Castlevania: Of Darkness and Light

Twin Strangers

I limped out into the snow covered garden, my butt smarting and body aching in places I never even knew existed. Alucard loves to show off doesn't he? I poked my staff through the snow melting a path as I walked. "Stupid vampire." I grumbled, rubbing the small of my back. "Kicking my butt every which way and pushing my buttons. Just because I was an angel doesn't mean I'm one now. I'm a human with bones and things that hurt."

The comfort lay in the fact I was improving. When I first started training with Alucard, he knocked me down five seconds flat. As the months passed since the Blood Moon, I learned to fight, honing my skills with staff and magic so I could defend myself, my home, and my dearest friend.

It wasn't easy, I had to virtually teach myself magic, searching the old tomes with the Librarian's help and practicing in the castle's training barracks. I stuck with Speaker magic, because it was the easiest to learn and there was a familiarity about it I couldn't truly grasp. I didn't feel like I was practicing it for the first time, rather, relearning it after years had passed.

As for the physical aspect of my training, I had no other experience except for hitting things with my staff like an old man. Alucard took me under his wing and began a training regiment, teaching me to fight like a warrior. It wasn't easy, it still wasn't, going up against a vampire who's stronger than you even at his weakest, but I was starting to become an equal match to him as time gone by.

I still got my ass kicked.

After checking on the the garden, nodding in approval at the success of my dormant plants protected by a shielding ward, I set out to walk into the woods, clearing snow from the paths. The peaceful woods were silent, snow glistening on the ground and trees in a brilliant light beneath the sun. It was so beautiful and I felt like the only one in a magical winter world.

My senses snapped awake and I gripped my staff. Hackles raised and muscles tense like a wolf sensing danger.

"Hello Poppet, what's a pretty little thing like you doing out in the middle of the woods?" I swiveled around at the Cockney voice and aimed my glowing staff. My heart and guts froze in ice, but I didn't show fear.

"No further."

"Easy girl, no need to get fractious with me." The vampire raised his palms with a devilish grin. "We're just travelers in the woods. Nothing odd about that, and lucky for you we've just had our fill."

His hulking companion disagreed. "Speak for yourself." He grumbled in a Slavic accent. "I haven't eaten in three days." He gazed at me hungrily like a starved jackal.

"Control yourself you big fucking beast." The other vampire hit him. "You kill her and you'll get more than you bargained for."

"Exactly." I struck my staff into the ground with a warning flash. "Fuck with me, and I'll vaporize your atoms into nothing."

The accented vampire make guttural laugh. "Seems like nobody has. A maiden, I have not feasted on one for a long time, and there's another alluring smell. I cannot put it down. Dangerous even to vampires. What are you?"

"None of your business what I am!" I warned. "All you gotta know is this is my turf and if you don't leave, I'll destroy you both to oblivion!" I let my staff gleam like the sun. Beneath my coat, I felt my markings burn up my arms.

The other vampire laughed. "Still got a fight in you eh', even in your blank memory you've still got spunk."

"What the hell are you talking about!?" I snapped. "Who are you!?"

"Name's Varney." The vampire introduced. "An old friend of Dracula. My brutish companion and I are just passing through, but we wanted to see if the old place still has life. Apparently it does." I was debating whether to run and warn Alucard, but my mentor's lesson rung sharp in my mind; Never run from vampires because it triggers their prey drive, and never run from anything immortal because it attracts their attention.

I wasn't even sure I could fight them. Even with all my training, I doubted I was a match for two hungry vampires.

"You're scared of me aren't you?" Varney chuckled sinister. " I can smell it off you as easily I can smell your maidenhood and your snuffed down aura. You should be. If you had your memory you'd be shitting yourself in fear right now."

He stepped closer, prompting me to aim my staff. "You're not what you used to be, but it's still in you, and it's waking up. Yes, best nip this in the bud while I can." Varney bared his teeth and swooped towards me. I raised my staff ready to blast him to bits when he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Back away." Another vampire appeared in our midst, standing between me and Varney. It was a beautiful vampiress with grey skin and charcoal hair in a black cloak. Her eyes pale like a blind man's, though she could clearly see, she was glaring daggers at Varney who shrunk back like a beaten dog. "Oh fuck me!!!" His companion already fled tail between his legs.

"Always showing up to ruin my fun! What do you want now you death-ridden bitch, here to steal my prize?" Varney snapped enraged.

The vampiress glared. "Stay away from her. You know the consequences her death will bring."

"I know the consequences her life will bring." Varney snarled. "You know what she is. She's growing into her power. Soon she'll be the wrench in the cog."

"She cannot kill you in even at her full potential." The vampiress spoke icily. "You should know that."

"Like hell I do." Varney growled. "It took me a thousand years to return thanks to her meddling, I'm not letting it happen again."

The vampiress bared her teeth. "Stay away from the girl, she's no harm to you now."

"Being cheeky aren't you? You can't kill me, no more than I can kill you."

A deathly chill stirred the air as the vampiress stepped forth looming over Varney like a shadow. "You forget who you speak to. Now leave, before I undo a millennia of regrowth and render you to what you once were."

Varney cackled. "I'm too strong for that, you brittle bitch. I'll be leaving now, I've got big plans to attend to." He glared at me. "As for you, stay the fuck out of my business. Keep to your castle and be the good little pet to your mongrel vampire lord. Heheh just like his father. Surprised he hasn't bit or bedded you yet. He must like you enough though." He whirred out of there without a trace.

I clenched my staff fearfully at the remaining vampiress. The vampiress turned her head, her eyes now clear like the mountain stream. "Don't be afraid."

"I'm not." I stepped back. "Thanks for saving me."

The vampiress nodded. "He won't harm you as long as you stay out of his affairs."

"Gladly." I shrugged. "What about you? Looks like he's got quite the bone to pick with you." She laughed.

"He can't harm me. Nothing of Heaven and Earth can." She looked at me with a knowing smile. "Return to your castle, you have a new a purpose and you're doing a great job."

Before I asked her what she meant, a blast of icy wind caused me to shut my eyes. When I opened them again, she was gone. The glyphs prickled up my arms and I quickly returned to the safety of my home.