Castlevania Fan Fiction Chapter 5 - Inescapable Nightmares

Castlevania Fan Fiction Chapter 5 - Inescapable Nightmares

"Why..." Shayla thought, "Why do I keep having this dream?" She would have screamed if she could, but she knew she couldn't wake up. She never could until after...IT happens.

It was a memory she knew all to well, and despite her efforts to bury it, she never could. It always returned as the same inescapable nightmare. In her nightmare, Shayla was four years old and was sitting in her bed. She could hear her father thrashing violently in his room. Mother was downstairs, as she'd been instructed to do during his fits. They never lasted, but this one seemed to be taking longer to subside than ever before.

Cautiously, Shayla slid off her bed and made her way towards the door. She stepped down the hall towards her father's room. Her father was cursing loudly, a name she didn't understand...a name she wasn't sure her father understood...finally, Shayla stood at the closed door of her father's room. She stared at the doorknob for what felt like hours, until she finally gathered the courage to open it.

The moment the door opened, her father whirled to face the door. His red hair was tangled, and unkempt. His pupils were tiny pinpricks, as though his eyes were under great pressure from behind. Beads of sweat fell heavily from his brow.

Shayla stared in quiet disbelief. "Daddy? What's...what's wrong?" She nearly screamed when her father lunged for her, snarling in an almost inhuman voice. She struggled to escape, but she was powerless to stop him from wrapping his hands around her small throat.

"They damned me...they won't get you! I won't let them! DO YOU HEAR ME!?" he screamed. Shayla shrieked in fright, but was quickly silenced when her father lifted her head up. Her world went black when he slammed her head against the hardwood floor.

***

"WAKE UP!!"

Shayla jolted from her bed, covered in sweat. She looked around frantically for the source of the voice, until she realized there was a hand on her shoulder. She looked to see her friend Alyshia hovering over her, great concern in her eyes. Shayla breathed a sigh of relief, as she felt tears welling up in her eyes.

"What happened?" Alyshia Laforeze asked, her brown eyes filled with worry. Shayla still didn't respond, and Alyshia became even more worried for her friend's sake. After a few tense moments, Shayla finally stood up.

"I'm okay...just...that nightmare again..." Shayla whispered breathlessly. She then forced a smile. "I'll be ready in a minute. You can wait for me in the kitchen if you want?" With that, Shayla grabbed a shirt and her jeans, and strode off for the bathroom in her pyjamas. Alyshia sat on Shayla's bed, worrying about her friend's mental well being. Silently, she stood up and left the room.

***

Shayla splashed cold water on her face. She hated it immensely, but it was the easiest way to wake up in the morning. She looked into the mirror, into her icy blue eyes, and frowned. After her father had...gone crazy, her eyes had been damaged. Doctors were able to restore most of her sight, but she still needed glasses, and still had to live with the permanent 'scars'. She'd grown use to her eyes, but always felt a bit bitter about them after her nightmare. Once she'd finished, she rushed down the stairs and into the kitchen. Shayla's grandmother was reading the morning paper while her two dogs eagerly waited for her drop something. Alyshia was focused on her notes, studying for a test later that day.

"Ready to go?" Shayla asked. Alyshia nodded approval, and stood. Shayla's grandmother looked up, and waved to the two girls. The dogs whined and yapped, causing Shayla to laugh. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad day. "Bye grandma", Shayla said cheerfully, hugging her. "Be careful cleaning your shotgun today."

"Don't you worry; I know what I'm doing." Shayla's grandma smiled, and hugged her grand daughter. "You two just be careful."

Once outside, the two got onto their bikes. Alyshia grabbed Shayla's arm and asked "Shotgun?"

Shayla just laughed, and in a conspiratorial tone whispered, "Why do you think Lemur Boy never visits?" then rode off laughing to herself. Alyshia stared blankly at her friend's back, again wondering about her sanity.

***

The two rode quickly, laughing and chatting all the way. As they rode, Shayla noticed that a black car with tinted windows had pulled up beside them and was keeping pace. They watched warily, finally stopping. "So much for Lemur Boy not visiting?" Alyshia quipped, as two men stepped out of the car. The driver was a tall, bald black man with a well-kept goatee. The passenger's side door opened to reveal a pale man with long black hair and chiselled effeminate features. Both were wearing matching black suits with black ties. The pale man approached the two girls, while the other stood and watched carefully.

"Hello Shayla" the pale man began. "My name is Genya Arikado." Shayla stepped back in fright at the sound of her name. Arikado noticed immediately, and attempted to comfort the scared girl. "You've nothing to worry about. I'm not hear to hurt you."

Shayla quickly glanced at Alyshia, who was watching intently. She turned to Arikado and asked, "What do you want then? We have to...go." She wasn't sure she wanted to tell this stranger where she was going, for fear that he might try and follow. She swallowed hard, and locked eyes with Arikado.

"I have news regarding your father. It's quite urgent." Shayla gasped at the pale man's statement. It couldn't be true...could it? Arikado walked forward and reached out his hand. "If you'll just get in, I can explain along the way..."

Before Arikado could continue, Alyshia whipped a folded bicycle chain down across the side of his forearm. The large black man shouted in surprise, but Alyshia quickly backed up and put herself where she could see both of them. The black man started toward them, but Arikado held up his hand to stop him. "It's...alright Hammer. I'm fine." Arikado looked at the two girls. "You may not believe me now, but you'll both be looking for me later. I just hope you'll be safe long enough...let's go Hammer."

The two watched as the car drove off. Shayla's shoulders drooped, and she stared at the sidewalk. Alyshia wrapped her arm around her friend. "See why we worry about that old man friend of yours?" she beamed. Seeing that her joke didn't improve her friend's demeanour, she continued, "Those guys don't know what they're talking about. They don't know your father." Shayla slowly managed a nod, and then forced a smile.

"You're right...come on, let's hurry! We're already late." Shayla put her foot on her bike pedal, and nearly fell over the handlebars when the pedal moved effortlessly down. She quickly righted herself, and looked to see the problem. Her bicycle chain...was gone? She turned to Alyshia, still holding the chain she'd used to ward off the pale man. Alyshia shrugged sheepishly, and grinned.

"It was...closer?" she ventured. "It's easily fixed." Shayla stared in annoyance at Alyshia.

***

Alyshia sat in her social studies class, staring at the test in front of her. She wished she had had more time to study, but it was too late now. Absently, she turned her head and gazed out the window.

Standing outside in the field were two figures. Looking a little closer, one appeared to have wildly bright red hair, and was holding a long staff...or was it a spear? The other...appeared to have horns. Suddenly, the red haired man raised his hand and pointed directly at Alyshia. Her eyes went wide with fear, and Alyshia stood up and screamed. The entire class turned and stared. The teacher frowned angrily. "Miss Laforeze...is there a problem?" Mr. Sheck asked in a voice that dripped with disgust. Alyshia looked back out the window. The two were gone, and there was no one in the field. Quietly, she sat down. "Well?" Mr. Sheck snapped. Alyshia winced.

"Nothing. Just...nothing..." Alyshia muttered. Mr. Sheck sniffed indignantly, and looked back at the stack of papers on his desk. Alyshia glanced up at Mr. Sheck, muttering a curse under her breath. She then looked at Shayla, who regarded her with a worried look. Alyshia just shrugged, and went back to her test. She'd explain everything later.

***

"Dammit today sucked!" Shayla almost screamed as she stepped out of the school. Alyshia nodded in agreement. "Still coming over?" Shayla asked, and again Alyshia nodded. Alyshia had explained about the strange red-haired man she'd seen earlier, and seemed lost in thought ever since. "Maybe you could fix my bike chain?" Shayla said sarcastically. Alyshia paused on that one, then burst into laughter.

"Oh...I hit that bastard good..." she said breathlessly and began a resounding laughter which drew stares from a couple of the other students. Shayla then joined in on the laughter, and the two of them made there way back to Shayla's house.

***

At about 9:00 pm, there was a knock on the door. Shayla answered, and found a woman standing at the door with a large box. The woman had brown hair, and piercing emerald eyes. In a voice that was almost a throaty purr, she asked "Is your name Shayla, by any chance?" She asked as though she already knew the answer to her question, and locked eyes with Shayla.

Shayla nodded slowly, and the woman smiled. "Good! Then I'm at the right house. My name is Lilith, and this," she nodded towards the box, "is yours!" Lilith then pushed the box into Shayla's arms. With a wink, Lilith added "Enjoy!" and then turned and bounded off down the walk. Shayla stared at the box in wonder. Who delivers stuff this late at night?

Shayla took the box down to her room, where Alyshia was playing on the computer. Shayla sat down on her bed, and carefully opened the plain brown box. Whatever it was, it was heavy...and large. Suddenly, the box snapped open, and Shayla was greeted by a cluster of hissing snakes. She threw the box down in fright, and screamed for Alyshia. Alyshia looked at the wriggling mass, and immediately bolted for the door. Shayla quickly followed her friend up the stairs. She turned to look back, and was shocked to see the mass of snakes was attached to a floating, scaled face. It's eyes glowed a sickly green, and it's mouth was turned up in a cruel grin. It's sharp white teeth gleamed in the dim light. Rapidly, it floated up the stairs hissing in glee.

Alyshia and Shayla rushed towards the living room, and tugged desperately on the front door knob. It held fast, as though it were jammed with something. Alyshia pulled hysterically at the door knob, as Shayla turned to face the floating snake-head. Just as it lunged, the living room window shattered as a large hunting knife burst through it, striking the monstrous head between the eyes. It dropped to the ground screaming, and began to disintegrate. As the head burned away, the door suddenly swung open. The two girls looked back and forth. The immediate danger was over from the snake-head, but what if something was outside? Their question was soon answered as a long haired blonde man wearing clothes that seemingly came from the 18th century appeared in the doorway.

"Both of you, get back inside!" he snapped. He was followed by a tall black man in military fatigues holding a large gun. Shayla looked into the blonde man's face, and recognized him immediately as the man from earlier.

"Ari...Arikado?" Shayla asked. The blonde man nodded, looking over his shoulder. It was Hammer who first noticed movement outside in the form of a swirling vortex of rose petals.

"Incoming!" Hammer screamed, levelling his RPG at the vortex. He fired two quick rounds at the centre of it. A shield of green light grew around the area that Hammer had fired into, and the bullets seemingly froze in the air before dropping to the ground harmlessly. A great orb of green light materialized behind the vortex, and out stepped a man. His skin was pale and sickly, and he looked extremely old. His milky white eyes fixed themselves on the four, and he formed a smile. His purple robes fluttered in a phantasmal wind.

From inside the vortex of rose petals, came the form of a woman. She quickly grew wings, and then stood next to the old man. Her brown hair was neatly tied on top of her head, and her emerald green eyes watched expectantly from a flawless face. She wore a black corset, and what appeared to be fur leg bands on her shins. Shayla recognized her immediately as the woman that had brought her the package in the first place.

"Prince Alucard!" the old man laughed. "It's been entirely too long." His voice was dry and cracked, and his breath seemingly fouled the air around him.

Alucard stood still as a board, glaring at the purple robed man. He did not utter a word, but clearly he recognized him.

Lilith stepped forward with a sneer. "Forget your manners, Darkling?" She stopped dead as Hammer aimed his RPG at her chest, and stared at the large man. She wiggled tauntingly, and shook her finger. "Isaac? Would you like this one?" She called. A burst of light appeared on the other side of the purple robed man, and a wild eyed man with blood red hair appeared. He was holding a trident, with the points shaped like a bat. He stood in a defensive pose, and smiled wickedly.

"You know who I'm here for," Isaac replied, fixating on Alyshia. She recognized him as the man from the field, the one who had pointed at her. Alyshia took a step backwards-what did he want with her? Isaac laughed, and without taking his eyes off of her, cackled, "What's wrong? Don't want to give your uncle a hug?" Alyshia's eyes widened at this, and took another step back. Uncle?

"Enough!" snarled the purple robed man. "I am Shaft. Dark priest of the great lord Dracula. I have been reborn to destroy the one threat to my master's return to this world...Shayla Belmont!" It was Shayla's turn to stare in disbelief.

"Umm...my name isn't Belmont! So...you could just leave now?" Shayla called weakly. Isaac and Lilith both laughed, but Shaft quickly silenced them. The priest stepped forward and pointed.

"You are of the Belmont bloodline, and the last threat to my master. Before Lord Dracula can cleanse this world in the fires of chaos, your blood must be spilt!" Shaft's smile was gone, and was replaced by a menacing scowl.

Alucard stepped forward and drew the dragon sword from his it's holster. "Shaft...go back to hell." Suddenly, the bat-handled sword on Alucard's waist began to shake and rattle again. This time, it flew off completely, and flew towards a lone figure who had been standing a good distance from the action.

The figure caught the blade, and then released it where it joined four others. They hovered around the figure, and for a time, the only sound was the blades whipping through the air in a circle around this strange man. Shayla looked at Shaft, who seemed both infuriated and surprised. Isaac and Hammer both looked equally confused-it was apparent they didn't know who this man was. Alucard and Lilith both stared at him. Lilith appeared to be in shock.

The man hovered at least a foot from the ground. He looked young, but his pale skin and white hair seemed to say otherwise. He wore a long blue trench cloak, with an ornate silver breast plate. His eyes glowed the colour of windswept coals. He pointed at the group of people.

"Now...is the hour...of your death!"