Castlevania Fan Fiction ❯ The Banished ❯ The Banished - Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

The Banished Alucard x Richter Belmont

Chapter IV

By S. Krause & W.D.

Boring legal stuff etc:

CastleVania and its characters are property of Konami games. I did not create any of the main characters in this fiction and therefore make no claims of ownership. This fiction was written solely for my enjoyment and in no way reflects the actual story-line of the CastleVania series or the true personalities of the characters. And last but not least, I do not, in any way, make any money from this!

NOTES

Sources: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Dracula X: Rondo of Blood, and Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse

"Trevor Belmont" from Castlevania 3 is known as "Ralph C. Belmont" in the JP version of Castlevania 3.

Thumbnail graphic by Lara Yokoshima

A dhampir is a child born from the union of a human and a vampire.

WARNING – This story contains homosexual material. If this sort of thing offends you then PLEASE DO NOT READ IT!

Thoughts are written in ITALICS

#IV#

Richter continued down the rarely traveled path that wound through Jova Woods. He had been walking with little rest since the trail left by Alucard had gone cold for nearly a week. His clothes were covered in dirt and smelled of sweat. Had it not been for the dhampir's concealing cape hiding his dirty clothing, he would have appeared as a beggar to any passers by.

Even though he was preoccupied with his search, it still felt liberating to be far away from his home. The few people he had encountered seemed pleasant and friendly- a welcome change from the mistrust and disdainful glances he had grown accustomed to. He took a moment to consider the idea.

Perhaps in the grand scheme of things.. I over-estimate my importance? Unlike Alucard, I have already survived what was likely the battle of my destiny. But how many more generations of conflict with his father will he endure?

The hunter paused for a moment when he finally emerged from the thick woods of dried pine to look over to horizon. A quaint village laid directly in his path, but much further ahead he could see ominous storm clouds approaching.

"The town of Veros," he muttered as he gazed upon the buildings nearby. "Resting on a bed in a warm room would do me well."

Richter increased his pace and headed for the small town. The black cape billowed against the breeze and followed close behind like an ominous shadow.

###

Alucard's eyes snapped open as the crack of nearby thunder roused him from his sleep. He rose from the old wide wing-back chair he had sank into and took a moment to take in his surroundings.

His new dwelling, while more ornate than the typical dusty tombs he had often inhabited, was in a serious state of disrepair. The large stained-glass window which once served as the centerpiece of the room was broken in several spots. Although it was mostly intact, the damage still left the immediate area at the mercy of the elements from the outside.

"An abandoned mansion," he sighed, "that reeks of death and sits atop the earth like of blight on the land." The long neglected structure that he had chosen to reside in aligned well with his opinion of himself.

Fitting irony… a restless man-creature hiding within a crumbling relic of his own father's evil...

Alucard slumped against the wall as he heard the tempest of rain testing the integrity of the ancient roof over his head. He moved to wipe aside a rogue drop of rain from his brow but hesitated when his nose caught a familiar scent. He held his hand close to his face for a moment, studying the dried traces of blood on his fingertips.

"Richter…" he breathed as he held his fingers beneath his nose. His sinful encounter with Richter in the subterranean chamber mere days ago began to replay in his mind.

He was ashamed of what he had done to the other man, but even that shame could not drown out his urge to relive the moment. After all, it had been the most intimate encounter that Alucard had experienced in his long life.

The dhampir's eyelids fluttered closed as he breathed in the precious traces of Richter's scent from his hand.

###

Even though Richter had managed to secure a room from the inn keeper in Veros without incident, he could find little peace in sleep. After hastily washing his clothes and leaving them draped over the foot of the bed to dry, he had been certain falling asleep would be a simple matter of closing his eyes. But despite the welcome mattress and warm blankets cushioning his naked body, his mind mercilessly drew upon images from recent days.

His intense, intimate encounter with the half-blood had been an enthralling affair that unlike anything else he had lived through.

Richter had always been the purest of warriors; a man guided by his faith and superior morality. In years past it would have bothered him that his faith and morality were so easily abandoned whenever he was in Alucard's presence. Now however, he came to accept that the strength of such convictions meant far less to him in his new solitary life.

…...

"Richter Belmont…" an eerily familiar voice echoed in his ears as if it were taunting him. "It seems your usefulness to mankind is nearing its end."

Richter opened his eyes and stared at the figure in front of him with disbelief.

"This cannot be!"

The unmistakable form of Alucard's father glared back at him, his regal features twisting with a sadistic grin.

"Dracula…!"

The demonic count stared down at him from atop an elaborate throne. His well-dressed body was slumped in the plush chair in a manner which exuded both authority and arrogance.

"Without me you have no purpose. Therefore it stands to reason that the rest of mankind will soon betray you, will they not?"

Dracula's tone was calm and confident yet cold and cruel at the same time. Richter did his best to stand his ground but he almost became lost in the murky-gray stare of the vampire. Dracula did indeed appear exactly as he had remembered him- a mature and handsome man by most standards, but his visage, attitude, and the very presence he commanded reminded him of someone else.

"Alucard...?" he said softly.

The demonic count eased back in his chair at the mention of his offspring and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Ah yes," he glowered at the hunter. "My son has so many gifts and much potential... but he has become weak and sadly hesitant to accept his true nature and power."

Dracula's harsh words for his own child ignited Richter's courage. He stepped closer to the sadistic creature's throne and spoke strongly from his heart.

"How many times have you underestimated your own son? What you call weakness is strength. You speak of hesitation, but it's consideration; It is a quality you could never understand!"

Unimpressed, Dracula offered a wicked smile.

"Befriending my son will not bring you peace- he cannot even handle himself, let alone contend with a pathetic lost lamb such as yourself! Eventually he will turn into the 'wolf' he truly is!"

The vampire lord rose from his throne and folded his arms over his chest.

"Pathetic human empathy; You see benevolence and courage where none exists!"

He stepped closer to the hunter until his imposing form loomed over the human like a menacing shadow.

"Nature will eventually prevail and the lone wolf will devour the lost lamb! After all, he is still my son!"

Richter lowered his head to rid himself of the sight of the demonic count. It was difficult to accept, yet still undeniable- Indeed he could see much of Dracula within Alucard. Try as he might, he could no longer pretend the similarities were merely skin-deep.

A sudden and intense flash of white light then stirred Richter's attention. He looked up and took a step back, holding his arms up to defend himself if need be. When the blinding curtain lifted however, Belmont felt his knees begin to tremble. He had not been prepared for what he now saw in front of him.

Alucard stood over Dracula's now fallen body and stared at Richter. His face was twisted with fear and grief and his hands stained with fresh blood.

"Richter..." he nearly sobbed, his golden eyes wet with crimson tears. "Remember... part of me is still human..."

Aside from his racing heart, Richter's entire body froze at the weak sound of the blood-stained dhampir's voice.

As the shock of what had transpired began to subside, Richter could not help but feel pity for Alucard. He briefly pondered his history with the half-blood and then it dawned on him that Alucard had been struggling with his own nature for years. The changes were likely subtle at first, but it was now clear to him that the dhampir was slowly losing the war he waged within himself.

Somewhere, deep in his sub-conscious, Richter knew he must be dreaming. Unfortunately, the logic and reason he needed to wake himself now were nowhere to be found.

Richter took a deep breath before finally breaking the silence.

"Yes Alucard, part of you is still human, but that is not what makes you better than your father," he began softly. "My kind are not worthy of the high regard you hold us in. Most who recognize me look at me with suspicion and fear. I am an outcast among my own people."

Richter sighed as he considered the reality of his own life.

"My friends, neighbors, and even Annette have forsaken me. I have been rejected and forced to carry on alone."

Now almost certain that he was experiencing a vision of his own imagining, he stepped forward and wound his arms around the pale man in front of him.

"But we need not face our demons alone," he added gently.

Richter closed his eyes when Alucard returned the tight embrace. He felt his own body relax when those trembling arms wound around him and desperately pulled him even closer.

Moments later the blinding light returned, but this time when it lifted he would, at long last, experience only empty sleep.

…...

Richter's waking body began to stir on the simple bed. It hadn't been particularly soft or even very comfortable, but it was still far better than sleeping outside.

When his tired gaze came to the window he caught a glimpse of lightening illuminating the storm clouds in the sky outside. A crack of thunder followed a few moments later and then the rain arrived as expected.

"It has to be getting close to daybreak," the hunter mumbled. "I should get some fresh water from downstairs."

Even though his trousers, shirt, and underclothes had been left out to dry overnight after a hasty cleaning they were still not entirely spotless.

"They will have to do," the hunter mumbled and he slipped them on.

He draped Alucard's cape over his shoulders, secured the clasps over his chest, and made his way down to the lower floor of the inn.

Given the hour things were, unsurprisingly, quiet in the dining area as Richter walked through. Other than the innkeeper tending to the bar, only two other men were seated in the room.

"Up early?" The innkeeper peered curiously back at Richter from behind the counter as he approached. "Need somethin' strong to lull ye' back ta' sleep?"

Belmont offered a cordial smile and shook his head.

"No thank you. Just some water will be fine- and can you send a fresh pitcher up to my room as well?"

The innkeeper nodded and stepped aside. Richter took a moment to sit down at the bar as he waited. He looked at the two men seated near him and permitted himself to eavesdrop on their conversation.

One of them was a middle-aged man wearing a white apron while the other appeared a bit older and dressed more like a professional gentleman. Richter deduced that one was a local baker and the other probably a banker or perhaps a local official.

"She's telling you quite the story Radu," the sharper dressed man said. "Your daughter has wild imagination for her age."

The man in the apron smiled at his companion and nodded.

"Alin," he laughed, "it would mean a lot to my little girl if you could just tell her you looked into it and there was nothing to worry about."

The older man chuckled and took a sip of his warm beverage.

"Tell me again, because I want to make sure I have the details right in case she asks me too many questions."

"Of course" the baker nodded. "So three days or so ago, Florina was heading out of town to play with her friends. She said at the crossroads near the hill she saw the man."

"The strange fellow?"

"Correct. She said he was dressed in a fancy black coat, had a face and hair like snow, and... yellow eyes."

The conversation between the two men had piqued Richter's interest. The baker's description of this stranger, while crude, immediately dared the hunter to assume this was a fresh lead on Alucard.

"Pardon the interruption, uh... 'Radu' was it?" Belmont said carefully. "You see I uh... recall seeing someone like that in my travels recently. I am curious- what else did she say about this... person?"

The baker smiled warmly and appeared happy that his early-morning audience had unexpectedly grown.

"Radu it is indeed traveler, and this gentleman here is Alin, keeper of peace! My daughter said the fellow just stopped at the crossroads and stared at that old mess of a mansion on top of the hill."

With another present to add merit to the story, Alin now seemed far more attentive. "And that's when they spoke? What did they say?"

"Florina said he was just standing there still as a tree so she asked him if he was lost. He told her not to worry because he was just very tired. And then..."

"The magic?" Alin prodded curiously.

Radu leaned over the counter and lowered his voice. "Out of thin air he poofed' a big golden apple into his hand and gave it to Florina! He told her to move along. She was so excited about it that she realized she had forgotten to thank him after she had already started to run off."

Richter laughed at the suggestion. "Innocent magic or even just a simple trick. Hardly dangerous."

"But then," the baker added dramatically, "he disappeared! When she turned around not a moment later he just... well... POOF! Vanished in broad daylight- or so she says..."

"On second thought perhaps I should give this matter a little more consideration," Alin grumbled. "I suppose I could at least drop by the church and ask Father Nelu for his opinion..."

Richter stood up at the mention of possible church involvement and interrupted the man of justice.

"You need not waste their time, or bother yourself with such... trivial matters..."

Alin glanced up at the hunter, taken aback by the sudden outburst.

"What I mean is," Richter clarified carefully, "I am indeed a traveler, but also a... mercenary! Everyone in your community has been so nice to me so I would be happy to check out that old mansion for you on my way out of town this morning."

Alin smiled at the suggestion. Fortune had indeed smiled on him. If this went well he would not have to venture out into the rain or add anymore legwork to his day.

"What is your name, mercenary?"

Richter looked down and tried to quickly come up with a believable alias. It was then that he noticed the tiny, very worn letters stitched along the collar of the large cape he was wearing. When he squinted his eyes he was able to make the old letters come into readable focus: Adrian... Fahrenheit... Tepes?

"Forgive my manners," he answered after a couple of moments. "I thought I'd already introduced myself. My name is.. Adrian."

Alin stood up and grabbed Richter's hand.

"Well, Adrian the mercenary," he laughed as he gave the hunter a firm handshake, "never heard of you, but this task hardly requires military might or the likes of a Belmont."

Richter forced himself to laugh at the mention of his family name. Even though he knew the comment was made in jest, he still feared what misfortune exposure of his identity could bring.

"I am but a simple mercenary. This matter will be handled capably and quietly."

#E#