Castle of evil

She filled the formula in he rmind with lower and unkeashe dit nkt a moment too soon. The red skeletons were turned to ashes. She remembered how badly that spell drained her that he needd a minute to recover her strength.

That left the last monster amd he lashed at it full force bareky even stunning it as he wore down its stamina. She panted for a minite as he leaps all over lashing at ever opportinuty. He dodged the attwmpts to hurt him and stayed at maximum range. The creature lumbers after him and he lashes it legs after crouching to avoid swipe to his head there were no more undead summonings and thw necromancer was entirely focused on controlling the lich zombie ot bonded itself to and cries out to death to give him the power to desteoy them.

It didnt work and he screams as the body engukfing his form rotted away and turned to ashes. He fell draine dof power and looked up at samuel begging for mercy. She saw it was fake and samuel didnt see the knife under the form of the powerles necromancer rachel saw it and used thw kast of her magic to fire a fireball at him to save samuels life.

He rahot hit the knife away and spinning in the air as he lashed the necromncer with thw whip. He was tied and bound. "Who put tou up to this. That last trick was something only a direct servant of death would attempt and death is bound to the dragon of wallacia." Samuel said raising the whip.

The necromancer quailed. "I-it was dracul the dragon his armies are gathering in his castle ready to be unleashed. The ancient relics are ammassed kept from those who cna destort him. I know you house of accursed belmont. Youre no different than me using your power to kill and kill you will never enjoy a life of peace for blood must fight blood." He le the whip fall and staggered back. At the name of dracula.

"Not him... im not ready... i still need to obtain the vampire stake for the combat cross and the sacred fire for my alchemy whip." Samuel said and she rushed to support him.

"Easy... we can do this. Your family specializes in dracula. Surely they trained you." She said showing her faith in him.

"They did and said it never is enough. Anu vicory over dracula has been because of relics and skills learned in the castle... we need to hurry... im sorry it seems our peaceful life will still have to be on hold." He said and she hugs him close.

"That is fine...we have more important things to worry of." she said helping him to his feet as Samuel looks down hoping to think of something else to help with this. Maybe in some way, he can figure something else out.

He went down to the next room amd discovered it was a preperarion room for embalming and preparing a body for burial. She came with him and they see another headstone similar to the one thay infused the combat cross with the grapple hook. She saw the wrtinging identofying the relic and it was a spiked chain. Such a chain would do seriois damage if it got wrapped around any creature. Once agai. She saw him okace the ancient weapon into the device and a new enhancement went to it.

It cracked with cold lighteining and he picked it up examining it. This would change hiw he fought larger and smaller enemies. He was already finding uses for it in his mind.

"........"

"Hmmm..."

"What's wrong? Did you find something?" she asked seeing Samuel just studying it but he was wondering how or why. The thought of this just leaves him questioning about things including this item.

"I did. Oddly enough there was another relic here for my combat cross. A spiked chain... not sure whu but i think it will be veey effective against larger enemies." He said softly and looked at her. There are only 2 more left and i bet the blessed stake is inside the castle." He said and she looked relieved that nothing was wrong. He started looking through papers and notes for information on onother relic. She looked for spells to add to her arsenal.

She didn't say much right now but only keeps looking about. Seeing much of the burned scrolls and books here told her someone didn't want their work to be used. Maybe it was a warning or a curse; Rachel didn't know. From the old books she's read in the past, these seem a little more stronger. She walks over to the book shelf, looking at the books that was destroyed before she stops seeing one.

"..............." The leather was a deep blood red with white spots but circles. She saw the words were in a different language but she slowly pulls the book from the shelf and looks at it. Even if she looks at the cover, the feeling of it was...off. Rachel slowly opens the book to see what was going on but when she did, a confused expression was seen. The pages were blank. "?????"

Samuel kept looking through the papers finding nothing but he looks up seeing her checking a book out. It seems to be a real old book but she just shook her head not sure about it. "...What's the matter?"

"Nothing. This book is rather odd. I've never seen much a book before but I might be wrong about it.......Let me see.." She carefully looks to try turning a page again but when she did, the page cut her hand making her hiss in pain. Samuel quickly goes to her seeing her hold the hand where it cut her.

It was deep which shocked them but he sees her wincing from the sting. He reaches to get a cloth for her hand as her blood stains through it. However, some of her blood drops onto the book as well.  "Are you alright?"

"Yes; I'm fine..." she mutters looking at her hand but held the cloth onto it.

"Come; I think we looked enough here. Lets keep looking." he said as he walks off but she reaches to pick up the book but she didn't know her blood got sucked into the pages as it glows a dark blood red then stops. They kept on looking but she did find more spells that might be useful for her and the same for him looking for some clues.

He was able to put together a map from various notes on prevoois lairs. It seemed this was its third and the third relic house it took over. The necromancer was busy and expended considerable rescources to get the other relic station moved out here. Death was on the move and he coukd feel its cold chill on ht eedges of his mind. At that moment she found an ice ma ipulation spell with detailed instructions to conserve energy when using the spells. He found nothing else but she was still looking. The book hid from him and called to her in the bafk of her mind under her throughts for more blood promising strength and knowledge.

They leave quickly and start headi g west towards the ancient beirnhart their horse was fidgeting as he calmed it down and she collected her books and spells she found fkr study.

This leaves her questioning things about it. However, it leaves her wondering at the same time. Maybe she will learn later on down the road about it. Knowing the spells will help her later just like things helping Samuel. They kept on walking for a while longer till showing up in a larger library study room. She's never seen one so big so maybe it's something of a new passage. Holding the books down against her chest she was ready but sees him looking around ready too.

After calming the horse he went to check out the study room. He had though it might hve an actual map or information on where the nearest town was. He quickly goes to check it out.

The study room was bigger than he thought it would be due to the maps and seen points about it. However, he wonders if it had the right map for either one. She didn't say anything during this while seeing seeing Samuel just looking at the maps. "Interesting; each of these sure are old.." he reaches to look at a couple of them before he looking silent about something.

"....................."

"Maybe if we can figure something out while looking through these maps. One of them should have something.." He mutters looking at them but Rachel said nothing watching him checking the maps. Nothing seems to help but some of the maps were old. She did looks around herself to see if she can find one of the maps while setting the books and scrolls down.

She finds some older maps leading to different sections but she only remained quiet after a while. She looks at the same old map on the right before seeing one that was covered with a cloth. Rachel goes ahead to reach and pull the cloth down seeing a map but it was different.

"Hey, Samuel. I think I found something...do you think this is the map?" she sees him set a map down to walk over to her checking it out.

He took a look at it and wonders why it cuahht her eye.

"This map is.....different. From the small textures and thing sewn into it. Maybe I was wrong about what is different about it. Maybe it's showing some sort of old map or..." She reaches up to touch it but Samuel stops her. He didn't trust this map but he sees her hand still bleeding. She lowers it to cover it that some of the drops hit the floor again. He helps her hold it till they heard some noises.

"????"

"??????"

He looke around trying to find the source and hr looked down where her blood fell.

"...You heard that too didn't you-"

He held a hand up to keep her quiet as Rachel kept silent. In some way, it leaves her wondering what is going on. He already looked quiet seeing nothing going around or happening. He could be wrong from what he heard but sees her slowly looking down at her hand. The towel was soaked in blood before she looks around again.

"........................"

She kept holding her hand with more blood spilling that two more drops fell that she heard a louder thumb in the back. Rachel turns to the noise seeing nothing but Samuel held his whip ready to attack if possible. He saw nothing else or saw anything happening but he begins to wonder about it. He didn't know what was going on that he slowly looks to the spells or books. He sees nothing but the book was glowing slowly as she was still holding the arm with her hand bleeding.

"....What? What's the matter?" she asked. She already was quiet in some way but he stared wondering what is happening. The spells were not doing anything but he already could see nothing else happening. He carefully looked to go towards her as she didn't say anything else. He only remained silent while going to help her. However he could see that she was still recovering. She looks down at her hand to see more blood spilling out.

"..What is happening......."

"I don't know. This is unsure to you......."

"..In a way......what is happening......." He asked but he sees her not doing anything because Rachel was unsure about it. She didn't know what was happening before hearing the loud noise again. He gets the whip ready for the attack while Rachel held her hand up while showing magic around it. However, she closed her hand due to the cut but it still was bleeding that more drops hit the floor and sinks into the carpet. However, the drops in the book caused it to pulse. She and him didn't know what was happening right now but they kept their guard up.

He tore a strip of cloth from a rag in his pocket and bound her hand. The bleeding was stopped but he guessed she was exposed to something that keeps her bleeding and that wasnt good. He needed to find a potion.

He kept looking around trying to find something but he heard the noise again as Rachel was looking around as well. Whatever is going on, she didn't like it seeing the area still remaining the same. However, he sees her still remain silent.

"I think we should just leave Samuel. We need to get out of here!" she said hearing more noises.

"We do but we need to stay calm and-" The noise grew louder before seeing the room become pitch black. Samuel hurries over to Rachel as she quickly used a light spell to light up the room just slightly. She looks around seeing nothing before seeing a red light. She sees the book she got from that room but sees it open when red ink begins to spill out and all over the table. Both Samuel and Rachel looked quiet till they see something forming from the book.

"Stay close to me." he said keeping her behind him as Rachel keeps quiet seeing this happening. She didn't say anything before seeing a monster forming from the book that it shows a tall male that seems to be in his 40's but he seems to be in his young 20's. Both Samuel and Rachel blinks seeing this but sees the man stretch to hear cracks in his back and neck.

"......................"

"......................"

He grunts still cracking his neck before he opens his red glowing eyes to see them. "....." He remains quiet before holding a hand open to make some flames bloom and lit up the area. Now, the other two can see him fully.

"......Who.....wait, who are you two and what are you doing in this place?"

"..We would like to ask the same. Just who the hell are you?" Samuel said gripping his whip ready to attack but the man said nothing till his eyes rests on Rachel to tilt his head a bit. She looked confused at the thought then sees him disappear into the floor. Both of them said nothing before he reappears to get in between both Samuel and Rachel.

"Hey!"

"!!!!"

He quickly grabs Rachel's hand that was bandaged by the cloth. He saw some of her blood staining it before he tilts his head to the right, started to remove it. She hisses feeling it sting again but he begins poking and spreading it open as she winces.

"What are you doing!? Unhand her!" He warns but the other male remained silent ignoring him. He looks at the cut before he pushes two fingers against her cut to make her bleed more. His fingers lifts up to taste her blood then remained silent for a couple minutes. He lets go of her hand as she held her hand to find the bandage but she sees him grab it then hold her hand again. He begins to use some dark power on her hand as she looked confused.

Samuel was confused too till they saw he was healing her cut to show it was healed. She flexed her hand in shock then looks up to him more confused. "..........Ummmmm.....thanks?" she mutters as he blinks looking to her then lets go of her hand.

"...Your blood tastes the same as the one in the book. You must have been the one to have freed me. Miss.."

"..Rachel." she said.

"Miss Rachel. I thank you for saving me....you and your friend....." he said holding her hand up to kiss the top of her hand. She blinks but Samuel grips the whip feeling annoyed that the other lets her hand go.

"Either way; what are you kids doing here?" he said since they were 16. He never seen any that age near this place.

"...We were just exploring this place for something....is this your home?" she asked.

"Not my home......just a guardian watching over this place....." he answers.

"I..I see.." she said seeing Samuel looking at him.

"Again; why are you two even doing here....it's not safe......"

I came here to put down a necromancer. Something a guardian should ha e ptevrnted from getting a foothild you filthy vampire. Other than that im junting the alchemyst relics for the battle cross."

The term filthy definitly got a reaction and vampire a note of surprise then the alchemys and relics and battle cross drew a look of keen interest since thedr wrre all legendary names.

"You are hunting the lord of vampires dracula the dragon. Jas it been 100 years already?" The man said looking deep into her eyes. A hidden thought passed to her. "Your blood is truly the best ive ever had perhaps ill take more later."

She blinks to quickly pull her hand away while looking nervous. "Uhhhh, keep your thoughts to yourself. I'm 16 you creep." she grumbles.

"..My apologies." he said.

"What? Did he-"

"No...he didn't." Rachel grumbles looking away from this vampire while looking happily to her as if she was more interesting than anything else here. He looks around then back at the two of them.

"To answer you yes; it's been 100 years since then.....nothing else seems to matter or bother about it." she said to see the vampire remain quiet and think. If that's the truth then things have really gotten down hill since his seal.

"I see.....this won't do then. It's been that long then it's true the lord of vampires have gotten stronger over the years as well."

He wouldnt take those hungry eyes off her and it chilled her to the bone while heating her head with ideas of possible outcomes if she were to befome a vampire. It wasnt an intentional effect. The aura of this vampire was powerful and his gaze pressed that aura into everything h3 looked at.

However, she shook her head to glare at the vampire to hold a hand up showing a dangerous aura around her. "I'm warning you....stop with the whole perverted look at me. Or else I'll be sure you become dust." she warns seeing him remain silent seeing her not playing.

"My apologies miss, I didn't mean to cause such a feeling from my gaze." he said.

"I don't care..Just stop looking at me like that. I'm 16 okay? Sixteen! I'm not into that sort of thing yet till I'm way older maybe in my twenty's or something. So stop it already." she said walking away from the vampire while she was looking quiet.

"...I hope I didn't upset your friend." he said but Samuel said nothing catching up with her as the vampire walks to pick up her books and things including the blood red book before going ahead to start following them.

Samuel glared and followed rachel. The vampire followed her as well. They needed to get out of here and find the next relic. The maps she found were helpful some were even up to date. He had discovered the location of the next relic but there was a problem. The journey would take a year.

She went to where they left the horses and they had to calm them down when the vampire stepped out. "Aaahh fresh air." He said breathing deeply.

"Why are you followin me?" She asks and he smiles even bows respecfully.

"You freed me from my improsonment im bound to you until i pay my debt." He said still bowed before her his gaze was on her shoes and he was restraining his aura. Samuel came around the corner and rushes to the horses calming them with quiet words.

"...Ummmm, I don't know about the whole 'in your dept' thing you know. Can't you just go and be free? You don't have to owe me anything.." she waves her hands but the vampire refused to do that. Because she freed him, that will tell her that he was under his dept.

"I can't do that my lady. Due to what you did to release me; I only think it's fair I repay you in some way.." he said.

"..*Sighs* Even though it was because of my blood that helped you? That's weird. I don't know if you can owe me anything or offer me something." she said.

"Hmmmmm, their must be something I can owe you for helping me. Maybe I can show you some of the spells in the book you found. It's a old book I used during my ways of training magic. Maybe that will help you?" he offers to Rachel look right at him.

"You..wait, the book is yours?"

"Yes. When I was human I used to be like you. Learning magic and it's powers. I didn't fully understand it but I was willing to learn. Maybe if that is a way to show you something?" he said but she blinks unsure about it. She did hear the horses since Samuel was willing to calm them down as best as he could.

"......"

"I'm willing to serve you, milady. I can do a lot to help you and your companion."

"Hmmmmm...." she crosses her arms over her chest but she didn't know. Vampires tend to lie and do their best to change someone but that means she could learn new things from that book he had for over many years before becoming a vampire himself.

"I really don't see how you can help me but....I'm really unsure."

"I can teach you many things miss but also protect you if I must.." he bows again to her.

That brought samuel to laugh. I think he means it milady. Ehy not learn his magic and accept his defense for now. Wait and see what happenes this ought to be interesting. By the way we need to travel for a year to find the next relic. Those maps tou found really helped." He told her and beamed. He liked the idea of having a vampire like that helping defend her and helping her grow stronger. He was confident he could defeat this vampire if he turned out to be lying.

"You're serious about that?" she asked seeing him nod his head.

"Well, that way it will help you and us. Maybe this vampire knows more than we think." Samuel said but Rachel lets out a sigh looking to the vampire that waiting. However, she only remained quiet.

"Look as long as he doesnt act like every other vamp we seen then its fine by me if he stays. But so far he has acted as he said he is a man who was turned. And im certain he is not on draculas friend list. Or he would have been found even if he was sealed away." Samuel said. He emant it and kne wwhat to look for if the vampire was going to betray them.