#If any of you are wondering if I would survive Castle Dracula. No I would not.

[the-laws-of-physics-were-harmed]

These companions"—and he laid his hand on some of the books—"have been good friends to me

This is where I would have decided that Dracula was Just A Nice And Slightly Weird Man if I were Jonathan. A book lover can never be evil I'm sure this Count is just a little odd :) Definitely not planning to drink my blood!

[vickyvicarious]

"[Dracula] certainly left me under the impression that he would have made a wonderful solicitor, for there was nothing that he did not think of or foresee. For a man who was never in the country, and who did not evidently do much in the way of business, his knowledge and acumen were wonderful."

More evidence that Dracula's later actions are results of planning!

Indeed! Dracula's preparations for this trip are very thorough. I think that it would probably be correct to assume that he has a whole long-term strategy that, luckily, never gets put into play. I get the feeling a lot of his plan is banking heavily on people not knowing him. Not just what he is, but also who he is. This is what makes Jonathan's survival and Mina's willingness to reach out to Van Helsing so crucial, actually. Because without Jonathan recognizing Dracula in the street, the most Van Helsing and the suitors would have ever been able to do is stop vampire!Lucy. They had no idea where to look for the one who did that to her. It was a total dead end. Jack had clues, yes, but he really hadn't put them together at all - even after he was convinced on vampires, he was surprised to hear Jonathan say Renfield's behavior was linked to Dracula's. Even if people knew what Dracula was, without knowing who he is and where to find him, they couldn't do anything to stop him.

Similarly, Jonathan (and thus Mina) knew who Dracula was, but it took that outside confirmation that Jonathan's experience of what he was, really happened and was trustworthy. In this case, they may have sought confirmation of their own eventually even without linking up with the others (I can't picture Mina outright dismissing Jonathan's experiences, either by denying them altogether or by putting him in an asylum or what-have-you; I could see her trying to look into it on her own without telling him until she had some kind of proof/confirmation to offer one way or the other) - but it would have been way more cautious and gradual, and thus Dracula would have had time to get his boxes scattered more. They also lacked the knowledge of how to fight him off, and so even if they became convinced very quickly, without the others they would have to start the research from the beginning which would slow them down. And even then, they lacked the resources and manpower that the suitor squad gave them. It would all take a lot more time. And if Dracula had more time to establish himself... He'd have multiple houses which no one person knew the location of, he'd have his dirt boxes in each one. He'd have, eventually, other vampires risen as well, who could potentially create more vampires in turn. He might have the time/inclination to infiltrate society more once his boltholes were established, creating social pressure not to go after him or consequences for doing so.

Going after him in such a rush was necessary, because he'd get exponentially harder to defeat or even drive off as more time passed. And if people weren't already prepared to do so with appropriate knowledge and resources... it might be too late. And that's exactly what was supposed to happen. Jonathan was supposed to be left in the Castle, either dead or undead, and all his knowledge with him. Mr. Hawkins may have been a target as well, possibly even his other lawyers. Lucy, and his other eventual victims (pretty girl in Piccadilly, etc.), were supposed to succumb to what seemed like a mysterious illness without anyone being the wiser about the true cause of death. And it probably would have worked, without the coincidence of Jack knowing Van Helsing who was willing to explore all avenues, and Jonathan's incredible survival leading to Mina acquiring his knowledge and putting it to use. No one else knew what was threatening them. No one else knew who was threatening them. And Dracula, as we see in this quote, took plenty of additional precautions to ensure that he wouldn't raise any red flags without that prior knowledge (or at least not any actionable ones).

[ri-writing]

Would you survive as Jonathan Harker?

A post on my dash asked whether I would survive as Jonathan Harker. I suspect the question is meant to be: Would I end up captured by Dracula? And to that, my answer is: Absolutely.

With regard to the question "would I survive as Jonathan Harker," though, I know the answer to that, too. But we're going to put a cut and note "cw: abuse." I also moved this to its own post instead of replying to the original because this got pretty heavy.

I lived the real life version of Jonathan's horror. While I did not literally get captured by a blood drinker or imprisoned in a castle with the requirement of completing the hardest parkour session of my life to get to safety, I was a young lawyer who was emotionally abused, manipulated, and controlled by a more-senior lawyer for years. In doing so, that lawyer made a lot of money while keeping me completely dependent on them. Whether I kept my job - and therefore a roof over my head and food on the table - was dependent on this senior lawyer continuing to keep me around. No matter how hard I worked, the vampire demanded more. More nights. More weekends. More holidays. All while telling me I was not good enough to do this without them. Sometimes, the vampire was kind and compassionate. Sometimes, the vampire acted like they were trying to help me succeed. But this was all window dressing (though I couldn't see it at the time) and, in the end, the vampire would do what vampires do.

Until one day, I realized the truth. And then I escaped. Although I got away from the vampire, I had to start over and I had no safety net. I made a deal with a firm where they'd give me a year and I'd need to find a way to build a practice and prove my worth. The entire year, I was on the wall of that castle, wondering if the next foothold I found was going to hold or send me tumbling into the abyss below. Somehow, I made it to solid ground.

Even once I was safe, I mentally struggled. I questioned whether my abuser was right - whether it was only a matter of time before I failed and be in dire straights without them to protect me. But I embraced the support of my friends. I did the work in therapy. I grew stronger. I realized I was an excellent lawyer. I built my practice stronger, and in a way that I would never again be dependent on a single source of work so that no vampire would again control me.

Still, I would dread what would happen the next time I ran into my abuser. Finally, it happened. My path did cross once again with theirs. And I realized I wasn't scared of them any longer. I'd escaped. I'd healed. I'd built a community. I survived. And my vampire could no longer harm me.

So - would I survive as Jonathan Harker?

I did.

A lot of people have called Jonathan weak or stupid. Adaptations remove him or water down his role. Those people and adaptations are wrong.

Jonathan is why I love Dracula. His character arc is a metaphor. It's also hope. Jonathan finds love and support among his friends and family. They do not reject him when he struggles with his trauma, but support him and uplift him. Jonathan grows stronger. Jonathan survives. And it is Jonathan who, with Quincey, finally kills Dracula.

Thank you, Bram Stoker, for giving me Jonathan Harker. Through reading Jonathan's story, I was finally able to make peace with mine.

[grimmswan]

Dracula in Storybrooke part 2

For Captain Swan Supernatural Summer 23

Once Upon a Time missing storyline/AU

Killian noticed a man staring at Emma.

He had on leather pants, leather boots, and his shirt was opened clear down to near his naval. Revealing a well toned chest.

“But greatly lacking in chest hair.” Killian thought smugly.

The man who introduced himself as Drake, gazed at Emma with fascination.

“My, my, you are by far the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. The very sun is dim in comparison to your golden hair.”

Killian rolled his eyes. Just who did this git think he was. It irritated him more to see that Emma was actually smiling at the fool.

Neither man knew it, but Emma’s smile was due to her seeing that the two men, who seemed to be trying to one up each other, were very much alike.

“I really must have a type.” She thought to herself.

Both men had dark hair, deep blue eyes, and accents.

Drake wore a shirt with most of the buttons undone, reminding Emma of Killian’s wardrobe before he started wearing modern clothes.

She sometimes wished Killian would go back to wearing those clothes, at least on some days. She had always loved how sexy and dangerous he looked.

Yet Killian was staring daggers at the man, as if he considered him a rival.

Killian didn’t like the pure hunger he saw in Drake’s eyes as he stared at Emma. It was too possessive.

“It’s strange how in this world, a woman can cover her whole body, and still her lovely form is revealed.” Drake’s eyes moved over Emma. “I look forward to discovering what other wonders this place has in store.”

“He’s a smooth one.” Granny commented. “My mother always said, “Beware of a silver tongue. It tends to lay next to the sharpest tooth.”

“He was awfully flirty with Emma.” Snow remarked in puzzlement. “She was pressed against Killian nearly the entire time. Obviously her heart belongs to him. But that didn’t stop Drake from showing his interest.”

“I think we need to keep a close eye on that guy.” Charming said with a scowl. Father’s instinct warned that Drake would bring nothing but trouble in his daughter’s life.

Just as the Sun had slipped under the horizon, one figure walked up to another in the shadows of the alleyway near Granny’s Diner.

"I would stay away from Emma Swan, if I were you. Captain Jones won't allow anyone to take her away from him."

"Captain Jones is a mortal. An ordinary simple man. What is he compared to one such as myself?"

 “Captain Killian Jones is far from being a simple man. The pirate captain has faced God's, demons, and monsters and survived. You may be powerful, but you are far from the worst thing Captain Hook has faced.

There is also Emma Swan. She is not going to be easily seduced away from the man she went to the underworld for. Especially not by a man spouting fancy words and performing magic tricks that she could beat. One would wonder what it is you think you can offer her? From what I heard, your grand castle is in ruin."

“There are other castles. From what I understand, there are two castles long since abandoned in another land. The former residents now live in this world. In this town. If I understand correctly, Emma Swan would inherit both, should something happen to those former owners.”

“Even you can not believe that you could charm a lady into accepting you after killing her entire family.”

“The blood lust made my other brides accept the same. I do not think Emma Swan will be any different.”

“I think you will find that Emma Swan will be very different. But you have a tendency to be far too confident in your own prowess to see reason. I still want to caution you. I feel I owe you something, since you once offered me immortality. Would have given it to me, if you hadn’t been outwitted.

 That bloodlust only works if you're in power. Mina was willing to forgive you in regard to her dearest friend Lucy when you blinded her with your seduction. But once Jonathan Harker and Dr. Van Helsing sealed you in that tomb, she reverted back to her old self. And she hated you for what you did.”

“I was careless. I didn’t anticipate Harker’s strength of spirit. Or his devotion to Mina. I shall use more patience. And will pay closer attention to the players. I underestimated my opponents before. I will not again.”

The Count from Transylvania smiled. “Despite your insistent loyalty to the man who stands between me and the woman who holds my salvation, it is good to see you again, Renfield.”

“It’s good to see you again, Vlad. But it’s Smee, now. Renfield got the reputation of a lunatic. No one would take him seriously. I had to change my name and do business in another port, to escape the shadow of your story.”

“Perhaps the ending to this story will be more to each of our likeings”

Smee didn’t say it, but he was certain this story’s end would be the same as the previous one.

"Emma, I think Count Drake is dangerous." Killian spoke in earnest, hoping to get her to understand that she should stay away from the man.

"I know he is. I think he's a vampire." She said it so matter of factly, it made Killian’s jaw drop.

"Oh, come on. Count Drake. Count Dracula. It was pretty obvious. Plus, he stayed away from the windows? Out of direct sunlight?"

Killian wanted to kick himself. His jealousy had blinded him to the real threat.

Emma wrapped her arms around Killian's neck. "You really need to stop being jealous of every guy who looks like he might be my type. I have my perfect man, the man I love, right here. I would never do anything to mess that up."

"I do trust you, love. It's me I don't trust. I can never be rid of the thought that I don’t deserve you. That you could have someone better."

Emma opened her mouth to argue with him, 

"I know what you're going to say, love. But knowing that you love me and think I'm a hero is far different than actually believing it myself."

Emma knew what Killian was saying. But she still wished she could find some way of convincing him how important he was to her.

He always knew what to say to help her understand how special she was to him. She wished she had his gift with words, so she could return the favor.

An idea on how to remind him that he was one of the most important people in her life came to her.

She might have been bad with words. But she was really good with her actions.

Drake snarled in frustration. He wanted to burst in through the window and tear the lovers apart. He vowed that he would find a way to kill Killian Jones, and take Emma Swan for himself.

Killian’s instincts warned him that the woman he loved was in danger. He couldn’t shake the feeling that all of these attacks were only a precursor to a much bigger problem.

He wanted to find out more about the beings that were called vampires. He believed that knowing your enemy was the best way in the path to defeating him.

And while he did not think that Whale was lying to the group, Killian was certain that the doctor did not actually know as much as he thought he did.

So Killian went to the one person who had traveled the many realms and has encountered various beings of power.

William Smee.

Killian suspected his former first mate knew more about what was going on than he had admitted.

Smee was not without his resources, he knew how to protect himself from the monsters that constantly invaded Storybrooke.

@cssns

[golbrocklovely]

This is very out of blue but I stopped watching sam and colby around 3ish years ago (I got burned out on their content because I used to watch them every night before I went to sleep) and now I want to get back into their videos but I’m intimidated by the sheer amount of them! I was wondering if you could recommend some that you consider a “must watch” thanks 💕

this is literally so long, i'm so sorry. but it's bc i go into detail about the different eras of snc that you've missed and whatnot lol

okay, so threeish years ago would be 2020. i'll just start from 2021 and go from there. sorry if i give you a lot, since i know you said you were overwhelmed by how many videos there are. but these are just some of my faves/ones i liked, so watch them if you want and if not, no hard feelings. if the video is highlighted red, that's a video i strongly suggest you watch just bc it's a fan favorite or is really good imo. the others are just ones to watch for funsies.

so at the beginning of 2021, they did something called 25x25. basically it was supposed to be 25 things before they turned 25. they didn't do it for very long bc it didn't really get them that many views lol

but some videos from that era i would watch are:

best friend gives me first tattoo *blindfolded* our terrifying shipwreck experience | (ran out of air) overnight in most expensive hotel room! (las vegas) our return to haunted cerro gordo ghost town (overnight) surviving overnight on an abandoned island (thunderstorms!) exploring abandoned beach hotel (heavily guarded)

then they went back into haunted videos, but it was still under the 25x25 umbrella:

our unexplainable night at queen anne hotel | room 410 the night we talked to demons. | real conjuring house our unforgettable haunted experience | shanley hotel

then they went to chernobyl. highkey, i recommend just watching the whole 2 hours movie they made. it was really good and just very interesting watch. unless you don't care about their exploring stuff, which… valid lol

then we move into hell week #1, which is something that they are still doing to this year. highlights from that are:

our horrifying night at haunted dracula's castle (real vampire) terrifying ritual in world's largest catacombs overnight in haunted waverly hills sanatorium alone in the real conjuring house | sam and colby

then they finished out the year strong with some of their best videos: our haunted night at villisca axe murder house (solved) and our demonic encounter at haunted sallie house. both of those are fucking awesome, truly.

now we get to 2022. they did seasons this year. season one was about attachments (vaguely) bc sam had one from the sallie house. highlights from season one were:

the bellaire house: a portal to hell… a night alone in haunted hospital |fairfield infirmary the stanley: usa's most haunted hotel (our return)

i'll be honest… season one wasn't my favorite lol

season two was called 'empath' bc colby was getting more into his psychic abilities… bc yes, that's now a thing. there are more highlights in this season than last:

our most demonic experience | zak bagans haunted museum our terrifying encounter at most haunted hotel the demon on goatman's bridge (w/ kallmekris) the scariest night of my life.

then they went and did a trilogy, or season three, that took place in europe. respectfully, i don't like any of these videos so they're all kinda skip for me. but they collabed with georgenotfound and wilbur soot, along with kat and stas. so if you like any of those ppl, watch the trilogy. otherwise, you ain't missing much.

then they went on to hell week #2. both hell weeks are tied in my book content wise. hw #1 stands out more just bc of the conjuring. nonetheless, highlight from hell week #2:

the hospital of nuns: a night turned demonic shadow man encounter at trans-allegheny lunatic asylum the night a demon attacked us. the demon of bell witch cave our unexplainable night at winchester mystery house

the last one is cool not bc of the investigation per se, but bc of the numerology that they get into.

snc then did two final videos for the year: our demonic encounter with world's most haunted doll and my terrifying experience alone at haunted lighthouse. the robert the doll video is fine, i think the reason why i don't love it is bc a lot of fans blame the doll on colby's cancer…… so, i personally don't feel like watching it ever again lol

then we finally get onto this year. now, they haven't posted all that much this year bc colby was sick, which i assume you know about. and if not, definitely 100% watch i have cancer. it goes into colby's whole journey.

as for the other content, here are the couple videos i've liked that they have put out this year:

surviving 3 terrifying hotels in 50 hours.. | full movie the most demonic house in england. (w/ tommyinnit & jack) the demonic secret society of england. | hellfire club the demon of chillingham castle. (w/ daz)

that only leaves out like two videos from this year but ehh. if you wanna watch everything they've done this year, feel free to.

again all of these are just suggestions so don't feel like you gotta watch all of them in one sitting or even watch all of them to begin with. honestly, just to get you prepared for what's to come, watch the conjuring videos first - since snc are gonna be post three videos on the conjuring alone for hell week. and from there watch whatever you want. if you got any other questions, feel free to ask me :)

[writingalice]

So. I think I'm not the first, but I can't stop myself to think on it and you will suffer that.

What if the Count won ? I mean, we saw Anno Dracula from Kim Newman (which is really funny, even though I should probably read it in English) but I mean for Lucy and Mina.

What if this graveyard-scene ('let's kill some vampire'-scene) didn't happened as it is recorded in the book ? Maybe someone did hesitate - maybe Arthur, who still loves Lucy, which is a thing we know ; maybe Quincey, who is far too strange and so unusual in this book that he is suspect (the man has no substance, in my memory, there is a reason why we never recall him) : maybe John Seward, who doesn't eat or sleep properly and about who we could quote Nietzche and say 'when you look long into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you.' ; maybe even Van Helsing : I always thought he gave such an impression of guiltness (well, I will surely see later, but I never really liked him). Maybe, even, it was the four men, for they stayed so long into the graveyard, looking on Lucy, that she woke up and killed them, or transformed them into vampires - and nobody knew.

Whatever. There was something wrong in the graveyard and Lucy survived. Mina was transformed, too : in this universe, I think Vamp Helsing or another man could have give her to the Count, or she went to see him and accepted to become a vampire lady if Jonathan was allowed to survive (the Count lied).

And then, look in the future. We are not going to Anno Dracula-ize this, for I don't think that's the way the Count would have take. I think he would've been patient, terrifying the locals and making a haunted reputation to the South of England, then to all England. I think he would have transform all England to this Transylvanian countries we saw in the beginning of Dracula. And a long time in the future, there would be a country of vampires, with castles ruled by loyal vampires to Dracula and peasants who live in fear. And all the vampires would be the further opposants to Dracula ; for he can control them, and he is amused by making them his puppets.

But you arrive. I don't know who you are, just a person in the future. And for some reason, you sleep in Dracula's castle - and maybe there's a reunion or something. I don't know. But you sleep in the wrong room, and then you wake up to find five women. Two are blonde and fair, even if their type of beauty is maybe a little bit old and white-centric, two have aquiline noses such as their host, and one has a Victorian dress she never left and half-piercing, half-sad eyes. They all look on you, the unusual visitor, and want to suck your blood - except maybe the one with the Victorian dress, depends on the way she got vampirized.

And you can't defend yourself - and suddenly you remember these strange tales about the South of England, the tales that made your frieds laugh and your parents worried. These tales which tell about women who were vampirized, a Lucie and a... maybe Minnie, you think. And you wonder who are the other ones, for the tales never tell about them, but you don't know.

Suddenly you understand so much things : the way the peasants looked horrified and the meaning of all those old tales, and why the man who looked like a Victorian-style lawyer gave you such a sad look. Like everyone, you heard about these monsters in England when you were a child, and like everyone you laugh about it, for you know at least one person who went and returned without any injury or strange memory. Well, you used to laugh. Now, you're starting to think you will never laugh again - probably because you will be dead.

The five women look familiar to you - then you remember : you saw them before. Your host looked familiar with them.

Here's the thing : nobody never quit Dracula. All his opposants become his servants, at the very end. And then you know, without knowing how, you just know that you will never leave the castle.

And then the five women smile at you, you who just awakened in horror, and one of them says 'Welcome, my good friend'.

All this quite-of-a-fanfic just to say I'm sure Drac would have added Lucy and Mina to his brides... that was unexpected. hope you liked it.

[alicewritingstories]

I posted 64 times in 2022

That's 8 more posts than 2021!

19 posts created (30%)

45 posts reblogged (70%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@whump-side

@herbs-and-poultices

@whumpadventureprompts

@wildfaewhump

@kaleidoscope-of-thoughts

I tagged 42 of my posts in 2022

Only 34% of my posts had no tags

#reblog - 7 posts

#art - 7 posts

#dracula daily - 7 posts

#my writing - 7 posts

#dracula - 5 posts

#whump art - 5 posts

#oc - 4 posts

#my art - 4 posts

#the silmarillion - 3 posts

#the mad king - 3 posts

Longest Tag: 25 characters

#my favourite whumpy media

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

What happened last night?

What was Dracula keeping his roomates off Jonathan specially for?

I'm screaming, what happened that poor Jonathan isn't telling us about?

6 notes - Posted June 30, 2022

#4

I drew the shaving scene from Dracula!

ID: A pencil and coloured pencil sketch of two men: Jonathan Harker on the left and Count Dracula on the right. Jonathan is half dressed with his shirt untucked and his collar open. A necklace with a small crucifix is visible in the open collar. He has a cut on his cheek that has bled and has his hands raised towards Dracula to defend himself. Dracula is wearing a black suit. He is grabbing towards Jonathan's throat with his left hand and gripping Jonathan's left wrist with his right.

10 notes - Posted May 17, 2022

#3

There is something very whumpy about watching it sink in for Jonathan that he’s a prisoner and how helpless he is.

26 notes - Posted May 16, 2022

#2

So I'm not the only one who can't stop thinking about what Jonathan went through, right?

First staggering through the forest, dodging wolves, lost, alone, shivering with cold because he has no coat, maybe suffering the effects of having his blood drained, unable to find food because, I mean, why would he know how to find something safe to eat in a forest? Maybe he even eats something that makes him sick or drinks dirty water or something and he's living in an entirely new nightmare.

Then he finally reaches civilization and finds a station and begs them to help him and says he just wants to get home and he's terrified and exhausted and starving and nobody helps him, they just dismiss him as a crazy Englishman and put him on a random train to as far away as possible.

And then he's got a long train journey to sit and maybe get sicker and sicker and maybe then memories start to flood in and he's exhausted and cold and barely even knows where he's going, just that he hopes it's a leg on the way home, but he's so tired and he's fading in and out and nobody will help him.

And then he arrives and maybe he staggers off the train and passes out on the platform or maybe he gets carried off the train or maybe there was already a welcoming party and he tries to explain but even he can't make sense of what he's saying any more.And I wonder how long it will be before looking up and seeing a strange woman bending over him, even when he knows she's a nun, doesn't trigger flashbacks to Dracula's roommates.

Just… there's an entire survival-horror story in the background here.

1,064 notes - Posted August 12, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Lawyers of tumblr are you guys OK? The weirder things get in Dracula's Castle the more lawyers pop out of the woodwork to say things like "yeah, that's what being a new lawyer is like!"

I feel like if I'm ever in a lawyer's office I should slip them a note telling them to blink twice if they're being held hostage by a vampire.

3,345 notes - Posted May 10, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[slutforagoodsmut]

Imagine: Dracula’s daughter

She had always been a daddy’s girl, that was certain. Since she was an infant she was attached to him by the hip, always followed him around the castle, always found him fascinating. Of course she loved her mother and Alucard as well. Days her father was busy she’d stay in her mother’s laboratory, watching Lisa mix medicines and asking questions.

“What is this?” she’d ask, barely able to look over the table. Her mother would only laugh and pick her up, sitting her down on the smooth slab of her work space. 

“This is a new medicine I’m working on. It will help sick people become strong and healthy, just like you!” Lisa would poke her daughter’s tummy and the little dhampir girl would squirm in a fit of giggles. She loved her mother, she looked up to her.

Her and her brother always found things to do around the castle, painting and writing poetry, playing tag or hide and seek, which Alucard always won for some odd reason. 

“You cheated!” she whined, crossing her arms. 

“I did not!” Alucard stuck his tongue out at his sister. “I’m just older and faster than you!”

“By a minute! You are older by a minute!” 

And at the end of the day, the young dhampir would always find herself in her father’s study, reading a book beside him or begging him to read to her. She’d always end up falling asleep in his lap and he’d carry her to bed, tucking her in and kissing her goodnight. He loved her, he loved his little girl with all his undead heart. Of course there was Lisa, the love of his life, and he did love his children equally, but she always had a special place in his heart.

As the years went on, the girl blossomed into a beautiful young woman. She had long, onyx locks like her father and a sharp tongue like her mother. She was snarky and always had something to say, but she was kind and she was loving, and she had such a big heart full of passion and wonder. She wanted to help others just like her mother, often visited houses of the ones who Lisa was close to and aided her mother if she needed it. Alucard and her loved to duel one another, and she made sure she always won. They picked on each other and instigated but it was all out of great fun. The princess took long walks with her father at night and he told her about his new discoveries between vampires and humans, and her being her, was always fascinated and wanted to know more. 

Like Alucard and her mother, she had the privilege of stepping out into sunlight without a problem. She grew her fangs in before her brother when she was a small infant, which to this day she enjoys hanging over his head. She was tall and strong, and very fast, as well as very skilled with a sword. She had long nails she could extend and retract and could turn into animals, making it easier to stalk her prey at night. 

Everything was....perfect, you might say. Her life was perfect, sure she lacked friends but she had a wonderful home and a loving family that she could depend on. 

That all changed after that horrific night in 1475. When Lisa Tepes was killed everything crumbled to dust. The love in the castle had disappeared, it was so cold and dark and stunk of misery. 

She grew strained from her father once Alucard had left home. She didn’t want him to go and he didn’t want to leave her, but they both knew it was for the best. 

In a year, it was almost like two complete strangers shared a home. Dracula made no effort to connect with his daughter as he was so caught up with damning the whole world to hell, and in that time his daughter pushed him away. She barely spoke with him, didn’t even attempt to at this point. He was so angry, so angry with the world and with everyone in it. Lisa wouldn’t have wanted this, her children knew that. Their mother was a part of the human race, mortality ran through the children’s blood. They were a part of them, and their father wanted to burn them all. 

She grew angrier and angrier with her father as the dreadful days passed on. He let these other vampires into their home and they did whatever they wanted! And what did he do, wallow away into nothing in his library, sitting in front of the fireplace every single day! Pathetic! Absolutely pathetic! 

One day, she had enough. Dracula’s daughter couldn’t stand a single day more in that castle, enraged with her father she planned to leave. She considered leaving without telling him, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. So, with a satchel over her shoulder holding her most valuable things, she walked into her father’s library. The back of his chair was to her, and yes, he stared into his fireplace like he always had. 

“I’m leaving.” she spoke up, gripping the strap of her bag. Nothing, he didn’t say a word, he didn’t even move a muscle in his seat. His daughter only sighed, a tear rolling down her cheek as she turned away. “Goodbye, father.”

Part of her never wanted to see him ever again. Part of her wanted nothing more to do with her father, but she knew deep down their paths would cross again, and she’d end up in that castle once more. 

She was alone, really alone this time, she had no one to turn to, she kept her distance from strangers and if they gave her trouble she’d risk the danger and bear her fangs, making them all run away in fear. The one night, one fateful night, she had run into her brother and two others who accompanied him. She was running through the woods as night creatures attacked, she’d slaughtered as many as she could, but they were closing in on her. In that moment she felt powerless till three beings came out of the thick woods and ended the monsters’ rampage.

“Alucard?” she whispered, leaning herself against a tree, holding her side which bled a concerningly amount. 

He gasped, his eyes widened with shock as he looked at his dear sister. “Sister?”

“You have a sister?” The strange woman spoke up in her thick accent. 

“Oh god, not another one of you....” A tall dark haired man grumbled, slapping his hand over his face. 

Alucard’s sister ran over to him and threw her arms around him as hard as she could. She couldn’t believe it. She had so many questions. How was he here? Why wasn’t he underground like he said he’d be? Who were these people? 

Overtime, these questions were answered. The woman was a speaker, her name was Sypha, and that other oaf of a man was a Belmont, Trevor Belmont, a vampire’s sworn enemy. She thought they died off years ago, but never mind that. Her brother had woken from his year of slumber when the two of them accidentally found him (more so Trevor than Sypha) and asked if he’d help them in their quest.

“We’re going to the castle...” Alucard spoke softly. His sister sat across from him, staring quietly into the fire they had made. She wasn’t stupid, she could put the puzzle pieces together. They were going there to end Dracula’s terror for once and for all. Her heart broke, just like it had before. She had to come to terms with killing their father, it was such a painful thing to imagine but...if that meant millions and millions of people would survive, then so be it. 

“It just hurts, ya’know? I mean, how could anyone go through with the idea of murdering their father?”

“He’s not our father, not anymore at least.”

Alucard was right, she hated to admit it. That monster conducting all of this genocide wasn’t their father. Their father was loving and caring, and this man....wasn’t any of that. The king of darkness was blinded by a rage and there was no looking back. Their father died when Lisa Tepes took her last breath. 

One by one, she slit the throats of dozens. Striking her sword through vampire soldiers, beheading the generals who held councils in her very home, the ones who practically took her home away from her. Was it truly still her home, she couldn’t tell, all she knew it as now was Vlad Dracula’s hideout, nothing more. She would get her revenge on every last one of them, her fists driving through their chests and yanking out their still beating hearts, crushing them in her palms. How dare they mock her home as if it were their own little sanctuary. How dare they. 

“Alucard--you, Belmont and Sypha fight off those night creatures! I’m going to find our father!” She yelled as she climbed the steps. 

Alucard impaled a night creature “Be careful! He’ll hurt you!” 

But she was already down the hall and up the steps to her father’s library. Millions of thoughts ran through her mind. The guilt of it all, having to go through an act that would be considered unspeakable under God’s law. Half vampire or not, she knew she’d be damned to hell in the end. 

She took in a few breaths before peeking in. Her father, to her surprise, was not slumped in his chair but standing, he grabbed one of his forgemasters, Isaac, and threw him through his mirror. Isaac let out a scream and the mirror broke into pieces, falling on the ground. 

“Father.” She spoke, walking into the room. Dracula tensed up, turning his body towards the door, bearing his fangs. 

“My child, the betrayer.”

Her chest tightened, eyes wide. Betrayer? He thinks she betrayed him?

“I did no such thing.” 

“Lies!” He snapped, his eyes blood red. “You walked out of this castle and turned your back on your own father!” 

“Well you had already turned your back on me!” She screamed at him. “You didn’t try to make me stay! You didn’t even attempt to!”

“I knew what side you were on from the beginning. You were a lost cause.” Dracula’s voice was cold and harsh. 

Tears sprouted at the corner of her eyes. “How could you even say that?! You act like you were the only one who lost someone!” 

Dracula turned away from his daughter, seething with anger. 

“You weren’t there! You were never there! All you’ve done was cause havoc!” 

“I did it all for her!” Dracula roared, whipping around and towering his large body over hers. 

“And look where that got you!” She bellowed back at him, eyes now blood red as tears streamed down her face. “Look where that got you. You pushed Alucard away, you pushed me away. Mother would never--” Her body was thrown across the room and she hit the bookshelf, falling to the ground. She wheezed out, coughing out blood. He struck her. He...struck her. Her vision was foggy, but she could make out her father standing on the other side of the room. She tried to stand up but she couldn’t, her body didn’t let her. Again she tried, but she couldn’t do it. She hadn’t had blood in such a long time, she’s grown too weak. Why she didn’t consider that going into this mess she doesn’t know, but it was a stupid mistake. Suddenly her world went dark, and she laid unconscious on the ground. 

It wasn’t too long till she had woken up from her spot, her father no longer in the library. She could hear screaming from above her. She gasped, getting up as quick as she could and stumbling over herself. Alucard. 

She ran and ran, going up another floor, and then another. The dhampir suddenly collided with Sypha and Belmont. 

“You’re alright!” Sypha exclaimed. 

“Where is he!? Where is Alucard?!”

“Upstairs, with Dracula!” 

Her vampire senses tingled. His room. They were in Alucard’s old room. She bolted up the floors and down the hall. They were screaming, things were being shattered, she could feel the whole castle shake beneath her feet. 

Alucard was thrown against the wall, their father closing in on him, ready to finish the job. 

“ENOUGH!” His sister shrieked at the top of her lungs, stepping in between them.  Her father stopped in his tracks. 

There she stood, sword in both hands, pointing the tip against her own chest. 

“What--What are you doing?!” Dracula bellowed. 

Alucard shook his head, fear in his eyes. “No, don’t do it!” 

“I’d rather kill myself than live in this world with you, you monster!” 

With that, somehow Dracula had come to his senses. The night filled the room, the moonlight shining in through the window. Dracula gasped, his eyes no longer flaming with hatred, but filled with sadness. His daughter kept the sword where it was and she began to cry, hard, endless tears rushing down her pale face. 

“Look what you’ve done father...” She sobbed, hands trembling. 

Dracula stared at her, then at her brother, then finally his hands. “What am I doing? I....” he choked on his words. “My children, my son and daughter. I’m killing them Lisa. I’m killing our children.” He walked over to a painting that hung on the wall. It was of all of them; Dracula and Lisa, both holding their bundles of joy. He looked at his children again and truly realized how much hurt he’s caused them. How much pain he’s caused his daughter. She mourned in their home, alone, while he selfishly sought out revenge. “My daughter would rather end her life than live in a world with her father.” he looked at her, tears now running from his eyes, “These are the walls we raised them in, loved them unconditionally. These are the walls we painted, the toys we made for our son. I’m so sorry....I....what have I done?” Dracula walked over to her and took the sword out of her hands, pointing it’s sharp tip against his own chest and placing it back in her hands. 

“Your greatest gifts to me, and I’m killing them.”

Alucard got up and stood next to his sister, placing his hands around hers. He wouldn’t let her do this alone. 

“I must already be dead...”

Her heart pounded in her chest so hard she thought she was going to throw up. “I love you....” the girl managed to get out in a strangled cry, looking her father in the eyes. She could see it in his pleading eyes, silently begging them to put an end to his misery, to theirs and the world’s. In those quiet moments, he hoped she knew how much he truly loved her. How special she really was. 

She shut her eyes tightly for a second as her and her brother drew her sword into her father’s chest. He groaned in pain, blood spilling out of his mouth as more coppery tears spilled out of his eyes. 

She would forever be his little girl. 

WOOOOH that was a long one! I told ya’ll I’d write some sad shit. Ok I’m gonna go cry myself to sleep now, like, comment and reblog!🥳🥳

[honest-moth-of-silver-grove]

hiiii i'm new here and i loved her writing, she made me happy argh ♡. Okay I can ask for a scenario with Alucard, where the Reader is a Kitsune, with ears and tails, she is basically a spirit of the forest, but she was attracted by the melancholy of his Castle. And ignoring his warnings at the entrance, she starts to leave bouquets of flowers and small jewels at the entrance to the castle. She is very shy, always running before he sees her. you can ignore this and sorry for my bad English.

A/N: Your English is just fine! And I’M sorry for the long wait. 

♡      ♡      ♡

Kitsune!Reader x Alucard (Post S3) Imagine:

As a kitsune, you were incredibly clever. You also knew everything that happened within your forest. After all, you were its designated guardian spirit. Most recently, as you performed your guardian duties, a massive castle manifested next to the crumbled former Belmont estate. You had experienced some turbulence before; with your forest so close to a great monster’s hunter’s former home, it came with the territory. However, this castle’s sudden appearance was the work of someone greater than any of the road magicians you had experienced in the past. You remembered quite clearly how it came to be there.

Many nights ago, a down-trodden band of travelers came through on a covered wagon to the famed Belmont estate. There were three of them, and they seemed to work well together. They vanished into a hidden spirit door under the rubble, and you didn’t hear anything for hours. Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, this giant monstrosity of a castle appeared not too far from where the travelers had vanished. Upon closer inspection, you realized you recognized the castle from tales of long ago. It belonged to Dracula.

When the group surfaced, you took the liberty of getting a better look at those faces. Much to your surprise, you found a Speaker, the last surviving son of the House of Belmont, and Alucard- Dracula’s son.

You didn’t dare follow them past the threshold of the castle, but from what your large fox ears could hear, a lengthy battle must have ensued. When the sun came up later that morning, only the three travelers emerged, looking rather worse for wear. You deducted they were the only survivors.

It was puzzling, to say the least. You understood why Belmont would want to kill Dracula and his associates. And you guessed that as a Speaker, the strange woman would most likely be against the persecution or genocide of any race or species. But you couldn’t imagine why the dhampir, Alucard, Dracula’s only son, would agree to end his Father’s reign in such a way. Yes, it was a necessary sacrifice, but still, it must have been incredibly difficult for the vampire boy to do so.

He seemed so serious. You wondered if it was even possible to make him smile. Perhaps his friends were capable of cheering him up? But if they were, you wouldn’t have known it because no sooner than the deed was done, did Belmont and the Speaker take off in the covered wagon. They left Alucard all alone, which seemed insensitive. You knew it wasn't your responsibility; the castle was technically out of forest bounds, but your curiosity had gotten the best of you.

You ventured closer to the castle, cautiously leaving the safety of your home’s foliage behind. And you were glad you did because once you ventured just a tad bit closer, your big fox ears had managed to detect the sound of sobbing.

The poor Alucard boy was crying.

Oh, you felt so awful! You wanted so desperately to comfort him, but at the same time, your shy and sneaky nature forbid you from talking to him outright. He seemed to need companionship. But at the same time, you recognized he wasn’t in any physical danger. On the other hand, the occupants of your forest needed you to protect them from cruel trackers and hunters who wished to do them harm. So, you simply said a quick blessing over him and continued on your way.

This pattern of yours continued for some time. You were drawn to the melancholy of the castle. It called out to your very soul. For that reason, you continued to discreetly visit and speak blessings over the castle and its occupant.

It was a month or so into this routine when those two showed up. You sensed dark energy resonating within them and as a result, you kept a close eye on them as they approached Alucard. You were surprised at how well he could hold his own in a fight and wondered if you were less sneaky if his dhampir ears would detect you. But that concern was far from your mind. You wanted to keep your forest safe from those two mysterious travelers. You didn’t trust them.

As it turned out, you were right not to.

You didn’t know how or why it happened… All you knew is one week you went to give your blessing to the castle, only to find the corpses of those two travelers up on pikes at the front entrance. You felt the situation had escalated, and simple enchantments and blessings would no longer be enough to protect the heart of Alucard and his castle.

You started leaving gifts whenever you went to say a blessing. They were just small things, an arrangement of acorns, flower wreaths, fresh berries, and sweet-smelling tree leaves.

When you came back, you noticed your gifts were gone, clearly taken inside by Alucard. Your heart soared. It made you glad to help. At the same time, it made you worried. Now that Alucard knew he had a visitor, he would be on the lookout for his mysterious gift giver.

A part of you wanted to be his friend, but the shy part of you knew it was best to stay hidden. After all, kitsune were clever creatures. If you made a fool of yourself in front of your crush, it would seriously damage your reputation.

You were very proud of your most recent gift. It was a collection of crystals, and jewels travelers had lost in your forest throughout the years. You were placing the final touches of flower petals and twigs around the jewels when your large kitsune ears detected footsteps approaching. You quickly had rushed to finish your gift’s presentation before you dashed off, back into the woods.

From a safe distance, you watched as Alucard exited the doors of his castle and made his way to your gift.

You weren’t certain, because you were fairly far away, but when you squinted, you thought you could see the faintest traces of a smile on his face.

♡      ♡      ♡ 

A/N: If you enjoyed this ask, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi!

[johaerys-writes]

Fandom: Castlevania

Pairings: Alucard/Trevor Belmont/Sypha, Hector/Lenore

Summary:

After Trevor gets grievously injured by a night creature, he and Sypha return to Dracula’s castle to seek Alucard’s help. The man they find there, however, is but a shadow of the friend they left behind.

Meanwhile, in far Styria, Hector does his best to survive in the vampires’ court, a lamb amidst wolves. Little do the wolves know, the lamb has fangs of its own.

Chapter 11: Where Shadows Dwell is up! Hector and Lenore have an important conversation, while Trevor, Adrian and Sypha spend a cosy morning in bed 🥰

Read on AO3! Or read from the beginning

There is a faint breeze blowing through the gardens. The fabric of Hector's cloak whispers about his feet with every gust of wind, his skin prickling. He gathers his cloak tighter about him, stealing glances at Lenore beside him.

Swaths of dark blue fabric peek through the folds of her white fur coat. Moonlight glitters on her porcelain skin, swims in the blood-red cascades of her hair. Her perfume reaches him every time the wind blows: jasmine and cherry wine, and something else, that's just her. 

"You're quiet, Hector," she says softly, and her voice glides down his spine like a caress. "Is something on your mind?"

Hector huffs a dry laugh. Is something not on his mind? He can't stop his mind from tirelessly working when he's with her. It's as if it's working at a million miles an hour to prevent any oncoming disaster.

Will it be enough? he wonders. 

"Not much," he replies. "I was simply remembering that the last time we walked together, I was wearing a collar. It's hard not to think of that, in fact."

He expects Lenore to flinch or get angry at him. But she only laughs. "Well, I'd call this an improvement, wouldn't you?" 

No, Hector wants to say, but he holds his tongue. The leash he's wearing now is impossible to break, not without destroying himself in the process. 

They walk together through the snow-tipped trees of the garden, close but not quite close enough, their arms brushing every so often when they move.

When he remains quiet after that, it's Lenore that speaks again. She tells him about her work, the letters she's had to send that day, the gold and resources she's tried to secure. Morana and Striga are still on the road, securing the surrounding countryside closest to their castle. After the first bases have been established, their plan will be set in full motion.

Hector listens silently, unease coiling in his stomach at the thought. If the sisters are so close to implementing their plan, then they will soon be needing the undead armies he'll be making for them. He will soon need to finish creating his hammer. He's stalled long enough, but he knows it's only a matter of time until he's incapable of doing that anymore.

Truth is, he's not entirely sure why he's stalling. His life would have been easier if he went along with everything the sisters wanted of him, if he gave them everything they asked for. But something within him withers at the prospect. He doesn't want all those people to be killed or used as mindlessly as he has been, by his hand or his creations'. There was a time when he hardly cared how many humans were killed in Dracula's war, as long as they were not brutally savaged. But things are different now. Vampires are no better than humans in their cruelty, he's learnt that well. And he feels compelled to resist them, even if he ends up getting hurt in the process.

More than anything, he wants Carmilla to fall and eat fucking dirt. His entire being rebels at the thought of helping her do anything. He'd rather burn in the flames of Hell for eternity rather than do that. 

"Morana keeps calling me through her transmission mirror from the field to whine about her aching feet and the lack of proper baths," Lenore chuckles beside him, oblivious to the storm that's raging within Hector's mind. "In truth, I'm surprised she's even lasted that long. I don't know what she expected: she loves luxury, but there's none to be had when you're on the road with Striga. I've found out the hard way once or twice. But there's no prying those two apart." She shakes her head, and a fond smile appears on her lips. The low heels of her dainty black shoes click on the hard stone floor. "I envy that, sometimes," she says softly. 

"Being on the road with Striga?" Hector asks flatly, shivering a little when the wind whips through his hair again. 

"Not quite." Lenore laughs, glancing up at him through her thick lashes. "No. At least, not exactly." 

Hector follows her up the wide marble steps at the edge of the garden, then on the wide balcony they lead on to. Lenore leans against the railing with a soft sigh, gazing out into the valley below. Snow and ice stretch as far as the eye can see, glittering like diamond dust in the moonlight. 

"There are times when… I envy their companionship," she whispers, her voice almost carried away by the rustling of the night wind. "No matter what happens, they have each other."

Hector's fingers curl around the railing beside her. He can feel the frozen marble through the leather of his gloves. "I thought that this was the case with all four of you," he says. "That you crafted those rings so that you would always be together. Is that not so?"

"Yes. We'll always be there for one another; I know my sisters would give their life for me, if needed and I would do the same. But Striga and Morana are sworn to each other in a way they are not to Carmilla or myself. They care about each other. They love each other. What they have is different from friendship or sisterhood, it's… deeper." She glanced up at him with her sanguine eyes. "Don't you think?"

Hector gazes into those eyes for a moment longer than perhaps he should. "I wouldn't know," he says. He looks away, focusing on the expanse of snow below. "No one's ever cared about me this much. And I have never been this close with anyone." 

He speaks to her in earnest, but he can't quite help the bitterness that rises with it. Hector has never really known love. His own mother thought him a monster; to his father he was worse than a dog. He's learnt from a young age to care for himself, to rely only on himself. It hasn't always worked, obviously —if it did, he wouldn't be here now, in this predicament— but the sentiment is there all the same.

Trusting others is as good as signing his own death sentence. Hector doesn't know much, but he knows this. 

Lenore stays silent beside him for a long while. When she speaks, her voice is almost carried away by a sharp gale. "You don't really believe that," she says, "do you?"

Read the rest on AO3!

[asphyxiateher]

Only Monsters Come Out at Night

A/N: Debating on whether or not I should put this on AO3. Thoughts? Do I need to edit what I have before posting on my favorite website? Anyways, I’m really into horror and I’d like to try my hand at focusing on MC’s descent into madness while falling for her captors. Dimitrescu Sisters x OFC (Desdemona) Summary: Desdemona, her twin brother and best friend are on vacation in Romania when things go horribly wrong the moment they run out of gas. Desdemona has the misfortune of enchanting the monsters that decided to terrorize her group. 

        It was a cold, pitch black night in the northeastern mountainous region of Romania, a heavy fog enveloping the roads which made it nearly impossible for any source of light to pierce through the gloom. This did not bode well for Desdemona and her friends as they dared to venture through the treacherous weather in order to reach their destination. The humble village of Bran should have been a welcome sight by now although from where the unlucky travelers were currently stranded, Desdemona had her doubts. To make matters worse, her best friend, Veronica, shoved a crumpled map of Brasov, Romania into her boyfriend’s hands and demanded answers. Her hot-headed friend was teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

“Desmond, are you sure we’re headed in the right direction? None of this seems to make sense!”, Veronica exclaimed as she nervously rummaged through her shoulder bag for yet another cigarette. She struggled to light her cigarette this time, the harsh winter’s wind blowing hard against her bare hands caused them to shake violently.

 Desmond sighed in exasperation and ran his fingers through his messy chestnut brown hair, pushing wild dark curls away from his eyes.

“You think the shopkeeper gave us the wrong directions to fuck with us because we’re tourists? I knew we were gonna get shit signal out here in the bum fuck middle of nowhere but come on, the old guy looked knowledgeable. Can’t blame me for trustin’ him.” Desmond casually replied with a shrug. He then took a moment to straighten the map again before folding it neatly and tucking it into his pocket.

Desdemona was of the same mind as her twin. It seemed likely that the locals would be completely burnt out from the flocks of American tourists invading their hometown just to squawk about the castle that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. How exhausting it must be to constantly point out where to go to book a tour or who to call to arrange such things when the internet exists. In hindsight, Desdemona should have known better than to bug the polite yet obviously impatient shopkeeper about their vacation plans.

“Think about it, V, Desmond has a point. The guy probably gave us the run around for shits and giggles. You know, it would have been fine taking a wrong turn and then having to backtrack all the way back into town, but we should have just stayed the night at the Inn. Now we’re outta gas and it’s fucking freezing out here.” Desdemona added, now hugging herself tightly and occasionally rubbing her arms to keep warm for as much as possible.

Veronica growled but relented as she took a long drag of her cigarette, her foot resting against their rented vehicle. She took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. Snowflakes began to drift downwards, and it only fueled Veronica’s anxiety about being stranded in the middle of nowhere in the dark. “Alright, alright, we can either freeze to death in this piece of shit,” Veronica began as she kicks the van for good measure, “or we can freeze to death out there looking for shelter. I think I see a path over there that we can take to find what we need. It might lead us to people who can help us, or it might lead us to certain death. All I know is that we need to make a decision now, it’s starting to snow.” Desmond grins and wraps his arm around Veronica’s waist, pulling her close and pecking her on the cheek. “To certain death it is! Des, grab the essentials and let’s head out. According to the map, there are a few small villages in the surrounding area. Chances are we’ll stumble into one of them eventually and find shelter. We’ll get this mess sorted out.” Desmond eagerly stepped away from Veronica’s embrace and stepped towards the beaten van.

After a few moments of scrounging around for what they deemed important, Desdemona ended up with a backpack full of snacks, water, spare clothes, and the first aid kid. Veronica settled for an entire carton of cigarettes and a few spare lighters because you know, it was “absolutely essential” to her survival in a foreign land. Desmond found a flashlight and decided that going light would be preferable to him in case they ran into any trouble. They paved the way forward, following the path that strayed away from the lonely sliver of road. Turning back to get a final look at the abandoned van, Desdemona swallowed the surge of fear that was beginning to creep up on her. She had seen enough horror movies in her lifetime knowing that this probably wasn’t going to end up well for her little group. The logical side of her brain, what little rational thoughts she had left, gnawed their way through her brain begging to be voiced out and heard.

‘Turn back around, it’s safer to stay put and wait until morning! This is dangerous and you know it!’

Desdemona reluctantly glanced back at her brother walking ahead with Veronica hand in hand and the younger twin suddenly stopped in her tracks. Maybe she should stay behind just in case while her gregarious brother searched for help in these mountains; after all, he was far more easygoing and could easily charm the most stubborn of fools into helping him.

“Des, what’s wrong? I thought we all agreed that we should stick together.” Veronica called out to her, uncertainty lacing her tone as her eyes flicked back and forth between the van and a terrified looking Desdemona.

Nervously fidgeting in place, Desdemona struggles to settle the conflicted thoughts warring in her mind. She knows that staying behind and waiting for help would be the wisest course of action, but there was safety in numbers. There’s danger lurking beyond the vast expanse of mountains that surrounded them and she would be utterly defenseless if left alone. Desdemona’s instincts were begging her to go back to the van but the connection she shared with her twin demanded that she follow him through the sketchy path that would most likely lead to their demise. She couldn’t let anything happen to Desmond, she would never forgive herself if something happened to him out here.

With a shaky resolve, Desdemona straightened up and gazed back at Veronica with a small smile on her face. “I’m just nervous, you know. Desmond and I binge watched all the Wrong Turn movies last Saturday so being out here alone in the dark is uh, freaking me out a little. I’ll be fine, though, let’s just keep going.” Desdemona lied as she rushed over to her best friend who rolled her eyes at the revelation.

“No wonder you’re acting all sketch, Des. First of all, binge watching horror movies the weekend before your vacation was stupid as hell so now you’re all hyped up over nothing. Secondly, Wrong Turn sucks. Y’all should have binged Hatchet, Danielle Harris is so hot!” Veronica declared, eager to get conversation going as the three of them trekked through a rocky and narrow trail that led to who knows where.

Desmond was quick to reply in defense of his favorite horror movie franchise and Desdemona was thankful to hear them bicker back and forth. The conversation drowned out the sound of cold whispers tickling naked branches in the distance, the loud crunching of their footsteps on the snow-covered ground, and ravens crying out above them. It was so eerie and something about it all didn’t sit right with Desdemona. She hooked an arm around Veronica’s free arm and together they discussed their favorite horror movies. Veronica could tell her best friend was still a little spooked, so she pulled her closer until she was pressed against her side to provide as much comfort as she could give.

The trail continued to narrow the further they moved along but nothing they observed thus far gave the impression that that anything was out of the ordinary. When they reached a clearing, Desmond sighed with relief. His breath steaming the frigid air was nearly the only thing they could see ahead if it weren’t for the flashlight providing what little comforting light source they had. The snow fall began to pick up the pace but it wasn’t blinding, thankfully. Desmond brushed aside large shrubs and stepped further into the winding path, coming to a full stop when he realized what lay ahead of the weary travelers.

The trio stared in awe at the overpowering sight of a 15th century castle looming over a quiet village sheltering underneath a blanket of darkness, or what Desdemona assumed was its shadow. No amount of fog could hide the monstrosity that was the architectural brilliance of this castle that Desdemona saw before her very eyes.

“Desmond, honey, where the hell do you think you’re going? Don’t leave Dezzy and I behind!” Veronica suddenly shrieked as she sprinted after her overly excited boyfriend down the hill that led into the village. Desmond turned around and could only offer a sheepish smile with a shrug before eagerly running into the unknown. Desdemona tore her gaze away from the castle and spurred into action, jumping and running as fast as she could in order to catch up with her twin.

Desmond was energized by both the cool crisp air and the promising sight of civilization, but that energy was quickly drained out of him when he encountered something wholly unexpected. Veronica reached the eldest Hawthorne sibling and was about to admonish him for leaving the two frightened girls behind, but she was quickly shushed by Desmond. Desdemona quietly approached the scene, her eyes widening when she realized that this was not the village of Bran at all.

They had indeed reached a small village but it looked completely obliterated. The houses looked shattered and broken, as if something gigantic and menacing had come through and picked away at the people that once inhabited this community one by one. Desmond cautiously led the group forward, calling out for any signs of survivors. This wasn’t on the itinerary…

Veronica was on the verge of tears, her hands covering her mouth as she observed the tragic scene before her. Every now and then, she would step into a broken home and call out to somebody – anybody- only to step back out with a grim look on her face. She pulled out her cell phone and attempted to dial emergency services only to be met with disappointment.

“There’s blood.” Desmond says quietly. His eyes peer over the trail of fresh blood and fear grips him the moment the flashlight scans over the corpse of a rotting horse. “Fuck, that stench – we need to get the fuck out of here now!” Veronica cries, gagging and turning away from the horrific view.

Desdemona would have expressed an equally strong reaction had she not felt a sense of…wrongness abruptly assaulting the atmosphere. The moment they stepped foot into the village, the environment reacted to their presence and that did not sit right with Desdemona at all.

“Desmond, do you hear that?” Desdemona asked, her voice laced with terror. Desmond Hawthorne heard the fear in his sister’s quivering voice and it made him feel uneasy. “I don’t hear anything, Des.” He replies as he reaches for Veronica’s hand and squeezes it tight. The couple began to frantically look around them as they slowly backed into Desdemona. As soon as they grouped up again, both Veronica and Desmond wrapped themselves around the youngest sister. The oppressive silence sent a whole new wave of fear over the group before something insidious could be heard approaching them in the distance. Desdemona gasped when she heard maniacal giggling and it was getting louder. A fluttering of what sounds like wings -bats, ravens, perhaps- advancing towards the group sent chills down Desdemona’s spine. What the hell was coming after them?

Desmond flashed his light from side to side before it settled on the massive black ball of insects that instantly appeared before him. The insects dissipated and somehow revealed the shape of a human being wearing a dark robe and hood. The only thing he could truly make out was the color of a red pendant wrapped around dainty, pale skin and a blood smeared smirk. Desmond’s heart dropped in absolute horror and panic immediately set in.

“RUN!” He screamed, taking off with a terrified Veronica in tow. Neither of them looked back to make sure Desdemona was following. The flashlight dropped, and it briefly circled the ground. The flickering light revealed two other black masses of insects approaching the younger Hawthorne sibling who was paralyzed with fear. All she could hear in that moment was delirious laughter coming from the women that revealed themselves two seconds later, the insects dissolving into thin air right before her very eyes.

The crazed woman standing directly in front of Desdemona leaned forward and took her time sniffing her pretty prey who stared at her with petrified gray eyes. Desdemona found it alarming that despite the lunatic’s appearance, dried blood caked on her lips and unruly red hair and a wild, untamed look in her eyes, she found her quite…striking. Perhaps she was going mad. None of this made sense, how could this be happening right now?

“Mmm, sisters, look at what I found. Such a pretty young thing all for me and she smells oh so delicious.” The woman with the green pendant spoke, giggling madly at the profound effect she had on Desdemona.

 “Daniela, you’re delusional, she’s mine; I’m the one who picked up on her tasty scent!” The one with the red pendant spoke after she turned her attention to the only human who didn’t run from them.

The brunette with the yellow pendant reached over and yanked on Desdemona’s hair so hard back, Desdemona thought her life was over. She bared her teeth as she skimmed her nose across the young woman’s neck. Her tongue darted out between blood smeared lips and left a wet trail, causing the smaller woman’s breath to hitch at the unwelcome contact.

“Mmm, she smells so utterly divine. Bela, by the way, it wasn’t you who found MY new pet, it was me! You ungrateful wretches always want to touch what’s mine!” The hooded figure’s grip on her hair tightened and Desdemona whined, causing all three women to delight in her torment.

What Desdemona couldn’t figure out was what they wanted to do with her exactly and why they were fighting over her like three starved wild dogs fighting over a piece of meat. She needed to get out of there fast. “LET GO OF MY SISTER, YOU UGLY CUNTS!” Desmond’s angry voice broke through in the distance and all three creatures turned their attention on the young man who dared interrupt dinner time.

Desdemona decided this was the time to take advantage of their distraction and she quickly slipped away, sprinting as fast as she could to the nearest unoccupied house. Desmond, relieved that his sister broke free from whatever those things were, spun on his heel and ran the opposite direction. He could only hope that all three of them would make it out of this godforsaken village alive.

All three women threw their heads back and laughed wildly into the air as they knew catching their prey would be much more satisfying when they caught them alone in isolated surroundings. It added to their fear and it made the blood taste that much sweeter.

“The hunt is on, sisters. Leave the pretty plaything alive, but the others, we will present to our dear mother as gifts. We’ll make the new pet watch mother undo their very lives; it’ll only make her that much more delicious when we have our fill.” The one with the yellow pendant stated as she sniffed at the air, shuddering when Desdemona’s irresistible scent filled her nostrils once more.

Desdemona found refuge in a large house a few yards away and slammed the front door shut when she ran inside. She quickly assessed what she assumed was the living room, she found a bookcase and summoned whatever strength she had and brought it down in front of the door. She heard something clawing at the door the instant she blocked the entrance, the door shaking violently and mad laughter filling her ears once more.

Desdemona shakily reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, turning on the flashlight and began to look for another way out.

‘Jesus fucking Christ, Jesus Christ! What the fuck are those things!? Where’s Desmond? Is Veronica alright? How the hell do I get out of here? I just want to go home!’ Desdemona’s mind was running through a million thoughts per second but she couldn’t for the life of her settle on anything that would give her a moment’s peace. She was sobbing uncontrollably as she explored the dark home, her hands stretched out in front of her as she searched for anything that would provide answers to her problems. When she found a door near the kitchen, she cautiously opened it and cursed the eerie creaking sound that followed. It was discovered that the door led to a cellar of some kind and Desdemona rushed down the stairs without closing the door behind her. She slowly scanned the large open space and saw that this home had been recently ransacked or rummaged through. Clothes were scattered across the floor, furniture had been broken in half and tossed carelessly to the side but Desdemona found a hallway beyond the room she was in. ‘That must be the way out. Hurry up and grab something to protect yourself with!’

Desdemona carefully tip toed around the clutter, her phone flashing from side to side but to no avail, she couldn’t find anything that would prove harmful to whatever those monsters were outside. The woman nearly tripped over and fell when her foot stepped in something thick and wet, causing her foot to slip forward. Desdemona quickly steadied herself on a cabinet but it didn’t make her feel any better when she realized her fingers were covered in a thick, red substance.

Her breathing growing heavier, Desdemona flashed her phone light over to the cabinet only to find that it was covered in blood – a lot of it, to be exact and it was still dripping on the floor as though it were fresh.

All color drained from Desdemona’s face when she heard pained howling coming from the village; it was Desmond and he was screaming for help. Her twin was in danger and here she was selfishly trying to find a way to preserve her own life.

She quickly twisted around to run towards the howling but she stopped dead in her tracks when a black mass of insects appeared before her. The cloaked figure could only be identified by the color of her green pendant and a delirious smile plastered on her face. Fresh blood dripped down her chin and Desdemona’s eyes reluctantly followed the pool of blood forming at their feet. There was a sickle in her right hand and it was covered in blood, much to Desdemona’s dismay.

Desdemona began to tremble, overpowered by the frightening sight and the implications that followed a bloodied sickle carried by a madwoman. “The sound of your heart hammering against your chest is like music to my ears, pretty thing. Do not fret, my beauty, the moment we met I knew you were special. You’re meant to be mine, we’re meant to be!” She whispers madly, her tongue wetting her lips as her eyes rake over Desdemona’s body slowly and deliberately.

Desdemona doesn’t know what she’s talking about and she doesn’t want to know. Before she could form any kind of response, she’s pinned against the bloody cabinet behind her. She gasps in surprise and that seems to trigger the creature into action.

Desdemona screams as the hooded woman lunges at her collarbone and pierces through her skin with her razor sharp teeth. Desdemona weakly clutches at the woman’s shoulders, growing lightheaded from the sudden blood loss that was occurring. Feeling the woman about to collapse in her arms, Daniela pulls back and savors the taste of her blood. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she sloppily licks the blood off her mouth and regains what little self-control she had left to preserve her pretty plaything for a little while longer.

When dazed gray eyes meet hers, Daniela’s cold, black heart skips a beat. She had never seen anything more beautiful. So she raises her sickle, causing Desdemona’s eyes to widen in panic and Daniela can’t help but giggle a little.

“Don’t worry, my beauty, I’ll be gentle with you. The hideous man-thing and his bitch aren’t going to be as lucky as you, I hope. You deserve special treatment.” Daniela whispers, her fingers caressing her prey’s tear-stained cheek before swinging the sickle with full forced into the back of Desdemona’s thigh.

Desdemona remembers a high-pitched shriek escaping her but nothing else seems to come to mind after that. She remembers her vision blurring and a creeping darkness soothing her to sleep but what happened after, nothing. She enters the haunting abyss that welcomes her with black tendrils pulling her from reality, sleep coming to her easily. With better luck, she’ll never have to wake up again.

Only fools believe in luck as the nightmare has only just begun.

[bxttenbound-archive]

Anonymous asked: Mun don’t fucking compare missy to Dracula and Lisa .

First off Lisa and Dracula had chemistry they loved each other and spent time with each other . Lisa brought out the best in Dracula and Dracula himself learned to love and feel. When he lost his wife he lost his humanity that she brought out of him, from a monster to a suicidal broken shell of a man . Their love story and arc is one of romance .

Missi and Duke? Duke tried to rape missi and tried to have his way , missi survived her ordeal . However she took up his mantle she went from a girl we could root for to a monster . Her having the castle and his life style okay but instead brings him back only to torment and rub it in his face . Why for what reason? It makes no sense she could’ve burned the house down and moved on and lived a happy life while Duke watched from the underworld as everything he had in life went up in ash like he did .Now if Duke gave her access to his books and knowledge and spent time with her. The classic geeky girl getting with the hot guy would also pay off . Then yeah I would’ve loved to see them develop like that, she becomes intrested in him because his sweetness and charm and they slowly build till the day he turns her .

But no their story is one abusing the other their love will most likely build from Stockholm syndrome because one can’t leave the other alone . If this was a empowering women video then it’s a bad one because the empowered women became as bad as the abuser. So please don’t compare a good romance to a bad one.

Anonymous asked: One more thing if you think missi and Duke are a good vampire couple your wrong as hell. Don’t compare their fucked up relationship to Dracula and Lisa.

Do you need a stepladder? Because damn you are reaching FAR

Let’s break this down, shall we.

And mind you.

I AM NOT THE CREATOR OF THIS SERIES. I DO NOT HAVE INFLUENCE OVER THE STORY DIRECTION OR WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN CANON

The post you are referring to is not to be taken seriously. For those who are wondering I made a post comparing Duke and Missi’s HEIGHTS to Dracula and Lisa from the netflix adaption of Castlevania.

Here is the post if you are wondering

What I showed in the post was how when Dracula first met Lisa he was towering over her much in a similar way that Duke looms over Missi. Of course the heights aren’t the same but I wanted to make a SHITPOST about how “dark edgy vampire man falls for a small sassy woman”. Both Missi and Lisa take no shit from their vampire-bf (or husband in Lisa’s case), and both Dracula and Duke are vampires with a lot of personal issues, are tall, and wear red and black. Literally this was the ONLY comparison I was making.

No shit Dracula and Lisa’s romance is healthier than Missi and Duke’s. I NEVER CLAIMED IT WASN’T. Duke and Missi’s relationship is not 100% healthy, they are two unstable personalities / people who are trying to find solace in another broken soul. They fight, they try to literally kill each other, Missi has even killed Duke and they both had maimed one another. Yeah, their relationship is toxic, it’s not great, but they have their kinder moments where they draw closer to one another through acts of understanding they both suffer from the same crippling isolation with their only solace being their vices. Duke falling to his lust, and Missi falling to her ambition for power. They are flawed characters, their relationship is flawed, they are a lot worse off than Dracula and Lisa. No one is making the argument that I was saying their relationship is the same or even on the same level as Dracula and Lisa.

It also helps that Dracula and Lisa have had YEARS in their own canon to be together, they’ve had a kid together, Dracula basically welcomed Lisa in with open arms while Duke treated Missi like any other vampire would when they walk into their home unannounced or unwelcomed.

Now let’s address that heavier topic.

Duke did not try to, nor did he rape Missi.

Duke at the most, made uncomfortable advances upon her but it was spurred BY HER ACTIONS. For the entirety of “the Night” we see Duke only forcing Missi to dance, he wasn’t making sexual advances on her until around 2:58 seconds where DUKE IS THE ONE TAKEN ABACK BY HER ADVANCES. Before this he NEVER showed sexual interest in her. If you want to make the argument she was raped you have to willingly ignore that she was the one who started coming onto him as a way to TRCIK HIM. Missi used sex against him, made him THINK she wanted it even if she secretly didn’t. You cannot come onto someone (while fully sober and of sound mind) and then claim they raped you when you were the one to not only start but lead on the other party involved every step of the way.

Missi willingly seduced Duke, she didn’t have to do that. Sure, she could have died if she didn’t, but no one forced her to play along with his game. She did so as a way to manipulate the situation to get to a point she could gain the upper hand and kill him.

Missi knew what she was doing. She knew she was seducing him and what he might do, she was purposefully doing this to trick him. If you want to make the argument, yes technically by USA standards consent laws don’t work like and it would be considered statutory rape but we have on idea / confirmation where this takes place. We assume its in England or somewhere in Europe due to the presence of there being castles built, the native language we see around being english, and Missi graduating highschool and going to college at 17-18 years of age. So the age of consent laws could be ~16-18 meaning Missi fully well could consent to what she was doing.

If you need further evidence I present screenshots and will go into the rest of this under the cut as this post is getting long.

2:59

3:01

3:06

3:10

3:11

3:15

Through the entire odeal, she allowed him to think she wanted this, pretended that she was okay with this, no one was forcing her to do this. 

For all Duke knew SHE WANTED THIS

There will be no more discussion on this topic.

So onto the net point shall we?

I don’t know 100% why Missi brought Duke back. Daria (the creator) has her reasons, we will see more into Missi’s homelife which possibly may explain things more, or perhaps she simply wanted to bring him back so she could abuse him further? People, once they gain power, can and will become corrupted by it. The Cane possesses her with magic, she is taking vampiric powers from it, we are seeing her “fall”. 

Missi changes because she finally has control over her life, she appeared to be a lonely nerd who had barely if any friends at all so of course she’s going to go a bit mad with power when she finally gets the ability to be strong, something she couldn’t be as a human.

You’re assuming her life as a human was happy

Tell me, why does a girl run off to an abandoned castle with a backpack filled with her school belongings, identification, and books if she had a safe and happy home life?

They don’t

We don’t know anything about Missi’s family other than her sister went looking for her, but gave up easily in her search TO GET LAID, BECAUSE SHE VALUED GETTING LAID OVER TRYING TO FIND HER SISTER.

WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU ABOUT HER HOME-LIFE, DEAR ANON.

The thing is, Anon, relationships don’t always work well. Trust me, I was in your spot when I first saw “Stuck with you” but there’s a big problem with it.

Their relationship isn’t supposed to be perfect. Their relationship is supposed to be toxic. They are drawn together by a mutual loneliness in a world filled with people. Missi being forgotten by her family, and Duke never finding the true kind of connection he needs through his hyperseuxality. Both of them are drawn together because they find / see that while they are alone, they can be alone together. They still have issues, they still have problems, because of their past they have a lot to work through but if anything the ending of Stuck With You shows they are willing to try and be nice to one another AND TRY TO BE KINDER TO ONE ANOTHER, AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.

The circumstances that brought them together might have been bad, harmful even, but that doesn’t mean it has to end that way and we’re still in the middle.

Do I think it could have been done differently? Yes. I would have loved to see them bond further, and get closer to one another but Daria is a single animator / creator creating their story. It’s up to her how she wants to tell it and she’s limited to how she tells her story based on how she tells it and how much time she has. It takes A PRETTY DAMN LONG TIME for A SINGLE PERSON to make these. So I don’t blame her if she doesn’t show every single little thing that happens between them.

THE SERIES ISN’T ABOUT ‘EMPOWERING WOMEN’???? Where did you get that?! It’s a story of a vampire man and the woman who had bested him and became a vampire herself. It’s about the two of them, not just one. Missi wasn’t even a main character when the series started!! The fact we get so much from Missi and Duke is phenomenal. They are complex multi-layered characters who have huge flaws.

If I wanted to be petty, I’d say Missi and Duke’s relationship is better, because Missi was able to turn Duke, Lisa couldn’t turn Dracula.

Because Missi accepts Duke as he is and doesn’t try to force him to change, if he changes, it’s on his own not because his partner wants to. Lisa goes in with the intent she can “fix him” or “fix is view on humanity”. Missi doesn’t. So if I wanted to be petty which face it I don’t care anymore, Missi is a better supportive girlfriend because she accepts Duke in his entirety, any change he does is what Duke wants, not what she wants. If either of them change, its because they want to, and they want to get better. Dracular and Lisa didn’t have that development because Lisa was “already perfect” and Dracula “had to change” to view humans better. Which he was right in saying humans in his world are terrible, because they are.

Yes, Duke and Missi’s relatinship is toxic.

Yes their relationship is abusive.

I am not, nor am I ever making the claim that their relationship is “perfect” or anyone should strive for it because it isn’t good.

Don’t come into my inbox assuming or putting words into my mouth and think I won’t spit them back at you. I could go on further about how flawed Dracula and Lisa’s relationship is / was, don’t praise it like it’s “the best”, because all relationships, whether they’re full of love, or toxic, can be *good* without needing to “healthy”.

Duke and Missi’s relationship is good, but it’s not healthy. Because it shows they’re still flawed, they’re still getting used to one another, they still are trying to get over their own horrible personalities because Missi and Duke ARE NOT GOOD PEOPLE but that doesn’t mean they aren’t trying to be better at least towards one another like we see in Stuck with you.

[natandacat]

Can u fill the bingo sheet for Kim Kitsuragi and Jonathan Harker? :3c

Omg Kim Kitsuragi my beloved my favorite man ever tysm

Ok so starting with the hearts because I love him:

They are sooo cool looking: self explanatory. Design of all times. The pants. The jacket. The glasses. The cigarette???? Hello Kim I would actually be gay in the other direction just for you

If they were real I would marry them: see above. Also our values match and it would be an honor

They've never done anything wrong in their life ever: I have so many thoughts and emotions about the way he navigates his job in the police, about his moral journey through the system and the way he handles both his identity within that constraint and his moral beliefs. Despite everything I believe he manages to remain ethical to the best of his abilities, and i find this inspiring. The way he quietly enables Harry is not in my opinion a moral failing; while he never intervenes, part of his apparent inaction is rooted in both a willingness to let Harry prove himself (which is remarkable given the state we find him in) and a carefully honed sense of survival -which is best exemplified when Harry does morally reprehensible things (which i havent witnessed much since i refuse to chose the fascist options). In the rare cases where I've seen it, his quietness (which protects his precarious status within the police force) always carries judgment, and we see Harry having the option to adjust to that judgment and change for the better.

They're like a blorbo to me: at any given time I am wondering if Kim would approve of my actions

They're deeper than they seem: well idk if anyone thinks he's shallow, but he def turned out to be deeper than I expected (which was also because I never thought the game would be THAT well written)

I like them enough to project my own issues onto them: ahah no Kim don't navigate a system in which you are made complicit of your own oppression while desperately trying to be a force of good

I'm mentally ill about them: self explanatory

They work better as a dynamic (?): Kim would be A+ alone but his role as Harry's (and the player's) moral compass and loyal partner (simultaneously!!!) is truly what reveals the most depth in him imo

Ok after that im afraid my good friend jonathan will not get as many thoughts because I am tragically behind on his emails I don't even know how he's doing rn I hope he's OK

Not as deep as they seem: I might change my mind but jonathan feels more like a vessel type character -I can project myself into him but so far im not getting a terribly tangible identity from him, which is fine esp in this kind of story, he's just not a fictional character i would become obsessed with

I want to carry them in a handbag like a tiny dog: I'm shoplifting/smuggling him away from dracula's castle

Free space: I just find him very funny im sorry. Rich English boy so blinded by his classism and xenophobia that he heeds NO warnings. Im sorry but if he dies he will have deserved it a little bit

I don't really have much to say about them: again my opinion may change as I advance in the story, but so far he makes me feel more things about myself than about him if that makes sense

[demonfox38]

Okay. Made it through the last season of Netflix's "Castlevania" interpretation. Thoughts are below the cut.

I've often thought of this series as the exploitation version of "Castlevania," and hiring Malcom McDowell confirms that.

Although, I find it hilarious that both Malcolm McDowell and Patrick Stewart have ended up voicing the same character. I'm sure there's a "Star Trek Generations" joke to be made in there, but I'm not Mike Stoklasa.

Also, I was cracking up a bit when Varney's plot twist happened. Mostly, because it came off a bit Skeletor-esque in vocal performance.

Also, also—laughing that the final boss went the "Castlevania: Lament of Innocence" route despite barely touching on that game's plot.

Animation had its ups and downs with this season. It seemed like there were some frame issues (not enough inbetweening.) I do appreciate how they incorporated more of Alucard's SOTN animations into his fights, however.

Additionally, some of the fight scenes' pacing seemed to have issues, particularly regarding weapon recovery.

The whole bit with St. Germain was off. Like, he's a weird asshole in "Castlevania: Curse of Darkness", but he's more of a weird asshole there in the same way that casually encountering "Doctor Who"'s Doctor would also be strange. Not a straight up villainous boob. Kinda makes sense thematically to have another character who is willing to do horrible shit for their lost loved one, but the series honestly did not do a good job establishing her. Like, did she even have a voice actor? Or a name? All I'm saying is it was much easier for outsiders to get the Lisa revenge thing Dracula had going.

Also, how dare you joke about not being deaf and then have a villainous monologue, TV show.

Greta's a good girl. Well, outside of being an occasional homewrecker. Point is, she's competent and trying her best to save people in a bad situation, and anyone having issues with her is not to be trusted in the same way that you don't trust people who don't like Rochelle from "Left 4 Dead 2."

Look at me. Do not trust people who do not like Rochelle from "Left 4 Dead 2." Yes, her writing could have been better, but she's still a viable character. Let people Thunder Child their ships on the rocks of your better self. Got me?

Also, y'all really need to embrace more polyamory. Or understand the fact that Alucard's not going to love just one person in his life. Dude lives to be at least 600 in the game's timeline. For a dude who loves humans, constricting him to just one who may live to be 100 at best is cruel.

There are some interesting philosophical dialogues going on here, but I can see where some people may lose their patience for them. Considering one of Castlevania's most popular memes is a philosophy debate, you're just gonna have to suck that up. My personal favorites included the topic of acting versus reacting, as well as having agency in one's story.

Striga's battle theme was cool, but otherwise, the music was forgettable. Yes, that is a sin. Punishable by Death? In this series, maybe!

The gore's still over the top. Which, okay, fine. There's a bit of that in game. It's just generally a bit more reserved with it or uses it in crucial boss fights.

RIP doggie.

The Targoviste plot's a bit of a wash, but it doesn't feel as useless as Trevor and Sypha's previous plot predicament. It's just nothing of a surprise, considering how many times the writing has played the "authority figures are useless" and "dark secret surprise" tropes in this series. Like, Greta being reliable is actually more surprising than anything with this plot.

I cannot emphasize enough how boring I found Carmilla's interpretation and plot arc. You guys could have had a giant, naked lesbian riding a skull and spewing magic at people while her cat-eared girlfriend jumped them for extra damage. But no. Vanilla lady with a scarlet sword for you. So long. Farewell. Auf Wiedersehen. Good night.  

Gotta say, as much of a deviation from his source character as he is, Isaac really turned out well in this series. He's definitely evidence that you don't always need to stick to source material.

His Abel is fucking sick, dude. Way to go, king.

Also, I was expecting more violence from Hector this season. Oh, well. At least he got a teeny bit of a spine.

Look. I'm not an alchemist by any means. I'm just a bit baffled by this season's emphasis of obtaining a Rebis. Like, any time the game series has talked about the Magnum Opus of Alchemy, it's more been in pursuit of making a Philosopher's Stone (or at the very least, a Crimson Stone, as seen in "Castlevania: Lament of Innocence.") Pulling a Rebis out of the aether is…well. Could have been more interesting than it was. I mean, it was a bit nightmarish, but it really didn't do much.

Sypha's really never getting back to her family, is she?

Love the idea that the cross subweapon is basically a fancy chakram.

GERGOTH. BUDDY. FRIENDO.

Really appreciating the monster variety in these last two seasons. I mean, that's a big selling point of the "Castlevania" games. Not so much vampires standing around and bickering in dick-waving contests.

Breaking out of the bullet points to hit on the big subject of this season—that is, the ending being surprisingly happy.

There's been a lot of shit that's happened over the last few years. Obviously, a pandemic. Konami's run by pricks. Then, there's the situation with the allegations of sexual coercion with Warren Ellis. Additionally, the terrible ending of "Game of Thrones" likely impacted how this season was developed, considering it seemed to be chasing its progression in construction. (I mean, look at Carmilla and Daenerys.) I don't know how many people were happy with the last season of "Castlevania," but from my POV, it double-tapped itself in the foot with the way it pushed simultaneous sex and violence in its last two episodes. My point is, there was little taste for additional darkness, considering everything that has been happening. Society is drained.

A happy ending was what people really wanted. And man, did this pull through, in that regard. But, there's a conversation to be had in if this swerved too far or if it violates some artistic integrity to give people what they want. So, let's have it.

Look. Man. Have you seen a "Castlevania" ending? When you do it right, it's crumbled castles and rainbow-colored skies. If you do it really right, it results in a pretty girl holding the main character's hand. There is happiness in these games. Hope. Forgiveness and redemption. If this is supposed to be any bit an accurate interpretation of these games, it absolutely should end in such a joyful fashion. (Okay, maybe giving Dracula and Lisa a second honeymoon at the end was a bit much, but I get where people would want that.)

Did some items need to be addressed more? Absolutely. Alucard staking people and Hector getting sexually coerced into servitude are some pretty big topics to just wave away. (Oh, shit. That second part is even worse now with what Ellis was allegedly doing, isn't it?) I suppose I'm just glad the series didn't go full Sephiroth with Alucard. And at least Hector finally took some stand in his situation, even if it wasn't the bombastic, hateful revenge I'm used to seeing from this character in other stories.

I think the creators of this series were trying to save this show from the fate of "Game of Thrones." (To some extent, perhaps the "Voltron" re-interpretation as well.) There's so much media out there anymore that if a production team doesn't nail the ending, their creation gets wiped out of the collective consciousness. To that extent, I think the creators were successful in saving their series. Did it do damage to itself in yanking out of its construction and themes? A bit. But, in doing so, it pivoted back to being more like a proper "Castlevania" product. (And of course, by proper, I mean anything ignoring "Lords of Shadows." God, people need to stop chasing other products when developing "Castlevania" stuff and just let the series be as it is.)

I am very curious as to how much of this season was part of an original draft and how much was revised in backlash to everything that has happened. It doesn't seem like Trevor was intended to survive, but to some extent, Sypha had to. (I mean, until she has a kid, anyway. See "Lords of Shadows" series for dickery regarding that.) I'm also wondering if there was more intended for the Carmilla subplot, as much as the series was banging on about her invading locations. I'm not even sure St. Germain was intended to be a villain all along. Getting into a bitchfight with Death? Sure. Doing what he did here? That's a weird arc, dude.

If you come away from my POV with anything, it should be this: GO PLAY THE GAMES.

Do it. Do it, you ghouls. Go to the Steam store and download the "Castlevania Anniversary Collection." Boot up your PS3 or 4 or 18 or whatever and get "Symphony of the Night." Throttle Nintendo's stores until "Aria of Sorrow" or "Dawn of Sorrow" or "Harmony of Dissonance" or whatever rattles out of their moldy pockets. Find a ROM. Find an ISO. Just play a game. Especially, one of the ones made before 2010.

"Castlevania" as a game series isn't about hordes of vampires dick-waving at each other or edgy swearing or being grim and dark. Some of that stuff's there, sure. But, at its core, it's what game developers created when they looked at Universal Monster Movie creations and went "That's cool. Let's fight that!" It's a series about pushing technology in MMC chips to make rich, vibrant music. It's about flourishing artwork and layers of sprites dripping particles and gore onto players. It's sober and goofy and very pro curry.

The thing is, "Castlevania" players have their own unique connection to the series. We're the weirdos you see clapping their hands when a mutilated dinosaur shows up on screen. It's not because the monster alone is cool. It's that we've fought and struggled and bodied that thing through several floors like a goddamn "X-Men: Children of the Atom" stage. It's kicked our asses. We've kicked its ass. We've got a connection to it that you just don't get from passively watching it barf lasers through a computer monitor or TV screen. Like, you know how people go, "Well, the movie wasn't as good as the book?" It's obnoxious, sure. But, those who read the source materials have to go to the effort of constructing their own sets and people to understand what's happening. In a similar fashion, game players build up their own skill set to reach that next rung.

Maybe you don't always get a payout when you invest your resources into something. But, there is a sense of accomplishment, seeing what you can do.

There's a reason this series got an adaptation. I mean, outside of Konami's head executives wanting easy money. "Castlevania" is a fantastic video game series. Has it got a few problems? Oh yeah. Especially after outsourcing and pachislot machines became all the rage. But, there's a reason Simon and Richter Belmont are playable in "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate." There's a reason I spent a significant amount of time playing these games and writing or drawing fanworks for it. These games are wonderful. Beautiful. Difficult, but inspiring. Reasons I will still bang on about them decades years down the road.

When I get exasperated by layers of angst and edge lord content this Netflix series generated, I want you to know why. The roots of this show are good games held captive under poor management. Some people on staff know this. I wish they had more scenario and writing control. But mostly, I don't want to shit on them or their work. (Well, other than perhaps the obvious target.) I just want you to see what I love in these games.

And also to watch Crashervania. Because that's legit.

[bemused-writer]

Game!Hector VS Show!Hector + Some Story Predictions

Originally, this post was going to be about my thoughts on the Castlevania series more generally, but then I had too many thoughts about several characters, so this post just turned into a look at Hector, who I personally find pretty interesting.

His character also demonstrates some of the more obvious changes the show has made and I can attest that people have Opinions about Hector in particular, so I kind of want to talk about the character for a bit.

First, a visual comparison:

Visually speaking, not much has changed. He has gray/silver hair and his outfit is much the same, though some of the more dramatic bits from the game are toned down (most notably the shoes, though you can't make that out here). His skin tone is a little darker in the show, possibly to make his Greek heritage a bit more obvious.

His backstory is... kind of changed. To be honest, the game did not care about backstory. XD I know they had a tie-in manga for the game, but I'm not going to be bringing that into this because I've never read it. This is going to strictly compare what we know from the game compared to what we know in the show, mostly to keep things simple for myself.

So, Hector's background in the game is very simple: he betrayed Dracula after he started killing humans (unclear if the killing of humans was the actual problem or just how he was going about it), left him, renounced his devil forging as evil, married a woman named Rosaly, and then set out to avenge her death after she was burned at the stake for being a witch.

His backstory in the show is quite a bit more detailed, but tonally quite different. He was often isolated as a child for being considered a freak for his ability to raise dead animals (his devil forging), which he kept as pets. His own parents despised him, and at some point he burned his house down with them inside. In other words, he murdered his parents. At some point he met Dracula and the strike up a bond and later joins him to "cull" the humans who have always mistreated him. He very specifically wants it to be a cull and not a genocide; he thinks with a manageable population, people will be ... better? I guess? Anyway, Dracula lies, says sure that's what we'll do, and he joins him. He does not have a wife (this is before he would have met her anyway), and therefore vengeance isn't a plot point.

Part of the problem in comparing this is that these two Hectors are set in different points of time. Game!Hector has already betrayed Dracula and moved on with his life. Show!Hector has just joined him on his crusade.

His personality is where we can see the bulk of the rewrite, however. Game!Hector was a no nonsense, take charge kind of guy that alternated righteous fury and outright bullheadedness with aristocratic manners and gentlemanly behavior. It was simply fantastic. He knew what his goal was (avenge his wife), pursued it (killed Dracula) and then called it a day. Perfect. Maybe not a ton of nuance (but when has there ever been in this franchise?), but definitely satisfying to witness. The man has mastered pretty much every weapon you could possibly hope for, can summon innocent devils through forging, and is basically an all around powerhouse.

Show!Hector is ... not like that. At all. He has a much softer personality and a lot more quiet sorrow about him. Game!Hector was not soft and he definitely wasn't quiet or especially sorrowful despite having just lost his wife. Game!Hector was also a lot more abrasive when angry and almost stiffly cordial when he wasn't. Show!Hector actually has a sense of humor, is quieter, and actively dislikes debate.

As for fighting, show!Hector hasn't displayed his martial skill of yet, so I can't say whether he's any good at it. He uses a hammer for forging night creatures, which could be dangerous, but mostly feels practical. Basically, game!Hector feels like a warrior that cross-classed with a summoner while show!Hector feels like a full-fledged necromancer.

But probably the biggest change in personality, and the one that I think has caused the biggest rift in whether people like show!Hector or not, is that game!Hector had an absurdly strong will and was never placed in a position that made him look weak. Show!Hector has beliefs, but he's hardly flinging himself into the fray to defend them. He has been constantly manipulated and, as of season three, psychologically tortured, has developed Stockholm syndrome, and is basically going to have a lot more to work through than game!Hector ever did in terms of plot.

To put it succinctly: game!Hector was allowed way more agency while show!Hector has yet to break free of the very literal chains that bind him. Game!Hector purposefully joined Dracula, purposefully betrayed him, and purposefully chose everything else in his life. Show!Hector was manipulated by Dracula into joining his crusade under false pretenses, was manipulated by Carmilla into betraying Dracula, was kidnapped, imprisoned, manipulated by Lenore into trusting her, and is now her slave to boot thanks to a magic ring slipped on his finger during an intimate moment.

So, what with all these changes, will show!Hector ever display the backbone we're more adjusted to seeing from game!Hector? First of all, I think it's a little unfair to say he hasn't shown any. No, it hasn't been that overt, take charge attitude from the game, but show!Hector has not meekly bowed to the horrors inflicted upon him. He has survived everything that's been tossed at him.

But, if we really are just talking about when we're going to see a Hector that wipes out his enemies without a single doubt and has the resources to pull it off, well, my guess is not until season 5 at the earliest. His story arc has been pretty whumptastic as you can see. To be honest, I do feel like Hector's plot has probably had too much whump. He's basically being psychologically tortured nonstop as of season 3 and, yeah, it's probably good to point out he's not exactly a "good guy." Lest we forget, he was perfectly all right with wiping out a significant portion of mankind, but his current circumstances are just degrading and certainly aren't designed to deliver justice.

But why do I think we might see him regain his agency in season 5 as opposed to the upcoming season 4? Well, he's been made a slave of Lenore, very literally through magic, so it's unlikely he can do anything to break that of his own free will. Most likely, Isaac will storm the castle and break him out, not out of the kindness of his heart, but because he wants to kill him. However, this isn't the version of Hector he'll want to fight. A battered, broken man? There's no honor in such a fight. And that right there gives us a portion of the game's plot: Isaac wants Hector to regain all of his strength so they can have an epic battle.

Still, things are much changed. Isaac was once a slave himself in this version, and I can't help but wonder if Hector's circumstances might ring more with him in the show than they ever did in the game. I doubt they would become "friends" exactly, but perhaps a new level of understanding could be gained.

There's also the Lenore angle to consider. As I mentioned before, this version of Hector isn't married, but could his attachment to Lenore remain despite her abuse? Could Lenore end up loving him as well? And if Isaac is the one that kills her, could this be what spurs on that craving for revenge that Hector had in the game?

If so, I have mixed feelings on it. I don't believe Lenore can love Hector after what she's done to him. It would be the height of hypocrisy, but, well, she's not a good person, so that probably won't factor into things. For Hector's sake, I hope he doesn't continue to harbor any goodwill towards her. Continuing to genuinely care about her would be catastrophic. But, pretending to be under her sway? After she's already convinced he can't do a thing against her? That could be interesting because it would reverse their roles. Some possibilities there.

Regarding Hector's potential romances, it's interesting (in, you know, a disturbing way) that Hector's intimate scene with Lenore is set side-by-side with Alucard's scene with Taka and Sumi. Both of these scenes ended phenomenally badly. What is initially seen as an attempt at comfort by both Hector and Alucard turns into an incredible betrayal: Lenore turns Hector into a slave while Sumi and Taka attempt to kill Alucard for "withholding" information.

It also shows that, oddly enough, these two are in similar predicaments despite having never met. They both long for intimacy (not necessarily sexual) and for understanding, acceptance, but they never receive it. The fact that these mutual traumas are portrayed at the same time makes me wonder if these two might eventually meet and find comfort in each other, either platonic or romantic. It would certainly be dramatic; they both had ties to Dracula, were on opposite sides of the war, yet harbor basic similarities. Hector seems to long for some peace and quiet; Alucard's abode definitely has that. Alucard probably also wouldn't mind a bunch of undead pets, so... shrug

One thing I am convinced of, though, is that at some point Hector is going to have his comeuppance, one way or another. It would be incredibly disappointing if he goes through all of this and still loses in the end. That would quite the disservice to the character and, in my opinion, uninteresting. It seems much more likely we will see more of his suffering, but also how he will slowly turn it around until he has an advantage of some kind.

Also, with this comparison of the character, I suppose it would make sense to finish off with how I feel about the character. I already noted that I like game!Hector, but in truth I actually really like show!Hector as well. Yes, he's much changed, but he also has a level of depth the game didn't permit. He's sympathetic despite being on the side of evil (which is how I feel about Isaac as well, though for very different reasons). I wish his story hadn't involved so much humiliation, but that doesn't prevent me from liking the character, In fact, I think he's handled his circumstances with a remarkable amount of poise and grace all things considered. It's interesting, and I absolutely must know how he's developed further.

[dyavania]

Watch — Trevor x Sypha

Back with some Trepha! This takes place between S2 and S3, and before the two are in a relationship. Hope you’ll enjoy it!

It was the cold that woke Sypha up. She was already shivering when she finally opened her eyes. Sleepily, she reached to her side, wondering why the hell Trevor was so cold, and the answer was, obviously, that Trevor wasn’t there. That didn’t worry her exactly, she knew he could handle himself just fine, but she also knew she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep without him, both his presence and his warmth. She was particularly demanding in terms of heat, and she wasn’t used to sleeping alone, after years of traveling with the people she considered her family.

She yawned and stretched, then poked her head out of the wagon, taking the blanked with her — she wasn’t crazy enough to leave without it. The nights were extremely cold. Or perhaps she just had a very low resistance to that, she didn’t quite know.

Sure enough, Trevor was sitting under a tree. She had no idea how he could sleep like that. It looked incredibly uncomfortable, from her perspective, but his eyes were closed, and his breathing seemed to be even.

She jumped from the wagon, grimacing at the feeling of the cold ground under her feet, and quickly ran to him, still holding the blanket around her. She let herself fall heavily next to him, immediately snuggling up to him. He let out a sigh and opened his eyes. For some reason she decided not to dwell on too much, meeting his blue eyes, almost shining under the moonlight, as he was looking at her with that smirk of his, full of affection, had her blushing, and she was grateful he probably couldn’t see it.

“I can’t get rid of you, huh?”

“Nope!” she replied cheerfully, resting her head on his shoulder. “It’s no use trying.”

Also, she didn’t want him to succeed.

He sighed, and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her with ease as he arranged his cloak under her so she wouldn’t be directly on the ground. A surprised squeak left her mouth when she was pressed against his hard chest, and that made Trevor chuckle as he unceremoniously dropped her back down onto the ground, though he didn’t remove his arm.

“Everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” she groaned, smacking his chest, “you just surprised me.”

She proceeded to arrange her blanket to cover the two of them. The warmth was already making her sleepy.

“You’re… going to stay here?” Trevor asked.

“You like sleeping under trees,” she said with a shrug, settling herself comfortably against him. “We can sleep under a tree.”

Trevor swallowed, and tightened his hold around her, just a little. He appreciated that. He knew, had she wanted to, she could have dragged him back to the wagon. Well, more like he’d have let her, but that didn’t change much.

She sighed in content at his presence, and her eyes started to close. Right. She’d been interrupted before.

Trevor couldn’t go back to sleep so easily, though. He was already a very light sleeper, something you kinda had to learn when you traveled alone, without a place to call your own. Between the bandits, the vampires, the wild animals, the thieves who walked into his room the rare times he got one in an inn, and the jealous husbands he’d encountered once or twice, he hadn’t had much choice.

Sypha’s body against him didn’t help exactly. They’d slept side by side all nights since they had left Dracula’s castle, but they’d never been that close. Right now, like this, it would be so easy to move his hand on her thigh, or to tilt her head towards him so he could steal a kiss. He wouldn’t, ‘f course not. He didn’t want to risk it. What if it scared her off? Worse, what if she didn’t feel that way about him? He didn’t think he could take it.

He cleared his throat, and Sypha’s head snapped up briefly before falling back down.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, but she didn’t reply, already back in the arms of Morpheus.

Groaning, he tried to move her a little, otherwise things would probably get real awkward in the morning. As he did, he grabbed her right arm, and he frowned when he felt the asperity under his hand. He traced the scars left by Dracula’s claws. The cauterization she’d used in the battle had been useful, effective, but that also meant she would keep them. He didn’t like it.

“It doesn’t hurt,” she said softly.

She wanted to sleep, she really did, but Trevor’s fingers moving on her skin were proving to be… distracting.

He dropped his hand, and she almost wanted to protest, but she caught herself last minute. That would be ridiculous.

“You don’t mind ‘em?”

Sypha shrugged.

“Not really. We fought Dracula and we survived. That’s why they’re here.”

Trevor chuckled at that. That girl… that girl was a fighter, and he liked that way more than he should. Still, for him, her scars were a constant reminder that he’d failed to protect her. It could have been a lot worse than that.

“I won’t let that happen to you again,” he said. His serious tone surprised her, and she looked up at him. His eyes were sad.

“You don’t need to do that. You have a lot more than I do.”

Yeah. He did, and getting them hadn’t been pleasant. That was exactly what he didn’t want for her. The pain was one thing, but the look in people’s eyes when they really wanted to hurt you… She could probably take it, he didn’t doubt it, he just— he just didn’t want her to have to go through that.

“I shouldn’t have let that happen either,” he mumbled, eyes dropping back onto her arm.

Normally, Sypha would probably have gotten a bit annoyed. She was very capable of defending herself, thank you very much, and she truly didn’t mind the scars. In fact, she wore them rather proudly. She liked the story those scars said.

But maybe, she realized, Trevor didn’t like the story his said as much. Maybe that was what he was trying to tell her.

“Trevor,” she said, cupping his face in her hand. “We were fighting against Dracula. You helped me, remember? We got out of here because we were together.”

The three of them, really, though Alucard wasn’t there for her to include him.

He hummed vaguely as a reply and glanced away from her, avoiding her eyes, but leaned into her hand, just a little.

“You’re right,” he said.

Didn’t mean he didn’t blame himself for it. But she was right.

“Of course I’m right,” she said cockily, and he grinned. “Also, I don’t need protecting. If you try to stop me from going into a fight because you want to protect me, I’ll kick your ass.”

He let out a laugh at that. Again, she was right. He wouldn’t be able to stop her if he wanted to, and, well, he didn’t want it that much, really. He liked that Sypha was a fighter. But it meant that he wouldn’t be able to protect her, and there were some fucked up things in the world. And that meant she wouldn’t be protected from that either.

That sucked. It did. But maybe, if she didn’t let him shield her from that, he could at least help her afterwards. Treat her wounds. Take care of her.

“Didn’t you wanna sleep? What’re you doing talking so much?”

She let out an offended scoff and elbowed him, but it just made him laugh. She mumbled something with an annoyed tone as she leaned against him once again.

It was only a couple of minutes before she fell asleep.

Trevor was still awake. Sure, he couldn’t protect her at all times, but he did have her back. He wouldn’t let her get harmed again if there was any way for him to prevent it, he promised himself. And it started now, with him watching over her while she slept.

He pulled the blanket up a little to cover her neck more, then settled for the night too, closing his eyes. As always, he’d sleep with one eye open. She was safe with him.

Sypha had never doubted it.