[Action]

[what_is_a_man]

It was a tense night for everyone in Castlevania. The gears that lined the castle had begun to chug and churn all through the night while the monsters that roamed the myriad halls were far more skittish and likely to attack anything that moved - even each other. Only a few knew why the change of atmosphere had permeated the place, not even the lord of the castle himself knew for sure. He only sensed something was... off.

As dawn neared and he began preparations to return to his coffin, an imp that he had sent through the halls to seek out the cause of the disturbance saw something. Tucked away in a room that had gone unused for centuries, tended to by Sakuya and Patchouli, was a woman. Even with all the burns covering her body, Dracula would recognize her in a heartbeat. For 324 years, that face had been burned into his mind, and now she was in his castle.

His mind, twisted by the centuries of hate and war, instantly jumped to the most logical conclusion. Someone had created a homunculus in his wife's image and sent it to him in order to manipulate him. Upon this realization, the gears that had settled into a low chugging noise ground to life once more as an unholy roar reverberated through every stone throughout the castle. So loud was the roar that it was audible all throughout Everglade.

It did not last long and as suddenly as it had erupted from the throne of Castlevania, it ended. There were no echoes, no evidence that it had actually happened. Only a deafening silence left in its wake. Those in Castlevania itself would notice a few things. Several rooms seem to have been rearranged at random, making traversing the castle far more difficult, especially in the chambers leading to the throne. The stairs to the chamber housing Vlad's throne had collapsed, and the foyer leading into the throne looked as if some great battle had taken place with smoldering carpets and gashes ripped through the stone walls. Every bit of furniture had been shoved up against the door to the throne room as well serving as a makeshift barricade. The monsters within the structure were also far more aggressive than normal. The undead that had previously just wandered aimlessly without purpose were now roaming in packs, setting up ambushes around dark corners. The werewolves and demons were actively hunting now, lashing out at any who dared walk the halls alone, and plants that had occupied themselves feeding on the frogs and bugs of the caves below the castle now burst up through the cracks in various halls, seeking out more substantial meals.

Comments

[scarlet_devil]

Remilia was making her own preparations for her rest, when... Well, she could only describe it as all Hell breaking loose, and generally knocking any plans she happened to have on getting some rest right off the rails in a major way.

Not to mention the sudden noise made her jump out of her skin.

[prismaticdestruction]

When one's sleeping schedule is so messed up from both trying to listen to what you can and sleeping as little as possible to keep an eye on everyone so they won't leave you, Flandre was more often up and about then sleeping. It also helped when she wanted to go wandering about alone. All the unease had her wandering more and more, avoiding the other beings that lived within the shifting castle, wings tightly pulled against her until the roar happened.

Flandre about jumped out of her skin and took off, crushing the eyes of anything that tried to attack in her panic. There was a mess in her wake as she ducked into a open door and hid away in the corner, curling up tightly and starting to cry. Slowly rocking to try and calm down along with digging her claws into her arms. Anything to try and attach herself outside of the panic..but even that wasn't working...

There is a louder sob that may be heard...

[scarlet_devil]

Remilia had been meaning to talk to Flandre about that... Perhaps after whatever is going on has ended, she will.

Not long after the roar a rainbow blur rushes by her in the hallway, and... Remilia takes off herself, following the girl... and easily keeping up with her until she darts into a room, coming to a stop outside.

"...Flandre?"

[prismaticdestruction]

At first there is a whimper, the only thing escaping her although she desperately wants to respond with more then that. It takes a moment before a very panicked voice comes out..although she still can't seem to get the words out. Moving was out of the question as well as her legs have locked up>

"Re...Re...mi...Reee..."

She's trying!

[scarlet_devil]

Remilia moves closer to her... and plans to carry her, if she has to, out of Castlevania and to... Well, perhaps the Rose Estate would be the only option right about now?

"Flandre..." She carefully reaches out to her...

[prismaticdestruction]

There is a turn of her head so she can see Remilia with one eye. She sits there for a moment, shaking like a leaf, before slowly reaching out with one hand.

"..Wha..What....Why?"

There is a bit of calming..enough to try and speak but she's still not moving much other then her shaking. What was going on...?

[At her estate in Everglade]

[redcinemareel]

[Already a morning bird, Grell is up with a hot cup of tea and standing on the balcony, looking out at the view of the large expanse of land that faded out to the rest of Everglade. It's a rare sunny day so far, but surely the clouds will roll in to litter the sky. Quietly, she takes a sip of tea, chamomile for now. She wanted to get a bit of sleep after tackling some paperwork, so no caffein would help.

That's when she heard the loud roar, unlike anything she's ever heard. Where had it come from? The sound seems to have come from one direction of the city.]

...what the bloody hell... [She wonders if the other deputies had heard it. How she hoped that it isn't another broken barrier...

Also now she can't even think of sleeping. Perfect.]

[finaltoccata]

[After waking in this strange place, a certain new arrival had been laying low for days, stalking the citiens as a wolf and traveling under the cover of dark while his familiars did the work of gathering information about the world at hand. Although the form of mist served as better cover in that bizarre place Nova City, the other cities got to see the wolf with a sword sheathed at its side should they have been paying attention.

On this night he had been in Everglade, hiding away in an abandoned church was his fairy familiar was on her way back to report to him. As he saw she returned, she let out a sudden yelp and the wolf rose to his feet as the sound of that roar echoed throughout the city. Despite being in this city for some time, something about that roar felt wrong even for this place. He charged out of the church with the fairy rushing to keep up, seeking to track down the hellish source. It would not be long before he tracked down the strange gateway and he would traverse through it, emerging in the dense forest.

Continuing down that single path, the feeling of this place became all too familiar. When his eyes lay upon the castle, the wolf only snarled as the fairy let out a gasp of disbelief.

That castle. How could this possibly be? He had only just defeated his father again and he watched this very castle crumble with his own eyes. There were answers that needed to be sought, and the only path ahead for him was clear. And surely, whatever caused that hellish cry from this place was not something that Alucard would turn a blind eye to.]

[what_is_a_man]

[As Adrian approached his father's castle, the drawbridge began to lower. The courtyard was awash with life, or the closest it got in Castlevania, with several wargs prowling the grounds. Despite not having anything to attack, they all were growling, teeth bared. One of the infernal hounds noticed the lowering bridge and with a howl alerted the rest of the pack.]

[Whether or not Adrian wanted a fight, they were going to give it to him.]

[finaltoccata]

[At least he wouldn't have to race a closing drawbridge into the castle this time. He didn't wait for it to lower completely, charging ahead and leaping over the gap between him and the bridge. His visage rippled as the wolf of the wolf changed back into the black-garbed man, falling into a crouch as he landed on the ground, his cape gently falling back in place upon his shoulders.

His eyes narrowed, rising to his feet as he gazed at the pack before him. Truly, the castle was as welcoming as always. Not that he expected the creatures of this place to allow him safe passage through, and if his father was here, then this would be as treacherous as it was before. This time, there would be no repeat of the loss of his equipment.

He vanished from sight, suddenly appearing in the middle of the pack behind one of the wargs, striking it just as quickly as he appeared. Undoubtedly, these creatures would only be a waste of his time.]

[what_is_a_man]

[The wargs were exactly as strong as Adrian would've remembered them, and with his personal equipment would be made short work of quickly. However, while the army of Hell may not have posed much threat before Adrian's enchanted blade, the Castle would be throwing every blade, spiked chandelier, and collapsing wall it could at him. In fact, Adrian could probably tell this would be as actively aggressive as the castle had ever been.]

[notquitedracula]

[At about the time Alucard was dealing with the first of the wargs, Soma had just finished his brief conversation with Dracula via the mirror. Even though he had just emerged from coma, even though over-use of his power was what put him there to start with, now was clearly not the time for restraint - Black Panther would get him where he needed to be faster than any car. If only he knew how to teleport...]

[Soma hits the bridge just about the time Alucard finishes dealing with the courtyard, just in time to see the last warg charging at the dhampir's back. Rather than shout a warning, he throws a knife, catching it in the side of the head, both knocking it off course and completely out of the fight. He can be surprised at Alucard's presence here later; right now, there's no time.]

He's in the throne room. Something is badly wrong; we have to hurry.

[notquitedracula]

[Soma had been in a coma for a week when Lisa was brought to the castle. When Nova City's hospital proved unable to care for the insensate vampire-in-waiting, they sent him to Everglade, where the doctors took one look, shrugged, and hooked him up to several blood bag IVs. It wasn't the same as drinking, but it had a positive effect - within days, his emaciated body had fleshed out again, and his vital signs had stabilized. But still, he did not wake.]

[When Dracula roared, however, it struck a chord deep within Soma, and that resonance was enough to draw him back to the waking world. It was night nearing morning when he woke; it took him no time at all to find his things and slip quietly out of the hospital. He knew where he had to go; Vlad Dracula was unleashing Hell once more, and there were no Belmonts here to stop him this time.]

[Before he entered the castle, however, he decided to locate a mirror and try to contact Dracula through a means that would be completely private between the two of them. Something had to have happened, to bring about this rage.]

What is the meaning of this, Dracula?! Who has so roused your anger?

[what_is_a_man]

[What Soma got in the form of a response, was probably not what he was expecting. The image that appeared in the mirror was unmistakably of the throne room, but all the candles and torches that lit the place were extinguished, and even the red carpet leading to the throne itself seemed to be missing. All that was visible was Dracula, sitting in silence on the throne. His face looked far more deathlike than ever, as if every ounce of moisture had been extracted from the corpse. His 'cloak' hung down over the arms of the throne, keeping the rest of him relatively obscured, but in the dark, a keen eye could occasionally see something moving near the throne. The voice that came from Dracula was bereft of anger. Filled instead with pain and grief, but barely a whisper.]

I have no time for your lectures... I have no time...

[notquitedracula]

I'm not here to lecture you. I felt the pain in that roar; it drew me out of the coma I've been in for the past week. What the hell happened?

[what_is_a_man]

[While there is an audible response, Vlad's lips don't move. It comes in the form of a whisper. Soft, persistent, and in a language far older than even Genessia itself. While the individual words sound like gibberish, somehow the meanings begin to make themselves known to Soma. Pain, anguish, grief. But most of all, loss. The briefest of flickers of light filter into view from behind the throne from a chamber known only to Dracula and Soma...]

[notquitedracula]

[...Oh. Oh, hell. Even knowing the nature of this place, even knowing that it could span time as well as dimensional borders, he never once considered the possibility.]

I'll be there soon. Please, don't do anything rash. [Like turn the castle's demons loose on the city, or try to kill what may or may not be a fake.]

[sakuya_izayoi]

Sakuya froze in place, looking up from her patient, very tense. She looked back down, spreading more aloe and disinfectant on one of Lisa's arms before patting her gently on an unburned patch of shoulder.

"... I need to go check on that. Will you be okay here on your own for a short while?"

She had been given Lisa small doses of an over-the-counter sleep aid. So hopefully she wouldn't feel too restless.

[science_not_witchcraft]

She nodded. Her voice still wasn't up to anything above a harsh whisper. Whatever 'magic' had been done to her had really helped, but she was still incredibly weak from her ordeal. The roar had startled her, but she knew just who it came from.

"V...lad..." she muttered in her ruined voice. She hadn't ever heard her husband like this before, but she could tell that it was from him. She wanted to see him, but she knew that it would be quite a while before she could move about without any help.

[sakuya_izayoi]

Sakuya just... Sighed softly, looking down at Lisa. Patchouli was resting and would not be able to heal Lisa more for a time more. Which might be for the best anyway. Saturday was the day her wood magic peaked.

"Yes. That is Lord Tepes." A long pause. "I will see if I can find him. He's clearly very upset. I must also check on Lady Remilia and the Young Mistress." If she could locate them. Undoubtedly the sisters were already gone. Or, at the very least, Flandre had been removed.

"Please don't worry too much." She bowed deeply, vanishing without a trace.

[At her shop in Everglade]

[im_gonna_heal_u]

[ Konoka actually got here pretty early. Normally, her shift didn't start until much later, but today Konoka actually wanted to see what the sunrise was like in Everglade. It almost never came, and she felt like it would be a rare treat.

However, just as she was opening the door, she heard it... a roar so strange and mechanical and powerful, she might have mistook it as coming from a video game had she not been in the middle of a town. But it was more than enough to stop Konoka in her tracks. She felt her stomach drop.

Her Umbreon Yuunagi was on alert at once. It was the only one outside of her pokeball, and it went into a low growl, senses heightened.

Konoka's voice was low when she spoke to it. ]

We need to get prepared, just in case.

[ She opened the door, and immediately got to work scrambling to prepare her charms for protection. ]

[[ On Video ]]

Something's going on in Everglade. Everyone, please be careful coming here.

[ Short, to the point, and Konoka's concern spoke the volumes she audibly did not. She was in prepared mode, the healer would not freeze up like she had in the past... ]

[Video]

[redcinemareel]

I'm aware. I'd suggest staying where you are.

[Video]

[im_gonna_heal_u]

[ The woman looks vaguely familiar, in a way someone watching the news can recognize a face they see often. ]

Fair enough for me. But... do you know what's going on? I have my suspicions, but...

[ She can't know for sure. ]

[Video]

[redcinemareel]

Suspicions? Such as?

[Grell couldn't even answer her question because she had no clue herself.]

[Video]

[im_gonna_heal_u]

Huh...

I've been in Castlevania for a time, so I can't help but wonder if it came from there. That place is capable of all sorts of weird and scary things, so it'd be my first guess for a source.