Dracula thought about the answer for a very, very long ti. But instead of replying, he suddenly asked sothing else.
"I'll answer that question after I figure sothing out… Alucard, what is your relationship with the Sinners? How many do of us do you know, and how do you know of our existence in the first place?"
I an, I could tell him the truth, but sothing about it felt… wrong. I didn't know why. So I tried to play my knowledge off as surface-level.
"Huh? Wasn't it well-known in your ti?"
Dracula stared at for a few monts before answering.
"No. And that's why it's strange how you know about us — and how you're involved in this at all. You share no connection to or any other Sinner… except one. And I want to know how deep that connection goes."
Huh? What was he talking about? If anything, he should be my biggest connection. I literally possessed his son's body for a while. If my connection isn't with him… then who is it with?
My thoughts were cut short by Dracula's next question, a question that rang in my skull like a verdict — the type of question that decided whether I lived or died.
"Who are you truly, Alucard? And how do you know about and the others, what is your connection with us?"
He said it casually, but his voice carried weight — crushing weight. I guessed I had no choice but to tell the truth. It was my best chance at survival after all.
"Ugh… I'm Alucard, as you know. My true na is Monarch of Crimson, if you wanted that information too."
Dracula raised an eyebrow at the ntion of a true na.
"You… still have a true na?"
What was with everyone expecting not to have one? But whatever — that wasn't the point. He clearly wanted the rest of his questions answered, and I wasn't in any position to argue. Compared to his power, I was a speck of dust trying to argue with a nuke.
"Yes. So uhh… as for my connection to the Sinners, it's a very long story, but basically I t you first because I reincarnated into the body of your son. Or possessed it. I'm not really sure. And I t Feltan not too long ago. He was trapped in so dungeon. I made a deal with him: in exchange for destroying a castle and a few other things, he'd tell how to beco a Sinner and give his heart and sin lineage."
Dracula's face twisted from anger at the ntion of possessing his future son to confusion at ntioning feltan and finally utter disbelief at the ntion of our deal
"Wait. Let get this straight. You sohow survived an encounter with Feltan? And he was trapped? And he told you his na? And he was willing to tell you how to beco a Sinner? …Wait. You also said he'd give you a sin lineage?"
Dracula held his head like he felt a migraine coming. Then suddenly he grabbed by the shoulders and shook .
"Wait. I think I understand now. Yes — it makes sense why I gave you that necklace… and why Feltan offered you the knowledge about becoming a Sinner. Okay. All right. I have to think — what was I planning on doing? What was I supposed to tell you…? Yes, yes… all right."
He let go of . I could feel my connection to him breaking, little by little. He didn't have much ti. My vision was starting to crack, the world distorting like a broken mirror.
"Listen. IT is always listening. IT can always see you.
"The more you know about IT, the more IT knows about you.
"IT will try to corrupt you. Do not listen.
"And whatever you do — no matter what — do not utter ITS na.
"You must reach the Garden of Resurrection. That is where salvation rest's. No matter what… reach the garden."
My vision shattered further. I could barely see him now. I didn't hear his last words, but I saw his lips move:
"Rember the garden… and when the ti cos, rember salvation."
I didn't know what to think.
Then everything broke.
---
I woke up in a house I vaguely recognized — Effie's. She looked like a ss. Her armor was damaged, her hair no longer tied in a ponytail but hanging loose, and she looked like she'd eaten herself half to death judging by all the bones scattered around her.
I opened my eyes wider and heard her voice.
"Good morning, sleepyhead."
I rubbed my eyes as I sat up and really looked at her.
"Are you good?"
I was genuinely curious. I hadn't seen her since the whole ordeal with the Lord of the Dead.
"Well… about as good as soone can be after they pretty much lost everything. What about you? You were yelling in your sleep about so garden."
I raised an eyebrow. She clearly tried to change the subject but that wasn't the weird part she said I was yelling? about a garden of all things?
"What? Really? I don't rember anything about a garden."
A vague idea brushed my mind — the Garden of Resurrection. After all, my Aspect Legacy was nad after that garden… or rather, its gate.
"Yeah, you were," she said. "Must've been one hell of a nightmare."
But that didn't make sense.
Sleepers don't have dreams.
Let alone nightmares.
Honestly… I don't rember anything after entering the Dark City to start a massacre so maybe I did have a nightmare and I forgot about it but that wouldn't answer the big question.
How the hell did I end up in Effie's house?
Reviews
All reviews (0)