Sincere and Honest Potential

by Flakeblood

Summary:

After losing Mathias to pride and grief, Leon tried to build a legacy, one his clan could use to hunt creatures like his friend-turned-vampire. Being thrown forward in time will tell Leon just how successful he's been at either of those.

Notes:

"Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one's potential." - Bruce Lee

Chapter 1: Accident

Cold, then warm. Time crawled forward from where it had been chained. Sunlight peeked over the trees for the first time in what had probably been decades, or even centuries. It filtered through leaves, casting dappled light over the man standing before the castle. Feeling the warmth after so much cold night was jarring.

Leon blinked. Then again. Soon he desperately fluttered his lids in a futile bid to keep the moisture at bay. The light of the sun heated his cheeks and he was sobbing, desperately and completely, as he sank to his knees.

Mathias. His best friend, his brother-in-arms, his confidant. The last person he had left in this world, and he was damned.

Before his foray to the east, Leon had worried over Mathias, afraid the illness he'd fallen into would lead the man straight to his wife's arms in heaven. Now, Leon was afraid the actions of his former companion would curse him to eternal suffering. Even if Leon managed to find and- and kill Mathias... Would his former-companion-turned-vampire be forgiven? Accepted into God's embrace despite his blasphemy? Even if he was, Leon wasn't sure he would be able to forgive himself; not for killing his two most beloved people. If he had cursed them both to eternal suffering...

Leon wailed, uncaring if he was heard. The monsters were long dead or fled the forest. The only human besides himself would understand his suffering and allow him to mourn.

"I won't leave it like this Mathias!" Leon screamed. He hiccuped and sobbed around his breaths. "I will not allow you to damn yourself!"

When the tears slowed, no longer flowing in full streams, Leon wiped at his face. He was certain he'd look a sight. His eyes felt scratchy and swollen, tracks of tears and snot sat drying on his cheeks and lips, and his skin felt flushed with the force of his emotions. Still, he had work to do.

With great effort, Leon managed to stand, legs wobbling like a newborn foal's. He was in no great hurry, so he allowed himself to wander the road in a daze, towards the alchemist's cabin. He would tell the kind old man the news--allow him to rejoice in the returned day and death of his family's tormentors--then he would move on.

The Belmont legacy would not build itself.

0-o-0

Leon leaned back on his heels, wiping the sweat from his brow. Building a home had been difficult, even with the assistance he had rallied from grateful townsfolk. Clearing the area of monsters--with a continuing promise to keep them clear--was enough to earn the loyalty of the small town and several farmsteads. Yet this portion, this he had to do with almost no help at all.

Some townsfolk had helped him start digging a "basement." Once it had gotten too deep for explanations--even for an eccentric monster hunter--he had continued with the assistance of a traveling group who called themselves Speakers. Leon felt blessed to have met them; They were more than happy to assist, once they knew of his chosen goal, and they used impressive magics to make the work quick. As they were a nomadic people, they left after only a week.

Still, one look around showed a good amount of space for the protective hold Leon had in mind. It might have to be expanded, in time, but what he had would do for the moment. He had but a few bookshelves in the large space, all displaying items he had gathered over his time in the castle, or during his travels as a hunter. He had texts as well; some he wrote, some he gathered, and some were from-

"Leon!" a bright voice called. He looked to see a stout man jogging over to him, a lopsided smile spread over his solid, squared face. "I have everything. Let's try it."

Trefor. He was the only one who had come with him from his old homeland, the only one here who knew what he had gone through. Leon was grateful to the man for traveling with him, and even more so for vowing to stay and help him with his quest. He smiled back at his partner, a small thing, but genuine.

"Thank you. I've just finished the etchings here." Leon gestured at the floor in front of him.

"Yes, I see." Trefor checked them over briefly. "Looks fine. Looked fine the last time, too."

"And the bookcase caught fire." Leon's smile widened as Trefor frowned.

"It sounded like a good idea. Look, all I did was provide the spell, I didn't say I could cast it."

Leon shook his head. "I know. And I did learn some of this kind of magic from the Speakers. Hopefully it's enough."

Trefor clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry. You can do it."

"Thank you."

"And the bookcase is empty this time." Trefor laughed and dodged an elbow to the gut.

"Just put the herbs down," Leon said, fighting a smile. "The sooner we perfect this, the easier I'll rest."

"We'll get it," Trefor said. His voice lowered, soothing. "No one's gonna forget what we've learned. What you've achieved."

"And what I've been trying to do." But may never accomplish in my lifetime, he finished in his mind. Trefor squeezed his shoulder once, then moved to finish the placement of his herbs.

Should they succeed with their spell, Leon hoped to preserve all his materials for future generations. Artifacts would stay new and untarnished, books would be crisp instead of fading and crumbling, and plants or other monster parts would not wither; all for the sake of his descendants. Leon sighed and pushed the thought away. Children were a problem for another time.

"Ready!" Trefor called.

Leon nodded and spread his arms out. He wore his enchanted glove, hoping it would allow him to better attune to the energies he needed. Though he was not a Speaker magician, nor a wizard, Leon could feel how his intent altered things around him. Grasping it was an issue, so he spent several minutes 'feeling' around the symbols drawn on the ground and gathering what he needed.

"Move back," Leon said, eyes closed. "I'm trying it now."

Blue light flickered through his eyelids as he began, and for a moment, he felt it moving into place. Then, something snapped. A cold heat rushed around him, pulling and pushing him like a storm; Leon himself felt like a leaf blown about, unable to change course. The last thing he heard was Trefor calling his name.

Notes:

I know I know, but I've been dithering about what to work on for so long that I realized something is better than nothing. And I was excited about this new work, so I'm posting this first.

Life is kinda beating me up right now. It's not super bad, but mental and emotional problems suuuuck, you know? They're difficult to work past, and it hurts my focus on writing.

I'll never quit you guys, never, but please be patient with me.

Aaaaaanyway, what did you think? I, personally, think there's not enough fic with Leon. And he's canon to the show as well so??? Characterizing him after the events of the game is... difficult. I can't imagine that he stayed the same, not after losing the people he was closest to. And yet, he's still going to have to be recognizable as Leon. :/ Dammit man, I love you, but you make things so difficult!

Trefor is lovely though. It's... kinda unfortunate he was just there briefly. I have my own headcanons for him, but most of them probably won't play into the fic. :< Oh well.

Guys, please let me know how I'm doing and if everything makes sense. ( _ _)人 Please and thank you. (Also share your Trefor headcanons, I neeed.)

Chapter 2: First Meeting

Summary:

The Belmont Hold is not the way Leon remembers it from two minutes ago.

Notes:

Leon wakes up. Leon argues. This is fine.

Leon came back to himself when his body hit something solid. Since the magic no longer swirled around him, he gasped, taking a few moments to simply breathe. The thing Leon ran into groaned, and he realized he'd knocked Trefor over. Either that or Trefor had tried to catch him, the wonderful fool.

"Sorry," Leon wheezed. The man under him grumbled. "Are... you okay?"

Trefor helped move Leon to the side so he rested on the floor. Then he asked, "Who are-? Where did you come from?"

Leon frowned. That, that was not Trefor. Blinking his eyes open, he sat up and turned as swiftly as he was able, the pain of the magical backfire slowing him down. The man who sat before him actually bore some similarities to Leon's friend--a strong jaw, straight, messy hair, and even a similar set to his shoulders--but it could not be. The stranger was clearly of the people of these lands, of the Byzantine Empire. Further, he was speaking an altered version of their local language.

Leon frowned, pulling his thoughts into place. He was used to speaking Latin with Trefor, since they both knew it well, but they had been putting significant effort into learning Romanian to make conversation with the locals easier. The language this stranger spoke, it was not Romanian, though it was similar. He hoped they could communicate.

He tried for a soothing smile and said, "I'm Leon Belmont."

"Bullshit," the man countered, and Leon was equally pleased he knew what it meant and displeased the man thought him a liar.

"That is my name," Leon insisted. "What is yours?"

Ignoring his question, the man said, "Leon Belmont is dead." He fully seemed to believe it, staring in a way people might if they'd seen a ghost. Well, not that Leon reacted as such anymore. Becoming a monster hunter had inured him to the strangeness much of the supernatural world had to offer.

"I am not dead. I am certain I would know if I was." After all, he had seen and fought Death, or a physical incarnation of it. When it came for him, when the Lord called for his appointed time, he would accept it, and no sooner.

"Or you aren't him," the man countered. With grace befitting a hardened warrior, he flowed to his feet, hand clenched around the hilt of a longsword. "How did you get down here? Why are you here?"

Leon frowned, standing slowly as he kept an eye on the rugged man before him. The man was tensed, ready to draw his sword from any aggressive movement, but beyond his wariness, still looked curious. Leon placed his left hand on his hip, cradling his own sword--a small part of his mind noticed how similar the weapons appeared--but made no moves to draw it. He was new to the area, best to make allies.

"This is my... cellar. My friends and I built it ourselves. It sits beneath my home. So the real question is, what are you doing beneath the Belmont Manor?"

The man's eyes hardened to match his voice. "I am Trevor Belmont, last son of the house of Belmont. So if you're going to sit there and pretend to be my ancestor-"

"Trevor? Belmont?" Leon repeated. His eyes swept over the man again, truly taking in what he saw: Muscles born of a life of fighting; bright, flinty blue eyes, one carved over with an old scar; straw-gold tawny skin, dirtied like a traveler; multiple weapons strapped to his body, from knives, to his sword, and- ...a whip.

It was not Sara. Though not the one Leon carried in his battle against the night, there it hung, strange and uncommon, especially made of metal links with a mace-like lash. Leon imagined he could feel the blessed magic on it. Whoever he claimed to be, he was at least a monster hunter.

An monster hunter who blatantly wore his family crest on his tunic.

"...Your act to appear as a member of my house is impressive," he said, watching a scowl slash across Trevor's face, "yet I am the only one of my house, especially in these lands. I have no children, not even a- a betrothed. I ask that you stop your charade and tell me your true name."

"That is my name," Trevor echoed Leon's earlier statement, his voice strained and clearly losing patience. "And I'm not the impostor who fell out of a magical portal into a secure hold built by my ancestors. I don't have anything I need to explain to you."

Leon narrowed his eyes. "Who here is an impostor? I will not stand for these accusations against me when I built this place with my own hands-"

"You stumbled into it with magic-"

"I was setting a ward to preserve Belmont texts for future generations-!"

"Of which I'm the last and only one so don't-!"

"Enough!" Leon shouted. His hand rested firmly on his whip, the anger and stress leading him to old habits in a subconscious attempt to protect himself. "I tire of your attempts to convince me of your farce. I am Leon Belmont. I have been building here for two years, since the year of our Lord ten-ninety-seven, and no other has claimed this land but me."

The man--Trevor's--eyes widened and his stance faltered, just a little. "One thousand... what?" Pausing, Leon watched as thoughts worked through his head. Trevor's free hand lifted and pointed one finger at where Leon rested his hand. "Your- your whip. That's... Vampire Killer?"

Leon frowned. "That is the primary purpose, the one I have sworn to, but I have not named... it."

"You traveled here with someone else?"

"Trefor." A sudden thought hit him, and he looked around. No welshman in sight. How had he not noticed his missing companion earlier?

"And your spell." Leon reluctantly pulled his attention to the hunter before him. "You said it was meant to, preserve? Or something."

"...Yes. To protect monster hunting materials from the ravages of time. Or at least from crumbling to dust."

"Shit." Trevor brought one hand up to run through his hair, harried. "Shit. Just my fucking luck..."

"Trevor, what happened?" The bright but worried call burst through the hold from above, bouncing through bookshelves Leon did not recall setting up. In fact, the whole place looked larger than it had before. Pushing the oddity from mind, he turned to where the sound of footsteps rang out.

A different voice came from the person who stepped around the corner, the force of it contrasted with preternaturally light steps. "Belmont!" they roared. Graying skin, a wolf's eyes, fangs. A vampire.

Notes:

Hohoho, so now we get to the good parts. “ψ(｀∇´)ψ Well, Leon and Trevor are getting along super well, and I'm sure he'll be friends with that mysterious vampire in no time.

Um, yeah, also bits of history. Hey, I'm not a historian, but neither is Castlevania, so I'm saying good enough for fic purposes. I spent waaay to much time researching anyway. Still, if something is wildly wrong, let me know and I'll fix it best I can. :3

Look forward to the next chapter my friends! New characters meet our wonderful time-traveler and everyone communicates effectively! ☚(ﾟヮﾟ☚)

Chapter 3: Fight of Misunderstanding

Summary:

Leon doesn't want a vampire in the Belmont Hold.

Notes:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! ✩°｡⋆ [¬º-°]¬

With a snap of his wrist Leon uncurled his whip, sending it in a forward arc towards the vampire as he leapt in front of the hun- Trevor. Regardless of whether the man was a fraud or simply delusional, Leon was not about to let him get torn apart.

Despite being caught off guard, the vampire reacted as quickly as Leon expected, dodging just barely around the first strike and attempting to leap up to avoid any others. While the bookcases did limit possible moves for his whip, Leon was well aware the tight space restricted the vampire as well if he wished to keep attacking. Leon used the space to his advantage.

When the vampire went for the sword at his hip, Leon trapped his wrist with a complicated maneuver and yanked. He strained against the whip for only a moment before allowing himself to be pulled to the ground, landing in a crouch before hissing.

He did not burst into flame. What a powerful vampire. How did he breach the defenses?

"Go!" Leon shouted, glancing back only briefly at the still stunned man behind him. "I do not have time for frivolities right now!"

His yelling startled Trevor, but did not make him run. Instead, he reached out as though to place a hand on Leon's shoulder, stopping inches away. "Wait. Wait this is a mistake-"

"Belmont," the vampire growled, pulling against the whip. Leon immediately concentrated back on the main threat. "Who is-?"

"He's none of your concern," Leon hissed, then jerked at the whip as he pulled out his side sword.

The vampire stumbled only briefly, but long enough for Leon to close the distance. If the whip would not take care of him, Leon would have to stake the creature.

A sword blocked his own, drawn by the vampire just in time. The creature's stress was obvious when he yelled louder than necessary, "What did you do, Belmont?"

Though his question made little sense, Leon replied, "What I do is none of your business." Pulling back, he tried for several quick jabs, all of which were blocked and deflected. "And I don't know how you got down here, but I guarantee you won't be here long."

A quick jump back gave Leon more space, and with deft motions, he pulled out his only bottle of holy water and lobbed it at the vampire. As expected, unnatural reflexes allowed him to bring his sword up in time to meet the bottle; Unfortunately for the vampire, that was just what Leon planned for.

Golden eyes widened as the crack of glass followed with a spray of water, the holy liquid dampening his arms and parts of his face and chest. The vampire flinched back, face contorted with pain, and he hastily removed his gloves and coat, wiping futilely at his face. Still, he did not turn to ash.

The bottle was not as big as what Leon usually carried on hunt, but it should have done the job. Even clothes should not have affected the holy power of the water and whip, which left only one conclusion: the vampire was old and powerful, maybe like Joachim, or almost on par with Walter.

He confirmed his suspicion as the vampire's sword lifted into the air, hovering in a protective stance before its master.

Leon prepared to engage with his own sword when a quiet curse and apology behind him was immediately followed with a weight slamming into his back. While normally Leon would adjust his stance and retaliate, a foot sweep followed and he had to catch himself on the floor with his forearms. Trevor could actually fight; Leon felt he was more surprised than he should have been. Hands grabbing his reignited his fight. Off balance as he was, Leon still got in one solid hit to the man pinning him--his connecting elbow garnering a choked off sound of pain--but ultimately was stuck on the ground, strong arms held tight around his own.

He'd have yelled at Trevor had the vampire not stepped closer, sword still at the ready.

"What took so long, Belmont?" he asked, tone mocking. "Too busy admiring the trap you activated?"

Leon realized he spoke to Trevor when the hunter grunted and said, "Shut up, fangs."

"Were you hoping to pick up some of its tricks or merely enjoying my pain, as Belmonts seem wont to do?"

Leon kept still, narrowing his eyes. The vampire had seen and fought other Belmonts? It didn't seem possible, unless there were other imposters like the one pinning him down. How many other hunters were using his name? And why?

"I don't need magical bullshit to enjoy stupid looks." The tone of the false hunter's voice was... smug?

It couldn't be right, but at the same time it had to be, judging by the way the vampire wrinkled his nose and flicked strands of long golden hair over his shoulder.

"Of course not, considering you need only a mirror, but if you're done indulging yourself-" Trevor scoffed, and Leon noticed his grip waver, "-perhaps we might undo this... ancestral trap so that we can get back to more important things."

"Like stuffing your face into books, I get it. There's a problem though."

"Just the one?"

If the false hunter was enthralled--and Leon was getting compelling evidence he wasn't--it was the oddest form Leon had seen. Trevor and the vampire seemed... companionable? They sniped at each other but didn't seem to think it odd to work together. As if they did it regularly. No. Surely someone who even pretended to be a Belmont wouldn't work with a dark creature. What purpose would it serve? Why would anyone-?

A memory of Mathias--heartbroken and mad--floated into Leon's mind. Of course. It was perfectly possible for a human to fall into darkness. Leon couldn't let that happened to another, not so long as he was here to save them. Granted, so long as the vampire was around, it would be nigh impossible to talk sense into the hunter. Leon paid close attention to the two keeping him down.

Trevor had a decent grip on him, but Leon was certain he could break it if the man got distracted just one more time. Above Leon, the vampire eyed him curiously, sword lowering until he held it loosely in hand.

"What an odd bit of dark magic," he said, quieter than before. Then a corner of his mouth lifted. "Shame on you Belmont. That's a rather nasty bit of work you've triggered."

"I haven't-!" Trevor grumbled to himself, and Leon purposefully relaxed himself in his hold. "I'm trying to tell you, he's not part of a trap. I don't think."

"Then what is this Belmont? I felt the magic, and it was both powerful and out of control."

"Right, uh. That magic, I think it was actu-"

Leon didn't get to hear what Trevor thought, as he twisted his wrists out of Trevor's grip--not without pain--and smashed his elbow backwards. A pained yelp was followed by muffled cursing, "Fucking elbows," and another attempt to hold him, but Leon rolled away and jumped back to his feet.

Eyes widening, the vampire raised his sword in defense. Before he could move, either for attack or retreat, Leon leapt forward, grabbing a spare knife from his belt. Though the technique was not his preferred method, he was well aware of the necessity of close-combat for certain cases.

Time slowed down around Leon as he took in the monster before him. Just one moment longer, a little further... He angled his knife. The vampire was either foolish or overconfident, wearing no armor; Leon could see exactly where he needed to thrust to reach the heart.

The vampire's eyes were already wide from surprise, but Leon could tell the very moment he realized the advantage Leon had, how close he was inside the vampire's guard. Red built up in his gaze, no doubt prelude to a vampiric ability, but it would not be fast enough.

Leon's arm jerked to a stop, knife plunged into a solid mass.

Notes:

... Sorry? Er uh, it's fine! I don't have any death warning tags for a reason. I mean, Alucard's been stabbed before anyway. ^^; But yeah, cliffhanger. I don't suppose now is a good time to mention I'm doing NaNoWriMo in a few hours and probably won't update over November?
Ahaa...

Right, so before I run off to hand out candy and watch old black and white horror movies, let me just say that Leon is making this difficult for me. He wanna fite!（9 ｀^´ )9 So we probably won't get to reasonable talking right away.
But let me know what you think! I personally think misunderstandings can be tricky to write. Every character has their own understanding of things, and it's hard to portray them all well. So if you let me know your reactions, it's easier to know whether I've done that or not.

But I hope you all are having fun with this too! (Even with little cliffhangers, haha.) Everyone have fun tonight! And good luck to anyone else starting NaNo tomorrow! It's my own little birthday activity each year, hehe.

Chapter 4: The Fight Continues

Summary:

The fight takes a new turn.

Grunting, Leon blinked. He had not hit the vampire. No, he still stood before Leon, image warped through a wall of clear ice, his surprise quickly turning to satisfied glee.

When the ice threatened to spread up his arm, Leon released the knife--a perfectly good one at that--and looked around for the source. Trevor had an expression similar to the vampire, appreciative with a hint of awe, as he looked up past Leon.

"Sypha!" he called. "Keep him still."

Whipping his head around as dread settled in his stomach, Leon barely caught sight of a caster two levels above before he was forced to jump to the side, ice trailing him.

"Another?" he growled, moving constantly to avoid being trapped in by the spellcaster.

Unfortunately, it meant he had to leave his sword and best knife behind. So Leon was left facing an angry hunter-imposter--a bruise blooming across his nose--and ice magic, all without effective weapons.

When Trevor came at him, swinging his chain whip in moves clearly meant to incapacitate--though not unduly harm, for which Leon was both confused and grateful--Leon made up his mind: he had to stop the spellcaster first, or all his potential openings to retaliate would be stopped. As the vampire scaled the bookcases, Leon turned, fending off attacks from Trevor's whip as he made his way towards the nearest staircase.

His arm was sore once he reached it, finally maneuvering to where the whip lashed against wood rather than himself. Even with the magical properties of Leon's long glove, the chain whip was apparently something powerfully magical itself; Each strike carried enough force to bruise him through his light armor. Leon wondered if Trevor was holding back at all.

Granted, it was Leon's own decision to take the attacks in such a way. He preferred the mild injuries to getting captured again.

As he rounded the first set of steps, the vampire came roaring after him, longsword held threateningly ahead. Leon grinned.

There was one benefit to fending off magical attacks with his--not quite bare--arm: his glove gathered a lot of the excess energy from the strikes.

Leon came to an abrupt stop on the stairs' landing.

He looked into a snarling visage as the vampire corrected course, still coming straight for him, and felt a dark sort of glee which came only in battle. Magic poured through Leon's veins, erupting in a burst of jagged crystalline structures which linked together to form a shield before him. Though the vampire managed to avoid slamming into it, his previous momentum brought him close enough to scrape the edges as he turned. The casual white shirt gained several new holes along the arm, though the vampire's skin was not pierced. Fine.

Using the last of the captured magic, Leon forced the shield to explode outwards, pushing the vampire back over the stairs and multiple bookshelves before he went crashing to the floor.

Unfortunately, pausing had given the hunter time to catch up with Leon; the metal whip grabbed onto the railing as he swung his way up. Leon couldn't keep the grin from his face.

"Impressive, for an impostor," he said. "But do you think you're the first to think of that?"

The insulted look on Trevor's face made Leon laugh as he jumped over the rail. Within a few seconds, he turned just enough to see the level above himself, lashed his whip out to grab the wooden structure, and swung back, using his momentum to throw his body higher. One grab and flip later, and he stood sound on the next level up, the hunter glaring at him from the stairs he'd just left.

Not managing to keep the satisfied smirk from his face, Leon nonetheless turned and continued running--not fleeing, he had a strategy--to the level where the mage was casting from. He found a couple useful items as he ran: one a rounded shield in a style he'd never seen, and the other a braided juniper "necklace" meant to break enchantments. Whether garlic and dried roses would work for possible vampiric enthrallments, he'd soon find out.

Several more times he dodged ice magic attempting to slow or capture him, as well as another attempt from the returned vampire to hit him.

The attack was far more planned, so to avoid losing momentum, Leon had to use more of his own stored magic to duplicate a throwing knife and send the spectral images chasing after the creature. To his credit, the vampire dodged faster than before.

Leon, however, was no stranger to tracking vampires' quick movements in battle.

Eventually, one hit the vampire's shirt and pinned him--temporarily--against a bookshelf. Leon used the opportunity to make it up to the floor where he finally caught a glimpse of the spellcaster.

A Speaker! Finally, Leon thought to himself, Some good fortune. Confidence flooded back into Leon's core, suffusing him with a small burst of power. Speakers were well known to be strong in mind. The vampire must have been truly powerful to enthrall not only a hunter attempting to mimic Leon, but a Speaker-magician as well.

Freeing her would greatly aid Leon, both by weakening his opponents teamwork and, hopefully, gaining him a powerful ally.

She said nothing to him, though her eyes widened in surprise, the reason for which Leon didn't have time to analyze. He wove swiftly and precisely around the element attempting to capture him, blasting through one particularly high ice wall. When the ice moved like it intended to grasp his ankles, Leon threw the shield down in front of him, jumping atop it at an angle.

His weight launched the shield forward across the slippery ice. A startled gasp left the Speaker makes as Leon used his whip to pull against other ice spikes and propel himself forward.

Because the magician was skilled, Leon figured it best to track a roundabout path to her. Another wall, this one full of spikes, sprouted up right in front of the magician. Leon tensed, readied his whip, then leapt.

His jump itself would not have been enough to get him over the wall, but he launched his whip at a wooden beam higher up, straining his arm and core muscles to get himself higher.

As he cleared the wall, the Speaker's stunned and annoyed face greeted him. Magic was already gathered in her hands; Leon knew he only had one shot.

He twisted his body like he aimed to kick her, but instead reached one arm to grab at the braided necklace tucked into his belt. The magician took the bait, shooting ice at both of his legs and engulfing them. Leon was impressed to notice that--aside from the chill--neither of his legs sustained any actual harm. The Speaker was truly attempting to only capture him, even through enthrallment.

A grin spread across Leon's face as he tossed the necklace and it landed around the Speaker's neck and shoulders. She blinked, magic dissipating from one hand so she could reach up and touch it.

Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What is this?"

As desperately as Leon hoped for the enthrallment to break, he knew there was, possibly, no effect from the necklace, so he quietly set to using the last of his stored magic to break the ice holding him.

The Speaker merely raised a hand and his arms from wrist to shoulder were bound as well, though surprisingly not his chest nor hands. Leon was grateful in a sense--the ice was very cold--though frustrated to be able to wiggle his hands without freeing himself.

The Speaker-magician turned to him. They both stared, wary, about three feet from each other. The Speaker plucked at the necklace again, bright blue eyes looking Leon over, thoughts clearly running strong in her mind. Finally, she asked, "Who are you?"

Notes:

2020! And I'm back with a new chapter! ヽ〳 ՞ ᗜ ՞ 〵ง

Didn't I promise Alucard would be fine? ;3 I couldn't kill my boy.

Action chapters, ugh. I set myself up for this, I know. I hope I did alright with the descriptions. Hey, if anyone seems oddly placed, let me know?
I did have some fun imaging the abilities everyone uses though! Figuring out how powerful Leon would be was interesting. I'm going with the idea that Leon has all the experience from his game (obv) and some from his travels and settling in Wallachia. That makes him incredibly powerful. However, he's also been transported unexpectedly, so he doesn't have most of his weapons/equipment.
Also Sypha's a BAMF.

Lemme know what you guys thought! We're gonna get to more talking next chapter. And lots of people side-eyeing each other. xD

Chapter 5: Second Meeting

Summary:

Leon is forced to have a proper conversation.

Notes:

It's been a long time since a long time.

Though Leon was still captured in ice, the Speaker wasn't attacking him, at least. Time to see whether or not his actions had broken the enthrallment on her.

"I am Leon Belmont," he said, adding on, "This is my home."

The Speaker's eyes narrowed. "I am Sypha Belnades." She moved closer, eyeing him. "While I can see you before me, I have a hard time believing someone from Trevor's ancestry has managed to survive until this day. There is magic of a strange sort clinging to you, but..."

She shook her head, and Leon's heart dropped; The enthrallment wasn't broken. She clearly believed that hunter's story of being a member of the Belmont line. As if summoned by thought, the man came sprinting up the last flight of stairs, huffing but not winded, whip held at the ready.

When his eyes took in the scene, he relaxed. "Knew we could count on you, Sypha."

Leon's heart sunk.

"Of course," said the Speaker- Sypha. Her chest puffed out as she took in the praise. "I am the best magician in the world."

Trevor chuckled. Leon wondered. They both seemed so- so normal compared to what he was used to with enthralled victims--usually they were unreachable, acting barely aware at all. These two... did they really fall to the vampire's seductions?

Trevor moved closer to Leon, but still kept one hand on his whip. "I think we got off on the wrong foot."

Leon frowned but said nothing.

Sypha sighed in aggravation, drawing Trevor's attention. The hunter's head cocked to the side. "What's that?"

Sypha placed her hand on the necklace Trevor pointed at. "I was hoping you could tell me. He threw it on me," she said, nodding her chin at Leon. "There was a whole build up to it, as though he thought it was important."

Trevor moved closer and also touched it. Neither of them seemed to change. The necklace wasn't meant for breaking a vampire's enchantments then, or they weren't under one. The hunter, at least, seemed to recognize it with the way his expression darkened.

"It's meant to ward off evil spirits," he said, leveling Leon with a glare.

Leon glared back, even trapped as he still was, when Trevor marched up to him. They stared each other down for a few moments, Trevor with his hands and jaw clenched, Leon twitching his fingers and carefully controlling his breathing.

"What the hell were you hoping to do?" Trevor all but growled.

"I don't have to answer to you, imposter," Leon said.

Leon could practically see the man's hackles rise, his shoulders moving up and teeth bared in a facsimile of a smile. Not surprisingly--or maybe so considering they were working together--the Speaker stepped between the two hunters.

"Enough," she said, exasperated but firm. "Trevor, why don't you go find Alucard? He's been missing too long."

"Sypha-" Her stern look cut Trevor off. "...Fine. Bastard's probably just got distracted with an ancient coffin or something."

He stomped off, making his displeasure clearly known. Leon couldn't help but stare as his back disappeared down the stairs, taking the Belmont family crest with it. Leon sighed out through his nose, earning a huff from the Speaker beside him.

"Why are all Belmonts such handfuls?" It was clearly a rhetorical question, but Leon felt compelled to answer.

"How many have you met?"

Sypha tapped at her lip. "Personally? Only Trevor and you. If you can be counted."

Leon faced her again to better read the woman. "I can. The man you are working with is not of my clan."

"How do you mean?"

"He is-" Leon paused, and thought. If the Speaker was not enthralled, perhaps he could get more information from her. If he better understood, he could convince her to turn back to humanity. He nodded to himself. "I am a Belmont, and the only one of my line here, I am certain. My clan has dedicated itself to fighting creatures of the night, and would not work with a vampire."

The Speaker's face changed little, listening intently as Leon was used to from those of her own clan, yet several emotions hidden in her eyes worried him. She hummed.

"It's true, you do seem... solid." She reached up to pinch his cheek, startling a "Hey!" from Leon. "But there is some odd magic around you. And you couldn't possibly be the true Leon. He has already died."

Leon wrinkled his nose. "Why do you all think I've died? I can assure you I am no corpse."

Sypha nodded genially. "Of course not. I have fought those."

It was Leon's turn to blink in surprise, before a smile tried to surface. "Surprising for a Speaker."

Sypha's eyes narrowed. "Why is that?"

"The caravans I've met have all shared core values, one of which is a sort of pacifism," he explained, shaking his head in amusement.

"Except I can do the best good for people by fighting." The Speaker held her head aloft, daring him to dismiss her.

Leon finally allowed a small curve to his lips. "I won't deny that. Not when I do the same."

Sypha waited for a moment as if judging his sincerity. "Then we can agree. But it doesn't answer the question of what you are."

"What?" Leon asked incredulously.

"Yes. Because you cannot be human anymore." Sypha held up a hand when Leon went to protest. "Leon Belmont lived a long time ago, and as far as Trevor has told me, he did not gain any sort of immortality. So you must be some sort of defense of the Belmont Hold, which Trevor stumbled into."

She rubbed at her forehead with her fingers.

Leon wasn't sure what he could do to convince her. In fact, he was beginning to worry, himself. Perhaps he had passed out from his--admittedly experimental--spell, but hadn't realized just how long? He was certain he would have woken more hungry if that was the case, though. For the moment, he cast aside those thoughts.

"What are you doing in this place?" he asked.

Sypha looked at him, eyes blazing with determination. "A test?"

Leon shrugged best he could while encased in ice. "You are working with a vampire, yet you break into a place meant only for Belmonts. Forgive me for assuming poor intentions."

Sypha snorted at his sarcasm, but her eyes did not lose their fire. "We are here to find a way to defeat Dracula. All of us."

"Dracula...?"

"I am surprised you don't know of him," Sypha said. "Belm- Trevor said it was the reason... well, the reason Leon Belmont moved to this country."

At that, Leon's heart nearly stopped. Could it be? "No."

"No?" Sypha repeated, brows raising. Leon tried to reign in his terror to explain.

"The three of you only, against one of the most powerful vampires in the region? In the world, perhaps?" Leon shook his head, desperation squeezing his chest. "You will lose."

"We will try," Sypha retorted, and her fire had only seemed to grow. "People are dying because of his actions, and we cannot leave them to suffer."

Leon stared her down, her conviction written in every terse line of her body. He sighed, and allowed himself to slump in the ice.

"You will not be swayed?"

"Never. Even if I have to do it myself."

It might be a better idea than trusting a vampire, but what Leon asked was, "Then why do you consort with his kind?"

"Alucard?" she asked. Leon could only assume it was the vampire's name. He needed to explain.

"Vampires are born of human greed and suffering. They are self-centered and selfish, and will betray you easily if it is for their own gain." Sypha shook her head. Frustrated, Leon tried to say, "It is better to cut ties now than allow for such a mon-"

"Enough." Clear as a bell, Sypha cut through his argument. "I tell you this because you know nothing of him, but I trust that man with my life. He is strong, and good, and we have already fought together while traveling here. If you speak ill of him again, I shall pull you to the ground by the ear."

Leon's stomach quivered, and he looked down at the ice covering him, then back up. Sypha wore an expression intimately familiar to Leon, one which Trefor would sometimes wear, meaning 'try me, see what happens.' How intimidating. It seemed to Leon his height meant nothing when so many of the people in his life who'd pushed him around were shorter than him.

But... he had to try at least one more thing. "Do you know why I placed that item upon you?"

Sypha palmed the necklace and brought it up again to get a better look. "No. It doesn't appear to have any spell on it. And it doesn't smell as bad as I thought it would, with all this withered garlic."

Leon felt a sheepish grin coming on and pushed through it to explain, "I had hoped it would break any enthrallment upon you."

Sypha seemed surprised.

"The Speakers are known for having strong wills, especially your magicians," he said. "I believed the necklace would help."

"It is true, our magics are controlled by our wills. Would that truly help with some sort of enthrallment?"

"I... had hoped so."

"Do you believe I am enthralled?" Sypha questioned, a spark of understanding in her eyes. "What can I do to persuade you otherwise? Our cause is good and important. We cannot be stopped here, and by a- a spell, or a man, who should be assisting us."

For one long, breathless moment, Leon looked at her, tried to clearly see Sypha, the Speaker magician. Sypha, who entered the hold with the goal of fighting Mat- ...Dracula. Who said her companions, the hunter and the vampire, were on the same mission. Who denied her enthrallment or any deception with bright, clear eyes, looking straight into his as she waited.

Then she said, in a voice like steel, "I do no harm, and I serve no demon."

Realization hit Leon then, and he nearly laughed. She was a kind, adventurous soul; Someone who, under different circumstances, he would have been glad to meet and even call friend. For his own foolishness, Leon lowered and shook his head.

"Well then, Sypha Belnades." Leon met her gaze once again. "Let us speak properly, and perhaps we can figure out what has happened."

With one finger tapping near her lips, she conceded. "Very well. But if you attack anyone I will freeze you again."

The emphasis on "anyone" made it quite clear who she was talking about. And Leon wasn't sure how he felt about that.

"I... understand." If the vampire made any threatening moves, Leon would simply have to attack him away from the magician.

Sypha raised her brows--clearly not taking him solely at his word--but she did make a motion with two fingers and pulled the ice away, allowing Leon to slip free. As a show of good faith, he gathered and hooked his whip back to his belt. He nodded his thanks, and attempted a smile, though he was sure his worry still showed.

"Thank you. Let us find somewhere to sit and-"

The unmistakable whoosh of supernatural speed sounded nearby; Leon--thanks to his experience and paranoia only--managed to raise a weak magical barrier before a long sword slammed into it. He felt lucky he did, because even with his reflexes he was flung between two shelves of books and straight into another. He grunted at the impact but kept his feet, glaring up at the intruder.

The vampire. Of course.

Yet no sooner did Leon's hand touch the whip at his belt than did a wall of controlled air buffet against the two of them.

"Enough!" Sypha called out. "Alucard, put away your sword. I have come to an agreement with Leon."

"With that bit of magic meant as a trap?" His voice was disdainful.

"Yes. And we don't know what he is yet." Sypha sounded stern, chiding.

"All the more reason to stay on guard."

Leon took note of the way the vampire attempted to stand between Sypha and himself. As a guard, perhaps. Still, Sypha grabbed his elbow, and once receiving his attention, shook her head.

"No, it is reason to gather more information. We will talk this through."

The vampire, it seemed, was not foolish enough to doubt her with anything but a sigh and acquiescence. And when she turned to Leon, he too nodded and stood in a--slightly--less hostile way.

It seemed they would all be talking. Awe, fear, and mild anger all danced within Leon.

Trevor, self-proclaimed Belmont, came running up the stairs for the second time, puffing great gusts of air. When he reached the top, he looked around, lowered his whip, and said, "Well, at least I can thank God for Sypha."

"Please do not," Sypha said. "Speakers are the enemy of God."

Leon stood in stunned silence. At least the talk wouldn't be boring, he mused.

Notes:

Leon: Were they really seduced by the vampire?
Alucard: *tosses golden-blonde curls over one shoulder while casually moving an entire bookcase*
Sypha: Yes.
Trevor: ...No...?

Sypha is not here to compare fighting techniques (she knows she'd win anyway haha), she came here for knowledge and dammit she'll get it! (ง •̀_•́)ง I think Leon's rather impressed by her, though not so much by the boys. ^^;

This one is moving a bit slower, partially because I'm still working out Leon's personality. It's not exactly like the game because of where he is in his own timeline, so... yeah.
Hopefully, shoving him at the trio for totally calm talking time will help me flesh him out.

So yeah! It's been a bit. Though considering world-wide events, I think I've done well dealing with my own personal anxiety. I've seen a lot of very kind comments on my fics, and other authors catching up on their older projects, and it's been really inspiring.
So thank you! Please keep telling me about anything and everything you think about when reading through my fics, they make me so happy. And I believe in you! ٩̋(ˊ•͈ ꇴ •͈ˋ)و Whatever projects you're working on, writing or otherwise, they'll be fantastic because you put in that extra effort during such a weird time.
Anyways, see y'all next chapter!

EDIT: A lovely art piece from Ring (Sanna_Black_Slytherin) showcasing Sypha! Thank you!

Chapter 6: Group Discussion

Summary:

The group sits down for a completely calm talk.

Convincing people Leon was human was not particularly difficult. Not usually. This group was odd, since they seemed so adamant he shouldn't exist, but he knew a way around it. Temporarily taking off his glove, Leon used a silver knife to make a small incision on his hand. The fact the blessed silver did not react at all to his skin nor blood seemed enough to set the trio at ease.

As his blood hit the air, Leon kept a close watch on the vampire. He had made no moves, but Leon was not stupid enough to think the vampire had not noticed his blood--or his test. He kept his guard up.

Neither of the other two would, apparently. So, convincing them of the danger of the vampire would have to wait, at least until he gained their trust. There was another obstacle to focus on.

Convincing people of his goal and his ability to see it through had always been the most difficult part, or so Leon thought. No one wished to know of or believe in a powerful vampire lord in their country, but even those who knew needed convincing said vampire lord could not be ignored.

At least the three before him--hunter, scholar, and vampire soldier--accepted his fighting skills. One less thing to convince them of, if he could convince them of anything.

"Despite the fact he had been moving around, constant travel is more harmful than beneficial to a vampire," Leon explained. "Besides which, he gained quite an amount of power in the way he turned. He is certainly strong enough to overcome any regional vampires and set himself up as a ruler of the area, which gives him time to create a stronghold. This 'Dracula' must be the same vampire I was chasing, especially since you say 'the Belmont family moved here while chasing him.'"

"Well," the hunter-and-supposed-other-Belmont hedged, scratching at his unkempt chin stubble, "it's what I was told, anyway. We were a family of hunters, we followed the work."

Leon, despite being unsure how this man would know such things, or if he was an actual Belmont, said, "Yet I and Trefor were the only ones who travelled here. There were no others."

Trevor--and wasn't that a funny naming coincidence--grimaced. "Right."

"That's another thing you keep saying." The vampire leaned in from his side of the table, eyes flinty. He might've been angry about having to sit and listen to someone he wished to kill, or he may have just been sore about losing the previous fight, but most likely, Leon thought, he was just as cold as the other vampires Leon had hunted. Regardless, Leon stood--or sat--strong under the penetrating gaze. "Why do you keep acting as though you are truly Leon Belmont when it is quite clear he would have been dead by this time?"

"Well why do you keep saying I'm dead?" Leon shot back.

"And why," Trevor lamented, "does no one listen when I say he's from the past?"

Sypha reached out and patted his hand from the other side of the table.

Earlier, they had found a small round one to have their discussion, just large enough for a person on each side. Apparently, they thought Leon needed watching and placed Trevor and Sypha on either side of him, which left Leon and the vampire glaring each other down while the other two played mediators.

"I'm listening," said Sypha. "Unlike everyone else here, it seems. Trevor, what did you say Leon mentioned that made you believe he was from the past?" Trevor hummed.

"First, I guess he mentioned having used some spell meant to preserve the materials here. Which explains the magic explosion." He rubbed a hand over his neck watching the others at the table. "Then he mentioned the exact year Leon moved the family--er, himself, I guess, here. And he knew the name of his travel companion, which was so long ago in our family history, no one outside of the family should know or care about it."

Sypha nodded even as the vampire crossed his arms. "What was his name?" asked the Speaker.

Leon blinked as her eyes turned to him, a little flutter of surprise in his stomach, but he answered. "Trefor. He was my travel companion through most of these lands, all the way from Alsace in the Kingdom of France, though of course that was not his homeland."

"It was Wales," Trevor piped in. "At least, I think so."

"That's... correct."

Trevor shrugged, his movements jerky, as though choosing between several actions all at once. He cleared his throat and added, "He's who I was named after, apparently. So."

"Ah! That explains it," Sypha said. "I had wondered why your name didn't sound Wallachian."

"Fine, so he knows things Leon Belmont would know," the vampire cut in. "What, exactly, makes us so certain that he is the true Leon and not simply a well designed trap to protect the Belmont Hold?"

The vampire leaned back and Sypha stopped her happy wiggles, both looking once again at Trevor. The hunter coughed, eyes flicking over to Leon several times, but then away again each time.

"The last thing... is physical proof." Trevor finally met Leon's eyes. It looked as though he was chewing on the inside of his cheek before speaking again. "Could you pull out your weapons?" When the atmosphere grew tense, Trevor backtracked, waving his hands back and forth as though trying to negate his previous implications. "Just to set on the table. It'll make sense."

"So long as I don't get attacked," Leon mumbled in acquiescence. Eyes mainly on the vampire across from him, Leon reached down for both his sword and his whip. Those were his main weapons and probably the ones Trevor meant. Either that, or Leon would have to remove all his hidden knives, an advantage he wasn't keen on giving up.

Onto the table went his sword and whip; He curled his fingers around Sara protectively, just long enough to reassure himself before letting go.

The others leaned forward for a better view. "Alright Trevor," said the Speaker, "What are we looking for?"

But the vampire's brows furrowed, and he traced the details of both weapons with his eyes. When he brought his head up to look at Trevor, the hunter graced him with a nod.

Leon frowned. What were they meant to see which the vampire had caught on to? A feeling itched in Leon's hands, which suddenly felt bare.

"Here," Trevor said. He removed his own sword and laid it across the table next to Leon's. A gasp sounded, along with a hum, and a small hiss through clenched teeth. The other two must have seen what Leon had: The swords were identical.

From the length and shape, to the adornments of the scabbard, to the hilt and even the decorated pommel, the two swords shared the same blessing of the Belmonts.

It wasn't possible. Leon leaned back, eyes trapped on the vision before him. Leon had the sword custom forged before he left France. It had been both a replacement for what he had given up when he left the crusades, as well as an oath of protection for any who suffered from creatures of the night. There should not be another like it, yet there it sat, a perfect duplicate, down to the crest stamped on the scabbard.

What did it mean?

Could he have really come into the future? Leon was flabbergasted, but starting to think the bizarre suggestion was actually the most likely--the only one which would make sense.

And while the Speaker seemed to be thinking along the same lines, the vampire appeared to need more convincing.

"Are you certain this isn't just one of several similar blades found down here? Or that it didn't simply manifest when the trap was sprung?"

Trevor sighed and reached down to his sides again, digging around in his belt cloth until he came up with a whip. But not the whip of metal links he'd fought with before, no. The whip was leather, oiled and well taken care of, and it sang of magic. It was her.

Leon placed both hands on the table and nearly stood, feeling like he might shake right out of his skin. "Where-?" he choked. His mind was made up now, solid as a tombstone. He had to be in the future. There was no other way for this whip to sing at him with Sara's magic, fainter, but distinct.

Trevor leaned back, arms crossed, but his smirk had no fire behind it--as though he put on a mask for the sake of performance.

"It's blessed, as I'm sure our resident bloodsucker knows."

"I do not drink blood, Belmont." Leon broke out of his trance staring at the whips to stare at the vampire instead, sure his incredulous disbelief was written all over his face.

But Trevor just continued, ignoring the obvious falsehood. "Well, you can't summon, conjure, or manifest items which are already blessed. It'd make the job a lot easier if that were the case. You can touch them if you don't believe me."

The vampire ignored the more genuine smirk sent his way. "That's perfectly alright. Sypha?"

She nodded, hands hovering over both whips. "I don't sense anything strange about either of them, but I never had an inclination towards that sort of magic."

"It's not magic," Trevor sighed.

"And it's not a blessing." Leon sat down as the other three rounded on him. He gathered up his own whip again, hands gently curled and gut heavy as a building stone. "There is a story behind my whip. But it was never a blessing. It is the end result of a great and noble sacrifice."

The vampire scoffed. "Why am I not surprised to learn that a Belmont weapon required a sacrifice. What did you do, kill a girl under the moonlight-?"

Leon stood so quickly he knocked over his chair. Despite the resounding crash of wood hitting stone, Leon roared right over it, "Do not, ever, speak so flippantly of those events again."

The vampire stood as well, fluid and sharp, all at once. Sypha was summoning magic and Trevor was saying something in a 'calm down' tone, but Leon couldn't even spare a thought to them, a fever burning in his heart and his mind drowning out all others as he glared across the table. His face was burning and his voice growled and cracked.

"This whip was made through one of the most difficult decisions of my life. It was a sacrifice I still think about, still mourn, and is one that would never have happened had that vampire not decided to spite God." Leon felt the words tumble from his mouth, emotion sweeping over him like high tide until he was at the mercy of the ebb and flow. "I keep this whip as a remembrance, a promise, to make sure that sort of sacrifice is never needed again. And that is why she continues to power the whip with energies which are the bane of all those who walk the night."

"She?" the vampire muttered. He no longer wore that expression of flippant condescension, but even at his small input, more words burst from Leon.

"You couldn't possibly understand the pain of losing a loved one to your own hands."

Echoes followed his final sentence, everyone at the table ceasing to move, Leon's breathing hard from his impromptu shouting. As it slowed, Leon finally saw the vampire past the haze of anger. He appeared as a statue, brittle and unmoving, face an implacable mask except for the eyes, which refused to lift from the table.

Sypha and Trevor were eyeing the both of them worriedly: Sypha's hand hovering near the vampire as though to reach out, and Trevor with one foot back, looking as though he might either flee the scene or move between Leon and the vampire. In an attempt to calm down--he didn't wish to break the current truce they had--Leon took in a few breaths through his nose, letting them out slower and slower as he allowed his shoulders to relax from where they'd tensed up.

"Perhaps," Sypha's voice cut through the forced silence, "We should take a small break before speaking again. I have several things I need to check on anyway."

Silence rang for a few more moments before the vampire said, short and curt, "Fine."

He left the table, coat swishing dramatically behind him as he melted into the shadows of the cases. Sypha sighed, cast Trevor a glance, and said, "Please keep an eye on your ancestor," before also taking off into the shelves.

Trevor got out minimal protests, mostly just little sounds of surprise, before she too was out of sight. Sighing, Trevor sat down heavily into his chair.

"So," he said, fiddling with his weapons as he placed them back onto his person, "anything you want to do?"

Leon also sighed, sinking down into his own chair. "I feel like I've done enough, for now." Even if he didn't understand why it had the effect it did.

With a wry smile, Trevor said, "Honestly, I'm kinda glad to see the family's golden patriarch still pisses people off."

"Please don't call me that."

"Yeah, yeah."

"...So. Do you think you're really my descendant?"

"Disappointed?"

Leon shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, unable to keep a smile off his face. "I suppose I'm glad the family is still around. I was..." I was afraid. Afraid of what I might bring upon myself, my descendants. That I might not be able to... continue the way I promised. "I was uncertain of what the future might bring."

Trevor hummed, tapping his fingers on his own biceps. "I don't know how long you'll be here, so maybe there are some uh, some things you should know. While you're here."

"I... alright."

"...God I wish I had some alcohol. Get comfortable then."

Notes:

I'm back! Everyone has been saying how excited they are about this fic, and it makes me so so happy to hear, every time. ~(⁰▿⁰)~♪ hehe. So please continue to let me know what you think! It makes my day(s).

Alright, so we finally got everyone to sit down and talk. I think that went well... ^^; Sorry that Alucard is just "the vampire" for now, but Leon is still mad. And wary. He'll get over it. Maybe the little one-on-one time with his 20x great-grandson will help. x3 Or he'll just get more depressed... Damn. Like, the early Belmonts had it so rough in the "shit happened to my family" department.

Alucard... well, he's really thinking about what he's doing now. I always got the impression he was numbing his emotions to "do what needed to be done", which is why he broke down during/after Drac's death.

Funnily enough, most of the time I spent on this chapter's editing was research. Which it should not have been. Why did I spend so much time looking up medieval history when Castlevania is notoriously anachronistic? You tell me.
On an unrelated note: Leon is from Alsace, Walter Bernhard's castle was in the dense forests of Germany, and No One can convince me otherwise.

Anyway, until next time! Stay safe, ilu! ~ヾ ＾∇＾

Chapter 7: The Belmont Backstory

Summary:

Two Belmonts of different generations finally talk.

Notes:

Surely everything will be calm now.

"Before anything else, I think I should apologize." Leon felt the need to bounce his leg to get rid of his odd, restless energy, especially as Trevor just blinked.

"For what?" Trevor finally said.

"For, well, assuming you weren't who you said you were." Leon gave into the need for movement, glad the table hid his nervousness. "It- It was difficult to accept. That I was in a different time, I mean. And for so long now, the Belmont name has been just, just me."

Leon was surprised to see Trevor nod in a grim fashion. "I understand."

"Ah." Leon bit at his lip, feeling the need to duck his head under the serious gaze. "Thank you. But I am sorry for calling you a false Belmont. Even through the stress..." Leon took a deep breath. It wasn't like him to be timid; But so much unexpected happening all at once had him wrong-footed. So he stowed some of his more complex emotions and questions on a metaphorical table, for looking at later, and put on a smile. "There are some things which mean a lot to me. I'll still defend those things, but more than just my own ideals, family is important to me. I know we started off, erm, antagonistic, but I hope we can try again. I would like to know more of you."

Trevor cleared his throat, his sturdy gaze replaced with something wavering. He scratched at his stubble as he muttered, "There's not much to tell."

Leon felt his smile begin to droop. Maybe Trevor didn't wish to speak with him? "I'm sorry if this is too odd for you."

"No, no. I mean, yes it's weird as fuck just--" Trevor sighed deeply. "It's fine. I did say there were some things you should know."

"Yes. Go ahead then," Leon said, softer than before. It only seemed to increase Trevor's fidgeting.

"When you said--" Trevor paused again, groaned, and suddenly started speaking with force, as though pushing through what he had to say. "You said you had been the only Belmont for a while. And I-- Don't, don't expect to run into any more Belmonts while you're here. Other than me."

"...Oh." Trevor hunched over the table, forearms braced on the worn wood; Leon wished to reach over and touch one for comfort, but felt trepidation at the thought of Trevor pulling away. "It is a hard life, hunting the night. I wouldn't expect many would take to it."

Trevor coughed out a sour laugh. "No. No, there were a lot-- A whole family. Siblings and aunts and... Not everyone hunted, and there was a lot of marriage outside the family, but that didn't mean everyone left."

"I don't understand," Leon admitted. "Where did they all go then?"

Trevor tensed, and simply the way he did it made Leon's mind spin into the worst possible scenarios. Wasn't Trevor--and his other two allies--looking to fight Dracula? He wouldn't. Surely he wouldn't. But... couldn't he? Depending on how many years went by, if he became tired of a family of hunters chasing him... Leon couldn't complete the thought.

"About, oh, I don't know, at least ten years ago," Trevor said, slow and deep, dredging the words up as if from a lakebed, "the great church of Wallachia decided black magic was to be eliminated. Their idea of black magic was... broad. And the Belmonts, who fought monsters, were within that category. The Belmont house was, I don't know, too powerful, or influential, or maybe provided too much safety where the church couldn't. I'm not sure. It doesn't matter much."

It mattered. To Leon it did. The church? An institution Leon had fought in the name of for so long? How could they deny the common people the protection which hunters would provide? A small thought wormed its way into his head, whispering that it was the church which had not granted Mathias leave to see his sick wife, which had tried to stop Leon from going to Sara's rescue. But the whispers sounded too much like the desperate ramblings of Mathias, so Leon placed that thought away too.

"What happened?" Leon whispered.

"They came in the night," Trevor whispered back. "A town full, deacons and priests and common people swayed by their words, and they burned the manor down."

Leon sucked in a breath, a lump finding his throat. He was ashamed his first thought was of all the work he was pouring into the construction of the building. But then Trevor spoke again.

"I wasn't the only one who escaped the fire, but I'm the only one here."

Emotion loaded the words; a thick grief Leon could hear, a self-loathing in the shoulders slumping down, and an anger in the shaking of his descendant's hands. Leon couldn't watch anymore.

So he reached out, abandoning his seat, and gathered Trevor into his arms.

Trevor felt frozen; He didn't even breathe. When Leon squeezed just a bit harder, Trevor took in some air and finally wrapped his arms back around Leon. After a few more moments, he lowered his head onto Leon's shoulder. They stayed that way, shaking, for an indeterminable amount of time. Leon couldn't tell whether the shaking was coming from him or his descendant.

His descendant, he'd gone through so much. "I'm so proud," Leon choked out.

Trevor squeezed harder, leaning firmly into Leon.

The entire family was gone? A fire? Something so horrible had happened, and it was not monsters, nor even the one he had sworn his family name to fight, but the very people who Leon had wished to protect. People like Sara, people who were in danger without those trained to help. Leon... had failed. He wondered if those who had helped him settle into the area would allow such a thing; He couldn't imagine it.

"So proud," he said again. Because here was Trevor, without a family, working towards good. "You found allies, and you're still trying to protect the people. I couldn't wish for a more honorable man to call himself a Belmont."

Trevor's breathing hitched; Leon felt some dampness on his shoulder, but didn't mention it--his own vision was getting misty too.

"I'm sorry," Trevor whispered.

"No, no need," Leon said. Some sort of instinct had him bringing his hand up to card through Trevor's messy brown hair.

"I am," Trevor insisted, though he leaned into the hand. "I... I used to blame you for, for so much." Leon stayed silent, then. Trevor rushed out the next words. "It-- I know you didn't do it, it wasn't your fault, but sometimes, when I was wandering around, I thought... 'If only I wasn't a Belmont. If only we hadn't been hunters.' I thought... your decisions doomed us. It was... easier. To blame you. At first."

Leon swallowed. Maybe it had been his fault. He had brought his own responsibilities to his family, and his own curse. He had lost his betrothed to a vampire and a betrayal, and that fate had followed his descendants as well. Leon felt his hands shaking.

"I... understand," he said. He swallowed past the lump which had grown in his throat. "It must have been difficult for you. And for a child to carry so much despair... no, I can't blame you for that. Maybe..."

"I don't. Blame you either, I mean." Trevor raised his head, subtly wiping his face before turning towards Leon. "It was hundreds of years difference. And I..."

He looked away, up in the direction Sypha had gone, then the way the vampire had. A thoughtful look was on his face, brows pushed together.

"I was angry. Scared." Trevor shifted in place then, pulling further back as some pink ran to his ears. "I guess, maybe I thought I would never live up to the name, or something. Like I'd just die in a ditch, never having done anything. Or helped anyone."

Leon pulled Trevor back in, squeezing even harder.

"Even had you never been able to follow in my footsteps, or your grandfather's, or anyone else, I would have been glad to call you family. And the fact that you are trying now, to protect people and fight the fights needed to save them, despite all your hardships, I could not be any more proud. You are brave, with courage to face your fears, your past..." Leon had to wipe at his own eye then, bringing a hand up over Trevor's shoulder.

"Thanks." Trevor's voice was small.

Leon gave him a pat on the back before allowing him to pull away. Both their eyes looked red around the rim, and Leon had to chuckle. "You are a fairly good fighter, as well. I saw you were attempting to avoid harming me earlier, while using your chain whip to trip me up. That takes skill."

Trevor laughed too, rubbing at the back of his head. "No, not at all."

Leon smiled at Trevor's modesty. But something was bothering him. "Where did you learn to fight then?" A few more details from their conversation were popping out as well. "Who took you in?"

Trevor's smile fell. He shifted in his seat, slumping. "No one."

"Wha-?" No one helped a child? "Surely there must have been family friends...?"

"Ah, yeah. Our family is actually excommunicated."

Leon reeled back. "No. They, why?" Leon's voice got louder, unable to believe the cruelty. No God-fearing person would have wished to help excommunicates. Even had people escaped the burning of the Belmont home, they would have been turned out of every place. Trevor must have seen everything click into place in his eyes.

"I managed to find places to be, for a while," Trevor said. "So long as they didn't know I was a Belmont, I had a place to sleep and food to eat. I would do different jobs in return."

"But no one to turn to," Leon stated, horror digging into his spine, pushing it ramrod straight.

"No. No one who knew what I'd looked like."

And no way to be proud of his own name, to remember his family, without bringing great harm to himself. The church had gone and besmirched the Belmonts' good name, and for what? To claim something they wanted? To have more power? To hurt young boys who already had no family left?

Then the weight of what Trevor was doing finally hit Leon. Trevor, the last Belmont, was going to fight Dracula, a powerful vampire with the Crimson Stone and Death itself under his command.

"Trevor." Leon's suddenly serious and commanding voice startled Trevor. "You cannot fight Dracula."

Trevor's face twisted up. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I mean I shall do it."

"What?" Trevor leaned forward, hand clenched on his thighs.

"And taking so few... No we shall gather more people as well." Leon nodded to himself. He couldn't let Trevor go and get killed.

"Oh yeah?" Trevor scoffed. "Who? Who do you think is going to follow you that actually has skill in fighting vampires? In case you've forgotten, I'm excommunicated, and you're supposed to be dead!"

"Then at least don't put yourself in that situation," Leon tried.

"Why? Weren't you just saying how strong I was?" Trevor laughed, though it was not a happy one. He stood up and paced back and forth by the table. "Should have known it would just be l-"

"I meant it," Leon asserted, voice still growing. "But think of what will happen should you perish. Who else would be around to face him or his subordinates in the future? What of the other monsters?"

"So what, you want me to stay behind, think of who to fuck so I can get offspring?" Trevor snorted.

Leon felt his face grow hot at the obscenities and implications. "No, I-"

"Running away from this fight would be the most dishonorable thing I'd ever done, and I've done a lot of shit to survive. This..." Trevor turned away. "It would be unacceptable."

"There's nothing wrong with taking more time to plan, getting more help."

"That's what I did!" Trevor said, spreading his hands to encompass the hold and his allies somewhere in it.

"More than this, more than just three people-"

"What, are they not good enough for you?"

"-Because you will all perish!"

"Then at least I will have died fighting for something worthwhile!" Trevor shouted.

Leon stood up as well, chair clattering behind him. "Unacceptable!"

"This is our mission!" Trevor shouted back, obviously still talking about his other two companions. "You can't just throw yourself in front of anything that comes my way. You're not even supposed to be here!"

Leon took in a sharp breath. Trevor was right. Displaced in time, any interference on Leon's part might well lead to severe consequences. He was supposed to have children, and they have children, until Trevor was born. He couldn't help. He couldn't protect Trevor, or anyone. Clenching his teeth to avoid any outbursts, Leon turned and fled.

Some time outside the hold might do him good, he thought. Any words Trevor might have whispered to himself were lost, unheard over Leon's own heartbeat.

Notes:

And everything is all worked out now, isn't that nice?
Haha, guess it's gonna take a while for Leon to acclimate to a completely new time where even more terrible things have happened to his family while leaving him in a position in which he can do almost nothing. Who knew that could be so upsetting? ^^;; It's gonna take some time for him. Ah well, at least they got in a couple of hugs.

Hopefully all the emotions make sense too. Please let me know what you think of it all! (o・・o)/ I wouldn't say the new year has been easy, exactly, but I'm doing my best.

Next time, we've got some Leon angsting (surprise surprise) so hold tight!

Chapter 8: Sad Realizations

Summary:

The Belmont home is in ruins.

Notes:

Angst ahead!

Darkness covered the stairs, shadows stretching up from the ground and down from the abyss leading up to the surface, clinging to the walls and railings like vines strangling a tree tight. The stairs looked far more finished, covered in nice red carpeting, though slightly worn from foot traffic, and on top of that, layered in years of dust. All the decor had the Belmont Crest; Leon's heart ached upon seeing it.

He'd had a family, and then lost them before he ever knew. Leon never had a chance to see them. And the one person he did, he had made angry.

Shaking his head, Leon paced up the stairs, grabbing a nearby torch to create a bubble of light. He would clear his head, digest what he'd heard. Trefor always told Leon he was just lucky when rushing in, that he needed plans, and to not just run on feelings. But extensive planning always made him think of... Mathias.

Leon sighed, running a hand over his frown. When he looked up from his own feet, he startled back.

It was himself.

But no, it was only a portrait. Leon moved closer, squinting. Where was the painting from? Had he commissioned it? No--as he got a closer look, he realized his portrait was wearing decorative armor from when he was a knight. He didn't have that anymore, since he'd quit the company--since he'd given up his title. A noble, one of a higher status, would have his portrait.

How it had gotten into the secret Belmont Hold, Leon didn't know. Perhaps some of his descendants had tracked it down, or perhaps they had received it in payment for a deed. It looked well cared for, despite some of the dust he could see on the frame.

His family had thought well of him then. Probably as the patriarch of their hunting legacy. Leon cringed, turning away.

He almost fled up the rest of the stairs.

When he reached the top, the door was in place, so he pulled on some of his magic, whispered the words, and left through the opening once the door vanished. Before him was the house, or what was left of it.

Leon almost stopped right where he was, feet still on the stairs. He could go back down, not look at any of it. But he thought of Trevor's angry expression, everything he had gone through, and Leon knew he had to see it through. Trevor understood more about the current issues the family was facing; Leon would need to better comprehend if he wanted to convince Trevor to care for himself, to live.

The house was nothing but a skeleton. Even the parts which looked like they had been added on after Leon's time were crumbled, burned--nothing but rubble strewn about. Some of the arches or walls which hadn't completely come down were barely taller than Leon.

A moon, nearly at its fullness, shone cold light down on the scene. Leon wandered through the rooms, each empty space opening the hole in his chest a little wider.

Sometimes Leon stopped to breathe, finding it harder and harder to continue. He tripped over pieces of rock, his vision wavering. A weak wall cracked under the pressure of his palm, falling apart; His heart followed suit. Soon, he was barely looking at what part of the house he was in. He tread on dirt sometimes, on stone others, but the sounds were muffled in his ears. He moved through doorways and ghosted across broken steps, nothing but a memory to this place, which itself carried nothing but memories. Even plants seemed reluctant to encroach.

Fires were dangerous, capable of killing many before the alarm even went up. The smoke could kill before the flames did, the heat making doors impossible to touch without grievous injury. He imagined a family: parents, aunts and uncles, siblings, cousins, old weathered folks, and seasoned hunters, and young trainees and even younger little children...

The murderers would have come in the night, Leon thought, to get them all--lighting the fires before anyone had a chance to know. So many would have died before the fire was discovered. They would have rushed to protect the weakest first, as knights or hunters did.

He stopped at a particular room, noting the small, cracked window frame, the way a few similar rooms and what had probably been the kitchen surrounded it. A bedroom, then--likely for the servants who kept the house running. All of the stone was stained, either from harsh fire or long exposure to the outdoors. A mangled metal disc, like a candle holder, was buried under bits of rubble. No longer would anyone walk these ruins, parting the darkness with soft candlelight.

Leon thought he was done with wars. He allowed his head to drop into his hands.

Though many believed so upon first meeting, Leon was not a fool. He was not ignorant of the state of the world, nor the fact that wars and fighting would be going on for many generations to come. But he had stopped participating in the wars the rich and powerful fought; He had devoted himself to the idea of protection for the most helpless of people.

Leon had wanted to protect his family and to use his skills for those who needed his help. Monsters were supernaturally powerful, and most could not stand up to them. Now, he learned his family had burned at the hands of people--the same people the Belmonts of this era had spent decades protecting. Leon had thought he was done with wars.

Leon was not stupid; But he had hoped.

His entire family had been victims, because... because people were scared, manipulated by those in power. So few stood up, and even fewer of them had the means to do so. It did not make what happened forgivable.

Stumbling to the window, Leon leaned on the weak stone and dug his hands into his hair. His cheeks grew wet.

Losing something he never had was somehow just as bad as losing what he had known.

He'd had a family. In a broken, burned, hollowed out home, Leon stood and silently wept. He could not fathom how deeply Trevor himself had scarred from the incident, the night of betrayal and murder. It had to be even worse than the feeling accosting Leon--like he was being torn apart, his insides falling to the ground.

Betrayal. Yes, Trevor had experienced that too. Not from a close friend, but people his family had implicitly trusted all the same.

Leon pushed himself upright and wobbled away, barely able to make out the blurry surroundings, but making his way back to the hold all the same. His descendant, how could Leon have not seen the hurt? Heard it? Had it been in his expression, in his voice, in the way he moved, yet Leon hadn't seen the depth of it?

A deep, dark hole gaped open in the ground. The hold. Leon realized he had dropped his torch somewhere. It didn't matter anyway, he thought, knees giving out.

There, in the remains of the Belmont home, a place he had built up, a place a family had lived for years and years, Leon cried.

He cried out for the people he would never meet, and the people who had lost their lives there. He cried for the future he had set them towards. He cried for the fact he could never tell them just how proud he was of their commitment; How much he cared for each and every one of them.

Tears fell to the ground, small drops which turned to mud.

The Belmonts had loved each other, Leon knew it. Surely hunters could not survive without support, care, and a loving family to watch their back.

Leon held his arms tight around his waist, bent over, and screamed.

They had never defeated Dracula, and in that moment, Leon did not care. He only wished he had been able to save them from the very people they had fought for.

Yet it seemed his destiny was only to lose those he loved.

Notes:

Wow, I got this up pretty fast! But oooh, poor Leon. D': He had to know though. It's one thing to hear, and another to see. Unfortunately, he knows exactly what it's like to lose family.

Next time, I promise there will be less angst! He will talk and not just wander about alone. But he's got a lot of feelings rn, so I wanted to give him an opportunity to feel them and start going through them. Sometimes, you just gotta cry about things alone for a little while. At least for me, it's refreshing afterwards. Clears the mind.

Thank you for your comments last chapter! (⌯⌅⌄⌅) I will answer them eventually, because you are all being so sweet. And please let me know what you think of this one too! It means a lot to me.

Chapter 9: Third Meeting

Summary:

Leon has a proper conversation with the vampire.

Notes:

Enjoy the slightly longer chapter!

It might have been a few minutes, it might have been hours, but eventually, the sky was not lit by the moon. Only the stars rolled overhead, and the sky changed from the darkest black to a rich, noble blue. Leon had barely moved, sniffling occasionally, not even able to feel the wind chilling his wet face.

The presence nearby didn't even register until right next to Leon.

"Are you planning to stay out here all night? Though I suppose it's almost over now."

Exhaustion had swept so fully over Leon he didn't even startle at the intrusion, only looked up from where he sat and found the vampire standing there. He was eerie in the starlight, like a specter; Leon supposed he didn't look much better himself.

He wanted to ask what the vampire was doing up there, but lacked the words or motivation. His throat was raw, and his limbs heavy--he managed to raise an eyebrow which he hoped conveyed his feelings.

It must have, because the vampire shifted the foot he was leaning on and said, "Bel- Trevor was too scared to face you." Leon suspected that wasn't entirely true. Right? "But he must have been worried you'd gone off to fight Dracula yourself, or bury yourself in the family crypt."

"Crypt?" Leon croaked.

"You don't have one?" The vampire leaned against a pile of stone and looked overly fascinated with his own gloves. He wasn't being serious, or at least he was trying to needle Leon, but Leon was too tired for it all.

"I don't know," he said, voice rough. "This isn't the home I remember."

Something about his words made the vampire uncomfortable, because he immediately looked away.

"Well. Then I suppose you're alright out here on your own."

Leon didn't nod. The vampire didn't move.

Even though Trevor hadn't come up to see Leon, he had sent one of his... allies. Someone Trevor trusted. It may have been Trevor simply didn't know what to say. Leon understood the feeling. His crying had drained a lot of his initial feelings, but he felt hollow in its place. Words had deserted him, and there was nothing much he could do about it. Nothing but wait. And perhaps apologize.

Leon was a stranger to the time, an intruder, and had someone tried to control his life in such a way, he wouldn't have taken kindly to it either. Yes, he should apologize to Trevor. Get to understand his plans. ...His allies too.

The vampire was still sitting nearby, watching the stars and forest--unmoving; It sent Leon's instincts prickling. But there was the smallest rise and fall of breath, a hint of life on the unnatural stillness of the man, and that, more than anything, helped Leon speak.

"What is your name?" he asked.

The vampire turned towards him, just enough to look out of the corner of his eye.

"I heard it, but things were... hectic. I apologize for not remembering."

The vampire watched for a few more seconds, the hand he had on the stone picking off small bits of rubble--an oddly human gesture. "The Wallachians call me Alucard," he finally answered.

"Alucard," Leon confirmed. Alucard nodded. "Alright then. Alucard, why are you here?"

"I thought I explained that," he said in a haughty tone. "Trevor-"

"Not here, in the courtyard," Leon interrupted. His brows came down in annoyance. "I mean, why are you here, at the Belmont Hold?"

Leon bit back any other leading questions he wanted to ask, certain they would lead to less answers and more fighting. Staying silent allowed others to speak. Sure enough, Alucard turned towards him fully, settling in.

"I presume you aren't speaking philosophically either. But I think we have made it quite clear that myself, Trevor, and Sypha are going to defeat Dracula."

"I was aware of that," Leon affirmed. "But, why? Why would you want to?"

"Because. It is my duty." Alucard closed his eyes for a moment, looking melancholy. The familiarity of it had Leon's arms tingling, wondering where he had seen it before. So caught up was he in the expression that he jerked when Alucard started speaking again. "Besides, you don't want the humans to die either, do you?"

Alucard's eyes pierced him, the gold of a hunting hawk, or owl. Of course Leon didn't wish people to die; What a foolish--or needling--question. The answer was so obvious Leon only made a face right back at Alucard before responding to the real question.

"What do you mean about humans dying? Surely he's been doing that already? Has he picked up his frequency?"

"Oh?" Alucard raised one brow, looking somehow condescending even in his surprise. "Didn't we mention our reasoning for doing so? Dracula has unleashed his army upon the land of Wallachia, intent upon wiping the humans from it. He will likely then move on to the rest of the world around it, if not stopped."

As Alucard spoke, Leon's eyes grew wider and wider, his breath caught, and suddenly he was on his feet.

"That's-!" He couldn't find a good descriptor for the way his heart wrenched in his chest, his blood chilled in his veins, and heat hammered against his voice.

Alucard nodded though, his face unexpectedly solemn.

"Then... you wish to see him gone, so that humans will still exist for you to feed on?" Leon couldn't think of any other explanation. "To take his place as the ruler of the night, perhaps? If he has an army, deposing him would grant you more power."

Alucard sneered. "Truly thought out. But I have said I do not need blood."

Leon's heart was still racing, but he managed to put on a frown of his own and speak somewhat calmly. "And that's impossible. I'm not inexperienced with vampires, Alucard, and all vampires need blood. Do not lie to me."

He kept his clenched fists at his side, and noticed Alucard doing the same to his sword sheath.

They stared each other down, moments sliding by like the wind in the trees. Alucard tsked.

"I thought you might have caught on." Leon changed stances as Alucard stood up straight from the rocks, planting his feet on the ground. Leon noticed he had his torso turned away, just enough to help if he was attacked. "I do not lie. I do not need blood because I am a dhampir."

He said it with such obvious emphasis, he clearly meant it to be a revelation and explanation. It was neither. Leon cocked his head.

"A what?"

Alucard practically rolled his eyes. "Not inexperienced?" he said in a mocking tone, which Leon felt unfair. "My mother was human." Leon blinked and dropped his hands down in surprise. "I'm half human, I eat human food."

After a quick inspection of his expression, Alucard appeared serious and truthful. Leon couldn't wrap his mind around it, had never come across any proof of the possibility--vampires were dead after all. Still, he had wanted to learn more of Trevor's allies, so perhaps this was a chance.

"I have never run across a- a dhampir." Leon scratched at his chin. "What else does that mean for you?"

"Do you want a biology lesson?" Alucard asked, voice flat. "I don't have time for that."

Leon waved away the sarcastic offer, but huffed regardless at being treated as an annoyance.

"I mean, can you touch silver?"

"You... want to know if I have any weaknesses," Alucard said, voice somehow even flatter and more unimpressed.

"No- I apologize if that's how it came across." Leon scratched at his scalp, trying to pick his words more carefully. "And for if I offend you further. But I have not thought union between a vampire and human, if it were survived, that a child could even come from it. And of course, we've only just met. I hope you can understand my skepticism."

Alucard narrowed his eyes, but appeared to be thinking more than glaring. "You want a test?"

"A test?" He supposed it would alleviate some of his concerns.

Alucard looked around, stopping at the lightening horizon. "The sun will rise soon. I shall stay out here until then, to prove I am what I say. Will that satisfy you?"

"Yes." Leon felt a nervous flutter in his stomach, the faces of Trevor and Sypha rearing up in his mind. "Are you quite certain?"

Alucard did roll his eyes this time. "Yes. It is hardly something which will affect me. No more than you, at least."

So Leon took his word for it, incredulous as he was about the whole idea. Besides, if he did want to become ruler in Dracula's place, this would easily solve the problem. Leon's stomach lurched at the image of this- of Alucard's ashes floating away, so he stopped thinking of it.

Shaking his head side to side, Leon asked, "But then, you never answered if you wished to take Dracula's place as ruler. A... dhampir, could still benefit in this way."

Alucard shook his own head, sending his longer blonde waves over his shoulder. "It is not something I aspire to."

"No?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"No point in it," Alucard sighed. "Even it was something I wanted, Dracula's generals would never listen to me. Even if, and especially if, I killed him."

Dracula's generals? A bigger army than Leon thought--even if Leon had known of his "all in" tactics--but he put it aside for now.

"They would not respect your power?"

"...No. I would be fighting alongside vampire hunters, or one and a human magician. I have tried to fight Dracula before on my own, and lost."

Leon's eyes were drawn by the aborted motion Alucard made towards his own chest. For the first time, Leon took note of a small strip of exposed skin there, as well as something Leon himself was intimately familiar with seeing: a scar. It looked raised, puckered in a way quick regeneration should have smoothed over; It looked human. Did being a dhampir mean no quick healing? But then- "You are lucky to be alive, then."

"Yes." Alucard lowered his head. "Lucky."

So he would not be received by the vampires, nor, as Leon himself had demonstrated, by humans. Leon felt a small tinge of empathy. There was no one this man could turn to, no one who would assist him or bring him into their community. Being reviled by both sides of himself had to be difficult. Had even his parents not cared for him? Leon didn't wish to bring it up. Moving his hands around uneasily, one bumped into his whip. He grasped it to soothe himself. Upon noticing Alucard watching him, Leon spoke.

"I lost my betrothed," he said, hushed.

Alucard stiffened, his head moving slowly back to get a proper look at Leon.

"That night... My betrothed had been kidnapped by a powerful vampire. She had been in his abode for some time already once I finally arrived. Once I reached her... She was turning." Leon turned his face away to wipe at his eyes. "She hated the very idea of it. Didn't wish to be beholden to him in any way. She was afraid the vampire might force her to fight me, to kill me, as he had done to so many others."

The world was quiet, the sky turning to a fine purple-blue, like iris flowers fading to periwinkles. Leon breathed in deeply through his nose. His lungs filled with the scent of cold stone.

"She knew I could not defeat the vampire with the weapon I had. She sacrificed herself to give me a chance. To give others a chance."

Quietly, just on the edge of Leon's hearing, Alucard whispered, "I see."

Leon huffed a sad laugh. "It is the reason I fight. That I hunt. So no others are like her."

"...Then, this vampire, was Dracula?"

"No. No, a different one," Leon said, trying to smile though it felt wrong on his face.

"Not Dracula? I thought you chased him down to arrive here."

"I... well I was chasing-" This was it. He had to say it aloud, see what reaction it garnered. Alucard knew of Dracula and his vampire army. "Mathias, was his name."

Alucard hummed. "I don't recognize the name."

"I suspect he changed it at some point. There was no one more powerful, nor so well versed a tactician."

Alucard tensed up. "That... does sound like Dracula."

Leon nodded. "It is my best guess. Only a guess. But as you said, I could not leave people to die, regardless."

"Yes. I'm seeing that." Alucard offered the most tentative smile, and Leon returned it. "But if he was not the one who... tried to turn your lover-" Leon felt his ears heat up. "Why were you chasing him?"

"He was involved." Leon's tone was clipped. "The reason the other vampire--Walter--stole my betrothed away."

Nodding, Alucard said, "I did not realize he had such a long history with the Belmonts."

"It is rather complex."

"I think every interaction I've had with the two of you could be called that."

Leon huffed with a grin and watched the sky. A brighter pink had begun to push at the horizon.

"Actually, I'm rather touched." Leon made a questioning sound. "I think I may be one of the only vampiric beings who Belmonts attempted to kill upon first meeting, but became- ... allies with."

Leon laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Perhaps so. Even one vampire I did not set out to kill told me to silence myself. It... didn't end well."

Amazingly enough, Alucard laughed. "And it seems all Belmonts tend to be mouthy. Do they get that from you, I wonder?"

Leon laughed too.

As they did, Leon noticed they had gravitated closer, like comrades. And they could be, he realized; Alucard was trying, joking and answering questions and attempting to put Leon at ease with his presence. Leon thought if they were to be allies a proper introduction was in order. As the sun crested the hills, throwing the first rays across the sky, Leon stuck out a hand for greeting.

"Allow me to start over," he said. "I am Leon Belmont, hunter and protector."

Alucard looked down, softened, and gripped it back.

"I am known to the Wallachians as Alucard." A slightly mischievous smile curled his lips. "But my name is Adrian Țepeș. Son of Vlad Dracula Țepeș."

Leon swore the world stopped then, or at least his heart. But the sun kept rising and the rays hit the son of Dracula and he kept standing there. In the bright morning light, so intimate to Leon, Alucard's face became familiar. It was Mathias's. There were differences, small shapes here and there which weren't the same, but he was there--in the eyes, the cheeks, the way Alucard's grin tilted... Leon couldn't believe he'd missed it before. Ignored it in his anger, most likely.

Mathias had a son. Mathias had a half-human son.

Mathias was trying to kill humanity. Alucard was preparing to kill his own father.

In its inescapable cage, Leon's heart twisted yet again.

Notes:

EDIT: We have lovely art of Alucard from Sanna-Slytherin!

Oh ho ho ho ho, it's getting juicy now. >:3c Finally, finally got around to Leon figuring out who Dracula and Alucard are to him. Leon is... having too many crises. haha. ^^; Poor Leon. At least he won't be running about trying to stab Alucard anymore though.

Also, irises and periwinkles? Yeah, mentioned them for a reason. Blue irises are symbolic of hope and faith. Periwinkles can symbolize a beautifully blossoming friendship. ヽ(๑╹◇◠๑)ﾉ hehehe.
Also, a little headcanon of mine that probably won't be a part of the actual plot here:
Maybe Alucard doesn't need blood and is the only dhampir to survive so long because Dracula was not a naturally made vampire. He gained the curse of vampires from the crimson stone. This gives his progeny, Alucard, more of a fighting chance. Perhaps even makes him a bit more human. (•᷉ुε ू•᷈,) hmmm.

What do y'all think of the chapter? Please tell me! I have been excited for this scene for some time. (ง •ૅ౪•᷄)ว I would love to hear any comments on it!
Until next time, stay safe everyone. ♡ ﾟ+..:｡+ﾟ

Chapter 10: End of the First Day

Summary:

Leon needs sleep.

Notes:

A quick(ish) update for you! ;3

Alucard allowed Leon to get his bearings, mind still reeling over the sudden news. Mathias was on a rampage, yet again, though this time his goal included killing many, many people. And Alucard (Adrian?), the vam- dhampir before him was Mathias's son. But if he lived so long, surely that meant his parents, at least his mother, cared for him? Would she not stop Mathias? Or... was she not human anymore? When Leon let go of their handshake, he had to leave his hands on his hips to keep from pacing.

"But, wait," he said aloud. "Your human mother?"

"Ah. Mother." Alucard appeared uncomfortable. "I'm afraid it's rather like the story Trevor told you before. And mother was the only one keeping him from a bloody rage, it seems."

"Dead?" Leon asked faintly.

Alucard nodded. Fuck.

Another wife taken, another raging tantrum from Mat- Dracula, taking innocent people with it. Only, this time it was many, many more casualties. Leon had to help.

"What is the plan?" he asked.

If Alucard was surprised by the change in topic, he didn't show it.

"You need to sleep first. Once you look less like a night creature and more like the human you claim to be, we can discuss options."

Leon snorted, but Alucard's tone was soft enough, likely with hidden concern, so Leon folded.

"Alright. Lead the way."

They walked back down the stairs to the hold, sinking below the sun as the cool shadows enveloped them once again. Leon glanced up once more, taking in the crumbling remains of the Belmont home, bathed in the golden-pink brush of dawn, before moving further down and allowing the entrance stone magic to reactivate.

"That is rather clever," Alucard mentioned without looking back. "Though I have to admit I am rather surprised you use dark magic."

"Dark?" Speaking of dark, it was almost impossible to see in front of him without Leon's torch. Only some lighting from lower down trickled up the stairs.

"Yes. Similar to what some night creatures might be familiar with, or witches and dark magicians."

"You mean alchemy?"

Alucard turned his head, giving Leon a squinted look that Leon didn't think had anything to do with the lack of light. Even so, Leon raised the hand with his enchanted glove and pushed some simple energy into it, giving it a faint yellow glow--he didn't shape it, just allowed it to brighten the space.

"That isn't alchemy," Alucard pointed out.

"No. But the glove was enchanted in that way. And I can utilize it by either gathering natural magics in it, or pushing my... my own will into it, I suppose."

Alucard hummed and kept walking. Leon kept pace easier with his ability to see the stairs.

"That sounds like how Sypha uses her magic."

"Does it? That's a bit how the Speakers described it when they visited the area. Helpful people. Good story tellers. A little uh..." Leon coughed nervously. "Free with their bodies."

"Free?" Alucard asked, tone full of mirth.

But Leon was too embarrassed to describe it much more. He had been raised with the standard of covering one's body except to the one you would share intimacy with. Or unless bathing with battle comrades and old friends who shared your gender. Of course, Leon knew how that could end up, regardless of what the church had said on the matter.

He wiped a hand down his face, embarrassed and overwhelmed. His emotions flung themselves back and forth, from joy to sorrow with no pause, and it was tiring. Actually, it may have been because he was so tired that he had such little control over himself and his own thoughts and emotions. Luckily, Alucard changed their discussion.

"I'm sure Sypha would love to speak with you on the subject," he said. "She seemed rather fascinated by everything within the hold, all the knowledge and languages. I'm certain she would love to speak with you on many topics."

"That sounds fine," Leon said. "If I can be of help, I would like to."

Alucard nodded.

They reached the bottom of the stairs then, and Leon let his light fade out as they opened the door to the hold.

It had been an exhausting night, and Leon felt ready to fall right into bed. Though... this wasn't a home, just a place for storing knowledge and artifacts. But surely there had to be enough supplies to allow for sleep, right?

"I hate to ask," Leon said, "but do you happen to have an extra bedroll I might borrow for the- well, not night, but for the time I sleep?"

"I do not think we actually have much in the way of bedrolls," Alucard said. He placed a finger to his chin. "We left without many supplies. Slept in the wagon. I haven't found anything worth sleeping on down here. But I haven't been looking," he admitted.

Leon nodded, exhaustion creeping into his bones. "If you could help me search, I would be grateful. I have slept on enough hard surfaces to know I will be far less help when I wake up from it."

Alucard nodded. "Fine. I don't sleep much anyway."

Leon raised his eyebrows, looking pointedly at the skin starting to deepen around the dhampir's eyes, but said nothing. They ended up at the lectern, flipping through to see if there was anything which could be used that wouldn't classify as dangerous or priceless.

"I don't think something which makes me even more tired is what I'm looking for," Leon mumbled, yawning. "This is the worst organization."

Alucard laughed. "It is your family's system." Leon grumbled.

Trevor walked from around a corner and saw them there, freezing like a caught deer. "Oh," he said. And that was all.

Leon blinked blearily. Usually, he was sleeping around this time, whether because he had finished with a nighttime hunt or because he'd finally gotten some solid nighttime-to-late-morning sleep. Trefor knew better than to try and wake him during the sun's first light; Even though Leon had been a morning person before, it had been ripped from him with his new career. His mind was slow, like dripping sap in winter, and Leon couldn't seem to form proper ideas before they came tumbling out of his mouth.

"Trevor," he said, a good start. "I need some blankets."

"Um? Okay." Trevor looked over to Alucard as if asking for an explanation.

"It appears your ancestor is in desperate need of some sleep."

"Oh. Right. Well I did find a blanket-"

"Yes!" Leon's cheer was quiet, like a stage whisper. He slammed the book on the lectern closed--or tried to; he did flip a good number of pages over. "Where?"

"Like where is it now, or-?"

Leon stumbled over to Trevor, his knees finally giving out as he let out a bone-cracking yawn. "Oh," he cursed around it, "Sweet Mary Magdalene."

Trevor had his arms around Leon then, one of Leon's over his shoulders, and a nervous sounding laugh came out of him. "Right. Let's, let's get that blanket."

Leon hummed his assent.

"Coming fangs?"

"Course he is," Leon said with a frown, the same time Alucard replied, "No, Bel- Trevor."

Leon turned his squinting-faced frown back at Alucard as the dhampir said, "I will be studying more. There are some sections I haven't looked through which may be helpful, and we are low on time."

For a few moments there was silence, and Leon looked at Trevor too, finding his eyes looking back at him, some sort of decision being made. Trevor shifted, and Leon thought he was going to walk away.

"A good hunter knows to rest between hunts," he said instead.

"Fortunate then," Alucard said quietly, "that I am not a hunter. Good rest to you both."

He strode off then. Leon frowned harder, but let up when Trevor patted the hand slung over his shoulders. "He'll be fine."

"He's tired," Leon pointed out.

"We all are. I'll throw Sypha at him later."

Leon grinned. If anyone could bully someone into taking care of themselves, it was probably her. So Leon allowed Trevor to lead him through the shelves, up one set of stairs to a little nook with a lantern. There was a blanket--crumpled on the floor and more than a bit dusty.

It looked like heaven to Leon. He sank down to the floor with Trevor's help, then took off his coat and bundled it under his head. The wood wasn't comfortable, but wrapping the blanket around himself helped. Leon sneezed at the dust as Trevor patted him, motions awkward.

Leon closed his eyes and let himself sink into sleep.

He'd arrived in the future, his descendant by his side. Leon was terrified, but he trusted that they could all sit down and tackle it once he'd woken up. And so, with his fears laid aside for a moment, Leon settled into the blanket--old but still warm--and slept.

Notes:

And that's the end of a day! Can't believe everything I wrote in this fic so far has taken place over like, an evening and a night. ^^;

But hey, Leon needs some sleep to process. It's been a long and confusing and exhausting night.

The others will use that time as well, and we'll get some more heart-to-hearts and strategizing in the next few chapters. :D (Hopefully, haha) Keeping everything going plot-wise is... getting more complicated. At least in my mind.

Also, please let me know if I've written anything odd! I am now having to keep a chart of "Which character knows what" so that they react appropriately.
I recently found that I wrote Leon dropping his whip in one fight scene only to use it a few paragraphs later, so that was fun. (#｀ε´# )ゞ

Other than that, I would love to hear more of your thoughts and theories! They make me incredibly happy, and let me know if I'm writing things out well. ʚ♡⃛ɞ(ू•ᴗ•ू❁) And of course thank you for all your lovely comments up to this point! It makes opening my email exciting hehehe.

Chapter 11: Belmont Alliance

Summary:

With new perspective, Leon helps Sypha and talks to Trevor.

Notes:

Another longer chapter. :D

Several creaks and cracks from his back woke Leon up. He groaned upon realizing he had taken a rather long nap on a hard wooden floor, nothing but an old blanket between him and it. Next time--because he was certain he didn't know how to travel back through time yet--he was going to search for several emergency bedrolls, or pillows, or even just more blankets.

Surely his family would not leave the hold barren of anything comfortable to sit or lay on. It may have been just below the house, but he knew researching could take time. The Belmont Hold was also an extra safe space, and he'd be damned before he let it go without emergency supplies. Like pillows.

Aches aside though, Leon felt refreshed, mentally and emotionally. He'd had a good, long cry, gone through several stunning revelations, and been able to sleep on it all.

Leon couldn't remember his dreams, but they had felt odd, surreal. Even so, they must have been helping him sort everything out, because he felt ready to face the new day and new knowledge. Breathing deeply, Leon took all his new information--Mathias, Dracula, Alucard, Trevor, miles and miles of emotion--and simply accepted everything as it was. Trevor, Sypha, and even Alucard would help him; He could do this.

After several more stretches and popped joints, Leon got up and began looking around.

It seemed he had slept in a section devoted to magic on locations, or movement? He thought he might be on the second floor from the bottom, so he wove between shelves and displays until he reached the center area.

No one was immediately in sight, but the Belmont Hold was also far bigger than Leon had initially built it, with many materials shelved and preserved, towering over the narrow spaces between them.

So, with no indication as to where he should go, he began to wander around. It was fascinating--and a little frightening he could admit--to see all the new things lined up. Not just the books, but skulls or scales from defeated enemies, objects which used to be or were still haunted, dried up potions which had various sinister effects, and even different magical materials used in alchemy.

Leon studied those, wondering how long the knowledge had been passed down in his line. The Belmont family didn't appear to be as intuitively great at it as the Cronqvists had been, but they also had their own duties to perform as hunters, which had likely taken time away from the study.

Even so, Leon hoped it had helped his family in their trials.

So absorbed was he in looking through the objects he passed--like an ancient sacrificial knife, good thing they had stopped whoever was using it--that he didn't notice Sypha until she rounded a corner and called out to him.

"Leon, you're awake." She smiled, appearing glad to see him, so Leon smiled back.

"Miss Sypha," he greeted. "I am."

"Oh, please don't. Just Sypha."

"Ah, yes, that's right. My apologies." The other Speakers had said much the same, but his noble-taught manners were difficult to reign in sometimes.

"Don't worry about it. Are you feeling better now?" She reached out a hand to place on his forearm, brows furrowed in concern. Leon couldn't help but smile wider at her care.

"Yes. Very much, thank you. Ah... Alucard mentioned I may be able to answer some of your questions?"

Sypha's eyes lit up, her whole body bouncing as she turned on heel and headed into one of the rows of bookshelves.

"Yes, yes of course! I would love that, thank you. Actually, I know quite some time has passed since you have technically been in this hold, but if you could tell me more about the system here? I have been looking through what sorts of spells might have contributed to your being here, since Trevor mentioned a little about what he heard from you, but having your input would be very helpful. Ah! Here, if you could look at this spell here..."

They spent some time pouring over the various spells written in the books Sypha had picked out. While some were wildly off track, she had gotten very close to what Leon had been working on with the little bit of information she'd had. Leon was impressed.

He corrected a few of her assumptions, then laid out what he had been doing right before he had arrived in the current time.

Sypha seemed to find his spell intriguing and immediately pulled down several other texts with similar language.

"This is all Welsh? It seems different, older, but not quite Brittonic?" she wondered aloud. Once she had her books, she came back to the area Leon was sitting in and settled in beside him.

"Mostly. Trefor was familiar with the older roots of the language, and he was the one who found the spell initially," Leon affirmed.

"Trefor? Oh! Your traveling companion. Yes, he was from Wales, far to the north, wasn't he?"

"That's right. Meeting him was a bit of chance, but I'm glad I did." Leon felt the smile on his face, and allowed himself the warmth in his chest as he thought of his friend, before turning back to the topic of magic. "Up until that point, when I... well, somehow traveled through time, we had tried only small, simple versions of the spell. And they worked well enough. I'm still not certain what went wrong, exactly. Perhaps I did not have enough will? Or focus?"

"Do you use will to power your spells normally?" she asked.

"Not quite the way Speakers do, but yes. It's a mix of things, since I did not have magical prowess as a child. I came to discover it after a... a good friend gifted me some tools he made through alchemy. They allowed me to feel and use magic I was not otherwise able to." He held out his glove for inspection.

"May I?" Sypha asked. Leon nodded, fascinated by the way she so easily summoned flame to test the glove. Though it did not burn, Leon's hand was getting hot, so he asked her to stop. "Amazing. It doesn't quite stop the magic, but the glove draws in some of its power."

"Yes. And because of that, I learned the feel of it--and how to channel that magic in different ways."

"I see. So you are used to moving magic which is already present." Sypha was flipping through a couple books at once, plopping one with faded blue binding on his lap. "In that case, let's assume your will was sufficient, for now. You did travel to this time in one piece, after all."

She gave him an impish grin, which Leon returned with a grimace and nervous chuckle. He didn't want to think about what could have happened to him otherwise.

"But still, if the magic which was present sent you through time, rather than stopping it on the objects you were focused on... what could it have been?"

"A good question. And why to this time?" Leon was looking down at the diagram on the delicate pages. It showed the ingredients he remembered placing out and the same symbols he drew. "Was there really something which could have drawn in any similar magic?"

"Drawn in..." Sypha muttered. She had a fierce, concentrating expression on her face now, lips pushed out as she ran a finger across certain pages. "Perhaps. I don't think any of us activated objects which could have done it."

Leon stretched. "I may ask the others anyway, just to be certain. I can also look through the lectern."

"Go on then," Sypha said, shooing him with one hand. "Stretch your legs."

Leon chuckled. She'd seen right through him. "I'll be back later."

So Leon left, simply wandering about to give his body a chance to be in different positions. He would stop occasionally near different displays, stretching out his arms, or legs, or back while looking through them. Relaxation came easier to Leon as he felt the tension seeping from his muscles with each stretch; He made sure to do as many as possible. Research had become a different thing once he'd become a hunter--he knew the value of breaks.

And speaking of breaks, Leon thought as his stomach rumbled, I don't think I've eaten a single thing since I arrived.

So now, of course, he was ravenously hungry. It had been the better part of a night, morning, and afternoon since his last meal. He wasn't sure where to go to get food, but he thought he could just ask Sypha where they stashed any of their supplies. He could also offer to go gathering or hunting meat for them later. He hoped there were still some of those good berry bushes around.

As he pondered what changes the landscape might have gone through over such a long time, he found Trevor.

The man was riffling through a display, sorting out the different weapons he found there. While he wasn't initially concerned by another presence--though the way he tilted his head let Leon know he'd been heard--when Trevor finally turned to see who had shown up, his hands fumbled and he nearly dropped a specialized throwing axe.

"Oh! Yes, hi. That's right, you woke up." Trevor put his hand to the back of his neck, rubbing back and forth.

"I did," Leon said, torn between comforting and laughing. He settled for a smile, though didn't know which emotion it displayed. "Actually, I was just wondering about getting some food. It's been a while since I've had a meal."

Trevor set the weapons back in their display, wiping his palms on his pants. "Food, right. Alucard left a little while ago to get some more, I think."

"Oh. I shall go help him then." It only seemed fair to chip in when he would be eating as well. They hadn't accounted for his presence during their travel here, he was certain.

Trevor turned his head away, bangs briefly covering his eyes. "Right."

Ah. Leon had, for only a moment, forgotten their fight. Their encounter before Leon went to sleep hadn't been awkward... but perhaps that was because Leon had been tired--he tended to miss things in that state. Did Trevor wish to avoid him then? Did he need more time?

Leon wanted to give it to him, if that's what he wanted, but he'd also hoped for time to apologize.

"If you don't mind," Leon said, "would you show me to your supplies? I can help bring spices and things up to him as well..."

Trevor said with no hesitation, "Yeah, yeah of course."

So they walked to the bottommost floor, somewhere in the middle, past the lectern. Trevor kept ahead of Leon, and Leon, now in a situation like he'd wanted, suddenly struggled with how to break the silent tension. The supplies--in bags and baskets and bundles--were piled together, and Trevor gestured to a couple of them, saying they were for salt and some of the herbs collected along the roadside.

"Trevor?" Leon kept most of his attention on the bags he sorted through, but noticed when Trevor's shoulders began to creep up. "I think, about last night..."

"Don't- It's fine."

"It's not," Leon said. Trevor's mouth was a hard line, but his eyes were hesitant, braced even. "I would like to apologize."

"Y- Apologize?" Trevor sounded suspicious.

"Yes. For some of the things I said. Or implied." Leon set the supplies down, sighing as he turned his full attention to Trevor, Trevor reciprocating. "In my time, there is only me. I never wanted that to happen to anyone else, especially anyone who would be family."

Trevor shrugged, but uncomfortably. "Not your fault."

"...I know," Leon said, trying to convince himself. "But nor is it yours. It also is not your duty to- to force yourself to carry on the family line."

Trevor sat up, ramrod straight, looking like Leon had just slapped him across the face. Leon himself felt like the words had shriveled a part of his heart, a part which longed for hunters of the future to be taught kindness, and chivalry, and care for those they protected. But this was not his time.

"This is not my time, and your life is not mine. But I-" Leon stopped, looking aside as heat rushed to his face. It felt difficult to declare these things to family you didn't know--or didn't know, but desperately wished to. Leon sighed. "I had hoped- I suppose I wanted to protect you."

Trevor stayed silent for two seconds before saying, "I don't need protection."

His statement wasn't mean or cruel, it wasn't looking down on Leon; The way Trevor said it, it was simply a fact. Trevor Belmont was a hunter of night creatures, and he didn't need protection. However...

"What about allies?" Leon asked, tone soft. "You have two who would fight alongside you already."

Trevor's expression softened in turn. "They, yeah. I wouldn't even think about doing this without them."

"They are quite fierce," Leon said, chuckling.

"Definitely."

"I think Alucard mentioned something about fighting upon first meeting 'Belmonts'?"

"That did happen." Trevor scratched at his nose, but a smile stayed on his face. "To be fair, I thought he was Dracula."

"Really?"

"Look," Trevor defended, "he was in a coffin, he had blood tanks, lights without fire, what was I supposed to think?"

Leon laughed. "It seems he's forgiven you for it, if he was willing to come get me from outside."

Trevor's smile slowly fell. "About that..." Leon shook his head.

"I, I needed the time to process. And we both had misunderstandings. I suppose, I'm trying to say, will you allow me to fight alongside you then? As your ally?"

"I uh, yeah, sure. Wait-" Trevor replaced his stunned look with a furrowed brow. "If you died, would that fuck anything up? I'm not sure how magical traveling through time works..."

"Neither am I," Leon said, feeling a small measure of sheepishness. "But I can hardly stand aside. We will..." Leon took a breath, looking directly at Trevor and almost commanded the next lines. "We will work together, watch each other's backs. All of us. Because I will not have you walking to your death, Trevor Belmont."

Trevor opened his mouth, paused, then closed it; Face held in his hand, he ran a finger along the scar over his eye. Finally he said, "Fine. Fine, together."

He held out a hand, posture strong and formal even while kneeling on the floor. The effect was ruined by his immediate look of embarrassment, but Leon just grinned and took the hand in his own, shaking it firmly.

"Together."

Notes:

How am I getting all these chapters out?? It's almost like the announcement of s4 + such excited comments motivated me or something. x3 (Maybe also because I have plans for MerMay ;))) and didn't want to leave this to languish in the meantime.)
idk if I can get out another chapter before May, but we'll see.

So hey, Leon talking to people! Researching, making friends, all very healthy things. Good for him. ´͈ ᵕ `͈ ♡°◌̊

Thank you all again for throwing your thoughts and feelings at me! It's very fun! ∩˙▿˙∩ Keep safe, spend some time relaxing, and see y'all next time!

Chapter 12: Offer of Peace

Summary:

Leon gets a new perspective to think about.

Notes:

Yes, this is like, the fourth chapter up this month. (#｀ε´# )ゞ Don't get used to it.

Finding Alucard took some time, but was not ultimately difficult. Leon had gone outside with spices and a simple basket, Trevor following because, "We're going to have to set up a fire anyway."

While Trevor busied himself with gathering up kindling, Leon pointed out some of the places where nature had barely changed. The trees weren't all the same, nor the bushes, and a lot of the edible roots had shifted with the canopy of trees overhead, but it steadied Leon to see many of the things he remembered from his own time, plants included. The golden light of late afternoon sinking to evening gave everything an air of nostalgia and warmth, and Leon felt peace from it.

So Leon set out to walk around and find plentiful areas before gathering the food, and while doing so, noticed some overturned soil. Could be animals looking for food, could also be Alucard.

Leon followed his gut and the traces of what was potentially the dhampir, feeling triumphant when he came across Alucard at the river.

"Leon," Alucard said, looking up in surprise.

"Did you need any help?"

"I'm just about finished catching fish," Alucard said. "There aren't many of good size right now, it's a bit too early. I think tomorrow we will have to put out some traps for something else."

Leon nodded. "Then I can help you with gathering other things, for now. I passed some good tubers on my way over."

"Yes, I saw those. That would be helpful, thank you."

Leon made to leave when something odd registered in his mind. Alucard was catching fish. Alucard had neither net nor pole. When Leon turned his head back, he saw Alucard staring intently at the water, one open hand poised over it. Leon felt his eyes widen. Surely not! he thought. Yet right before his eyes, in a movement almost too fast to catch, Alucard plunged his hand into the water and brought out a struggling fish. With one swift strike from his other hand, Alucard killed it before placing it in his basket with the others. Stunned for a moment, Leon stared, trying to accept the sheer ridiculousness.

Then he shook his head and smiled. "Very impressive."

Alucard's back tensed, but his tone was almost shy when he said, "Thank you."

Leon shook his head again before finally taking his leave. He spent some time gathering food, mainly edible roots but some berries as well, for their dinner. His stomach growled again, and he satisfied himself with the thought it wouldn't be too much longer.

After gathering a good basketful, he took the food to the river, to rinse it and his now dirt-covered hands. The mellow trickling of the water, glimmering in the sun, soothed him.

When he got to the clearing in front of the Belmont Manor, Trevor had stoked up a fire and Alucard had begun preparing and placing the fish for cooking. Leon and Trevor prepared the roots in a simple broth. They all ate some berries as they worked. Though the fruits were sour--since picked before their ripening time--they temporarily quieted the complaints of Leon's hunger.

Once the meal was close to finished, Leon volunteered to get Sypha from the hold, which Trevor and Alucard accepted between good-natured bickering at each other.

Leon found Sypha almost exactly where she was before, though with several more books around. Leon felt a small twinge of guilt, but remembering the cooked meal helped assuage it; She needed to eat too.

"Sypha?" he said.

"Oh! Leon yes, I have found several interesting theories on how things move through time. Of course, one of those is the infinite corridor, of which there was only one personal account in the hold. Well, only one personal account from a Belmont. Can you believe it! Of course, if we had managed to undo whatever you did, I suppose that doesn't count. I have been wondering if that means we don't send you back through a corridor or if you just don't write about it..."

Leon chuckled and scratched at his head. "I'm not sure. It's happening just now for myself as well." Sypha looked about ready to dive into another frantic search, so Leon said, "We have dinner ready outside."

"Is it that time already?" Sypha's stomach let out a long, loud grumble. "O-oh. It is then. Thank you for coming to get me." With a faint blush on her cheeks, she set down everything she was working on.

"It was no problem. Actually, I hoped to ask you something."

"What is it?" she encouraged as they walked leisurely up the several flights of stairs to reach the exit. "I will help as best as I am able."

"It's... well it's about Dracula. Trevor and Alucard, they seem more tense whenever the subject is brought up." Sypha nodded along, so Leon continued. "Is Dracula really Alucard's father?"

"You don't believe him?"

"It's not that," Leon rushed to assure. "It's just... something hard to grasp. For me. I... I had known Dracula before he called himself by that name. It is odd to think..."

"Well, he is a vampire," Sypha ventured. "Perhaps he has changed his name several times over the centuries?"

Leon shook his head. "That's not all of it. Really, it's that- that I knew him when he was human."

Sypha gasped, then ran ahead, body vibrating with excitement as she turned around to face him while walking backwards. "Did you really? Then he is not as old as many people assume. Of course, many Speakers believed there were so few stories of him because they only began when he started to take land here and drive off the Ottomans. This is amazing! Oh- but- I'm sorry, it means something personal to you, doesn't it?"

The way she was so easily able to move back and forth between energetic and compassionate stunned Leon, but he managed a small smile for her.

"Yes. Personal seems to cover it. I suppose it is odd to think that he has a son now, when he did not have any children before. I never believed he would try to start a family again."

Sypha held back her obvious question for a few moments before it slipped out. "Again?"

"When human, he had a family," Leon said. "A wife." And me, he thought, but didn't say aloud. That was too personal, and the fragments of his heart were still too sharp to pick up and examine.

"What happened?" Sypha asked softly.

"Apparently, similar to what happened here." Leon sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Elisabetha... he loved her, very much. But during those years we were not often at home. The crusades kept us away. He--Mathias--got news that she was sick, and wished to take time to go to her. The church didn't want to let their best strategist go. And... she died before our current campaign was finished." Leon looked up; stopped walking as they made it to the tall spiral stairs at the hold entrance. "I don't think we knew it was quite that severe, or perhaps he did and felt guilty later. But either way, he took ill himself. Broken heart. He holed up in his house, in his room. Wouldn't see anyone. I didn't know what he had planned until it was far, far too late."

Sypha's hands settled on his back and arm, and she squeezed them in a comforting manner. "You don't have to face him."

Leon's head whipped around, his shock plastered all over his face. "What?"

"I mean, if you really think it's him, that it is your estranged friend, it sounds like it would be difficult to face him, yes?"

Leon shook his head, not to disagree, but because he was still processing. "I have to."

"You don't," Sypha retorted, then held up her hand as Leon opened his mouth. "No, listen. I understand that goal meant quite a lot to you, that the entire reason you chose the path you did was because of the actions of this man, but in this place, in this time, that is over. I am sorry to sound rude, but it is not your place to face him here. This battle is not about your duty, or your personal feelings. This battle is to save the people of Wallachia, under attack from his army. And the battles after that will be for a similar purpose, to help people understand, and spread the story of Dracula's anger and defeat, so it might not be repeated. This is our purpose--Alucard, Trevor, and I. We are here and working together to save this country and any others Dracula would turn his attention to in his grief. So... This fight, it is something you were searching for, this I understand. But please, think things over before you decide to go charging in. We are all great fighters, as you have seen, and we will do our best to put an end to this. So if seeing him will be too painful, especially the way he is right now, still in the throws of a second loss, I ask you to consider leaving Dracula to us."

Sypha finished her speech with a decisive nod, eyes blazing with determination.

She wasn't wrong--she had every right to say the things she did. But still, Leon's very soul flinched from the idea of staying behind. While he wished, sometimes, he could leave the battles to someone else, someone less tired, Leon also knew he could never do so. He felt the need to protect in the very core of his bones.

"Think about it," Sypha said. She gave him another squeeze and began walking up the stairs. "Besides, we may find a way to send you back to your own time before we confront Dracula."

Leon blinked out of his thoughts and followed after. "Maybe," he said. "Maybe so."

By the time they arrived out in the sunlight, the food was finished; Sypha joined with exaggerated smiles and declarations of hunger. As Leon watched the other three interact, he thought that, despite the grim circumstances forcing them together, they appeared to make good friends.

That, he thought, was something worth protecting. So he sat down with them, took his food, and considered the matter of his participation.

Notes:

Last one for the month! And I did it, hooray! （｡◑ヮ◑｡）I am glad we got some heart-to-heart kinda stuff with Leon and Sypha. It's great to have them doing their best to protect each other and have the other going "no really it's fine" haha. To be fair to both of them, neither has the whole picture for the other person, so they are both just doing their best.

Also, yeah, the fish scene. o(≧▽≦)o Look, that was one of the highlights of that season for me, so I had to have this in. That was a practiced movement Alucard did, that has to be how he normally fishes. We all know he's gotta be dramatic.

Thank you all so much for continuing to throw all your thoughts at me! (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Likely, I will be seeing y'all after s4 drops, so cross your fingers and grab some pillows to squeeze! We may need more fluff than ever.

Chapter 13: End of the Second Day

Summary:

The rest of the group also needs to sleep.

The research on Leon's accidental passage there, to the future, seemed to have stagnated. Any solutions Sypha had come across were currently impossible--they required materials or magic no one had access to, and so they shelved the idea for the time being.

Sypha appeared frustrated with her lack of progress, but threw her frustration into looking for ways to locate Dracula or his castle instead.

Alucard appeared unruffled, at least at first, but he got snappish a few times when the subject of Leon stuck in their time came up. Leon could only hope his frustration was not because Alucard tired of his presence.

Trevor appeared to bounce back and forth. While he often seemed blasé about the whole situation--"Yeah, so you're in the future, can't change it right now, right?"--Leon had caught him in a sort of melancholy meditation: polishing, half-heartedly testing, or just staring into the reflections of several weapons.

Leon's concern for them had him jittery with nerves and half-formed ideas. Unfortunately, as Trefor had told him, his research skills were specialized. While he was learning many more languages used in older texts and magical scripts, he fell apart when it came to more complicated theories. It wasn't as though Leon didn't try, but he simply related better to things when they had a direct and real use in life. Ideas and maybes were harder to grasp, and in Leon's line of work, less directly useful.

Battle plans or ways to make holy weaponry? Sure. The theoretical idea of space-time and its complex relationship with magic and the fabric of the universe? No, not so much.

So instead, Leon spent some time hunting down obscure corners and hidden compartments for better supplies. If they were going to be squirreled up in nothing but this hold, with limited access to the outdoors, they were at least going to be comfortable. Being underground wasn't freezing, especially since some ambient magic appeared to be at work, but the floors were hard and Leon refused to let any of them--especially himself--sleep on such an uncomfortable surface for another night.

He had managed to scrounge up several old blankets, pillows, and travel rolls by the time their late-night break had come around; Since everyone had either yawned, blinked too long, or given some other sign of fatigue, Leon announced both his find and the idea that they should all get some rest.

"I don't need sleep," Alucard immediately declared.

"Don't be a child," Leon said.

Alucard stiffened and lifted his nose. "Traveling through time does not make you the senior here."

"And being part vampire doesn't give you immunity to life's necessities," he countered, pointing out the slowly gathering bags under Alucard's eyes. "You eat food, so you need to sleep."

"I slept for an entire year."

"...Did you?"

"Yes. So I hardly think I need any more."

"Is that the excuse you tell yourself when you catch your reflection?" Trevor mocked, "Or is it just not the same without a coffin?"

Sypha giggled at Alucard's huff, a slightly unhinged sound, before she said, "Maybe we should sleep."

"No objections here." Trevor grunted. "Haven't slept with a proper pillow in a while."

Leon's heart lurched, and he immediately decided to give his descendant the softest one he had found, favoritism be damned.

"I still don't think it is a good idea to all go to sleep," Alucard grumbled.

"Why not?" Leon asked and barreled through Alucard's obviously sarcastic expression. "We are in the hold, which is covered with a powerful ward Trefor and I designed. No one else should be able to enter."

"Like night creatures?" Alucard asked, still dryly sarcastic.

"Yes. And they would need a lot of force to even attempt to break through it, something we would be able to hear through any amount of dirt."

Sypha nodded, looking more and more like a loose-limbed doll as she did so. "That's true. I just opened it because I'm awesome." At her giggles, the other three exchanged looks.

"Fine," Alucard agreed. "But don't expect me to sleep next to Belmont."

"What?" both Belmonts asked, in wildly different tones.

"Exactly."

Trevor scoffed. "Upset you won't be sleeping inside a dungeon which falls apart at a touch?"

"I'm not convinced this hold is immune to such a fate," Alucard said with a sniff, "especially with two Belmonts now banging around in it."

While Trevor sniped back about keeping monsters in a dungeon and Sypha yawned, Leon decidedly did not tell them some of the sleeping materials had been either previously cursed, enspelled, or simply taken from a powerful monster's abode.

He handed out the different things he had found, attempting to get the trio to sleep at least close to each other. It didn't take a scholar to see how lonely they all were. Alucard, despite any protests, took his simple blanket and immediately left. Oh well. Leon hoped it brought him restfulness, like the description had read. He didn't even know if it had any of its original power left.

Trevor and Sypha took their blankets and pillows with more grace, Trevor muttering his way through a few excuses before he finally settled on the other side of the open area--within sight, but not nearby. Sypha plopped down right where she was and went to sleep.

Leon felt a fondness warm his heart. He settled himself down too, though not right next to her; It was proper to give ladies some space, even if they were powerful magician warriors.

Several thoughts swirled in Leon's mind as he lay close to sleep, wondering about the circumstances under which three people, so similar yet so different, met and decided to fight against Dracula together. They could be a legend in the making. Leon was aware he tended to romanticize things he imagined, but he couldn't help the image in his mind, fueled by the experience he already had of them fighting--the hunter, the scholar, and the soldier. Three who stood together against evil, back to back, and hand in hand.

A few blinks later, he was asleep.

Notes:

Everyone in the group has had a really weird two days/nights, so it's time for them to get some rest. Leon did, but mostly just a power nap. The real challenge was getting Alucard to try, since he doesn't seem to do that unless passing time in the show. But hey, at least he took the blanket? ^^;;

And Leon is thinking up what miiiiight become the prophecy. (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ You know, since the knowledge comes "from the future" and all that, hehehe.

I am happy to post this for y'all, I had fun with it. Thanks to everyone who's been showing interest, especially to everyone who has been reading through my things having joined the fandom after season 4! Welcome! (ﾉ^ヮ^)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧

I know this chapter is just getting them to try and sleep, but next chapter we pick up again with the another day. So please let me know what you thought of this one, or previous chapters, or even what you think will happen in the future! I love hearing theories and thoughts. o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o

Chapter 14: Beginning of the Third Day

Summary:

Leon gets a lazy start to the day, though someone else is even lazier.

Leon woke up first; Considering he had slept the most recently, it wasn't surprising. He took some time to stretch and really allow himself to wake. It had to be early in the morning, a time he rarely got to enjoy. Sypha was curled up in her pillow and blanket, barely visible at all.

Leon walked quietly so as not to wake her; She did the most research out of any of them, and deserved the rest.

Trevor was still sleeping too, one arm under the pillow propping his head up, though he grunted a few times as if dreaming. Leon crept past him as well. He had no idea where Alucard had gone, but since he didn't hear any rustling pages or footsteps, Leon assumed the dhampir was still sleeping. Hopefully. Alucard could move the most quietly out of all of them, so pinpointing him or his current activity was like trying to find a rabbit den.

Even so, Leon made it to the section where he had last stopped looking for information with no disturbances. The books had been mostly cleaned up, but he saw a few more stacked on a nearby table. After looking at them, he confirmed they were on almost completely different subjects from earlier the previous day, most of which Leon had little to no context for. Sypha really had moved on--Leon wondered if these books had been any help.

Flipping through them idly gave him no clues, so he set out for his own research.

While searching for Mathias himself, Leon had come across several subjects which had intrigued him, one of which had been a way to view distant areas. It had been called a distance mirror, funnily enough. Leon wondered if he or any others in the family had managed to get their hands on one.

Should he be able to locate one in the hold, even if their little group required more time tracking the castle down and getting into it, they would at least know where Dracula was and what he was up to.

Leon couldn't help but admit to himself that he was also morbidly curious, for personal reasons. What had happened to Mathias over the many years? Would Leon even recognize the man he had become? Well, Leon wouldn't find out unless there was a mirror in the hold anyway.

He searched through the lectern at the bottom, coming upon several possible items, though having one described as "dust" was distinctly unhelpful. He decided to ignore that entry.

Unfortunately, none of the objects were helpful. A couple were magical, but not distance mirrors. Leon actually wasn't sure what they did, or if they worked properly. And one which had seemed most promising was not placed where the index declared it. Running hands over his face, he groaned, frustrated.

There was a small groan back.

Leon grimaced and turned. No one was there. He took a few more steps and peeked around the corner of a bookshelf.

Sprawled part way on a bookshelf and leaning dangerously, sat Alucard, blanket over his lap and one shoulder. His head rested at an angle, neck looking uncomfortably crooked to the side, but he was fast asleep, face looking far younger without the frowns and sarcastic stares. Of course, it also looked like a terrible way to sleep.

Leon shifted away, and when Alucard didn't even stir, he walked to his own pile of pillows, grabbed them, and made his way back as quietly as he could. Alucard hadn't moved.

After carefully moving up to Alucard, Leon bent down to place the pillows on the ground. Alucard sighed and shifted his head, but didn't wake. Holding his breath from nerves, Leon reached out to place hands under Alucard's side and the junction of his head and neck. Alucard grunted and shifted some more.

Heart pounding, Leon lowered the sleeping man to the pillows, nestling him onto them before pulling the blanket up.

With a satisfied noise, Alucard wiggled himself around on the soft surfaces and fell right back into a deep slumber, long, slow breaths coming from his barely parted lips.

Leon let out his own breath, wiping his forehead. Mission accomplished.

Even though he hadn't found the mirror, Leon's sense of triumph kept him happy as he continued his search around the hold. At one point, he heard a small yelp. Looking over a nearby railing, he caught a glimpse of Trevor sitting bolt upright, head swiveling back and forth like he was looking for something.

"Trevor?" Leon whisper-shouted down.

Trevor tensed, then looked back up. He shifted and pulled the blanket further onto himself, then gave a shy little wave. Leon waved back.

"Are you alright?" he asked, just to be sure.

"Fine," said Trevor. Then he gathered up his sleeping things and disappeared behind a nearby shelf.

Huh. Leon worried he may have awakened from a nightmare and resolved to talk to him about it later--at least to be a comforting presence. Perhaps Trevor's companions would also be of help, since they seemed to be close.

Leon saw Sypha stirring in her own little nest and decided to start breakfast. The mirror could wait.

He gathered the water for porridge himself, Trevor showing up to help by gathering a few more berries and safe mushrooms--though he expertly dodged any questions about what had woken him up with an embarrassed look on his face--and Sypha followed not too long after, yawning.

"Where's Alucard?" she asked.

"He was sleeping still, last I saw," Leon said.

"He actually went to sleep?" Trevor asked.

"He did. Though it didn't look very comfortable. He must have fallen asleep while reading or something."

Sypha shook her head, yawning once again. "Trevor, go get him."

"What, why me?" Trevor sounded indignant as Leon had expected, but there was also a small note of panic in his voice. "I'm already helping to set up breakfast."

"I'm going to light the fire."

"I know how to light a fire!"

Leon intervened. "I don't see anything wrong with letting Alucard sleep a little longer. He seemed tired enough for it."

The other two agreed and settled in, though it seemed Sypha had caught on to the odd way Trevor acted as well. She stared at him until he asked for the fire she'd already offered to make; Trevor never mentioned what had woken him.

"How did you sleep?" Leon asked Sypha instead.

"Oh, much better," she said. "I don't know how you found all of those things, but it was the most comfortable I slept in weeks."

"Good, I'm glad." Sypha smiled, and Leon returned it.

"You as well?"

"Yes, thank you. Though I think I shall search for something specific today." And he told both of them of his plans to find the mirror. Since they both seemed amenable to the idea, Leon recruited Trevor's help in looking for it. He huffed, but agreed.

After they had finished eating and Alucard still hadn't shown, they began to worry.

"He may have needed sleep," Sypha said, "but he has never slept for so long before. I always assumed it was just because he didn't need as much."

Trevor shrugged. "Or maybe he wasn't hungry and is just moping around the books."

Sypha slapped his arm. "Then maybe you should go start on your task while Alucard and I 'mope around the books.'"

Trevor scratched at the back of his neck.

Laughing to himself, Leon said, "I'll take some of this back to him, just in case he is hungry. We did make enough."

Alucard was still sleeping. Leon stood there, a little impressed he was still out, given the way Trevor and Sypha were still sniping only one floor away. Leon had thought Alucard might wake up, if not for the research, then the smell of the food Leon had brought into the hold from breakfast. But no, even though his face turned and he appeared to take a sniff, he did not awaken.

His companions had made it seem like he was the least lazy of all of them; Still, Leon couldn't help but wonder if Alucard wasn't really sleeping, just enjoying the comfort.

Either way, Leon didn't think he should wake him. At least, not by himself.

So he set the food down nearby, watched as Alucard once again shifted his head towards it, and left to go find Sypha and Trevor. Sypha, as expected, was already several books deep into her research. Trevor was attempting to scour the area for... secret passages maybe. Though Leon hoped he was looking for the distance mirror.

"He's still asleep," Leon announced. Sypha hummed, but Trevor turned to face him and frowned.

"Fangs? He's still sleeping?"

"That is odd," Sypha said, still flipping pages.

"It was like he didn't enjoy people watching him sleep. He used the wagon most of the time, when Sypha and I were driving it. No way he should have stayed asleep after you checked on him twice." Trevor ran a hand over his face, catching the look Sypha was shooting him over the pages of the book. "Fine. Fine! I'll wake him up. But don't expect me to be nice about it."

He stomped away to where Leon silently pointed him.

"Well," Sypha said, "that's done. Trevor said the mirror might be in a corner near the books on geography and travel."

Leon took the hint and wandered off. As he looked through the shelves, he kept his ears sharp, listening for any indication Alucard woke up. The sharp yelp followed by growls and cursing convinced him, yes, Trevor had done it.

With a small smile, Leon continued his search.

Notes:

Huh. I wonder why Alucard kept sleeping. Probably just because he was tired, right? No other reasons. :3c
(Edit: One shot up, The Second Hand Unwinds, which explains this from both Trevor and Alucard's perspectives.)

Anyway, Leon is headed off to find the mirror finally, so we're getting back on track for plot. huhuhu. Next chapter is gonna be a bit of a longer one.

So please let me know your thoughts! I'm always happy to hear from y'all! (⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧♡

Chapter 15: The Distance Mirror

Summary:

Leon finds the artifact, and the group discusses their plan moving forward.

It wasn't much later Leon found the mirror, behind a fallen shelf of books, some assorted artifacts, and covered with a dusty old sheet. The mirror was tall, a little more than Leon himself, and cracked, the imperfections spider-webbing out from two points of impact. It looked as though it had once been a grand object--even the runes along the side, worn from time, looked sufficiently important. Unfortunate that many were illegible.

He tested its weight a few times, nodded to himself, and set about using a small bit of magic to lift and keep the mirror steady.

It took some effort to reach the stairs, so Leon took a break, setting the mirror down. When he caught sight of Sypha and called her name, she looked up, saw the object at his side, and beamed.

"You found it! Excellent. Do you want help bringing it down?"

"I've got it," said a low voice behind him. Leon spun around to find Alucard standing there, looking frustrated, but not angry.

"Did you eat?" was the first thing to come out of Leon's mouth. Oddly enough, Alucard's eyes blinked wide at the question, then his brows furrowed in confusion, then he got a hint of pink on the tops of his cheeks before he cleared his throat.

"The porridge, right? You brought that for me?"

"Yes. You slept through breakfast."

"So I was told." Alucard's face still held a hint of confusion, as though he didn't understand how that could happen.

"I told you, you were tired," Leon said, trying for a joking tone.

"I didn't think I was," Alucard muttered. "At least not that much. Anyway, I'll take the mirror down."

"Thank you."

"It's no-" Alucard paused. "You're welcome."

Bemused, Leon watched as Alucard picked up the artifact and easily lifted it, using his ability to float to take it over the railing and down to where Sypha was. Trevor appeared around the corner soon after, and Leon raised a brow at him.

"You look... not like you've been punched but."

"Yeah, uh, so apparently, fangs doesn't like to be woken up by having the blanket ripped away from him, and he gets..." Trevor shrugged. "He threw me into a bookshelf."

Leon winced and reached out. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Trevor said, trying to wave him off. "Nothing I haven't had before."

"Still, " Leon insisted, turning him and running hands up and down his back. "It's best to get healed up before battle."

"Right..."

Trevor winced at a few spots where Leon's hands went, so Leon herded his descendant to an area where he had found well-preserved ingredients for healing salves. "Amazing what the family came up with," Leon said excitedly as he put together one of the simpler recipes.

Trevor was hesitant to remove his shirt, but did eventually give in to Leon's prodding. Trevor had many scars, some cutting through the hair on his torso in a manner which suggested Trevor was skilled enough to live through some rough hits. Leon felt his heart clench at the same time pride puffed up in his chest. Trevor was a true hunter.

Further than the scars though, Leon was glad to see Trevor had been keeping up with training, as he had some well-formed muscles on his back--a working man's muscles, covered in a little fat, but not as much as Leon would have hoped.

He himself knew about the difficulty of finding good food from his warring days, but he'd hoped his descendants would not.

Either way, it made Leon extra careful as he removed his gloves to apply a proper poultice to the bruises still appearing on Trevor's back in blues and purples. He then wrapped them gently with bandages to keep them in place, and patted Trevor on his shoulder.

"Maybe be careful with the vampire, huh?"

Trevor snorted. "I've had worse."

"From waking someone up?"

Trevor looked over his shoulder, face pinched like he wasn't sure how to answer. "Um..."

Leon shook his head. "Never mind." It would either be horribly embarrassing or sad, neither of which Leon was ready for at the moment. "Let's go see what Alucard and Sypha have managed to do with that mirror."

Trevor agreed, relief obvious in his expression. So he put all his gear back on--and Leon thought faintly that they should probably wash his clothes some time soon--and they headed down to where the mirror and other two of their group were.

Alucard was carefully carving out worn sections of the frame's runes with a sharpened nail. Sypha watched the proceedings in-between looking through a specific tome and muttering, "Interesting."

"Will it work?" Leon asked at the same time Trevor said, "What is it?"

"Distance mirror," Alucard answered, "and yes, once I'm finished. It is old though."

"It's to be expected here," Sypha said. "I haven't heard much of these artifacts before, so I can't imagine they are made very often, or even in nearby regions."

"I think the last mirror made in the area is in my father's study. Though it is larger and has more uses."

"More?" Trevor leaned up against a table to watch, Leon following suit.

He thought about Mathias viewing distant places from his castle, alone; It sounded exactly like something he would do. Even while human he hadn't been actively social, spending far too much time studying by himself rather than learning in the field. At least, in Leon's opinion.

"I'm not certain this one will even be able to properly view a location, though I suppose we shall see."

The short answer was yes, they could see. Alucard, once fixing up all the runes he could, was able to bring an image of the castle to the screen. Sypha clapped her hands in joy, looking thrilled by the magic and the information. Trevor himself leaned in, looking intrigued, and Leon couldn't help following his example.

Dracula's castle. Where Mathias, lost as a vampire and grieving for the second time, resided.

Leon had to stop him. It was already terrible when Mathias felt the need to betray his best friend to a vampire lord and sacrifice the well-being of his friend's betrothed, and it was horrific now that he was slaughtering so many innocent people in his blind rage. It would hurt Leon to kill him, but it was necessary.

"Looks like it's just sitting in the wilderness somewhere," Trevor commented. "Can't say I recognize it, aside from the fact it's not in the mountains."

"Near Pitești maybe?" Sypha thought aloud, a hand to her chin. "It looks similar."

"It doesn't really matter," Alucard interjected. "Not if it travels again when we get close."

"It can do that?" Leon asked, astonished.

"Yes, it can transport itself through magical means. It's part of the reason the Belmonts were not able to stage full attacks on him these past few hundred years."

Leon sank back. He had a lot more work to do than he thought.

"That's partially what I'm working on," Sypha said. "I had hoped there would be a way to move directly to the castle so they wouldn't see us coming, or to trap the castle itself."

"It seems unlikely, though I suppose if anywhere had research on it..." Alucard shrugged.

"Hey," Trevor interjected, "if this mirror can view his castle from here, can't we see the inside? We could make better plans with the layout-"

"-And an idea of how many troops are inside," Leon finished, perking up. "An excellent idea." Trevor pinked and coughed a cough so obviously fake it only pulled more attention to his sudden shyness.

"As helpful as that would be, it doesn't appear the mirror is capable of that," Alucard said with a frown. "It could be because of age, though I suspect it was not a complex mirror to begin with. There isn't enough magic here to point it within specific rooms, or even at people."

"It's lacking magic?" Sypha wondered. "Did it simply lose it over time?"

"Perhaps. It is also broken." He pointed to the cracks with his chin. "Some magic may have escaped or been lessened. It is hard to say."

"Wait wait, back up a little bit." Trevor held up his hands, looking concerned. "People? Your father has a mirror that can find specific people? And you didn't think to tell us?"

"Trevor," Sypha began.

"He could have been watching us this entire time!"

Leon's stomach flipped, and he looked to Alucard for answers.

"He has not."

"How do you know?" Trevor shrugged off the hand Sypha had put out for him, missing her frustrated frown.

"It takes a great amount of magic to watch specific people. First, you have to be certain who you are looking for, and my father should not have heard of us by now, nor know who I am traveling with, even if so." Alucard waited for any objections, but Trevor just crossed his arms and gestured with one for him to continue. "Also, the mirror my father usually uses to view distant places will create a portal in space, allowing both sides to be seen. We would have noticed the sudden appearance of any peeping vampires."

Trevor's shoulders slumped, and he gave a strained sigh. "Alright then."

"You should trust us more," Sypha admonished. "Even if it did not create a portal, I'm certain I would have felt the presence of such powerful magic at work."

"Yeah, fine," Trevor said, but he was smiling.

Leon felt himself also relax at the answer to the previous idea, especially since his own occurred to him. "Besides that, I can't imagine a foreign mirror being able to look past the wards myself, Trefor, and a few Speaker-magicians placed on the Hold. It took knowledge and skill to open it without being told how."

Leon smiled as Sypha puffed up in pleasure. "You see? Someone appreciates my talents."

"So," Leon said as he turned to Alucard, bringing back a previous topic, "we cannot use this to gather any information from the inside?"

"No." Alucard let it hang in the air for a few moments before he said, "Well, perhaps if there was an active mirror within the castle, I could connect to it. But there is nothing now, as far as I can tell."

"That's alright," Sypha said. "This is already a good step forward. I may be able to use this to cast a spell with a proper focus."

And just like that, she was walking away to go find another volume. Leon watched her go.

"You two are both quite lucky. There are not many people out there who are so learned and willing to work so hard." Leon found both of the gazes looking at him, blue and gold, and made sure to hold each of them. "She's working for a better world, I can see the fire in her. But she's also the type to get carried away in the moment. I... may have personal experience with that." Leon felt bashful as Trevor smirked and Alucard huffed a laugh.

"I am not surprised the Belmont patriarch has compulsion problems." Leon frowned, even at the teasing in the tone. "But I wouldn't let her feel unappreciated," Alucard swore.

Trevor looked past Leon to where Sypha disappeared. "I don't know if anyone can stop her from getting carried away." But I'll try, his tone implied.

Leon nodded at the both of them. "Well, let's make ourselves useful."

Notes:

Okay, okay, we're so close guys, the mirror is up and running! But no night creatures yet. ( ॣ•͈૦•͈ ॣ)
I headcanon the trio was in the Belmont Hold for several days during the show, so looks like they are moving faster in the timeline for my fic. Gj Leon!

Also, Leon is doing a great job being the mom friend without even realizing it. xD Amazing.

Also also, spoiler for the fic, because this will probably never be written in it: The reason the mirror is broken, in this au I've made, is that once Leon gets back to his time and actually obtains the mirror, he uses it to check up on 400-years-past!Dracula. He hits the mirror out of a little frustration he can't change anything in the past, and Dracula isn't in the best mindspace still, :< but also because he doesn't want Dracula to think he can contact Leon whenever/spy on his family. ^^;;

So! Thank y'all for the kudos and comments! They are really making my days! And weeks, haha! ｡:.ﾟヽ(´∀`｡)ﾉﾟ.:｡+ﾟ Sometimes life gets busy, but I'll always do my best to answer comments too!
(Please let me know if I'm setting this up well. I'm trying my best to drop little hints. ;3 )

Chapter 16: End of the Third Day

Summary:

Leon thinks Trevor needs to hear about their family's connection to Dracula.

Notes:

Enjoy a longer chapter! °˖ ✧◝(○ ヮ ○)◜✧˖ ° Thanks for your patience!

The rest of the day passed in a lazy fashion, though with an undercurrent of tension as everyone tried their best to find what was needed to take on Dracula. Alucard took this to mean he should mess with the mirror, so he knelt down to recheck the runes along the bottom part of the frame. Trevor wandered off, maybe to find Sypha, since he went the same direction. Leon passed the others occasionally, Sypha always offering a quick smile before diving back into the books. Trevor found invaluable weapons and supplies. Alucard kept fiddling with the mirror, occasionally testing it, though he was only able to get views of the outside. He also wandered away a few times to help search in the books.

Once or twice, to Leon's surprise, he asked Leon about a tome. "And what are these 'alchemical orbs', exactly? I've seen it referenced a few times in personal accounts from other Belmonts, but they seem to think it doesn't need explaining."

"Ah," Leon said. As surprising as it was, it also made Leon's heart warm, so he tried his best to be helpful. Though not as knowledgeable in magical languages yet, he had had a crash course in battle alchemy and refined it as time went on. "I suppose they must have passed it on so thoroughly no one felt the need to continue to write out the definition. Well, from what I was told by a friend, who worked closely in the field of alchemy-"

They compared techniques they knew, and Leon offered his insights on the things he had come across in Walter's castle, or the way many vampires tended to fight. It turned out, while Alucard had personal experience with his and his father's abilities, and had been trained quite well, he had never needed to fight off powerful vampires.

When Leon thought about his position as Dracula's son, it made more sense. So Leon gave Alucard information of vampires' weakest points, tricks to undermine what seemed like their advantages, and the way they treated many of their opponents in battle. (As weaker, generally.) He also mentioned that the more powerful vampires were, the less likely they were to work as a team. Trevor sometimes walked in on those conversations and listened, taking obvious mental notes.

To Sypha's exasperation, Leon and Trevor did a couple sparring sessions. After the first one, they quickly relocated outdoors. Leon found them very helpful in determining Trevor's skill set and style of battle--easier to understand and plan when he wasn't fighting all three at once.

Trevor was a brilliant fighter, and Leon didn't think so just because Trevor was family. The way he easily swapped weapons between hands showed good training and skill for both sides of his body, and his thought process moved as quickly as his reflexes, adapting for whatever Leon threw at him. That's not to say Trevor never got hit, he was still human, and Leon was also well experienced, but Trevor's instincts for battle were only put to good use because of the practice he'd had.

It made Leon wonder, just a bit. Without a family--and the idea still upset him--Trevor would have needed to fight the monsters with no backup. How had he started? Why?

The scars Leon knew covered Trevor's torso, and perhaps even more of his body, proclaimed victory, but also struggle. Had he wanted to do it? Been forced to? Perhaps now wasn't the best time to ask; Not with both Belmonts still getting used to each other. Instead, Leon decided to offer an olive branch.

"I have a few things I believe you should know, before we get to the castle," Leon said, feinting forward to get a thrust at Trevor's side.

Trevor dodged it at the last moment, using his momentum to try a strike of his own, their dance back and forth giving no ground to either. "I don't suppose it's more battle tactics, is it? Not while we're already practicing."

"Not quite, we'll get to that. No, it's a more personal nature." Leon, using one of Trevor's moves, switched his sword to his off hand before channeling ambient magic to it, making the whole blade shimmer. For one moment, the blade blended into the air around it, so that when it reappeared, it appeared to have blinked through space. Trevor handled it well, as Leon hoped--he was watching Leon's body movements, so though the move surprised him, he accurately determined where it would reappear for his own counter. Trevor's composure and flexibility made Leon feel like he was a pot bubbling over with giddiness.

"Personal?" Trevor questioned. He pushed Leon's blade down and jumped back to give himself some space.

"Yes. I didn't wish you to be surprised by it. We don't know when exactly we will start traveling there, or when we will arrive, but..."

Leon watched as Trevor's footwork took him in a gentle arc around Leon, one which Leon had to mirror so as not to expose his sides. "I get it. So. Go on then."

Leon's grin felt vaguely aggressive, due to their continued sparring. Lunging forward, Leon used several quick strikes to take Trevor's attention. Immediately, he followed by dropping to the ground and sweeping his leg around, catching Trevor's calves. In a move of both skill and instinct, Trevor moved his own sword around as he was falling, catching Leon's and pushing it to an unfavorable angle for attacking. Instead of falling to the ground, Trevor caught himself in a roll back to his feet.

"As I'm sure you gathered, there is the possibility that Dracula is also another vampire, the one I chased. The reason I settled in Wallachia, but more than that, the reason I began fighting creatures of the night to begin with. I had been only nobility, only a knight, before."

"Really?" Trevor caught his breath, already moving again. "Guess that gives him more of a history with our family than I expected."

The joy of hearing "our family" could only lift Leon's spirits a little from what he was about to say. He mirrored Trevor again, the two circling each other. "Yes. Though it's..." Despite himself, Leon found himself hesitating to speak. It wasn't quite the same speaking to his descendent as the other two. There was a tight, uncomfortable feeling of nerves each time he tried to come up with the proper words. Trevor didn't push him, even when Leon started into another series of moves instead of continuing to speak.

After fending off several counter-moves from Trevor involving his fists and a sword slicing Leon's sleeve, Leon finally found the courage to speak again. "...complicated." Sort of.

Trevor snorted, maybe in an attempt to lighten the mood. "That's the sort of thing ex-lovers say."

Leon's next swipe was thrown so far off that he actually drove his blade into a tree. He tugged. It was stuck fast. Though he needn't have worried about getting hit while his guard was down. Trevor's arms were lowered, his mouth agape.

"No."

Leon grimaced.

"Wh- Y- With Dracula?"

Leon sighed. He'd been unsure about his descendant's reaction to such a thing, which was why he hadn't brought it up. He hadn't meant to give it away accidentally either, but Trevor constantly surprised him. Since it was too late to back out of the conversation, Leon steeled himself; He gave one more pull to remove his sword from the tree, looking at the sap on the blade instead of directly at Trevor.

"Is that so odd?"

Trevor ran one hand through his hair in an agitated motion. "This isn't some revenge for a jilted lover, right? Tell me that's not the family legacy."

"No. Not quite." Leon rubbed at the sap using a corner of his coat. "It's- Of course we- We were close. Before he moved to Wallachia and called himself Dracula, we were close."

"Lovers," Trevor insisted, though it also sounded like a question.

"...Yes." Leon cleared his throat. He didn't exactly want to get into the details of what their relationship had been, how many conventions it broke, and how many were surprisingly encouraged. That intimacy was between himself and Mathias. So he moved the conversation along. "You know I was a knight. So was he. We went into battle together, watched each other's backs. He was... a brilliant strategist. But more prone to emotional hurt than I suppose I recognized. He did things I could not forgive him for. And so, I chased him, to stop whatever schemes I could."

Trevor tapped the flat side of his blade against his leg, tossed the sword to his other hand, and spun it before lowering it to once more tap at a leg. Finally, he said, "Alright, okay, so you knew each other. Makes a little more sense as to how and why you followed him across countries. But... a knight? Did the church not know what he was? Did you?"

"Ah. My mistake." Leon lowered his own sword, mostly clean. "No, the church would not have had an issue with that. He was not vampire at the time, only human."

Trevor made a sound in his throat, something startled and high pitched, but questioning too. Leon placed his sword back in its sheath.

"The way he chose to change himself to vampire, his- his descent into a blinding madness, that is the reason I had to become a hunter of monsters. The reason I chose to make that a legacy for our family. I had hoped though..." Leon trailed off.

Of course he'd never wanted his family to have that one goal, dangling above their heads for generations. Of course he'd hoped Mathias would have been stopped, that Leon's descendants wouldn't have to pay for his friend's mistakes for so long. That they could simply be a beacon of hope for people. That they could be protectors, doing real good for their lands.

Leon tightened his grip on his sword sheath.

"Right. Okay." Trevor spun his sword around and around in his grip, before following Leon's lead and sheathing his blade too. "So. Dracula. You knew him before he was Dracula."

"Yes."

"And he was human, then."

"Yes."

"And you- you were lovers."

"I-..." Leon rubbed his thumb up and down the design of his sword's crossguard. Trevor's eyes bore into him, even as his fingers tapped, tapped, tapped on his own crossed arms. "...Yes."

Trevor blew out a breath. "What the fuck."

"Trevor, in that time, being together as-"

"Nope," Trevor cut him off, "no."

Leon's free hand clenched. "You have to understand. Knights had relationships which-"

"I don't want to hear it," Trevor said, arms uncrossing to allow his hands to cut through the air.

"You-"

"Not even a little. Nope. None."

"Trevor!" Leon was stomping forward a few steps then, something hot and ugly burning in his chest. "I understand what the church has to say on the matter, and perhaps things have changed in these years, but there is simply nothing wrong with two people who care for each other sh-"

"Wait, what?"

"...What?"

"That's not it."

"It, it isn't? Then what...?"

Trevor shook his head, pacing back and forth. "I don't need to hear about my however-many-greats-grandfather talking about his intimate relationship with Alucard's fucking father." Trevor buried his face in his hands and groaned.

Leon blinked. The fire in his veins turned into a sort of tickle, and he had to bite his lips to keep the laughter in. "So. So it's the family aspect which bothers you."

Trevor grumbled and resurfaced from behind his palms. "I think that should stay your business. Behind your historical closed doors and all that."

"I- I wasn't going to give you s-sordid details!" Leon flushed.

"Well good!" Trevor said, also red in the face. "Because I don't want to hear them."

Leon threw his hands up and walked away, making a large circle back to give his face time to cool down. By the time he'd made it back, Trevor had taken a seat on a nearby fallen log and was checking some of his throwing knives. Leon stopped in front of him and cleared his throat.

"So," he said.

"So," Trevor replied, not looking up.

"You can understand that if we meet face to face there might be some tension."

"Oh my god."

"Not-! I mean, there is history there, because we had known each other for years and years. We fought in several crusades together. And when he-" Leon paused to clear his throat, his voice quieter. "The last time we saw each other was when he had chosen to become vampire. I could not forgive what he sacrificed to gain such power. And I swore to hunt him. All his allies. Anything which would harm like he did. And I chased him, but never saw him again."

Trevor waited a moment to respond, flipping his knife around and around before he spoke, just as quiet. "But you time traveled here. He didn't. Do you... I don't know how this works. What if he did see you again?"

An odd question. But a pertinent one. "I'm, I'm not sure. I don't think it would make much of a difference in our mission. I simply wanted to say I don't know how he would react to me, should he see me."

Trevor nodded. "Not any better than any other Belmont, I guess. If the stories are accurate."

Leon sat down heavily on the log as well. "How many...?"

"Not as many as you think. We're resourceful. Besides, once the family found Dracula, he came up with the way to move his castle pretty quick. Only took one generation. Then we couldn't stage large assaults. Only take out pawns before he noticed us coming."

Leon let out a long breath, the cold air stinging his lungs. "Good. That's good."

"That... we couldn't catch him?"

"No. No I mean-" Leon looked at Trevor, at the furrow between his brow and hunched shoulders. "This family is more important to me than personal revenge. I, I'd hope the rest of the family knew that too."

"...Maybe they did," Trevor whispered. "I don't know."

Leon fiddled with his fingers, hands in his lap. From the conversations they'd had, Trevor seemed tense around the subject of duty. What had the family thought of him? After so many years, had he become a symbol? The strict patriarch who determined the family course? It would be impossible to pass down accurate stories after so many generations. Even less so, the will of a single person. Leon had sworn personal revenge, and justice for those wronged, and to keep his family safe into distant generations.

What had he actually accomplished?

Leon startled as a hand settled on his shoulder. Trevor patted once, then paused, hovering over him, before following with two more pats in succession. Leon's descendant was trying to comfort him. Allowing a sigh to escape him, taking some unhelpful thoughts with it, Leon leaned into Trevor. When Trevor didn't move--and Leon worried he wasn't breathing either--Leon looped his own arm around Trevor's shoulders, squeezing.

A few moments passed. Trevor held still, mind working so hard Leon could practically hear the spinning. Then, slowly, hesitantly, Trevor looped his own arm around Leon's back in return.

"What you said," Trevor ventured, breaking the silence, "about what he sacrificed to become a vampire." Leon tensed, but Trevor went on. "It was personal, wasn't it? You didn't mean some metaphorical shit, like his 'morals' or something."

Moments passed, before breath came back to Leon's chest, before he blinked the burning from his eyes, before his tongue fought off the weight upon it enough to answer. "...Yes."

"Shit."

Leon laughed, not a boisterous thing, but honest as it was small. Trevor did not ask for any more clarification though, so they sat in comfortable silence, drawing strength from each other. In the quiet, a small worry dug itself out of Leon and into the air.

"It seems he is destined to repeat himself, to fall into grief and lash out, over and over," Leon whispered.

Trevor patted the shoulder his hand rested on. "We'll stop him."

"We shall have to. He could not survive another loss such as these, not without destroying everyone around him."

"Another loss?" Trevor wondered aloud.

"His wife." At Trevor's startled look, Leon clarified. "It was the reason he became vampire, and the same reason he kills so many of humanity now. Alucard told me."

Trevor ran his free hand through his hair, eyes dancing back to the forest. "That's... still drastic."

"Which is why we shall stop him."

Trevor hummed. Another minute passed in silence--Leon presumed Trevor was thinking of the future, but perhaps it was the past which held his mind. Leon himself attempted to move his mind back to the present; What mattered most now was assisting these three--the three who were choosing to save Wallachia--as they fought Dracula. Which meant-

"So." Trevor abruptly stood. "Are we going to train with whips?"

Ignoring the feeling of emptiness at his side, Leon agreed, and they both moved back into fighting stances. In this way, and several others, they passed the rest of the daylight hours.

Eventually though, the day came to an end, and Leon got all three of his (friends?) acquaintances to agree to sleep. No one wanted to, but Leon pointed out the need for rest, so they at least agreed to sleep two at a time.

Sypha and Leon went first, then once Leon woke, he convinced Trevor to get some sleep as well. Sypha managed to bully Alucard into more before returning to her studies. Alucard did not sleep as well as the night previous, which Leon suspected had something to do with the lack of a blanket--or maybe that specific blanket? Either way, everyone woke far before the sun had risen, too anxious to sleep any longer.

Leon himself sat at a table, barely paying attention to the book on rare vampiric abilities he'd picked up.

Instead, his mind was filled with thoughts on the three he had found himself working with in this distant future. What would the coming confrontation bring? Victory, hopefully, but perhaps also, whispered a small bit of Leon's mind, a deep sorrow.

The thought stuck with him in the deep night.

Notes:

So now Trevor is finally aware! Not just of Leon's motives, but some of the more personal stuff too. Whoops. Haha, I'm sure he's glad to have all those thoughts in his head now. - u-;;

Anyway, cross my fingers, I hope to finish up the next chapter this month too, because it is nowhere near as long.

I hope you all enjoyed this one though! Please let me know what you thought! ,､’`<(❛ヮ❛✿)>,､’`’`,､

Chapter 17: Spying Mirror

Summary:

Just as the group makes progress, they find out how important that step will be.

The morning of the fourth day was close to being upon them when Sypha started yelling from across the hold.

"Oh! I think I found- Trevor!"

"What?" he shouted back.

"I think I found something!"

"When I say 'what' I don't mean I'd like to ask more questions."

Leon rolled his eyes as Sypha sputtered angrily before yelling at Trevor to get to her. Leon leapt down from where he was on a higher floor; His entrance startled both Sypha and Alucard, who stood beside her. Sypha recovered first.

"This, here," she pointed to a book flipped open in her palms. "It has the beginnings of a spell that some ingenious Belmont was working on."

Leon probably shouldn't have felt pride--he'd had nothing to do with the spell or the attached compliment--but he couldn't help the zing of pleasure which came from the family name being praised. Then Trevor came up the stairs.

"I heard I was a genius?"

"You heard someone in your family got this century's share of the brains," Alucard corrected with a smirk.

Sypha smacked his arm with the back of her hand. "This is exactly what we need. They were trying to take away the castle's main advantage, its ability to move with magic. They were very close to coming up with the spell here."

"It isn't finished?" Leon asked.

"I can do that myself," Sypha said assuredly. "It's based on Adamic structures,though I will need some books in High Remembrance to translate parts of this."

"I'll grab them," said Alucard, nodding. Then he tensed and looked to the bottom floor.

"What?" Trevor asked in a apprehensive tone, also turning.

"The mirror."

Leon shared one quick look with the dhampir before launching over the railing alongside him to get to the artifact. Alucard took one side and Leon took the other, neither needing to communicate with more than their eyes to decide how to handle the mirror. With focus, the castle came back into view, a slight glowing coming from it.

"Sypha!" Alucard shouted, "the lights-!"

The hold went dark. Trevor cursed once but no more before two sets of footsteps joined Leon and Alucard at the mirror.

"Out of sight," Leon whispered. They obeyed him--Sypha beside Alucard and Trevor at Leon's shoulder.

As Leon provided some extra power and Alucard guided it, the mirror flashed once, and suddenly they were seeing into a different space.

Darkness covered most of the room--Leon was grateful for Sypha's quick use of magic in extinguishing their own light sources. The view showed a desk with disorganized papers and books, a shelf which looked dusty from disuse, and glass, likely from a window, glinting on the wall, all bathed in the dim orange glow from a fireplace, Leon was certain.

The one who had presumably activated the mirror walked into the frame for only a moment while heading towards the light at a sedate pace. The young man wore the attire of someone of rank: dark in color except for a red sash at the waist, and shoulder armor in the shape of bat wings--or dragon wings. Leon narrowed his eyes. This man had to work for Dracula. Yet, because his head was shaved, it was obvious he was not a vampire, for he lacked the pointed ears. Was he a thrall? A magician who used evil magicks?

Whoever he was, he spoke casually with a rumbling voice in the background; A voice Leon thought he might recognize.

"I find myself wishing you two were better friends."

Leon's brow furrowed. He turned, only slightly, to look up at Alucard. The dhampir's face was stony, immovable, but his eyes held hints of something else--desperation. Alucard definitely recognized who had been speaking. His father, then; Dracula. Leon turned back to the dim mirror to listen closer.

The two in the room, Dracula and his underling, were discussing another associate, Hector, who would be asking them to attack Braila, as well as one named Carmilla who was gaining potential power in the court. Sypha shifted slightly out of the corner of Leon's eye, seemingly anxious since their army had a specific target. Alucard placed a hand on her shoulder and she calmed enough to hold still.

Dracula appeared to have no preference. "There was a time, when I would relish the details." He spoke about how he used to delight in the plans, how he would strategize and take every single fact into account.

He sounded so much like Mathias in that moment--his victories more blood thirsty and his current outlook more weary--but so familiar. Leon felt his gut clench.

This was Mathias. It was him at his lowest--grieving, tired, angry, despondent, uncaring of anything but his one goal.

"But those times are long gone. Let us just conclude this thing."

Mathias was broken.

Blinking back tears, Leon felt his heart break all over again. Just like when Mathias had turned out to be responsible for Leon's misery and lost love. All of his lost love. Mathias didn't even have the energy to care, to spite his "enemies" for his poor fortune and misery. All that was left was a shell of a man, hollowed out and crumbling.

Leon placed a hand over his mouth to keep his hitching breaths from giving them away. He almost jumped when a hand settled on his back. He didn't look up, just allowed Trevor to offer what small comfort he could.

Two others entered the room soon. One must have been the associate they spoke of, Hector, as he wore the same type of uniform as the first man--apparently named Isaac. Then Hector was also human? The other person was obviously Carmilla. They spoke about exactly what Dracula had been told of earlier.

There were definite politics at play; Unfortunately, Leon had never been invested in the subtle machinations even when he was a highly regarded knight and baron, and he missed a lot of the context which would have informed him who all the players were, and what they might have wanted.

The best Leon got out of it was the vampire--Carmilla--wanting to trap humans, wanting more power. The very thing Leon had accused Alucard of seemed to be in Carmilla's every move. She would be taking over anything she could during Dracula's uncaring state, it seemed.

The two humans in the room either didn't care or lacked familiarity with just how dangerous that could be to their lord.

Either way, there was a new target--Braila.

With a subtle look at Alucard, Leon let go of the mirror and stopped his flow of magic, dim room shimmering before disappearing. The last words of Dracula echoed in Leon's head.

"It doesn't matter. So long as they all die."

Notes:

Plot! Plot! Plot! Plot!

A little different here, Leon changed up the timeline juuuuust a smidge. We'll see some more consequences of that next chapter. :3c

Please let me know what you thought!╰( ･ ᗜ ･ )╯I'm excited to finally be getting into more plot stuff, as much as I enjoyed the character focused stuff, and I hope y'all are too. That said, I still love character interactions, so that's not going away or anything. ;3

Chapter 18: Castle Lockdown

Summary:

The group takes the first step in their fight against Dracula: making sure they can reach him.

"Fuck."

Trevor broke the grim silence after the connection with the mirror in Dracula's castle was cut. Once Sypha brought all the light back, magical flames expertly aimed at all the sconces, Trevor paced back and forth, hand running agitatedly through his hair.

"Well," Alucard said, voice trying for flat but pitched just a shade too high, "at least we know what the next step in his plan is."

"Yes, and no idea how to counter it," Trevor sniped.

"That's not entirely true," Sypha said, biting her lip. "I have the spell we need to lock the castle in place, remember? If I can just find the right books and finish the final clauses before they take the castle to Braila..."

"Which could be any moment," said Trevor. "Right?"

"I don't think so," Leon said. Three sets of eyes turned to him, varying degrees of hopeful. "It sounded like a war plan, which means they will likely be checking on supplies and soldiers, and planning various things before heading out. We have some time, even though it's not much."

"And they didn't see us?" Trevor confirmed.

"No, they shouldn't have." Leon turned to Alucard, who nodded in agreement.

"We didn't open a portal, just connected to an existing mirror. They will focus only on their own plans, for now. And even if they head out right away, the army will not have much time before the sun rises. They will have to wait to make any significant moves on the city."

"Right. Then help me gather these." Sypha sprinted off to a section of books, Alucard directly behind her.

The next hour was incredibly tense, even though they knew they had time before anything would happen. Leon paced beside the mirror occasionally, Alucard sometimes returning to it as well to help him check on the castle. Its location did not change.

Trevor walked about with a determined purpose, gathering weapons to tuck in the various pockets and holsters in his outfit. Leon eventually helped him, finding things for himself as well.

They would need all the help they could to face an army of vampires with Dracula at its head. Help in the form of weapons such as blessed silver throwing knives, holy water, a couple throwing axes, and some other interesting things Leon found on the shelves. Trevor didn't seem to want to take the cross radiating holy magic, but he did take the magical bracelet Leon found, which supposedly absorbed and dispersed some magical attacks on the wearer--similar to Leon's glove, though not as powerful. Leon hoped it protected his descendant.

Sypha spent the hour frantically flipping between two books, occasionally sending Alucard off to grab another. By the way she tested magic in her palms, more frequently as time went on, Leon thought she was making good progress.

Leon himself had grabbed a few books about the castle as Sypha got closer. While he hadn't known what he was getting into when he went after Walter, Leon wanted to have some knowledge on what he would encounter with Dracula's castle. The rooms and hallways, apparently, had the potential for change. Leon's stomach flipped, and he could only hope that with an entire army inside, Dracula would not try to change the layout.

Once Sypha yelled, "I think I've got it!" they all quickly assembled in front of the mirror.

"Hold it just like that," she said. "I'm going to cast it now."

"Is this a good location?" Leon asked before she started.

"Don't have much of a better one," Trevor chipped in. "They've attacked just about everywhere, so it's better if we don't let them move anywhere else."

"Yes, that would only give them more people to attack," Alucard agreed.

The idea of the towns where Dracula settled already being killed made Leon's heart sink, but he couldn't fault their logic. "Alright then. Please continue Sypha."

She nodded and summoned green magic to her hands. It crackled and spit, lightning arcing between her palms as she spread her fingers. Her hair began to wave in the magical currents, sticking up as if there was a storm gathering around her.

The castle wavered.

"It's like a puzzle," Sypha said, her voice growing louder as the magic buzzed in her hands. "I have to use this spell to lock it in a way Dracula won't have the key to."

The magic formed a strange shape, one with many flat sides, even and symmetrical, and constantly spinning within Sypha's grasp. Sypha made sounds of concentration and effort, little huffs and grunts of either annoyance or understanding as she worked on the shape. It would spin one direction, then turn another, then the pieces would come apart, swirl upside down, and come back together. Leon hoped she was doing everything right, and quickly.

"Dracula will have noticed the disturbance," Alucard said, giving voice to his own anxiety. "He will investigate, and if he catches what-"

"I'm doing-! My best," Sypha said, loudly. The castle wavered again, like another castle--one of blue and green light--sat in the same place.

"All the same, I'd rather not have Dracula figure out what we're doing," Trevor said, his voice just as tense as his shoulders.

"Will everyone just, just give me time," Sypha complained. "I think I've got it... almost..."

Leon squinted past the lightning to see the castle still pictured in the mirror. While viewed from a distance away at a high vantage point, Leon thought he saw movement near the ground. Peering as close as he could without moving in the way, he caught a glimpse of little figures moving about. Little soldiers.

"We may want to speed this up."

"I am trying," Sypha bit out.

"There are soldiers coming out of the castle."

"Fuck," Trevor breathed. Alucard's hands tightened on the mirror.

"I- have it!" Sypha declared. Smashing her palms together, one final wave of magic coalesced and rang out from her, a shimmering echo falling over the castle in the mirror. For several moments, they all waited, breath held, as they watched the castle for any signs of movement or retaliation. None came. Sypha clapped her hands together, looking exhilarated.

"I've created a code," she said, "for the mechanism which moves the castle from place to place. Dracula will not be able to move it without figuring that out. It's like how some stories are hidden in layers of meaning and metaphor which you would not understand unless you had heard all the other stories it was referencing."

"So, it's stuck?" Trevor asked. He leaned in, squinting as if he would be able to tell just from looking at the image.

"It sounds like it," said Leon. "Excellent work Sypha."

"It was pretty good, wasn't it?" Sypha placed her hands on her hips, her smile wide.

"Yes. Hopefully it will hold out until long after we arrive," said Alucard. He let the mirror go, the picture fading.

"I'm certain it will." Sypha sounded prideful, yes, but also completely sure. "Anyway, after casting that spell, I now know where exactly the castle is."

"You do?" Leon asked.

"Yes. I can feel it, in a sense. Since it's my spell keeping it in place. It's not far from here, only a few days."

Trevor nodded and straightened up. "Then we should get moving. Grab weapons, food, travel supplies, and head out." Everyone nodded. Trevor looked them all over--his eyes halting on Leon for a second longer. "Alright. Alucard, tell me what we need."

The two of them wandered off, a faint look of surprise on Alucard's face, talking about what sorts of things to expect at Dracula's castle, and if there was anything they could take to make their fight easier.

"Are you sure about this?" Sypha asked, turning to Leon. "We can still find a way to send you back first."

Leon shook his head. "No. This is what I have been working towards for a long time. A way to keep people safe from his wrath. I would not forgive myself if I ran away now."

Sypha nodded. "Alright. Then let's pack up and hope for the best. We will need it."

Notes:

Thanks for your patience! You may have noticed I ended up doing a number of challenges over October and November (October prompts, Gretacard week, Trephacard week, NaNoWriMo...) so it's taken a little while, but I'm glad to come back for another chapter here! ♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪ Hello!

And finally, we've got the castle locked down to one place! But wait, if it never went to Braila... what happened with Carmilla's army? Or Dracula's? Hmmm, I suppose we will find out in future chapters, hehehe. >:3

Again, glad to post a new chapter here! Hope you've all been doing well. (っ*´∀｀*)っ I'd love to hear from you!

Chapter 19: Night Creature Ambush

Summary:

Leon and the others leave the Belmont Hold, finding their first real fight together.

Notes:

Again, Happy New Year to y'all! ♡〜٩( ˃́▿˂̀ )۶〜♡ Have a bit of a longer chapter.

They were traveling on the road for barely one day when they ran into trouble. The Belmont Hold had been resealed and hidden best they were able, wagon filled with supplies when they headed out. After several hours, a setting sun had left the world darker, bathed only in moonlight. That was when the night creatures decided to attack.

The hairs on the back of Leon's neck stood up at the same time Alucard murmured, "We have company."

Sypha stopped the wagon, and they all got off, spreading out to search for the creatures. Trevor cried out first, his metal whip clanking followed by a mighty roar and fast, heavy footsteps.

A few trees fell down, showing off the muscled form of a minotaur, taller than three people and heavy enough for its hoofed legs to shake the ground nearby. Trevor dodged just as often as he attacked, but blood drawn from whatever foliage he crashed through ran down his face.

Leon was attacked next, a large, scaly flying beast jumping out of the woods to spit fire at him, followed swiftly by a furry flyer of similar size. Leon had to lunge to the side--closer to the bat-like monster--to avoid being burned, and even then he felt the heat of it through his boots.

Bringing out his whip, he lashed at the scaled beast--probably a drake; Both monsters were fairly good at keeping distance from Leon, using their proportionally-small wings to perform large jumps and glides away, leaving Leon scrambling after them or performing acrobatics to avoid the fire the drake spit out in its wake. The bat-wolf creature harried Leon, keeping him distracted enough he couldn't land substantial hits. There was so much heat thrown around, the ground actually began to crisp, any late fallen snow melting to slush beneath Leon's boots. It was one of those mud puddles Leon slipped in.

It wasn't long, and Leon could easily have caught himself on the ground and rolled back to standing, but his battle instincts warned him of incoming danger. The drake was already preparing fire, and Leon wouldn't be able to move out of the way.

He braced himself as adrenaline slowed down the world around him. His glove could absorb some of it, but Leon would have to take some burns before he would be able to move out of the way.

Just as the fire began to spill from its mouth, a blur stepped in front of him, slicing through the bulk of the flames.

Leon sprang back to his feet and used his magic to take the remaining barrage, reducing the fire until it disappeared on either side of them. Leon took a moment to acknowledge his comrade. It was Alucard, eyes glowing in the moonlight and entire body poised like a predator.

"Thanks," Leon said, but before he could dash back into the fray, Alucard held out a hand.

"Let Sypha and I handle these," he said. The magician was flying in from a controlled gust of wind. "There's one near Trevor, and another which vanished into the forest, wounded."

With only a slight hesitation, Leon nodded and took off.

Trevor was indeed fighting a monster, but it was not the minotaur. That one laid in a pool of blood, various open slashes and a few icicle spears sticking from it. The creature Trevor fought was human shaped, but with sharp teeth and horns like a devil. It was thrusting a spear at Trevor, who dodged, tripped the creature with his whip, and wrenched the spear away with a clever twisting of his own body.

The monster roared, but Trevor used his continued momentum to break the spear between his thighs.

Leon smiled, adrenaline pumping, and ran up to join. He flicked his own whip, grasping the creature around the throat. It screamed, in pain and surprise, as it clawed at the weapon slowly burning its skin.

Trevor grinned, something fierce in his expression, and took the opportunity to grab one half of the spear before jamming it right into the creature's rib cage. Blood poured out, a pained howl choked off.

"When you get back down to hell," Trevor said, twisting the spear, "You make sure you tell them there are still Belmonts up here."

Leon took the cue; They both pulled back their weapons at the same time, leaving a decapitated, bleeding torso on the ground.

Trevor wiped some of the blood from his brow, easily coiling the Morning Star to his hand, and Leon felt a swell of pride.

"Alucard said one escaped. We need to find it."

"Or," Trevor said, "we make it find us."

"I'll follow your lead." Trevor looked shocked for a moment before he pulled his expression into determined focus and took off into the trees. Leon followed.

"Should be here," Trevor said. "It saw it was outmatched with Sypha and flew off. Used the trees as cover, I think."

"So how will we lure it?"

Trevor took a moment to look around, then stopped abruptly, pointing up. "There."

Leon followed his hand and saw several blood drops and claw marks higher in the trees. A raven stood there, watching them intently. It let out a mighty caw. Only a few dozen feet to their left, another caw followed. Then more and more joined, until there was a conspiracy, unseen, crowing into the trees.

"A malphas," Trevor said. "Are you bleeding?"

Leon looked at himself, took stock of how he felt. "No," he said, "A little singed, some bruising, but not much blood."

"Right. Guess I'm the bait then." He swiped a hand across his bleeding face again, a wry grin punctuating the startling red. "Keep an eye out."

Leon nodded, stepping back to watch Trevor. He expanded his senses as well as he could, listening intently, feeling the flow of wind and magic around them. Trevor himself stepped forward and threw a knife at one raven. He was quick enough the bird was caught unawares, and with a sad croak, fell to the ground.

The other birds were silent for a moment before their racket increased, an echoing, almost deafening cacophony of cawing and shrieking.

Many of the birds launched themselves from the branches, their wings sounding louder as they flapped together over the trees, circling around. Some flew in between the tree trunks, swooping near Trevor. They only seemed to look at first, but soon became bolder. The first one to attack Trevor got whipped down. But it only served to frenzy the others, as they came in greater numbers, actions bolder. Even Trevor, with his skill at pinpointing the smaller targets, got several more scratches, so Leon stepped in to begin hitting them out of the sky as well.

The ravens only grew more numerous, or so it seemed.

"What is happening here?" Sypha said, running towards them. The crunching of snow and pine needles under her and Alucard's feet was barely audible.

Alucard swiped at a few birds who lingered too close. "It looks like you've managed to piss it off."

"I'm talented like that," Trevor sniped back.

Sypha alerted them to another swooping group when she made a sound of surprise and fire lit up a portion of the area. A number of birds dropped, but they stayed far from Sypha at that point.

The sound of concentrated flapping filled the air, and somewhere in the shadows, a number of ravens came together and solidified into a figure. It looked vaguely humanoid, but it clearly had a bird's skull for a head and large black wings--the malphas. Leon readied his whip and a set of throwing knives as the monster turned towards Trevor. Opening its hideous mouth, it gave a loud shriek, rising above the din of the flock of ravens. Alucard flinched back; His sensitive hearing probably made it worse for him.

"It's more powerful in the forest," Trevor yelled.

Leon didn't want to give the creature any more time for planning and rushed forward. He watched as Trevor did the same, and they instinctively split, coming at the malphas from different directions, closing in like a vice.

Leon heard the group of ravens flying into the trees again, baiting Sypha and Alucard, causing just enough trouble to prevent them from attacking the malphas.

For several moments, the creature honed in on Trevor--Trevor's glistening blood some sort of draw. It moved fast, slamming into Trevor with surprisingly solid wings, sending him skidding back into a tree. A thrown knife from Leon proved a good enough distraction, even though the malphas deflected it with the larger, sharper primary feathers; Trevor took his chance to attack close range, bracing his back against the tree as he kicked out and up, boots landing a solid strike on the malphas's bone skull, sending the creature away with another loud shriek.

Trevor gathered himself, and Leon ran closer to try surrounding the malphas again.

When the monster spread its wings, Leon threw a few more knives, watching them sink into the upper feathers. It shrieked once more, but did not fly; Even when Trevor lashed out with his whip, it only dodged away. Unfortunately for the malphas, that put it closer to Leon.

Leon got a solid whip strike on the feathered back, and it sizzled and bubbled beneath the force of Sara's rage.

A large group of ravens flew at Leon's face--he had to stop and use some of his magic to deflect them. The malphas used his distraction to hop farther away. Trevor closed in, but it continued to dance around him with incredible speed in both horizontal and vertical directions, using the trees as cover, which forced Trevor to use more and more complex maneuvers with his whip just to avoid hitting or entangling the trunks and branches.

Leon pulled out his final knife and, using the last of his shield, charged up power to send the magic flying out as a series of sharp, glowing needles. The ravens near him either flew away or fell to the ground, twitching. He used the brief opening to toss his silvered knife, the magic around it causing even more skin to burn when it struck the malphas's side.

It stumbled, and in that opening, Trevor struck. The whip took off one of its wings entirely, the feathers bursting into flame.

As the creature cried and tripped, running away, it didn't notice Leon sprinting up behind it.

With one leg, Leon kicked it in the back of the knee, sending it down to the ground without a fight. In the next moment, Leon had his sword in both hands and brought it down, severing the head from the shoulders.

The sound echoed, an undercurrent of wings beating the air.

As the malphas's blood ran into the snow, the ravens dispersed. Some disappeared within the darkness, their bodies fading, and the rest flew away with nary a sound, leaving the forest in the stillness of night again.

"That was the last, I presume."

Sypha and Alucard joined the two Belmonts again, looking ruffled with a few cuts of their own. Leon nodded to Alucard, noticing his cuts were already closing up. As Leon cleaned his blade so he could sheath it, he noticed a satisfied look on Trevor's face. And though Leon may have been imagining it, he thought Trevor's smile looked a little brighter when their eyes met.

"The last," Trevor confirmed. "Let's get back to the road."

So they began wandering out of the woods. Leon looked back at the corpse, but figured it would get dealt with soon enough by the wildlife. They had a mission to get back to.

"So, I am curious now about your whips," Sypha said to Trevor as they trudged back out of the trees. "They seem... similar, but that... one..."

"The Morning Star?" Trevor asked, voice amused.

"Yes. The power it used was a bit more elemental than your first one, the one Leon has." She nodded to him, including him in the conversation. "But that first one has some other power too, not pulling from the darker aspects like demons use, and Leon... He mentioned earlier it wasn't a blessing, so what energy does it pull from?"

"Not sure. I was always told it was consecrated." Trevor shrugged.

Leon tapped on his sword hilt, trying to think of an answer. He wasn't so sure he was ready to delve into the topic--or if he ever would be in the future. Alucard's input was a surprise.

"Leon mentioned alchemy several times."

"Alchemy?" Sypha asked, before her eyes lit up, fingers to her chin. "Ah, yes, that's how your glove was made, correct?" Leon barely nodded before Alucard was speaking again.

"And alchemy is one of the few magical, or magic-science, fields in which humans can dabble in the transmutation of souls."

A small silence spread. Leon's feet suddenly felt fascinating to watch; His hand kept a tight grip on Sara where she was coiled on his hip.

"Alright," Trevor said into the silence. His hand came down onto Leon's shoulder, shocking Leon into looking up. "Enough Alucard."

Alucard glanced over, not turning his head, but his shoulders were raised a bit, as though he was embarrassed. "I... apologize," he said quietly.

Leon let go of Sara, rubbing at the back of his neck as he looked right to where Trevor and Sypha watched him, then left to Alucard. "It's fine. You're right, but I don't wish to speak of it."

"I apologize as well," said Sypha. "I didn't mean to bring up such pain."

"It's fine," Leon said again.

But Trevor kept his hand stubbornly on Leon's shoulder, even patting it a few times. Alucard looked as if he wished to drift further away, but Sypha darted between him and Leon, reaching out wide with both arms to grab their coats before pulling them to either side of her and wrapping her arms tight.

Alucard huffed and Leon chuckled, just a little. They each had their hurts, didn't they? While Leon couldn't speak of his any further than he already had, he trusted his group--the group of noble, kind hunters willing to admit mistakes. Willing to fight for innocent strangers. On his hip, as if reacting to his thoughts, Sara warmed.

Leon smiled to himself; He hoped the travel would bring them all closer.

Notes:

I had to get some Belmont teamwork in there. (´｡✪ω✪｡｀) Even though fight scenes can be... troublesome to write. I hope it kept your attention! Please let me know! Also, the night creatures are a bit stronger here, because: 1) they ran into Hector's night creatures on the road/in the forest, rather than the hold, which gives the creatures a bit of an advantage, and 2) because I wanted to. :3 Minotaur and Malphas, specifically, are sometimes bosses in the games, so I wanted them to be tougher.

Anyway! The group is finally on the road! It's travel time, and I'm excited. ₍₍ ◝(●˙꒳˙●)◜ ₎₎ And they are all caring more about each other too!

Chapter 20: Different Perspectives

Summary:

As Leon, Sypha, Alucard, and Trevor look over the aftermath of their battle, inhabitants of Dracula's castle deal with their own problems.

Corpses littered the small clearing around the road. Leon was glad to see the wagon was still intact, the horses far enough back to not have bolted out of fear.

"Kind of an odd place to stumble across night creatures," said Trevor. "Not a good city or town around for miles, at least anymore. And was it just me or did they seem... specialized?"

"They were far stronger than the average night creature," Alucard agreed. "And many of the average soldiers have had the ability to fly, so they could move faster. Three of them had that and... two of them didn't."

"The minotaur was definitely too heavy to carry," said Sypha. "So maybe they weren't meant to go far?"

Leon looked at the corpses, leading the horses carefully along the road with nose pats. "But if they weren't meant to go far, they could only have come from a location they were set in to destroy. Unless Dracula allows them to wander with no plan."

Alucard's face scrunched up, but he didn't object.

"They came from the direction we're heading," said Trevor, crouched down next to some faint footprints further along the road.

"Then it is possible they were headed to the Belmont Hold," said Alucard. "They must have assumed it was the work of a Belmont which halted the castle, and come to take you out."

Sypha pouted and crossed her arms.

"Fantastic," Trevor said sarcastically. "Do you think they're watching us?"

"Likely not," Alucard assured. "This was a small team. They do have an entire war going on. One which Dracula does not seem to care about."

Leon looked at the destruction around them. "Actually," he said, "since they weren't moving all that fast, maybe they were sent out before Sypha even stopped the castle. Just a precaution. A scouting group?"

"That's true," said Trevor. "The three which could fly didn't seem keen on leaving their buddies behind."

"So, they were heading to the Belmont Hold before they even knew we were there?" Sypha asked. "Were they that concerned about the possibility? And why now?"

Alucard sighed. "Perhaps your deeds in Gresit gained some traction after all. Gossip tends to spread faster when people are alive."

"Gresit?" Leon asked.

"Where we met," said Sypha. "We saved a number of people there. I suppose Dracula's court could have learned of it because of that."

"In the end though, it doesn't really matter." Alucard hopped back onto the cart. "We will arrive eventually, and stop them whether they know of us or not."

Leon shook his head and hopped up as well. "That's the spirit! Sometimes it's better for your enemies to be afraid of your arrival."

0-o-0

Carmilla was terrified. And angry. But she would only show the latter, of course, a small amount beneath her veneer of calm.

The castle was stuck, trapped, ensorcelled, and they could not go to Braila. Normally, that would be but a small trifle, a hiccup in her plans, but for one large issue: she had stationed her entire army there. Everyone she had taken with her was assembled in Braila, waiting for something which would never come. Not to mention, she had shown part of her hand with Hector, and apparently far too soon.

He was implicated in her plans, certainly, but now he had time to think, and if he did that, he could ruin everything.

She had to figure out a way to keep Hector under her thumb. He still wanted the same thing, surely. Not a mass killing, but humans in pens. Fine, Dracula was not going to start offering that any time soon. Hector might still assist her, especially since there had been a direct assault on the castle. If Dracula didn't take decisive action to figure out what happened, Carmilla would have to, and Hector would follow her lead to protect himself and his master.

Carmilla smiled, pacing down the hall. She had a plan.

0-o-0

"Hector."

Hector froze at the sound of his name purred out between those deceitful lips. A shiver ran up his spine. He didn't want to see her; he just wanted to do his work and make the world less corrupt, more in balance. Scheming, working behind his friend's back, it laid more fatigue on his shoulders. Carmilla's cooing of "puppy" came back to him; His hands clenched around his hammer.

"Carmilla," he forced out. "What do you want."

"Now Hector," she said, her voice like razors dancing just above his skin, making his hairs stand on end, "is that anyway to greet me? I thought you ought to know what's happening."

"The castle is stuck in place," Hector said. His jaw ground at the thought she believed he wouldn't get that sort of information when he was one of Dracula's top generals. "We aren't going to be able to go to Braila."

"No," Carmilla agreed, not sounding happy about it. "It will have to wait. But do you know who was behind it?"

"What?" Hector couldn't help turning to face her, even knowing all he would get was condescension from eyes more merciless than a hungry crocodile. "How could you know that?"

"Oh Hector, it's simple." Carmilla paced around the room, forcing Hector to turn with her. "Who else has such an annoying persistence, an old grudge against all vampires, and a protected hold full of magical tools dedicated to taking out Dracula and other forces of the night?"

It clicked. "The Belmonts?"

"Bravo," Carmilla said, sarcastic. "Yes, the same Belmont who was heading to his family home and, apparently, arrived safely. Have you heard back from your creatures, Hector?"

Hector turned away from her again. "No. But they would have arrived by now."

Carmilla made a noise which might have come off as understanding from anyone else. "Well, it appears they would not have been enough to stop him. And if he's locked the castle in place, we are all vulnerable. He will head straight here, and do his best to kill us."

"Lord Dracula doesn't seem concerned." Which was the wrong thing to say.

"Of course he isn't," Carmilla hissed, stalking into his line of sight like an angry cat. "He hasn't been concerned about the war, in general. Nor me, nor you, nor anyone else here, because all he wants is revenge for the death of his pet. He doesn't care what happens to the rest of us, so long as the humans keep dying."

Hector's shoulders tensed more and more. Of course that wasn't what he'd intended to imply, only that Dracula would be more concerned if the Belmont posed a real threat to his person. Right?

"What do you want to do?" Hector asked. It felt like a defeat.

"Make more troops, as you have been. But keep them here, around the castle." Carmilla walked to the door, heels clicking. "Make no mistake Hector, he is coming. We need to be ready."

Then she was gone. Hector let out a long breath, bending down towards his work table as he went, hands holding him up even as his head dropped and hair swung down as a comforting curtain. There was not much else he could do; he wanted to protect what he was working for. After a year there, the castle was his home, and he couldn't let a hunter come in to try to kill Lord Dracula. Hector didn't exactly wish to die either.

So, with reluctance, he turned towards the corpses in the corner of the room. There was work to be done.

0-o-0

Isaac frowned. The war room was in chaos.

For a short time, less than a day, the generals had been quiet. They were going to head to Braila, and the direction made them stop bickering and start planning. But now foreign magic held the castle in place. Vulnerable. At least, according to Carmilla; She was stirring them up again.

It wasn't that Isaac believed she was wrong--the Belmont was the most likely culprit for the castle's new unresponsiveness--but he was not their priority. Their priority should be that of Lord Dracula's: wiping out the human race. Carmilla trying to change the direction of the court was a hindrance, a distraction. One man did not trump the noble goal Dracula was trying to achieve.

And speaking of one man... Isaac looked over to his fellow forgemaster. Hector fended off several inquiries about their current objective, his words suspiciously scripted. He sounded like he was speaking for Carmilla.

Isaac knew Carmilla had been hanging around Hector more often; it was hard not to notice when everything about Carmilla screamed 'pay attention to me.' Isaac might have done the exact opposite, for his own peace of mind, if it hadn't been for her unhealthy sway over Hector.

Their communication hadn't seemed like much at first. Carmilla had a plan which was sound enough, and Hector supported it to avoid arguing in the war room. Isaac understood Hector's actions then.

But supporting her ideas even now, when Dracula made it clear they were not to waste time or troops on searching out the Belmont, was close to treason. Isaac suspected Carmilla was the one running things all on her own. Hector was too naive, lost in his own world where everyone was an animal, to see the way vampires schemed. And they were scheming.

Isaac should have seen it sooner. Godbrand was too stupid to come up with subtle plans; Carmilla must have inspired him to treason.

Isaac made note to keep an eye on her. He didn't wish to seek her out--time spent with her in the war room was plenty--Isaac knew it might become necessary for his Lord's safety and peace.

"No," Isaac rebuffed Zufall, just one of the generals supporting Carmilla's previous plan who had gotten more outspoken recently. "The castle will not be moving until Lord Dracula says. You will just have to accept that."

It was going to be a long, trying night.

Notes:

Oh man, I'm tired. =u= Future updates are probably gonna be a little slower until I can get this more organized. Still, I wanted to get this chapter out, because alternate perspectives are fun! We've got three in the castle who are all worried, thanks to the abrupt stop.
Ah, well at least our main group is feeling successful!

Speaking of successful, thank you all for your kindness and support. (◍•ᴗ•◍)❤ It means a lot to see that y'all are still enjoying this.

Chapter 21: Second Day of Travel

Summary:

Leon spends some time planning for the upcoming battle, learning more than expected from Alucard.

Cold, bitter winds swept across the land, whistling through the wagon wheels as it trundled down the dirt path. They were making good time to Dracula's castle, Leon thought. The night creatures they fought previously had been an anomaly, and no others had been along the path. So far, at least.

Though it was distressing they hadn't come across guards or soldiers yet, considering they were only about five days away at their current pace. It meant most of the army had to be at the castle, keeping their ranks tight.

So Leon used some of the travel time to come up with plans for taking out large swaths of vampires. When he couldn't sleep, he spoke.

"Alucard." Leon waited until the dhampir acknowledged him with a nod. "I read some about the castle while we were at the Belmont Hold. Is it true there are pipes in every room carrying water and oil?"

"In a sense," Alucard said, "though they would not be the same pipes, nor in every room."

"What about the entrance?"

Alucard tipped his head to the side, looking back at Leon. "There should be some. Hidden along the walls, or behind the ceiling, perhaps. Most of them would be running to bathing rooms, or the kitchens, or the like. Why do you ask?"

"I think we could use them to our advantage." Leon shifted around where he sat, pulling his blanket up further, leaning towards the front bench where Alucard drove the cart. "If the majority of his forces are vampires or the night creatures we have been taking out, blessing his water--or oil even--would give us the upper hand in nearly every room."

Alucard raised a judging brow. "You would need to cause quite a bit of destruction for that to be useful."

"I think battling an army of vampires will do it," Leon responded, voice flat. But then he quieted, more serious. "Look, we're all skilled, but this is an army we will be facing. We can't assume that we'll be able to fight every soldier and account for each enemy while watching each other's backs. It's just too many at once. Numbers like that don't matter how skilled you are. So we need a plan."

"Are you worried?" Alucard asked, though it wasn't condescending.

"Yes."

Alucard stared at him for a few long moments. "Alright. I know where the supply is for the water and oil, if that's what you need. Are you certain you can bless it though?"

"I can." Leon smiled, thinking back to sunlight streaming through bright colored glass, the scent of incense and peonies thick in the air. "I am knighted by the church, for whatever it's worth."

"I see." Alucard appeared to consider him. "That is rather ironic, don't you think?"

"Considering what has happened to my family, you mean?" The question was a weight settling into his chest.

"Yes," Alucard whispered, facing the road again. "I suppose so."

They both stayed silent for a while, Leon looking back at his sleeping descendant and the Speaker-magician curled up together, a blanket over them. It was sweet, seeing them cuddle for warmth. Something sharp but satisfied filled Leon's heart, the sting of cleansing a wound; He hoped Trevor would find happiness in his future. For that, Leon would make sure they all survived the coming battle.

"The water and oil start at different locations," said Alucard. "I can lead you to one, but two may be a stretch without being detected. Actually, we may be spotted before we even assault the castle, so you might be on your own in finding them."

"That's fine." Leon spent a few moments moving himself up to the front bench, next to Alucard, though he kept his blanket around his shoulders. "I have navigated a cursed castle on my own before. Tell me about the layout."

Alucard frowned, looking ahead at the landscape rather than Leon. "I hope it is the same as I remember it. But this is where they were last I checked..."

Alucard described the locations, one closer to the entrance, just a little further in, and usually absorbing water from local sources before cleaning it and sending it throughout the castle. The oil was deeper in, near a large laboratory, and didn't circulate very far at all, supplying a few rooms with the hot substance, mainly for heating, and lighting, and other devices Leon would not recognize. Leon memorized their locations, hoping it would give them the advantage they needed to stay hale during the battle.

"Lighting the oil on fire would be helpful in itself," Leon pondered aloud. "It could make for good barrier while it lasts. So would the sun, if we can stage most of our attack during that time."

"Perhaps. Though the castle's window shutters would likely be closed anyway. They would not take such chances."

"Ah, but shutters can be broken."

Alucard shook his head, a small smile pulling at his lips. "You are more destructive than I anticipated. Is it a Belmont thing?"

"I'm not sure what you mean. We're not trying to take the castle for ourselves, are we?"

"No, I suppose not."

"Then what did you mean?"

Alucard chuckled. "When Trevor and Sypha found me, they had barreled straight through all of my traps, meant to warn me of intruders to my resting place. It was a complete mess."

Leon smiled back, but had to wonder, "Resting place?"

Alucard's humor slipped away.

Leon didn't want to push, but he had to know if his suspicion was correct. "Were you pursued by Dracula, then?"

"I thought I might be," Alucard said, hesitant. "I had to be sure, just in case. I was in no condition to face him again."

"Again?" Leon whispered. His eyes caught on the sliver of scar tissue visible above Alucard's neckline. Alucard had mentioned it before, but not much. "What happened the first time?"

Alucard's grip on the reins tightened. For several long moments, Leon believed he wouldn't speak. "I attempted- I spoke to him of... of my mother's passing. He was furious, no, maddened. His emotions had completely consumed him, but I thought. He. At the time, I believed I could either convince him to stop, or force him to. It... did not end well."

Leon swallowed and scooted closer, blanket wrapped tighter than a swaddled babe. "Are you healed now?"

Alucard straightened, clearly trying to brush off his reactions. "I am fully ready for battle."

Leon didn't know how to respond. Vampires were supposed to heal from near anything, given time. How bad had Alucard's injury been? Were there any still lingering effects? Leon didn't believe he'd get any more information about it at the moment, not with the way Alucard had tensed. Even so, Leon couldn't help the question which slipped out.

"How long...?"

He didn't know what he meant, exactly, or how he would have ended it. But Alucard answered.

"About a year ago."

Leon sucked in a breath, the late-winter air stabbing his lungs. Only a year. A year to heal. A year of his father sending out armies to massacre the land. Only a year since the man before him lost his mother.

Leon untangled his blanket and reached out, carefully draping the extra material over Alucard's shoulders as well, ignoring how stiff they were.

"I'll take over for you in a little while," said Leon. Alucard didn't respond.

Even so, when the rumble of the road lulled Leon into closing his eyes, Alucard allowed his shoulder to be used as a pillow. For the next few hours, Leon drifted in and out of an uneasy sleep, dreaming, thinking of the trials ahead and the sad people he traveled with.

Notes:

Ah, bonding. (´∩｡; ᵕ ;｡∩`) Sometimes sadder than you'd expect. But I think Leon and Alucard both needed more time to get used to each other, to learn a little more so they could empathize. I mean, you're gonna trip over tragic backstories a few times before things smooth out. x3 When you think about it, age helped Leon mature a lot from his main-character-confusion time in Lament, haha.

Hope you all enjoyed! ( ˊᵕˋ )♡.°⑅

Chapter 22: Kinship

Summary:

Leon notices something about how their little group is growing closer.

Notes:

I'm overthinking everything. Just take this chapter from me please! (And the next few ekgfjelkgb I'm having trouble ;u; )

As their small group of hunters continued, about three days’ travel from the hold, if they weren’t delayed, they finally began to run into what must have been the guards for Dracula’s castle. It was only ever at night, but night creatures would swoop across the land, and sometimes vampires rode by on demon horses.

The night creatures were easiest--they always attacked and always lost. The few vampires were more difficult, since they valued their lives more, and would be able to deliver messages if they escaped. Their group relied on Alucard the closer they got, since he could tell when vampires were closing in, and was fast enough to cut off their escape if no one else got to them in time.

The thing that intrigued Leon was how not a one of the patrols seemed prepared for them.

Oh, they were prepared for intruders, generally. They were on the lookout and ready to fight as soon as they noticed the presence of Leon and the other three--most of the vampires even kept their calm if they were ambushed. However, as soon as Alucard began teleporting around to swipe at them with his sword, or Sypha pulled out her elemental magic, or either Belmont began using their whips to make the vampires melt and explode, they became frantic, panicked.

It seemed as though the vampires did not expect their little party to attack. Or maybe they didn’t know who exactly to expect, aside from intruders who stopped the castle. Or perhaps none expected the sheer strength and diversity of skills in the little group of three humans and one dhampir. Leon wasn’t sure.

Either way, it was to their advantage, so they used it, carefully and stealthily making their way to the castle. Traveling mainly during the day helped.

Trevor, to Leon's delight, convinced the others to use the skirmishes as practice for the large battle. He was a natural leader in battle, and had an eye for tactics. He somehow paid attention to the entire battlefield, even while fighting, and would come up with ideas for the next time.

Leon offered his own advice when needed, of course, but he happily let Trevor take the lead. It was Trevor’s time, his mission, and Leon could not have been more proud.

Sypha, they learned, was very good at cornering swaths of enemies when she didn’t have to worry about picking off individuals. The more room she had, the easier it was. Trevor and Leon’s styles complimented each other, both good at herding enemies and keeping their allies covered. Alucard dove into battle headfirst--with skill and power, but he focused on one enemy at a time usually, and tended to leave his back open.

So they covered for each other, supported each other, and gained smoother teamwork in the process.

They grew closer as friends too. Well… Leon turned around from where he was leading the wagon, looking into the back. The trio was sleeping at the same time, tangled together, something which Leon had not seen yet. The sight made Leon’s heart swell.

Sypha was curled up in the center, arms wrapped around one of Alucard’s and face buried in his chest. Alucard laid on his back, looking stiff except for the other two sprawled over him. Trevor spooned Sypha, arm draped over her and hand resting on Alucard’s stomach. His legs were curved forward enough to tangle with Alucard’s as well. They looked like a pack of puppies, and Leon had to hold a hand to his lips to keep the laughter in.

He thought he ought to mention something when they all woke up. The look on Trevor’s face alone would be worth it, but the other two would react amusingly as well. It had been so long since Leon had someone other than Trefor to tease.

Leon thought about it some more, the rhythmic breathing and slight snores keeping his mind calm.

Leon would never have what the three of them did; He had lost his betrothed, but to give his family a chance in the future, to allow Trevor Belmont to exist, Leon would need to have children with someone. A sigh poured out from deep in his chest. The ideal would be to find someone who not only understood his need and desire to hunt and protect, but assist him with it in some way as well.

A couple times, Leon had half-jokingly suggested to Trefor that they marry--though Leon knew at least one of his goals wouldn’t work with that.

The problem was, Leon would prefer someone who could keep up with him, physically or mentally, someone he could count on. Someone he could count on deserved the best Leon could give them, but Leon was just so tired. He didn't think he had the right mindset for courting. Of course, Trevor probably thought the same thing. But Leon had noticed the slight blushes, the overtures towards Sypha--and Alucard, if Leon was being honest. He thought he may actually be more honest about it than Trevor or Alucard were.

Leon had known love, though. Had known it before his closest friend and- and lover had taken it all from him.

Yes, he had to make sure those three understood what they had; It was the only way they could fully appreciate each other, and make informed decisions moving forward.

The next day, or rather, once they woke up, Leon tried his hand at hinting.

“You all looked cozy last night.”

Leon probably should have waited until Trevor wasn’t drinking. There was an adorable flush to Alucard though, which Leon only noticed because he turned his face directly into the light of the sun. Had he not known the dhampir well, he might have mistaken it for a small burn. Sypha… she just yawned, apparently oblivious to the mood.

“What the fuck,” Trevor coughed out, swiping at his mouth with the back of his hand.

Leon resisted the urge to fidget--he was not guilty of anything, and the trio of friends needed to be pushed. “It looked like you all were warm, that’s all. It’s good to be able to be vulnerable and comfortable with allies. Good skinship.”

“Skinship,” Alucard muttered, sounding disbelieving.

“Oh, yeah,” Sypha agreed sleepily. “Speakers practice that. Good.”

Trevor looked back and forth between them. “What- what is skinship?”

“Sharing close physical affection,” Leon elaborated. “Trusting allies helps teamwork in battle, and physical affection helps build trust.”

“Physical affection,” Alucard still muttered.

Trevor sputtered a few denials, like “It was cold,” or “That’s just how sleeping is sometimes.” Luckily, Sypha stepped in with suggestions.

“We should do it more often,” she said, earning everyone’s attention. “It’s true, it builds trust. The Speakers have kept all our caravans close and happy like this, and I think we will need this most in the battle with Dracula.” Then, while wiping some sleep gunk from her eyes, she turned to Leon and said, “Would you like some skinship?”

Leon himself froze then. “Me?” All the attention was on him then. “I- I hadn’t thought… I won’t be here for long, probaby…”

Sypha waved away his concerns with one hand. “You will be fighting with us. You are a part of our team.”

Leon was stunned. He- he was part of the team. He’d known that, in his head, but it was different feeling it in his heart. They traveled together, fought together, and apparently all cared for each other. They were a team. He felt a smile building on his face and let it come.

“That’s true. Thank you.”

Sypha nodded, looking almost sage-like if it weren’t for the sleep still in her eyes and the mussed hair.

“What?” Trevor tried. His confusion warred with some form of panic in his eyes.

Alucard stood abruptly. “I will find us some breakfast.” And with an overdramatic whoosh of red light, he was gone. Leon frowned, staring at the place Alucard had been. Had he pushed too much, too quickly? He hadn’t thought so. But Trevor stared at the place where the dhampir used to be as well, his confusion clear as he ran a hand through his sleep-messy hair.

Oh well. They had at least another day and night before they reached the castle. Leon would try again. Later.

Notes:

Tbh I really appreciate everyone's patience. These chapters are really fighting me... For a whole year they have punched me. :') Whoops. Anyway! Thank you, and I hope you liked this!

At least we got in a little more bonding, and Dracula's castle looms closer! We still have (I think) a couple more chapters before we get there, but it's coming, promise! ୧( ○･ω･)୨✧ Wish me luck?

Chapter 23: Last Day of Travel

Summary:

As they finally make it to the castle, the group prepares themselves.

Notes:

Honestly, thank you so much! Glad to know people are still watching for and enjoying this. (❁´◡`❁)

The closer they got to the castle, the more numerous the vampires became. The group had taken to skirting around as many as they could, and killing off only the ones they couldn’t dodge. As Trevor mentioned, too many deaths would alert their enemies to their presence; And Leon had agreed that stealth would be an advantage against a force so much larger than their little group of four.

So they ended up moving slower than anyone in the group wanted. The more time they gave their enemies, the longer they had to plan. People started getting a bit snappish in their stress, something Leon had witnessed plenty while in charge of his company. He did the best he could to help the three he had found himself growing attached to: The Speaker-magician who had never seen proper battles and was the least used to group strategies for them, having been her own powerhouse for so long, kept in a family of pacifists; The unwilling dhampir soldier, who was going to kill his last family, and knew of battle theory, but had been raised in an environment of love and knowledge; and the last Belmont, a hunter early in life who had seen far more than he should have, and commanded on the field better than anyone could have expected of him, but who was new to having powerful allies to back him up.

Yes, Leon would try his best to help them until they reached their destination. He kept himself calm, and patient, and did simple things.

Leon sat with Sypha, listening carefully to anything she wanted to talk about, offering gentle side hugs when she finally released a small fear for their upcoming battle. He told her they would all work together, as best they could.

Leon cooked with Alucard--only in the day when vampires would not be about or see their fires so easily. Leon talked about his own past, and allowed Alucard to divulge anything he wished about his, watching closely for if Alucard became pensive. He offered a strong shoulder and a gentle hand when Alucard retreated too far into himself.

Leon spent time stretching with Trevor, nothing too close to combat, helping Trevor relax his muscles of their tension. He praised Trevor’s progress, offered advice and understanding for any of Trevor’s complaints, things he needed to get off his chest to rid himself of anxious energy.

It did only a little, especially in such a short time, but Leon watched as they all stopped snapping at each other, drawing closer, even if sometimes wordlessly. Progress, Leon thought, and that was the best he hoped for with such a task ahead of them all.

At the end of about a week of travel, when daylight was still several hours away, the castle finally came into view. Its towers stood sharply against even the velvet black of the sky, glinting nails in the moonlight. Alucard stood rigidly next to the cart, staring at the structure as if staring into his own death--or someone else’s, Leon thought. Sypha looked serious as well, her fingers clenching and unclenching, but she also threw several looks at the rest of them, worried for them as usual.

Trevor… well he looked somehow both resigned and like he couldn’t believe the sight before him. Leon understood that. After so many years, he would probably see Mathias--Dracula--face to face; Would see the monster he had become in the centuries which had passed, because of grief, and anger, and an uncaring indulgence in the darker aspects of himself.

It would be difficult, Leon was certain. Physically and emotionally. But he was just as certain that their group would triumph, together.

So, he walked up behind them, stretching his arms as wide as he could, and grabbed them all into his embrace.

It sort of worked, with one arm around Trevor, the other barely grasping Sypha’s arm, and Alucard squashed in the middle. Sypha laughed though, and helped Leon out by looping her own arms around them.

“One more night,” Leon said. “A quick nap. And we’ll do this together.”

Despite the small awkwardness lingering, Leon did eventually get agreement out of all of them, muscles relaxing into the group hug. Then, there was nothing to do but wait. The next day would be one of their biggest.

When they discussed the plans for the castle again, Leon kept himself focused, but as calm as he could, hoping the others would follow his lead.

They did, and Leon was proud.

He wondered if it had really been so long since he had more than one friend to confide in. He made a small note in his mind to thank Trefor for being there alongside him through all the strife.

Of course, it was only his luck that thinking of his past would bring it up in his dreams.

He’d only meant to nap, a quick break before switching with Sypha, and he did not dream in such short times. Usually. But-

-the castle loomed before him. Imposing in its height, consuming in its shadow. Each room he walked through held traps meant to kill, and each hall the enemies which would do worse. And the whole time, Leon felt the laughter of the master of the castle, the monster who played with human lives for no reason but cruelty, boredom of the eternity he had.

Even when Leon sacrificed his own happiness, the life of his sweet Sara, his guilt nearly overwhelming him, despite the woman’s own desires, he could not find even a moment of peace.

Walter fought fiercely, desperate for life in a way Leon was certain he hadn’t felt in centuries. Yet even with the vampire’s final death, Leon could not rest.

Walter had been betrayed. As had Leon.

A rasping sound broke Leon from his rest. Running on older habit and adrenaline, Leon palmed one of his knives and tossed it with unerring accuracy, hearing a metallic clink and a curse as he lurched up.

The sky was nearly completely dark, only the moon--slowly setting--gave its angled light, the tall shadows of forest trees surrounding him. For a moment, he didn’t recognize the shadowy figure of the person near him, but something about their face calmed Leon.

Blinking sleep from his eyes, he muttered, “Mathias?”

The person was quiet for a moment, long enough for Leon to recognize the sword before the man said, “Alucard.”

“...Ah.” Leon felt embarrassment heat him, even as guilt churned in his gut. “I- sorry I didn’t mean-” He swallowed his words as Alucard held out his knife, hilt first. With a grateful nod, Leon returned it to its sheath.

“I’m not injured.”

“Good.” Leon let out a breath, slumping where he sat. “Good. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize for nightmares.”

Leon nodded, still feeling bad about the whole thing. Unable to look at Alucard, he glanced around their temporary camp--not much more than a covered space to stop their wagon and let the horses rest. Trevor and Sypha were already resting, probably having switched with Alucard. Since Leon was far too awake to attempt to sleep again, he decided to care for his own weapons. But he didn’t have time to do much more than stretch his arms before Alucard spoke again.

“You called me ‘Mathias’.” Leon froze, even his breathing. There was a shift from the corner of his eye, as if Alucard felt restless. “Do I… look so much like him?”

Leon had to swallow, then take in a deep breath and let it back out again, before he felt he could speak even in a whisper. “In some ways, yes, very much.”

Alucard stared down at his sword, situated across his lap. From the supplies hastily dropped to the side, he had been caring for it before Leon’s aggressive awakening. Shuffling himself to a better position, more upright and able to reach for his belt of supplies, Leon watched Alucard’s expression. A bit of wistful longing in his eyes warred with the flat frown of his lips.

“It’s interesting,” he said, each word sounding like it was plucked carefully from whatever Alucard was thinking over. “Most often, I have been compared to my mother. Except in terms of inheriting my- some of my father’s vampiric qualities.”

Leon frowned, his hands clenched too tightly to his belt to rummage around in the pouches, his mind stuck on the idea of Alucard not knowing much of his father. He had to, right? Before… before his madness and grief and vengeance had taken him, Alucard had been raised by him. Surely he knew him. But Leon already knew there was something sad in Alucard, which was related to, but not caused solely by, Dracula’s current actions.

“Your eyes,” Leon found himself whispering.

Alucard’s hair shifted as he glanced up and over at Leon.

“When you’re thinking over a problem. Or, the way- when either Sypha or Trevor manages to make you smile, it’s. You look like him.”

His hands were shaking too hard to do anything for his weapons. Perhaps because he was more tired than he’d thought. (Or because of his dream.) Leon set everything aside.

“I. Leon…” Alucard stalled, but Leon wasn’t inclined to pursue conversation any further. He couldn’t help but pour over the last he’d seen of his- of Mathias. He’d sneered, and gloated, and raged, and been entirely unlike himself. His expressions had been terrifying, like someone else had taken the place under his friend’s skin.

“Done talking?” Trevor’s rough voice grumbled.

Startled, Leon shifted to get up, but a small hand on his coat tugged him back.

“Sleep,” Sypha said as she bullied him closer to where both her and Trevor had laid down. “Or at least rest.”

Trevor grunted, but rolled to his side so Sypha could settle Leon between them. It was warm. Leon looked up, catching Alucard’s gaze, hoping his pleading came through.

Alucard just shook his head, that little smile on his face, the one so familiar, even on a different face.

“I have better eyesight in the dark than the rest of you. I have the watch.”

“Let fangs do it,” Trevor grumbled. “‘S fine.”

Alucard huffed, but didn’t refute it, turning back to watch out over their temporary camp. Sypha snuggled up to one side of Leon, grabbing an arm, while Trevor was a wall of warmth and soft snoring not even moments later. It all helped Leon ground himself, just existing there, held, protected, watched over.

As he did for them, it seemed his new friends (family) would also do for him. Not a single one of them was alone for their mission. That thought, more than anything, allowed Leon to let go, and breathe.

Notes:

I never do April Fools' stuff, felt too mean, but I suppose this is a sort of tease or something? Since they all get to the castle... but don't get to the castle. x3
Hey, you get more snuggles and hurt/comfort, so it's still a win!

Honestly, I think Leon had time to start getting over/moving forward from Mathias's betrayal, but we never really forget those sorts of things, do we? Especially now that Leon is going to face the man again, and break into a castle much like the one where everything awful went down in the past. Yeah. His brain is giving him some nightmares. But he's got his family, so. All good. Probably. :')

Thank you all again, I love hearing from you! (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

Chapter 24: Entering the Castle

Summary:

Leon begins the assault on Dracula's castle.

“Ready?” Alucard whispered. Leon nodded. “You have five minutes. Five. Don’t get caught, do it quick. We will be entering at that time, and bursting the pipes not long after.”

“I’ll have it done,” Leon promised, “don’t worry about me.”

Alucard sighed.

“We believe in you,” Sypha said, just as quiet.

“Join us as soon as you can,” said Trevor. “More hands in battle would be helpful, no matter how many the water takes out.”

“I will.” Leon turned to Alucard then, who still looked worried, but steeled himself.

As a structure, the castle was imposing. Taller but more compact than any Leon had seen before, with no surrounding town as was usual for castles, the way its sharp edges crept upwards seemed an unnatural cleaving into the sky itself. The stone walls themselves radiated a cold, oppressive feeling, and that didn’t even take into account the vampires who could be found inside. But Leon never backed down from a challenge.

Alucard turned, allowing Leon to grab tight to his back before he bent his legs and shot into the air. He jumped only a few times, using the odd, jagged architecture as points to push off from, until they reached a specific set of windows.

Leon hopped off then, using his whip to swing into a good position. The shutters were closed, as expected, but surprisingly enough, a thin, sturdy knife was enough to reach through the middle and unlatch them from the outside. Once they were swung open, Leon nodded at Alucard. Alucard nodded back, lifted his hand and disappeared from sight, falling--or floating--back towards the ground.

Leon took a slow breath and entered the shadowed halls.

Luckily, they did still contain some light. Bright sconces of non-fire--Alucard had called them ‘electric’--provided occasional light to the halls. They were non-wavering, almost too still, without life, much like the occupants of the castle. Leon kept his footsteps light and unhurried, hoping that any who might hear him would mistake him for a daytime wanderer.

Two turns to the left, then past three intersecting halls, then… Leon kept the directions in his head, counting everything out very carefully. Luckily, the pipes he could see did appear to be getting larger, carrying larger amounts of water with them. He had to be getting close. The walls, too, were less decorated.

When Leon heard the slight shuffle of cloth, and felt a hint of magic, he didn’t hesitate. He threw himself into one of the first doors near him, closing it. Footsteps sounded further away, so Leon held his breath and willed his heart to stay calm. It probably wasn’t loud enough to hear between the stone walls.

Alucard had said the castle had been built at least partially with that in mind, since having everything echo throughout the structure would have driven any vampire mad. Leon was counting on that wall thickness.

It did indeed seem like whoever had walked away hadn’t heard anything. Which was good for Leon. What was bad was that the footsteps had come from the direction Leon wanted to go in. If he left now, he might run into trouble, which would not give them the element of surprise they wanted.

Leon rubbed at his forehead, thinking, and idly looked around the room. It wasn’t anything special, a storage room of sorts, given the large number of shelves, drawers, and cupboards. Many pipes went in and out of the room as well, perhaps to keep them hidden as possible from the people just walking the halls. Leon, cautiously, opened one of the drawers to see many fine, fluffy cloths inside. Not clothes, so maybe they were utilized for a specific task? Cleaning?

Leon shook his head. There was no time to figure it out. He closed the drawer and stopped to listen for the sound of anyone outside the room. There was nothing.

Leon cracked open the door, still on high alert, and grateful that the doors were all properly oiled.

With no more motion or sounds, Leon slipped out and kept going, back to repeating the instructions in his head. One more door later and he found what he was looking for. Well, sort of.

He must’ve gotten one of the staircases wrong, or counted turns incorrectly, because instead of coming out in a room like Alucard had described--full of pipes, one large metal barrel full of water--he had found a bathing room.

One large pool of water was sunken into the floor tiled in reds and blues. Steam filled the air from heated water, both from the main pool and some of the smaller tubs hidden away in little alcoves. Many bottles lined the walls, oils and perfumes maybe, as well as some carved bars of soap. Thick cloths for covering or drying off sat neatly folded on short stools. Leon even spotted a few combs here and there, some looking abandoned. The entire thing looked both ostentatious and very welcoming. But it was not what Leon had been looking for.

With a sigh, he decided he didn’t have any more time to go looking. He could only hope this water would circulate where he needed it to be.

Kneeling down near the biggest pool, Leon pulled out a simple cross and rosary, each held in a different hand. Clearing his mind of all but his mission, Leon began his prayer.

“In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit.”

From there, he kept praying, keeping an ear out for any who might sneak up on him.

“On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and exclaimed, 'Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink…'"

Leon felt the water below him begin to take the magic he was pouring into it, a subtle change which permeated the entire pool, then flowed out as the water left through the drain pipes.

“‘Rivers of living water will flow from within him.'"

Leon finished his prayer with slow solemnity, reaching his senses as far out as he could, making sure the magic was taking in all places where the water was. Hopefully the pool was part of the main system. If it was, the blessing should have worked for most of the water held in the castle and would hold steady.

Another positive was no one had snuck up on him. A success, all things considered. Leon felt a small boom rattle the floor. The trio had begun their attack, so it seemed he was just in time.

Putting away his rosary and cross, Leon began to make his way down to where the others were. It was time to rejoin them and finish the fight.

Notes:

Yes! Leon has done it. Also, idk what the blessing rituals were in 1000-1100s Catholic France, so just roll with it. We know (from his game sub-weapons) Leon has a cross, also rosaries or prayer beads were in use during his time frame, and knighthood was eventually made into a religious institution. ...Even if it was after Leon's time, but the cv games are never historically accurate so. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Fun fact: The modern Roman Catholic church holds that if holy water and normal water are mixed, so long as the holy water makes up at least 51%, the rest of the water maintains the holy properties.
So uh... guess Dracula's castle just has holy baths now, hahaha!

Thank you for your continued kudos and comments! I'm always very happy to see them. (੭ˊ͈ ꒵ˋ͈)੭*✧⁺˚ Next time, Leon fights!

Chapter 25: Mini Boss Fight

Summary:

Leon comes across enemies sooner than expected, and is surprised during the confrontation as well.

Leon sprinted through the cold halls, hoping to run into little resistance. Most of the vampire soldiers seemed to have congregated in the main hall, where the trio had intruded--loudly--and started making a mess. All as planned. Which hopefully meant that the hallways would be clear.

Yet it was not to be.

Upon turning one corner, Leon spotted a vampire at the other end of the long hallway, one of her hands clamped around the wrist of a man. The vampire was familiar--given the clothing, stark white hair, and sickly complexion, she was Carmilla of Styria. Apparently good with her words, though Leon wasn’t planning on listening to any. The man was familiar from the mirror as well. He wore similar attire to the other human who their group had seen. Alucard had guessed at them being forgemasters, given the stories his father had told of them. Not thralls, but wizards willingly doing wicked deeds. So then why was one being dragged about like a child?

Leon didn’t have much time to contemplate it. Alucard had told them what all the generals looked like--their main targets aside from Dracula, since without leaders, the army would be poorly organized, and easier to pick off. Especially the new thralls.

Leon drew his whip.

Carmilla stopped as soon as she noticed Leon and looked ready to run, but Leon did not give her the chance. He leapt forwards, ready to rend her limb from limb if need be, though he was hoping for a quick strike which would allow him to get back on track. He was more worried about the human, the unpredictable element.

The vampire was not. Carmilla easily tossed the forgemaster aside, down the hall behind her, before she tried to launch herself at Leon.

Leon didn’t allow himself to hesitate in his movements, turning to intercept her, whip curling around to swipe at the clawed-hand she stuck out to grab at him. She hissed and pulled back, jumping up the wall easily. Leon used his momentum with the whip to swipe from the side and around the top, forcing Carmilla to come down. She used the energy in her fall to try and speed towards Leon, but he was already prepared with a defensive shield. Carmilla bounced off and hissed again.

“A Belmont,” she growled. Leon stood tall, but did not give her the satisfaction of a conversation. He was not there for anything but to fight.

In his periphery, Leon noticed the forgemaster standing, but he wobbled on his feet, and did not feel aggressive. Leon ignored him for the time being.

When Carmilla came at him again, Leon snapped the whip out. He saw, in a split second, that she meant to transform to dodge the hit and get in closer. Leon used one hand to grab at his belt, finding the item he would need just as she burst into a swarm of bats, dodging the arc of the whip. As she moved in--presumably to catch Leon off guard when she transformed back to skewer him--Leon uncorked the bottle of holy water and tossed the contents in front of him. At the same time, he released some magic in a concentrated spell, focusing on the water, where it changed into a thick mist on the spot.

The bats which were Carmilla were soaked immediately, the sizzling of undead flesh loud in the corridor.

Most hunters would move back at that point, to be safe, but Leon was not just anyone. He had fought--and won against--tougher opponents. So when Carmilla was forced back into vampire form, groaning, skin burning, and curses on her lips, Leon was ready.

He took his sword from his sheath and held it above his head.

Carmilla screamed, one arm held over her head, but Leon lopped straight through, her hand and head falling with wet plops to the floor before she disintegrated into ash, the holy magic burning through her.

Leon regulated his breathing, standing straight as he gathered his whip back to him in a few one-handed loops.

He glanced to the side, where the forgemaster stood still.

He held no weapon that Leon could see--a spell user only then? His eyes were wide, fixed on where Carmilla used to be before he turned to Leon.

It was not Leon’s wish to fight humans, but he knew that, in this instance, the man had been supporting Dracula’s crusade. He was dangerous. Leon stalked forward, unheeding of the way the forgemaster scrambled backwards. He was determined, unstoppable, at least until a tiny thing tried to stop him.

It looked like it used to be a dog, a tiny pampered pet for royalty. With one, lone eye glowing of magic fixed on him, it barked, standing before the forgemaster--Hector?--in protection.

It would be laughable if it weren’t quite so sad. Leon wondered idly if he should put the abomination out of its misery. At least he should make sure it was out of his way, that the forgemaster would not be able to use it to attack him from the back somehow. He wasn’t very familiar with forgemaster magic--Leon was willing to admit that. So he should be extra careful.

Without letting either of them out of his sight, he readied his sword. One swift strike was enough for a vampire, it would be enough for a small undead dog.

When Leon began to swing his sword down, he expected an outcry of some sort; The dog growled louder, and the forgemaster shouted, “No!” What Leon did not expect was for the forgemaster to launch himself forward. Startled, Leon did not complete his swing, rather he brought it in front of himself as a barrier as he jumped backwards. It turned out, he needn’t have bothered.

The man- Hector had thrown himself not at Leon, but the undead creature. His whole body wrapped around it, arms encircling the small dog as his own back and neck were exposed, curled around the dog for protection.

It was absurd--the creature was no longer living, not even a dog. Yet Hector stayed there, holding it close.

Even when the forgemaster looked up, Leon saw no plan to attack him. There was a sort of hopelessness in his eyes, a desperate fear. Leon had seen it before, during his time warring and simply traveling across countries--it was a fear born of love.

Leon felt himself hesitate. He should walk back over, he should raise his sword and strike them both down. He did not.

With halting movements, Hector started to stand, the dog in his arms. He flinched as Leon lowered his blade, but after one final, indiscernible look at Leon, Hector turned on heel and fled. Where to, Leon did not know. He could be gathering an army, creatures to his beck and call, ready to fight Leon and the trio waiting for him. But Leon couldn’t bring himself to give chase.

Because there was also the possibility that Hector was fleeing the battle, and Leon could not begrudge him that. He could only hope the forgemaster would live out the rest of his years quietly.

After all, everyone deserved a second chance, a time to try something new, and better, and to grow into a person who did not cause the type of fear Hector just experienced.

Regardless, Leon had bigger things to deal with at the moment. He would look for wayward forgemasters after the battle against Dracula and his army was complete, and hope they did not run into each other before then.

Leon kept his weapons out as he jogged down the hall, turning the direction Carmilla had come from. Right now, his priority was helping his new family.

Notes:

Wow, I hate pollen so much. Is it necessary? Yeah. Do I want more plants? Of course. But fffffffff my EYES. My BRAIN. My NOSE. uughhh. I've finally adapted to the city I moved to years ago... by losing my previous allergy from my hometown pollens and gaining a new one here. =n= Anyone else suffering from spring?

Anyway, Carmilla! She's here! And gone! Haha, yeah, that quick. She isn't the focus of this story, which is part of the reason, but also, Leon has fought way tougher vampires. He's got the experience, and Carmilla was taken off guard.
And! While I'm mixing things up, figured I might as well free Hector before he's really taken. ~(￣▽￣)~ hehe. Cezar, the goodest boy, deserves a chance too. And I just can't see Leon killing someone unarmed without provocation. In his game, he wasn't even the first to attack Joachim, a vampire. So when he sees Hector ready to flee instead of fight, protecting a tiny creature... yeah.

Hope you all enjoyed! ヾ(^▽^*)))

Chapter 26: Boss Fight - Phase I

Summary:

Leon and the trio are making good progress through the castle. Until they reach Dracula, that is.

The castle's entryway was in complete chaos. Leon had only a split second to take it in before he was thrust into combat, but even then, he saw the devastation.

Already, piles of clumpy-wet ashes clung to the floor--Leon made note the footing would be slippery. Clothes and armor were strewn about, and several groups still fought in the space. It seemed at first glance that the remaining vampires were trying to separate the trio.

One general in long blood-red robes misted about the battlefield, tending to attack either Trevor or Alucard when solidified. Leon ended up jumping into battle with some vampire soldiers who were watching her back. Trevor was busy dealing with another general in a bright sari who was attacking close range with sharpened nails. Trevor, while not a slouch at close combat, held a strength disadvantage fighting vampires up close.

Leon whipped out at several of the soldiers, burning two of them to ash, in an attempt to move closer to Trevor and help out. A few shards of ice flew in to help, drawing some of Leon’s attention to Sypha.

She was currently engaged with a small group of her own, all led by a vampire with dual swords. She was having to keep him off of her with defensive magic while also attacking the group of soldiers slowly flanking her. Thinking quickly, Leon called out in a loud voice, breaking through his own line of vampire soldiers as he did.

“Alucard! To Trevor. Sypha, cover him!”

Leon turned from where he attempted to reach Trevor and sprinted across the room, reaching the general hassling Sypha in record time.

He heard a howl and glimpsed the long-nailed general near Trevor getting skewered with Alucard's long sword. A large mist swirled towards them, but Leon heard ice building followed by several distinct cracks, and knew that vampire had been taken care of as well.

When he reached the general with dual swords, the last left, Leon engaged with both his sword and his whip, using it in short bursts to back up his sword swings. The vampire was fast and skilled, but Leon had enough experience and magic to balance things out; He was far more deadly than he looked. When the general moved into a more powerful swing, committing his whole body to it, Leon ducked in close--a move most vampires never expected of their prey--and punched the general with his fist, whip coiled around it.

The vampire’s face bubbled as he stumbled back, and he shrieked, loud and horrified, before Leon swung his sword and decapitated him.

There was still the small sounds of scuffling, but with the other three working on it, it quickly quieted down. When Leon turned around, Trevor was finishing off the last soldier with a solid whip from the Morning Star, followed with an explosion.

The hall was quiet for only a moment.

“Where next?” Leon asked. Dracula was nowhere to be seen.

“There.” Alucard pointed up, to the stairs leading away from the vestibule into the higher depths of the castle. “He fled, along with one of his forgemasters.”

“Hm, not the one I saw, then,” Leon mused. Alucard sent him a questioning look, but Leon shook his head; They were on a time limit now. “Let’s go quickly, before they have time to set up any traps.”

“Agreed,” said Sypha. “Let’s finish this.”

Together they ascended the stairs, Alucard leading the way. He seemed to occasionally tilt his head to listen, but moved with purpose. Leon knew he was going the right direction, trusted him with it.

Part of the way there, they were accosted by night creatures. They weren't as specialized as some of the ones seen on the road, just large beasts with claws and teeth, some with wings and some without, some furred, some sleek. Regardless, each one went down under magic or steel, dripping puddles of blood or leaving charred ashes, all bathed in the light of a worryingly red-stained moon.

They weren't challenges, but they did slow the group down.

Leon's heart beat faster the more time they lost. His mind started to wander to the upcoming meeting, something he'd been trying to avoid, lest his lack of attention put himself or one of the others in harm's way. Still, he couldn't help the image already coming to mind, of the last time he'd seen his friend in person, and compare him to what little he knew of him now. The confrontation would not be pretty, but then, it hadn't been several hundred years ago either. Mathias Dracula had been less powerful then, and fled; Now, his emotions altered the night, bathing everything in bloodied light.

Leon, attempting to swallow down his emotions, listened carefully to the dull thumping of his feet on the dark carpet, the breaths of his group, and matched his own to theirs.

They were close when Alucard made a signal with his hand. Let me go in first, he meant.

Leon shared looks with Sypha and Trevor; Neither looked happy. Leon wasn’t either, but they all shared an understanding to allow it and remain close by.

Alucard nodded at them, then stepped forward towards an open room and walked in.

“Father,” he said.

“Son,” a deep voice answered. Leon shivered at the feeling, like a breath on the back of his neck.

"This war ends, now."

"Because you say so?" Dracula sounded amused.

Voice softening, grief weighing it down, Alucard said, "It ends in the name of my mother."

"This war endures in her name!" Dracula growled, the hiss entering his tone indicating the vampire's rising threat.

"I've told you before, I won't let you do it. I..." A short pause, but enough of one to make Leon's heart leap into his throat. He took a step forward. "I grieve with you, but I won't let you commit genocide."

"You couldn't stop me before."

Trevor and Sypha moved in sync, stepping into the room and leaving Leon to protect their backs from the hall. As if he sensed it, Alucard said, "I was alone, before." Even from the back, they made an incredible sight. Firelight from the room outlined their silhouettes, each standing tall, brimming with will and grim purpose. They were a team, a force to be reckoned with, and standing there, side-by-side, facing the most powerful of vampires, they were like something from legend.

Dracula sneered. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but his gaze went just past his obvious adversaries. He looked into the dark--sanguine red met clear blue.

A truly inhuman sound ripped from Dracula's throat.

"You come to me, with humans who killed her, with this thing, and speak of your mother's will? Of grief?"

Alucard tensed. Sypha brought a hand up, and Trevor widened his stance. Leon couldn't look away though--not from the eyes which had caught his. Even soaked in the red of vampiric power, the anger and desperation which leaked out of that familiar shape... Leon knew it. He'd seen it. He'd seen the hints in Alucard, and now before him, Leon saw Mathias. Not as his friend, but the monster he'd chosen to be.

As Dracula's shoulders raised, mouth opening again, lengthy fangs catching the light, his son whipped his sword up and shot forward.

A loud bang echoed as Alucard pushed his father back to the wall. Books fell from their shelves and the wall cracked.

The sound brought Leon out of his shock. He blinked the imaged of his friend away and brought his whip into a ready position; There were more important things to focus on. Like the fact that Dracula was uninjured by the sword strike, and slowly pushed the weapon from him with the hand he'd caught it in.

The vampire looked as if he felt nothing about it, expression cold, but with fury brimming underneath. Something about Leon's presence had sent him into a rage. Something Leon did not have time to think about. Because Dracula was punching his own son, sending him sprawling into the fire with a pained cry. Because Trevor and Sypha moved to assist him, but Dracula crouched down before leaping forward at inhuman speeds.

Because Dracula went right past them and headed straight for Leon.

Leon had barely any time to do more than take in the monster before him, eyes wide as he saw in painful detail the way a sharp clawed hand reached for him, aiming for his throat.

Working on nothing more than instinct, Leon raised his defenses. Then Dracula smashed into him.

The collision created a huge boom of sound, mixing with several cracks so loud they might as well have been thunder to Leon's ears. Leon felt his own breath driven from him, once as they must have smashed into and straight through the wall at his back, then again as gravity upended itself and Leon fell, Dracula atop him.

For a moment, a second stretched into a century, they were face-to-face.

Dracula was a monster, a fallen angel, an avatar of rage. Leon hit the floor.

The impact broke Leon's magic. Blue bent, cracked, and shattered into quickly disintegrating shards. Leon's mouth opened. He could draw in no breath. As Dracula stood--stretching into the shadows, menacing, a looming castle himself--Leon's vision flickered, and Dracula vanished into the dark.

...

As Leon came back to awareness, he opened his eyes to a dark room. Light filtered in through the broken ceiling, wavering and shifting in time to desperate shouts as memories flashed disjointedly through his mind.

Dracula. Hitting a wall... or floor? Getting a magic barrier up just in time. The others-

Leon gasped. The others. His family. It took a moment to get up, but Leon had been in tough battles for years. He'd pushed his endurance with poorer health before, and as he stretched, he noted that he likely didn't have much more than some bruising. They would be more severe on his back, startling deep colors in a few hours to be certain, but he could still move. He could still fight. So he used his whip and sturdy furniture to pull himself up to the previous floor, and walked over to the broken wall, taking in the ongoing battle as quickly as his mind could manage. It wasn't ideal.

Dracula looked unruffled, despite the faint hint of fire lingering in the air as he slashed at Sypha and sent her down the hall. Trevor called her name, even as he struggled to get up from where he was, and launched himself forward, one hand gripping at Dracula's cape and the other thrusting forward to stab him with a blessed silver knife. It hit home--blood dripped from the wound--but it had not hit Dracula's heart.

Gritting his teeth in rage, Dracula pulled it from his side and grabbed Trevor by the throat.

A pulse of magic went through the air. That was Leon's descendant; Trevor was his family. The whip in Leon's grip nearly vibrated, growing hotter, and Leon screamed with it. As he took the final step back into the hall, Leon felt no more pain. His emotions surged through him--he was a wildfire, a sandstorm, a rockslide. He felt inevitable, more powerful than he'd felt before. Trevor was his. family. Being held by his former friend. One who was ready to kill. Well, Leon was too.

"Don't you touch him!" Leon screamed. He met Dracula's surprised look with no hesitation. His loved ones were on the line, and- "You will not take any more of them!"

Sara's rage reached a pitch, so Leon lashed her forth, golden fire catching around her. When Dracula raised a hand to defend himself, he flinched back with a hiss, skin burning. He dropped Trevor to the ground, and Alucard came running from another room, ashes and dust covering him. Sypha slowly sat up from where she'd been thrown, cauterizing her own wound with an unflinching determination.

Leon wasn't alone, and he was ready to fight to keep it that way.

Notes:

....I really need to break out of the 'update this fic twice a year' rut. ^^;;
Really though, thank you so much to everyone who kept leaving kudos and comments. As I mentioned a few chapters ago, the ending for this fic has really been fighting me. Especially since I have other long fics I was writing too. So I appreciate any encouragement y'all give. (●ˇ∀ˇ●)♡♡

Anyway! We've made it to Dracula! :D He's angry and so is Leon! :DD Everything is fine! probably!!
(Side note: who here might want to see Drac's POV next chapter?)

I was re-watching the episode with Drac's fight, just to get some ideas on how they were fighting and re-arrange them a bit, and I took a closer look at the "stake" Trevor stabs Dracula with. I never thought about it before but... that's totally half of the nightcreature's spear Trevor stole and cracked with his thighs, right?? xD Like, he just tucked it into his belt for later? aerfkgjeharbg i love him

Anyway, wish me luck with writing, and CASTLEVANIA NOCTURNE COMING OUT SOON AAAAAAH

Chapter 27: Boss Fight - Dracula's Disbelief

Summary:

Dracula has a crisis. (It can't be Leon before him. Not after so long.)

Notes:

Dracula POV, as requested! ;D

It couldn't be him. Yet it had to be. Dracula couldn't even pay attention to the Belmont he'd let go of; He wasn't as much of a threat as he seemed to believe he was. This one though...

Dracula stared at the construct again.

Whoever had made it had to know what Leon Belmont had looked like. It was exact, from his bouncy blonde curls, now dirtied with debris and sweat, to his piercing blue eyes, expression perfectly reminiscent of the last time they had faced each other--Leon shouting at Mathias that such a dream as immortality came at too high a cost. His self righteous fury at what becoming vampire meant had angered Mathias then, and it still angered Dracula now. But even the copy wasn't perfect.

Leon had not been quite so muscular, last Dracula saw, nor had the lines of time and age started to make their way onto his face. Any portraits which might have informed this creature's creation must have been from after the time of his knighting; Which put the Belmonts solely to blame.

Had the last survivor of the Belmont massacre simply become too lonely to go on without another of the family? Even if it was a fake? Or perhaps this generation of hunters, now that they were excommunicated from their precious church, simply did not care what methods they had to use to attempt killing Dracula.

It would not work. No matter how close the simulacrum, it could never be Leon.

Except.

The last blow of his whip burned with the sort of holy magic Dracula had only ever faced from the Belmont Clan. Growing weaker as time passed, and they lost knowledge and skill in their practice of the magic Leon had gained, but that stench of holy magic had clung to them all the same. This was... it was far stronger than what he remembered from decades past. It was almost definitely on par with what Leon himself had been capable of. So.

So that whip, at least, was, was her. Sara. The rage against the night, against all creatures who inhabited it, was not to be mistaken. But as the Belmont line had continued, had lost some of the lore behind the whip, they lost the connection which allowed them to perform such strong attacks with her.

Which meant... which meant, this couldn't be a construct. Couldn't be, even though it had to be. No one but Leon could have had such a strong connection to Sara's soul, especially not a creature made of magic, a mere copy of skills and looks. Leon was the only hunter who could have accomplished such a strong attack. But it couldn't be him. He was dead. Out of everyone else in the room, out of many of the other powerful vampires, even, Dracula was the one who most understood how humans could not be brought back, no matter how desperately you wished it. Forgemasters came close, but they did not take specific souls, and they did not return them to previous bodies. In essence, it was a creation of a new life, not a resurrection.

So what was this? (Who was this?)

The way he stalked forward, body twisting in anticipation of another strike was so familiar. Even the many centuries apart could not have erased the dangerous sway to Leon's motions. He had always taken quickly to weapons, and the whip he'd used in Walter's castle had been no different.

His movements were smoother than before. More practiced. More deadly.

Dracula shifted just out of the way of the next strike, watching as carefully as Leon's scowling face did him. Leon had never been one to wait.

Even as the Speaker-magician sent ice through Dracula's leg to trip him up, even as his own son Alucard sent the sword towards him, forcing him to smack it away, Leon moved in closer. His whip whirled around him in a violent dance, each move calculated, leaving only openings which would kill or severely wound Dracula to take.

He was forced to take a few less strong hits in order to avoid anything particularly damaging, his skin singeing under the bright flames.

For long moments, this dance went on. Dracula had to back up, keeping close eye on Leon--False Leon--in particular. The Speaker kept her distance, tripping and distracting Dracula's attention to give her comrades more openings. Alucard did not move close, not yet, but thrust his sword in where Leon left space, perhaps specifically for him. The Belmont, the real one, was attempting to shift out of Dracula's immediate line of sight, one hand holding a sword with faint hints of blessed silver wafting from it, the other with a metal whip wrapped around his arm.

When Dracula was struck across the face, he felt magic flow through his veins, pumping much the way blood used to. It was deep, and dark, and bloody, hearkening back to his time truly ruling over the lands he presided over. He had been foolish then. He thought the humans could serve some purpose. Kronstadt should have taught him better. The murder of his second beloved wife had reminded him of what he'd nearly forgotten--humans were worthless, weak. So many, too many of them, perpetrated the very evil Dracula himself was accused of, and even more of them stood back and allowed it to happen.

Yet here was Leon, the copy staring him in the face from beyond the whip which killed another high vampire, and had dissipated Death, glaring at him as if he was all that was wrong in the world. Eyes hard, brows lowered, teeth gritted. Looking betrayed.

How dare he. How Dare He?

Dracula slashed out with one arm, taking the brunt of a strike on it. He ignored the way his flesh burned and leapt in his opening towards the true Belmont. The copy cried out and launched himself forward as well, bringing up the same sort of magic shield as before between the two of them. The Belmont raised his own arms, grunting as he was pushed back, but a faint light from a bracelet on his wrist buffered the magic of the shield, allowing him to only be thrust back into a wall, not through it.

Alucard took the opportunity to strike at his back, sword going through his shoulder and fist slamming into his side, forcing Dracula back with a hiss. He backed right into a burst of fire, and had to exert his own will to protect his skin again, tossing it off him with a flick of his cape.

Alucard kept on him, punching back and forth with Dracula, layering in swipes of his sword to keep Dracula at more of a distance. Eventually though, Dracula got close enough to punch Alucard in his solar plexus, pushing him back by a good dozen feet.

But then the Speaker's magic was there again, ice appearing from the floor and also above him; Dracula had to use his claws to slash through the blades before they reached him.

His distracted attention cost him.

Once he'd finally turned his attention back to the hall, the Belmont was finishing winding up a swing of his whip. Dracula tensed to move, but his senses warned him of another attack already heading towards him. Though he spun just quick enough to avoid Leon's whip to his back, he hissed at the accompanying burn against his forearms.

The first attack was just long enough to keep him from dodging the next one.

The spiked metal head of the Belmont's whip hit his back with a hard thud, right behind his heart. In a split second, the magic activated. The explosion threw Dracula off-balance--he stumbled, back to the end of the hall where none of his enemies stood. The fire tried to rip through him, but it was not a fire backed by the screaming, rage-filled, vengeful spirit of a woman near-turned. Dracula endured, shunting much of the magic off to expand nearby in flashy fire and smoke, leaving him near unharmed.

As the fire turned to clouds of smoke, Dracula took the moment to heal.

He breathed, though he didn't need to, and moved his magic through his body as skin turned from charred to smooth, as any open wounds closed up. He had the Crimson Stone for a reason, and its power was part of what kept him so high up the hierarchy of vampires. There was danger here, but he was certain he wouldn't be killed.

"Well," he said, stepping towards the edge of the dissipating smoke. "The Morning Star whip. Impressive enough for a Belmont." It was a weapon he hadn't felt the sting of for at least a century. Stepping into the clear hall, he noted three pairs of eyes looking surprised or concerned, and one simply more determined. "However, I am no common vampire, to be killed with your human magicks."

It didn't matter if that was a perfect copy of Leon. It didn't matter who else Alucard had brought with him to try and stop him.

"I am Dracula."

The feeling of fire still burned through him, around him, and he grabbed that feeling, suffusing it with his own dark will, molding it into shape before him. He would kill those before him, and he would not be confused simply because some human had thought to use Leon's image to his advantage.

Swinging his hands forward, Dracula yelled as a large, molten, burning orb of magic bloomed before him.

"And I have had enough!"

Notes:

Oh ho ho, Drac is not happy. :3c I do hope this answers some of y'alls questions about why Dracula was responding to Leon the way he was. He doesn't think Leon is actual real time-displaced Leon! ...To be fair, that's a pretty severe leap in logic when in the middle of a fight, especially when he has another explanation available, which to Drac is more reasonable and likely.
So. Leon's presence has not calmed things down at all. ｡(*^▽^*)ゞ haha, whoops!

Side note: NOCTURNE. Who watched it? Who else loved it? σ(≧ε≦ｏ) If you saw some of my fics from this October, you already know how I feel about some of the characters, haha!

November, however, I wrote a lot. And I completed NaNoWriMo! Which included finishing up this fic! :DD So, one the one hand, that's great news for updates. On the other, I recently got promoted at work, and will be getting used to my new responsibilities starting in January. ^^; Which... may slow things down? But I'll do my best. Wish me luck!

Thank you everyone for continuing to stick around and everyone who just found this too! I know I've said this before, but really do feel grateful for the amount of people coming back for each chapter. *:ﾟ*｡⋆ฺ(*´◡`) It means quite a lot to me.

ﾟ*｡☆ヾ(´∀｀) Everyone, I wish you a happy end to the year! (´∀｀)ノ☆｡*ﾟ

Chapter 28: Boss Fight - Phase II

Summary:

Leon tries to end the fight.

Notes:

Happy New Year! ~ヾ ＾∇＾

Sypha was the first to move, bringing up her hands in a near triangle shape, grunting with effort as she attempted to stop the blisteringly hot ball of magic.

Leon and Trevor were the next two. While Trevor backed up against Sypha, keeping her in place against the sheer pressure of air the magic was pushing towards them, Leon stood right next to them. He kept his body angled, trying to avoid being blown back by the wind more than he had to. With some effort, he summoned his own magic, infusing it with the essence of one of his blessed knives. Several more of the sharp objects came into being around him, with the sound of a small struck bell.

He thrust his hand forward, adding his efforts to Sypha's. The partly translucent knives created a large round perimeter on the orb, and Leon pushed back with as much effort as he could manage.

The fire ball was an impressive piece of magic. Leon couldn't believe he hadn't thought Mathias Dracula would have improved so much over the past centuries. It was an oversight on his part. Granted, he'd also been distracted when fighting with his former friend.

There was so little of him in that rage. At the same time, it was exactly the feelings he remembered from their last encounter.

Then, Mathias had fled.

Now, Dracula did not.

He had gone so far past mourning the death of his last wife that he'd descended straight into despair. He had taken his rage, his helplessness, and rather than cursing only God, he sought to wipe out every life within his reach. Leon almost couldn't think of it; his heart clenched and writhed at the thoughts, so he had to push them aside.

If Dracula could not be spared in this life, if he could not be saved, then he would repent in the next life.

Leon blinked back the tears from the wind whipping his face. He had to concentrate.

During the brief time Leon had been thinking, Alucard had inserted himself between all three of them and the fireball. With a smooth movement, he brought his sword to bear, then launched forward at great speed to meet the orb. He struck it, and it slowed, but did not stop moving. Alucard was pushed further and further back, even with his own not-insignificant strength put behind his efforts.

Sypha yelled, a wordless sound of effort, and pushed more of her own magic at the spell. The orb slowed even more. Leon pushed with his own will, feeling a pressure building up in the center of his forehead, between his eyes, and radiating down towards his nose. Still he did not let up. They had not come so far only to lose to one single spell.

Dracula was weakening. He knew it, and Leon knew it. No matter the power behind him, he would eventually reach the limit of his endurance. His skin was greying, not merely a paler shade of less blood circulation. His eyes glowed with the desperate power of a vampire cornered. They could win. They Had to win.

As their group all exerted their efforts, the orb slowed to a stop. Leon brought up as much magic as he could for his spell, moving his knife constructs to be closer to the spot where Alucard's sword tip pushed. With a strong push from everyone, something popped--in the molten ball and Leon's nose--and the spell began to reverse course. Faster it went, Sypha and Leon continuing to push, and Alucard flying along behind it.

They could not see Dracula, but once it reached where he had been, the orb halted once more. Inch by inch it went.

"Come on," Sypha muttered, "come on."

There was the feeling of another pop. A crack. And Alucard went through the orb, an explosion of stone and dust following him, the magic falling apart with several crackles of cinder.

"He's got to be still alive," Trevor said. He turned and grabbed Sypha's uninjured shoulder, waiting for her to give a nod past her heavy breaths.

"Agreed," Sypha said. "Let's go."

But the hole in the wall lead to a large, open room, the floor incredibly far below. There were loud noises, the breaking of a few more walls, and even more clouds of dust and debris. If they didn't hurry, the fight would get too far from them. Alucard would be on his own.

When Trevor and Sypha turned for the nearest set of stairs, Leon made up his mind.

"Meet up with us as fast as you can."

"What-?" Trevor started to ask.

Leon was already jumping, grabbing bits like railings or balconies with his whip, carefully flipping around to keep his momentum while descending at good pace. He heard curses above him, but no one following, so the other two must have continued to the stairs.

Good. They were both well-trained and skilled, but they were inexperienced in fighting such powerful creatures. No doubt they were running low on their own energy reserves, especially after redirecting that large ball of fire. Sypha and Trevor had also sustained injuries more grievous than Leon's. Though not crippling for their fighting abilities, they would need a breather before pushing through the pain to fight again.

Leon licked away a drop of blood trickling from above his lip, not stopping.

Alucard was holding up, Leon was sure. And Leon himself could get there fast enough to back him up as needed. Between the two of them, he was sure they could hold out until their whole team was assembled again.

Unfortunately, the fight seemed to be constantly migrating. Just when Leon made it to the bottom of the first room and sprinted into the next hall, he found more carnage to the walls and floors, and had to make his way into yet another destroyed room, this one far deeper, with less shelving. The whole thing appeared to be a room of machinery, meant to make the castle run whatever cruel traps were no doubt embedded within. Alucard bounced around the room at speeds nearly too fast to trace, red light streaking behind his moves. Leon only paused long enough to make sure the sounds of the room were not creaking or groaning, the castle not active, before joining the fight.

As Leon made his way down, magic forming around his gloved hand, Dracula reached out. During the next pass of Alucard's speedy attacks, Dracula caught his face. With a swift, strong movement, all the energy was redirected to slamming Alucard into the floor. Leon gasped. There was no more time.

Leaping, Leon flicked out his whip to grab a lower metal beam, and as he swung down, gravity pulling him into an arc, he pulled out a small cross from his coat. The magic from his glove coated it, and the feeling of light overtook Leon. He felt a soft warmth of the sun peeking through the trees in springtime.

Leon flicked his hand again, and his whip unfurled. With his momentum, Leon twisted feet first and slammed into Dracula.

They both went flying, Dracula with a loud thud and the sound of air lost. He staggered back, near to the edge of the beam, but did not fall. Leon, meanwhile, tumbled over himself once before he could get up to one knee, using his protected hand to slow himself so that he didn't go sliding closer to Dracula, or off the side of the platform.

Slowly, menacingly, Dracula straightened himself. The holy magic had clearly hurt him, but he appeared already healed from it.

"Alucard," Leon said, not looking back to his friend. "Up. Now."

Dracula paced forward, making Leon tense. He had to get up slowly as well, though not through any sense of dramatics. Looking around, he knew the environment would put him at a disadvantage. His whip and practice at acrobatics helped him often, but he could not fly. If he fell, it would take him too long to reach Alucard again; he would have to fight safely, cautiously.

Dracula lunged. Leon swung his whip around, catching Dracula in the side, giving himself just enough space to slip past the vampire's first attack. Up close, Leon was reminded of just how tall Dracula was--surely moreso than Mathias ever could have been. It did put Leon at height with his chest, so he thrust out the fist still holding the cross, twisting his body to put more force behind the punch. Dracula grunted and stepped back, side sizzling under his clothing.

But Dracula was fast to adapt as well, and aimed several more strikes towards Leon, forcing him to dodge and weave, lest he be punched from the beam and too dizzy to rescue himself from the fall. Once, Dracula caught the edge of Leon's upper arm with his claws, drawing a sharp but brief line of pain.

It must have been a shallow wound, given Leon could barely feel it, but even small wounds bled. Dracula's nostrils flared. He paused for a moment, perhaps planning his next move, but it gave Alucard enough time to finish standing and strike out with his own sword.

Dracula growled at the metal piercing his hip. He grabbed it and flung it away, the sword clanging down to a lower level in ominous echoes.

Leon attempted to distract him again, lashing out over and over with the whip, using both hands for greater control. Dracula was not to be dissuaded though. He leapt into the air, dodging some strikes and taking others which only pushed him closer to his son.

"Move!" Leon yelled. But Dracula was too quick, and Alucard too tired.

Alucard dodged the first swipe, barely, but it only put him in range of Dracula. He gripped Alucard's shirt, his elongated claws no doubt carving lines into the skin beneath as he did. Alucard only had time for a brief noise of surprise before he was thrown, powerfully, and with full violence, into and through the wall to the room.

Leon shouted his name--that sort of blunt damage could leave permanent effects, and it was the most common of the injuries Alucard had taken that night--but Dracula had already vanished through the hole after him.

Leon sprinted.

All the while, his heart beat with the words, please please please. He couldn't lose an ally, a friend, so soon. He couldn't lose the last connection to his old friend's kindness.

Another destroyed hall. Then a broken wooden door.

Inside, a simple room. Somewhere in the back of Leon's mind, it registered as a child's room; small bed, stuffed toys, little tools on the desk.

Dracula stood inside, stock still, blocking any view of Alucard. Leon bristled, ready to strike while his back was turned, already reaching for his sword. Two words stopped him.

"My boy."

They were so quiet, so soft, Dracula sounded like a completely different person. Leon froze, all his senses straining. He could hear Alucard's labored breathing. The creak of wood. Dracula's head drooped. The next words were so thick with emotion, Leon felt his own throat ache in sympathy.

"I'm killing my boy."

Leon stayed frozen, unsure what to do. Dracula was planning to kill all humans in Wallachia and beyond. Dracula was also a father--at one point not so distant, presumably loving. Both things were true.

Thick chains of iron bound Leon's heart and hands, weighing him down.

So when Dracula tilted his head, looking back over his shoulder with eyes full of misery, all Leon could do was swallow, copper and acid in his mouth.

"So," Dracula murmured, "are you him? Has Leon's spirit finally come for revenge?"

Notes:

The last of the fight, and the beginning of... something hopeful. *✧₊✪͡◡ू✪͡ We've gotten through the main fighting beats, and our characters get to actually interact with Drac. I'm so excited! Just to let y'all know, I cried while writing the next chapter. Which apparently makes writing very fast for NaNo difficult. ^^; I hope you are all enjoying this, and will continue to, as much as I did during the tearful creation.

Everyone, good luck in 2024! ヾ(＠^∇^＠)ノ

Chapter 29: End of the Fight - Forgiveness

Summary:

Leon has to face the truth of his friend, and what that could mean for the future--of both the Țepeș and Belmont families.

"I... yes." Leon paused, then shook his head slightly, even as his hands lowered. "No. I am no spirit. I came here from my time. A spell performed on my end. I-"

He wasn't sure what else to say. Tell Dracula he had come to the castle to halt the war? To kill him? He knew that. To tell him to stop what he was doing? Would he listen? Leon could only look into those eyes, no longer the grey he knew, no longer of a height to his own. Not assured, or wry, or filled with frustration and anger. This man was Dracula, now. Eyes blood red, a looming shadow, and somehow, filled with such a deep, deep agony.

Perhaps, Leon wondered, if in the past, had he seen this feeling in Mathias, or rather, if he had done more to accompany him in his hardship, things might have gone differently.

"Leon," Dracula whispered. He turned towards him, slowly. The vampire's shoulders drooped just as his eyes did. With the tone of one asking for penance before an altar, he said, "Please. Forgive me?"

Leon stayed quiet. His hands trembled around his weapons.

"I know I do not deserve it," Dracula continued, "it has been so long since I have wronged you. But I am... tired. I'm tired, Leon. I cannot hold this any longer."

Leon's next breath shook. He had to blink to keep his eyesight clear.

"I... would like to forgive you." Leon stopped. Thankfully, Dracula did not jump in; He merely waited, a wilted shade.

Mathias had done many things at the end which Leon did not know if he could forgive. If he even should. Luring the powerful vampire to his home to kidnap Sara, using him to reach a level of power which would destroy said vampire, all so Mathias could become a powerful vampire in his own right--no. No, Leon couldn't forgive those actions. Sara burned dully in his grip, reminding him of the consequences of the actions Mathias had taken in those days.

But. But he had missed his old friend. He saw suffering, now, in his countenance. His voice was weary, his posture drained of hope, even as he asked for some respite to the things which had apparently tortured him, even four hundred years later.

"I cannot," Leon said, as softly as he could. Dracula closed his eyes, acceptance there, even in his despair. Leon spoke louder then. "However... more than anything, Dra-... Mathias."

Dracula's eyes flew open then, looking at him with surprise, and a near desperation. Leon did not know if it would help, but he needed to get the words out, for himself if no one else.

"Mathias, I want, more than anything, for you to heal. To work through the mistakes you have done. To try and- To try. You have done good for others. Not just in our past, but here, as well." Leon gestured behind Dracula, where he assumed Alucard would be. "I know you can work to make up for the suffering you have caused. I only... I do not wish to see you continue to descend into this dark place of loathing. For humans, yes, but also yourself."

Dracula held unnaturally still, but the red slowly began to bleed from his eyes. As if it gathered up, one small, bloody tear left a streak down his cheek, leaving behind eyes only the barest maroon-brown.

"I... I have tried, before," he murmured, almost to himself. He began to turn again, eyes taking in the room. "We. Together, we built this room. We made these toys."

Leon's eyes flicked to the portrait of the woman Dracula stared at. The resemblance to Elisabetha was uncanny. Leon felt his heart break again at another life lost, someone who at one point might have been family to him. Hesitant steps took Dracula closer to the small bed. Leon moved to the side, slowly, to not break whatever thought Dracula was pondering over. Alucard sat against the bed, the frame cracked from the force with which he'd been thrown into it before. But his eyes, though wide, held a faint bit of hope, and a sheen of tears Leon himself was fighting off.

"My greatest gift from her," Dracula said, fond and anguished all at once. "And I was..."

When Dracula clenched his hands, looking at them in faint horror, Alucard spoke up.

"I spoke to one of mother's friends. After." Dracula did not seem to react to the words, at first. "She shouted to forgive them. That, at least, if you couldn't live with them, then not to hurt them."

Alucard quieted, one hand coming up to wipe gently at his own face, though he only managed to clear a small bit of dust from his skin. Dracula still hadn't moved, though he shook, faintly. Since Leon could not see his face through the curtain of hair which fell over his shoulders, he looked to Alucard for context.

Alucard seemed worried. His eyes were still wide, the edges of his face already curved in accepted sadness. Leon did not replace his weapons. Yet.

For a moment which stretched out, with pale and once again bloodless moonlight coming in through the glass windows, it seemed an eternity of waiting. Leon hoped he'd said enough. That Alucard had said enough. Though his hope was only the faintest spark, it still glowed--all the brighter in the dark.

Please, he prayed, Holy spirit, bring some light and hope to this man. To my friend, who was lost. Help him find love again.

Dracula's shoulders slumped. Somehow, from the way his hands loosened, falling to his sides, he seemed a broken man.

"I did not do as she asked," he said, voice strained.

"Father..." But Alucard's mouth parted without any more words.

"And I, I tried to kill you. Our son." He sighed, a bone-deep, weary thing. When he lifted his head, even Leon could see the sheen in them. Their depths held the sort of grief which came from the loss of an entire life, everything which was worth living. With that same tone, Dracula mourned, "I must already be dead."

Leon felt his breath catch. He shook his head, slowly at first, then quicker. Finally, finally, he sheathed his weapons. Please.

He moved forward, keeping his steps even, not faltering even when Dracula turned to him. The vampire lord did nothing. Did not raise his hands, or step back. He waited. He was waiting for- for judgement. Leon shook his head again, trying to breathe past the lump in his throat. This sort of deep depression was what Leon had initially feared for his friend; And here it was, never having gone, only abated for a time before returning.

"You are not," Leon said. He cleared his throat, and trying not to show his hesitation, he reached out.

On the outside, the black cape was smooth, a fine fabric of sarsnet silk, and underneath it, a solid arm. Leon pressed there, and curled his fingers as much as he could. The coat's long cuff was stiff around the forearms, but Leon squeezed just above it. Dracula looked down at Leon's hand, then returned his gaze.

"I did not ever want you gone." Hard as it was for Leon to admit, he had been secretly, almost desperate to have his friend back. The one who trained him, took him under his wing while in the knight's company. The one who learned as much as he could to save the lives of his men. The one who relaxed when there were less people around, showing a kind touch, and a wry wit. He had been someone Leon relied upon, for years, and to have declared himself an enemy of his once-friend... it had been the reason Leon threw himself headfirst into hunting, so he might not have to think of the pain. And this man before him was one who had suffered that separation, and more. Glancing to the side Leon saw Alucard standing as well, looking more hopeful. So Leon looked back to Dracula and finished, "I am sure your loved ones would say the same."

When Dracula's attentions shifted to him, Alucard nodded, taking a step forward. It took him more than one try, but he managed to say, "Mother was always more focused on how to improve in the moment, for the future. I- You could do so much good for the world... Father."

With a pained look, which held also a quiet longing, Dracula slowly raised his arms. Leon let go. Dracula lifted a hand to Alucard's shoulder, hovering there, the other gently touching the side of Alucard's face.

Alucard waited, chest still as if he had stopped breathing. Dracula cupped his cheek, using a thumb to wipe at the skin there. His nails had shortened, still sharp, but no longer primed for combat. Alucard took in one long breath, pressing into the hand. Dracula then tilted his head to the side, glancing over another part of his face, his fingers moving to prod at different places on his skull. Alucard huffed and reached up to push gently at the hand.

"I'm fine." But when he looked up at Dracula again, he sucked in his bottom lip, worried at it for a moment, and moved forward himself.

He pressed against Dracula, reaching up to grip at the coat underneath the large cloak. From what Leon could see, Alucard held tight, face pressed into Dracula's chest. Dracula paused only for a moment, then embraced his son, wrapping him up in his arms, hiding them--if only temporarily--from the rest of the world.

They stayed that way for a short time, Dracula leaning down to press his head to his son's.

"I can... try. For now, at least, I," Dracula faltered, and even more quietly, said, "I can stay here. For you. If that's what you- if you're alright with it."

Alucard's breathing hitched, a familiar sound for Leon, and he sniffed in sympathy. After Alucard mumbled something Leon couldn't pick up, Dracula nodded, then turned to Leon. There was a question there, one Leon wasn't quite sure he had the answer to.

He reached up though, pressing his own hand to Dracula's cheek, and wiped at the line of blood. Dracula's face went soft, and Leon had to swallow, hard, as he finally recognized something of his old friend in the expression.

"I. I only ever wanted you saved," he admitted, soft as the moonlight.

"Saved?" Dracula questioned. And Leon, he could read the expression there, better than before, and saw the thoughts of his vampirism rear their head. So Leon spoke again, before Dracula could get the wrong idea.

"From your own hatred." Leon dropped his hand, letting it rest on Dracula's shoulder. "It broke my heart to see how it hurt you."

And everyone around you. But Dracula already knew that, and Leon knew it wasn't the time to bring that up again.

Dracula stared at Leon then, straight through his eyes, as if trying to see to Leon's very soul. To memorize him once again. Leon understood. When a loved one was lost, it became so much more difficult to keep every memory fresh. Sara hummed at his hip, but he avoided placing a hand on her.

Since Leon had come back from the past, truly a ghost to Dracula- to Mathias's long life, Leon would not begrudge him the chance to drink in his presence.

Assuming Leon could make it back home, it was likely the last which would come for some time.

Notes:

Ahh, I hope you all enjoyed! (❁´ω`❁) I don't know if the emotions I was imagining came through in this chapter, so please let me know! This scene was one of the main ideas I had in mind while writing this story.

I really wanted some quiet, tense, but tender moments while Dracula sorts himself out. Leon's worried, Alucard's worried, and then there's this release that I feel really deserves some release of emotions as well.
They haven't figured out everything yet, but they've at least all decided to stop fighting and start talking, and try to work things out together rather than just kill out of anger and grief.

Next time: Trevor and Sypha are gonna catch up with them eventually. How will that end?

Chapter 30: Post-Fight Explanations

Summary:

Leon explains what happened. Sypha and Trevor have a lot to absorb.

When Trevor and Sypha finally came barrelling down the hall, Leon quietly slipped away, giving Mathias and his son some time alone. The two had things--likely emotional subjects--to discuss privately before talking with the other hunters who had come to stop Dracula.

Leon met them just outside the door, with Trevor's subtle panting already evening out as he said, "This castle is a fucking nightmare," in all the explanation Leon needed.

Sypha had raised her hands in preparation for a fight, but Leon shook his head, raising his own hands as a symbol to wait.

"It's handled." When his two friends looked shocked, Leon elaborated, "Alucard and I managed to stop Dracula. It went... unexpectedly, but things should work out for the better now."

Trevor nose crinkled. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Where is Alucard then?" Sypha asked, glancing behind Leon with worried eyes in an attempt to see past the lopsided door. "Is he alright?"

Leon hesitated. He did not wish to lie, but he also didn't want Trevor or Sypha to get too wound up over protecting Alucard and shatter the fragile peace. When the pause seemed to be doing just that, Leon quickly said, "He'll be fine. He's wounded, of course, he got thrown around, so I'm sure we'll want to check for bruises or, or sprains and the like, if dhampirs get those. That is to say, if those wouldn't have already healed... But he's alright, I mean. Nothing which needs treatment right now. And he's. Busy."

"Busy." Sypha's tone was impressively unimpressed. "Leon please, if he is- if he is grieving, it is our duty to stand by his side."

"Grieving?" Trevor asked.

"Dracula was his father," Sypha explained. "It is not wrong to have loved the man."

Trevor shrugged, but his eyes were locked on Leon. "No reason to mourn stopping a monster, but I don't think that's what my esteemed ancestor here meant."

Leon sighed, lowering his hands, though not completely. These two were perceptive, but also protective. He didn't wish to give them reason to go tromping through the door. So.

"Let's. Let's give him some time," he suggested. "We can come back in a few minutes. I'll explain what happened." When the both of them looked ready to argue, or just push past him, he widened his eyes the way Trefor hated, and asked, "Please?"

Sypha blinked. Trevor threw his hands up, rolling his head towards the ceiling.

"Fine, whatever. If things are taken care of, maybe we can sit down. Has to be some furniture around here that isn't broken."

"Trevor-"

"Sypha. If Leon says he needs time, leave him to it. We'll come back later."

Sypha waffled, glancing again between Leon and the door, before sighing in defeat. "Oh, very well. Tell us the story."

Leon led them further down the hall, where the stones of the shattered wall hadn't scattered, and they opened the door to a random room. They had to leave that one be, as it turned out to be storage, and none of them wished to try and sit on hard wooden chests, or to try and squeeze their way between the tall sets of drawers.

The next door proved better, as it looked to be something of a miniature library; or perhaps a study. There was a large bookshelf, a window letting in light, a desk, and a couple of chairs, along with a short couch. One of the chairs was small, clearly meant for a child, so Leon sat on the other, and Trevor and Sypha took the couch.

Both looked steadily, expectantly back at him. Leon sighed internally. How to explain?

So within his mind, he summed up everything which had happened, tried to keep it concise, to tease out the most important parts, thinking of his own knowledge. Things he knew which changed what he saw, how he decided to act with Dracula, once his close friend Mathias. How he was able to see into his expressions, and what Alucard's decisions had been. He gathered those things, trying to hold them together, a bouquet of possibility, and each response a blossom in it.

"I will do my best to explain. And I hope you will understand and think through what I have to say before taking any actions. I managed to catch up with Alucard and Dracula after a few rooms..."

0-o-0

Sypha and Trevor both went through several emotions as they listened to Leon's tale. He skipped over most of the battle details, as they weren't important to his overall message. They'd seen each other fight before anyway. He watched Trevor's face harden when he heard of Alucard being thrown through walls into his childhood room. He watched Sypha's eyes widen when Dracula mourned over his own actions harming his son. He watched them both tense, objections on their tongues--worried for Alucard, wanting to go back and protect him--but they swallowed them down, and Leon was proud. Though Trevor still cursed under his breath, and Sypha's hands clenched tight around the fabric of her robes in her lap, they both listened to the whole story.

Leon delved into his past, only just enough so they understood his relationship with Mathias better. He'd told them a little before, but after reminding himself that Dracula had returned to himself, was going to try and let go of his hatred and live, Leon managed to tell Trevor and Sypha of their friendship. To speak of the closeness, how long they fought side by side, the first incident and cause for Mathias's grief, and Leon's true feelings of betrayal upon finding out who had caused Sara's abduction.

After he explained the apologies, the reconciliations, the promises to try for a better future, Leon stopped. He waited.

Trevor was the first to speak. "Fuck. This may be the weirdest thing to happen in this castle."

Leon smiled, an amused breath of laughter leaving him. Sypha shook her head, also smiling, but eyes still swimming with worry.

"It is... difficult to believe. Not that I doubt you Leon--you have been nothing but forthright and trustworthy. However... I cannot help but worry for him."

"His first confrontation one on one didn't go so well for him, did it?" Trevor muttered. Sypha nodded in agreement, and Leon winced.

He remembered the hint of a larger scar across Alucard's torso. He was sure Dracula would notice and remember soon enough, as well.

"It did not," Sypha said, even as she leaned back against the plush back of the couch. "The Speakers advocate for second chances. We do not help people because they will repay us. We help because we are human, and to have good in the world, you must make it. We can choose to help, and so we do. Even in times where the ones we help may not appreciate it. The same goes for forgiveness. Whether or not we can forgive someone's actions, if they wish to be a better person, we offer them the chance to grow into that person. To choose better actions. Condemning someone will stop them in the moment, and may be necessary to save lives. But..."

Sypha's expression was all questions and hope: Will he do as he says? Can we trust him? What if he tries to hurt us again? Could this be an opportunity for peace and rebuilding?

It was a heavy set of questions. "I think, for the moment, and even sometime after now... Maybe weeks, more likely years, it will be difficult to trust Dracula." Leon shuffled his feet, feeling the aches of his previous battles slowly blooming into awareness, now that he had no distractions. "But I also think it's worth giving a chance. As you said, we have to create our own kindness. I feel that, if the three of you give this a chance, give him a chance, that you will be able to build a better world around you."

"And what, Wallachia will rest easy now, knowing Dracula is really sorry?" Trevor said with tired sarcasm.

"Probably not." Leon rubbed his hands together, smile turned sheepish. "But. I don't think we would be asking him to go to each village in person. The details are something I think can be worked out between everyone. Later. For now, at least there would be an end to the planned attacks."

Sypha began nodding, more thoughtful. "Yes. And perhaps he could help recalling the night creatures. We would have less work to do if we didn't need to travel around the whole country, killing the leftover troops. The people would be safer. They could start to rebuild."

Trevor leaned his head back, a long breath entering his nose before he let it out.

"Are the both of you positive about this? I mean, absolutely sure. Because Dracula has gone... not unnoticed, exactly, but he has disappeared for a decade here and there before."

"And you're worried it'll last just long enough for you to let your guard down," Leon finished.

Trevor gestured a hand casually in his direction.

"We can't know what will happen for sure," Sypha said. "That is part of the difficulty of giving your trust out again. Of letting people try, even if they have erred before. But I think this will be worth it. It would give us access to many resources we would not otherwise have. And it will make Alucard happy."

"Besides," Leon said, "you do not have to give up all of your skills just because we are not killing Dracula. I think, especially now, Wallachia has need for Belmonts."

Trevor leaned up to glance at him, finally, searching for something in Leon's face.

"But do they want us?"

Leon shrugged. "I don't know. But regardless of whether you remain a hunter for a day, or a decade, or decide to become a carpenter and construct new houses, I know you will help. As Trefor keeps telling me, Belmonts are a stubborn sort. I don't think we can let things move on without us. And I will be proud of you."

Trevor rubbed at the back of one ear, eyes skittering away, and he cleared his throat. Eventually he nodded, standing up. "Right. Why not. Become friends with the family's mortal enemy. What could go wrong."

Leon laughed, but Sypha frowned up at him. "It is exactly that sort of thinking which causes problems! God is not the forgiving sort. He will take it as a challenge."

"That's been my whole life Sypha. What could he do to me now?"

With the creak of hinges, Alucard's head popped around the corner of the door. There was more life in his expression than Leon could remember the whole time he'd known him. Alucard was tired, certainly, but the gold of his eyes practically sparkled with barely repressed happiness.

"Trevor, Sypha," he greeted. "I... would like to introduce you to- to my father."

Sypha snorted. As she stood, she smacked Trevor on the arm, a grin on her face. "You see what happens?"

"Wh- I didn't-"

Alucard's brows furrowed. "If you need time to discuss..."

"Perhaps we should," Sypha said. "Treffy here is about ready to jump into snow without boots."

"Sypha, please," Trevor complained, "just because that was the inspiration for my name-"

Leon shook his head, tuning out their teasing. He walked to the door, and ushered Alucard inside with a hand to his elbow.

"Take your time," he said. "They're willing to listen, I promise you. They just need some... reassurances."

Alucard nodded, looking a tad more worried. But Leon wasn't. He knew those three cared for each other. With a small squeeze, Leon passed by him and closed the door. Alucard's voice joined into the little cacophony. Leon felt a warmth blanket his heart. They would be fine. Though, apparently, there were more conversations to be had.

Dracula stood only a few feet away, posture anticipatory.

"Leon."

"Dracula." Leon let him squirm for only a moment before he said, "Did you wish to talk?"

"If you don't mind," Dracula said, tone grateful.

So they left the younger trio behind. They would likely be speaking for some time, at least as they sorted out their feelings, and where to go from where they had ended up. Leon wondered if they would speak of more than Dracula, or the night-hordes. Perhaps. He thought it likely that Sypha would be the one to bring things up, if they were mentioned at all. For their sake, for their future happiness, he hoped they did. Nothing was worse for relationships than feelings unsaid, or misinterpreted.

Actually, Leon knew he should probably take his own advice.

A side glance at Dracula as they walked showed Dracula glancing back at him, and Leon nearly laughed.

"We haven't changed much, have we?"

Dracula hummed. "Perhaps not."

So Leon steeled himself, waiting for Dracula to motion to a different room, and went inside. The conversation might not be easy, but it needed to be done.

Notes:

So things didn't end up so bad! :D At least Trevor and Sypha are trying, even though being told to live with and/or officially meet and talk to Dracula after being told for weeks to kill Dracula is a bit of a whiplash for them. ^^;;
Now Leon and Drac have to work things out between them... after all, they haven't actually talked much, besides Leon's tense pleas last chapter.

A little note about the phrase Sypha uses: "ready to jump into snow without boots"
I uh... don't remember where that came from? I couldn't find it anywhere, so I guess I made it up during my NaNo writing fugue? xD I know you all probably got the idea from context, but my idea behind it was this: Means to jump into a situation with no preparation, idiotic, brash or reckless.
Which fits the Belmont family in general, haha. Even if things do tend to work out.

Thank you everyone for your support! (*⌒∇⌒*) We're moving back into the character moments, so I hope you keep enjoying this!

(Edit: Wrote a one-shot of some of the trio's perspective while talking to each other about Dracula, as chapter 2 of The Second Hand Unwinds.)

Chapter 31: Old Friends Understanding

Summary:

Leon gets to speak one-on-one with Dracula, though he isn't sure what to say.

While initially Leon had entered Dracula's castle with only the purpose of putting a stop to a vampiric reign of terror, he had to admit, with the fighting over--for the moment at least, and hopefully for long after he left--the castle was decorated well. With plush couches and large armchairs covered in sumptuous fabric in bright colors and patterns, and exposed wood carved in varying patterns and scenes, the sitting room Dracula had led both of them to looked comfortable. The tables were low and long, some tall and rounded, likely for setting food or drinks down. A couple nice vases, made with what looked like colorfully decorated porcelain from the dynasties in the far east, sat both on the floor and on a low table, and a fine painting of a sun-drenched horizon hung over the fireplace. Though beautiful, the landscape was unfamiliar, with trees and spindly stone shapes Leon did not recognize.

For a brief moment, Leon saw his old friend in the art.

Dracula had pulled back the thick curtains from the window to let the moonlight in, the movement wafting a slight smell of dust into the air, then settled in a chair. Leon sat in the one directly across, placing his hands on the table between them.

When neither of them appeared to know how to start the conversation--How were you before your wife's death? Did you miss me? How could you do this again? Can you tell me about your son? Do you have any good stories about your family? Do you remember ours?--Dracula shifted and took the initiative.

"Are you going to stay?"

Leon had to think. Dracula watched him carefully, but did not give away if the answer would hurt him.

"I don't think I can," Leon said. He thought of Trevor's story of their family. Of the portrait in their Hold. Of the other copy of Sara on another hip. "Or should. This... I'm not meant to be here. If I stay..."

Dracula nodded, a hint of disappointment slipping from behind his neutral mask. "Travel through time can be tricky. Often it does not stick. At least, as far as I have been able to research such obscure topics. But what makes you think so?"

"There are too many things Trevor knows which I have not yet done. Copies of some of my weapons. Things which indicate I should still be back in my time, to do those things."

"Hm, like what?" Dracula raised a brow. "Stories of your hunts?"

"...I have had no children."

Dracula blinked. A little 'oh' escaped him.

"Yes. So I. I have to return." Leon swallowed. "I care for them. Those three. Trevor is, is so much of what I hoped for in family. I do not wish for things to- to fall apart if I attempt to stay."

Slowly, hesitantly, Dracula reached a hand to the middle of the small table. Leon gratefully gripped it. He tried to draw strength from it.

"I understand," Dracula whispered. "I will simply be sad to see you go."

Leon bit his lip to keep it from trembling, watching the way his fingers curled with Dracula's. It was so different. Where once there was warmth, constant bloodflow, Leon felt a surprising chill. His friend's hand had grown a bit longer, his nails as well, and his skin was currently of the shade of someone sickly, rather than the warmer but still pale tones of undyed linen, as Mathias used to be. Yet this was his friend. He'd taken quite some time, but there (Mathias) Dracula was, feeling better, if not at his best, willing to give life another try. Well, sort of, given the vampire thing.

Leon had not thought he would ever get a chance to see it again in his lifetime. He had declared his family to the cause of fighting the night, and all its monstrous creatures, because he had known he would not be able to track down and stop Mathias in the time his life had left. And apparently he-

Wait. Had he?

"M- Dracula."

"You may call me by that name," he said, soft. "Or the name I took a couple centuries ago, Vlad. I- I have had enough of being only Dracula, for the moment."

Leon nodded absently. He had to pull his words forward, up his throat, and past his teeth; Each one a stone Leon had to set down carefully in front of him, lest they weigh down his stomach.

"Mathias. Did we ever meet again?"

He went still. Just for a moment. Enough to answer, even when he softened again and whispered, "No. We did not."

Leon shook his head, closing his eyes.

"It was one of my greatest regrets," Mathias continued. "I had hoped- Hm. Even now I don't know exactly what I would have wished for. But I knew that I regretted not seeing you again before you passed on."

Leon licked his lips, trying for a smile, even if it was strained. "Well. At least we've done that now."

"Yes. We have." Mathias carefully squeezed his hand; it was a great comfort, to be able to feel him there.

For a moment, Leon thought back, letting his memories come to the fore. He remembered other difficult nights, sitting beside each other, falling asleep leaning into each other. He remembered holding tight through the shakes and fear which came after vicious battles.

Times long gone. But not forgotten. Much like any memories he would make now, with Mathias before him once again.

Then Leon remembered Trefor. Growing to enjoy his more exuberant personality. Traveling together, building a home and a Hold. The shock and desperation on his face as Leon was whisked away to the future.

"I'm, I'm unsure if I would even be able to-" Leon made a face, wiggling the fingers of his other hand to make up for what words he didn't have, "-to get back."

Mathias chuckled. "I can help you get back. With some preparation, of course. This sort of thing has been documented, but scarcely, and I wish to be sure it is done right. So you are safe."

"I would prefer to return in one piece." Leon shivered.

"Your Speaker-magician seemed promising," Mathias mused aloud. "Perhaps she would be amenable to help..."

"I believe she's already been thinking over the possibilities, after I told her how I came to be in this time." Leon felt his heart warm at thought of her enthusiasm. "She is very intelligent, quick on the uptake. I think magic is something she studies quite seriously."

"Good," Mathias said firmly.

"I'm glad to see you already warming to your son's partners. I think they-"

"Partners?" Mathias interrupted, eyes widening before they narrowed, more intense. "How do you mean?"

Leon blinked. "Like we were...? Wait. Wait now, is this protectiveness from your fatherly instincts-?"

"I have to-"

Mathias made to get up, but Leon, laughing now, tugged him right back down.

"Who would have thought Mathias would be so overprotective? And after all the rules you so gleefully broke-?"

"I- They were-!" Mathias frowned, more like pouted as he realized Leon was only pointing out the truth.

"What was it people say about this? 'May you have children just like you?' Or something?"

Mathias grumbled. "That Belmont is nothing like you."

"Well," Leon said, smiling, "he probably wouldn't take much after his great-great... grandfather." He ended up wrinkling his nose at the thought. 'Ancestor' and 'Descendant' were one thing, but calling himself any sort of grandfather before even having children was entirely too odd.

This time Mathias laughed. He shook his head, turning Leon's hand over to look at it. Likely pondering. Leon bet he hadn't let go of the whole 'partners' thing, and he was proven right when Mathias spoke again.

"Are they... hm. Would they be good for him? To him?"

Leon barely resisted releasing an exasperated prayer. Protective father. Absolutely. "They are good people. They all work well together. I do not think, after all they have been through, and how they have bonded, that they will wish to be separated. I know they feel something for each other, all of them. But Sypha is the only one to acknowledge such so far."

Leon eyed Mathias as he thought it over more, frowning. Leon tugged his hand until he looked up.

"Give them a chance?"

"He. Could get hurt," Mathias said, unsteady and unsure. And Leon got it.

"Will he live as long as you, then?"

"...Very likely."

Leon let out a sigh through his nose. "You know the risks of such unions better than most, I should think. But do you believe you would have been happier never knowing your wife? Would you have had such elation otherwise?"

Mathias was shaking his head before Leon even finished. "I would not give up our time together."

"And, perhaps, your son would feel the same way." Leon felt his smile turn a bit wistful. "Joys and sorrows go hand in hand. We always grieve the loss of the people we loved. But we need that love. To love other people, and to feel loved by them too. I think... even though it hurts, I think it's important. It certainly seems better than years feeling nothing at all."

Mathias nodded, a distant look of understanding in his eyes. "Yes. Yes, I see what you mean."

So Leon let him process, feeling his smile start to return when Mathias sighed, slumping like a great weight had been shoved on him.

"I understand the magician. But--and no offense to you personally Leon--but your family has become a complete disaster."

Leon sputtered a laugh. "My family?"

"Yes, yours."

"I know they're mine, Mathias, I mean 'those in glass houses should not cast stones.'"

Mathias raised a brow.

"I did say that Sypha was the only one to acknowledge the tension between them, didn't I?" Leon huffed. "Besides, Trevor is reliable, trustworthy, and- ...uh. Okay, he can be a crude ass, but-"

Mathias threw his head back, laughing loud and long.

"-but! He wasn't so harsh when he got to know everyone, so really can you blame him for being recalcitrant with strangers- Mathias!"

Leon kicked him under the table, which only made Mathias laugh harder. He didn't even flinch.

"What are you made of, rocks?" Leon grumbled. He was glad to have been wearing his good boots.

Once Mathias got his breathing under control, he wiped down his face with his free hand, groaning out, "I need a nap."

"No shit," Leon agreed. He was so incredibly tired, physically and emotionally.

Mathias hummed, looking over to the window. "The sun is beginning to rise. Would you-? Like to sleep with me, one last time?"

He looked so nervous, staying as still as possible--a rabbit in sights of a wolf. Leon nearly snorted at the comparison. Out of the two of them, Leon was not the one to shapeshift into predator animals, nor prey on Mathias's species. ...Did hunting count, actually? No, no, he didn't actually eat them. He shook his head, feeling his thoughts spinning around in odd ways.

"I. Yeah." He stood with Mathias, and when he looked up, he saw the same hope, the same... (Was it love? Did he still-?) the same desire Mathias had held for him all those years ago, when they often shared beds. Leon softened, leaning in to brush their sides together. "Yes, of course I would."

Notes:

Even though things started pretty awkward, Leon and Mathias are starting to work things out. They have a lot they aren't saying, since they're both very tired and not quite ready to delve into that kind of emotion, but they are still talking, at least. And Leon calls him Mathias once again! And they joke a bit! All in all, things are looking up. (*＾v＾*)
(Now, if only they didn't know how things have to end...)

Also, I spent too long looking up information on Song Dynasty porcelain vs Ming Dynasty porcelain, and of course all for one bit of a sentence that didn't even really matter. -u-;;

Hope y'all are enjoying!

Chapter 32: Old Lovers' Forgiveness

Summary:

Leon finally gets some rest, alongside someone he can care for once more, if only for a brief time.

Notes:

I figure this is a good day for this chapter, yeah? ;3
(Happy Valentine's!)

It didn't take long for Mathias and Leon to make their way out of the hall--conversation still sounded from behind the trio's door, but nothing too loud, which was hopefully a good sign--and to a less devastated, more private area.

Mathias led them to a slightly larger pair of double doors, and with a flourish, opened them to bow Leon inside. Leon found himself shaking his head at the drama.

While Mathias closed the curtains and shutters for the windows, all far from the bed, he noted, Leon took in the room.

It was far more decorated than the others, and was a clearly lived in bedroom. The bed was large enough for four people, with tall posts and curtains which could be opened or closed on each side. Good for sunlight, and likely also to keep out the cold. The furniture was very well carved, just as the pieces in the sitting room, only there was far more precious metal work intertwined with it. There were large wardrobes, for holding clothes, and a table-like dresser with a mirror on top and a chair in front of it--for washing one's face perhaps? Or. Or it was meant for Mathias's second departed wife. There were paintings in the room as well.

Not just paintings, but drawings. Many mechanical in nature, things which looked like the type of research Mathias was interested in, pages of notes and diagrams drawn out in careful ink. But more than that, there were paintings of varied landscapes, drawings of trees, flowers, bugs, birds. Drawings in ink and charcoal of people. Some of Mathias. Some of a woman, the same one in the portrait in the child's--Alucard's--room. Alucard's mother, then. One of Mathias's lost loves.

There was so much life to them--smiling, sleeping, frowning in concentration, looking off to the side or directly at the artist. Yet, in all the art, there was very little of Alucard; More of Mathias than he'd expect if he was the one doing the art. So.

"He's an artist," Leon ended up stating, more than asking. Mathias looked where he gently leafed through a stack of paper, a proud smile coming to his face.

"Yes. He's practiced to become so talented at it. It started with technical drawings- he was very interested in architecture, you see. But he branched out and became quite good at capturing living things."

"He's really brought out the essence in these drawings, the feeling of these moments," Leon agreed. "I know people who would love to have such portraits."

"Hm. Yes, I suppose. I-" Mathias shifted then, a small furrow appearing in his brow. "I suppose I did not have the chance to ask him how his studies had gone. He, too, had been traveling before. Everything."

"You'll have time to ask him now."

Leon stood next to Mathias, offering a hand on his once again. Mathias breathed and accepted.

"You are correct, of course."

"Of course."

Mathias sighed, nudging him towards the bed. "No more Belmont smugness today."

"Belmont specific?" Leon asked as he sat on the plush bed, nearly feeling himself sink in. "How, exactly, do you mean-?"

"I mean that face you get when you're sure you're right, and charge ahead without thinking." Mathias shook his head as he reached up and rubbed a hand over his chin. "Something all your descendants seem to have taken to trying to master."

Leon gave a sarcastic laugh, but his heart was warm.

As they took off only what they needed to--coats, boots, weapons and belts--Leon thought of his current place. Where he was; Where he needed to be.

He'd already decided to go home. Of course, he would have to. There was absolutely no way to avoid it. Going back was the right choice, and would lead to this outcome in the present-future. But he would still be leaving things behind. People. He'd be leaving people behind. His old friend who'd decided to try and live; his friend's son, who tried so hard and had such a large heart; a Speaker with a talent for magic, and a wit and kindness just as honed; and his descendant, as of now, the only family Leon had.

He would have more family, eventually. But. No one here. They would be gone, or otherwise out of Leon's reach.

"Leon?" Mathias leaned over from where he sat, taking Leon's cheek in one hand. "Where did you go?"

"Here," Leon said. "Here, when I won't be soon."

Mathias frowned, but did not try to soothe with lies or placating words. He tugged gently on Leon until he laid down, then a little more as he pulled them against each other. Leon, craving the feel of another person--someone he would not see again in his life--curled up against Mathias's chest.

It wasn't the same as Leon remembered, after all, he'd never been a short man. Now, his head tucked under Mathias's chin, instead of their foreheads resting against each other. Their legs didn't quite tangle together the same way, with Mathias's starting lower, and laying further. But his arms still circled around Leon's back. And he still whispered the same way.

"Get some rest," Mathias said. "We'll have a little more time yet."

Leon tried. He closed his eyes, and he evened his breathing. He waited. Yet all his thoughts were on his past, his future life, and all the things he would have to endure, even though he was grateful to have gotten a chance to see Mathias just once more. He took in a longer breath.

"I forgive you."

Mathias's arms tightened around him. "You. Don't have to."

"I wanted to, "Leon said. He struggled to find the words for what he was feeling. "I know, I know you will try your best. You will work with your son, and his partners, and there will be a plan. You're- you're so good at those, Mathias. You will work to undo the damage you've done, and build something better in place of your rage. And I- I'm so proud. So happy." Leon's next breath was shaky, so he took a moment to calm down. "And I won't be here for most of it. So I wanted to say, I forgive you. I know you'll do your best, and I didn't- I don't want you to doubt, now or ever, that I did not, that I did not love you."

Mathias's next breath was shaky too. He didn't thank Leon. Didn't assure him he was right. But he curled around him, and pressed a kiss to his hair, and whispered, "God doesn't deserve such a soul as you."

Which was... a bit ominous, if sweet, and exactly what he'd expect from his old lover. So Leon just sighed, and patted Mathias where his hand rested before holding him tighter.

As the exhaustion of the night caught up to Leon, slowly dragged weight to his limbs, Mathias whispered.

"I will try. I swear it." Leon hummed, not moving from where his face pressed partially into soft silk over a firm chest. "It will take time, I am aware. But I will... grow past this. Little by little. Eventually. I hope that is of some comfort to you."

Leon wasn't able to answer, sleep still pulling at him. But with the way he was able to drift easily into his rest, going boneless against his (once?) love, he thought that perhaps it was a greater comfort than either of them anticipated.

Mathias was going to be alright. Leon slept dreamlessly with that thought easing him into his rest.

Notes:

And scene! God, I love these two disaster bis so much. Of course they finally get to a point where they can relax and be truthful and kind with each other... and Leon knows he can't even stick around. ｡ﾟ( ﾟஇ‸இﾟ)ﾟ｡
I figure Leon and Mathias, at this point, still care for each other quite a bit, but given how little time they have, neither wants to try and delve into any sort of intimate romance. The separation after having re-found their close relationship will be bad enough, and neither wants to use the other for any sort of rebound feelings after the death of their other loved ones.
So! All that to say: They do love each other, but right now they're focusing on comfort.
Ah, but I'm the one who wrote it that way, so I'm curious what you are all thinking!

I'm still getting used to my new schedule, but hopefully I will figure out a new rhythm to start editing the last few chapters. We're close! (୨୧ ❛ᴗ❛)✧ Get excited!

Chapter 33: Beginning the First Day of Peace

Summary:

Leon wakes, eats, and enjoys some conversation.

The next day, Leon found all the others already awake, though tired, in the kitchen. He was glad he'd found it at all, though Mathias's ominous casual, "Don't worry. The castle knows where I have sent you," had made Leon more than a bit paranoid about the building he was in.

His directions had been good though, and the kitchen did stand before him.

It looked far nicer than many Leon had seen; not that he'd seen many in the castles of higher ranked nobility than he. Only the staff had been allowed in those areas. Still, he imagined it looked similar, with a number of machines presumably used for cooking, an oven which looked far more spacious than Leon was used to, somehow combined with a large stovetop, surrounded by lots of counters and cabinets and drawers, and the table in the middle which all three of his friends sat and ate at, looking various levels of sleepy.

"Good morning," he said. Then corrected, "Good afternoon?"

"Afternoon," Sypha confirmed and greeted.

Trevor grunted. Alucard looked up, brushing some stray hair from his face.

"My father is resting, I take it?"

"Yes. Though he told me how to get here. I think he is going to start research once the sun begins to descend."

Sypha perked up. "Research?" Trevor lifted his head too, though with a more suspicious look.

"Ah, yes. To help me- help me get back home." He ignored the twisting in his stomach. He'd already decided it was the best track and cried over it.

"That's right. If you're certain...?" At Leon's nod, she continued, "Then perhaps I will offer my help. I do remember some intriguing books in the Belmont Hold, though it would take some time to arrive there- Oh!"

"No," Trevor said immediately, pointing a finger at her.

Leon blinked as he sat at the table next to his descendant. "Why not? M- Dracula already knows where the Belmont estate sits."

"That's not what she means," Trevor said, and turning to Sypha, emphasized, "and we are not going to unlock this demonic castle just so you can put it right on top of the underground Hold."

"I'm sure that's not what she meant-" Alucard placated.

"And why not? It will be faster than traveling for days in a wagon, and we will have to move between the two at some point, if not for research than to make sure Leon arrives at the same place he left-"

"She did mean it," Alucard muttered to his bread, stunned.

"We can't put Dracula's castle over the Belmont Hold!"

"Why not?"

"B- because!" And Trevor grappled for words for a split second.

"Trevor is right-"

"Thank you."

"-about where to set it down," Alucard finished, giving Trevor a stink eye for the interruption. "The hold is underground, held up by... well, likely just dirt and wood. We can't set an entire castle on top of it."

Three pairs of eyes turned to Leon, and he shrugged. "I don't know what the next generations did while enlarging the Hold, but you're probably correct." He couldn't see himself having added anything extra to the construction, except perhaps certain areas of stone to help keep the Hold cleaner and avoid undue moisture from soil.

When Trevor let out a triumphant "ha!" Sypha pinched his arm. "I was not going to set it directly on top!"

"There's not much room in that area," Leon pondered. He grabbed a bit of bread, carefully cutting a thick slice. Not fresh from that day, but still soft enough. "Though I'm sure we could find a spot... somewhere?"

"We can use the distance mirror to look ahead of time," Alucard proposed. He rubbed at one of his eyes, but brightened as his idea took shape. "Yes, we can use it to look over the area and measure out where we can land the castle. I can show you to the laboratory with- Hm. Actually, I think we destroyed that room..." Sypha sputtered and Trevor just grunted.

"It wasn't too bad," Leon offered, "though yes, from what I can remember the mirror was in pieces, I'm afraid."

"Oh, no the mirror is always in pieces." Alucard shrugged when the others looked to him. "It reassembles itself when an intent to use it is directed at it. Otherwise, it remains in, essentially, a pile of shards on the viewing table of that room."

"Interesting," Sypha said. "I would love to see it."

"We can go after break- um. Lunch? After our first meal."

Leon smiled at the others, grabbing a platter with what looked like recently cut cheese. Pieces were already missing, likely from the three in front of him. He layered a couple smaller wedges on his bread before biting. Not bad. A little dry, but the bread had a nice flavor, rich with more than one grain, if Leon was tasting right, and the cheese had a complimentary sharpness to it.

Trevor, taking a break from the discussion that Sypha and Alucard had gotten into, grabbed an apple with pink-red skin and began slicing. Once done, he slid a few of the thinner slices over to Leon.

"It's good for the dryness," he said.

"I knew we were related," Leon teased, voice low.

"Like there was any doubt?"

"Mat- Dracula certainly seemed to wonder about that."

"Is that what you were discussing? Our relation?" Trevor crossed his arms over the table, elbows on top in a casually rude way. Leon could only grin as he placed some of the apple slices on his partially eaten cheese bread.

"A bit. I don't think he realizes yet how similar the two of you are."

Trevor scowled from the cradle of his arms. "Don't insult me."

Leon laughed, but genuinely said, "I'm not. I promise I'm not."

Trevor hummed disbelievingly, but seemed willing to try prodding from another direction. "So, you keep trying to call him, what was it, Matteus?"

"Mathias."

"Right, Mathias. I guess... you had been friends, you said?"

"Yes." Leon felt himself fidget a bit, but got it under control and faced Trevor fully. "Yes, we loved each other. And I think, no, I know he will be doing his best to make up for what he's done. He's, he's been alone for some time though, so he will likely have trouble communicating well."

Trevor opened his mouth once, twice, and each time Leon saw a sarcastic comment get swallowed back down. He was working on his communication too, it seemed. "Well no promises I won't punch him," he said eventually, "if he deserves it."

"He probably will," Leon admitted. "Even as a human he was rather stubborn. I imagine that hasn't changed much."

Trevor smirked. "Yeah alright, eat it, huh?" He gestured to Leon's food. Then he turned to rejoin in the conversation Sypha and Alucard were having, immediately bursting in with something contradictory to what both of them had been discussing, leaving him to take both of their attentions as they explained their viewpoints. Leon chuckled to himself and ate.

The apple did, in fact, lend the whole thing an extra dimension--sweet and tart, juicy where the cheese and bread were not, all perfect counterpoints. With the three together, it was like a new dish entirely, more than the sum of its parts. Leon couldn't imagine eating each separately.

It would likely take time to get back home, but not much. So he watched the three before him and memorized the scene. Each of their faces, the bright yellow-white light of the early afternoon coming through the window, the smell of warming wood and stone, the taste of his simple meal.

He wouldn't ever forget them, and that was alright. He would miss them, but that would only help him remember what he'd done here.

And he breathed, and chewed, and leaned back in his chair. Everything would be alright. More than Leon had ever hoped for the future.

Notes:

Finally, our trio and Leon get some time to just relax. No deadly mission hanging over them, no fighting. Just time for banter. (੭ˊ͈ ꒵ˋ͈)੭̸*✧⁺˚ They deserve it.

Oh, the thing Leon eats? Yeah, that used to be a favorite of mine that I would eat with my family. I'm telling you, there is nothing like taking out a loaf of freshly baked bread which you helped with, getting slices, and layering on cheese and crisp apple. Mmmm. :9 Leon's is a little different, since everyone was too tired to make anything fresh, but still good I'd think. Soft bread, creamy sharp cheese, sweet and tart apple? Yes yes yes.
Anyway, some areas of Europe had bread, cheese, and onion as a not unusual simple meal. This is like that, only I'm not a fan of raw onion. (And so despite the canon jokes of stench, I wasn't gonna compare Trevor to an onion. xD)

Now! We're getting close to the end, only a few chapters to go. How bittersweet. (ŏᴗŏ) Still, the next chapter should be a bit longer, and we still have some fun interactions to get through, so look forward to that!

And I want to thank everyone who's been sticking with this fic! ꉂꉂ ( ˆᴗˆ ) It makes me incredibly happy to see y'all coming back and still being excited!

Chapter 34: Meals Bring Everyone Together

Summary:

After bumping into a recent acquaintance, Leon decides everyone needs a solid meal.

Leon did not help with the research into time travel magic. He didn't feel he'd be of much assistance, or even if he could, that he would feel put together enough to contribute. He didn't want to spend his last amount of time there thinking about how he was going to leave (to head back).

So instead, he wandered the castle, And he ran into an old... acquaintance.

"Oh, it's you." Leon looked the man over, trying to remember if he'd heard a name--he was certain he had--but couldn't come up with one past all the other thoughts swirling in his mind. So instead he eyed the undead creature in the man's grip and asked, "How is your, uh, dog?"

The forgemaster looked down into his arms, but did not appear any less tense.

"Fine," he muttered. He didn't leave, even though he appeared nervous to have bumped into Leon.

Leon, attempting to clear the air, or clear things up for this man, maybe, started with introducing himself. "I'm Leon Belmont."

Nope. The man only went more tense.

"You're the Belmont-? No, I guess that makes sense..." The man brought his shoulders back in a determined way, even as he held the dog closer. "What do you plan to do? Now that you have the castle?"

Leon blinked. Did he think Leon was the only Belmont here? Something to correct once the man was more calm. "Oh, uh, it's not my castle, or anything. And I'm not planning much, since I'm not sticking around. I have a- a home to get back to."

"I thought," the man said, brows furrowed, "that all the other Belmonts had been killed."

Leon had to close his eyes briefly. So much for keeping things easy. "So I've been told. But no. I still have one descendant. He's here too."

"...And what does he plan to do? Or is he leaving with you?"

"No, no he should be sticking around. I think he's going to help with plans and rebuilding, not so much the magical aspects." He'd told Trevor a little more about how he used magic, but Trevor seemed content enough just channeling what he had through magical items. Which, fair enough, that was mostly what Leon did as well. "Though I feel I should tell you, in that regard, the castle should be moving today. Soon? Math- that is, Dracula said that they would need access to the-"

"Dracula?" the forgemaster interrupted, eyes wide. He even took a step closer. "He's- He's alive?"

"Wh-" Leon felt his own eyes widen. "Oh! Yes, yes I'm sorry I didn't think to mention. He's alive--recovering. Though, uh, I'm afraid if you hope to continue his plans of war, I will have to remove you somewhere else-"

The man shook his head. He had a thoughtful look in his eyes, as if he was taking Leon in again.

"No. I- I won't. I'd already had enough of the war. And you... you saved me."

Leon nodded, a bit baffled. Not displeased though; one less person trying for war would be good for Mathias's recovery. Leon would have to get the other's opinions on this man though, to make sure.

"Did you-?" The forgemaster hesitated, looking to the floor and around before he faced Leon again. "I thought your reason for coming here was to kill Dracula and his court."

"It had been," Leon said slowly, hesitantly picking how to express his decisions. "It seemed the only way to end the war. Alucard- his son, mentioned that speaking with him hadn't worked, before. And it didn't when we first came upon him. But..." Then, Leon couldn't find the words to describe all that had happened, exactly. It wasn't all his to tell, either. So he lifted his shoulder in a half-shrug. "There were some realizations which changed his mind. He seems truly committed to fixing up what destruction his actions have wrought."

"I see."

For some time more, the man paused. He patted his dog as he looked out the window, and after he set his dog on the ground, stared at Leon. As the little undead creature started sniffing around, apparently undeterred by the stiff atmosphere, he finally seemed to regain his voice.

"I'm Hector."

"Hector," Leon repeated.

"I'm a forgemaster. As you can see." There was a little gesture to the dog, then. "This is Cezar."

The little dog perked up at his name, tiny tongue lolling out of its mouth, one bright blue eye shining, though not in the bare bone eye socket. It did a dance on its small feet, ran about in a circle, and went back to sniffing, winding closer to Leon.

"Hector. And Cezar." Leon looked a bit apprehensively at the dog, though it appeared harmless. A lap dog, even. Drawing his gaze up to the other human, he felt a little smile work its way naturally to his face. Stepping just a bit closer, he held out his arm--open, offering. "It's nice to meet you."

Hector looked down, and slow but sure, reached out his own hand to clasp Leon's. "You too. Leon."

And something finally settled and relaxed within him. "So, how do you know M- Dracula?"

0-o-0

They talked for a while, Hector recounting some of his time together with Dracula. Leon, convinced of his general good nature for the moment, and knowing such a secret would be hard to keep, told Hector of how he knew Dracula, or Mathias, as well. Hector, while surprised, had immediately gone to dissecting the magic idea behind it, muttering theories to himself. Leon found himself charmed.

"You know," Leon mentioned casually, "I can understand your friendship with Mathias now. I think you would get along with Sypha as well. She's a Speaker-magician. Since she's also knowledgeable in the various subjects of magic, she's helping Mathias with the research into how I got here."

Hector, rather than worried, seemed to actually consider the idea. Which was fantastic. Mathias would need more than his son for support, and it would take time to warm up to both Sypha and Trevor. Having another friend around would be helpful for him to find his footing.

But for the moment, Leon lead them to the kitchen. It was early for last meal, but Leon knew the forgemaster was probably hungry. He might have been avoiding any of the common areas for fear of running into people whom he believed would kill him.

Well, Leon could fix that now. He wasn't the best cook, but he could make due. With the traveling he'd done, he'd had to be competent, at least.

So he rooted through the pantry and cabinets, grabbing food and cookware as needed, hoping he could at least make mushroom soup. He started cleaning and chopping up the root vegetables he'd found--onions, carrots, potatoes, and garlic--and was pleasantly surprised when Hector cleaned his hands and silently offered his help. Leon accepted, more than glad to be working side by side with someone.

"Do you cook?" Leon asked.

"Some," Hector said, grabbing a large clean pot and strangely flat pan before rooting through an oddly cold cabinet for something. "I had to cook for myself when I was in Rhodes. When I traveled between places. And few vampires ever bother with the skill, so I cooked here, too."

"Makes sense. What kinds of food? Me, I'm really only good at things which either roast over a fire or get thrown into a pot. Though I at least remember what sorts of flavors go well in what amounts." Which had been useful when the foods available had changed, and they--Mathias and himself and their company of knights--needed to get used to different plants outside of France. Of course, now, Mathias apparently had some form of magical machines in his castle's kitchen.

"Oh. I am familiar with that sort of cooking, of course. Easiest on the road. Though I do remember a few recipes from... from my homeland." Hector quieted, so Leon didn't ask.

"I'd be more than willing to help you make something else later, if you don't mind sharing the recipe."

Hector turned towards him, just a bit, and the corner of his mouth pulled up. "Thank you. I. I'll think about it."

So they left it at that.

The mushroom soup did not take long to prepare, not with Leon providing the mushrooms his group had gathered along their travels to the castle and Hector providing a soup stock from his meal the day before; Able to quickly move between pan cooking diced mushrooms and vegetables to combining everything into the pot, they soon had it simmering low, thanks to Hector's assistance with the cooking machines. The forgemaster was both calm and willing to explain things in length, which Leon appreciated. Then they sat down at the table, just to snack on some fruit which needed to be eaten.

It was only a little over an hour later, when they were removing the soup from heat and stirring it to make sure it was ready for serving, that Trevor walked in.

"Hey Leon, are you-?"

He paused. He stared at Hector, and Hector stared back, eyes flicking down to the weapons still hung from his belt.

"The other Belmont?" Hector murmured. Trevor's hands twitched towards his waist.

"Trevor," Leon said, offering hands to introduce them both, but also to catch them if one attacked, "this is Hector, a friend of mine I helped escape a vampire before we met up to face Dracula. Hector, this is Trevor Belmont, my descendant." To Trevor he said, "Would you like some mushroom soup? We just finished it."

Trevor seemed unsure, eyebrows and mouth curved down, but at least not as likely to draw his weapon.

"Um. I don't- I came down to tell you they're going to move the castle. They found a spot which shouldn't compromise the integrity of the Hold, so."

"So I guess don't serve it just yet?" Leon asked Hector. "I'm not sure what it's like when the castle jumps."

"Fairly smooth, but you probably won't want to be holding a bowl, if you're unused to it."

Trevor narrowed his eyes. He was stopped from saying much when Cezar popped out from under the table and trotted over to sniff at his shoes. Then he just had a string of curses.

"That's Cezar," Leon introduced quickly. Cezar's butt wagged with his tail when his name was called. He looked up at Trevor, done smelling his boots, and did a little dance followed by spinning in a circle.

"That," Trevor said, pointing down, "is a dead dog."

"Yes," Leon said.

"A night creature."

"Sort of," Hector said. And when he got a glare from the younger hunter, one which made Leon shift as if to separate them again, continued with, "Night creatures are a bit different. Cezar is... only a dog. He's nearly the same animal he was in life."

"Nearly." Trevor scoffed. He looked down, but Cezar was now trying to jump up with his upper paws, an indication to be picked up maybe. "That why he's missing skin? And organs?"

"I didn't want to change him from what he was," Hector explained.

Trevor glanced at Leon, asking for his opinion. Leon smiled a bit. He liked Hector, and Cezar was odd, but not an evil creature. He offered the only peace he could.

"Are you sure you're not hungry? What about the others? I haven't seen Alucard all day either."

"Um. I didn't ask. Alucard went looking elsewhere for you, just in case."

"But you knew where I'd be," Leon said with a full smile.

Trevor rubbed at the back of his neck. "Lucky guess."

"Then perhaps Alucard will join us soon."

The castle chose that moment to move, the light outside flickering in color, first, before the light shifted dizzyingly. Leon had to close his eyes to avoid the nauseating display. The floor itself only seemed to vibrate a bit, some wooden kitchen tools clanking gently against each other. Then it settled, and the light came back, a different angle than before.

"We've moved," Hector said, glancing towards the windows.

"Yeah, no shit." Trevor looked as unnerved as Leon's stomach felt.

Still, curiosity won out, so Leon went to the window. The landscape had changed, as expected, and before him stood the forest just outside the Belmont estate. He thought if he left the castle, he would be able to see the crumbled structure, and perhaps even the grave area.

The sky, while mostly the same, had gotten suddenly less cloudy, and the sunlight beamed more directly through the trees.

"Interesting," Leon said to himself. "Was it that smooth because we didn't move far, or is it always like that?"

"It's been smooth as long as I've felt it," Hector offered.

Trevor scoffed. "During the slaughtering of Wallachia, you mean."

"Trevor," Leon sighed. But when he turned back around, Hector was shaking his head.

"Say what you like. You don't know what the circumstances were like, just as I don't truly know yours, or your family's." Trevor tensed, but appeared more surprised when Hector handed him a filled bowl. "Here."

Trevor reached out, still frowning, but took it. He didn't move though, even when Leon came back to accept his. It took Cezar, sniffing hopefully up at Trevor, to get him to stop staring at the soup in his hands. They all sat at the table, Leon sitting between Trevor and Hector to avoid any confrontation, hopefully. And when Leon took his first spoonful, making a pleased sound, Trevor finally started on his.

The flavor was smooth, with a good interplay between the mushrooms, vegetables, meaty broth, and the spices which warmed Leon up from the inside.

"I do still miss some of the things we had in France, but I find myself enjoying the paprika which is more common here."

Hector nodded. "It's familiar enough to me by now. Though I miss more of the ocean fish."

"Aren't they stronger tasting?" Leon wondered.

"Some of them."

Leon and Hector compared some of the dishes they'd grown up used to, then some of the ones they'd had most often in more recent years. Eventually, Trevor chimed in too. His tastes didn't seem to have specific leanings, at least none he'd mention having a preference for, given the hardship he'd been through for the past years. When they got to alcohol, it changed entirely.

"I'm telling you," Trevor said, waving his spoon at Hector, "there is no grape which could make a sweeter wine than a good beer. Wine by nature is just too bitter."

Hector shook his head. "Perhaps if you leave it too long, or use sour grapes. Or have you only drank dry wines? Crete had some particularly sweet green grapes, which made perfectly sweet wine. Good for fish, for after meals with desserts, should you have any."

"Still can't compare to a good grain. If you take malted barley and make sure it's flavored with hops, you end up with a fantastic beer, always nice and smooth, mild enough for multiple mugs. And hey, you want to get drunk? Fine, but wine is way too expensive for that. Just need some good homebrewed Țuică, which you can also use to make a sweeter Vișinată and it will still have the warmth."

Leon shook his head at the both of them, grinning, but stayed out of the conversation. He generally kept far from alcohol, due to his strong reaction to it. Mathias had taken to hiding it whenever they had time and access to it. It became a once in a while treat, only for when Leon and Mathias were both safe at home. (Which happened less as the years went on.)

Speaking of, Sypha and Alucard walked into the room--Sypha lighting the candles with a flick of her hand--with Mathias behind them, staying in the shadows as the last of the sun faded from the windows.

Alucard and Sypha both stopped once they noticed Hector, Sypha curious and Alucard bristling, just a bit. But it was Mathias who spoke.

"Hector?"

"Lord Dracula!" Hector stood from his seat immediately. Mathias shook his head, though his expression was soft.

"I don't suppose I could convince you, now that the war is over, to finally use my name?"

Hector faltered, but a quick glance at Leon from the corner of his eyes seemed to remind him of their conversations. "Oh. Yes. Vlad?"

Mathias chuckled; Sypha put her hand over her mouth, and Alucard relaxed, a smile tugging at his lips as well. They both entered the room properly, humming over the soup before serving a couple bowls and taking seats at the table, backs to Mathias.

"Hector. I am glad to see you well, my friend." Alive, Leon thought Mathias meant. He knew now how much they must have worried about each other, trying not to consider what might have happened.

"You as well- Vlad. I, I had heard what happened, but hadn't a chance to ch- to see you, yet."

Leon cleared his throat. "That may be my fault, partially. I knew you were busy," he directed to Mathias, "and did not think of the concerns I might have to ease once I had bumped into Hector again."

Mathias bowed his head, accepting the apology easily. Then he asked, "Again?"

"Ah, yes," Hector answered, "Leon was the one to find me, and when he killed Carmilla, I left the area. I- was not prepared for battle, and by the time I might have been, everything was over."

"Thank you," Mathias said to Leon. "I am glad that schemer Carmilla is gone."

But once the sunlight fully faded from the room, Mathias entered, placing a hand on Hector's shoulder. "But I am mostly glad you are well."

Hector nodded, looking down, though there was a faint smile struggling to appear on his face.

It was good, Leon thought to himself with another mouthful of soup, that the two friends had been reunited. Perhaps it would lead to more stability for Mathias, and a new avenue of friendship for Hector, getting to know the three others who would be staying. Leon could only hope.

Notes:

Huh. What's with our group of characters sharing meals all the time? Maybe I'm just hungry when I write. ^^;;
Speaking of, the soup they make is a modified version of a delicious recipe I found online. :9 Seems like this kind of mushroom soup is fairly well known in/around Romania?
The alcohol Trevor mentions (because of course that's what he talks about haha) is just typical beer, but then he also mentions Țuică, which is a very strong plum alcohol native to the region, as well as Vișinată, which is like... sour cherries and sugar soaked in more concentrated alcohol like vodka or Țuică or something, which ends up giving the final product more sweetness and a reddish color. Thanks Trevor, you gave me more to research! ( =u=)b
Not that Hector was much better, but since Greece has been making wine for a long long time, the hint of info there is pretty accurate, I think.

And I know some of y'all were worried about Hector, or glad to see him escape, so here he is! With Cezar, the good-est boy, and everything a-okay!
Of course I wasn't about to let Hector just languish in limbo or anything, he deserves to know Drac is still his friend, and that he doesn't have to participate in war crimes anymore. :3

And as Leon mentioned, having some friends around who will help supporting Drac will be good for his emotional journey. He's gotta start actually dealing and living with his grief, after all, which is incredibly difficult.

Anyway! I hope you enjoyed Leon and Hector getting time to talk. ♪(´▽｀) And then Trevor bumbling in, hehe. There are (I think) two more chapters of this fic? We shall see. But we're near the end! 0.0 I was starting to think I'd never make it, haha!
Thank you all so much for reading all the way here, and I hope you stick around for the last bits!

Chapter 35: End of the First Day of Peace

Summary:

Leon and the others head towards the end of their goal. He shares some laughter and a request.

It was after everyone--aside from Mathias, who merely leaned against a countertop and participated in conversation--had a second helping of soup, and some more of the not-quite stale bread loaves, that Sypha mentioned their task.

"We found it," Sypha announced, hands placed on the table, her eyes alight with excitement. "We had been looking through some of the texts in the main library, during the time we were still waiting for Trevor to okay the spot we picked out for the castle-"

"Listen, I'm already excommunicated, I can't be haunted by family ghosts too!"

"-and we found the stories which mentioned similar forms of travel through time. It shouldn't take long to analyze them, and we can no doubt find some of the concepts in other tomes as well, especially if you-" and she pointed to Leon, "-spent some time after you get back stocking the Belmont Hold with similar texts."

Leon thought around that particular puzzle in his mind. "So. Once I get back, make sure to note down what we do, so we can find it... now? And send me back?"

Mathias grinned, lopsided in amusement. "Time travel is not something so common, and the effects not well studied. But nothing has changed in my memory, and no one has... vanished. You were always meant to come here, and to return."

"Ominous," Trevor muttered, which made Leon grin; He'd been thinking the same thing.

"If you say so. I was going to record this experience, though I suppose it would be of more help to simply have texts which scholars of the subject have written."

"Likely for the best," Sypha agreed. "The Speakers take time to understand information from the future, but too much available to those not used to the practice might have people looking for signs where there are none."

"People can get... suspicious, when they have certain information, and nothing to explain it," Hector said, a knowing sadness to his voice.

Leon nodded along to all of it. He trusted their judgement. "I suppose we can go to the Hold, then, and see if I have managed to do what I- have done? Will do?"

"Still kind of a mindfuck." Trevor yelped when Sypha reached over to smack him.

"If we are all prepared?" Alucard asked, voice contrastingly pretentious compared to Trevor's comment, though a grin hid just at the corner of his mouth.

Everyone agreed, so they set out.

At one point, Hector was glancing around the castle as they walked, and Trevor caught the motion.

"What is it?" Alucard asked, tone polite, if a bit wary.

"Oh. Did. I was wondering if you ran into another forgemaster, while you were. Fighting."

"Our group did not. Well... there was a human who retreated with Father, but when we caught up he was gone." He glanced over to Mathias, who nodded.

"That is something I should have remembered earlier." He smiled at the arm his son touched in understanding. "I pushed him through the transmission mirror when I saw the fight was going... poorly. I did not want him in harm's way. However, he was in good health when he left, and I trust in his skills to keep himself safe. I will have time to retrieve him. Not to worry."

He said the last bits mainly to Hector, who nodded, looking far more relieved. Leon wondered if, perhaps, they had been friends, more than just two forgemasters who worked alongside each other.

"He was quite determined to protect you," Alucard said to his father. "Do you believe he will hold himself back from a fight if you ask it?"

"Isaac is loyal," Hector said immediately. And Mathias made a sound of agreement.

"I do not doubt you would have your own hurdles to overcome, if you wish to be amiable with each other, but he would not attack any of you, should I make it clear we are to be allies."

The assurance seemed to settle most everyone, even though there was still some wariness around the newest trio of friends. They reached the main door around that time though, so each waited while Mathias gestured the doors open. The tall doors creaked, apparently having taken a bit of a battering during the first parts of the fight, but open they did. Moonlight cascaded in, still bright even though it had started to wane. The scent of fresh pine and cool air and newly moved soil--probably from the castle's landing--settled the atmosphere around them.

"So much better," Trevor said, walking faster as he made his way outside, head up to get larger lungfuls of air.

Sypha followed next, more sedately, but appearing more comfortable outside as well. Hector was behind her, setting Cezar down to run around him and sniff at the ground as he walked.

Alucard, after a smile at his father, trailed out. He took in the landscape, gaze catching on where the Hold would be, and then where he and Leon had their first true heart to heart.

"Ready?" Mathias looked down at Leon. Leon took a deep breath in, holding it as he listened to the little nocturnal bugs make noise to find mates, owls hooting occasionally.

"I'm not sure this is something to be ready for," he finally answered. "But I'll go with you, regardless."

Mathias chuckled, offering an arm. Even at Leon's raised brow, he did not take it back. Well then.

"I suppose I can scandalize both our descendants while I'm here." He grinned and took Mathias's arm, laughing quietly with him.

They walked slower than the others, watching as Sypha's magic flared from around a crumbled wall. To open the Hold again, no doubt. They didn't speak, but Leon didn't think there was much more to say. Or, perhaps, there was too much to say. Soon, he would be back in the past. He and Mathias had reconciled, but there was not nearly enough time to go over everything that had gone wrong between them.

Mathias likely had things he wished he could explain, from when he lost Elizabetha, when he took ill, when he decided to hatch a plan using a powerful vampire lord and got Leon wrapped up in it. Leon also had things he wished he could go through, unburden himself of, to say how hurt he was by Mathias's lack of trust in him, not confiding in him, getting his betrothed into such a dangerous situation, leaving him behind simply for spite of a cruel fate. But they did not have time for all of it. They could not do more than acknowledge they had both done things which hurt the other, wish things had been different, forgive each other, and move forward from there. Mathias was already planning to act with more kindness, and he had family and friends who would be there to help him. Leon... he had one thing he might be able to ask for.

Just before they came upon the entrance to the Hold, Alucard waving at them to enter before he disappeared himself, the others already likely inside, Leon decided.

"Mathias? Once I am back in my time, might I ask something of you?"

"Of course," he said, with utmost sincerity. His eyes shone, especially bright in the shadows of the night, and the hairs on Leon's arms stood up. "What would you ask of me?"

"If you can, you and Sypha both, and whomever might be able to help, could you... free Sara's soul?"

Mathias's gait did not falter, though his arm twitched under Leon's. "From the whip?" he muttered.

"Yes. When we... decided-" Leon shook his head. Even now, years later, looking back on what had happened brought a deep grief and feeling of helplessness. "There were few choices available to us. Sara made hers, and regardless of my own feelings on the matter, I accepted that. Together, we destroyed Walter. But now..."

Leon gestured around them, to the crumbling Belmont estate, the Hold where others waited for them, and the magic castle looming nearby.

"Sara does not need to suffer any longer. The Belmonts have other weapons for fighting, other whips, even, and I had not intended for, for her to stay in this form for so long." Leon's voice felt strained at the end, quiet, as he tried to comprehend the years she must have suffered under the weight of her own rage, being able to fight vampires and other creatures, but never knowing peace, forced to stay behind on earth instead of having her well deserved rest. "I did not intend for her to suffer."

Mathias drew Leon into a hug, and even though Sara grew warmer at the close presence of a vampire, Leon buried himself into Mathias's chest, squeezing tight, knowing he could not hurt his friend with this display of emotion.

"Of course," Mathias whispered, "of course I will help. This is not your burden alone to carry. I will do my best to find a way to help her. I'm certain Trevor would be willing to allow me closer looks, for you, if nothing else."

Leon hugged Mathias harder once more. He admitted, "They may have guessed a bit of it already."

"Really?"

"Things were, hm, heated when I first arrived."

"Why does that not surprise me?"

They shared another small, quiet laugh. Leon felt tired, but better than before; He'd suggested something which should help, in this time at least. "I just couldn't leave without knowing whether you could help her here."

"I know." Mathias leaned down to kiss the top of Leon's head, making him grumble at the height difference. "You are a kind soul."

They took another few moments for Leon to pull himself back together. Once he'd managed to separate himself from Mathias, they looked each other over, making sure the strong emotions were done for the moment, and headed down the stairs. They made it to the point where Leon's portrait hung before Mathias spoke.

"Isn't this from the duchy... Godfrey of Bouillon? How did it get here?" With one hand, for a moment as they passed, Mathias reached out and up as if to caress the frame. There was a wistfulness in his eyes, but thankfully, no pain. "Your family?"

"In later generations, I suspect," Leon agreed. "I certainly didn't bring it with me."

Mathias chuckled. "Not so fond of being the head of the family, so looked up to? Even after you went and started a whole hunters' clan?"

"I. Wasn't thinking of things like this." He gestured lamely to the portrait, a blush heating his cheeks.

"No, you simply wanted to kill me and, what was it, 'the night'?"

Leon elbowed his side, getting nothing but a chuckle in return. "I was emotional!"

"Yet no one believes me when I say you can be dramatic."

"That's because you are the one saying it."

Mathias raised a brow, making an 'oh really?' sound.

"You have more than enough drama for several people, so in comparison, I am perfectly boring."

"Ha!"

They descended the rest of the way into the hold, Mathias looking around at the lighted space with interest. His eyes caught on the large monster skeleton dangling over one level, the many shelves of books and tools and miscellaneous objects, then further in, and down, where the floor space spread out.

"It seems your family made quite the collection of hunting not only monsters, but magical objects and texts."

"Seems so," Leon agreed. Something about the space helped him calm. It was not as he'd built it, but even the larger and more filled space felt closer to home than the places he'd been over the last week or so. Perhaps he was feeling the ghosts of the Belmonts who had poured their lives into the space--the texts written in their hand, the weapons wielded by them, and the careful recording of knowledge for the generations to come. Perhaps it was knowing that this, at least, would survive nearly all his descendants. Or perhaps it was something less morbid, such as his own familiarity with the space, given it was where he'd traveled through time.

Leon caught sight of where the others had gathered, and tugged Mathias's cape to grab his attention. After pointing them out though, Mathias got a gleam in his eyes, and jumped. He landed silently behind Hector. And though Alucard only briefly tensed before scowling at his father, Sypha jumped and Trevor's hand jolted to his weapons before he cursed.

"Fuck. Vampires and their drama. This is where you get it from." He pointed an accusing finger at Alucard, who sniffed, offended.

"I don't know what you're thinking of. Father, please do not frighten the humans."

"I wasn't-"

Leon was too busy laughing as he made his way down the stairs. Once he reached the rest of them, one or two giving him curious looks, Leon smiled at Mathias. "Told you."

"That what?" Alucard asked.

"Nothing of imp-"

"That he was so full of drama-"

"Leon, this is where you appeared, yes? Where, exactly?"

Leon shared a brief commiserating look with Alucard, and Trevor clapped Leon on the shoulder while Sypha and Mathias walked closer to Leon's entry point. "Knew it," Trevor said. "Vampires just can't help themselves."

"Might be in addition to the flare for the dramatic Mathias had as a human, really." The two Belmonts chuckled together.

"He does seem to enjoy startling you and Sypha," Alucard added, "but it might only be that he's testing you, in a sense."

"Don't think changing the subject gets you out of that inclusion," Trevor said, wiggling a finger in his direction. "You're still a dramatic bastard too."

"And what, exactly, does that make the Belmonts who try to punch vampires with their bare hands?"

"Adaptable."

Leon shook his head and followed them further into the Hold. He'd miss their casual bickering, when he returned home.

Notes:

Woo hoo! One more chapter down! ٩(ò｡ó۶ ♡)) I'm hoping to get another out this weekend but... we'll see.

Anyway! Fun little facts this chapter!
Since we don't really know the story of Leon's portrait, I went with the idea that it was made during the time he was alive. That's not historically accurate you say? Art from the early 11th century looked nothing like that? I know, portraits like this were done later, around the Renaissance and later years, but eh, anachronistic castlevania is more canon than perfectly historical castlevania. So why the hell not. :3

And the person who I wrote as having owned/commissioned it? Godfrey of Bouillon was closest figure I could think who might've been pleased by Mathias and Leon's skillful work. He was one of the larger figures in the first crusades, and for a while before that in charge of Lower Lorraine, an area bordering the Kingdom of France and the Holy Roman Empire.

Now, I saw you ask in the (very appreciated thank you) comments last chapter, what about Isaac? Um, haha, he's fine. Really though, Dracula isn't going to just leave him alone, there's just been a lot of his past he's needed to confront in a short time, so he was pretty busy with emotions, and he was the only one who knew where he'd sent Isaac.
Will Isaac be in this fic? Mm, probably not, since Drac is gonna be focused on getting Leon home, and this is primarily Leon's POV, but I have been thinking of writing some one shots later to fill in other spots of this AU. What do all of you think? (•᷉ुε ू•᷈,)

Regardless, thank you all again for your encouragement up to this point! I will see you (hopefully soon) for the last chapter! ╰(✧∇✧)╯

Chapter 36: Home

Summary:

Leon goes home.

In the end, with the minds of Mathias, Sypha, Hector, and even Alucard working together on the magic potential for travel through time, it did not take long for the solution to be found--only a night and part of a day, really. They tried to explain it a couple times, but Leon felt lost by the theories of it, Trevor shrugged without appearing like he was listening, and even Alucard seemed a bit stumped as to why some parts of it may work.

"All I know," he said, "is that if we put you back in the place where you appeared, and draw out a circle to mimic and counteract the one you used to get here, we should be able to channel the magic to get you back."

"This time should be an easier trip though," Hector added. "Since we can use Lor- Vlad's transmission mirror to channel the magic through, you should be able to step through it right back into your time, in the Hold."

Mathias nodded throughout, quieter, even though he had helped discover a type of spell which likely few others had been able to. But Leon was soon busy directing the others to help set up the area. While he was drawn into arrangements, Mathias briefly disappeared, Hector at his side; To get the mirror, as Alucard said, though even he seemed worried at Mathias's downturn in mood.

Leon knew it would be difficult for them both to leave each other. He'd hoped there would be some way to cope more easily. But no one, family or friend, could make up for the absence of a completely different person. Leon knew that.

So as he shuffled furniture and watched as lines were drawn on the floor, he talked.

He told Trevor stories of his own hunts, and listened to Trevor's, and offered him strong hugs. "I'm proud of you," he said, quiet enough to make it for just the two of them. Trevor said nothing, but hugged him back, just a tad harder.

Leon spoke with Sypha, listened to the way she'd discovered this magical concept, how it would not work for anyone who wasn't already displaced. She compared it to an 'Infinite Corridor,' in that it was the opposite, correcting instead of chaotic. Leon placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're absolutely brilliant," he told her, "and those boys better know just how lucky they are to have you." She blushed, but smiled in a pleased way, and cupped his hand between the both of hers. "I am glad to have gotten to know you," she returned. "I wish you better luck back home."

Leon told Alucard some embarrassing stories of Mathias, enough to make Alucard laugh, and some to give him second-hand embarrassment. He seemed calmer, happier, knowing his father's potential for a better path forward. "I know why father is so fond of you," Alucard said. "We will miss you." Leon smiled, and gently pulled Alucard in for a hug as well, trying his best to hide his shaky smile. "And I would be more than honored to have you in the Belmont family, should you choose." Alucard thanked him, but pulled away with a pink tinge to his face.

Then Mathias and Hector returned, mirror and some other supplies in tow, and Leon's time was up.

They carefully sketched out the same symbols of the spell Leon had been using to try and preserve his books and other tools, making sure each item they regathered was in the right place, that all the materials were correct, and that, to Leon's best knowledge, the mirror would be in the same place where he had done his spell back in the past.

Leon watched as such different people all worked together, all to help him, and he felt the warmth of a summer's day within him. The light of their kindness, their determination, their dedication in trying to do good, it was inspiring. Each had different reasons and motivations, each had their own ways of going about it, but each of them was kind. Leon could feel, then, that they would help the world tremendously. Even if it was far past Leon's time, he felt a wonderful hope for the future.

Then, it was time to cast. Hector, having mainly helped with infusing the correct symbols with the magic needed, did not assist with this portion. Sypha and Mathias took the main parts of it, both looking to the other to make sure they would work in tandem.

Sypha focused her attention on the glyphs, her concentration and words causing light to flare, glowing up from the patterns on the floor. Mathias built off the base, concentrating and forming it towards the mirror, which jumped up and assembled itself at his command. The mirror wobbled under the rising magic, vibrating with little clinks until all the pieces began to reflect various colors. They shifted and changed, light and dark and swirling watercolor washes melding around each other as a picture began to form on the surface. Leon found himself leaning forward, intrigued.

As Sypha held, and Mathias finished his own spell with a flick of his fingers, the image began to solidify. At first, it appeared a mere reflection of the room they were in. Upon closer inspection, Leon found differences in the lack of materials, with fewer filled bookshelves, less furniture, and what appeared to be less space seen in the distance, as well. And of course, Leon's reflection did not appear.

It was a portal now, which would lead him to the past; to the home he'd begun to build.

It was time to go.

A glance over at his new friends for strength had Leon swallowing back his emotions once more. Trevor nodded with a solemn look, a sort of melancholy in his eyes, of the type which was saved for family members going far away. Alucard did much the same, but with a smile of thanks, likely for the reuniting of his own family. Sypha beamed, slightly wistful, but in a way Leon knew she was glad to have met him.

Leon took a breath, giving Hector a nod as well, who waved back, his own thankful smile in place. And then Leon turned to look one last time at Mathias. Oh, Mathias.

He had a mask on, body unnaturally still and face held tight, trying so hard to keep himself together--likely for Leon's sake. But Leon could see past it, even after Mathias himself had lived centuries more; Because he was still Mathias, and he was never very good at hiding his anguish. His eyes shimmered in the light from the ongoing spell; He would not call Leon back, even though it was clear he would miss him terribly.

They'd had so many goodbyes, but they would never be enough. Once Leon left, to Mathias, he would be dead once more. He was wishing Leon well to step back into the past, into his grave, and never speak to him again. Leon had no cure for that sort of misery. It was not something which could be swept away. Mathias had people here who would help him, and eventually, he would grow around his grief, and build more to his life. Until then, Leon knew he had to offer something.

Walking briskly, instead of finishing his journey into the mirror, he got close to Mathias. He watched his old lover's eyes widen, then a slight panic entered his frown, before Leon reached up for his face. Mathias allowed himself to bend down, freezing when Leon leaned forward. Gently, so gently, he pressed a kiss to his cheek, letting it linger. The beard was different, but it was Mathias, and Leon knew him.

"I love you," Leon said. He heard Mathias's breath hitch, hand coming up to cover Leon's. Their cheeks brushed together as Leon whispered into his ear, one last request and wish. "Remember me as someone you loved having in your life, won't you? I wish to have brought you joy."

Mathias breathed out, slow and wondering. "Of course I will, Leon. I will. I promise. You have brought me many good things, and I will remember."

And as Leon pulled away, he felt the way Mathias's hand brushed against his, and remembered what he wore there.

"Do you still have my ring?" he whispered.

Mathias's eyes closed then, for a moment, as if to gather himself. "I do."

"Good." Leon smiled and squeezed Mathias's hand. "Good. I hope you will find more happiness in the future, a kinder future, no matter what form that takes."

Mathias leaned in then, pressing one last kiss to Leon's forehead in return. "And I wish you the same, Leon Belmont."

Leon kept smiling past the lump in his throat, blinked past his tears so they would not fall, and laughed. He turned then, letting his hand slip out of Mathias's. He needed to get going before he lingered any longer.

Stepping towards the mirror was like being drawn into the center of a thunderstorm; The electricity which crackled around the glyph made Leon's hairs stand on end, an anticipation in him of something going to happen making his heart race, his senses sharpened.

He did not turn back to Mathias. He knew it would only hurt more. But he offered Trevor a quick grin when he caught his eye, arms crossed outside the circle. Reminding him of his promise, he mouthed Proud of you. Trevor offered a tentative smile back, more a relaxing of his face than anything, but it was all he would need from Leon. The Belmont name was Trevor's in this time; Whatever he chose to do was what mattered, not what Leon would have done.

So Leon took a deep breath, trusted in the incredible people he'd met through nothing but a magical accident, and stepped back into a purposeful one.

0-o-0

"Leon! By the blood of Christ, what the Hell happened-!"

Waking was something slow, slogging through memory with the clinging and suction of swamp mud. But Leon remembered the swirl of magic as it pushed and pulled him, the crackle along his skin, and the vertigo which threw him directly to the floor. He must've blacked out for a couple seconds, because someone was already turning him over.

"-and you vanished! You mad bastard- I thought-!"

"Trefor," Leon groaned, partially in question.

"Yes, yes, you remember my name. Good."

And Trefor continued to berate him for whatever had happened, saying the spell had to be incorrect, and they were not trying that again, and-

"I'm glad to see you." Leon grinned up at his face--freckled nose scrunched up in frustration, red hair no longer easily tucked away and flying about his face like he'd grabbed it multiple times.

"You're not about to be," Trefor growled. "I'm putting you on a mandatory rest. Idiot. You look like you are about to fall right back to sleep- Are you singed?"

Leon laughed. "I had some close encounters with fire."

"Y- When?"

"I'll tell you. it was... how long was I gone?"

Trefor frowned, but helped lever Leon up into a sitting position, still hovering over him "About, I'd say ten seconds? Ten long seconds. At least before the air shimmered again and you popped out of a portal."

"Ah."

Trefor raised a brow, putting one of Leon's arms over his shoulder.

"I can stand."

"Sure sure. Gonna tell me what all that 'How long was I gone' nonsense was for?"

"Yes. My story is... far longer than you might believe from how long I was gone. I traveled for nearly a fortnight."

"Traveled? Where?" Trefor's eyes narrowed at him, even as they stood and he led him over to a sort of bench. "Even magic can't compress time like that."

"Apparently, it can send someone through time."

Trefor was incredulous, at first, though he did listen attentively to Leon's tale. Some parts, some things more personal to each person, he did not discuss. But he mentioned meeting his descendant, the Speaker magician, and son of Dracula. He told Trefor about how brave they were, chuckled with Trefor about how his influence ended up naming one of Leon's descendants, and mentioned what they did to find and entrap Dracula--How fierce the battle was. And, eventually, how he reconciled with his old friend.

Trefor sat for a moment, after the story was over, digesting. He shook his head a few times, brushed his hand over his beard. His look changed from disbelieving to thoughtful.

"That was far too specific for a dream, or just a made up story. And I've never known you to do that." He leaned back, legs stretched out at an angle as he sighed. "How complicated. Must have been difficult, to see all of that."

"Yes," Leon whispered. "Some parts. But the rest, I think, I am glad for. My actions on their own did not bring about the justice or peace I wanted, but I believe that group will do what I could not."

"That's what family is for, right?" Trefor said. He shoved an elbow into Leon's side, chuckling at the oof he got. "Supporting each other. Making things better for the next generations, yeah?"

"Absolutely correct." Leon felt his smile grow. "And I am glad to have you here to help with it."

"I traveled from the lands of the North Sea through the Holy Roman Empire and most of the Kingdom of Hungary to build a home here with you," Trefor grumped. "You think I would leave now?"

"My apologies for ever insinuating I doubted you."

"Good. Now, let's leave this project for another day, huh?" Trefor gestured towards their half-done spell. "Because you need new clothes. And a bath."

Leon made a sound of offense, but took Trefor's hand to stand. Together, they made their way back up to the house--their home.

 

Days later, after Leon buried his thoughts in a journal, of plans for the future, of his full experiences, he wrote an edited version. One he hoped would help lead that trio together, for when he'd arrived.

When Dracula’s grief and rage rained down upon the land, and none left stood able to oppose him,

A trio met, Hunter, Scholar, and Soldier,

The Hunter strong in body and heart, willing to stand up for the people,

The Scholar, open minded and quick witted, full of power and compassion,

The Soldier, bound by duty, inspired to protect with extraordinary skill.

And together, through travel and adversity, their individual griefs were buoyed through support,

Their hearts grew closer together, and through intimacy, they became as one.

Their strength and and skills were unmatched, yet

It was their hearts which stopped Dracula and saved Wallachia from further destruction.

Never have I felt prouder to have met a group of warriors than those three.

Leon Belmont

Notes:

Is, is this the end? :0 After almost 5 years? Huzzah!
I am so excited to have finished up this time travel excursion! A little sad, but mostly happy because hey, it's actually completed. ˚✧₊⁎( ˘ω˘ )⁎⁺˳✧༚

So, what did y'all think? I've been loving the comments I get, all the reactions, and I'm always to happy to see the kudos, knowing people are dropping by to read.
Thank you all so much for the support as I slogged my way through this idea. It's amazing to know both long-time Leon fans and people who never knew him enjoyed this story! ₍՞◌′ᵕ‵ू◌₎♡ I hope this was fun!

I've written just a few other time-travel fics, much shorter, if you wanted to look through the series this fic is connected to.
Or, if you wanted more Mathias/Leon, the one-shot I wrote, This Blanket is Warm is full of fluffy personal headcanons I used for their backstories.

Ahhh, writing Dracula-Mathias getting to meet Leon was so bittersweet. Like, they get this extra time, and then have to separate again. Same with Leon meeting Trevor and the others! He gets to help, but knows all the troubles which will befall his family and friend. Then heads back and... can only do his best, hundreds of years before it happens. :<
But this was pretty much always planned when I started the fic, knowing he'd have to go back home, to his own time. Happy, but sad.

Anyway, thank you again for reading, and look forward to a different project from me next time! (｡´∀｀)ﾉ

Notes:

Thanks so much for reading! I'm working hard, but I'm also on ✧tumblr✧, if you enjoyed and would like to talk, cheer me on, ask for a specific idea, see what other nonsense I like, etc. (人´ω｀*)♡ Messages are open!

 

EDIT: Hey, pssst, yeah you. You wanna read a happier ending? *opens briefcase* I got Say Do You Remember, if you're interested. It's gonna have some good hurt/comfort, and more permanent reunions, so uh... what'cha say, kid?

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of Time and Time Again [Castlevania Time Travel]