Chapter Text
Ethan was exhausted. Exhausted to his very core. Muscles screaming, bones aching, he could barely carry himself along the frozen muddy path back up to the incomplete chalice. He wanted to stop fighting, he wanted to rest. But he couldn't…. Not yet.
Ethan couldn't rest, because he was carrying precious cargo.
He paused for a moment, breathing in the icy Romanian air. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out the dusty yellow container that was more valuable than gold. His hands quivered as he held it, whether from pain, exhaustion or trauma he could no longer tell.
“Rose…”
His voice cracked, tears threatening to spill as he clasped the jar containing part of his daughter. How did it come to this? What had happened to his family?
His arms throbbed as he placed the jar carefully back into his case. Long slices covered his limbs, inflicted by the ghouls he had previously fought. He had managed to staunch the blood flow with a bottle of medicine, but he had nothing to help with the actual pain.
"Maybe the Duke can help me."
He muttered to himself as he resumed his slow walk, wincing as his wounds throbbed.
Arriving at the open winged gate, Ethan stumbled over to the Duke's cart and almost collapsed to his knees, leaning on the table for support.
"D...Duke…",
Ethan managed to croak,
"Help me… it… it hurts so much."
The Duke leaned forward with concern, taking in Ethans bloody clothes.
"Those ghouls certainly did a number on you Mr. Winters. Let me help you out a little."
Turning around, he rummaged in the back of his cart, bottles clinking as he combined dried ingredients and mystery liquids. Ethan watched silently, unable to muster the energy to pull himself up.
Eventually, the Duke turned back around holding a cup of steaming liquid.
"Try this for your troubles."
He said with a smile.
Ethan grasped the cup with quivering hands, barely able to keep it from spilling as he brought it to his mouth. It was warm, with an odd taste of herbs and spices. It was comforting.
"What is this?"
He queried as he continued to sip.
"A special recipe. Should ease your aches and pains in no time."
"Thanks Duke….. you're a real lifesaver y'know.."
The Duke said nothing, just smiled as he cast a knowing glance at the typewriter sitting on his desk. Ethan drained the last of the tea, breathing a sigh of relief as his pains began to fade.
Turning around, he surveyed the snowy mountains encircling them. Getting up slowly, he walked over to the incomplete chalice. Taking out the yellow jar, he carefully inserted it into one of the empty slots. Another side unclasped.
Halfway there. Maybe he could do it. Only two more, and he could have his daughter back. He closed his eyes for a moment, recalling the memories of Rose. He smiled softly as the image of her chubby cheeked smile filled his mind.
"I can do this."
Opening his eyes again, he pulled out his handgun before moving to the next gate. Standing in front of it, his face set with grim determination as he pushed it open and stepped through.
"Bring it on."
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Y/N couldn't believe his eyes. The whole village was empty. Not a lycan in sight. Instead the fields stood empty, trampled crops the only evidence that there was anything wrong.
Leaving his hiding place to look for others, Y/N had expected to have to fight his way to Luiza's house, but instead the walk there was eerily quiet.
Arriving at its location, he was shocked to see it was little more than a burnt out husk, gutted from a fire. What had happened here?
"Hello…. Is there anyone alive? ….. please…."
Y/N called out, desperately hoping for someone to respond. But the only answer was the cawing of nearby crows, picking through the rubble.
"Damn…"
He hissed through clenched jaws, eyes burning. Turning away, he wiped his face with his sleeve, unable to keep looking at the ruined house.
This was where all the survivors were told to go for safety. It was sheer bad luck he had gotten cornered in one of the farm houses on the outskirts of the village. Now he was the only survivor.
What should he do now? What could he do? The lycans were gone for now, but what if they came back?
"The Duke,"
Y/N muttered,
"He'd know what to do."
The Duke had always been kind to him, providing him with welcome tidbits about the outside world. Perhaps he had survived, and could tell Y/N what the hell was happening.
Making his way to where the Duke’s cart usually was in the village, he noticed that several of the gates were swung open. Had someone else been here? Perhaps someone had survived the assault on the village. But how had they unlocked the gates? No one in the village was allowed the keys to them. Maybe the Duke had the answers.
Turning the corner Y/N came up to the snowy courtyard, seeing with relief that the trusty cart was parked up with its table of whares spread out.
“Duke! Duke Duke Duke Duke! Thank God you’re still around!”
Y/N shouted as he broke into a jog.
“Aaah Master L/N, good to see you still running around.”
The Duke replied.
“What in the hell is going on around here? What happened to everyone? W… why are Mother Miranda’s monsters attacking us?”
Y/N pleaded.
He was desperate for answers. Why did his whole life have to be destroyed? He stared up at the Duke, mouth quivering, unable to keep talking.
The Duke’s face darkened, brows furrowing as a look of empathetic sorrow entered his eyes.
“I’m…. truly sorry you have been caught up in this mess, Y/N. You never deserved to be put through any of this.”
The Duke placed a comforting hand on Y/N’s shoulder as he began to cry, hot tears finally squeezing out. Y/N leant against the side of the cart, sobbing as he felt the full weight of the situation come crashing down as his adrenaline ebbed away.
After a few minutes, his sobbing quieted as his tears dried up. Taking a shaky breath, Y/N looked up and gave the Duke a wan smile.
“T..thanks for, uh, letting me get that out..”
“Of course.”
Replied the Duke, holding out a white handkerchief for him.
Y/N stood back up, gratefully accepting it and wiping his eyes and nose.
“Someone else has been through here, haven't they? Some of the gates were opened, and the village was empty of lycans.”
The Duke nodded, turning in the direction of one of the opened gates.
“Yes, a man named Ethan Winters is here. He is….. quite powerful if I do say so myself.”
“Powerful? What does that mean? What is he doing here?”
Why would someone willingly come here, and moreover, why would they stay after seeing how messed up everything is. It didn't make sense to Y/N.
The Duke turned back to face him.
“He is here to rescue his daughter, who was taken by Mother Miranda.”
“Oh.”
Y/N thought for a second, contemplating what he should do next.
“So….. uh, got any weapons I could use?”
The Duke smirked, rubbing his hands together.
“Oh, I have quite the selection here. Please, take a look”