Preparing For A Siege

It was sunrise when we finally returned to the Valerious castle, Velkan in tow. He still hadn't fully healed but that was mainly because of the bundle of herbs I'd had Van Helsing feed him along the way. A mixture of a few herbs known to weaken werewolves - the main herb being wolfsbane.

It can't kill a werewolf, even in concentrated forms, but it does weaken them considerably. It effects different types of werewolves in different ways.

Lycans simply feel uncomfortable and lose the ability to turn but they'll still keep their inherent healing ability and physical prowess, natural werewolves (the ones from 'The Vampire Diaries') feel extreme levels of pain and magical-type werewolves are weakened by it and can't turn if they've ingested it. Because Velkan is among the last category, his abilities are weakened and he can't turn.

This made it very easy to get him back to the castle without any mishaps like him turning into his bestial form due to a lone ray of moonlight hitting him out of nowhere.

At last, we arrived inside the castle. I turned to Anna, "Do you have any restraints that you think could hold a werewolf? Anything like that?"

"I think we should have something like that in the castle, yes...but why? You told me Velkan can't transform as long as we feed him those herbs," she asked, worry coming across her face as soon as we began talking about her brother.

"Because prolonged usage of the herbs could do more than just weaken him," I said as the three of us paced to where Carl no doubt was with Van Helsing carrying Velkan over his shoulder like a sack, "And because we need to collect the venom his werewolf form secretes. It'll be the only way to kill Dracula when we get the chance."

That got both their attention and before long we found ourselves in the tower where all the Valerious' family knowledge was stored. Carl was asleep next to a woman - I knew you had it in you Carl - but he soon woke up when Van Helsing kicked the sofa he was lying on.

"Ah, vampires--!" he yelped as he flung himself up but then he realized who we were and saw the unimpressed looks we were all giving him. I did give him a thumbs-up, however. What? I'm proud of the guy, even if I kinda knew it was gonna happen. "Oh," he said as he regarded up in nothing but his oversized tunic, "W-well this a little bit awkward."

I stepped forward, "Well done on your sexual adventures, Carl, but please wake the lady up and tell her to leave. We have business to get done - especially considering we have a live werewolf in the castle. Isn't your scholarly curiosity burning or have you lost your edge?" I challenged with a grin.

That lady was forced awake and thrown out the castle quicker than you'd imagine from such a scrawny guy like Carl. Never get between him and science.

Dressed and ready for everything, Carl regarded Velkan with a curious eye as he did a few medical tests on the injured man. Van Helsing instead pointed his attention to me, "What did you mean by the werewolf venom being the only way to kill Dracula, Michael? When did you come to a conclusion like that?" Anna's eyes told me she had the same question.

"Well, it came to me when I saw Velkan being controlled by Dracula," I started before walking over to a nearby book I'd been perusing on the day I arrived here, "I mean, if you ever had a weakness, what would you do? If you couldn't avoid it and others could use it against you?" I asked.

"...I'd control the source of the weakness and stop it from being used against me," Anna answered with a look of realization that was mirrored by Van Helsing.

Nodding, I responded, "Exactly. And what does Dracula do with the werewolf in his employ? He controls it and makes sure he only ever has one at any given time. I'd bet he even gives it express orders to not change other people. But what really told me it's his weakness is because of this," I held the book out to them, showing them the specific page I'd stopped on, "Wolfsbane. It's a plant used to a variety of effects on the different species of werewolves. But did you know the word was originally used for something else around this part of Romania?" I asked and got surprised looks from the two of them as they leaned in closer to look at the book*.

(*A/n - Just wanna put out there that this is complete bollocks. Wolfsbane is wolfsbane and I'm just making up stuff for the sake of it lol.)

"It comes from a sentence, a short warning and meant to be used against Dracula," I continued before looking to Anna, "One of your ancestors was the one who recorded the line, shortly before he died. He'd hoped his son or his descendants would've figured it out but he didn't. The reason why he couldn't is unknown but I'd suspect espionage from Dracula. The original line 'Wolf's venom is the bane'. People thought he was just ranting and raving about the werewolf who put him on his death bed but he was trying to tell people Dracula's true weakness."

"So, we need to extract werewolf venom from Velkan to be able to combat Dracula," Van Helsing reaffirmed and I nodded.

"Yeah, which is why we need those restraints, Anna. Chains as well. We need to keep him still and unable to move while he's transformed - once we've collected enough venom we can head for Dracula's castle and get the cure for Velkan," I said, causing them all to cast confused glances at me.

Anna looked to me as I lowered the book and put it away, "But we don't know the location of Dracula's castle, Michael. What, did you figure that out as well?" she half-joked but the hope in her voice was genuine, if not a little subtle.

I smiled and gave a nod before walking over to one of the bags we'd stashed in here once we arrived. Pulling out the scroll we'd been given by Jinette, I looked back at Anna and Van Helsing, "You two follow me. Carl, make sure Velkan is stable and administer Wolfsbane whenever you feel it's necessary."

With that said, I made my way over to the painting which I knew was the entrance to Dracula's lair. Why wait so long to go here? Because it wasn't the right time. We needed werewolf venom before engaging with Dracula because of his unique immortality.

He has one weakness and one weakness holy. In that way, he's better than any of the other vampires in this world. He may be weaker, slower and less skilled but killing him is much harder. Well, kinda. Originals are harder to kill but you can just as easily put them under with a white oak stake - though even that isn't exactly 'easy'. But Dracula has nothing that can indefinitely stop him like that. He's immune to the sun, to fire, holy water and crucifixes. Wood has no effect on him either. The only way to kill him...is with werewolf venom. The type of werewolf is pertinent as well.

Lycan venom would do nothing because it's biological in nature. Natural werewolf venom would hurt and weaken him but never kill him. Only a werewolf created through similar means to him would be able to do it - a werewolf like Velkan.

So, I needed to rescue Velkan and harvest his werewolf form's venom before I even thought of taking down Dracula.

I also wanted to put down his plans to raise his undead children also, which is why I went to Castle Frankenstein - as well as to save Velkan. I could've allowed the plot to go as it pleased but I refused. I wouldn't allow the chance that Van Helsing become a werewolf or Anna would die to get any bigger than the natural risks this mission would come with.

But now, it's time to show them the entrance to Dracula's castle.

"You said your father would stare at the painting of Transylvania for hours, trying to find Dracula's lair, right?" I asked Anna who nodded, "Well, what if he wasn't trying to find the lair but instead trying to figure out how to open the door to it? Because the door was already in front of him?"

We arrived in front of the painting and I unravelled the scroll for Van Helsing to look at the font and colour of the scroll, "Does the font not exactly match? The material too? I had my suspicions when I first saw it but now I'm sure of it. Look," I held up the scroll next to the painting's Latin text. Van Helsing stepped forth and looked between the scroll and the painting before he looked to me and nodded in agreement, "Why would Valerious the Elder give the Order this then? The key to opening the door?" I held up the scroll once more, "It's because he didn't wish for Dracula to be able to come through this door ever again. He effectively locked the cell and threw away the key. And through the ages, people - both the Order and the Valerious family - forgot about the significance of the scroll."

"...But then the Devil gave Dracula wings*, making the door useless," Anna added in realization while Van Helsing looked utterly stumped that anyone could ever forget the key to a door that led to Dracula's lair. I had to admit, I felt the same.

(*A/n - Dracula's lair is isolated and inaccessible without wings or other means of transportation)

"Exactly," I replied before moving a chair from blocking the bottom left of the painting, revealing a missing piece. A piece that same size and shape as the scroll I held in my hand. Kneeling down, I pulled the missing piece free of the scroll metal container, "But it's not useless for us. We can use it to gain access to Dracula's lair...which holds the cure for Velkan's lycanthropy," I said while looking back at Anna, her eyes wide and filled with hope.

Pushing the final piece into place, I stood once more and touched the painting, chanting the Latin inscription before finishing it with, "In the name of God, open this door."

The door underwent some very peculiar changes but weirdest of all...I could feel something more. Something within the painting twisting and turning. Was...was this magic? Can I feel magic? It wouldn't be all too surprising considering my ability to ignite my blade. Add onto that the odd feeling in my chest that seems to grow every year and with the regaining of my memories.

...After this, I need to seek out some Witches and Wizards. There are some good Covens on peaceful terms with the Order. Maybe I'll put in for a vacation after putting Dracula down. Even if they deny it, I'll go - because I need to know whether this feeling is magic or not.

My thoughts aside, the painting changed from that of a map of Transylvania to that of a mirror. Yet I knew what it really was - a sort of Romanian magic. Very ancient and very, very powerful. The only way to open it is that specific Latin chant and the final phrase. Without it, it's near impossible to open through brute force. If anything the backlash of trying to break in through force would flash-freeze anyone who tried. Scary stuff.

Pushing my hand a little further against the mirror-like gateway, it sunk through the mirror as it crackled like ice underneath someone's foot.

"And there we go, a doorway straight to Dracula," I turned back and looked at both Anna and Van Helsing. Pulling back my hand, I saw the bits of snow on it and even felt the cold despite my enhanced body - magical in nature, no doubt - "Bloody cold though. Snowing too," I brushed off the snow just in time to see Van Helsing grabbing a torch and making way to try and enter the door, "Hold up, Van Helsing," I put a hand on his shoulder and kept him in place, "We need the werewolf venom before we go up against him."

I didn't usually lord my enhanced strength over Van Helsing and nor did I like treating him like a child but I needed to put my foot down for now. He was trying to rush in despite what I'd said earlier and I could tell it was because of whatever Dracula had said to him. I could see it in his eyes; a morbid curiosity aimed at finding out how Dracula knew him.

He gave me a look and I quickly shut down whatever he was about to say, "What did Dracula say to you, my friend? It's obviously got you using that out of shape brain of yours," I quipped yet the seriousness to my tone completely undermined the bantering nature of my words.

Van Helsing looked to me and then to Anna before looking back to me.

Sighing, I looked to Anna, "Can you let me and Van Helsing talk alone for a little while, Anna? We...have things we'd like to keep between ourselves," I said without holding back and while Anna had a slightly sour expression on her face, she gave an understanding nod as I continued, "Go be with your brother. He needs his family right now."

With that said, she left and after a few seconds, Van Helsing started speaking, "...He knew me, Michael. He called me Gabriel. Said we fought together all those years ago, that he too was once a part of the Order--I know better than to believe his words but something about how he said it...it sounded sincere," he spoke with a lost tone, the reality of his missing memories striking him harder than it had in years. Then he looked me dead in the eyes and continued, "He knew you as well. Asked where you were," he sighed and brought a hand to his face as if he were trying to wipe the exhaustion from it, "Said it'd been centuries since he'd since his two dearest friends and that he wanted to catch up while he had the chance."

"So as I thought he does know me," I said with an annoyed tone, "The way he looked at me as Anna and I escaped was about as close as he could get to friendship and joy. No doubt why he didn't cut the zipline as we crossed it."

The words I spoke left a bad taste in my mouth. I wasn't what you could call a prideful man but like all people, I had my own pride. And while I kept it in check and never let it control me, it didn't mean that I didn't feel the sting of the mercy Dracula had given me - he could've attacked and yet he didn't. I was shown mercy by a monster. It was a blow to a lot of things I believed in but it also emboldened my resolve. Hardened my determination.

The fact he gave me mercy stung but it wouldn't stop me from doing what I felt was right.

I wasn't all-knowing, nor was I all-good. I wasn't all-benevolent or all-loving like the Almighty and despite what I might've been in the past, I was just a man now. Which means I can only do what any man or woman can do; what I feel is right.

Despite what Dracula did for me, it wouldn't stop me from ridding the Earth of him. His mercy aside, he stood on the opposite of every living soul on Earth, his goal being as much death as possible.

I'm not infallible. I know that. I'm not better than the monsters I kill or any other thing on this planet.

I'm me. And that will have to be enough.

"We cannot risk the mission out of selfishness, Van Helsing," I said, shaking my head, "No matter if Dracula can help us regain our memories, it doesn't matter. What matters is doing what we feel is right and what I feel is right, is stopping Dracula. Even if it means losing the information he could give me about myself. I hope you feel the same, my friend. I truly do," I said and took my hand off his shoulder, turning and walking back to where Carl, Velkan and now Anna would be.

...Haah~ Who knew this would all be so annoying?

. . .

Collecting the werewolf venom. I knew it would be easy but...well--

"Hold his mouth open further, Michael!" Van Helsing shouted as he struggled to put the vial into Velkan's transformed mouth in the right position.

Straining, I opened Velkan's mouth a little more while looking down at Van Helsing, "Do you know how high a werewolf's bite force is? Makes a crocodile look harmless! So stop the complaining and do more venom collecting!" I shouted back at him, my arms straining to keep the werewolf's jaw open enough for Van Helsing to fit his hands and the vial in there.

There's thousands of pounds of force per square inch acting down on my hands right now and keeping that from snapping shut on my old friend's hands is straining even more me. The strongest part of a werewolf isn't their arms or legs - it's their mouth! Their jaws!

I wasn't even exaggerating when I said their bite force was stronger than a crocodiles. A saltwater crocodile, to be exact. The order can't even make a testing machine strong enough to test a werewolf's bite force - that's how strong it is.

Why had I put my hands in it's mouth then? Because the clamps Carl and I threw together for tonight didn't last longer than a few seconds against the bite force. So, I had to step in.

Luckily Anna had some falconer's gloves for me. Would this stop a werewolf bite? No. Have you not been listening enough? Velkan would bite straight through this leather, no matter how tough it is. The only reason I'm wearing them is to stop myself from cutting myself on his fangs and getting the werewolf venom in my own bloodstream. I have no clue if I can become a werewolf due to my unique physiology and there's only a very small chance Velkan's fangs could cut through my skin and flesh without a full motion bite but I'm not taking any risks.

Last thing I need is to become a werewolf, you know?

We'd been doing this for the last half an hour and we'd filled about four vials. I wanted at least twenty. This was gonna be a long night.