Castlevania: Of Darkness and Light

The Glaring Cloth

I stood before a beautiful grotto, an immense wellspring surrounded by towering marble stones etched with runic markings and elegant pagan designs. Fresh clean water cascaded down the stones from pristine waterfalls above into smaller pools, gurgling its way into the deep turquoise of the spring with a pleasant swish. The spring itself clear enough you could see the glittering rocks at the very bottom, deceiving   where you'd take one step in the center of it and end up fully submerged.  I stepped over at the edge of the spring, the water barely lapping against my bare feet.

A memory of my past life brought me here. I hoped the spirit of this spring remained, and that he was as friendly as I remembered him. If he survived all this millennia, he'd be more than willing to accept my help against the roaming night creatures poisoning his rivers, which all originated from this spring.

I stuck my staff into the spring, the wood glowing as if in the presence of night creatures hoping to summon its owner.

Ripples cast throughout the spring and the ground rumbled beneath my feet. I clutched my staff with both hands watching a tunnel of water twist and rise as if manipulated by Speaker magic. The water assumed the massive form of a bearded giant. His eyes blue river stones, calm and contemplating. I heard a snarl from behind where a white wolf rested beneath the shaded trees. His head raised and his golden eyes locked onto me, never drifting away.

"Who summons me from my deep slumber?" The Spirit of the Spring questioned in a low booming voice. He spoke in the ancient tongue known only to the arcane nature spirits of this world, a language I knew and understood. Angels, even human formed ones who've recently regained their memories, are natural polyglots. I knew the language and responded in it fluently.

"It is I, Messenger Zaharial. I've come seeking your consent to purify the rivers of your spring against the Creatures of the Night." I removed my cloak, exposing the glowing runes across my bare limbs and collarbone.

"Zaharial!" Mused the Spirit of the Spring. "The Egrigori. So it is true you survived. We believed you were all destroyed."

A pang hit my heart. "Yes. The rumors of my death were greatly exaggerated, but here I am. The last of my family and the current watcher of these woods."

"Ah is that so?" The Spirit hummed. "The spirits in the water and earth whispered rumors about you. That you've been cast out and now live among this Earth in human flesh."

"Those rumors are true." I confirmed. "Though I still can't recall what I did to piss off the Heavenly Order. I was always a rabble rouser among them, but never to the point where they'd actually kick me out."

"I see." the Spirit murmured like a rushing brook. "There are other rumors too, that pass through my streams, and from the leaves on the currents; that you've taken a vampire mate." I heard Alucard rustle in his wolf form and subtlety flexed the fingers on my left hand, telling him to be still. In an animal form he fully understood the Spirit's language.

"The streams and leaves better mind their damn business." I said. "My love life is none of their concern."

"But it is of yours." He pointed. "To mate with a vampire damns your very soul. If there was a chance to redeem yourself, you've destroyed it. You've marked yourself as an exile never to reach Heaven again." I heard a harsh snarl behind me. Please don't make yourself conspicuous.

I haven't mated with him. I wanted to snap back, but kept my mouth shut. My maidenhood was nobody's business.

"Bullshit made up by Church zealots." I quipped. "You've been listening to wandering monks for too long. There's no truth in that. Look, will you allow me to purify your spring with Light magic to repel those unsavory beasties poisoning your waters?"