Castlevania Nocturne: A Guardian's Tale (Part 1)

Guilt

Even as we hurried through the Machecoul streets the church bells clamored in alarm, and its denizens hurried inside locking their doors. The only people remaining outside were the knights, fully armed and armored. Peter too. I was surprised he wasn't at the Abbey, praying with half the townspeople and the Abbot.

"You should go inside." I warned him. "If the monster is indeed heading this way you'll be easy pickings."

The  old priest was unafraid. " I have faith God will protect me, and if it certainly is my time, He may take me." He coughed raggedly.  "I've not the strength to return to the Abbey even if I wished."

"Then shelter with us." I glanced at our daughter who nodded. Peter was the only member of the church she trusted, and given this point in time, with the Abbot being so reclusive, so did I.

It took us longer to get home with Peter in tow, luckily he moved fast enough we wouldn't be caught as a late night snack to the Malbeast and seldom coughed. (Perhaps my Boss was indeed looking after us. He was still our Boss after all, even if we walked among humans in their flesh.) After we returned back and made him feel at home, I sent Emma to fetch Tera and her family.

Tera greeted Peter warmly, they had been good friends for many years. Peter was the first in Machecoul to welcome her with open arms, and helped her settle in after fleeing the horrors from the east. It was him who introduced her to the young Abbot Emmanuel. The Abbot grew very fond of Tera and they became very close, close enough that........well....let's say Juste Belmont wasn't the only secret I kept.

"What's he doing here?" Maria whispered to me,  glaring  at the priest settling by the fire under a blanket I provided.

"Sheltering in the safety of my home and protection like we are." I answered kindly.

"He's a member of the church Amalie." Maria warned.

"When it comes to monsters on the prowl, there is no side. No us or them. We're all humans and we stick together despite our differences."

Well....Mostly human. Emma's voice chuckled telepathically.

You get the idea, Bee.

Of course I do Mom. Emma winked at me from across the room.

"Peter is a friend, Maria." Tera said warmly. "And Amalie is right, it doesn't matter now, we must stay together and protect one another against a common enemy."

"I don't understand why we're cowering here." Richter crossed his arms leaning against the wall. "We're strong enough together, we've taken down vampires. We should be out hunting this thing instead of letting the knights get slaughtered by it."

"Vampires are not primordial monsters. None of you are experienced in handling such beings." I disagreed, looking over my family. Peter's quiet snores gave me freedom to elaborate.

"We're living in an easier time. Sure we've got a violent revolution and vampires, but that's it. These days vampires are the only supernatural beings you need to worry about. A long time ago, they were the least of it. There were monsters; creatures from another realm trapped in ours, demons summoned by dark magic, and night creatures. Night creatures were the worst, damned souls harvested from Hell into decaying bodies and turned into beasts. Yes........ I remember a time where all three plagued this world. A time before even you were born, Emma." I glanced at my daughter, who nodded without need of explanation.

"But thanks to the protection of the immortals, my people, and the heroics of the Belmont Clan, night creatures are no more, and there's hardly an occultists strong enough to summon demons these days."