Sceptre in the Darkness

Klaus and Janemba continued their search slowly, with full concentration.

Klaus was utilizing all his senses, listening intently, trying to catch any sound that might lead them to their target. He was serious, doing his utmost to contribute to finding him. As for Janemba, he was lost in thought about Raiv's condition, wondering how he was doing and what might have happened to him. Despite this, he continued to follow Klaus's orders, advancing with him, his sole role being to carry the torch.

"Janemba."

Klaus spoke softly, and Janemba quickly responded, "What?"

"It's them."

The mercenaries were heading straight towards them. The sounds of their chatter, their build, their commotion—all confirmed it. Klaus was certain it was them and that hiding was no longer necessary.

"They're instinctive; they can see in the dark easily."

Janemba clenched his fists in anger, then struck the trunk of a nearby tree and said sharply, "The fight's over! Damn it, how weak we are! We left our wounded father there alone! Damn it! Damn it! I want to crush them! What could have happened to him?!"

Klaus, with a stern expression, said sharply, "Watch your words, Janemba! Use your brain... He's our father."

"Youuuuuuuuuu!!"

A deafening voice emerged from the darkness, causing them to step back slightly. It was a powerful, terrifying voice for a moment.

It was Howard, his strong voice echoing:

"Your father is waiting for you... Aaaah, aaaah! He has won! Hurry and find the boy we're looking for!"

Janemba and Klaus exchanged glances, then their expressions burst with joy.

"You were right! You were right, buddy!" Janemba said excitedly, as if the evidence had hit him like a slap.

Then a voice came from the darkness, "Is the person you're looking for skinny, with silver hair?"

Both of them were wary, then Klaus spoke, "Yes, why?" as if he saw something strange in her words.

She replied, "He's three trees to the left of the big man."

"Damn it... Is she a priestess?" Janemba turned his head towards the target.

Howard spoke to her calmly, "How did you know that?"

She said confidently, "How could I not? I'm always the last. I saw all pass by him, and Goober the wretched one stepped on his leg."

"Aaaah... Aaaah... Really?" Goober.

Howard laughed, "Good, very observant, Valka." Then, "Let's continue..."

And the strange laughter faded without reason, as they continued on their way.

Janemba and Klaus ran, passing between the trees:

The first...

The second...

It's the third!

"Watch out!" Klaus said as he scrutinized the area.

They began to inspect the place. Janemba was waving the torch excitedly, the great news echoing in his mind... his father had won, as usual.

"Watch out, you fool, you're messing up the light!"

"He's there!" Janemba shouted excitedly, then continued, "I won! I found him!"

But there was no response... as Klaus stood next to the body.

"Damn it... Did they do this?!"

Janemba approached slowly, seeing what Klaus saw. "Damn it, what the hell is this?"

Alucard was completely unharmed!

No scratches, no fractures, no dust, no impurities. He was breathing calmly; even the wounds he had in the hut were gone.

"Is this a trick? Is it magic? An illusion?"

Janemba found no answer, so he simply punched him in the stomach to make sure.

Alucard doubled over in pain, choking heavily, as if on the verge of death. As if all his calm and peaceful sleep had disappeared with that terrible punch.

"Damn you! What did you do?! You're killing me!"

But no response came. He turned to Klaus and Janemba, finding them stunned, their eyes wide with deep shock.

"Wait... a moment..."

Alucard stood up, looking around quickly, then asked in panic:

"Where are the traps? Where are we? What happened? Are we in hell?!"

The shock remained in their eyes, unshakable... until it was broken by that bright, crystalline blue light.

It was close, flowing from the deep darkness behind them, as if it were a separate entity, breathing, glowing.

"What is this thing now?! What could it be?!" Klaus exclaimed, choking with astonishment.

Janemba quickly stepped forward to guard the boy, placing his body in front of him as a shield. But that entity didn't move; it was completely still, as if time had frozen around it.

"Damn it... what is this?!"

The light grew brighter, its color deepening. It was incredibly radiant, reflecting in their green eyes, as if they were part of it, merging with it, glowing like it.

As for Alucard, he finally stood up, snatched the torch from Janemba's hand, who remained stunned, and asked:

"What's wrong? What's going on?!"

But Alucard didn't respond. He just raised the torch and threw it towards the glowing entity.

The torch fell to the ground, and finally, the reason behind this magical entity was revealed...

A spear...

It was unusually long, its handle made of dark blue metal, resembling blue iron, more polished and closer to a texture filled with intricate engravings, as if written in a language no one understood. The letters pulsed, glowing faintly, as if they held energy dormant for centuries.

As for the blade, it was like a shard of celestial crystal, its edges unnaturally sharp, as if light itself had been cut to shape it. It was graded between deep blue sapphire and dark purple, shimmering with every slight movement, with flashes resembling lightning sparks, as if it were a piece of an angry sky.

"It was magic itself, it was wealth, it was art, it was beauty embodied in this world."

Alucard spoke with a strange firmness, as if his voice carried something else, something that wasn't there moments ago. He approached further, his eyes fixed on the thing in front of him, as if the universe had narrowed down to this moment.

Klaus, who had been uneasy from the start, shouted in warning:

"Be careful, boy! What do you think you're doing?! We have no idea what this thing is! What are you doing?! Hey, come back here!"

But Alucard didn't respond. He continued to reach out steadily, with a mysterious determination, until his fingertips touched the object. He pressed on it slowly, as if confirming its reality.

Janemba and Klaus watched, their breaths tense, anticipating what might happen to Alucard.

Nothing...

He lifted it from its place, his eyes examining it further, the great beauty reflected in it shimmering in his gaze.

"Hey, Alucard! Give it to me, I want to touch it too!" Janemba said excitedly, as if the caution that had filled him moments ago had vanished.

Alucard handed it to him without objection...

The moment Janemba grasped the object, shock swept through the place!!!

A scream tore through the silence, and eyes widened in horror.

Janemba's shoulder was crushed with a horrific sound, as if something had torn it from his body with merciless force! He fell to the ground with a heavy thud, as if carrying the weight of the earth itself.

He opened his mouth to scream, but instead of words, blood poured out first, followed by his voice filled with pain.

"Ahhh!! SHIT it!!"

Drops of blood that fell to touch the spear evaporated in the air before reaching it...

"What's happening?!" Klaus exclaimed, his body trembling as he stared at his brother.

Janemba raised his trembling hand, his gaze falling on his arm, which dangled as if it were no longer part of him, as if it had turned into something else entirely. The pain was overwhelming, to the point that his scream turned into a mind-shattering howl.

Klaus pulled his light hair in madness and shouted, "No movement!! We won't approach it!! We must heed our father's advice!!"

"Damn it!! What are you doing?!"

Klaus looked at Alucard, his eyes wide with terror.

Alucard had picked up the object again.

And nothing happened.

It was steady, and lighter than air in his hands, as if it were a piece of the wind.

"Alucard... who are you? Who do you think you are? Isn't your strange hair enough?"

Janemba spoke in a choked voice, then shouted at Klaus, "Kill him! Kill him! He's a sorcerer! Or maybe not even the boy!"

Klaus looked at him with serious eyes, but hesitation was clear on his face.

"Damn it! That expression on his face... Damn you, Janemba, we need to calm down a bit!"

As for Alucard, he ignored everything, as if he had crushed any sympathy he might have felt for Janemba, and kept staring at the grandeur of the glow in front of him with serious confusion.

"Fuck you idiot! I'll kill you!"

Janemba pumped strength into his arm, his veins bulging in preparation to crush Alucard's head. In a moment, Klaus grabbed him from behind, trying to stop him:

"Calm down! Calm down! This isn't our decision, you mad bull! Stop your madness!"

He was consumed by his anger, screaming madly, saliva mixed with blood dripping from his mouth:

"I'll kill him! He tore my shoulder! I'll smash his face!"

"Stop! It's not our decision!"

At that moment, a red light split through the sky, increasing in brightness. Dawn was finally breaking through this darkness.

Alucard snapped out of his daze, feeling a strange heaviness in his body, then looked towards the spear, which began to lose its luster, turning into a weathered stone, until it fell to the ground with its weight.

Mouths opened in shock. They were tired of surprises.

Klaus let go of Janemba and approached the spear, bent down, and saw its shape, now just a dull rock with a foul smell.

"It was beautiful..." Alucard muttered to himself, before Janemba angrily pounced on him and headbutted him, knocking him to the ground.

"That beautiful thing! It destroyed my arm!"

Alucard slowly got up, but this time, his gaze was angry, and he stared at Janemba sharply.

"No one told you, you pig, to touch that shiny thing!"

Janemba growled in disdain, "Pig? When did you become so sharp-tongued? Did this happen during your coma, you rude bastard?"

Klaus interrupted them in annoyance:

"Enough! Dawn has finally broken, we can see everything now. Let's hurry and check on our father!"

A moment of realization struck Janemba's mind; he was always deeply worried about his father. He rushed through the grass and rocks, his massive, paralyzed arm moving heavily with him, as if it were a burden dragging him with every step.

Klaus followed, shouting, "You won't beat me this time!" as he hurried to catch up.

As for Alucard, he looked at them in confusion, wondering, "What's wrong with them?" before hefting his massive spear and resting it on his shoulder. He moved behind them with slow steps, avoiding losing track of them despite his exhaustion and tired eyes under the weight of the weapon he carried.

He's here, you fool!

Klaus shouted in triumph as he tracked him, and Janemba stopped, sliding with his feet.

"Damn you!"

He ran back towards Klaus, who finally arrived, staring at their father lying down, watching his slow breaths.

"Father..."

He quickened his pace, then bent down to hold his hand, studying his breathing carefully and intently. He felt reassured when he realized it was steady, and a smile of relief spread across his face. He noticed the candles near him and some scattered items around him, feeling a sense of comfort, and almost cried from happiness, but quickly wiped his tears when he felt Janemba's arrival.

"Father! Is he okay? What are you doing? Why are you placing those candles? Is he... dead?"

" you, you idiot! Why do you associate everything with death?"

"Damn you both!"

Raiv finally spoke, smiling, opening one eye, the one that survived the punch, and said:

"Stand at my head, I want to see you."

Klaus and Janemba did so immediately.

"Did you find the boy?"

Janemba began to shout, but Klaus interrupted, answering:

"Yes, Father, we did."

"Good, you didn't disappoint me at all."

"Yeaaah, Father, you won! You're amazing!"

Janemba said excitedly, and Raiv laughed a little, before Klaus responded:

"You're badly injured; if you see yourself in the mirror, you won't be able to wake us up to open the workshop again. Your face looks like cow guts!"

"Ass you, Klaus!"

The three of them laughed until the sound of footsteps interrupted them. They turned to see Alucard finally arriving, throwing his spear to the ground before speaking:

"Uncle Raiv..."

"The boy... Alucard."