[Hector turns to eye Alucard, suspicious after that sound of his. It looks like he has a needy dog on one side and a curious dhampir on the other.
Well, he can't actually judge, because if he heard a dog, he would also insist on seeing it. That is the life he lives.]
It won't work like that, but at this point, you may as well come and see him.
[He hops over the rail and starts the climb down to the boat. With his focus on reaching his anchored vessel, he pays no attention to the fog-covered horizon.]
Alucard actually follows Hector down like a human, rather than just floating. It seems fair, and he doesn't want to scare the dog. Who--
--well, once Alucard sees the dog, he understands entirely. Not just what Hector really is in his father'e estimation, but why a dog might be so needy. He's a tiny thing, and they have tendencies at that size.]
Does he have a certain approach that's preferred when meeting strangers?
[The undead sailors paddle them back to the ship, and when they climb aboard, Cesar is already there, hopping to see them. Each time he lands, there is a clinking of nails and one bony paw on the wooden deck. He is dressed in a tiny pirate hat with a little eye patch over his missing eye, because Hector is used to being the only live thing on his ship and he has no self-control.]
It's always like this. Very few of my associates are willing to indulge him.
[So Hector keeps him close. The little pug snorts in Hector's direction, but spins around and waits for the newcomer to reach him and stoop to pet him. Hector sighs.]
[Oh goodness that's...endearing. And so Alucard does the only thing one can ever do in this situation: kneel down and extend a hand out to Cesar, both to be sniffed and more importantly, to administer pets.]
I am commonly known on the seas as Alucard. It's...perhaps not wise to name me by my parentage at the moment.
[Because Alucard is so subtle.
But the dhampir is at least gentle with Cesar, not rushing the pup along.]
[If Dracula is a vampirate, Cesar is a puprate. Hector only puts him in his little hat when they are safely away from the court, and Cesar is always very pleased to wear it.]
Your secret is safe with little Cesar.
[They are in the middle of the ocean. Hector doesn't know who Alucard expects will overhear them.
Cesar, for his part, hops and yips and rolls over to present his tummy to the pale hand. Hector watches his pet fondly. Alucard is treating him gently, in spite of the obvious signs of reanimation.]
Do you eat...or drink? [If the dhampir is here petting his dog, Hector might as well be a good host.]
[That dog is wearing a hat. Alucard has...questions, but they mostly boil down to how the hat stays in place.
And while they may be in the middle of the ocean, the wind will always carry. The ship could have it's spies. Alucard doesn't intend to invite more attention than he can manage. What he does intend to invite is Cesar's affection, and he goes for that belly rub with a very full gusto.]
Thank you for the hospitality, but I am satisfied in both areas. [Well, he's good on blood. The rest he'd rather take care of himself.]
[Shh, it has a little ribbon that goes under his chin, and it is adorable.
There may or may not be the vague shape of a ship materializing out of the fog, no big deal. What's more important is the little stubby tail that is twitching as Alucard rubs.]
[Through the mist, row boats laden with still, undead passengers cut silently through the water. They move unnaturally fast toward Hector's ship, yet unseen in the dark and the fog.
Cesar snorts, then rolls over and sits, hamming up his performance. He gives his head a little toss, then carefully raises a paw (the flesh one, Hector had to train him to use only that one) to place in Alucard's. Cesar's tongue lolls, and he looks expectantly from dhampir to human, unsure from which his treat will come, but so assured that it will come from someone.
Hector reaches into his pocket for a little bit of dried meat to toss him.]
Well done. [A throaty voice purrs as a shape rises from the water and comes to hover over the deck.] Did you teach him that, Hector? Such a clever boy. Go on, give him his treat.
[Carmilla steps out, a white shape from the billowing white fog.]
You did quite a clever trick yourself, Hector, finding the Ghost Ship all by yourself. I wonder what treat I'll give you... [She smiles with her fangs.
Hector stumbles backwards, trying to put more distance between himself and her. Cesar's treat drops onto the deck, and Cesar huffs.]
[Cesar's a good dog. But to give any more compliments demands time that now they don't have. Alucard's eyes go from Cesar (who is blameless in this scenario) to Hector, who now? Now he has no trust in at all. Even if he was followed unaware, it doesn't matter. Carmilla has taken advantage of the situation.
There is a raw, furious hiss from Alucard, and without lifting a finger, his sword moves out of it's sheath and goes right for Carmilla's throat.
It's a cheap tactic. With a horrible burst of vampire speed, Alucard has leaped off Hector's boat entirely, and is relying on his own flight abilities to get back to his ship.
He can't fight. This is about retreat, and lasting until dawn.]
[Carmilla flashes to one side as the sword whizzes towards her, and a harsh chuckle bubbles forth from her blood-red lips.]
A great weapon I looked for, and a great weapon I've found.
[Her crew has surrounded the ship, undead thralls in boats and lesser vampires hovering or jumping to pursue Alucard. Some are already making for the ghost ship.
Hector's hand goes for his hammer, but he hesitates, trying to judge the right moment. The second he strikes out, there is no going back, and this close, surrounded by this many of Carmilla's loyal minions as well as the vampiress herself, he has to make it count.
Carmilla surges forward, but not overboard after Alucard. Not yet. She goes to Cesar, who is sniffing out the dropped treat, oblivious to the danger around him. In a blur of motion too fast to track, the pup is in Carmilla's arms.]
Behave, pet. [She says, not to Cesar. Hector stares at her with undisguised hatred, but drops his hand. Damn it. Damn it!
Smirking, she flies in pursuit of Alucard, carrying in her clawed hands the one piece of leverage that would actually serve to keep Hector at bay.]
[There's no time to concentrate on sending the sword further after Carmilla. Alucard can only recall it back to his side, already halfway over the waters now and in need of a bladed weapon. The boats, their sailors, he punches through them as they move close, the real problem being the lesser vampires who share the flying ability.
But he is the Son of Dracula. That comes with far greater power than most of them can ever dream of having, and more than one foe finds themselves buried in the water.
Alucard doesn't turn until he's managed to reach his own ship. Oh yes, there are more fiends aboard now, but this is his ship and that deserves defense.
Before he can communicate to the thing (for he can communicate with it to a degree for basic defenses), his eyes flash back to Hector's ship. Carmilla...ah. She has a hostage, and that is a cruel thing. But the part of Alucard that isn't certain that this was't intended? He thinks good. He then thinks fog and soon that billows forth from all around the ghost ship.]
[Seething, Hector dives below deck the moment Carmilla is away. Oh, she wants to see his pets now, does she?
In the spare time between pirate excursions and his little science field trips, Hector fills his time with tinkering. The vampires all know he likes to dabble. They look to Isaac for reliable forged creatures in bulk; Hector is the one to ask for something unique, a bespoke horror.
What he has tried to keep under wraps are the creatures he has designed and given to no one else. He likes to have an ace up his sleeve, so to speak. One of them is below deck, not yet animated to keep his ‘allies’ from sensing it. Another is...below.
He raises his hammer and makes a swinging motion. The head of the weapon makes contact with nothing, but the clear ringing of a strike fills the air. The darkened bulkhead glows with a blue light.
Hector is getting his damn dog back.
Carmilla and her minions close in on Alucard. Carmilla has no compunction about sending her crew to their deaths. They are chess pawns, meant to be sacrificed.
The boats of undead paddle forth. Some lose their way in the enchanted mist, but the ones that reach the hull use weapons or claws to begin tearing say it.
The vampires are not driven by sight. Scent can lead them to their quarry.]
Dear Alucard, why do you run? Don’t you know how much your father misses you?
[It’s a clear taunt. Why wander through the mist for a quarry when they can be enticed to come to you?]
Come out, come out, wherever you are. It’s time to go home, little boy.
[Her voice and Cesar’s little whimpers are near, from somewhere on deck.]
[Wind. Alucard needs wind, and he knows the ship can still generate it. It's one of the ship's defenses, but he has to get to the wheel in order to make that happen. He lets out a snarl that is far too feral, and then Alucard is no man at all, but a wolf who is happy to tear out throat after throat.
Carmilla's taunts deserve no response. She's a thing that thrives on cruelty, and that has always been a known within the family. More than that, she is a threat in this moment and Alucard will not surrender to anyone or anything. It is cruel to Cesar, yes, but in this moment, Alucard's concern is only for his continued existence.
He makes it to the wheel. There are injuries upon him, but they are healing, and once both of the dhampir's hands are upon that wheel, the ship hums to life. Flags unfurl with no crew. The fog scatters for the time being, forcing everyone's whereabouts to be revealed.
Alucard doesn't know if Hector's coming aboard. He can't know, and he can't wait either. The sails have caught wind, and he must leave.]
[As the wind cuts through the blinding fog, Carmilla lunges forward, a pale wraith with rapier-sharp nails aimed at Alucard's throat. She is hoping to tear into him while his hands are occupied upon the ship's wheel. That he ripped his way through her troops in his wolf form seems to phase her not at all.
Hector, meanwhile, is making his way to Alucard's ship. His jolly boat is too slow, but that's fine. That's not what he's using. He glides above the waves, one hand firmly grasping the leg of his freshest <a href="https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/castlevania/images/5/59/Cod_02.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110430152856</a>forged creation</a>. It's not true flight- he's too heavy for that- but having leapt from his ship's mast, he has the height for his bird familiar to coast with him to the Ghost Ship.
He lands on the deck, releasing the bird's clawed foot and jogging a few steps until his momentum dies. Then he looks around.
There are dead minions, and some injured and writhing. More shapes are closing in, crawling up the sides and drawing closer. One of Carmilla's vampirates has Cesar held by the scruff, having been handed the hostage under the cover of mist to free his captain's hands.
Carmilla is attacking Alucard, surely intent on subduing him and bringing him back with her to use as a weapon in her campaign for dominance in the courts.
Hector has not, as of yet, done anything that will irrevocably mark him as a traitor. He could do nothing, wait, and collect his dog when Carmilla finishes here. With the greater prize of Dracula's son won, the pup would be of no more concern to her.
Except that Alucard was a decent fellow to him and his dog, and told him where to find turtles. Carmilla, on the other hand, is a right bitch, and she stole his dog.]</small>
Carmilla!
<small>[He shouts. His hammer glows a pale blue. The bird swoops from the sky, this time trained at the arm of the pirate holding Cesar. Beyond the circle of mist around the ship, something begins to creak and groan. Wood splinters and cracks. It's the unmistakable death groans of a ship, and its coming from the direction of Carmilla's vessel.
The Question: Did Hector secretly forge himself a Kraken?
The Answer: He is a necromancer pirate. He absolutely forged himself a Kraken.]</small>
[Alucard does indeed take the blow, the ship's wheel spinning madly as a result. The whole vessel turns in horrible circles as a result, destroying everyone's balance in the process. But that's a moment's advantage - Alucard rolls over with Carmilla, over and over and over, claws and teeth and superhuman strength resulting in the two slamming each other all over the ship's deck.
It means they both miss Hector's approach. That he's even on the ship, because trying to beat each other to a pulp is far more important. It continues until Carmilla's name is called out, and....
...there's a moment of very quiet tension where both vampire and dhampir stop. Look up. And stare at the fact that Hector forged himself a fucking Kraken.
And in that shocked moment, the two voice one thought:]
((ahhhh, so sorry about the coding fail above. this is what i get for phone tagging))
[Hector's dramatic entrance is ruined by the lurching of the ship throwing everything into chaos. He stumbles too, knees weak with the giddy triumph of his Kraken tearing through Carmilla's ship in the distance. She is still a work in progress, the labor of nearly a year of secret forging, and this is her first trial.
His breath hitches, and comes out in a strangled laugh. He has officially rebelled and now any vampire that doesn't want to kill him on sight for his betrayal is going to hunt him to the ends of the earth, wanting a Kraken of their own, and he is so fucked.]
Shouldn't have touched my dog, you cur....
[His words would probably have more bite behind them if he didn't sound half-hysterical.
His bony devil-bird tears at its target vampire with beak and talons until it drops the hostage dog. Cesar makes a mad scramble towards Hector with his stubby legs.
Carmilla refrains from waxing poetic about the various ways she is going to make Hector pay for destroying her ship. She is, above all else, ruthlessly calculating, and in the middle of a fight is not the time for it. She now has two targets: the Son of Dracula and the Devil Forgemaster. If she can only take one, she will come for the other later.
Right now, Alucard is the one she is entangled with, and the one who will be harder to track should he escape. Hector, the idiot human, she is sure she could find again.
She turns all of her rage and fury to her opponent, testing his strength against hers. She will retreat if she no longer has the advantage, but not a moment before she has to if there is a possibility of victory.
Hector, drained from maintaining concentration on the Kraken, leaves Carmilla to Alucard for now. He is a decent fighter, for a human, but that does not mean he is an equal to either of the two of them without his forged creatures by his side. There are plenty of other foes that he is better matched to face, and he raises his hammer and calls to his bird devil as he moves toward the nearest of them to try to even the playing field a little.]
[Alucard own calculations are not as calm as he wants them to be. There is a part of him that is well and truly scared of Carmilla, because she is an elder vampire and a powerful one at that. How she killed her sire is no particular secret, and it has always marked her as someone to be deeply cautious of.
Now isn't the time for caution though. Now is a time of madness, with Hector sending Carmilla's ship to the bottom of the ocean, with other forged creatures tearing at Carmilla, and a tiny little dog running to it's master.
And yet it is Alucard who is pursued. He has a scant moment to employ what autopilot controls he can with the ship, and then Carmilla has the full of his attention. Her attack is met with snarls and fury, his sword in hand and the two of them in the air.
He needs help. He needs some way to at least distract her, to have a moment's advantage, to do anything. The sword can only do so much, and the hits that Carmilla does land sends Alucard reeling. The worst is the moment she flings him against the mast, then pounces upon him to drive his head into the deck of the ship several times over. Alucard still gets up, but it takes effort. Effort Carmilla sees, and knows that she need only wait him out.]
[Hector focuses on the other enemies on the deck, using his hammer to scald them with blue fire. His rapier is only effective against mortal enemies, and he keeps it sheathed at his side for now.
His plan falls apart when Alucard is thrown against the mast. Fuck but Hector was hoping he'd be Carmilla's equal in battle.
His hammer flames up again, and the force of his concentration has even his eyes glowing blue. The ship is rocked by a wave out of sync with the ocean's rhythm. A tentacle breaches the surface, groping upward until it finds the ship's rails.]
You've nowhere to run, Carmilla. ['You do, see that you do, take the damn bait, Carmilla,' he begs silently. If this bluff doesn't work....]
I will hunt you down, boy. [She hisses, making her decision. Alucard and Hector alone were within her power to crush, but this new arrival is an large and terrifying unknown. Carmilla takes risks, but only calculated ones.
And she does still have somewhere to run. Her ship is gone, but it's not the only one within range. Hector's vessel is still anchored within the mist, guarded now only by a few undead seaman, easily disposed of.
She delivers one final smack at Alucard, then takes a running leap off of the side of the ship, flying in the direction of Hector's boat. Her vampire minions follow, abandoning the forged creatures of their ranks who cannot fly.
The flame dies away from Hector, and his knees buckle beneath him. The single tentacle unwraps from the mast and sinks back down into the water.]
[On a good day, Alucard could withstand the blows and then some. But he has only woken not even an hour ago, and to be ready for a vampire of Carmilla's age (or older, in the case of Dracula himself) requires at least a day or so of true preparation.
It's a shameful loss, Hector's ship. Certainly one Hector didn't anticipate, and now he's locked in with Alucard for as long as the two can survive. Alucard can only manage to strike down those horrible minions who try to leave with her, and they are few in number.
Hector's on the deck. Alucard can only hiss with a cold fury:]
Get up. You're taking one of my life boats and you are beating her back to my father's side before she can share her version of what has happened here.
[Hector stays down. He's lost his ship -the closest thing he's had to a home since infancy- and his place among the pirate court. Alucard is sending him to his death. He stretches out a hand and wiggles his fingers, and Cesar patters over to him, bumping his head into his master's palm.]
Are you mad? If I return, in your lifeboat no less, he'll see through it in a heartbeat. I'll be keelhauled and then drained. Godbrand calls it 'brining'. Says it makes the blood taste pickled. They consider it a delicacy.
[He's rambling, he's well aware of the fact. Maybe this is a nightmare and he'll wake up from it soon.]
I attacked one of Dracula's vampire admirals. I can't go back after that. Weren't you running? We should do that.
[Alucard's eyes flash to something redder. Something closer to his father's.]
Yes, the motors on my lifeboats will give my presence away. Fine. Let him know I am awake, he'll find it out soon. Get there before her and spin the story. She was hunting me, and you, in doing your duty as a general under his command, prevented her from disobeying his express orders in leaving this boat be. You aren't sure if I woke or not, there was too much chaos.
She bears the blame for when I do wake. She'll come and attack me all the same, let her mean it and let her rage make her sloppy.
Who is he more likely to believe, Hector? You or her?
He doesn't believe anyone. He doesn't trust anyone.
[But all the resistance is gone out of Hector. It's a hopeless situation. He has no ship, and he can't hope to take Alucard's. Alucard will not let him stay, and even if he took the lifeboat and made to escape, he'd never be able to outrun the pursuit that will surely follow.
It seems that his life is always destined to bring him back to Dracula's court for lack of choice. He never expected to live long among the vampires. Resignation settles into his bones.
It is not as though Alucard owes him anything. What concern of his is Hector's fate?
He pushes himself to his feet. If he has nothing else, he'll have his pride to the end.]
Fine. Launch the lifeboat. [Whatever slim chance Alucard seems to think they have whittles down further the longer he delays.]
Then leave here and find some other refuge, I don't care, but if you want a chance of saving your hide before Carmilla ruins you that is your chance.
[Alucard needs to get moving. His patience is gone, and there are two parts of him warring for dominance right now: the part that is calm, rational, and ready to deal with the situation and the other part that is absolutely terrified of how his father will react right now.
There's such visible relief when Hector says fine. He nearly trips over himself getting over to the life boat, and he's quick to not only gesture Hector over, but to explain the navigational features that will bring him back to Dracula's side. He speaks hurriedly, betraying how truly rattled he is by what is going to happen next.]
[Hector shakes his head. They’re both too shaken to really be fully present in the preparations, but it’s fine. Hector knows what he’s doing on a boat, and he has his enchanted compass to guide his way.
He lowers himself and Cesar into the boat; his devil-bird circles above like a harbinger of his approaching doom. The Kraken has withdraw into the depths, safer than the rest of them by far.]
I’m not going to look which direction you sail off to. I’ll assume it’s south.
[That’s the best he can do by way of giving Alucard a head start. The boat is lowered into the water and Hector mimics the control mechanisms Alucard had demonstrated. No ‘goodbyes’ or ‘good lucks’, just a swift departure without looking back.]
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Well, he can't actually judge, because if he heard a dog, he would also insist on seeing it. That is the life he lives.]
It won't work like that, but at this point, you may as well come and see him.
[He hops over the rail and starts the climb down to the boat. With his focus on reaching his anchored vessel, he pays no attention to the fog-covered horizon.]
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Alucard actually follows Hector down like a human, rather than just floating. It seems fair, and he doesn't want to scare the dog. Who--
--well, once Alucard sees the dog, he understands entirely. Not just what Hector really is in his father'e estimation, but why a dog might be so needy. He's a tiny thing, and they have tendencies at that size.]
Does he have a certain approach that's preferred when meeting strangers?
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It's always like this. Very few of my associates are willing to indulge him.
[So Hector keeps him close. The little pug snorts in Hector's direction, but spins around and waits for the newcomer to reach him and stoop to pet him. Hector sighs.]
Cesar, meet the son of Dracula.
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I am commonly known on the seas as Alucard. It's...perhaps not wise to name me by my parentage at the moment.
[Because Alucard is so subtle.
But the dhampir is at least gentle with Cesar, not rushing the pup along.]
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Your secret is safe with little Cesar.
[They are in the middle of the ocean. Hector doesn't know who Alucard expects will overhear them.
Cesar, for his part, hops and yips and rolls over to present his tummy to the pale hand. Hector watches his pet fondly. Alucard is treating him gently, in spite of the obvious signs of reanimation.]
Do you eat...or drink? [If the dhampir is here petting his dog, Hector might as well be a good host.]
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And while they may be in the middle of the ocean, the wind will always carry. The ship could have it's spies. Alucard doesn't intend to invite more attention than he can manage. What he does intend to invite is Cesar's affection, and he goes for that belly rub with a very full gusto.]
Thank you for the hospitality, but I am satisfied in both areas. [Well, he's good on blood. The rest he'd rather take care of himself.]
no subject
There may or may not be the vague shape of a ship materializing out of the fog, no big deal. What's more important is the little stubby tail that is twitching as Alucard rubs.]
If you hold out your hand, he will shake it.
[He's proud of the few tricks Cesar has managed.]
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Alucard doe as he's told, because that's always a good trick. But more than that, there's a sense that he's lingering too long.]
Once, and then I shall have to take my leave back to my own ship.
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Cesar snorts, then rolls over and sits, hamming up his performance. He gives his head a little toss, then carefully raises a paw (the flesh one, Hector had to train him to use only that one) to place in Alucard's. Cesar's tongue lolls, and he looks expectantly from dhampir to human, unsure from which his treat will come, but so assured that it will come from someone.
Hector reaches into his pocket for a little bit of dried meat to toss him.]
Well done. [A throaty voice purrs as a shape rises from the water and comes to hover over the deck.] Did you teach him that, Hector? Such a clever boy. Go on, give him his treat.
[Carmilla steps out, a white shape from the billowing white fog.]
You did quite a clever trick yourself, Hector, finding the Ghost Ship all by yourself. I wonder what treat I'll give you... [She smiles with her fangs.
Hector stumbles backwards, trying to put more distance between himself and her. Cesar's treat drops onto the deck, and Cesar huffs.]
Did you follow me here? [He hisses. That bitch!]
no subject
There is a raw, furious hiss from Alucard, and without lifting a finger, his sword moves out of it's sheath and goes right for Carmilla's throat.
It's a cheap tactic. With a horrible burst of vampire speed, Alucard has leaped off Hector's boat entirely, and is relying on his own flight abilities to get back to his ship.
He can't fight. This is about retreat, and lasting until dawn.]
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A great weapon I looked for, and a great weapon I've found.
[Her crew has surrounded the ship, undead thralls in boats and lesser vampires hovering or jumping to pursue Alucard. Some are already making for the ghost ship.
Hector's hand goes for his hammer, but he hesitates, trying to judge the right moment. The second he strikes out, there is no going back, and this close, surrounded by this many of Carmilla's loyal minions as well as the vampiress herself, he has to make it count.
Carmilla surges forward, but not overboard after Alucard. Not yet. She goes to Cesar, who is sniffing out the dropped treat, oblivious to the danger around him. In a blur of motion too fast to track, the pup is in Carmilla's arms.]
Behave, pet. [She says, not to Cesar. Hector stares at her with undisguised hatred, but drops his hand. Damn it. Damn it!
Smirking, she flies in pursuit of Alucard, carrying in her clawed hands the one piece of leverage that would actually serve to keep Hector at bay.]
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But he is the Son of Dracula. That comes with far greater power than most of them can ever dream of having, and more than one foe finds themselves buried in the water.
Alucard doesn't turn until he's managed to reach his own ship. Oh yes, there are more fiends aboard now, but this is his ship and that deserves defense.
Before he can communicate to the thing (for he can communicate with it to a degree for basic defenses), his eyes flash back to Hector's ship. Carmilla...ah. She has a hostage, and that is a cruel thing. But the part of Alucard that isn't certain that this was't intended? He thinks good. He then thinks fog and soon that billows forth from all around the ghost ship.]
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In the spare time between pirate excursions and his little science field trips, Hector fills his time with tinkering. The vampires all know he likes to dabble. They look to Isaac for reliable forged creatures in bulk; Hector is the one to ask for something unique, a bespoke horror.
What he has tried to keep under wraps are the creatures he has designed and given to no one else. He likes to have an ace up his sleeve, so to speak. One of them is below deck, not yet animated to keep his ‘allies’ from sensing it. Another is...below.
He raises his hammer and makes a swinging motion. The head of the weapon makes contact with nothing, but the clear ringing of a strike fills the air. The darkened bulkhead glows with a blue light.
Hector is getting his damn dog back.
Carmilla and her minions close in on Alucard. Carmilla has no compunction about sending her crew to their deaths. They are chess pawns, meant to be sacrificed.
The boats of undead paddle forth. Some lose their way in the enchanted mist, but the ones that reach the hull use weapons or claws to begin tearing say it.
The vampires are not driven by sight. Scent can lead them to their quarry.]
Dear Alucard, why do you run? Don’t you know how much your father misses you?
[It’s a clear taunt. Why wander through the mist for a quarry when they can be enticed to come to you?]
Come out, come out, wherever you are. It’s time to go home, little boy.
[Her voice and Cesar’s little whimpers are near, from somewhere on deck.]
no subject
Carmilla's taunts deserve no response. She's a thing that thrives on cruelty, and that has always been a known within the family. More than that, she is a threat in this moment and Alucard will not surrender to anyone or anything. It is cruel to Cesar, yes, but in this moment, Alucard's concern is only for his continued existence.
He makes it to the wheel. There are injuries upon him, but they are healing, and once both of the dhampir's hands are upon that wheel, the ship hums to life. Flags unfurl with no crew. The fog scatters for the time being, forcing everyone's whereabouts to be revealed.
Alucard doesn't know if Hector's coming aboard. He can't know, and he can't wait either. The sails have caught wind, and he must leave.]
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Hector, meanwhile, is making his way to Alucard's ship. His jolly boat is too slow, but that's fine. That's not what he's using. He glides above the waves, one hand firmly grasping the leg of his freshest <a href="https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/castlevania/images/5/59/Cod_02.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110430152856</a>forged creation</a>. It's not true flight- he's too heavy for that- but having leapt from his ship's mast, he has the height for his bird familiar to coast with him to the Ghost Ship. He lands on the deck, releasing the bird's clawed foot and jogging a few steps until his momentum dies. Then he looks around. There are dead minions, and some injured and writhing. More shapes are closing in, crawling up the sides and drawing closer. One of Carmilla's vampirates has Cesar held by the scruff, having been handed the hostage under the cover of mist to free his captain's hands. Carmilla is attacking Alucard, surely intent on subduing him and bringing him back with her to use as a weapon in her campaign for dominance in the courts. Hector has not, as of yet, done anything that will irrevocably mark him as a traitor. He could do nothing, wait, and collect his dog when Carmilla finishes here. With the greater prize of Dracula's son won, the pup would be of no more concern to her. Except that Alucard was a decent fellow to him and his dog, and told him where to find turtles. Carmilla, on the other hand, is a right bitch, and she stole his dog.]</small> Carmilla! <small>[He shouts. His hammer glows a pale blue. The bird swoops from the sky, this time trained at the arm of the pirate holding Cesar. Beyond the circle of mist around the ship, something begins to creak and groan. Wood splinters and cracks. It's the unmistakable death groans of a ship, and its coming from the direction of Carmilla's vessel. The Question: Did Hector secretly forge himself a Kraken? The Answer: He is a necromancer pirate. He absolutely forged himself a Kraken.]</small>
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It means they both miss Hector's approach. That he's even on the ship, because trying to beat each other to a pulp is far more important. It continues until Carmilla's name is called out, and....
...there's a moment of very quiet tension where both vampire and dhampir stop. Look up. And stare at the fact that Hector forged himself a fucking Kraken.
And in that shocked moment, the two voice one thought:]
What the fuck?
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[Hector's dramatic entrance is ruined by the lurching of the ship throwing everything into chaos. He stumbles too, knees weak with the giddy triumph of his Kraken tearing through Carmilla's ship in the distance. She is still a work in progress, the labor of nearly a year of secret forging, and this is her first trial.
His breath hitches, and comes out in a strangled laugh. He has officially rebelled and now any vampire that doesn't want to kill him on sight for his betrayal is going to hunt him to the ends of the earth, wanting a Kraken of their own, and he is so fucked.]
Shouldn't have touched my dog, you cur....
[His words would probably have more bite behind them if he didn't sound half-hysterical.
His bony devil-bird tears at its target vampire with beak and talons until it drops the hostage dog. Cesar makes a mad scramble towards Hector with his stubby legs.
Carmilla refrains from waxing poetic about the various ways she is going to make Hector pay for destroying her ship. She is, above all else, ruthlessly calculating, and in the middle of a fight is not the time for it. She now has two targets: the Son of Dracula and the Devil Forgemaster. If she can only take one, she will come for the other later.
Right now, Alucard is the one she is entangled with, and the one who will be harder to track should he escape. Hector, the idiot human, she is sure she could find again.
She turns all of her rage and fury to her opponent, testing his strength against hers. She will retreat if she no longer has the advantage, but not a moment before she has to if there is a possibility of victory.
Hector, drained from maintaining concentration on the Kraken, leaves Carmilla to Alucard for now. He is a decent fighter, for a human, but that does not mean he is an equal to either of the two of them without his forged creatures by his side. There are plenty of other foes that he is better matched to face, and he raises his hammer and calls to his bird devil as he moves toward the nearest of them to try to even the playing field a little.]
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Now isn't the time for caution though. Now is a time of madness, with Hector sending Carmilla's ship to the bottom of the ocean, with other forged creatures tearing at Carmilla, and a tiny little dog running to it's master.
And yet it is Alucard who is pursued. He has a scant moment to employ what autopilot controls he can with the ship, and then Carmilla has the full of his attention. Her attack is met with snarls and fury, his sword in hand and the two of them in the air.
He needs help. He needs some way to at least distract her, to have a moment's advantage, to do anything. The sword can only do so much, and the hits that Carmilla does land sends Alucard reeling. The worst is the moment she flings him against the mast, then pounces upon him to drive his head into the deck of the ship several times over. Alucard still gets up, but it takes effort. Effort Carmilla sees, and knows that she need only wait him out.]
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His plan falls apart when Alucard is thrown against the mast. Fuck but Hector was hoping he'd be Carmilla's equal in battle.
His hammer flames up again, and the force of his concentration has even his eyes glowing blue. The ship is rocked by a wave out of sync with the ocean's rhythm. A tentacle breaches the surface, groping upward until it finds the ship's rails.]
You've nowhere to run, Carmilla. ['You do, see that you do, take the damn bait, Carmilla,' he begs silently. If this bluff doesn't work....]
I will hunt you down, boy. [She hisses, making her decision. Alucard and Hector alone were within her power to crush, but this new arrival is an large and terrifying unknown. Carmilla takes risks, but only calculated ones.
And she does still have somewhere to run. Her ship is gone, but it's not the only one within range. Hector's vessel is still anchored within the mist, guarded now only by a few undead seaman, easily disposed of.
She delivers one final smack at Alucard, then takes a running leap off of the side of the ship, flying in the direction of Hector's boat. Her vampire minions follow, abandoning the forged creatures of their ranks who cannot fly.
The flame dies away from Hector, and his knees buckle beneath him. The single tentacle unwraps from the mast and sinks back down into the water.]
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It's a shameful loss, Hector's ship. Certainly one Hector didn't anticipate, and now he's locked in with Alucard for as long as the two can survive. Alucard can only manage to strike down those horrible minions who try to leave with her, and they are few in number.
Hector's on the deck. Alucard can only hiss with a cold fury:]
Get up. You're taking one of my life boats and you are beating her back to my father's side before she can share her version of what has happened here.
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Are you mad? If I return, in your lifeboat no less, he'll see through it in a heartbeat. I'll be keelhauled and then drained. Godbrand calls it 'brining'. Says it makes the blood taste pickled. They consider it a delicacy.
[He's rambling, he's well aware of the fact. Maybe this is a nightmare and he'll wake up from it soon.]
I attacked one of Dracula's vampire admirals. I can't go back after that. Weren't you running? We should do that.
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[Alucard's eyes flash to something redder. Something closer to his father's.]
Yes, the motors on my lifeboats will give my presence away. Fine. Let him know I am awake, he'll find it out soon. Get there before her and spin the story. She was hunting me, and you, in doing your duty as a general under his command, prevented her from disobeying his express orders in leaving this boat be. You aren't sure if I woke or not, there was too much chaos.
She bears the blame for when I do wake. She'll come and attack me all the same, let her mean it and let her rage make her sloppy.
Who is he more likely to believe, Hector? You or her?
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[But all the resistance is gone out of Hector. It's a hopeless situation. He has no ship, and he can't hope to take Alucard's. Alucard will not let him stay, and even if he took the lifeboat and made to escape, he'd never be able to outrun the pursuit that will surely follow.
It seems that his life is always destined to bring him back to Dracula's court for lack of choice. He never expected to live long among the vampires. Resignation settles into his bones.
It is not as though Alucard owes him anything. What concern of his is Hector's fate?
He pushes himself to his feet. If he has nothing else, he'll have his pride to the end.]
Fine. Launch the lifeboat. [Whatever slim chance Alucard seems to think they have whittles down further the longer he delays.]
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[Alucard needs to get moving. His patience is gone, and there are two parts of him warring for dominance right now: the part that is calm, rational, and ready to deal with the situation and the other part that is absolutely terrified of how his father will react right now.
There's such visible relief when Hector says fine. He nearly trips over himself getting over to the life boat, and he's quick to not only gesture Hector over, but to explain the navigational features that will bring him back to Dracula's side. He speaks hurriedly, betraying how truly rattled he is by what is going to happen next.]
Any other questions?
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He lowers himself and Cesar into the boat; his devil-bird circles above like a harbinger of his approaching doom. The Kraken has withdraw into the depths, safer than the rest of them by far.]
I’m not going to look which direction you sail off to. I’ll assume it’s south.
[That’s the best he can do by way of giving Alucard a head start. The boat is lowered into the water and Hector mimics the control mechanisms Alucard had demonstrated. No ‘goodbyes’ or ‘good lucks’, just a swift departure without looking back.]
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