who understands the mechanism can use them. The trick is locating one in the first place, as they're very hard to come by. I've never seen one that wasn't a full length piece, and that would not travel well.
[There was one in the Belmont Hold after all, and Belmonts didn't always truck with magic. It did leave quite a few questions about why both his father and Trevor's family seemed to have one, but...those were questions left unasked.
Alucard knows the real fear in the question is Isaac though. He clicks his tongue softly.]
I realize that's scant comfort, but based on what you've said, he's not the kind of man who would travel around with such a large object.
[As for the rest, well. Alucard's not sure how well he's communicating that this is an attempt to give Hector a modicum of dignity, but he is very clearly failing.]
[So Isaac had likely found him a different way. It's not very reassuring, but there's nothing to be done about that.]
You're right. He'd rather do his spying with forged night creatures, who are loyal to his will. He is not one to look on without meddling.
[And if the mirrors were portable, Lord Dracula would have carried one with him in his travels, surely, and checked in on his bride while he was away. He would have seen her in danger and rushed to her side, and the history of Wallachia might have been changed.
He frowns at the dhampir. He doesn't need Adrian worrying over his feelings.]
Look, you're probably the most trustworthy person to have possession of a mirror. You said you'd be mindful, so if you take a look and I'm taking a piss or something, I'm confident you'll look away. Isaac has taken everything from me, and there's no price too high to pay for stopping him.
[Somewhere in that, there's a compliment. But somehow it feels incorrect to respond to it, so all Alucard can really do is incline his head in quiet agreement. This is a delicate alliance (and it is an alliance, there's no dancing around that basic fact) and it needs to be built on a sense of mutual trust. That trust exists right now, and it's so, so fragile.]
We seem to be on the same page about everything then. [Which is a blessing in and of itself. This would be so much harder.]
[The thing is, Hector finds that he can believe in Adrian. Part of it may be his own hopeless naiveté, but he can see in Adrian what he thought he had thought he saw in Lord Dracula. He's a bit of an asshole, and broods too much for his own good...
...but with Adrian in control of Castlevania and the powers within it, the world is a shade less dark and hopeless a place.
Hector will voice precisely none of those thoughts. He rolls up the map and tucks it safely away.]
It's a good plan. [Both the strategy, which is far better than Hector could have managed on his own, and the hopefully peaceful parting after. He nods in Adrian's direction.] Well, no time like the present. Wish me luck.
[Luck? Luck is nonsense in this situation, something that's only useful for when something goes wrong. They need success and they need it but now in order to make the plan work.]
[And so Hector sets off. He finds the stream, thanks to the intricately detailed map, and forges well past sunset. When he finally finishes, he falls on the supplies Adrian gave him, devouring the dried meat and praying to whatever powers that be that Adrian doesn't see him do it, the smug bastard.
His new creations are amphibious, and Hector does his best to keep them concealed in streams and rivers as he makes his way to Braila. Alucard's coin sees him passage on a small vessel. Hector isn't sure if he actually senses eyes on him as they sail or if it's all in his imagination. Adrian is definitely watching, and Isaac is probably keeping tabs on him as well, in his own way.
The island outside of Rhodes is largely unchanged from when Hector left it. The rumor of a necromancer living there, coupled with the occasional sighting of dead animals walking in the wilds there, has kept the locals from coming here. It's just how Hector prefers it.
He secrets away his innocent devils, returns to his abandoned cabin, and waits for Isaac to take the bait.
And somehow, their carefully drawn-out plan goes to hell. Hector and his friends had gone out to the island's only dock to meet Isaac's boat upon arrival. Isaac, as expected, had brought with him several hulking, flying monstrosities. More unexpectedly, he had also come with a small army of zombies, marching up from the water unphased by their journey.
The innocent devils perform admirably, taking down two of the night creatures and countless zombies, but Hector hadn't accounted for the sheer rage at seeing Isaac's face again. The forged creatures depend on him for instruction, and he can't think of anything but killing Isaac. Isaac's army flanks them and hurl themselves onto Hector, pinning him down.
So, traitor, you've reawakened your powers? [Isaac croons, stepping finally off of his ship.] Good. You will atone for your sins.
[He approaches a thrashing Hector with a length of rope and begins to coil it around him. The cord sizzles with enchantment.]
If you're going to kill me, just do it! [Hector cries, impotent and furious and just wanting it to be over.
Isaac clucks his tongue.] Hector, Hector, what did you think to do with those ashes you stole? A spirit of such power as Lord Dracula cannot be resurrected with pieces cobbled together like some common wight.
[He seizes Hector's chin and forces him to meet Isaac's gaze. Dracula's loyal general smiles.] Oh Hector, where else could I find a vessel such as yours, so in tune with the darkness, yet still purely human? It is fitting. Your betrayal cost our lord his life. Your sacrifice shall restore him.
[Trevor and Sypha arrive home a week after Hector's departure. It is at that moment that Alucard explains the situation to them, and their reactions are not surprising. They both don't care for it, Trevor's far louder about that fact, Sypha's not the happiest about being thrown into a high stakes job like this without her prior knowledge or consent, but with the far greater threat of Isaac and what he represents, things settle. They're not traveling for the summer, lest something awful happen while they're away.
Alucard varies the times he checks in on Hector, but it is almost always between three to four times a day, and never for longer than five minutes. It is satisfying enough to know the man is alive, is working, and doesn't seem to be contemplating the wisdom of stabbing Alucard in the back. (It's something Trevor is planning for. And intending to respond to at full force should it happen.) For Alucard, that's more than enough.
Summer slips by. There's so much damned ocean travel that Alucard almost feels seasick by proxy at a few points, but nothing comes of it. Sometimes he moves the viewing mirror beyond Hector to the boat and what's around it, intending to check for signs of being followed but almost always feeling calmed by the sight of the gently rocking sea.
Rhodes goes by. Alucard increases his attention to the viewing mirror when that happens, although he is not present at the outset of Isaac's grand entrance. He catches only the end part, where the word vessel gets used.
What sounds next in the castle is something that can only be described as pure dad. It catches the attention of the other two inhabitants, who know that even if it isn't go time on their weird and possibly a bad life choice of an alliance, something bad has happened to the dhampir.
There's quick utterances of what to do in the next few minutes once Trevor and Sypha are present and Alucard's managed to explain what's been said. The rest of the plan they know. He and Sypha go in through the viewing mirror, Trevor watches and goes through only if need be. Returning from someplace that far away will be a nightmare and someone has to watch the castle and the Hold.
(Alucard still mutters all the right spells for protecting the place before he leaves though. At this point, they'll probably need all hands on deck.)
He and Sypha barrel out of the viewing mirror, ice shards firing at Isaac and Alucard's sword extended for the same target. It isn't the time for snappy lines or words at all. Action is the only thing that matters, putting an end to the concept of dragging Dracula back from a death he truly needed at the end.]
[Isaac's creatures drag Hector back towards the boat, and Hector sees now that the deck has runes carved into it. Some sort of summoning circle? He renews his struggling.]
No, I won't let you! Damn you, Isaac! [He fights against his bindings to try to reach the knife at his belt. If Isaac needs him whole for whatever dark ritual he intends, then Hector will rob him of his prize and go laughing into hell.
Isaac takes a step forward, balling a fist to strike him.] Our lord can deal with a few broken ribs. [He punches Hector in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.
Alucard and his Speaker might as well be angels, so fortuitous is their timing. Hector struggles to gasp in a breath to shout to them.]
Destroy the boat! [Isaac needs to be killed, but with his winged beasts and undead zombies beneath the waves, Hector can't risk being taken to the boat and spirited away to be used as a host body for Dracula.
His fingers brush against the hilt of his knife and he begins to work it free of the sheath, the motion agonizingly slow.]
[Destroy the boat Hector calls out, and there's no questioning who's best equipped to take care of that. Sypha is the one with the fire power and the range, and so that means Alucard must serve as her guard. He moves only a few feet forward to allow Sypha a safe radius to operate in, and the first blast of fire goes right for the boat.
Unsurprisingly, that gets the attention of the winged creatures that were already drawn to Alucard and Sypha's arrival. One swoops down, horrid talons extended and aimed for Sypha's shoulders. Alucard wordlessly sends his sword in the thing's direction, and it pierces through the wings before he recalls it back to himself.
There is the ever so satisfying sound of it crashing onto the ground, and Alucard runs to dispatch it. A second blast of fire goes right over his head, catching the boat this time.]
[Isaac growls out a curse in a language Hector can't understand. He draws one of his daggers and lifts it to Hector's throat. Then he thinks better of Hector's worth as a potential hostage, and shoves him back into the waiting arms of his zombie horde. The glare he directs at Hector before disappearing from his sight promises pain for siccing the hunters upon his ship.
Hector, for his part, kicks at the zombies, managing to dislodge several limbs from their shambling bodies. They are restraining, not attacking. With an effort of will, he calls his aquatic creations to come and begin to tear at the corpses.
Isaac's eyes flick between Sypha and Alucard, and in the moment Alucard moves toward the downed Gaibon, he dashes forward and leaps, both daggers drawn.]
[The zombies are....new. To Alucard at least, Sypha seems unphased by their presence and is instead focused on the task at hand. Tiny powerhouse she is, the moment Isaac turns his attention to Alucard is the moment she starts moving forward in order to get the thing destroyed.
There's a grunt as Alucard moves his whole body just in time to avoid the worst of Isaac's daggers. They still scrape through the fabric of his coat, but that's all the damage they do. The dhampir's feet instead trample over the Gaibon with precious little grace, and the noise it makes is just as unearthly as Alucard remembers the night creatures from before.
But no, this is good. Isaac can have his attention focused on Alucard. Sypha can take care of the physical destruction. Hector need only endure through the worst of it and make sure that the aquatic creations are able to do what they must.
Trevor's still watching and available, if it all goes to shit.
Alucard doesn't waste time in lunging at Isaac. If he's understood the man correctly, taunts would be better.]
How foolish are you to believe that disturbing my father's well earned peace is a wise idea?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[So much of Dracula's defeat and death was wrapped up in that city. Alucard can't possibly know that it is the same space where Carmilla asserted her control over the forgemaster entirely, but if he did, it'd only reinforce his opinion that it is the correct location because of how it resounds in this ghoulish tale.]
Then it'd be wise to go from Bralia to Istanbul, and then Istanbul to Rhodes. It's an all sea route save for the stops in cities along the coast, and the Ottomans have trade routes to the west. All of it's established, it's genuinely just a matter of catching boats at the right time.
[Alucard knows what books to rely on. He's no spellcaster, but he has watched Sypha for so many years now. Working viewing mirrors, that he comprehends. It'll be an attempt, and if worst comes to worst, then they simply make the injuries real. It isn't the ideal solution, but it is available to them all the same.]
No, no night creature returned here. [But more to the point: they wouldn't have been welcome. This is a house allied with the Belmonts these days, there'd be no having it.]
I can track your progress through remote viewing. I...will speak to Trevor and Sypha about the rest. It may be that Sypha and I follow after you for a time. [Trevor is Trevor, after all.]
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[He'll say no more than that. If Hector has his way, no one else will ever know the full significance of Bralia, but the name is sure to prick Isaac's ears. Hopefully the confrontation will not come until later. He imagines that after this amount of time, the surviving townspeople have rebuilt and resumed their lives there. Rosaly would have cared about their plight, and so he now had to care in her absence.]
I'll barter passage on vessels with the smallest crews I can find. That won't raise any suspicion. [The sailors will still be in danger, but at least the chance for collateral damage will be limited. Besides, the fewer people he has to interact with, the better. That is something that hasn't changed over the years.
He exhales a long breath.] Of course. [He mentally reconciles 'Trevor' and 'Syphia' with 'The Belmont' and 'The Speaker'. The arrangement Adrian proposes is the lesser of the evils, everything considered.]
It sounds like you have your plan in hand. The last thing to figure out is, how long should it take me to find what I seek here? I must have some time to conjured my creatures, whether it be here or on the route to Bralia.
no subject
[That's all that matters. What happens to Hector after, Alucard will need to pay attention to, but he isn't worried. Being scarred by this kind of loss seems to have already decided Hector's course, and it isn't the path that Dracula took. That is more than enough. Isaac? Isaac needs to be stopped.]
I'll help you pay for passage. Nothing that would rouse suspicion, but enough to ensure they'll let you aboard. [It's easy enough to manage.]
What is the average time you'd need to conjure? I can't permit it on these grounds directly, but I know the valley well enough at this point. There are spaces you can take advantage of.
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So eager to be rid of me, you’ll throw coin at it. [He teases. He could insist that he needs to charity and could make his own way, but why complicate the matter? Pride pales in the face of his revenge.]
It’s hard to say. This is something new. A handful of hours, maybe less if I have the crystals, and somewhere to forge near water. That should make it easier to focus on conjuring an aquatic form.
[He’s not sure if the location has any real bearing on it or if it’s all due to his internal sense of theatrics.]
no subject
He can lie to himself about the reasons for why he's allowing it. Pragmatism, mostly. Honoring his father's fondness for the man. But no, it's the same sense of loss, and wanting to avoid a second coming of Dracula's fury either by resurrecting the man himself or having another follow that path of grief and devastation.]
What am I supposed to do with all of it anyway besides buy more books that are usually inaccurate? [They're so, so inaccurate.]
There's a stream up in the mountains, I believe.
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You really do need to get out more. [Hector doesn't doubt that Adrian has more money than he knows what to do with, but as someone who has never had much coin in hand, Hector's got plenty of notions to how it could be spent. Hell, if the inaccuracies bother Adrian, he could patronize scholars to write new ones.]
Point me in the right direction and I'll be off to see it done. [They have their plan sketched out, now all that's left is the doing. Hector...probably has more of a chance of winning with Adrian's plan than he would have blindly charging in on his own.
...he supposes he should say 'thank you', but he won't. If Hector survives, he'll raise a pet and send it toward the castle for Adrian to find. The dhampir would likely say 'no' if he asked about it, so if he doesn't die, he's going to just do it.]
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I can go get a map of the area for you - it'll be to your long term benefit.
[Hector may need to know the area better than just turn right at the big tree. Of that much, Alucard is confident. There is a pause in him though, aware that he hasn't asked an important question.]
Will you need food and other supplies? Forgive any rudeness when I say your task at hand seems to have discouraged proper packing.
[Hector is also 200% right about the fact Alucard would refuse the dog, but only because he'd be expected to.]
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If you have a map small enough to be easily carried, I'll take it. [He does at least have a few essentials stowed on his person- weapons, a flask for water, a few coins and flint for a fire or for kindling the spark of unlife. The rest, he can find along the way or live without. He has a meal in him now, so he's probably set for eating for a day or two.]
You needn't concern yourself with the rest. I don't want to be weighed down. I can resupply in Bralia, when I have my new summoned friends to help bear the weight.
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[With that, Alucard rises to his feet. There'll be a map. Coin, as promised, and at this point, an extra water flask and food because if nothing else, his mother would accept nothing less. Hospitality is important, but more than that, this plan needs to work. Needs to. So giving extra food and water? That's insurance.
Alucard's not about to let Hector know that though.
Oh who's he kidding, this is a chance to be a smartass, he's going to take it.]
Because extra pieces of dried meat weigh ever-so-much.
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...would’ve been fine without it....
[He reminds himself of his mission, of Rosaly, and forces himself to put aside his sulking. Even if Adrian is a know-it-all. An insufferable one. He rises up from his seat, startling the fairy on his shoulder, and takes the offered supplies.]
So, you work your magic, I sneak off and work my magic, and then you call upon your Speaker so the farcical hunt can begin?
no subject
[That's his story and he's sticking to it! Alucard has the map aside though, because this is important. He unfolds the full of it, the things not being much larger than a slightly larger than average book. The whole thing is hand made, and clearly comes from after Dracula's defeat. The castle is well marked, as are the ruins of the Belmont home. The whole of the terrain is meticulous, and okay, Alucard totally made it himself because he's a nerd.]
In so many words, yes. And if there is failure, then the Belmont assists us to destroy Isaac.
[One slender finger points at a stream that cascades down from the higher elevation, then starts to trace it's route.]
This is about five miles from where we are now. Probably the best source of water for you to work with, and I know that there's a cave system further up.
no subject
That will do.
[He doesn't want to think about the Belmont being unleashed as plan B. He's heard horror stories about the man, ranging from 'he can singlehandedly kill a horde of night creatures with his whip' to 'he can singlehandedly kill a horde of night creatures with his stench'.]
And you're going to watch me with your remote viewing. Do you have to know where I'll be to do it, or can you find anyone?
[He's not planning on doing anything that he needs to hide, necessarily, but the idea that Adrian can spy on him is still disconcerting. Useful in this context, but still not filling him with warm feelings.]
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[It may not be easily accomplished, but Alucard does believe in putting in a level effort to avoid being a creep while a person sleeps or truly needs time alone. The cave, the cave he can find effortlessly. The route to the east? That'll be harder.]
Do you have any other questions or worries?
[It's a question that's tinged with actual concern.]
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[‘Is it something Isaac could have learned to do,’ he doesn’t ask. Even if Isaac couldn’t, there are others who want him dead. He thought he’d made a safe home for himself and Rosaly, but he’d been living on borrowed time. He doesn’t thing Adrian would spy on him, but the thought of anyone from his past having looked in unseen on his new life sends his stomach churning. His face loses its color.
He’d never truly been free of that darkness. It followed him like a plague on the wind.]
It doesn’t matter. Look when you need. I’ve got nothing left to hide.
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[There was one in the Belmont Hold after all, and Belmonts didn't always truck with magic. It did leave quite a few questions about why both his father and Trevor's family seemed to have one, but...those were questions left unasked.
Alucard knows the real fear in the question is Isaac though. He clicks his tongue softly.]
I realize that's scant comfort, but based on what you've said, he's not the kind of man who would travel around with such a large object.
[As for the rest, well. Alucard's not sure how well he's communicating that this is an attempt to give Hector a modicum of dignity, but he is very clearly failing.]
As you say then.
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You're right. He'd rather do his spying with forged night creatures, who are loyal to his will. He is not one to look on without meddling.
[And if the mirrors were portable, Lord Dracula would have carried one with him in his travels, surely, and checked in on his bride while he was away. He would have seen her in danger and rushed to her side, and the history of Wallachia might have been changed.
He frowns at the dhampir. He doesn't need Adrian worrying over his feelings.]
Look, you're probably the most trustworthy person to have possession of a mirror. You said you'd be mindful, so if you take a look and I'm taking a piss or something, I'm confident you'll look away. Isaac has taken everything from me, and there's no price too high to pay for stopping him.
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We seem to be on the same page about everything then. [Which is a blessing in and of itself. This would be so much harder.]
And when this ends, we leave each other be.
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...but with Adrian in control of Castlevania and the powers within it, the world is a shade less dark and hopeless a place.
Hector will voice precisely none of those thoughts. He rolls up the map and tucks it safely away.]
It's a good plan. [Both the strategy, which is far better than Hector could have managed on his own, and the hopefully peaceful parting after. He nods in Adrian's direction.] Well, no time like the present. Wish me luck.
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[Luck? Luck is nonsense in this situation, something that's only useful for when something goes wrong. They need success and they need it but now in order to make the plan work.]
I'll see you in a while then, Hector.
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His new creations are amphibious, and Hector does his best to keep them concealed in streams and rivers as he makes his way to Braila. Alucard's coin sees him passage on a small vessel. Hector isn't sure if he actually senses eyes on him as they sail or if it's all in his imagination. Adrian is definitely watching, and Isaac is probably keeping tabs on him as well, in his own way.
The island outside of Rhodes is largely unchanged from when Hector left it. The rumor of a necromancer living there, coupled with the occasional sighting of dead animals walking in the wilds there, has kept the locals from coming here. It's just how Hector prefers it.
He secrets away his innocent devils, returns to his abandoned cabin, and waits for Isaac to take the bait.
And somehow, their carefully drawn-out plan goes to hell. Hector and his friends had gone out to the island's only dock to meet Isaac's boat upon arrival. Isaac, as expected, had brought with him several hulking, flying monstrosities. More unexpectedly, he had also come with a small army of zombies, marching up from the water unphased by their journey.
The innocent devils perform admirably, taking down two of the night creatures and countless zombies, but Hector hadn't accounted for the sheer rage at seeing Isaac's face again. The forged creatures depend on him for instruction, and he can't think of anything but killing Isaac. Isaac's army flanks them and hurl themselves onto Hector, pinning him down.
So, traitor, you've reawakened your powers? [Isaac croons, stepping finally off of his ship.] Good. You will atone for your sins.
[He approaches a thrashing Hector with a length of rope and begins to coil it around him. The cord sizzles with enchantment.]
If you're going to kill me, just do it! [Hector cries, impotent and furious and just wanting it to be over.
Isaac clucks his tongue.] Hector, Hector, what did you think to do with those ashes you stole? A spirit of such power as Lord Dracula cannot be resurrected with pieces cobbled together like some common wight.
[He seizes Hector's chin and forces him to meet Isaac's gaze. Dracula's loyal general smiles.] Oh Hector, where else could I find a vessel such as yours, so in tune with the darkness, yet still purely human? It is fitting. Your betrayal cost our lord his life. Your sacrifice shall restore him.
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Alucard varies the times he checks in on Hector, but it is almost always between three to four times a day, and never for longer than five minutes. It is satisfying enough to know the man is alive, is working, and doesn't seem to be contemplating the wisdom of stabbing Alucard in the back. (It's something Trevor is planning for. And intending to respond to at full force should it happen.) For Alucard, that's more than enough.
Summer slips by. There's so much damned ocean travel that Alucard almost feels seasick by proxy at a few points, but nothing comes of it. Sometimes he moves the viewing mirror beyond Hector to the boat and what's around it, intending to check for signs of being followed but almost always feeling calmed by the sight of the gently rocking sea.
Rhodes goes by. Alucard increases his attention to the viewing mirror when that happens, although he is not present at the outset of Isaac's grand entrance. He catches only the end part, where the word vessel gets used.
What sounds next in the castle is something that can only be described as pure dad. It catches the attention of the other two inhabitants, who know that even if it isn't go time on their weird and possibly a bad life choice of an alliance, something bad has happened to the dhampir.
There's quick utterances of what to do in the next few minutes once Trevor and Sypha are present and Alucard's managed to explain what's been said. The rest of the plan they know. He and Sypha go in through the viewing mirror, Trevor watches and goes through only if need be. Returning from someplace that far away will be a nightmare and someone has to watch the castle and the Hold.
(Alucard still mutters all the right spells for protecting the place before he leaves though. At this point, they'll probably need all hands on deck.)
He and Sypha barrel out of the viewing mirror, ice shards firing at Isaac and Alucard's sword extended for the same target. It isn't the time for snappy lines or words at all. Action is the only thing that matters, putting an end to the concept of dragging Dracula back from a death he truly needed at the end.]
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No, I won't let you! Damn you, Isaac! [He fights against his bindings to try to reach the knife at his belt. If Isaac needs him whole for whatever dark ritual he intends, then Hector will rob him of his prize and go laughing into hell.
Isaac takes a step forward, balling a fist to strike him.] Our lord can deal with a few broken ribs. [He punches Hector in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.
Alucard and his Speaker might as well be angels, so fortuitous is their timing. Hector struggles to gasp in a breath to shout to them.]
Destroy the boat! [Isaac needs to be killed, but with his winged beasts and undead zombies beneath the waves, Hector can't risk being taken to the boat and spirited away to be used as a host body for Dracula.
His fingers brush against the hilt of his knife and he begins to work it free of the sheath, the motion agonizingly slow.]
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Unsurprisingly, that gets the attention of the winged creatures that were already drawn to Alucard and Sypha's arrival. One swoops down, horrid talons extended and aimed for Sypha's shoulders. Alucard wordlessly sends his sword in the thing's direction, and it pierces through the wings before he recalls it back to himself.
There is the ever so satisfying sound of it crashing onto the ground, and Alucard runs to dispatch it. A second blast of fire goes right over his head, catching the boat this time.]
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Hector, for his part, kicks at the zombies, managing to dislodge several limbs from their shambling bodies. They are restraining, not attacking. With an effort of will, he calls his aquatic creations to come and begin to tear at the corpses.
Isaac's eyes flick between Sypha and Alucard, and in the moment Alucard moves toward the downed Gaibon, he dashes forward and leaps, both daggers drawn.]
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There's a grunt as Alucard moves his whole body just in time to avoid the worst of Isaac's daggers. They still scrape through the fabric of his coat, but that's all the damage they do. The dhampir's feet instead trample over the Gaibon with precious little grace, and the noise it makes is just as unearthly as Alucard remembers the night creatures from before.
But no, this is good. Isaac can have his attention focused on Alucard. Sypha can take care of the physical destruction. Hector need only endure through the worst of it and make sure that the aquatic creations are able to do what they must.
Trevor's still watching and available, if it all goes to shit.
Alucard doesn't waste time in lunging at Isaac. If he's understood the man correctly, taunts would be better.]
How foolish are you to believe that disturbing my father's well earned peace is a wise idea?
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hector's a dirty rotten kill-stealer and i'm so sorry
DO NOT BE alucard's 200% fine with not having to do another murder
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