CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind

Subject: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:30 pm

_{Todaiji Temple, Japan - Evening

Todaiji Temple was quite the spectacular sight to behold; perhaps if his soul wasn't confined to this child's body like a caged animal, he would be able to appreciate its beauty better. Alas, this was his punishment for denouncing God all those years ago and threatening to bring these pathetic mortals to their knees. He had been defeated in the War of 1999 and sealed away in that accursed eclipse... Or, so these mortals believed. The reality of the situation was his soul remained, and would always remain, in Soma's body but, in such a weakened state that he could nothing more than be a silent observer in this boy's life. He wanted more power, more control. He had gotten a taste of it when Soma had returned to Castlevania, when he had allowed himself to feel the raw and glorious power of Dominius. But, it had been short lived. Dracula wanted that power to return so that he could be more than just the mere consciousness he was now. One day, when he pays his cards right, he shall have his power back and this world shall rue the day they crossed him.

Dracula observed the company that had joined Soma that night, looking them over with an "expression" (that he wasn't even able to express being what he was) of absolute distaste. It had been these people that had destoryed his bodily remains and attempted to seal what was left of his soul within the solar eclipse along with Samael. Of course, his soul was able to remain on this Earth by the simple fact that Soma was him and held the Crimson Stone within his possession. Without those two things, Dracula was certain he would have met a true death. His first course of action was to reap vengeance against this group of meddling worms but, he couldn't quite do that with Soma's soul in control and having the upper hand against him. He would have to gain his trust, using what little power Dracula's soul still had to speak to Soma. It was the only thing Dracula could think of that would aid him in his goals and desires.

In the meantime, he would listen to Soma and his friends as the spoke of simple human issues and enjoyments. He would wait for Soma's weaknesses to come to light, though he was already suspecting that such weaknesses surrounded the glowing ginger that grasped Soma's arm and spoke with happy glee. Love... What a sickening feeling}

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The young ginger's face was lit up with delight as her fingers slide down the ivory haired male's arms and intertwined with his fingers. Her auburn hues radiated with warmth and happiness as she looks up to the much taller male. He was her dearest friend and she adored him to no end. Months had passed since Castlevania's return; the entire situation had caused Mina's heart to ache and worry for Soma's well being. She would never forget the things she witnessed; the creatures she encountered as she traveled through the castle at his side. She had refused to wait outside; no she wanted to be at his side. To be there for him and to be able to protect him. Much to her dismay it had been the other way around; he had been constantly coming to her rescue and it had made her feel like a failure in comparison to all around her. To those who knew how to fight and defend. Even Soma. It had just been instinct for him. The young sienna haired female tried to push away those thoughts from her mind. Today was suppose to be a happy day. Mina stares at Soma for a long silent moment before finally speaking to him. Her voice a sweet hum as she spoke. "Soma, are you alright? You seem a little out of it."

She hated the idea of there being something wrong; especially for Soma. He deserved to be happy all the time. At least in her mind; Mina's fingers tightened around his hand as looked to him; her brows knitting together as she awaited to see if everything was alright with him. Mina tilts her head as her locks bounced to the side. Mina cared for Soma so deeply it was obvious to everyone how she felt to him; perhaps obvious to everyone except Soma. They were at the point of an relationship that it was obvious to the world they liked each other. But neither had the courage to confess; so it was a literal waiting game on who'd confess first.

-

Standing a few feet away from the pair was no other than the very beautiful Belnades witch; Yoko. Her long locks glistened under the sun's rays as she she had a hand placed gently upon her curved hip. She was looking up at the ebony haired male who she was certain had just as strong feelings for her as she did him. She wore a small smirk pursed to her lips as she nudged him gently trying to get him to smile. "Come on, Arikado. Smile for me." She muses as her gaze swept over to the other two for a moment; she studied Soma and Mina for a moment as she felt warmth and happiness for them. He had proved everyone wrong about him. That note delighted her; she could only wonder when the pair would confess they adored one another the way she was sure they did. "It's a cute scene, don't you think Arikado?" She whispers to him trying to get his thoughts on the young love birds.

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Fri Mar 10, 2017 11:37 pm

Soma glanced around the room with a slight wariness. Before the problems caused by the eclipse, Soma’s only friend was Mina. She was the only person willing to be around him. The only one who wasn’t afraid of the ‘Dark Aura’ that seemed to surround the young man. She had put herself in the way of physical harm just to stay beside him at his darkest moments. He couldn’t tell her that his mind had been racing with thoughts and feelings that he didn’t recognize. But they were his.

He snapped back to attention with Mina’s words, he looked down at her and smiled sheepishly, “Yeah, Mina, I’m fine.” he said, bringing his other hand to the back of his head and rubbing his hair slightly. He was embarrassed, that’s for sure. She could always pick up when he was spacing. And it was distressing that she seemed to know him better than he even knew himself. Almost terrifying. But he made sure to smile, despite his confusion. As long as he could keep smiling, everything would be fine.

---------

Arikado eyed the room with his normal distant gaze. He could feel Yoko’s eyes on him but only frowned deeper at her insistence for such a foolish notion. He had spent the last 18 years watching over Mina and ensuring no harm come to her or the Hakuba’s seal on Castlevania. But when Soma arrived in Japan for his “school transferring”, he had a feeling deep in his heart of Soma’s true identity. Thankfully, with Mina and the others, Arikado was able to spare Soma the fate of embracing the soul of the sealed dhampir’s father and spread havoc and chaos throughout the world again.

Arikado didn’t look at Yoko at her question, keeping his eyes trained on the young “couple”. He had a small tug of Familiarity when he observed Mina Hakuba’s response and obvious affections for the white haired young man. Despite the obvious difference in appearance, Arikado couldn’t help but think that Mina and his own mother shared more than a few similarities. Thankfully, however, Soma was very much different than the infamous Count Dracula. He kept himself from smirking at her comment though and replied in his stoic and controlled voice, “They seem to be matched rather perfectly…” His voice was quiet over the other talking in the room, as Hammer’s voice spread quite a bit since his voice boomed loudly no matter what the situation called for. At this point he might have thanked Hammer’s loud voice, as he almost worried that some emotion might have seeped it’s way into his words. The pair of lovebirds reminded him of how much he missed his older memories. And how his parents were together.

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Sun Mar 12, 2017 4:16 pm

_{Dracula continued to gaze around the Temple's courtyard as the group steadily approached the large temple's grand doorway. Supposedly, from what Dracula got from Soma's erratic thoughts, his precious Mina was to perform a small ritual for the ones that had lost their lives in the War of 1999. Soma's thoughts had told him that since the young girl had felt so useless in the battle itself, she wanted to do something for the ones that risked their lives for the safety of this ill-bigoted world. The idea of it was distasteful for Dracula but, Soma had seemed to be warmed by the gesture as far as Dracula was concerned. After all, today was the battle's one year anniversary.

Dracula watched as the group entered the temple and Mina prepared herself for the ritual before the shrine. Soma had stood himself in a corner, rather close to a decorative mirror that reflected the glow of the candles that lined the large shrine. Upon noting the mirror, Dracula got an idea. The Crimson Stone around Soma's neck flowed faintly enough that it wouldn't have been noticed.
If one did notice it, they would believe it had been an effect of the nearby candles' glow.

Slowly, Soma's form would morph into the form of Dracula's younger form. Mathias Cronqvist. A man erased from history by the Chruch for his denouncement and the devilish creature he became. He could use this form to his advantage considering the history books told that he had been a great alchemist that had been killed by Dracula himself. There had never been any mentioned that Mathias had become Dracula because the Church didn't wish the public to believe that the most devout men could succumb to the Devil's temptations and sin.

Dracula stared upon Soma's distracted form, a smirk pursing upon his lips before it was replaced with the facade of a warm smile, his icy blue eyes looking upon Soma before his pursed lips emitted deep baritone words. "Young boy..." Dracula's voice spoke from the innermost parts of Soma's mind but, the reflected mouthed the words perfectly. "Don't be startled. I have been wishing to speak to for sometime now but, I haven't had the matters to do so." He uttered, respectfully bowing in greeting once Soma noticed him. Unbeknownst to the young man, he was only visible to Soma which would work to Dracula's advantage. "I speak from the Stone, a trapped soul to a living soul, you see."}

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Mon Mar 13, 2017 9:50 am

Soma almost jumped at the voice. He was NOT imagining this one. He looked at the man in the mirror. The man, despite looking so different, seemed to have an air of familiarity to the young man. This odd stranger’s eyes bear a striking resemblance to his own. Soma gave a quick glance around the room. Mina was preparing the memorial thing for people who died years ago during the battle he only just learned about a short while ago. Arikado and Yoko were talking in the corner about something or another. Hammer was talking at Julius loud enough for the rest of the city to hear. So no one would probably hear him talking to a face in the mirror.

He glanced down at his necklace with a slight frown. This thing held the souls of people too? He sighed slightly. His life wasn’t going to go back to normal yet, was it? ”...Hello...? I guess with the recent things going on in my life, I guess this isn’t the weirdest thing that’s happened to me. How long have you been trapped in this stupid stone? And what have you wanted to talk to me about?” he asked, trying to not draw attention to himself talking to a mirror.

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Wed Mar 15, 2017 12:13 am

_{Stupid stone?! This boy's comment about the stone made Dracula's lips purse into a thin line but, did not fully become a frown. It displeased him to see such an inexperienced boy treat his stone with such disregard. It had such raw and glorious power that to be called stupid was an insult. But, that also brought to Dracula's mind why he should further continue his desires to control his boy's weak mind. He removed himself from his devilish thoughts as he concentrated on the words that Soma spoke to him.

"900 long and agonizing years." He commented as he folded his arms over his chest. "I had being trapped in their by Dracula himself. The daft man thought having an alchemists' soul would bring him great power, more than what that stone by itself was capable of. Truth be told, it did just that and more." He said, mentally chuckling to himself at the pure irony of his lies. "Many things. I presume you already know about the origins of your long forgotten past? Of why you came to possess one of Dracula's most prized possesions and why you also control Dominus?" He questioned, already knowing the answers himself considering that he felt when Soma used Dominus. It gave him just a taste of his old strength but, he couldn't exactly explain it like that. Instead..

"And yes, I know about your usage of Dominus. That "stupid stone" is a catalyst for its power and while you contain the source, the stone allows for control over Lord Dracula's erratic soul. Any uses of the power affect the souls within the Stome, mine included" Dracula lied, a mental smirk coming to his face as he continued on. "Which brings me to what I wished to speak to you about. Dominus... Such a dangerous power to hold back as you are."}

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Wed Mar 15, 2017 4:21 pm

Soma frowned at the stranger's words. This man's soul had been stuck in the stone for 900 years. That was far too long to even watch the world around. The thought of human souls in the stone still terrified the young man. Graham's soul had been drawn to the stone too. That had been when Soma first changed. The change had scared Mina at first. But once Arikado helped Soma return to normal, or as normal as he could be. He didn't recognize the name Dominus, but he assumed that was what the powers he had at the Castle was called. It seemed to be that there was still a lot of stuff that Soma didn't even know about himself.

"I honestly don't know too much about any past things. The only things I know about Dracula, even, are the things that Arikado-san and Julius have told me. The only thing I really know is that, since Arikado-san helped me finish getting through the last bits of the castle, the powers I had in the Castle were gone when we got back to the shrine. Without the powers to do anything with, I'm not holding back or anything. I appreciate the concern, but I think I'm a bit more interested in finding a way to get the people's souls stuck in this stone thing out. Is there a way to do that?" He looks away from the mirror. If Graham and other people's souls were stuck in the soul, does it fall on Soma as the possessor of the Stone to free the people's souls?

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The young auburn looks to the relics that all held some importance to the ceremony she was performing. She felt a little odd today in this moment as she was trying to perform the ceremony; something did not settle well in her stomach. The hairs on the back of her neck were tingling as she looks to the crest currently in her hand. 'What is going on? Why do I feel so, so funny all of the sudden? My head it's pounding. Is it a tension headache?' she thinks to herself placing it down to touch the center of her forehead; her amber hues reflect in the water's ripples. She nearly jumped out of her own skin when she saw not her own reflection but another's; the woman staring back at her was beautiful with an ethereal face with long sun kissed locks and beautiful hues. Mina took a step back from the water in the basin; did she drink something off? She took a needed breath as she stepped forward having mustered the courage to look back into the water's reflection again. Any concerns she had; faded for now she only saw herself. Simple Mina Hakuba. Sweet and kind. Nothing out of the ordinary. But why had she seen that woman? Was it a spirit needing assistance in passing over? Or was it an omen? Perhaps her imagination? The daunting part of it all; was she had a sense of familiarity about the woman she had just seen.

Shaking her head she jumps when a hand touches her shoulder; she looks over to see her mother lifting a curious and well concern brow at her. "S-Sorry. Just.... Um.... Back to the ceremony?" She whispers trying to regain her composure as her mother only offered a weakened smile; Mina turned her focus back to the ceremony as she began to try and finish it up. She now felt off and wore a slightly distant look as she began to grow lost in thought. Her eyes lifted up hoping to catch a glimpse of Soma; but what she saw instead alarmed her. He was not among them; where was he? Where was Soma? He said he would watch her. Her eyes twisted and turned about searching for him. She wanted to see his smiling face looking at her; seeing her. Brows knitted together as chocolate diamonds drank in the silvery hair of Soma by a mirror in the distance far from the crowd. 'Soma? Soma, why are you so far? Is something the matter?' she thought concern washing over her as she tried to regain the focus needed. But it was clear she could not; her mother gently nudged her indicating she would take over.

Mina slipped away from her mother and twisted through the crowd slipping out of the temple for the moment. She leans against the pillar; she would approach Soma in a moment. But for the moment she needed air; her eyes closed as she slid down to take a seat. She rubbed at her temporal lobes humming softly to herself. "Everything is fine Mina..... You just did not get enough sleep.... That's all." she whispers to herself; but in her heart she knew it wasn't true but she could try to believe it was right?

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Fri Mar 17, 2017 7:37 pm

_{The fact that Soma was rather naive about any past things was rather curious to Dracula, as he would have thought something would have came through with this odd manner of recarnation. Perhaps that was yet another way Fate wished to punished the Lord of Darkness? Soma wouldn't remember anything about his incarnation because the higher dieties wished to keep history from repeating itself. However, did they not realize that lacking the knowledge of past events is the prime cause of history repeating itself. One cannot learn from something they have no recollection of doing, after all. This could work to Dracula's advantage and he hid his pleased smile as he simply nodded to his answers.

"I see..." Dracula answered, continuing to nod to his words and he went into deep thought as he continued to look upon Soma. Dracula's lips would slightly purse at Soma's concern to release the souls stuck in the stone but, he would mask that with a saddened frown and a shake of his head. "There is not. I have tried and all have failed or have been killed for their attempts. You see, alchemy was used to bound the souls and alchemy would need to be used to release us. However, that would take several sacrifices to attempt." He said simply. "But, I have gotten used to my life in this place and I have entertained myself by aiding the ones that have taken up the Stone. In concern to you, Dominus is my main concern. You say that you lost your power after leaving the Castle but, I believe there is a way I help you regain it and have proper control over it when the time comes that you might have to use it again. I cannot think that you are able to control Dominus as well as the Lord of Darkness had been able to? After all, it kills anyone who isn't you or the Lord."}

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The auburn's locks fell forward as her head lowered a little; her eyes became a glossy brown as her mind grew heavy as her world began to spin. She murmured Soma's name as fell into a daze. What was happening.

~

Melodious laughter parted from the lips of the young maidens as they walked through the bustling crowd; adorned in a pale blue with gold lining the young blonde only smiled as her aquamarines twinkled like a pair of stars. She held the soft cloth in her arms among other trinkets; hidden in the cloth was an even rarer treasure. Something neither girl should have in their possession. Literature. Books bound in leather with the most beautiful of contents. The young noblewoman was excited to get home; slip into her family's garden tuck herself away on the bench surrounded by the roses and dive into what the book had to offer her. Elisabetha was stopped by her dear friend Sara. "What? What is it Sara? Whatever is the matter?" she exhales wondering what has gotten her friend's smile to fade.

Sara leans into Elisabetha a grin pursing her lips which caused alarm for the blonde; Sara was not one for smirking. "His eyes have not left you." Sara whispers which caused Elisabetha's brows to furrow. What? Who? Instinctively her gems swept about searching for the one Sara was speaking of; her eyes then drank him and her cheeks grew hot. Surely Sara was jesting; but she could tell that her dear friend had not been. His intense gaze was like the calm before a storm; such a shade of blue it made her freeze in her stead. His long ebony waves reminded her of the night sky canvas speckled with the stars; his locks glistened so beautiful in the sun's rays. He was adorned in macabre and phthalo green; the fur lining his attire. What kind of fur was it? Bear? Wolf? Whatever it was, it looked incredibly soft. He was far too handsome. But she could not look away; his gaze. It had captured her; like prey.

"S-Sara. You're are jesting I do not think he's looking at me." she whispers blushing as she still could not look away from him. Sara only chuckles as Elisabetha's heart stopped; he was moving. And moving towards them. He was making his way to them. By the gods what was he doing? Why was he coming her way? Was he planning to start conversation with her? What if he realized she was hiding books in her possession? Elisabetha felt herself become so nervous at the possibility of being in conversation with a lord. Sara giggled when Elisabetha's reaction to the man approaching her was to lift her possessions to her face. "Oh Elisabetha." Elisabetha pulled her possessions from her face to look up into the frost blue hues of the most beautiful man in all of Romania.

There he stood before her like a prince; a prince from the night. She had never minded the night; secretly she enjoyed it and its calm serenity the way the moon would glow. How the stars would glisten and dance trying to illuminate the darken sky. How some creatures would come alive and give love to the sister of the day. Her cheeks were the brightest shade of crimson and her heart was doing things it should not be. Especially for a man she knew not and was not betrothed to. Elisabetha only could muster a smile; she prayed to the lord that she did not look foolish to him. All while her best friend stood at her side covering her lips; trying to hold back amusements.

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Fri Mar 17, 2017 11:37 pm

Soma frowned, “I’m don’t think I have all of Dracula’s powers, though. There are supposedly other people who have pieces of Dracula’s powers too. I guess that makes controlling what I do have easier. According to Arikado-san, my power is the “power of Dominion”, Which apparently is power over monsters or something. And apparently being the vessel of Dracula’s soul. It’s why he’s offered to train me, if my powers somehow come back, and he wants me to join his agency thing of Hunter-things. He, Ms. Yoko Belnades and Mr. Julius Belmont have been hanging around like vultures in case I need any help adjusting to anything. But if my powers did come back… I can try to use it to help people. To protect people… To protect Mina…” he rants slightly. Mina… His dearest friend. The only person who never saw him as a monster...

He glanced to where the ritual was to take place but didn’t see her standing there, instead seeing Mina’s mother performing the ritual that made his skin crawl slightly looking at it. Where had Mina gone?? Was she alright?? He should be beside her.. To make sure she hadn’t gotten sick, or gotten hurt. But Arikado seemed to always be just a few steps behind her at all times, but Arikado still had his almost cold gaze watching the room attentively. So she wasn’t in any danger. That was good. Soma let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding for a few seconds. Arikado seemed convinced that Mina had to be protected to keep the young foreigner under control.

He let his eyes rest on Arikado for a moment. The man’s pale skin and pale eyes combined with his hair black as the night sky filled Soma with a short bit of confusion. If he didn’t know better, He almost thought the man speaking through the mirror shared a more than passing resemblance with the man in charge of the Monster Hunting Agency Bureau, or whatever it was called. But Arikado had that “Soul Steal” spell that Soma had seen a few times used to protect Mina the few times their paths had crossed in that damned castle. It seemed similar to Soma’s Power of Dominion. Did Arikado-san know more about Dracula than he had told Soma and Mina? But he only looked to be in his early to mid 20s.

Soma looked back to the man in the mirror, “What does getting those powers entail? I wanna be able to protect Mina and her friends… I wanna save people… I wanna prove to people that I’m not as bad and scary as they think I am.” he said, his pale blue eyes gaining a bit of a determined gaze to them. Arikado and Julius would definitely NOT approve, but if it made him strong enough to fulfill his desires, it was worth breaking a few hunter's rules.

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Tue Mar 21, 2017 11:56 pm

_{Mathias had been in the merchant bazaar to look for some ingredients for a draft when he seen the most beautiful woman in his life pass by. It was immediate that his eyes shot up and remain locked upon a woman with the most beautiful shade of blonde locks he had ever laid eyes upon. They were wavy and, like a waterfall, they fell down to the small of her back in beautiful golden curls. Her sweet laughter and soft voice teased his ears and warmed his heart despite her being quite the few feet away from his general location. He would stare for awhile longer, hoping this radiant angel would look his way before he would dare to move his way towards her. When she finally did, seemingly coaxed by her friend, a soft smile pursed the Master Alchemist's lips. His smile widening further as he started walking towards her in a desire to meet her. He allowed a soft chuckle to emit from his lips when he noticed her raising her possessions to hide her face before her friend removed them quickly. She was nervous and Mathias would be careful with how he spoke to her. After all, his voice did have the awful tendency quite intimidating to others.

He nodded deeply and repectfully towards the beautiful angel as he approached her closer, drinking in her gorgeous beauty as he looked at her. "What are you two beautiful ladies up to this fine morning?" He asked, speaking to the both of them but, keeping his eyes upon Elisabetha. "Simply shopping, enjoying this fine weather we are having?"

~

Dracula's head tilted to the side in curosity upon hearing Soma's comment about not having all of his power. He thought about it for awhile before understanding why that might have been the case. With all his powers, Dracula was practically invincible and unstoppable to anyone that didn't have the Vampire Killler. Whatever deities that had done this separation to his power were smart enough to know the dangers of placing it all into one body. It was a shame but, he could deal with it accordingly. After all, he had Dominus and its power was enough for him to remain satisfied.

"I suppose that would make sense... No matter, I agree that it might make things easier for you as time wears on, especially in controlling your power. Ah, the power of Dominion. Yes, that is Dominus. It is just known by a different name in this time, it would seem." He chuckled lightly before he continued on. "To protect others is a very just thing to do, my boy. I had been in your shoes once. I desired to protect my wife from Dracula's evil but, she ended up being killed by his armies of darkness before I was able to find the power to do so. With you, you have that power hidden deep inside you and I wish to help you coax it out so you can protect the ones you love better than I had in life. It is the least I can do, despite my limited mobility." He commented to Soma, nodding to his words in earnest to seeing his power come to life again. The excitement for the day he would return to this world radiated through his entire body as he desired nothing more than to make God's children suffer. Their screams would fill his dreams and bring him great pleasure as he saw the reduced to nothing more than slaves to his bidding.

Dracula looked to Soma as he noticed the other look away before back at him once more, questioning him in a way that made a smile purse on Dracula's lips. "It would entail long nights and days of training. It won't be easy but, I believe it would be worth it if you desire the protection for all that you hold dear. It would prove to the doubters and the overprotecters that you are determined to overcome this part of you and accept it. I wouldn't think they would oppose you in that."}

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The young brunette smiles as he spoke her hand gently removing itself from its place over her lips; Elisabetha could only muster a smile. Words. She needed to find words to speak to him, she could not just respond to him. Finally with some self reassurance she spoke to the handsome man who was leaving her weak in the knees. "Ah, yes we are. The weather is very nice today. The warmth of the sun is so enjoyable." She reveals to him as she reaches up to tuck back a stray lock behind the curl of her ear. Elisabetha now found herself smiling even more as she was slowly trying to become at ease. "And what of you, milord? What has you out on this fine morning?" she inquires a brow lifting as she found herself lowering her gaze slightly; she had been staring at him for far too long. She had to cease it; it would be rude other wise.

Sara gently nudges Elisabetha easing her nervousness; her gaze returns to meet his hues. She smiles brightly finding herself absolutely smitten. She knew she could not be though. He was not her betrothed for one; secondly no one ever married for love. That was a thing of faerie tales. Thirdly; no man like this would ever show true interest in her. She was no where near a good match for such a fine lord. Elisabetha felt her cheeks flush. Sara looks to the ebony haired man with a smile of her own. "You are Lord Cronqvist are you not?" Elisabetha's eyes grew slightly at the words spoken. He. He was Lord Cronqvist? She had heard things about it him from the gossiping of others. He was one of the highest nobles in all of Romania. A master tactician whose intelligence had no rival. She felt now mildly small in stature. She was a mere noblewoman and her beloved Sara was the daughter of a wealthy trader as well as a count. Her father was a Marquis. But in comparision to Lord Cronqvist; she was no where worthy of his time or at least she thought so.

~

The auburn female continued to go unnoticed by the populace as she remained leaning against the pillar of the temple outside the reach of others; she was lost to this daze. This sensation that had washed over her. Her amber hues remained glossed over; at a glance one might think she has fainted or suffering from a dizzy spell.

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Wed Mar 22, 2017 2:29 pm

Soma frowned, looking out to the room again for a moment, his pale blue eyes darting around the room in search of Mina. This man had lost his wife to Dracula and his hordes of darkness. Soma needed to protect her, especially since her charms and presence seemed to be one of the few things beyond Arikado’s own odd magic to help control Soma in his weakest moments. He should go look for her. Maybe she felt faint and went to sit elsewhere… After he was done talking to this stranger, he had to go find her.

He looked back and lowered his head slightly, ”I’m sorry for being a little distracted… Mina, my friend, she was supposed to be performing the ritual in memoriam of some people who died in that War thing in 1999. But she’s not there, and I was getting a little worried.” He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. She was fine. Most definitely. And if she wasn’t, Arikado would be more help to her than Soma himself would be. He looked up again to eye over the man in the mirror. Arikado had offered to train him, but he was sure the cold and mysterious man would hold things back from him as he seemed to do often. The infuriation and resentment building up of being treated like some unpredictable wild animal possibly played a role in swaying Soma’s decision. He would prove that he could take care of himself without Arikado and Julius. And if he needed the help of some strange spirit in his necklace, then so be it.

Soma tried to replace the uncertainty in his blue eyes with determination, “I don’t have any interest in becoming evil like Dracula, so they have nothing to worry about. But… If I can find a way to get those powers back and use them to protect everyone… They won’t have to protect me anymore. I have one more question though.. How would I get the powers I DID get from the monsters in Castlevania? There aren’t many monsters running around Japan like they did in the Castle…” he asks, tilting his head a little to the side instinctively. He assumed it was a fair question, since his power only became prevalent when he absorbed the souls of of the monsters he had killed in the castle. Monsters didn’t exist in the world now, since Arikado and his agency existed to destroy any monsters that appeared in the world.

-------

Arikado took his cool eyes off of the ritual when a dark feeling started to creep into his body. Something was off, despite the party on semi-holy ground. Glancing about the room, he noted Soma’s attention was away from the ritual. Understandable, he assumed. Soma was probably a bit uncomfortable feeling, even bordering on slightly sick feeling, with the plethora of holy magic in the room. Luckily for the sealed Dhampir, the holy blood that flowed through his body made his tolerance to most holy magic and weapons much better than the pure vampires. With the exception of the Vampire Killer, which he learned of his body’s intolerance for the whip when he first squared off against Trevor Belmont almost 600 years previous.

He’s lived for far too long. With his parent’s reincarnations having come together in this modern age, though, all thoughts he had to return to an eternal slumber squandered under the desire to protect Mina from the darkest corners of the world. He had failed to both protect his mother and pull his father from the brink of insanity. Their existence in his immortal life now, was obviously due to the God the half-breed still wasn’t quite sure existed. He had a chance to make up for the mistakes of his first 100 years. Repenting for his failures. Begging God for forgiveness for his continued existence. Repentance he had been struggling to receive, assisting the Belmonts and their relatives for generations. Despite fighting his own instincts and fighting his kind for centuries, Arikado felt no closer to heaven’s forgiveness.

Arikado cursed himself quietly. He had lost track of Mina in his own thoughts. He glanced over to Yoko for a moment and excused himself quietly to go search for the young woman he’s been protecting her whole life.

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Wed Mar 22, 2017 11:08 pm

_{Seeing that her expression seemed to soften and ease as she spoke, Mathias' own smile widened as he was relieved his presence was no overwhelming her. Far too often would women find themselves far to frightened to speak to him because he was sure they felt as if they shouldn't be speaking to him at all. Yes, he was a boyar but, he did like to socialize without feeling like his title wasn't keeping the kind women away and attracting the more selfish/needy ones. Far too often as he grew up was his father shoving him before women who were after nothing more than his name and his money. While his father approved of them for their looks, Mathias wanted more to life than superficial beauty as such beauty was merely nothing more than a façade for the she-devil within. He wanted a women who emitted beauty and radiance from within, allowing it to glow about her frame like the purest angel. At that moment, that radiant angel was Elisabetha. He could tell by her genuine smile, her purest blue eyes, and that innocent smile that she was a good woman. Someone that deserved a good and happy life with a kind husband of her own choosing.

"I was just collecting some ingredients for my newest draft I am concocting. I am an Alchemist so places like this always hold the prime ingredients for my many elixirs." He said sweetly to Elisabetha's question. "Plus, I needed to get away from my lab for a day and enjoy the sun for once in my life. I fear being cooped up in my lab has left me rather... pallor." He chuckled, trying to lighten up the mood when he noticed Elisabetha's eyes turning away from him. Had he said something wrong? He sure hoped not. He would look to her brunette friend as she inquired his name and he nodded. "I am." He commented as he looked to her and then back to Elisabetha. "But, you can call me Mathias in this informal meeting." He said in a soothing voice before he quickly continued further. "You know, I am having a grand celebration at my castle celebrating the spring equinox. I would love if you ladies could come."

~

The War of 1999. What a glorious victory that would have been if his plans had not been forever thwarted by that damnable Belmont and his friends. He would be severely weakened from that day forth, his power seemingly being scattered into pieces and placed into men and women that he doubted deserved such power. Only he deserved such power! He had worked to perfect it and only he was able to use it to his full potential. Knowing that it was surely being use haphazardly by mortals that barely understood his abilities made him sick and caused his blood to boil. But, he leveled his mind, taking solace in the fact that his soul had been salvaged and placed within this boy, mostly intact. Of course, he was ten times weaker than he had been years before but, he needed to be grateful for the luck that was on his side.

"No need to apologize. I shall make this quick then, so you can return to your friends." He purred out, sounding gentle in comparison to the inferno that had been boiling in his mind just at the mere mention of that infernal War. However, as Dracula watched the young man, listened to the worries that were coming to mind, and heard the anger building up... It took everything in Dracula's power not to allow a sick grin to purse his reflected image. Anger. That was what Dracula wanted to see as it fueled him and weakened Soma's dominant soul. It was anger that had destroyed Mathias and created Dracula and it would be anger that would allow Dracula his return to this world as it's rightful ruler. Dracula listened to the thoughts that were causing the other such resentment and he wasn't surprised to find this Arikado and Julius to be the root causes of it. They treated him like a child, as far too weak to take care of himself.

"It is unfortunate that they would doubt your self-control, in such a way. You are not a babe that needs to be coddled, you are a grown young man. But, this training will further prove that to them and they will truly see what you are capable of accomplishing." He smiled a confident smile, one that he used with Aleksander many times to boost the young alchemist's determination. "Hmm." Dracula said as he thought about the concern of finding monsters that would allow the other to train effectively. "Surely there are still some monsters hanging around. I truly doubt they could all be eliminated because there are always the stragglers, survivors that remain in the aftermath... Is there any place that might have these creatures? A dark and gloomy place in which you live?[/I]" Dracula questioned, not acquainted with this Japan so, he needed some guidance from the other.}

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Elisabetha's heart fluttered at the invitation; she met his gaze once more. He was inviting her a celebration of his? Would be like a ball? She has only ever been to a few of them; now that she was of age. Her father himself had held an entire celebration for her. And very quickly suitors had been coming since. Most of them were older men who had high titles; a few were young knights hoping to marry well. So far none had pleased her father well enough to marry off his daughter. Which Elisabetha was surely grateful for. Whilst she knew marrying for love was not a possibility; it was something a young girl could dream about. Elisabetha smiles at thought of attending a celebration. "A celebration? It sounds more than lovely~ I'll have to discuss it with my father of course. But it would be an honor to attend a celebration hosted by you." She exclaims glancing to Sara who nodded in agreement. Sara wore a bright smile that made Elisabetha feel reassured about this. Sara was such a confidence boost for Elisabetha.

Sara clears her throat looking to Mathias with a smile on her lips. "Lord Cronqvist; would you like to escort Lady Elisabetha and I back to her manor? It can be quite a trek some times; but today is a fine day for a walk." She says to him giving him a window of opportunity to escort Elisabetha home and continue his conversation with her dearest friend. Elisabetha's cheeks flushed at the proposal of him escorting them home; but she surely did not mind the notion. She looks to Mathias though with a small smile. "You do not have to do such a thing my lord."

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Thu Mar 23, 2017 5:39 pm

Soma looked to the ground for a moment, thinking long and hard for a location that matched that description. He remembered something from when he was still in school with Mina. At the base of Mt. Fuji, there was a forest that some of her extended family attempted to purify parts of, all of them becoming physically ill about halfway through and having to turn back. If it was somewhere even trained priests and spirit mediums weren’t able to cleanse, that would fall into the category, right? Soma reached up and fiddled with the stone in his pale hands for a moment, holding it between his index finger and thumb, running the tip of his index finger over it gently. A slight bit of discontentment was rising in his heart. What if his new friends found out what he was doing? They would be really upset with him… He just had to keep reminding himself that this would be to protect his friends. To make sure no harm would come to Mina because she was close to Soma. No crazy cults or weird dark priests and priestesses trying to ‘Sacrifice her for the resurrection of the dark lord’ or weird things like that. He’d protect her this time. Even if it meant his own life was forfeit.

“Mina told me about this place people refer to as the “Suicide Forest”. It’s called… A.. Aokigahara, I think and it’s at the base of a volcano. Apparently for the past 80 years, over 500 people have killed themselves there. I bet that’s a place where a bunch of those monsters have gathered. The only problem is, that it’s still a park and everything but the path avoiding the dead people’s remains is blocked off. But other than that, it’s really dense and decently dark most of the time.” he explained quietly. That was one of the few places that he knew it was uncomfortable for Mina to go, since her body flowed with holy magic and the dark power that must fill the forest from the suicides would make her really sick. The thought of coming across a person, half decomposed off the beaten paths probably would’ve sent a chill down a person’s spine if his journey through the now gone Castlevania didn’t jade his perception of those things. No, he knew now that there were things far more gruesome than a 30 year old corpse.
-------
After a few minutes walking around, the dark haired immortal happened upon Mina leaning against a pillar in what appeared to be a daze. The ends of his heartstrings tugged slightly as a feeling of deja vu rushed over the dhampir. He had caught his mother once or twice in what seemed to be a daze. It always startled his poor mother whenever he had tried to pull her attention back to the world around them. He knew Mina was his mother’s reincarnation, just as apparently his mother had been another woman’s reincarnation herself. This possibly must have been a flashback, and he almost hesitated as he walked over to her. He reached his cold hand to her and placed her hand gently on her arm, “Miss Hakuba…” he said, his voice soft as to hopefully ease her back into reality.

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Fri Mar 24, 2017 9:46 pm

_{Dracula nodded to his description of this "Suicide Forest," finding that it would be the perfect place for Soma to start in his training. Demons loved feeding off the wandering souls of the living, especially ones that fell by suicide. The desperation those soouls had felt and eternally feel in the afterlife giving starving demons the right amount of energy fell satisfied and contained. Of course, this also meant the demons that Soma would face would be rather strong with the amount of souls that still remained in such an infamous forest. There was a reason why the Forest of the Eternal Night took so many lives and why the Hoia-Baicu Forest in Dracula's home land was so widely feared for being the most haunted and dangerous place on Earth. Dracula would have offered the Hoia-Baicu but, he knew how ridiculous such a journey might sound to Soma. It would have raised alarms among his group of friends if Soma suddenly wanted to return to the place where it all had started and ended so, Dracula wasn't going to even bother. Eventually, perhaps, this dark journey will bring Soma there but, not now.

"God rest there souls but, that sounds like the best place to start." Dracula spoke, mentally hissing to himself for having to use such words to get this boy's trust. The felt like poison upon his lips but, it would have been what "Mathias" would have said. The fool that the man had been before he realized where the true power lied. Chaos. "I suppose we can stick to the path paved before us at this forest but, if nothing appears there we might have to rustle up the dead by heading away from it. I'll guide you as best as I can through the Stone but, I will be nothing more than a guiding voice to you. I truly wish I could do more but, for the moment, this is all I can accomplish. Perhaps, as time continues on, I can find someway to aid you further."}

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The auburn female jolted to the touch on her arm; the glossiness fades away as she twisted her gaze to meet Arikado's frost hues. Those hues. "L-Lord Cronqvist?" She gasps stuck in the flashback for a brief second. But familiarity began to sink in; no. No it wasn't the man from her daydream. Was it a dream. Her head was pounding; shifting her gaze she began to take in the scenery of the temple around her. She was at the temple. The dream. It felt so.... So real. "M-Mr. Arikado..... W-What happened? I was feeling faint. And the next I know.... I'm..." She cuts herself off as she tried to grasp the reality of her situation. She had always had silly dreams since she was a child. But never like this. They were never so... So vivid. "W-Where is Soma??" She exhales looking for the young man she adored so much. She wanted his comfort. She needed his embrace. The young woman in her dream. And that man. It all felt so real.... Mina closes her eyes leaning towards the side into Arikado's shoulder she went. Her head was aching; it was such an strange dream. Who were those people. Why did she feel like she knew them? No, it was just a dream. A very strange dream. And nothing more.

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Fri Mar 24, 2017 11:08 pm

Soma nodded at the man in the mirror. It was best that they stayed close to area, even if the Aokigahara forest was an hour ride from the center of the city where he had now lived. Everything in Japan was so much closer together than things had been back in Europe. It was still a shock for him and he had been here for many years.” I appreciate it. When do we start? Or I think, better yet, since you can apparently talk to me through the stone, and as long as no one else can hear you, you can tell me when you’re ready to train me and I can go and find Mina… I’m getting really worried about her… And…” he starts as he glanced around quickly again. Arikado was not in view. Maybe Mina WAS in some kind of danger? Soma had to go look for her and sooner than later. ”It looks like Arikado’s gone looking for Mina. He follows her like an orphaned puppy, though he has protected her a few times when she was attacked, so I guess I really do owe him for that… Since Arikado’s gone, Mina might be in some sort of danger so I have to go look for her now. It was nice meeting you, and I look forward to training.” he says with a slight smile coming to his thin lips

------
Arikado raised his eyebrow slightly. Cronqvist? He thought that perhaps he had heard that name once or twice in his youth from that meddling vampire Aleksander. Arikado thought it best if he held that information back for a time and look into it on his own time in his databases. He glanced slightly at Mina as she leaned against him. At first Arikado thought it would make him uncomfortable to have someone lean against him, since he hasn’t allowed anyone close to him since Maria years ago. But surprisingly, or perhaps not so surprisingly, Arikado felt almost at ease with this. He didn’t stiffen or move away like he thought he would. As odd as it would sound for any listener, Mina’s scent tended to fill Arikado both with reminiscence and with sadness. She was so very much like his mother, it made it almost hard at times to speak to her.

”You had a sort of daydream it seems, Ms. Hakuba. I apologize for awakening you so rudely. You are alright now. Take a moment for a breath. Soma was, when i last saw him, in a corner of the room, in what seemed to be a very deep focus. You must understand that rituals like this are mildly uncomfortable for him. Soma, knowing what he once was, and this ritual being in memoriam of the people who were killed by Dracula’s armies… I’m sure he feels fairly guilty for something he had no part in himself. You know how silly that boy can get sometimes.” he said, his tone as cold and distant as it normally was as he eyed Mina carefully. She didn’t appear to be too upset. There were times that tears had come to his mother’s eyes when she snapped out of her dazes.

But this was not something that Mina had to trouble herself with. Since he was watching over Soma and Mina, he would ensure that Soma’s path would be one that differed from the path his father decided to tread.

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Sun Mar 26, 2017 8:59 pm

_{Dracula thought about the correct day to start Soma's training and his thoughts brought him to the decision to start it within two days. It would give him time to process his words to him and would keep suspicion of his presence away from ones that are sensitive to it. He glowered in the direction of where that Arikado fellow had been previous to his disappearance. The man was smart and informed but, he was also his son behind those dark locks and icy hues. He wouldn't let his son ruin this for him again, despite the fact that his Adrian was once his pride and joy. Now, he was nothing more than a nuisance.

"Two days from now would be your training day." He purred smoothly to the other before he smiled to Soma's urgency to return back to Mina. "Go. Find your friend, do not let me keep you any longer if you are needed somewhere else. I have spoken what needs to be said and I will speak to you more when I deem it necessary. Furthermore, if you have any questions for me, any at all, do not hesitate to voice them. I am here to help you in anyway I can. He commented with a friendly smile before he waved his temporary goodbye to Soma. " 'Til we meet again." He said before his visage faded and the slight glowing of the Crimson Stone ceased.}

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2 Days Later.

Mina's head was gently resting on Soma's shoulder she wore a sweet smile on her face as she looks up to the silvery haired male. She interlaces her fingers with his as she tried to hide her blush forming on her cheeks. It was obvious to the world that she had feelings for Soma; whilst others claimed he too had feelings for her neither had confessed. She snuggles him gently as she was eager to spend the day with him. "Soma. Where would you like to go today? We finally have a day to ourselves. So it would be nice to spend it together." She exclaims to him nuzzling him with a warm smile pursed to her lips.

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Sun Mar 26, 2017 11:33 pm

Soma looks down at his watch and frowned slightly. It was finally a day without Arikado shadowing them, Yoko had a mission on the continent, Hammer had gone back to the states, leaving the only person unaccounted for to be Julius, but he seemed to come and go as he pleased. Why did the day where he and Mina could have some alone time be the day that he was supposed to start training. It couldn’t be helped, though. It served as a good day to sneak off on his own without the agency breathing over his shoulder as well.

They may have almost inducted Soma into the agency, but it seemed to the young adult that they still didn’t trust him completely. Soma had no intention of hurting anyone, so why did they worry so much? Up until the castle, Soma was very much a pacifist, learning to ignore the cruel words and bullying he received for the darkness that surrounded his life. He cared about people. Worried about the safety of innocent people. Until Castlevania, Soma had never hurt anyone. He didn’t want the fight with Graham to go as it did. Soma had to defend himself from the man. What happened after that, Soma didn’t want. Soma never wanted to hurt people.

Mina’s smell washed over Soma and his heart started to race slightly. He had had feelings for Mina for a very long time, feeling an instant pull towards her compassionate eyes when he first met her. Mina seemed to give Soma a sense of completion that he didn’t know he was missing. It was a feeling that Soma never wanted to lose.

Despite this, Soma let out a quiet sigh. His training was necessary. So that he could start protecting his friends. So that Mina would be safe, and Arikado and his agency weren’t the only ones protecting her. ”Mina, I’m so sorry… I actually already had plans for today… I’ll be back late tonight so, I’m afraid we won’t have the time to do anything. I’m sorry…” he said with a frown. He knew she was gonna be upset. After all, they didn’t have much alone time ever with all the things going on. And that would be pushed aside for his previous engagement. He couldn’t explain to her, because she would be worried if she knew he was going to Aokigahara, since it was a place known for suicides and those souls rarely moved on.

But it was something he knew he had to do.

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”Mina, I’m so sorry… I actually already had plans for today… I’ll be back late tonight so, I’m afraid we won’t have the time to do anything. I’m sorry…" His words made her heart sink; she had been hoping for so long to finally have Soma to herself for a day. But that hope was quickly diminished; her auburn brows furrowed together as her eyes swept to the ground clearly saddened by the news. "O-Oh.... I.... It's okay Soma...." She exhales to him looking up at him with clearly a fake smile; she was trying to put on the front. What had she even been hoping for. She should have saw it coming; Soma was becoming a busy man. "M-May I ask what your plans are? I-Is it something I can join you on?" she inquires maybe he could let her come? She wanted to spend as much time with Soma as possible. She adored the young man so much. Was it wrong to want to spend as much time with him?

----

Across the seas within the ruins of a castle stood a man with dark ebony locks; he was adorn in a suit with a black cloak with a red underling. His ruby hues look upon the immortalized beauty lying upon the altar slab; across from him was the vampire Aleksander a loyal servant of Dracula much like Grimm. He had to admit that the beauty before him now; she almost reminded him of the angel he loved long ago. Her sun kissed locks were cascaded about her frame; she was adored in an ivory gown with gold and cyan blue lining. She was stunning; and he would not deny the her appearance resembled that of Aleksander's beloved Miriam. A knight who had served Lord Cronqvist and Lady Cronqvist; but when Lord Cronqvist became a vampire. She rejected her lover when he followed his master; she rejected his immortality.

But Aleksander's beloved not only married Leon Belmont to continue on his bloodline; but her soul was reborn into the young brave woman that managed to steal the heart of the dark lord's only child. Adrian. Maria Renard; a descendant of Dracula's once loyal general Hector. This young woman managed to prolong her life without having Adrian turn her. Through the will and determination; she was bestowed immortality through the elixir of life given to her by a Chinese maiden whom she had saved. But she had lost her life to the world war; now she laid before both death and vampire. He looks to Aleksander clearing his throat. Aleksander was determined to use Maria against Alucard now Arikado; and once Arikado was destroyed he would have his beloved Miriam back. He would have his beloved one way or another. Grimm was only worried that things would not play out according to the plans of the man.

Slowly he begins to chant an incantation blackish purple auras began to illuminate around the woman as death began to return her soul to her body; it would be a dark ritual with a final result. Once he was certain it was successful; he stepped back before giving the vampire the signal he could approach the beauty. Two jade hues fluttered open as a sudden wave of confusion washed over the maiden; slowly tilted her head to the left taking in the vampire approaching her. Her vision was hazy and her head was pounding. She wanted to speak but nothing escaped her lips; where was she. Where was Alucard? What was going on.

Subject: Re: CV: In The Darkest Parts of The Mind Wed Mar 29, 2017 10:11 pm

Soma frowned deeply at Mina. He had upset her, he knew. And maybe she did have every right to come with him. It was just the prospect of monsters, especially if he didn’t end up getting his powers back right away. Mina had been a target for the monsters in Castlevania and if she got hurt… If she had been injured, that would have destroyed Soma completely. Especially since it would have been his fault. But she would be safe here. She wouldn’t have to worry about him or freak out if he did find monsters. He shook his head. She would be depressed by this, but he was doing this FOR her. So he wouldn’t risk losing her. He could protect her if this worked. Then Arikado wouldn’t have to follow her around in what seemed to be all the time.

”I’m sorry, Mina. But It’s too dangerous for you to come to. I’m sorry. I promise I’ll make it up to you.” he said as firmly as he could. Not able to bear risking seeing her break down, he turned away quickly and made his way onto the bullet train, popping in his headphones and taking a seat. It would be leaving in a few minutes.

-----
Aleksander’s crimson eyes glistened slightly with his fervor as he looked down on the Renard woman. Soon enough, Renard would be Raene. But first, Aleksander would use ‘Prince’ Adrian’s precious mate to get Aleksander’s sweet revenge for the Dhampir’s pathetic existence. Especially when the ignorant child decided to rebel against his own father for petty human wishes. Lisa was NOTHING like Lady Cronqvist, in Aleksander’s eyes. And even worse, the witch had birthed the half-breed brat. And that brat continued to befriend those infernal Belmonts. If Lisa wasn’t the cause of Aleksander’s expulsion, the vampire would have been present to destroy that infernal Belmont and his companions. But no! Lisa and Adrian’s existence in their lives ruined Aleksander. And then the half-breed’s disgusting human heart took Miriam away from him.

Adrian needed to suffer long and painfully for his crimes. And Aleksander would ensure Maria would bring this punishment to the disgusting mutt of a vampire.

He walked gently over to her and reached his cold and thin hand out to her, ”My darling girl, I’ve had you brought back to life. Fear not, your voice will return to you shortly.” he says, his lips curling into a soft smile, though his fangs still visible.