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It has been years since I have yet again succumbed to a deep slumber. The year of our Lord is 2097. It has been 60 years since the Reincarnation of Dracula had fallen to the darkness that had lied dormant in his soul, the same darkness that I had long thought was vanquished. It has been so long since I have even uttered his name...it fills my heart with regret....
“Soma Cruz...” the wisp of breath leaves his lips in a shudder, “I have failed you.”
The castle looms above the bustling city; the vampiric powers Alucard had inherited were at the height of his strength. He turns from the window in the throne room to look upon Soma. His once deep azure eyes now a piercing red, the pure rage in his visage resembling his father, Dracula...as he sank his teeth into the limp body in his lap.
His breath caught in his throat, no—a gasp. A few steps back. It was as if he was stolen and thrown into a prison lost to time. In truth, he had never truly taken the time to sit down with the feeling of dread he had endured the moment it was discovered that Soma was the true vessel of Dracula: the dread he felt wasn’t of facing his father again unlike every other century...it was being forced to kill the young man he took under his wing. The one he mentored. The young one he let stay in his office for a while to shelter on rainy days he couldn’t make it back to his friend’s family.
His son.
“Soma...I can smell his blood...the Blood of a Belmont.... What have you done?!”
“He stood in my way...it could not be helped.”
Without a second thought, he steps closer to the throne but is halted when the body is kicked down the steps to him. His body trembled, his breath, ragged with that same dread. He reaches out to lift his head and can recognize the body as none other than Julius Belmont...descendant of his most dear friend, now lifeless like the rest of them. Choked by a sob, he lets out a mournful cry. In his distress as he mourns, Soma steps closer to the weeping man and his corpse of a friend. The dhampir’s senses catch the faint sound of his footsteps and he darts his head up, glaring at him. In a flash, he lunges at him and strikes him.
In the height of his adrenaline, the fight starts, blow for blow. They are at a complete stalemate until Alucard overpowers him and he collapses a wall to land him in another floor. Soma pushes himself up with great difficulty. For a moment, Alucard feels remorse— sees the young man before his corruption. He drops his sword in surrender. “I cannot kill you...” He raises his hands in an attempt to seal him. “You may be lord of this castle...but so long as humanity exists, I will oppose you.”
“You are a fool to think I can be so easily thwarted! Strike me down!”
His expression tightens with grief...to kill his father, he had done more times than he wished to count, but killing Soma was unthinkable....
A gleam of amusement flashed in his crimson eyes. “Ahhhhh...you see it now.”
His focus falters for a moment to lock eyes with him as he continues to speak with him:
“Now you understand the depths of my grief. Do you see now, why I wish to eradicate mankind?”
There it was: The revelation that made centuries of grief and heartache pale in comparison...he had planned this. The candidate for the dark lord becomes true reincarnation once a bond was formed between he and the tragic prince...although he had the power to kill him, could not, even after he killed the last living descendant of his closest friend.
“It is cruel of you to use Soma as a means to torment me, father. Your evil truly knows no bounds....”
Soma belts out a spell of maniacal laughter, “It is time you stopped walking amongst mankind. You are an immortal...so long as there is a passage of time, you will see those you love die. But he...will remain forever...if, you will allow me to turn him fully, then I will slumber once more....”
Those words echo in my mind...
Join me....
In the end, I was powerless to refuse...and so the vow I made with mankind was broken...and the curse consumed us both.