The Twist

Alucard woke up. Under Gusion's embrace.

He wiped the tear and the dirt off of his cheek before standing on his own two feet. He surveyed the area of influence in search of Alice. He kept looking and looking but alas, he was unsuccessful. Alice wasn't there anymore and only God knows where she is.

He turned his attention to Gord with fury in his expression. "What the HELL was that?!" He shoved Gord in a fit of rage "You said your plan will fix all of this! Now we've lost Alice! Because of you --"

"Calm down! None of us knew that this would happen. And as we're speaking right now, that 'Thing' is STILL out there. We HAVE to stop it." said Hilda.

"Stop? stop what?! that THING?! How in the world are we supposed to stop something like that that's literally made out of sin?" Gusion asked.

"We have no time to fight over what's right or wrong... nor the time to force ourselves to be pure in order to bring it down. Remember, the purity is the one which started all of this"

"So let me sum this up... First, the crystals are releasing purity that affects everything in its reach... but it turns out that it's just absorbing all Impurity leaving all the pure traits behind..." Alucard paused before looking at his group.

"But it turns out, the crystals aren't actually crystals but we're 'Chrysalises' or 'Chrysalides'... some sort of cocoon that uses Impurity as its source to create life... but then... I don't think this was supposed to happen. I think it absorbed too much evil that the darkness inside it started to take form... thus creating life..." finished Alucard.

"Ahhhh... so that's what it is. So you're telling us that we need to use just enough evil in order to bring down the good, right? And if either one of those exceeds the other, something bad is meant to happen?" Gusion asked.

"Yeah," Alucard said. "We need to kill that monarch. We've spawned it to this word and now we have to take it down. We have to bring the balance back to the way it was"

"Then there's no time to waste," Gord said. "Let's get a move on!"

The team then went searching for the Titanic humanoid monarch in the woods. And after hunting for hours they've finally found it near a stream... resting... with a lot of broken trees trampled under its weight.

They've planned their strategy about giving it a whopping wake-up call.

First, Gusion will sever all of the beasts' nerves, ligaments, and veins that are directly located on its armpits, knee pits, and elbow pits - as well as its heels and wrists, to prevent its movements... if it has any.

Second, Gord will focus its beam right at the center of its chest in order to hit its heart.

Third, Alucard will strike the beast's head with the most unrelenting blow that he can muster, hoping to give the monster even a mild concussion.

Fourth, if the beast still manages to get up, Hilda will then try to subdue the monster using her axe with all her strength. With enough time, Gord may be able to hold it in place so they can do more damage before it's able to break free.

With the plan in their thoughts, Gusion struck first. His attacks were hard and true. Within seconds, he was able to tear all of its ligaments, nerves, and veins.

Before the beast was even able to react to the tremendous pain, Gord's beam bore a hole right through it's dark and oil - like skin. The beast squealed and shrieked. It even tried to get up and attack Gord. Yet before it was able to so, a bright metallic object glimmered in the pale, blue sky.

It was Alucard. And with his Greatsword that's nearly as broad as a man's chest, he plummeted right at the beast's head with a loud bang. Alucard remained at the beast's head and thrust his giant sword through its crown releasing disruptive fissures of energy across the fiend's cranium.

It drove the beast mad. It got up to its hind legs, despite it being severely injured. It wailed and shrieked as it violently jerks from left to right, attempting to throw Alucard overboard.

Hilda then tried subduing the beast. But before she was even able to even get near it she was smacked by its wings and took a tumble right across the stream. Gord then tried to hold the monster in place but was saved by Gusion right before he was trampled by the monsters flailing about.

The beast was severely weakened, but it still had a lot of fight in it. The fiend then unraveled its wings and took flight outside the forest and into one of the influence's reach.

Hilda was able to grab hold on the beast's foot as the monster heads to the purity. Gord picked up Gusion and chased after the massive monster.

Alucard can't do anything but to hold the sword's handle tightly and wait for the perfect opportunity. Gord harassed the monarch-like demon with continuous blasts of magic.

"Get me closer! I'll try and jump on it's back!"

"No! You have to stay with me! When this thing lands down, strike down its vital spots again! I'll take it from there while you help out Alucard!"

And just when one of the Titanic Chrysalises was nearly below them, Hilda gave out a deafening war cry before striking the monster's spine, causing the monster to come crashing down. Alucard saw this as his opportunity and pulled out his Greatsword absorbing potent waves of energy, causing an explosion in the monster's head.

"JUMP! WE'LL CATCH YOU!" Gusion said.

Hilda jumped first. Gusion caught her by her arm and pulled her up. Alucard ran across the monster's spine as it dives headfirst into the ground. He ran as fast as he could but he wasn't able to jump off at the very last second.

When he thought that this is the end of him, Gord's Hoverboard flew right above him. He was able to grab hold of the board But had to let go of his weapon because they were already too heavy for the board to handle.

Gord flew them close to the ground where Hilda, Gusion, and Alucard dismounted. Alucard retrieved his Greatsword that's just right next to them. He can't see anything from the clouds of dust. "We have to get out of this purity" Gord said.

"We need to get to one of the Ki ve-"

Gord's words were cut short when a giant hand pounded him into the ground, severely breaking his back.

"NO! GORD!"

"WATCH OUT!" Hilda exclaimed before tackling Gusion out of harm's way.

The beast is still alive, but can barely stand up.

"Gusion, take Gord out of here! He's the only one who can call for help!" commanded Alucard.

"No just leave me be! Escape while you still can!"

"Nope!" Said Alucard as he faced the beast "Not gonna happen, chief!"

"Listen to me! Every magic-user can send a message across the land! Just find yourselves a magic-user! Go! I'll hold this monster off as long as I can while you run!"

"Gusion! You're the fastest one right?! Then get to the edge! We can't let this demon live! It will kill us all! Go and make sure to spread the word just in case we don't make it!

"No! B-but -"

"There's no time to argue! Listen to me! Someone HAS to spread the word! Now go! GO!"

Without a second thought, Gusion went out of the reach, helplessly looking back at the fight.

"Alucard! If you can get that thing closer to me I can try and immobilize it so you and Hilda can take it out!"

Knowing that the beast isn't able to move that much, He thought of a better plan. He saw a large boulder the size of a truck near the beast's head. "No, I have a better idea! Hilda, can you lift Gord on your back?!"

"What are you planning?" Hilda asked.

"Get behind the monster! I'll draw it's attention to me! And when I say now, you do your thing, Gord!"

Without a second thought, Hilda rushed at Gord's location and gave him a piggyback ride. Alucard waved his Greatsword at the beast, getting its attention to him instead of Hilda.

With his cloak nearly bleached in white, He climbed up on the boulder's peak.

"It's over fiend!" Alucard shouted. " This will be your grave!"

The beast glared right at him with malicious intent. And right before the monster was able to attack, Alucard gave out the signal, and Gord did his thing.

The ground was then filled with highly damaging magic. Then Gord cast out a giant orb into the sky, landing on to the monster's backside. When it hit the monster, it became petrified. And just as the monster was unable to move, Alucard lunged right into the air once more. But this time thrusting his Greatsword right through its skull with malevolent energy surging around its blade.

The result of the devastating attack created a fissure on the ground along with a wave of energy cutting the beast into half. The demon-like monarch burst into ribbons of black fog and smoke. The fabrics of evil slowly dissipated into the air until none was left.

They couldn't believe it... the beast is dead...

"We did it... we really did it..." Alucard said with a sigh of relief while trying to find the last trace of black smoke in the air.

"Alucard! It's Gord!" Hilda shouted.

Gord has now been changed by the Influence. He was too weak to fight it off. So the Influence took him out faster than the rest of the two.

Alucard forgot that they're still in the purity. They can't save Gord now. He's permanently been purified. "We have to go! We have to go now!" Alucard shouted.

"I'm sorry Gord... I... truly am..." Hilda said before carefully lying Gord's unconscious body on the ground.

They ran towards the edge like there's no tomorrow. They can feel the purity. They can feel it tugging them back.

Alucard's entire life flashed right before his eyes. How he suffered... how he was weak at first... how he grew up... how he became stronger.... up to this very moment.

When they were just three meters away from the edge, Alucard suddenly just stopped dead on his tracks and fell down to his knees. He raised his head up to the sky, with the memories of his long lost childhood flooding right back at him. "I like this feeling... I want it..." He thought before accepting the change. Now, Alucard is lost to the purity.

But his bliss was cut short when Hilda, now nearly purified, calls out his name. Her voice echoed through his mind. And when he came to his senses, Hilda has already collapsed on the ground. He can see the purity consuming her faster than ever.

Even though purified, Alucard lifted Hilda up and ran towards the edge of influence, with his mind constantly switching back and forth in bliss and reality. But no matter what happened, he was eager to save Hilda. It may be too late for him, but not for her. And the only way he can make sure that Hilda survives is if he fights the purity's influence... even for just a little while.

He ran and ran until shortly after he can't take it any longer. Alucard tripped, ending up with him and Hilda tumbling across the ground. Hilda was just a foot away from the edge. She was so close yet so very far. Alucard though he failed. He failed to save another one. He can't move any longer. All he can ever do is lie there... in the soft, cold ground.

Before losing his grip in reality, the last thing he saw is a flash of light and a silhouette of a familiar face... With a blurry vision and distorted audio, the only thing he can make out is Gusion shouting "Hang on Hilda! I got you!"

... The world became silent for a while... but just for a little while...

And after some time Hilda regained consciousness.

He looked at Gusion with a worried expression. He already knew what she was trying to say. He can see it in her face. She wanted to know if Alucard made it.

He dropped and shook his head slowly. "He didn't make it..." Gusion said in a trembling tone.

She saw Alucard sitting down on the grass inside the influence. He was smiling.

He seems to be looking at the clouds while leaning back with his arms. His two feet swinging back in forth in enjoyment. It seems like he really is having a good time.

With his White cloak paired with Gold and Silver details, he seemed so completely innocent...

"We have to go" Hilda said, wiping her tears away before standing up.

"We must find the others and tell them that we know how to beat this thing."

"Wait, how about him? Are we just gonna leave him there?"

"I think... He's already where he wants to be." Hilda said. "He's home... for now"

With the two sadly leaving Alucard behind, Hilda swore that she'll be back for him, hopeful in bringing him back.

.

.

.

"Father, why do people make bad decisions?" asked Alucard.

"Because we are not perfect. And sometimes we do these things in order to get what we want" his father answered.

"Can't everyone just get along? can't just all the bad decisions go away?" asked Alucard again.

"If what you wish happens, then I'm afraid that everything will never be the way it is" in which his father replied.

Alucard's father turned to him and asked "What do you want when you grow up? Do you want to be bad or do you want to be good?"

"I'll be bad if people are bad at me and I'll be good if people are good at me!"

"Are you doing it just for yourself? How about your friends? How about me and your mommy?"

"Then I'll protect you! I'll protect everyone! As long as I'm standing I won't quit!" Said Alucard boasting at his dad with a toothy grin.

"Hahaha! And we will protect you. You know why? Cause we love you..."

"I love you, son..."

Alucard stared right back down at the horizon, watching as the sun sets with tears running down his face...

"... I love you too, dad..." He whispered to himself.

- END -