1 Going To Castlevania

Looking across the table at the featureless figure, I narrowed my eyes and frowned, "So, in your own words, you want me to go to the Netflix adaptation of Castlevania and sort out a few 'problems' and ensure that the world doesn't end?"

"That's the official reasoning, yes," the figure of white light, outlined by a line of abyssal darkness, nodded and I had the sense that they were smiling across at me as they continued, "But it's more of a personal thing separate from any divine duty I hold. Living for eons is boring and immortality is only as advantageous as the things you haven't yet seen. Which is why I want to see a mortal struggle against a world's pre-destined fate - I haven't seen one do it successfully yet. Besides, this specific version is indeed being effected by certain outside forces and as a being of the divine, it's my duty to send a mortal to sort the mess out."

"Why me, then? And why a mortal? Why not sort it out yourself directly?" I posed the question casually, leaning back into the chair behind me - if I was about to get smited for impudence against a God, I might as well get comfortable, right?

The divine creature's genderless voice chuckled - a rumbling that shook me to my bones - and then answered, "Because mortals, while vastly weaker, have a much higher population than the divine creatures such as myself. Call it arrogance, cowardice or laziness, but the divine don't get involved in these types of things. We prefer to stay above the fighting and watch others solve our problems."

Arrogance seeped from their words...but at least they were being truthful about their reasoning. Forthright. I could respect that.

"Then I'll ask again, why me? Surely there are better choices in the vastness of us mortals, no?"

"Of course there are better choices," the figure nodded before clicking it's tongue - or at least making a sound similar to that action - "But the God King made one rule that all of us have to follow: we cannot use mortals against their own will. Which is why I'm being so forthcoming with you and why I picked you. Because you want to leave your current world. The options better than you...are happy. They'd rather stay on Earth than be sent off to deal with vampires and the supernatural."

My eyes widening slightly, I rubbed at my jaw and looked into myself: was I really that unsatisfied with my life? The answer quickly came to me: Yes, yes I was.

I was 21 and I'd done nothing with my life. Not for a lack of trying either. I'd been cut off by what felt like the world itself at every opportunity. Job opportunities, relationships, finances, family problems--all of them happened because of coincidences. The bus being late and making me late for an interview, a chance encounter causing a partner to leave me and move on to someone better, having my bank details stolen by a hacker just before my mom got put in hospital.

So yeah, I didn't enjoy my time on Earth. I had friends, sure. I even had quite a few good memories. But life was no longer satisfying for me. I merely went through the motions of living - I'd given up trying at some point.

At the back of my head, I realized I'd wished something like this would happen.

That I could move onto a new world and have another shot at trying to do something with my life.

"And that's why you were picked," the figure said and I came out of my thoughts as they continued, "You had such potential. Academically and athletically gifted. Good-looking. Charismatic. Good problem-solving skills. But the world continued punishing you for a past life's terrible karma...a terrible waste for the world, but a brilliant opportunity for me because it means you're interested in leaving Earth."

"To become entertainment for a bored God?" I scoffed, a smirk growing across my lips.

"And is there anything wrong with that? I assure you, there are worse jobs out in the vast thing we both call existence. Besides, at least you know you're entertainment - everyone on Earth has no real clue that their every movement and action is being watched and judged by dozens of Gods," the figure chuckled, seeming to remember something.

...When they put it like that, it didn't seem like such a bad deal. Especially when I considered that I'd be able to get away from Earth and my old life. From bad luck, an uncaring family and unforgiving circumstances.

"Would I get wishes?" I asked, curious about the whole situation.

The figure nodded and held up it's hand, all it's fingers extended, "Yes, you'd get five wishes. That would be more than enough for the world you're getting sent to - but please realize I won't be granting any wishes that would take away the entertainment value of watching you. Remember why I'm sending you," it warned with a somewhat playful tone.

I gave a nod and leaned fully back into the chair, resting my head even further backward and looking up at the vast space above us. We were in a practically infinite room, with no discernible measurements and with nothing but two chairs opposite a coffee table.

It hurt my head to look into that infinite whiteness, so I closed my eyes and thought for a second.

A few moments later, I opened my mouth and gave my answer, "Sure, I'll play along. Do you wanna go through the wishes now or do you just wanna read my mind for them?"

"No, no, you go ahead and speak them yourself. That's half the fun!" it playfully said, seeming to scold me for even saying what I said and I rolled my eyes behind my closed eyelids. I thought for a few more seconds, making edits to my wishes so they weren't too obscene.

"First up," I didn't bother looking at the figure and kept my eyes closed as I held up my index finger, "I want to be sent to this new world as Crowley Eusford with all his powers, abilities and skills. In terms of appearance, I'd like to look like him but make all his hair red instead of that weird brown/red separation he has and do away with any piercings he has."

I waited for a few seconds and the figure coughed for me to continue, so I did, "I want to be immune to all a Vampire's traditional weaknesses. Sunlight, holy water, crosses--you know, that type of stuff. Next up, I wanna take Crowley's first-class Vampire weapon with me to this new world. My next wish is to do with it as well, as I want the weapon to have a special ability that makes the weapon heavier the more blood it absorbs. That applies to both blood drained from myself and from opponents."

Things went silent for a little while as I thought over my last wish. I thought about what I lacked.

It quickly came to mind: an option to gain power. Crowley was strong but he wasn't unbeatable. I'd need more strength if I didn't want to die to whatever was in this changed Castlevania.

"For my last wish, I want the ability to grow stronger and stronger as long as I put in the necessary effort," I informed the God and opened my eyes and looked back at them again, "Are these wishes suitable?"

The figure nodded and smiled, "Yes, yes they are. Your first wish is easy enough to grant. The second one as well, as all it basically needs is for me to turn you into a Dhampir. Your power won't decrease but you'll be immune to a normal Vampire's weaknesses," the figure explained and, again, I felt like they were smiling, "Everything else can be granted easily enough. For the last one...I'll do what I can but eventually the exercise needed for you to improve with be impossible to complete with ordinary means. You'll have to figure it out on your own."

"And what do I do when I find these problems? Kill them, I presume?" I asked, wanting to know more about my new 'job'.

"Oh, you can do that, if you want. But making sure they don't cause wanton destruction throughout the world would be more than enough. Killing them would be the easiest way to stop that but it won't be easy, let me assure you," the God said with a ominous tone.

"...Right, okay," I nodded, "Then when do I start?"

The God shrugged, looked at their wrist like they had a watch there and looked back to me, "Now is as good a time as any other!"

And that's when everything went black.

. . .

The next moment I opened my eyes, I was overwhelmed.

So many sensations, so many new instincts, so many new memories--all of it crammed into my head and overflowing like water from a glass.

I collapsed to a knee, grasping at my head as it throbbed, "Bloody hell, that hurts..." I whispered harshly, my voice different - smoother, more melodic, easier on the ears. Pushing aside those thoughts, I cracked my eyes open to see something else that surprised me a little bit.

Snow. Snow covered the ground and as I looked up, I saw more snow coming down from the heavens to build on the snow already down here.

Not just that, I realized a few other things: 1) The cold didn't bother me one bit. I could tell it was cold, yes, but I wasn't shivering nor did the cold have that bone-shaking bite it used to have. It was just there now. Different than 'hot' but nothing much to me or my body any longer. It was quite an odd sensation.

2) I could see each snowflake with stunning clarity. And if I focused on the snow hard enough, time seemed to slow down, letting me watch the snow fall in slow motion.

3) I felt powerful. A raw strength rippled through my body and even just crouching, I could already feel the amount of power in my body was incredible. More power than something human-shaped should ever have. Not just that, I felt sturdier, like my body was made of better materials than before. If I had to compare it to anything, it was like my human body was made of wet paper and I was now made of concrete or metal.

I looked back down at my hand and clenched it, getting a feel for the unfamiliar power coursing through it, before I stood up in a calm and controlled manner.

I wouldn't say I had perfect control over my strength right now but I wouldn't be crushing cups on accident or flinging myself upward when I wanted to stand up from a sitting position, that's for sure. The memories now in my head, while they didn't effect me emotionally, they did impose a certain level of control onto me. Control over my strength, control over my body's movements...and control over my new thirst.

I rubbed my throat, wincing at the dryness and the scratching pain every breath brought.

...It would seem being technically a Dhampir didn't take away my thirst for blood. Fuck.

New sounds caught my attention, taking me away from the sudden realizations I was having, and pointing my gaze behind me and toward a snowy castle not too far from me. Maybe a kilometer or two away.

It was a beautifully haunting castle, with high-reaching towers next to a beautiful dome that was surrounded by spires. It was all built with pure white stone as well, letting it fit in with the surrounding snowy mountains it was situation on and amongst. It was truly a sight to see. An architectural masterpiece.

Except this beautiful sight was ruined by the raging armies clashing in a snowy valley just in front of the castle.

Armies of men in heavy plate, with some riding warhorses, charging with light-armored infantry as they clashes against pale women and men dressed in fancy silver-white armor. The former were humans - it was easy to see from their sluggish movements - and the latter were Vampires. Ordinarily, the much bigger human army would've been decimated by the Vampire army because even if the latter was outnumbered 10 to 1, every Vampire soldier was worth a dozen of humans in either sheer ability or physical strength.

But, there was a third army in the fray.

An army of bipedal wolf men, suited in simple and crude metal armor fitted over their massive bodies. Some carried weapons the size of the average man that looked like cleavers - though they would be more accurately described as slabs of iron that were sharpened into a jagged edge.

Despite their crude make, however, they seemed to be having zero troubles cutting through the Vampire army's armor when backed by the sheer strength the creatures seemed to have.

The Vampire's caught between the wolf men and the human army were being forced back toward their castle but each step was bloody and hard and filled with the scrapping sound of metal hitting metal. Sounds I could hear even from all the way over here...which was pretty crazy to think about, actually.

One of the only reasons the Vampire's hadn't been completely routed yet was because of the actions of two certain soldiers.

One of them was a mini-giant, dressed in midnight black armor, decorated with blue fabric that hung loosely from their waist. Once it was probably very nice fabric but the years hadn't been kind to it and it was very torn at the ends - but that only gave the person an aura as a warrior. The helm they were wearing obscured their face behind a yellow visor of some sort of crystal.

The person was wielding a sword that befit their size - meaning it was utterly massive. Easily longer than six feet and wide enough that it could probably be used as a snowboard.

They cut through the wolf men, holding them at bay while the others focused on the humans.

It was a sight to see. A wonderful display of skill and physical prowess.

The other soldier was a woman - that much was easy to see as they weren't wearing a helmet. Their long silver-white hair was held back in a ponytail, out of the way, and showing off her elegant and noble features. She had blood red full lips, beautiful almond shaped eyes that housed icy blue irises, a straight nose and a sharp jawline that ended in a somewhat pointy chin. All her features were sharp, giving off a somewhat dangerous vibe. But I couldn't deny that she was beautiful.

She was dressed in blood red armor that matched her lip color and she was weaving in and out of attacks from humans, moving with inhuman grace and speed, slashing with her crimson shashka* and splitting humans in half left, right and center.

(*A/N - A sort of sabre. Halfway between a curved sabre and a sword.)

If the previous person had an attack method that could be described as simple yet efficient, then this woman's attack method could be described as graceful yet savage.

I found my newly gained vampire side quickly liking her.

Then I began to remember where I was and who these people were. The one in midnight plate armor was Striga in her day armor. The beautiful woman in blood red armor was Carmilla. I was in Styria. This was the attack on their castle from the wolf people and the armies from the west that Carmilla referenced when she was speaking to Lenore.

...Which meant I was here in Castlevania an unknown amount of time before canon even begins. Dracula is probably brooding in his castle, a cynical old man but definitely not a genocidal one and Alucard isn't even a twinkle in old Vlad's eye just yet either.

Looking over at the castle, I smiled, weighing something back and forth in my head before I shrugged. Who cares that much about canon anyway? Besides, they look like they need help.

I walked forth, reached to my side and found my sword there.

I then reached into my head and brought forth the memories I had from Crowley about fighting. His time in the crusades, his time teaching other people, his time as a Vampire and using his superior physical strength in combat, his time training and getting better as a swordsman and in unarmed combat.

It all came naturally to me. Well, I say that, but it'll take some time to get used to it. At least I have a load of practice dummies right in front of me, huh?

Still not completely used to my new body, I started off in the direction of Carmilla's castle in a jog.

Even then, my speed was probably faster than a car. I sped across the snowy land, my feet as sure as they'd ever been - I didn't trip or stumble, my balance and coordination unnaturally good. I just ran, picking up speed until I collided with the back of the wolf men army.

There were hundreds of them. A lot of potential practice.

Drawing the sword at my waist, I whipped it around and sliced into the side of an unsuspecting wolf person. Their metal armor gave way and the sword sliced through their fur, skin, flesh and bone like they were all butter. A pleasant smile worked it's way across my face without an conscious effort on my part - I think Crowley's memories and vampire physiology may be effecting me somewhat more than I thought it had, actually.

I was soon discovered and a group of wolf men turned to stop me. I brought my sword to my side and stopped one of their oversized cleavers with ease - they were strong, yes, but I was clearly stronger. With ease I rebuffed the attack and flashed toward the stumbling wolf person, stabbing through their snout and out the back of the head.

They dropped dead and I sent out a crippling kick that impacted another wolf's chest, crushing the armor inward along with their sternum and ribcage that cracked with an almost sickening loudness.

I backed up a dozen or so feet and held my sword in front of me.

Just from those few clashes, I felt my familiarity with this sword skyrocket. My skill was still crude but Crowley's style of fighting was quickly coming through and embedding it's way into my nervous system.

Crowley used a style that was simple yet brutal, focusing on simple wide swings that used the range of his claymore-like sword to maximum effect. Wide swings that capitalized on his immense strength and speed as well. He had two styles in this one style, though: one where he went casual and only used one hand and another where he went serious and used two hands.

"Sword, drink my blood," I spoke in a calm tone, the same pleasant smile spread across my face. Five spikes shot out of the hilt of the sword, piercing through my hand - yet no bleeding occurred. All the blood was sucked up by those five spikes.

It hurt, for sure. But it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would.

Maybe Vampires experience pain differently or something?

Mentally, shrugging, I ignored my sword turning a solid red and put my free hand on the hilt of the sword as well, under the hand already on the sword, "Well, I ought to use two hands when up against so many opponents, right?" I said, more to myself than to the wolf people across from me, but they still howled, growled and roared at me before charging. Quite a few were coming at me this time, as well.

Good.