chapter 23: Clash and Revelation(final)

Alucard had a violent fit of coughing. Blood seeped from the numerous wounds riddling his body causing his chest to heave.His hands tremblingly clutched his rapier, whose blade once bright and shining was now chipped and stained with the color of blood.He staggered to his feet with wings flaring in defiance, though the left wing drooped under the weight of injuries sustained elsewhere. That Lazarus, opposite, stood unyielding. The gash across his chest flowed freely with blood, but he seemed not to notice. Blood dripped from his scythe, and the blade reflected the red light in a sinister way from a sky that like bowl of split millet.

"You should give up," Lazarus said in a voice that was calm to an eerie extent despite the chaos that surrounded him. "This fight is not worth perseverence. You can only the delay inevitable."

Alucard's hollow eyes looked at fever-pitched hatred at his brother. "It's not up to you when this ends," he sucked out hoarse-voiced from between teeth that gritted."It is not a question of winning or losing. This is about making you suffer."

In a final, desperate move, Alucard thrust his rapier forward, aiming for Lazarus's heart. Lazarus, ever calm, blocked the strike with the flat of his scythe. But in that split second, Alucard's free hand surged with chaotic energy—a small, pulsating sphere of light and darkness.

"Eat shit, asshole," Alucard growled, shoving the miniature bomb into Lazarus's mouth.

The resulting explosion lit up the battlefield like a second sun, the shockwave toppling trees and flinging debris for miles. Alucard shielded his eyes from the blinding light, feeling the heat and force of the blast as it washed over him. When the light finally faded, he stared in disbelief.

Lazarus was still standing.

Blood streamed from his face, his jaw grotesquely dislocated, but his crimson eyes burned with an annoyed intensity. He raised a hand to his face and, with a sickening crunch, forcibly snapped his jaw back into place.

"Annoying," Lazarus muttered, his tone colder than before. His body was battered, but it was clear that the explosion hadn't even slowed him down.

"How pathetic," Dracula sneered, his voice laced with amusement. "You're struggling against your lit-

Before Dracula could finish his taunt, a dagger whistled through the air, aimed directly at his throat. With a casual flick, he caught it effortlessly between two fingers, his smirk unfaltering.

Lazarus's crimson eyes narrowed, and his lips curled into a snarl. "If you finish that sentence, I'll kill you," he warned, his voice low and dangerous.

Dracula raised his hands in mock surrender, clearly unbothered. "Fine, fine. But you really should wrap this up. The holy bitch is on her way."

"Yeah, I know," Lazarus replied, his voice tinged with irritation. He turned his gaze back to Alucard, who was now trying to shake off the effects of the explosion.

Alucard blinked, confused. Dracula… here? What is he doing here?

Lazarus's eyes glinted with warning. "Don't interfere, Dracula," he muttered.

Dracula simply chuckled, his form dissolving into the shadows. "I'll let you two have your fun, for now."

As if on cue, Alucard reappeared in a blur of motion, his wings propelling him forward at blistering speed. His fist connected with Lazarus's face, sending the elder twin flying into a nearby tree. The trunk splintered under the impact, the force of the blow leaving a deep crater in the bark. Lazarus barely had time to recover before Alucard followed up with a vicious kick. His victim's body twisted but this time struck with tremendous force.

Lazarus grabbed Alucard's leg as it swung at him and his iron-hard grip trapped it. He growled and with a motion slammed him into the ground; they left another gaping hole in the ground. Alucard landed in the hard earth with a wrenching crash, but was soon scrambling to his feet again. Summoning all his remaining strength--the young demon rose and with an angry glint in his eyes flew upwards.

As he plunged back into the fray, his wings spread behind him and his rapier arched high over his head. This time there was no doubt. No fear.

The two brothers fell into each other's arms again, their weapons clanging a deadly tune through the air. Each of their blows was an explosion of energy, and with every turn, the earth quaked beneath them in response.Stretching his body like a cat, dragging his arms out long and low, Lazarus moved with all the cold precision of a soldier in drill. Alucard fought completely opposite of his brother, using wild abandon to push his body beyond its limits.With every passing moment, their struggle grew fiercer. Each blow seemed like the last, but neither would give in. In this game of war, blood mixed with the smoke and ash throughout the battlefield; the killing ground showed no sign in sight for either side to win either color. Throughout their battle the world around them seemed to hold its breath in suspense watching for an end to this never ending strife between them.

Alucard's face suddenly took on a gloating smile as he released his rapier with a clatter to the ground. Then Alucard's face suddenly changed. A chilling smile crossed it as he at once released the rapier to clatter onto the ground.

Lazarus narrowed his eyes and felt danger erupting from his brother.

"What are you up to, Alucard?" Lazarus asked coldly.

Alucard made no reply. He put his hand to his chest and waves of energy began to radiate out from him, a volatile mixture of light and darkness which one moment flared up in one direction while the next moment utterly crackled. Lazarus widened his eyes as he understood what was happening.

"You're crazy," said Lazarus.

The energy about Alucard became more concentrated. It felt as though the air were being drawn into Alucard, sucked along by the gravitational pull of an impending explosion. His wings shot out full spread, his body shook under the strain of containing such raw force.

"If I can't kill you," said Alucard, with his voice barely rising above a whisper, "then I'll take us both along."

Before Lazarus could react: There was an explosion The battlefield was suffused with a blinding light, along with an ear-splitting roar which resounded up to the heavens themselves. The energy of the explosion leveled the little bit that still remained of the clearing, turning trees into splinters, carving a huge crater in the earth.

When the dust clouds finally cleared, Alucard stood in the midst of destruction, scarcely holding himself together. His once-gleaming armor was in fragments; his wings were shredded beyond recognition. And yet he still stood. Lazarus too emerged from the debris, his coat complete tatters and his face clotted with blood, but his expression never wavered.

Lazarus: (to Alucard)

"If you can keep this up, Then perhaps you 'll be worth the trouble.'

But now, I must go."

Lazarus's voice was as cold as ever; his gaze fixed firmly upon his brother. Alucard shook under the strain, and clenched his fists with defiance. But even in his recklessness, he could not maintain it. Lazarus moved like a ghost; and the distance between them could only seem insurmountable.

In a single swift, fatal stroke, Lazarus had Alucard at his mercy. Without time to respond, the dull side of the blade struck his ribs—high enough for him to fall helplessly to the ground. The world spun and the light dimmed as Alucard's vision blurred, with awareness fleeing from him.

Description:

With this cold and final stroke, Lazarus put Alucard on Death's long roll of those unconscious. His twin brother fell limply to the ground, beaten for the time being. Lazarus wiped his scythe clean, took a step back, and turned to go. A new presence arose from the shadow.

Dracula: (stepping forward)

"We had better go. The Saintess is a not a potent force for me but it's best not to challenge your luck."

Dracula's voice was again low and softly amused as he looked at Lazarus. The king of vampire exuded a palpable atmosphere of fear. But even he could sense the impending danger of the Saintess's arrival.

Even before Lazarus had the chance to honestly reply, only a single pure and blinding light ray slashed through the battlefield like a one-handed divine blade. The Saintess had come.

Saintess: (commanding)

"Lazarus, thou shalt leave this place at once. I shall not allow this strife to rend the world further."

Her voice rang out like the toll of a bell, each word resonating with divine authority. The beam of light intensified as it descended toward Lazarus. He had no time to dodge. The holy ray exploded on impact, the searing light burning through his defenses and tearing into his flesh. His body buckled under the assault, and for a moment, the very air seemed to crackle with divine energy.

Description:

The holy ray burned Lazarus's flesh, leaving deep scars where the light touched. He faltered, his usually unflinching composure shaken for the first time in ages. His eyes blazed with annoyance.

Lazarus's hand twitched, his scythe still gripped tightly, but he knew the battle was over for now. The Saintess had shown him the true extent of her strength. With a final, fleeting glance at Alucard's unconscious form, Lazarus nodded to Dracula.

In a blur of movement, they vanished into the shadows, leaving behind the echoes of their battle and the smoke of their departure.

Description:

As quickly as they had arrived, Lazarus and Dracula were gone, their silhouettes disappearing into the abyss. The battlefield fell silent, the storm of violence momentarily stilled. The only sounds were the crackling of embers and the distant whispers of wind. The Saintess approached Alucard's fallen form, her face softening with concern.

Saintess: (gently, kneeling beside him)

"Oh, thou poor child… What torment hast thou endured in such brief a time?"

Her voice was tender as she reached out, her hands glowing with holy energy. She gently placed her palm over his wounds, the soothing magic flowing from her fingertips as she began to heal him. Alucard's body twitched slightly, his breathing shallow, but her magic worked quickly, knitting together the damage done by his transformation.

Description:

As the Saintess's holy magic washed over him, Alucard's wounds began to close. His body shifted, and the transformation that had overtaken him during the battle seemed to recede. The changes brought by his Nephilim transformation were fading, his human form slowly returning.

The transformation had been temporary, but it had taken its toll. His breathing steadied, and his pulse grew more regular as the Saintess's healing worked its miracle.

Saintess: (softly, as she continued healing him)

"Rest now, brave soul. Thou hast endured much, yet thy fight is far from its end. Allow thyself this respite."

Her voice was a quiet promise, an assurance that he was no longer alone in the world. Alucard's eyes fluttered open, though his vision remained hazy. The Saintess's face was the first thing he saw, her expression filled with compassion.

Description:

Alucard blinked slowly, the weight of his exhaustion pressing down on him. He was no longer in the thick of battle, but the trauma from it lingered. His body ached, his mind still reeling from the brutal conflict and the devastation that followed. Yet, there was a soft comfort in the Saintess's presence, a brief respite from the storm within him.

Alucard: (weakly, his voice faint)

"Eleanor... is she..."

His words were barely a whisper, the name escaping his lips with a hollow tremor. The Saintess hesitated, her face falling into a somber expression. She looked away, her eyes filled with a deep sorrow she could not hide.

Saintess: (solemnly)

"She is gone, child, yet her spirit lingereth within thee. Take heart, for thou carriest her memory in thy very soul."

Alucard's heart tightened as her words sank in. Gone… The woman he loved, the light of his life, was no longer there. His body trembled as grief washed over him again, threatening to drown him.

But through it all, the Saintess remained by his side, a silent pillar of support. Her magic continued to heal him, though it could never heal the wound left in his heart.

Description:

Alucard lay there, his body now whole but his mind torn. The battle had ended, but the war within him was far from over. His grief and the weight of the loss he'd endured were suffocating, yet the Saintess's presence offered him a sliver of peace.

As the holy magic slowly faded, Alucard closed his eyes, allowing himself a moment of rest. He had no answers, no clear path ahead, but for now, he would trust in the Saintess's care.

The chapter closes with Alucard, still grappling with his grief and new reality, lying in the forest clearing, the echoes of the recent battle lingering in the air. The Saintess stood watch.