Chapter 19: The Darkness Within

He placed his hand at the top of his chest as his lips arc a bit, forming a proud smirk.

"I am... Prince Vincent Loki von Stein Alucard."

The last word echoed inside their heads like it's something they find hard to believe. But Rae knows him well. The vampire he called Primo isn't someone who would simply use this matter as a joke. Not that he's having that cunning look in his eyes.

"My hunch has been correct all along..." Damien mumbled, "I always wonder why you has that jet black hair -- one of the proud symbols of the Alucards."

"Well, you can suspect me all you want now that it has come to this. But I don't think that'll do much." The prince scoffed as he crossed his arms to his chest.

Then, he gazed at the lad he called 'young master' for years. He doesn't look as surprised as he expected him to be. Probably he has anticipated it all along.

'Maybe he did mature in these past five years. But that wouldn't be enough to stop me.' He thought.

Just then, Rae gazed back at him.

"Primo, I want to ask you something... Have you been hiding this from us or did you just recovered your lost memories?"

The prince shrugged, "Who knows? After all these years, you should know by now not all information comes for free. Don't you think, young master? Ah, that's right, you're not technically my master... Let me rephrase that: Am I right, Prince Rae Van Helsing?"

"Very well then... I accept your challenge, Prince Vincent Alucard!"

He laughed, "That's more I like it. Let's see how you've grown so much over the years!"

In just a snap, they've been swallowed by darkness. It came rushing like a gust of wind, and after a while, Rae saw nothing but only pitch black.

'Where am I?' He looked around, he can't see anyone else -- not even the others.

'Calm down... I probably got separated from them earlier. Panicking wouldn't do me any good.' He took a deep breath and started walking in the vast darkness.

"Impressive!"

He heard the prince's voice echoing all around.

"Knowing you back then, you might've panicked after I dragged you here. Seems like you've matured a bit."

"You underestimate me, Primo. Time does change anyone in any aspect. And I think, so do you... Shouldn't a senior vampire hide from someone who's younger than him? Unless this is one of your cowardly tactics." Rae's eyes wandered, staying alert at any moment.

"Provoking me, eh? I wonder who taught you that? But you should know, none of those will work on me. I'm way too old for those. And don't worry, I'll show you what a senior vampire from the Alucard clan can do!"

All of a sudden, Rae felt another gust of wind came and blew him away.

***

The moment it came, all of them were tossed like a piece of paper being blown by the wind. Good thing, they're all vampires. They are quick-witted and were able to grab on the ground with the use of their claws. As for Rin, with the use of plants, she was able to keep her feet on the ground. She also did the same to the huntress.

"Look over there!" Isabella pointed in front when the gushing wind died out.

There's a dome of darkness before them, much to their surprise.

"That's... Primo's power?" Rin mumbled.

"It is... there's that ominous aura lurking around, just like what we felt earlier," Damien explained.

"Mr. Celis... he's inside there, right?" Aria asked, and she just confirmed the answer when she saw the grave look on their faces.

Then, she removed the vines wrapped around her waist and stood up.

"What are you doing?"

"If you expect me to sit still and watch, that won't happen." She turned her rings to guns and was about to run towards the dome when Damien grabbed her wrist.

"Hold on! I know how much you wanted to save him. But we still haven't figure out Primo's capabilities. Let alone that dark dome."

Aria narrowed her eyes, 'He's right. This isn't like me to jump around without a plan. I need to calm down.' She said to herself and withdrew her wrist from Damien's grip.

"Then, how are we going to save young master?" Rin asked.

Damien held his chin, "First, we must assess that dark dome. We can't just force ourselves in without knowing where it'll take us."

"How are we going to do that?" Isabella asked.

"I... honestly don't know..." Damien sighed, "If only we could have one opportunity to save Rae..."

They all gazed at the dark dome before them. It remains pensive, not growing nor shrinking. But no matter, what Damien said is absolutely right. Doing something reckless can put them to danger.

'I can't even imagine I'll be working with vampires.' Aria thought, 'Strange enough, I don't feel any presence of sinister around them, unlike the ones I've killed before. He sure surrounds himself with these kinds of vampires.'

Rae's face suddenly flashed inside her head, just the thought of him can make her feel uneasy.

'Why do we have to save him anyway?' Artemis asked, 'Wouldn't it be better if we didn't do anything? Isn't it our goal to erase him, the Vampire King?'

'Soon to be king, sister. He isn't official yet.' Apollo corrected.

'Whatever! My point is, why do we need to involve ourselves in this? It doesn't concern us whether he dies.'

'You're really too harsh, sister. I'm sure our Aria has her reasons, right?'

For a moment, Aria was lost in thought.

"I... don't." She mumbled, "I don't even know why... I'm confused." She clutched her chest.

"But one thing I'm certain of... I wanted to save him!" When she gazed at the dark dome, she saw a glimpse of Rae's body. He was floating inside, unconscious.

"I saw him!" She exclaimed which made the vampires surprised. But she didn't let this chance slip. Aria ran towards the dome and tried to get through the walls. It wasn't letting her through not until her rings glowed in golden light. Her arms were pulled in like it was a huge pile of jelly inside. But there's no time to get distracted, she grabbed Rae's collar. But it wasn't enough to pull him out. She needs more power.

"Everyone, let's help her!" Damien rushed towards Aria.

"Listen..." She said, "I'm going in, I can't pull him like this. And then, I'm leaving the rest to you to get us out."

"You got it." Damien nodded.

Then, Aria turned to the black wall, 'It's alright. They won't be playing tricks. If they want to save him, they won't betray me.' She said to herself.

In the count of three, she took a deep breath and entered the dome, with half of her body remains outside. It feels like she's underwater, black water to be precise. As she was gripping on the lad's collar, she can now pull him close to her. But soon as she did, she saw two gleaming red eyes glaring at her -- it was Prince Vincent!

"Do you really think I'll let him escape?" He smirked, at the command of his finger, a strong force suddenly pulled them inside.

When Damien noticed her lower body getting sucked in, he immediately grabbed the lass's leg and stopped the force as hard as he can. When he too, was getting sucked in, Isabella grabbed his wrist. But the force is way too strong that even she was getting pulled in. With that, Rin stretched her arm and grabbed Isabella's wrist. With the help of the plants, Rin was able to keep her feet stuck on the ground.

The vampire prince crackled, "Look at you! Can't even fight against a single portion of my power. After all, I'm stronger than any of you!"

Aria used all her might to pull the lad's body closer to her.

'Wake up!' She called, 'Please open your eyes, Mr. Celis!'

She leaned closer and whispered something to his ear before she could lose the remaining oxygen inside her body. How she wished, her voice would be able to reach him.

***

He gasped and found himself standing in a different place. The vast darkness was no more but what surrounds him is unknown. Looking ahead, this place is worse than darkness.

The ground is dry, but it was painted in red. To be exact, it was coated in blood. Together with the rotten bodies lying around, this place is more awful.

Just the smell of it is enough to turn his stomach and throw up at any moment.

'W-what is this place? Why there's a lot of dead bodies? What exactly... happened in here..?'

Rae took a deep breath and started walking. He can hear each footstep he makes since the ground is filled with a sea of blood. But there's something that bothers him more.

"These corpses... their bodies are deformed. It feels like they all suffered in one fate."

Suddenly, he heard a voice echoing, its crackle resounds everywhere. When he turned around, he saw Prince Vincent standing not far away from where he is.

"One fate, eh? It's funny hearing those words from your mouth." He scoffed.

Rae glared at him, "Where did you take me? Why do you want to stop me from defeating King Alucard? Is it because you've been working under him all along?"

The prince sighed, "Ah, too many questions! If I were you, I would worry about my safety first. After all, you're not alone."

All of a sudden, one corpse grabbed Rae's leg as hard as it could. It uses his leg as support so it can get up.

"Long time no see... Vampire brat!" Its eyes glowed in red as long strands of black hair grew on its head.

It may look like a zombie already, but the lad can clearly remember who he is.

"S-Shade!?"

He grinned ear to ear before he attacked using those wiggling hair. Good thing, Rae was fast enough. He quickly removed Shade's arm on his leg and dodged the attack.

"What an honor for the son of the Vampire Queen to remember me..." He said in a ghastly voice.

The lad narrowed his eyes, "You're not real. This is just an illusion. I saw it with my own eyes, Shade... You're already dead!"

"Ah, y'mean this?" The vampire held his head and removed it from his neck, much to Rae's surprise.

After a while, he brought it back.

"I can still remember how that bastard Alucard cut this head off. Because of that, I wasn't able to get my revenge on you!" He glared, "But it doesn't matter, I'll make sure to do that right here and now!" Shadow tentacles charged towards him.

He was about to evade them when some corpses grabbed his legs. This time, the corpses look like the three vampire bats who attacked him in the haunted house.

'Why...'

'Why!?'

'Why didn't you save us!?' They wailed which he got distracted for a moment.

He managed to avoid the attacks but left a huge wound on his arm. But of course, it quickly healed.

Then, he felt another presence behind him. Using his claws, Rae quickly turned around but the corpse managed to grab his arm.

"It's been a long time that we have a guest." A familiar evil grin greeted him.

"Edward..." He mumbled and quickly withdrew his hand.

But instead of paying them attention, he turned to the prince.

"What's your game this time, Primo? Is this your way of stopping me?!"

The prince smirked, "Maybe? But I can guarantee you won't be able to escape this place."

"We'll see about that!"

In a blink of an eye, Rae appeared in front of the prince and swing his arm for a punch. But soon as his fist landed on his face, the prince turned into black smoke and vanished. That's when he realized, he was surrounded by Shade and the others, ready to attack him at once.

'Tsk! I have no time to avoid their attacks! I have no choice but to use that!'

He stretched his arms and was about to control their blood not until he felt the sharp shadows pierced right through his stomach. And with that, he coughed some blood. But the battle doesn't end there, he can feel his body floating for seconds, and after that, a strong force suddenly pulled him downwards and hit the ground as hard as it can be. Then, the vampire bats lurked around and pinned him on the bloody ground.

'H-how..?'

"You might be wondering why your blood controlling technique didn't work on them, right?" The prince appeared before him, "The answer is very obvious, kid. They're already corpses, you don't have any control over them anymore." He laughed and combed his hair using his fingers.

"Now everyone, it's time for the party to start!"

Suddenly, the other corpses got up and grabbed him on every limb.

"Hey, do you remember me?" Said one corpse who reminded him of the vampire who attacked Ella before.

"You haven't forgotten about us, right?" The vampire brothers he encountered before and they're grabbing his legs.

"You look pathetic!"

"It suits you well!"

The Alucard twins greeted him with a crackle. Strange enough, even they look like deformed corpses, he can easily identify them. What's more, he can't use his blood-controlling ability to getaway. He's been surrounded by their rotten bodies and awful smell.

But despite all that, he bit his lower lip and remained strong.

"This is all just an illusion!" He exclaimed.

But the prince laughed at him, "You still believe that? And here I thought you have matured, kid."

"I know what you're playing at, Primo. And I won't let you win..." Rae's eyes turned red as he slowly got up even being pinned down by a lot of vampires. In a split second, he swung his arms and the blood on the floor turned to blades and strike their hearts.

"I will... get out of this place!" Once again, he used the blood, turning it into sharp crystals. As he swung his arms, these crystals were thrown towards the Prince. But of course, he effortlessly dodged them as if he was just dancing in the beat. Much to his surprise, these crystals are bombs and they explode the moment it hits on something.

And it was just the beginning, the lad used these explosions as a distraction to get close to him while throwing some blood orbs. Soon as the prince changed his direction, he was suddenly caught in some thin red strings which wrap around his entire body. These strings are sharp enough that could cut him to pieces if he dares to move.

'Just when did he--!?'

The prince has no time to process what happened when Rae suddenly appeared in front of him, ready to finish this with his bloody orb. His attack was about to reach the prince when suddenly, someone appeared between them and grabbed Rae's arm.

Seems like things couldn't get any worse when the next thing happened in slow motion as he comes to recognize his enemy's features. The long black hair tied in a ponytail, the slim yet firm body, and that familiar grin that he hasn't seen for so long.

"Long time no see, Young master."

"R-Ren..? Is that... really you?" The lad couldn't believe his eyes. Just when he was convinced everything was an illusion, the feeling of her firm grip on his arm and the sight of her nostalgic grin left him distracted for a moment. With that, the orb in his hand disappeared as he was left speechless and shocked.

"Yes, it's me, Young master."

"B-but how..? You're -- no! This is just another illusion--"

"Young master," Ren called as she loosens her grip on his arm and smiled sadly, "I'm glad you remember me. It feels so lonely in here like I've been trapped all along."

Then, she gazed at him, "Young master, I'm not... going to be completely forgotten, right?"

Rae grabbed her shoulders, "Don't say that, Ren! You are one of my friends, I will never ever forget you!"

"Young master..."

"We'll get out of this place, I promise to take you back." He held her hand and was about to leave when he noticed how she squeezed it.

Seems like she doesn't feel like moving from her place.

"Ren, what's wrong?"

"Young master, I'm glad to see you again and it really made me happy that you remember me. After all... you shouldn't forget about that day, right?" Suddenly, she stared menacingly at him and grabbed his neck as hard as she could.

"R-Ren! What's gotten into you?!" When he gazed at her, his heart made a loud beat as he witnessed how her appearance has changed. Her whole body was burned and she has lost so much hair. Her skin became dry and thin that some of her internal organs are already visible. And one of her eyes is gouged out and her face was completely deformed that it would be hard to recognize if he didn't know her in the first place.

"What do you mean, Young master?" Ren grinned, "I came to get you. Isn't it your fault why I became like this?"

"R-Ren..." The lad held her hand as her grip on his neck tightens.

He was about to attack when suddenly, she swung her arms and threw him on the bloody ground.

"Young master, what are you--"

Rae used the blood and restrained Ren in chains, wrapping it tightly especially around her neck.

She gasped, struggling to get some air.

"Y-young master... are you... going to kill me again..?"

Her words made him remember the painful memories as they came flashing inside his head. The time where he was still weak, the moment Ren sacrificed herself to save him but he can't even save her back then. All these things came rushing inside his mind that he felt like his head is being split in half.

"No... Stop it! STOP IT!!!"

All of a sudden, the whole place was swallowed in pitch black. He has finally returned into the vast darkness.

"Do you finally understand now?" The prince appeared before him, "The place you saw earlier, it's your subconscious. Everyone you met, everything you saw involves and revolves around you."

The lad was still gasping, the sensation of the things he felt and saw still lingers that he didn't notice how he's been slowly swallowed by the darkness around him.

"I told you, didn't I? I won't let you win." The prince smirked, "With that being said, this is the end." He gently pushed his chest to the mud-like darkness.

'Is this... really the end?' Rae thought as his body is being slowly pulled in, 'All I thought, I have become stronger... But I can't seem to forget the painful memories that still haunt me... Should I just.. give up?'

'Wake up!' A faint voice called him.

"Who's that?"

'They've been waiting for you, Mr. Celis! You've got to wake up!'

"Who? Who's been waiting for me? Where are you?"

His eyes wandered in total darkness until he saw a small gleaming golden light.

'Wake up! Don't give up!'

Upon seeing the light getting closer, the lad unconsciously lifted his arm and reached for it.

'Wake up, RAE!'

A hand suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards the light. And like he has been lifted underwater, Rae gasped for air as he slowly opened his eyes.

The dark dome was before him, but he wasn't inside anymore. He turned and saw Aria and the others panting as if they've been in such a rough time. The way she was gripping on his shirt, he can clearly tell how much they've struggled just to pull him out. But remembering what happened inside still sent shivers to his spine. He knew it was just an illusion, yet everything that had happened seems so real.

Then, the dome vanished and there stood the prince in front of them.

"The game's over, kid. Why don't you just give up?" His gleaming red eyes and evil grin meant how much they're in danger right now.

Everyone positioned themselves, ready for battle. But the lad knows better than anyone that they're in no condition to fight even more.

The prince was about to step forward when Aria turned one of her rings into a gun and pointed at him.

"Stay back!" She glared, warning him not to get any closer.

But he scoffed, "Are you sure about that, huntress? I heard the strength of your Holy weapons depends on the energy of the holder. Can you really bring me down looking at your condition right now?"

"Don't underestimate me." She threatened.

But the prince didn't seem to care and was about to attack. Just a single movement he made, the lass quickly pulled the trigger. But of course, he effortlessly dodged them -- not until he realized sooner that the bullets she shot came back. He swiftly evaded the bullets again but they only come back as if following his every movement.

"So that's how it is, eh?" The prince smirked as if he finally solved the puzzle, "I should've swallowed you earlier and let you die!" He rushed towards the lass when suddenly, a flash of strong lightning strikes in their midst. From there, Gray appeared together with a woman in a red dress.

The woman smirked, "Long time no see, Prince Vincent."

"You really like to make an entrance and ruin the fun, Bernadette." He narrowed his eyes who seems unpleased by her presence.

"I wouldn't be here if you're not troubling my awakening." She responded and glanced at Rae and the others, "Seems like your lectures are as harsh as always.

"Are you here to interrupt me?"

"YOU interrupt me first, I'm just going to return the favor. After all, I've got some business too to the young Vampire King."

Suddenly, a portal opened behind them and sucked them in like a vacuum. It was too strong, but the force it gave is pushing the prince away by a strong gust of wind.

"Bernadette, you wench!"

"Don't worry, I'm going to return him soon." The woman chuckled before she vanished.

The prince gritted his teeth and clenched his fist, "So she's your master, huh, Frisca?" He mumbled knowing the portal that appeared earlier belongs to her.

The portal brought them inside a cabin where the woman is facing them. They're all looking around as if inspecting their whole surrounding.

"Ah, don't worry. I won't do anything like what that sadistic prince did to you. Rest assured, my dear guests." She said as if she can read their minds.

The lad glanced at Gray, then to the woman.

"I trust that you don't have any ill intentions, my friend is with you." He said, "But I want to know, why did you help us?"

The woman sat on the chair, "As I said, I have some business with you. But before that, don't you think it's rude if I didn't introduce myself?" She flips some strands of hair and smirks, "The name's Bernadette Salem, but you can call me Berna. I am a necromancer, and welcome to my domain... the Land of the Dead."