cryptsleeper | Catch All

[ He tilts his head. ]

Did you find them?

[ Then he turns and enters the den, pawing at the furs to feel for anything underneath them to make sure he can return the tools. And then freezes. Something is wrong. Something is very wrong.

Every flower in the area turns to face Alucard. When he next speaks, it comes out as a growl. ]

What did you do?

[Them. So Trevor has known what he lies on top of to some degree.

Alucard knows better than to lie. He never did it in front of his father, and he won't do it now. It'll ruin everything, but better truth be the destruction than a lie.]

I only found them. Did nothing else. Returned dirt to where it was. No finger even brushed over that hollow form.

[He stays so still.]

Who are they, Belmont?

[ The only answer that Alucard receives is a low snarl, and that itself is the only warning he receives before he's being charged down by a bear. He launches itself at Alucard, all claws and fangs, as thorny vines stretch out to block off every exit but the way to Alucard's own wing. ]

[On some level, this is what Alucard expected. An angry bear. And yet he had hoped otherwise. That Trevor might have a moment of sense in him and let Alucard at least get a single response to what he's found.

He is a wolf after a step. It's the wolf that runs, but...

...he's petty. He wants to make a point.

Alucard returns to human form and slows. Lets the bear charge into him, taking the damage.]

[ Trevor doesn't slow. He charges Alucard, claws digging into his back and teeth into his neck. Vines writhe about like thorny whips, coiling around his wrists and tightening. ]

[There. He's been hurt. The agreement should be null and void now, if Alucard understands the magic at work here properly.

But it's still painful with Trevor's claws in him. With the threat of ripping his throat out from behind. Being pinned like this.

A sharp hiss of pain escapes the vampire, even as his skin starts to heal the moment it can.]

Belmont.

[He's calm. Confident. Collected.]

[ There's no response. His teeth and claws remain where they are, blocking the skin from knittng together, but they don't dig in further. The weight above Alucard grows heavier. Colder.

This is what becomes of oathbreakers. ]

[Shit. He's possibly miscalculated here but--]

Our agreement: I don't get hurt.

You've broken that. Not entering the den was no formal agreement, only a matter of respect.

[Let giving voice be what breaks this. Please. Please.]

[ Once again, there's no response. Even the snarling has stopped. The vines at Alucard's wrists slowly harden. ]

[Shit.

He miscalculated.

Shit.]

She's going to be stuck like that forever then.

[To hell with this. Alucard yanks his wrists upward, well aware that vampire strength should give him some leverage.]

You broke the agreement and she's going to suffer.

[ No response. The vines don't stretch and break, they shatter, and tiny peices of stone fall to the ground as Alucard breaks free. ]

[Alucard tries to pull himself up. The shattered vines are a good sign, but they could return. So he floats. Or tries to, with Trevor's weight pressed upon him.]

For your God's--[No terror allowed.]

You deserve better than living like this. All five of you. The three in the ground and Sypha and yourself.

[ There's still no response, and as Alucard rises up the only resistance is Trevor's weight itself. His cold, unmoving weight.

Then the weight falls to one side with a crash, and Alucard can finally turn to see the blood-smeared stone bear behind him. ]

Belm--

[Alucard gets up to his feet immediately, and once that happens, he brings both of his hands to his mouth. Shit. Shit. He did miscalculate. He didn't account for the stone spell to be turned back on the other party.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Immediately Alucard is at the bear's side, fingers moving over Trevor's sides. Trying to find the source of blood. Panicking.

...No.

He already was told how to break the spell. Make a promise. See it through.

Alucard breathes out. Puts his hands over the bear's heart.]

I swear this oath: I will continue to carry out my three year agreement and take care of both Sypha and the Belmont in however they define that offer.

Please.

[ It's Alucard's blood that he's smeared with. And there's no response. No grumbling that this is foolish, that Alucard's already made himself free from one oath only to immediately swear another. And no indication of whether this will work. Only silence, as the stone spreads through all of the roses in the house.

Alucard is alone. ]

[Alucard swears softly. Then gets to his feet.

To hell with this. The origin of all the problems are in the den, and so if he hasn't had his agreement acknowledge, then he'll do this:]

I also swear that after I have examined this den to determine the source of all these spells, I will do what is in my power while confined here to fix what I can.

[So he picks up the trowel. Rubs Trevor behind the ears, and walks over to the fireplace.

Time to excavate properly.]

[ After a while, the knot of roots is uncovered. It was partially under the fireplace, partially within it and simply covered in earth by the sloped sides. It's stone now, as everything else is, but new growth writhes about under the old, breaking through the petrified roots in places like a bird breaking out of an egg. The curse's heart is still alive, and whatever is within it is untouched by the petrification. ]

[Alucard's covered in dirt by the time he's gotten to the knot of roots, using both trowel and his own hands to get there. His long fingernails trace over the heart of the curse, but he doesn't touch it further. Not yet.

Research. He needs to do research and for that he has to go into the house. He covers the excavation up with furs again, and then?

He just casually drags the bear into the house. Takes care of him along with Sypha while devouring page after page from Dracula's library, knowing that the answer must be in there. Surely. It must.]

[ Nothing that concerns curses seems to provide him any answers. Nothing matches this. The Belmonts have enemies who use magic powerful enough to do this, certainly, but nothing that would place a creature like Trevor here as the curse's steward. And any of the Belmonts' enemies that were powerful enough to do this wouldn't have escaped Dracula's notice. He wouldn't have cared before Alucard became involved, but once he did- it's unfathomable that he wouldn't have been able to learn what was happening, had the culprit been anyone under his command.

He wakes. The bear form falls away, and with it, for at least a little while, the stone. Trevor falls to the ground, digging his nails into the wood of the floor and snarling before the confusion sinks in. What happened?

He was furious, he remembers that much. And he struck out at Alucard, and-

-and broke his word, turning all of his curses upon himself. ]

Why? [ He gasps out, for want of anything else to say. Why is Alucard still here? Why is he here, with the two of them? Why all of this? ]

[Alucard's gone through the books so many times over now. It's a scary thing, that there's no suggestion of a creature or creatures that might be able to place a curse over the Belmonts like this. Not a trace. Alucard privately wonders if even Dracula could pull it off, and surely there must something that can.

But in his research - reading out lout to Sypha as he has promised to do - he hears Trevor. Springs up to his feet and races over to Trevor, fur blanket in hand and immediately throwing it around Trevor's shoulders.]

I promised, didn't I?

You could have left.

[ He brings a hand up to the thorns growing through him. Those are still stone, not living.

His shoulders sink, and he looks up at Alucard. ]

Thank you. I'm glad she has you.

I could have, yes. But it is as I said, you all deserve better.

[Alucard makes sure the blanket around Trevor is secure before guiding the Belmont over to the nearest sofa. Makes sure he sits down, and Alucard settles beside him.

He doesn't dare to touch Trevor more. Not yet. It hasn't been earned.]

Belmont, I found the heart of the curse.

[ He brings his feet up onto the sofa, leaning forward into his knees. Curled up in the same way the body inside the heart was, only larger. He doesn't attack this time, just stares forward. ]

I-

[ His voice sounds choked, like some combination of terror and disgust. ]

-I don't like that thing. It's awful.

I am trying to find out more about it. Who might have cast it.

[Alucard rests his hand on the small of Trevor's back, delicate and feather light.]

If destroying it removes the curse, but doesn't harm you.

Who might have cast it.

[He repeats it quietly, thoughtfully. Sighs. ]

I- don’t want you to do this. Don’t want to know more about it. I just- it hurts, to think about it to hard. [ But- ] If this means so much to you-

-have you thought about what might have done this, rather than who?

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