Rain was falling, the rhythmic pitter patter of the rain drops scattered over a large black umbrella held up my a tall handsome man. "Lady Vanhellsing we approach our destination." Announced the young man to a young woman whom he was holding the umbrella for. The young woman remained silent as her stoic gaze met the nearing island, the winds caused the lengthy black trench coat draped on the woman's shoulders to sway. Her crossed arms shifted away from each other and into the pockets of her black slacks.
"The island is lovely, is it not V?" Inquired the young woman absent mindedly as her eyes scanned the island in its entirety. Her voice was calm and soft yet it some how aired on the side of confidence. "The terrain makes it easy to guard form any in coming invasion...." Natalia mused to herself. V looked at the island with his crimson red eyes, a smile curled up on his lips reveal a charming smile.
"Indeed it is..." agreed the young man with a soft chuckle. He paused an pondered for but a moment before posing a question to his master. "Are you excited to meet our new associates?" The rain began to lighten up as the yacht drew closer to the island.
"You could say that... from what I have heard... they have quite a quiet a few powerful arcanists within their midst." lady Vanhellsing spoke at her own pace in no a rush or in a hurry. In reality she couldn't care any less, the guild lined up with her mission and her principles. Strength and eradication of dark mages was something Natalia respected.
The yacht eventually stopped at the islands dock, the captain of the medium sized nautical vessel called from the cabin. "Lady Vanhellsing we have arrived. Please be careful when stepping off the vessel."
"Thank you captain... I'll have V call you when we require you services again." Lady Vanhellsing smiled as her butler, V helped her step onto the docks. They began walking through the town, waving to the locals politely greeting whom ever they passed by. By the time they had made it to the main Guild hall the rain had ceased, the clouds began to part allowing the rain of sun to shine upon the island. V looked at his master waiting for her cue, lady Vanhellsing nodded signaling her butler to go ahead an knock.
"Excuse me, is there anyone?" V called out as he knocked on the giant doors of the guild hall. V's master remained silent as she fixed her gaze at the door silently rehearsing her introduction in her head. V folded the umbrella he was using to shelter his master form the rain.
"I will say my lady.... the architecture is just extraordinary! I wonder who was commissioned to build such a grandiose structure! Truly it encapsulates the mission and purpose of the famed Dies Irae." V said out loud as he admired the great guild hall.
"Focus V." The young mistress replied to her butler her expression calm, collected, and perhaps maybe even emotionless. Her tone of her voice remained calm matching her emotionless expression.
Natalia and V were eventually greeted by a young man man with stunning blonde hair. His welcoming aura was greatly appreciated. He inquired the two how he could be of assistance after welcoming Natalia and her butler inside. V was about to speak up to speak in behalf of Natalia, but before he could utter a single world his master raised her hand. A silent order signaling that she would be the one to speak.
"I thank you for your hospitality... I am Natalia Belmont Vanhellsing... I am a daughter of a small noble family.... this gentleman here is my personal aid... to keep things short.... I wish to join your ranks." Natalia spoke in a clear tone, she spoke with no verbal hiccups, each word carrying the weight of the message she wanted covey. She then bowed gracefully upon completing her introduction. Upon raising her head she fixated her warm golden honey colored iris' to Nathanial's gaze.
The smile that curled upon her lips were equally as sweet as her warm honey gaze. V followed his masters example, his towering figure bowed as well.
"Where my master goes I follow... so if she wishes to join your ranks, then I too, if permitted, would like to also join your ranks as well." V spoke, unlike his masters warm aura. He spoke in cool almost ice cold manner. The smile on his lips revealed his sharp canine teeth. His raven black hair contrasted seemingly sickly pale skin. His eye were crimson red, the color of blood. While Natalia seemed to shine like the sun, her companion was like the deep shadows cast by the bright light.
"We simply wish to be of help.... if we cannot join your guild, please tell us how we can be of assistance in anyway." upon speaking Natalia's warm glow immediately warmed the atmosphere after the cold impression her butler had left after his introductions. "If there are any requirements that We will do our best to oblige and provide what is needed."
Fast forward a few weeks after Natalia's admission into the guild... One of Natalia's servants had caught wind of an underground laboratory, there were whispers of unethical human experiments. On top of that there were reported missing children from near by cities and towns. Upon receiving this report Natalia, ordered one of her familiars to accompany her servant to further investigate the rumors. A week later the Natalia's servant returned with her familiar, they two had gathered intelligence about the underground lab and presented their findings to their master.
"Upon our investigation we discovered that there was a pattern to the reports of the missing children... The ages of the missing children's are consistently from the ages of 9-12 years old, all of which have been noted to have a strong affinity for mage craft... these all children coincidentally are all orphans, no families, no relatives... we believe that these children were abducted as human livestock for human experimentations..." Natalia listened intently as a man in his 40's, his white hair slick back a deep scar on his left cheek. The man wore similar clothes to Natalia, white dress shirt, blacks tie, black slacks, black shoes, and matching black trench coat.
"If you would turn your attention here my lady... the disappearance of the children were reported here.... and here... and here..." The man unrolled a map and began circling points on the map. Natalia watched silently with her golden gaze. "If we were to triangulate these sites.... they are all in equal distance here..." The man then began drawing lines from the circle meeting at one point. the map indicated that center was in the middle of a forest away from civilization. He moved his hand away preparing himself to continue on with his hypothesis, but before he could say a word Natalia spoke up.
"And you believe at this convergence is where the laboratory is hidden..." Natalia calmly spoke her words, her cold gaze lifting from the map in order to meet the eyes of her servant.
"Yes mam... I could not have said it better myself... so what are our orders?" Natalia's employee inquired as he folded his arms and patiently awaited for Natalia's commands.
"Set the bait and the rats will come out...." Natalia mused as she walked around the table, her fingers tracing the smooth polished wood. Her hand stopped at a letter opener, her delicate fingers wrapped around the blade and lifted it up. Natalia gazed at the blades sheen as she made her way around back to the map.
"I shall summon one of my servants... he will take the appearance of a child around the age of 10... I need you to forge his documents... make a history for him... include in his medical records his high aptitude with the arcane... leave him in an orphanage at one of sites where there were abductions..." Natalia began to explain as she fiddled with the letter opener, she snapped her fingers and the shadows behind her began to writhe and move about. From the darkness a blood shot eye opened, then another eye opened then another then another, the shadows curved revealing countless of smiling mouths all sporting a sadistic grin adorned with razor sharp teeth.
"I'll have my summon... display his ... magical abilities... we wait.... once he's abducted... anonymously send a portion of the information gathered to the orphanage... make sure they report this... then once this requests reaches my guild, I will then personally take this job... I want this done asap Jackal" Natalia began to unfold her plan as a smile curled upon her lips enhancing her unsettling and unworldly beauty. The shadows shifted like amass of black centipedes. The countless eyes and mouths blinked and chuckled.
Jackal, the one reporting to Natalia ran his fingers through his white slick back hair unshaken by the frightening visage manifesting behind his master. "Consider it done my lady..." Jackal nodded. "If I may... I assume that all of this is so your summon can easily infiltrate the organization and gather intelligence from the inside..." Jackal mused clearly impressed by his masters insight.
"Precisely... plus it would save us time from searching where their hidden base is... as our great founder once said... knowing is half the battle" Natalia raised the letter opener above the center point of the map. "Once all the pieces have been placed..." as she slowly raised the blade over the map, the shadows began to whisper louder and louder in a incomprehensible ancient language. The dissonant whispers of the eldritch entity was woven with madness and insanity, its cursed whispered only grew louder in volume the higher Natalia raised the blade. Her gaze locked with Jackals. "We then strike... erase them..." upon finishing her sentence she brought the blade down causing the letter opener to stab a few inches into the center of the map.
A loud thud of the blade as it pierced into the wooden table echoed through the room. The whispers immediately silenced. For a few seconds there was nothing... when the shadows jerked forward. The shadows contorting. and compressing as if it was some sort of living sludge. The countless eyes darting around, the mouths grinning manically. Jackal blinked once and upon opening his eyes. There beside Natalia, stood a young boy with black hair, his iris' were darker than a starless sky. The child reached out to take Natalia's hand and looked up to her.
"Is it my turn to play big sis?" The child's mouth grinned the same manically grin presented by the horrendous shadow before. Natalia looked down at the child and smiled sweetly as if she was speaking to her own flesh and blood.
"Yes my dear... the time for play has come... but you must play the rules of the game..." Natalia explained in a warm manner. "But first go with Jackal... he will take you to where the game will start... I will tell you the rest of the rules then..." Natalia looked over to Jackal as she gestured to him to take the child.
"Alrighty! I'll wait and listen!" The boy laughed as he ran to Jackals side. Natalia gave a nod of approval as she watched the too leave the room. Once she was alone she looked over the gather intelligence humming to herself a somber sea shanty as she began to review her plans...
Present Day...
Natalia's golden iris' stared at a piece of parchment explaining the details of the mission objective. Everything was all moving according to plan. Jackal was able to successfully place Natalia's summon in an select orphanage under the alias Eliot Vayne. Natalia had commanded her summon to pretend as if he had lost control of his mana causing a commotion at the orphanage. A few of the children at the orphanage were caught up in the display of power, but none were fatally wounded. Natalia simply had Jackal pay for the hospital bills for the children using her own funds. She noted to herself that she would reprimand her summon later.
Sure enough "Eliot" was captured and brought to the secret lab shortly after the incident. After a two weeks of gather information and relaying it telepathically to Natalia. Once Natalia felt the information was enough, she prompted Jackal to anonymously provide the gathered intel to the orphanage.
Sure enough the Job request from the orphanage reached Dies Irae. Natalia promptly signed up for the job. Everything was in place. All Natalia was waiting for was her guild mate that would be tasked to assist her in locating and destroying the laboratory.
For now Natalia waited patiently at the entrance of the guild hall singing softly to herself "What should we do with the drunken whaler? What should we do with the drunken whaler?" She hummed the rest of the sea shanty as she fidgeted with her silver zippo lighter.
Upon hearing steps approach Natalia silenced her song, she gazed up at her approaching Guildmate. The aura of demonic essence greeted Natalia's senses. Though her face was serene and calm she could feel her servants writhe behind the hidden veil, separate and hidden away from reality. The demon hunters golden gaze would fixate at the young woman emanating demonic energy. Natalia patiently listened to the introduction of her new ally with a pleasant smile on her face.
Natalia then took a gentlemanly bow, almost in a prince like manner as she introduced herself. "Natalia Vanhellsing... a pleasure to meet you Lady Aerith." Natalia looked up from her bow. Natalia's voice was that of a mature woman, it resonated smoothly with a beautiful alto tone. "Yes that is correct... I am the guildmate whom you will be working with on this mission.." Natalia concurred with her cool and composed tone.
"If you are ready shall we head off?" Natalia inquired as she gestured towards an empty space of the guild. At first one would mistaken Natalia for some deranged crazy woman waiting for some sort of invisible door to appear before her, when suddenly the air became blood curdling cold. The air before Natalia began to wither and shake. The molecules and particles of the air vibrating violently due to some unspeakable and invisible malevolent force. The space began to crack as if someone had driven an ice pick at that point of reality. The cracks began to crawl across the empty space before Natalia. Reality itself was shattering. The fractures of reality crawled through out the seams of time and space. The sight presented itself as some sort eldritch spider web of cosmic horror. The space imploded and folded upon itself revealing a void so empty and yet so vast it would have put the oceans abyss to shame.
"Follow me... this way will save us the trouble of traversing the sea and traveling by land..." Natalia gently took Aerith's hand. "Stay close... what ever you do... if you hear something... do not speak to the voices.... do not pay any mind to the whispers... worry not... They will not harm you... not while I am around..." Natalia fixated her golden eyes to Aerith's eyes. Natalia's iris' we're beautiful in its color, void black rings encircling the center of her iris' shifted breaking the golden sheen of her gaze. The gaze was warm... but almost other worldly... as if she knew something that was beyond the comprehension of mortal minds. "We must hurry... there are children that need our help"
Natalia began to lead to the way into the dark portal. Her warm hand warping more firmly around Aerith's hand. As the two traversed into the shadows the temperature became unsettlingly cold. Within the darkness one could feel countless gazes from the abyss. Every step they would take voices and whispers surrounded them would grow louder. The voices' words were not of any mortal language. Though it was not in common speech, the weight of the words would claw at ones sanity. The voices like a rusty knife would slowly scrape away from ones rationality. However, Aerith would not be subject to not a single one of these unperceivable horrors.... After all Natalia was by her side. Natalia's hand in Aerith's grasp was warm and comforting. Natalia's presence was similar to that of a warm hearth beating away the darkness. After a few more steps a light began to appear. And upon passing into that light the voices ceased and temperature was no longer cold.
The two stood at a seemingly empty field. "We have arrived Lady Aerith.... I apologize for our uncanny means of transportation..." Natalia smiled as if nothing had happened. If Aerith would gaze back to where the came she would find that the horrific portal to be gone, as if it never was there to begin with. "Now we must find the entrance to this secret laboratory..." Natalia sighed as if she had no clue to where to find said entrance. "Do you mind helping me search Lady Aerith?" Natalia smiled sweetly to her companion.
Natalia gazed at her companion as her lips formed a gentle smile. She then shook her head, her crimson locks swayed as her strands of hair was gently caressed by the cold wind of the dark night. "It is quite alright my friend... I will be fine traveling on foot" Natalia Vanhellsing stepped forward and gently took her companions hand and a gave it a soft pat. "Do be careful, I sense that there is danger near by. If you require my assistance just call out to me... and I in turn require you assistance then I will call for you. So please go ahead I'll catch up..." After reassuring her ally Natalia waited for her companion to leave before continuing with her plan. Once the coast was clear Natalia stepped back as she reached into her coat. From the darkness she produced a gleaming silver dagger. Natalia looked at her ally and gave her a reassuring look as if silently telling her ally that everything will be alright. Natalia then took the dagger and swiftly pricked her finger, a circular drop of crimson red began to pool on the tip of her finger that was wounded. Her lips parted as she began to softly chant in an almost in audible tone. The language she spoke was ancient and forgotten, the darkness around her began to writhe and shift around her figure draped with her large over coat. The shadows began to unanimously mummer and whisper at the same pace, tone and cadence of Natalia's words from her cryptic incitation. The clouds in the night sky began to sift almost like crawling corpses as they began to smother the pale moonlight. The air began softly wail as the temperature took a nose dive. The atmosphere became so cold that the midnight dew on each blade of grass began to freeze, creating a blanket of frost on the ground around where Natalia stood on. Despite these dramatic changes in the atmosphere her golden gaze of her brilliant eyes remained fixated on to the droop of blood that continued to gather at the tip of her finger. As she continued her chant her breath became clearly visible, as her warm breath after each exhalation and word muttered clashed with the frigid air.
The mana of the air began to condense into a black fog obscuring Natalia's slender figure. A dark choir of eldritch whispers began to harmonize with Natalia's archaic chant.
"Quia sanguis sanguinem, obumbratio, ut obumbratio occurrit, dona mihi sapientiam et animo, ne vocis me, non est me evadere, et ad mortem meam de campanis vectigal beckon a me gravis. Quia sanguis sanguinem, obumbratio obumbratio, ut convenerat, ne obliviscaris sapientiam laetificat juventum meam. Elegia ludo ludere vectigal vespere autem adspiret dies et nox desinit serpere. Audi mandatum meum, ut vobis levate manum. Et timoribus festum meo sanguine. Et vocavi te evadere ..." Natalia continued to chant, (which roughly translates to: "Blood for blood, shadows to shadows met, grant me wisdom and courage, do not let me falter, let me not evade, for the death's bells tolls beckon me to my grave. Blood for blood, shadows to shadows met, grant me the wisdom not to forget. Play the elegy, play the evening toll, when day break ends let the night crawl. Hear my command, I beckon you. Feast on my blood and fears. I summon you Evade... ")
After finishing her chant Natalia wagged her finger allowing the drop of blood fall into the pool of black onyx shadow that had gathered at her feet. The shadows began to warp once more and lurch as if trying to hold something back and at bay from the unknown nether. A pale bone white claw shot from the shadows, tearing and clawing its way out form its blackened shadowy confinement and prison. The Figure began to hoist itself from the depths of the abyss until its whole body broke into the surface of reality as the nightmare creature completely manifested itself before the beautiful young woman that had called to him to come out from the abyss. The Figure's white visage began to shift and darken until its true colors and pigments solidified into a solemn grey hue. The humanoid figure stood about 7 feet tall (give or take a few inches or so) a dark gray robe draped over its large muscular yet lanky body. A dark grey shawl hung over its crooked grotesque horned head. It hands rested on a large great sword which seemed to be made out of charred bone of sorts. The blade was about sixty percent of Natalia's height. The blade was so sharp that when a leaf from one of the nearby tree floated by and made contact with he blades edge, the leaf cut cleanly in half without the creature to use any force or even move the great sword resting in its hands. Each of the two halves of the cut leaf slowly floated to the frosted ground, and in a matter of minutes, no seconds, the leaves began to wither and decay as if it had lived countless seasons in a blink of an eye. As the leaf crumbled to dust the grim figure looked down at Natalia, although it did not have any eyes, the seemingly blind monster seemed to directly stare at Natalia. Its fanged mouth clenched in a perpetual twisted horrible grin for the damned creature had no lips.
A dissonant raspy whisper echoed from the perpetual darkness that coiled around Natalia and the creature "Simum appellare mihi es ... vis ad peto ne tam cito finis audes vocas?" (Which roughly translates to: You are very brave to call for me... I ask of you, do you wish to meet your end so swiftly that you dare to summon me?" ) the creature mused in a gleeful tone. Natalia laughed as if she was talking to an old and dear friend. She then stepped closer to the ghoulish entity as if approaching a close relative. The monster swung its wicked blade at Natalia. Natalia stood there unflinching unafraid. The Blade screeched to halt, the force of the sudden stop was so great a burst of of air. The torrent of wind rushed past Natalia, her crimson strands of hair swayed wildly until it slowed down to a gentle sway onto a gentle stop. Natalia chuckled as she brushed red hair tucking it behind her ear neatly. She smiled and began to spoke in the same language of the demonic creature.
"Non cogitas te in occursum meum, primum quando finis. Conscientiam es ex contractus. Ego dominum tuum et ad te et vocavi a officium ... et quod expecto victoria formam penitus non minus quam olim amicus meus .. . post omnes, non materia quam currere ieiunium et quam longe sunt ... vos mos reperio ea est quae non semper est causa amici veteris mea?" (Which can be translated to: "I do not plan to meet my end any time soon. You are aware of the contract. I am your master and I have summoned you for a job...and I expect nothing less than utter victory form you my old friend... after all no matter how fast and how far they will run... you will always find them is that not the case my old friend?" Natalia mused as the creature pulled back its blade away from its master. The Demon chuckled, its raspy laugh bellowing into the midnight sky
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Meanwhile Natalia's butler and summon V, was on a his own mission accompanied by Shrapnel another summon of Natalia...
The fight was nothing short of entertaining, V and his companion Nel had arrived early in order to the fight to observe the ferocious red head. The two were informed by their master, Natalia Vanhellsing, that there was an individual suspected to be of the Vanhellsing lineage. According to their masters sources , this individual maybe a survivor from the Vanhellsing purge. Natalia wished to confirm this, and if the individual was indeed of the Vanhellsing bloodline, she was determined to get to that person first before her wretched uncle.
V wore his standard black suit, dress shirt, and his signature blood red trench coat along with his matching red hat. His blood red eyes was hidden behind red sunglasses. Nel on the other hand wore a white short sleeved blouse, black shorts, with matching black thigh high socks black shoes. She wore her signature choker around her neck that had a ring hanging on its side.
"She totally going to lose V, I'm willing to bet 50,000 jewels on this." Nel smirked as she watched the red head lock into combat with a large burly man. V chuckled as he gaze past his blood red shades. The red head had an uncanny resemblance to his prim and proper master.... one could even say the red head could pass as Natalia's sister...
"Sure... I'll take that bet... let's see what the little lady has to offer... if she's anything like our master, her opponent should be defeated easily...." V shrugged as he accepted the friendly wager from his fellow summon.
The two watched the fight unfold, V keeping an especially close watch. He noted that the young woman had skill, although unpolished she had a good battle sense, and possessed great potential. She hit hard and swiftly, though she was weaker than her opponent the young lady was faster and far more agile.
"She not half bad! But she's going to lose I guarantee it." Nel mused as she leaned forward in amusement as she observed with her jade green eyes. The fight soon came to its close with the burly man being able to deal the final blow on the red headed woman.
V took a deep breath the inhaled the scent of blood. His keen senses easily differentiated whose blood was whos... He chuckled as he noticed a very familiar scent. As the crowd roared in applause for the victor, V threw his head back and let out an amuse chuckle.
"HAHAHAHAHA! OH THE FATES TRULY ARE ON OUR SIDE BAHAHAHAHA!" V grinned maniacally as he tried to stifle his laugh. Nel looked at him curiously completely perplexed on what V found so halarious.
"The hell you laughing about V?" Nel raised one of her eyebrows.
"Come.... Nel... I do believe we should welcome Ms. Nymara into the Vanhellsing family...." the tooth grin on V's lips stretched into a crazed smile as he rose from the crowd as he began to make his way to meet the defeated fighter. Nel followed shortly behind V realizing that the red head was indeed the one they were looking for.
The pair eventually found Nymara downing a bottle of whisky. V approached slowly clapping his hands slowly.
"Jolly good show.... Nymara.... was it?" V smiled but before he could further his introduction, Nel elbowed him on the chest.
"Oi... she lost. You owe me 50,000 jewels V" Nel sighed as she held out her hand for payment. She glanced over to Nymara. "Yo... nothing against you... but money is money... good fight though!" Nel said lazily as she spoke her a half hearted compliment. She grinned as V handed her a wad of cash.
"Ahem..." V cleared his throat after finishing the transaction. "Anyway... My name is V and this is my associate from work, Nel" V bowed before the lady in the most gentlemanly fashion, he then introduced the young woman beside him.
"If it is alright with you... Our master would like to meet you... I assure you that you will be rewarded handsomely... all you just need to do is give us some of your time... What do you say my lady?" V spoke in a sincere and eager tone as he outstretched his hand before Nymara.
V and Nel listened to Nym's explanation, the two looked at each other and chuckled upon hearing Nym's wrong assumption. It seemed that Nym was under the impression that V and Nel were some sort of debt collectors.
"We're not here to collect your money... I think its best for V to explain" Nel sighed as she folded her arms and awaited for V to make things clear for Nym. V nodded and fished out a signet ring and tossed it over to Nym. Upon observing the ring one would notice that it possessed the same insignia on Nym's coat.
"Ms. Merida was not the one who sent us... our master and one of the daughters of the Vanhellsing family... she is the one who sent us... Some of our informants have been keep in track of your.... not so covert exploits... and our master... she believes you may be of her kin... a lost relative of sorts... so if you would please come with us... we do believe that it would be a missed opportunity to meet your remaining family..." V's voice was more gentle this time.
V paused allowing Nym to hold on to the ring, he gave her a few seconds to process the information he had presented to her. "I know it's a lot to take in... but it would mean a lot to our master if you would come with us to see her... we mean no ill will... we swear it." V continued to plead respectfully. In the back of V's mind he sent a message telepathically through the dark Ether.
The message would remain silent and hidden to the ears of the mortal plane. However, V's words would echo through the space in between the grim dark parallel worlds. The words resonating in the darkness of the beyond only to be heard miles away by V's master.... Natalia Vanhellsing...
"We found her...."
Natalia calmly and replayed her message telepathically to her faithful servant.
"we'll meet each other soon dear sister.." Natalia mused to herself as she watched Evade, the demon she summoned make its way towards the secret laboratory to cull the wicked...
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"The island is lovely, is it not V?" Inquired the young woman absent mindedly as her eyes scanned the island in its entirety. Her voice was calm and soft yet it some how aired on the side of confidence. "The terrain makes it easy to guard form any in coming invasion...." Natalia mused to herself. V looked at the island with his crimson red eyes, a smile curled up on his lips reveal a charming smile.
"Indeed it is..." agreed the young man with a soft chuckle. He paused an pondered for but a moment before posing a question to his master. "Are you excited to meet our new associates?" The rain began to lighten up as the yacht drew closer to the island.
"You could say that... from what I have heard... they have quite a quiet a few powerful arcanists within their midst." lady Vanhellsing spoke at her own pace in no a rush or in a hurry. In reality she couldn't care any less, the guild lined up with her mission and her principles. Strength and eradication of dark mages was something Natalia respected.
The yacht eventually stopped at the islands dock, the captain of the medium sized nautical vessel called from the cabin. "Lady Vanhellsing we have arrived. Please be careful when stepping off the vessel."
"Thank you captain... I'll have V call you when we require you services again." Lady Vanhellsing smiled as her butler, V helped her step onto the docks. They began walking through the town, waving to the locals politely greeting whom ever they passed by. By the time they had made it to the main Guild hall the rain had ceased, the clouds began to part allowing the rain of sun to shine upon the island. V looked at his master waiting for her cue, lady Vanhellsing nodded signaling her butler to go ahead an knock.
"Excuse me, is there anyone?" V called out as he knocked on the giant doors of the guild hall. V's master remained silent as she fixed her gaze at the door silently rehearsing her introduction in her head. V folded the umbrella he was using to shelter his master form the rain.
"I will say my lady.... the architecture is just extraordinary! I wonder who was commissioned to build such a grandiose structure! Truly it encapsulates the mission and purpose of the famed Dies Irae." V said out loud as he admired the great guild hall.
"Focus V." The young mistress replied to her butler her expression calm, collected, and perhaps maybe even emotionless. Her tone of her voice remained calm matching her emotionless expression.
Natalia and V were eventually greeted by a young man man with stunning blonde hair. His welcoming aura was greatly appreciated. He inquired the two how he could be of assistance after welcoming Natalia and her butler inside. V was about to speak up to speak in behalf of Natalia, but before he could utter a single world his master raised her hand. A silent order signaling that she would be the one to speak.
"I thank you for your hospitality... I am Natalia Belmont Vanhellsing... I am a daughter of a small noble family.... this gentleman here is my personal aid... to keep things short.... I wish to join your ranks." Natalia spoke in a clear tone, she spoke with no verbal hiccups, each word carrying the weight of the message she wanted covey. She then bowed gracefully upon completing her introduction. Upon raising her head she fixated her warm golden honey colored iris' to Nathanial's gaze.
The smile that curled upon her lips were equally as sweet as her warm honey gaze. V followed his masters example, his towering figure bowed as well.
"Where my master goes I follow... so if she wishes to join your ranks, then I too, if permitted, would like to also join your ranks as well." V spoke, unlike his masters warm aura. He spoke in cool almost ice cold manner. The smile on his lips revealed his sharp canine teeth. His raven black hair contrasted seemingly sickly pale skin. His eye were crimson red, the color of blood. While Natalia seemed to shine like the sun, her companion was like the deep shadows cast by the bright light.
"We simply wish to be of help.... if we cannot join your guild, please tell us how we can be of assistance in anyway." upon speaking Natalia's warm glow immediately warmed the atmosphere after the cold impression her butler had left after his introductions. "If there are any requirements that We will do our best to oblige and provide what is needed."
Fast forward a few weeks after Natalia's admission into the guild... One of Natalia's servants had caught wind of an underground laboratory, there were whispers of unethical human experiments. On top of that there were reported missing children from near by cities and towns. Upon receiving this report Natalia, ordered one of her familiars to accompany her servant to further investigate the rumors. A week later the Natalia's servant returned with her familiar, they two had gathered intelligence about the underground lab and presented their findings to their master.
"Upon our investigation we discovered that there was a pattern to the reports of the missing children... The ages of the missing children's are consistently from the ages of 9-12 years old, all of which have been noted to have a strong affinity for mage craft... these all children coincidentally are all orphans, no families, no relatives... we believe that these children were abducted as human livestock for human experimentations..." Natalia listened intently as a man in his 40's, his white hair slick back a deep scar on his left cheek. The man wore similar clothes to Natalia, white dress shirt, blacks tie, black slacks, black shoes, and matching black trench coat.
"If you would turn your attention here my lady... the disappearance of the children were reported here.... and here... and here..." The man unrolled a map and began circling points on the map. Natalia watched silently with her golden gaze. "If we were to triangulate these sites.... they are all in equal distance here..." The man then began drawing lines from the circle meeting at one point. the map indicated that center was in the middle of a forest away from civilization. He moved his hand away preparing himself to continue on with his hypothesis, but before he could say a word Natalia spoke up.
"And you believe at this convergence is where the laboratory is hidden..." Natalia calmly spoke her words, her cold gaze lifting from the map in order to meet the eyes of her servant.
"Yes mam... I could not have said it better myself... so what are our orders?" Natalia's employee inquired as he folded his arms and patiently awaited for Natalia's commands.
"Set the bait and the rats will come out...." Natalia mused as she walked around the table, her fingers tracing the smooth polished wood. Her hand stopped at a letter opener, her delicate fingers wrapped around the blade and lifted it up. Natalia gazed at the blades sheen as she made her way around back to the map.
"I shall summon one of my servants... he will take the appearance of a child around the age of 10... I need you to forge his documents... make a history for him... include in his medical records his high aptitude with the arcane... leave him in an orphanage at one of sites where there were abductions..." Natalia began to explain as she fiddled with the letter opener, she snapped her fingers and the shadows behind her began to writhe and move about. From the darkness a blood shot eye opened, then another eye opened then another then another, the shadows curved revealing countless of smiling mouths all sporting a sadistic grin adorned with razor sharp teeth.
"I'll have my summon... display his ... magical abilities... we wait.... once he's abducted... anonymously send a portion of the information gathered to the orphanage... make sure they report this... then once this requests reaches my guild, I will then personally take this job... I want this done asap Jackal" Natalia began to unfold her plan as a smile curled upon her lips enhancing her unsettling and unworldly beauty. The shadows shifted like amass of black centipedes. The countless eyes and mouths blinked and chuckled.
Jackal, the one reporting to Natalia ran his fingers through his white slick back hair unshaken by the frightening visage manifesting behind his master. "Consider it done my lady..." Jackal nodded. "If I may... I assume that all of this is so your summon can easily infiltrate the organization and gather intelligence from the inside..." Jackal mused clearly impressed by his masters insight.
"Precisely... plus it would save us time from searching where their hidden base is... as our great founder once said... knowing is half the battle" Natalia raised the letter opener above the center point of the map. "Once all the pieces have been placed..." as she slowly raised the blade over the map, the shadows began to whisper louder and louder in a incomprehensible ancient language. The dissonant whispers of the eldritch entity was woven with madness and insanity, its cursed whispered only grew louder in volume the higher Natalia raised the blade. Her gaze locked with Jackals. "We then strike... erase them..." upon finishing her sentence she brought the blade down causing the letter opener to stab a few inches into the center of the map.
A loud thud of the blade as it pierced into the wooden table echoed through the room. The whispers immediately silenced. For a few seconds there was nothing... when the shadows jerked forward. The shadows contorting. and compressing as if it was some sort of living sludge. The countless eyes darting around, the mouths grinning manically. Jackal blinked once and upon opening his eyes. There beside Natalia, stood a young boy with black hair, his iris' were darker than a starless sky. The child reached out to take Natalia's hand and looked up to her.
"Is it my turn to play big sis?" The child's mouth grinned the same manically grin presented by the horrendous shadow before. Natalia looked down at the child and smiled sweetly as if she was speaking to her own flesh and blood.
"Yes my dear... the time for play has come... but you must play the rules of the game..." Natalia explained in a warm manner. "But first go with Jackal... he will take you to where the game will start... I will tell you the rest of the rules then..." Natalia looked over to Jackal as she gestured to him to take the child.
"Alrighty! I'll wait and listen!" The boy laughed as he ran to Jackals side. Natalia gave a nod of approval as she watched the too leave the room. Once she was alone she looked over the gather intelligence humming to herself a somber sea shanty as she began to review her plans...
Present Day...
Natalia's golden iris' stared at a piece of parchment explaining the details of the mission objective. Everything was all moving according to plan. Jackal was able to successfully place Natalia's summon in an select orphanage under the alias Eliot Vayne. Natalia had commanded her summon to pretend as if he had lost control of his mana causing a commotion at the orphanage. A few of the children at the orphanage were caught up in the display of power, but none were fatally wounded. Natalia simply had Jackal pay for the hospital bills for the children using her own funds. She noted to herself that she would reprimand her summon later.
Sure enough "Eliot" was captured and brought to the secret lab shortly after the incident. After a two weeks of gather information and relaying it telepathically to Natalia. Once Natalia felt the information was enough, she prompted Jackal to anonymously provide the gathered intel to the orphanage.
Sure enough the Job request from the orphanage reached Dies Irae. Natalia promptly signed up for the job. Everything was in place. All Natalia was waiting for was her guild mate that would be tasked to assist her in locating and destroying the laboratory.
For now Natalia waited patiently at the entrance of the guild hall singing softly to herself "What should we do with the drunken whaler? What should we do with the drunken whaler?" She hummed the rest of the sea shanty as she fidgeted with her silver zippo lighter.
Upon hearing steps approach Natalia silenced her song, she gazed up at her approaching Guildmate. The aura of demonic essence greeted Natalia's senses. Though her face was serene and calm she could feel her servants writhe behind the hidden veil, separate and hidden away from reality. The demon hunters golden gaze would fixate at the young woman emanating demonic energy. Natalia patiently listened to the introduction of her new ally with a pleasant smile on her face.
Natalia then took a gentlemanly bow, almost in a prince like manner as she introduced herself. "Natalia Vanhellsing... a pleasure to meet you Lady Aerith." Natalia looked up from her bow. Natalia's voice was that of a mature woman, it resonated smoothly with a beautiful alto tone. "Yes that is correct... I am the guildmate whom you will be working with on this mission.." Natalia concurred with her cool and composed tone.
"If you are ready shall we head off?" Natalia inquired as she gestured towards an empty space of the guild. At first one would mistaken Natalia for some deranged crazy woman waiting for some sort of invisible door to appear before her, when suddenly the air became blood curdling cold. The air before Natalia began to wither and shake. The molecules and particles of the air vibrating violently due to some unspeakable and invisible malevolent force. The space began to crack as if someone had driven an ice pick at that point of reality. The cracks began to crawl across the empty space before Natalia. Reality itself was shattering. The fractures of reality crawled through out the seams of time and space. The sight presented itself as some sort eldritch spider web of cosmic horror. The space imploded and folded upon itself revealing a void so empty and yet so vast it would have put the oceans abyss to shame.
"Follow me... this way will save us the trouble of traversing the sea and traveling by land..." Natalia gently took Aerith's hand. "Stay close... what ever you do... if you hear something... do not speak to the voices.... do not pay any mind to the whispers... worry not... They will not harm you... not while I am around..." Natalia fixated her golden eyes to Aerith's eyes. Natalia's iris' we're beautiful in its color, void black rings encircling the center of her iris' shifted breaking the golden sheen of her gaze. The gaze was warm... but almost other worldly... as if she knew something that was beyond the comprehension of mortal minds. "We must hurry... there are children that need our help"
Natalia began to lead to the way into the dark portal. Her warm hand warping more firmly around Aerith's hand. As the two traversed into the shadows the temperature became unsettlingly cold. Within the darkness one could feel countless gazes from the abyss. Every step they would take voices and whispers surrounded them would grow louder. The voices' words were not of any mortal language. Though it was not in common speech, the weight of the words would claw at ones sanity. The voices like a rusty knife would slowly scrape away from ones rationality. However, Aerith would not be subject to not a single one of these unperceivable horrors.... After all Natalia was by her side. Natalia's hand in Aerith's grasp was warm and comforting. Natalia's presence was similar to that of a warm hearth beating away the darkness. After a few more steps a light began to appear. And upon passing into that light the voices ceased and temperature was no longer cold.
The two stood at a seemingly empty field. "We have arrived Lady Aerith.... I apologize for our uncanny means of transportation..." Natalia smiled as if nothing had happened. If Aerith would gaze back to where the came she would find that the horrific portal to be gone, as if it never was there to begin with. "Now we must find the entrance to this secret laboratory..." Natalia sighed as if she had no clue to where to find said entrance. "Do you mind helping me search Lady Aerith?" Natalia smiled sweetly to her companion.
Natalia gazed at her companion as her lips formed a gentle smile. She then shook her head, her crimson locks swayed as her strands of hair was gently caressed by the cold wind of the dark night. "It is quite alright my friend... I will be fine traveling on foot" Natalia Vanhellsing stepped forward and gently took her companions hand and a gave it a soft pat. "Do be careful, I sense that there is danger near by. If you require my assistance just call out to me... and I in turn require you assistance then I will call for you. So please go ahead I'll catch up..." After reassuring her ally Natalia waited for her companion to leave before continuing with her plan. Once the coast was clear Natalia stepped back as she reached into her coat. From the darkness she produced a gleaming silver dagger. Natalia looked at her ally and gave her a reassuring look as if silently telling her ally that everything will be alright. Natalia then took the dagger and swiftly pricked her finger, a circular drop of crimson red began to pool on the tip of her finger that was wounded. Her lips parted as she began to softly chant in an almost in audible tone. The language she spoke was ancient and forgotten, the darkness around her began to writhe and shift around her figure draped with her large over coat. The shadows began to unanimously mummer and whisper at the same pace, tone and cadence of Natalia's words from her cryptic incitation. The clouds in the night sky began to sift almost like crawling corpses as they began to smother the pale moonlight. The air began softly wail as the temperature took a nose dive. The atmosphere became so cold that the midnight dew on each blade of grass began to freeze, creating a blanket of frost on the ground around where Natalia stood on. Despite these dramatic changes in the atmosphere her golden gaze of her brilliant eyes remained fixated on to the droop of blood that continued to gather at the tip of her finger. As she continued her chant her breath became clearly visible, as her warm breath after each exhalation and word muttered clashed with the frigid air.
The mana of the air began to condense into a black fog obscuring Natalia's slender figure. A dark choir of eldritch whispers began to harmonize with Natalia's archaic chant.
"Quia sanguis sanguinem, obumbratio, ut obumbratio occurrit, dona mihi sapientiam et animo, ne vocis me, non est me evadere, et ad mortem meam de campanis vectigal beckon a me gravis. Quia sanguis sanguinem, obumbratio obumbratio, ut convenerat, ne obliviscaris sapientiam laetificat juventum meam. Elegia ludo ludere vectigal vespere autem adspiret dies et nox desinit serpere. Audi mandatum meum, ut vobis levate manum. Et timoribus festum meo sanguine. Et vocavi te evadere ..." Natalia continued to chant, (which roughly translates to: "Blood for blood, shadows to shadows met, grant me wisdom and courage, do not let me falter, let me not evade, for the death's bells tolls beckon me to my grave. Blood for blood, shadows to shadows met, grant me the wisdom not to forget. Play the elegy, play the evening toll, when day break ends let the night crawl. Hear my command, I beckon you. Feast on my blood and fears. I summon you Evade... ")
After finishing her chant Natalia wagged her finger allowing the drop of blood fall into the pool of black onyx shadow that had gathered at her feet. The shadows began to warp once more and lurch as if trying to hold something back and at bay from the unknown nether. A pale bone white claw shot from the shadows, tearing and clawing its way out form its blackened shadowy confinement and prison. The Figure began to hoist itself from the depths of the abyss until its whole body broke into the surface of reality as the nightmare creature completely manifested itself before the beautiful young woman that had called to him to come out from the abyss. The Figure's white visage began to shift and darken until its true colors and pigments solidified into a solemn grey hue. The humanoid figure stood about 7 feet tall (give or take a few inches or so) a dark gray robe draped over its large muscular yet lanky body. A dark grey shawl hung over its crooked grotesque horned head. It hands rested on a large great sword which seemed to be made out of charred bone of sorts. The blade was about sixty percent of Natalia's height. The blade was so sharp that when a leaf from one of the nearby tree floated by and made contact with he blades edge, the leaf cut cleanly in half without the creature to use any force or even move the great sword resting in its hands. Each of the two halves of the cut leaf slowly floated to the frosted ground, and in a matter of minutes, no seconds, the leaves began to wither and decay as if it had lived countless seasons in a blink of an eye. As the leaf crumbled to dust the grim figure looked down at Natalia, although it did not have any eyes, the seemingly blind monster seemed to directly stare at Natalia. Its fanged mouth clenched in a perpetual twisted horrible grin for the damned creature had no lips.
A dissonant raspy whisper echoed from the perpetual darkness that coiled around Natalia and the creature "Simum appellare mihi es ... vis ad peto ne tam cito finis audes vocas?" (Which roughly translates to: You are very brave to call for me... I ask of you, do you wish to meet your end so swiftly that you dare to summon me?" ) the creature mused in a gleeful tone. Natalia laughed as if she was talking to an old and dear friend. She then stepped closer to the ghoulish entity as if approaching a close relative. The monster swung its wicked blade at Natalia. Natalia stood there unflinching unafraid. The Blade screeched to halt, the force of the sudden stop was so great a burst of of air. The torrent of wind rushed past Natalia, her crimson strands of hair swayed wildly until it slowed down to a gentle sway onto a gentle stop. Natalia chuckled as she brushed red hair tucking it behind her ear neatly. She smiled and began to spoke in the same language of the demonic creature.
"Non cogitas te in occursum meum, primum quando finis. Conscientiam es ex contractus. Ego dominum tuum et ad te et vocavi a officium ... et quod expecto victoria formam penitus non minus quam olim amicus meus .. . post omnes, non materia quam currere ieiunium et quam longe sunt ... vos mos reperio ea est quae non semper est causa amici veteris mea?" (Which can be translated to: "I do not plan to meet my end any time soon. You are aware of the contract. I am your master and I have summoned you for a job...and I expect nothing less than utter victory form you my old friend... after all no matter how fast and how far they will run... you will always find them is that not the case my old friend?" Natalia mused as the creature pulled back its blade away from its master. The Demon chuckled, its raspy laugh bellowing into the midnight sky
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Meanwhile Natalia's butler and summon V, was on a his own mission accompanied by Shrapnel another summon of Natalia...
The fight was nothing short of entertaining, V and his companion Nel had arrived early in order to the fight to observe the ferocious red head. The two were informed by their master, Natalia Vanhellsing, that there was an individual suspected to be of the Vanhellsing lineage. According to their masters sources , this individual maybe a survivor from the Vanhellsing purge. Natalia wished to confirm this, and if the individual was indeed of the Vanhellsing bloodline, she was determined to get to that person first before her wretched uncle.
V wore his standard black suit, dress shirt, and his signature blood red trench coat along with his matching red hat. His blood red eyes was hidden behind red sunglasses. Nel on the other hand wore a white short sleeved blouse, black shorts, with matching black thigh high socks black shoes. She wore her signature choker around her neck that had a ring hanging on its side.
"She totally going to lose V, I'm willing to bet 50,000 jewels on this." Nel smirked as she watched the red head lock into combat with a large burly man. V chuckled as he gaze past his blood red shades. The red head had an uncanny resemblance to his prim and proper master.... one could even say the red head could pass as Natalia's sister...
"Sure... I'll take that bet... let's see what the little lady has to offer... if she's anything like our master, her opponent should be defeated easily...." V shrugged as he accepted the friendly wager from his fellow summon.
The two watched the fight unfold, V keeping an especially close watch. He noted that the young woman had skill, although unpolished she had a good battle sense, and possessed great potential. She hit hard and swiftly, though she was weaker than her opponent the young lady was faster and far more agile.
"She not half bad! But she's going to lose I guarantee it." Nel mused as she leaned forward in amusement as she observed with her jade green eyes. The fight soon came to its close with the burly man being able to deal the final blow on the red headed woman.
V took a deep breath the inhaled the scent of blood. His keen senses easily differentiated whose blood was whos... He chuckled as he noticed a very familiar scent. As the crowd roared in applause for the victor, V threw his head back and let out an amuse chuckle.
"HAHAHAHAHA! OH THE FATES TRULY ARE ON OUR SIDE BAHAHAHAHA!" V grinned maniacally as he tried to stifle his laugh. Nel looked at him curiously completely perplexed on what V found so halarious.
"The hell you laughing about V?" Nel raised one of her eyebrows.
"Come.... Nel... I do believe we should welcome Ms. Nymara into the Vanhellsing family...." the tooth grin on V's lips stretched into a crazed smile as he rose from the crowd as he began to make his way to meet the defeated fighter. Nel followed shortly behind V realizing that the red head was indeed the one they were looking for.
The pair eventually found Nymara downing a bottle of whisky. V approached slowly clapping his hands slowly.
"Jolly good show.... Nymara.... was it?" V smiled but before he could further his introduction, Nel elbowed him on the chest.
"Oi... she lost. You owe me 50,000 jewels V" Nel sighed as she held out her hand for payment. She glanced over to Nymara. "Yo... nothing against you... but money is money... good fight though!" Nel said lazily as she spoke her a half hearted compliment. She grinned as V handed her a wad of cash.
"Ahem..." V cleared his throat after finishing the transaction. "Anyway... My name is V and this is my associate from work, Nel" V bowed before the lady in the most gentlemanly fashion, he then introduced the young woman beside him.
"If it is alright with you... Our master would like to meet you... I assure you that you will be rewarded handsomely... all you just need to do is give us some of your time... What do you say my lady?" V spoke in a sincere and eager tone as he outstretched his hand before Nymara.
V and Nel listened to Nym's explanation, the two looked at each other and chuckled upon hearing Nym's wrong assumption. It seemed that Nym was under the impression that V and Nel were some sort of debt collectors.
"We're not here to collect your money... I think its best for V to explain" Nel sighed as she folded her arms and awaited for V to make things clear for Nym. V nodded and fished out a signet ring and tossed it over to Nym. Upon observing the ring one would notice that it possessed the same insignia on Nym's coat.
"Ms. Merida was not the one who sent us... our master and one of the daughters of the Vanhellsing family... she is the one who sent us... Some of our informants have been keep in track of your.... not so covert exploits... and our master... she believes you may be of her kin... a lost relative of sorts... so if you would please come with us... we do believe that it would be a missed opportunity to meet your remaining family..." V's voice was more gentle this time.
V paused allowing Nym to hold on to the ring, he gave her a few seconds to process the information he had presented to her. "I know it's a lot to take in... but it would mean a lot to our master if you would come with us to see her... we mean no ill will... we swear it." V continued to plead respectfully. In the back of V's mind he sent a message telepathically through the dark Ether.
The message would remain silent and hidden to the ears of the mortal plane. However, V's words would echo through the space in between the grim dark parallel worlds. The words resonating in the darkness of the beyond only to be heard miles away by V's master.... Natalia Vanhellsing...
"We found her...."
Natalia calmly and replayed her message telepathically to her faithful servant.
"we'll meet each other soon dear sister.." Natalia mused to herself as she watched Evade, the demon she summoned make its way towards the secret laboratory to cull the wicked...
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