Capítulo 74: Chapter 73: In Wait For The Inevitable Duel
2 days later,
"SUCH MASTERY, I MUST KNOW YOUR SECRETS!" Alexander gushed, practically squealing as he darted towards Percival in Ricky's room.
Percival glanced at Ricky, who was massaging his forehead at the situation bubbling before him.
Ever since the duel preparations had begun, Ricky had been stuck as the middleman between the two, and the constant back-and-forth had turned into a nagging headache of pure annoyance.
"Here, Alexander." Ricky flicked his translator ring over, not wanting to play mediator any longer as the gerbil scurried to catch it, a glint of curiosity in his eyes as he inspected the ring.
"How does this artifact work?" Alexander asked, his voice filled with curiosity, touching the engravings as Percival blinked in surprise, stunned to realize he could suddenly understand the gerbil standing in front of him.
"You can talk?" Percival asked, his brow furrowing in disbelief as Alexander nodded, a smug grin spreading across his face as he crossed his tiny arms.
"Not only can I now speak, but I am the former king of Macedonia, Alexander the great." Alexander declared proudly, his chest puffed up as Percival's eyes widened in shock as he quickly glanced toward Ricky for confirmation.
"Yes, Alexander the great is now my Gerbil." Ricky muttered, trying to smother himself with a pillow while Percival, still in disbelief, bent down in respect toward Alexander.
"I grew up on your tales in a distant past, and I must say, you are my hero-"
Before long, both he and Alexander were geeking out over their respective tribulations, their voices growing animated.
Even Henry, the mockingbird, watched the spectacle with growing annoyance, eventually nudging Ricky, who groaned and buried his face deeper into the pillow.
"Yeah, let's get out of here and let these two love birds have their time alone," Ricky sighed, though his jab went completely unnoticed as the two remained utterly captivated by their discussion of battle.
With Henry perched atop his head, Ricky decided to take a stroll, but as he opened the door, he spotted Abraham standing there, quietly eavesdropping on the conversation between Percival and Alexander.
"Kid, is your Gerbil seriously Alexander the great?" Abraham straight out asked Ricky who nodded while walking past him.
"How many times are you going to ask me that? Yes, Alexander the Great is my gerbil," Ricky said with exasperation, brushing past Abraham.
Abraham, breathless, turned to watch him leave, a mix of disbelief and intrigue on his face.
"I-I thought you were joking-"
"Sometimes, I wish I was." Ricky spoke as Henry nodded along as the baffled Abraham caught up with him.
"Listen I'm here-"
"Just take me somewhere I won't get annoyed by priestly figures and I'll even listen to your slam poetry." Ricky turned to Abraham, who was slowly breaking into a smile.
"I know just the place."
10 minutes later,
"Ah~" Abraham let out a refreshed sigh, sipping on a scoop of wine from a barrel as Ricky lounged to the side.
"You can thank the Rothschilds for these puppies." Abraham chuckled, tapping the barrel as he took another scoop as Ricky raised an eyebrow.
"Rothschilds?"Ricky inquired, though Abraham wasn't surprised; their interactions were always low-key.
"An old banking family that's incredibly rich and powerful." Abraham spoke nonchalantly, guzzling down more barrel wine without a second thought.
"A bunch of rich assholes, if you ask me, but their wine is some of the best I've ever had, and they give it to the church for free," Abraham commented to Ricky, drinking the scoop full of wine clean before raising a brow to the side.
"You'd know that if you even took a sip," Abraham said, pointing his scoop at Ricky.
Since from the entire time they had been here, he watched the youngest alcoholic he'd ever seen remain unfazed by some of the best wine his world had to offer.
"I'm not really in the mood for wine, that's all." Ricky lied poorly, turning away while Abraham started laughing incredulously.
"You, the kid who always seems to be slightly buzzed or drunk whenever I see him, aren't in the mood for alcohol?" Abraham asked with an ironic tone, recalling Ricky's drunken escapades he'd heard about from the bar until the realization hit him.
"Wait a minute, when you came to me, you were sober, right?" Abraham's eyes widened in shock, and only one word trailed from his mouth in response to his own realization.
"Why?" Abraham genuinely asked, giving the floor to the silent Ricky who sighed.
"Honestly, I don't know." Ricky leaned back, pinching the bridge of his nose at the sudden conundrum that had plagued him as of late.
It wasn't that Ricky was willingly abstaining from alcohol; it was that every time he drank, it tasted rotten.
"Ever since Eddy died and I try to drink anything, I just hurl it back in disgust." Ricky sighed, actually
confiding to the drunkard that is Abraham.
Ricky's relationship with alcohol had shifted dramatically after Eddy's death.
What once might have been a means of escape or camaraderie had become a source of torment.
The memories associated with drinking now carried a heavy weight of grief, transforming the taste of alcohol into a rotting reminder of loss.
"I see." Abraham nodded his head, leaning back as Ricky turned to look at him.
"Honestly though, I really do think I have a problem, and if it weren't for the taste, I'd probably be drinking all the time," Ricky said, a smile creeping onto his face, almost chuckling as he acknowledged his own flawed nature.
But after seeing Danielle and realizing that all of his guides were bartenders, Ricky felt a deep wave of depression wash over him.
His subconscious was completely saturated with thoughts of alcohol and everything related to it.
Instead of retreating to memories of his childhood home, traumatic experiences, or other potential buffers, his mind had chosen a bar as its refuge, which felt deeply insulting.
It was as if the very essence of his coping mechanism had twisted into something he once enjoyed, now tainted by grief and loss.
"Well, the first step is admitting it." Abraham cheered his scoop of wine towards the air, watching Ricky let out a cynical laughter.
*SIGH*
Abraham let out a sigh, rubbing his eyes before tossing the scoop back into the barrel as he straightened up to look at Ricky.
"Listen, there are three ways you can go from here in terms of drinking." Abraham began, actually giving some advice to Ricky instead of laughing at him.
"One, you can be like me and never change, drinking all the time. Two, you can go cold turkey and never touch a drop again, becoming some pansy loser. Or three." Abraham slowly raised a finger with each iteration until he reached the last one.
"Just don't let it control you." Abraham gave the last option, looking at Ricky who stared at the fingers.
"It's really easy to lose yourself in something that helps take you away from the moment," Abraham continued, his tone serious as he put down his finger and leaned back.
"But it's another thing entirely to enjoy the moment and still be able to drink without letting it control you." Abraham then let out a small sigh, looking at the barrel of wine in regret.
"Honestly, I could never let go of the first option," Abraham admitted, his voice softer as he slowly closed his wrinkled eyes.
"It's so much easier to numb everything rather than confront it." Abraham paused, his gaze distant while taking another scoop of wine.
"But don't be like me. You only grow from that pain, and I've chosen to stay entirely stuck in the moment." Abraham then downed a large helping of wine, letting the rich flavor of the barrel wine wash over him, numbing the pain he refused to face.
For the first time in his life, Ricky looked at his coping mechanism without feeling the usual sense of escape, he simply looked at it.
It was just wine, plain and simple, something anyone could see but until now, Ricky had viewed the liquid as a way to numb everything, exactly like Abraham had said.
Slowly, as Ricky stared at his reflection in the wine, something shifted inside him.
Deep down, Ricky had a sudden epiphany, he didn't need the wine to cope anymore.
The realization hit him unexpectedly, but with a sense of clarity that he hadn't felt in a long time.
He was troubled, he knew that, but the real struggle had always been confronting his problems.
And now, for the first time, he was doing just that.
Ricky had already vowed that he didn't want to be the man he used to be and as he picked up the scoop of wine, he rejected option one; he refused to stay stuck in the same cycle.
Option two felt like running away, and that wasn't who he wanted to be either and so Ricky made his choice, he would control it.
And with that, he took a sip.
Immediately, Ricky could tell the difference as it wasn't rotten, nor did it numb his tongue like before as it was refreshing, clean, almost as if he was truly tasting wine for the first time.
Then Ricky started to laugh, covering his face in disbelief at how simple it all was as he didn't need to take another sip if he didn't want to, and that realization filled him with relief.
Abraham watched from the side, actually smiling for once as he saw a bit of himself in Ricky and knew all too well how easy it was to get lost.
Despite not particularly liking the kid, he was genuinely glad that Ricky wouldn't follow the same lonely path he had chosen, one filled with isolation and regret, but something better.
"So, what can I do for you, Abraham?" Ricky asked, setting the scoop of wine down and gesturing toward the old man, who quickly hid his smile behind a gruff expression.
"Alright, be real with me, are you part angel?" Abraham genuinely asked Ricky, a hint of confusion in his voice, since that aura was something he had only ever seen used by angels or holy beings.
"No idea." Ricky lied, though it wasn't entirely unintentional as he felt a flicker of uncertainty, but the truth was buried deep within him, just out of reach.
At this point, he honestly wasn't sure of himself anymore; perhaps he was part angel, given how unexpected it felt to be connected to Sir Percival from the Round Table.
*SIGH*
"Well, that little stunt you pulled earlier has thrown the Vatican up in arms." Abraham gestured, recalling the entire display Ricky had put on two days ago.
"Because of the holy power, right? What's so special about it-"
"Kid, holy power isn't something you're simply born with; it takes years of faith and worship to accumulate." Abraham shook his head, a look of aggrievement crossing his face as he recalled his own lessons on the subject.
"That sucks for them," Ricky laughed, finding it hilarious that he had gained this power by basically sleeping around rather than being a virgin his whole life like the other priests.
"Yeah, some of those geezers absolutely loathe you now because they wasted forty years of their lives to obtain just a fraction of what you showed back there." Abraham remarked, letting Ricky in on the reality of the situation, though he himself could care less about holy power and magic.
"Anything else?" Ricky asked, and Abraham put on a thinking expression, pondering the implications of Ricky's newfound power.
"Actually, yeah, stop bringing or showing weird-ass armor to people of the holy church who are known for literally burning people for less," Abraham condemned, gesturing toward the coat Ricky was wearing at that moment.
"Uh, I don't know what you mean." Ricky played the fool, already knowing this fact but his new trench coat was sort of a diva and whenever he took it out of hte system space it would start hitting him.
Honestly, it didn't click right away for Ricky how problematic it could be if the trench coat was discovered to be demonic; the only thing really shielding him was his holy power.
It was only after the fight with Percival that he recognized the potential consequences, his naivety on full display once again.
However instead of brushing it off, Ricky understood he was walking on a tightrope until he secured the black knight position, which was why he wanted to shelve his armor until he was sure they couldn't kick him out.
However, his trench coat hated being in his inventory, so he kept it in his room and when they left, he coated it with his aura, but even then, Abraham's keen instincts picked up on its presence.
"Listen, for some reason, until this stupid trial is over, your actions reflect on me, so just don't get caught, and we'll be fine, alright?" Abraham gestured toward Ricky, unconcerned about how he was acquiring these trinkets but clearly emphasizing the importance of staying under the radar.
"That little aura of yours is hiding it for now, but as soon as someone starts asking questions, they'll really start looking for answers. So be careful, until you're not my problem anymore." Abraham clarified, clearly only concerned that it didn't blow back onto him rather than about Ricky's well-being.
"Alright, anything else." Ricky actually decided to take Abraham's advice, and much to his trench coat's displeasure, he shoved it back into his inventory space.
"Not really, but I thought I'd let you know that if you somehow lose to that brat, you'll still be offered an archbishop spot." Abraham suddenly revealed, raising Ricky's eyebrow in surprise.
"Does the church just get wet for holy power?" Ricky asked, and Abraham laughed while nodding his head in agreement.
"Of course, kid, those geezers nutted themselves when they saw you unleash your holy power," Abraham said, and they both laughed before he nudged Ricky playfully.
"Hey, you wanna have some fun?"
Meanwhile in the courtyard,
A priest walked by the garden, a smile blooming alongside the flowers as he bent down to smell a bouquet of roses as the vibrant colors and sweet scent seemed to brighten his spirits even more.
*Splat*
"Ah!" The priest suddenly recoiled as a broken egg splashed across his face, the cool, slimy contents dripping down his cheeks.
Before he could fully react, more eggs began to follow, splattering against him and the ground in a chaotic cascade.
*Splat*
*Splat*
*Splat*
"S-Stop it-" The priest held up his hands in defense, only to have an egg hit his forehead, knocking him backward.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ricky and Abraham laughed maniacally as they started pelting the innocent priest with eggs, the air filled with their gleeful shouts and the sound of shells breaking and splattering all over his robes.
"DAMMIT ABRAHAM!" The priest scornfully scurried away, already knowing the culprits as Ricky sat on the roof of the church, a triumphant grin plastered across his face.
"And you never get in trouble for this?" Ricky looked back at Abraham, who shook his head in mock disapproval, a bemused smile creeping onto his face.
"I mean, they try, but I keep deferring my punishment to a higher council. The members never want to deal with a long verdict, so they usually just dismiss it," Abraham shrugged, a hint of exasperation in his voice as Ricky laughed harder at the absurdity of the broken system.
"The system is actually really broken-"
"Abraham."
"Uh oh." Abraham looked down to see Father Sebastian squinting his eyes with a clear scowl.
"What's wrong-"
"RUN!"
*SPLAT*
The eggs suddenly splattered all at once, and Ricky quickly covered himself with a shield, but Abraham wasn't so lucky.
He took the brunt of the mess, yolk and shell raining down on him as he groaned in disbelief, wiping his face in a futile attempt to clean up.
"Stop setting a bad example for Ricky and get down here," Father Sebastian said, struggling to hold back his laughter.
Ricky dropped down in front of him, a cheeky grin on his face, while Abraham had to awkwardly navigate his way down the scaffold, still covered in egg debris.
"Ricky, go rest up; tomorrow will be a long day," Father Sebastian said, giving Ricky a reassuring pat on the shoulder as he shrugged, walking away before waving with a cheeky smile at the slime covered Abraham.
"Seb it's-"
"Save it, the council is convening and your presence is needed." Father Sebastian beckoned Abraham over, and he let out a sigh, knowing he was about to face another lecture.
"Fine, let's go."
30 minutes later,
"ORDER!" Pius announced loudly, attempting to regain control as the other members descended into a frenzy, each one conveying their own opinion with animated gestures and heated voices.
"I understand many have strong thoughts about Ricky, but we mustn't make hasty decisions," Pius spoke, trying to maintain order but the other members stood up, their voices rising in a chorus of dissent, clearly unwilling to wait for a more measured discussion.
"Your Holiness, that child has more holy power than even archbishops; he might as well be a saint!" A member urged, and while Pius didn't disagree, he considered the implications.
Although his own magical power far exceeded Ricky's nonexistent magic power, the density of Ricky's holy power, even without amplification, was comparable.
What made Ricky's situation so significant was his ability to call upon holy power without relying on magic, a feat that was unheard of and raised numerous concerns among the council.
Many priests circumvented the rigorous training required to gather holy power by amplifying it through magic, which was the foundation of holy spells.
In reality, all the priests had more holy power than Ricky, but that was only due to their magical abilities.
Without magic, however, Ricky possessed more holy power than a significant portion of them, making his unique ability to access it without any amplification particularly noteworthy.
"We must take him into the church, he needs to be properly trained-"
"That won't work." Abraham walked into the hall, Father Sebastian nodding by his side, both men exchanging glances as they took in the tense atmosphere.
"I do not wish to speak out of turn, but that rebellious child is very enthused with his freedom," Father Sebastian remarked, and several other members began to nod in agreement, having noticed the same thing.
"His family situation isn't too good, and he'll probably lash out at the church if you all try to force him into something," Abraham offered, trying to provide perspective as Bishop Thomas scoffed in response, clearly unconvinced and dismissive of Abraham's concerns.
"I really don't think we should listen to this drunken fool who has no belief in the one true God," Bishop Thomas frowned as Abraham let out an ironic laugh.
"News flash, dumbass: there is more than one God." Abraham's words struck a nerve, igniting frustration among the members, yet they couldn't outright deny his point.
"Abraham, how do you think the Vatican should proceed with Ricky's case?" Pius inquired, prompting Abraham to scratch his beard thoughtfully.
"I don't know, just give him a couple of overseas errands until he calms down a bit so you can teach him," Abraham suggested, voicing the first idea that came to mind.
The room fell silent as the members absorbed his words, considering the implications of sending Ricky away and what that might mean for his future within the church.
"If he becomes the Black Knight, his ties with the church would elevate," one member opined, and the others nodded in agreement.
However, one member remained skeptical, crossing his arms as he prepared to voice his dissent, sensing potential complications in aligning Ricky with such a powerful title.
"Ernst is-"
"A little sh*t."Abraham scoffed, casting a glare at Bishop Thomas, who sneered back, unperturbed.
"And Ricky is any better? If anything, he's worse," Bishop Thomas hissed, his disdain palpable as Abraham crossed his arms in scorn.
"He is not refined in the ways of our Lord and Savior; he's just a peasant, and he's a vulgar person." Bishop Thomas words resonated with the room, and members began to nod, contemplating the validity of his argument against Ricky's suitability for a position of power.
"Well, I'm sure that Ricky will beat the living sh*t out of your little Ernst tomorrow anyway, so this talk of ours doesn't really matter," Abraham mocked, a smirk playing on his lips as Bishop Thomas stood up, indignation flashing in his eyes.
"DO YOU WISH TO TAKE THIS OUTSIDE?" Bishop Thomas shouted, his face flushed with anger as Abraham, unfazed, spread his arms wide.
"BRING IT ON, VIRGIN!" Abraham retorted, a cheeky grin on his face as the other members scrambled to hold Bishop Thomas back.
*BAM*
"BISHOP, THAT IS NO WAY TO ACT!" Pius roared, and the room fell silent as if the very air had thickened with authority.
A wave of holy power emanated from him, pressing down on everyone present, momentarily crushing their spirits and silencing the murmurs of dissent.
"I-I apologize, your holiness." Bishop Thomas cowered back, his bravado evaporating under the intensity of Pius's gaze.
The Pope then turned to Abraham, who had already thrown in the towel, arms crossed and expression resigned.
*Sigh*
"The decision on Ricky will be pushed off until it is determined whether he will be the next Black Knight," Pius confirmed, his voice steady and authoritative as the members exchanged glances, nodding in agreement as they processed the weight of the choice ahead.
"Dismissed."
Slowly, all the priests filtered out of the meeting room, their discussions echoing in the hallways as they pondered Ricky's fate.
Abraham, Father Sebastian, and Pope Pius remained, the air heavy with unspoken tension as Pius gazed down at the two men, his expression a mixture of concern and resolve.
"You rang for me?" Abraham remarked awkwardly, sensing that the atmosphere was becoming too heavy for his liking.
"Abraham, I want you to be in charge of Ricky's induction into the Vatican-"
"No way." Abraham raised his arms in a gesture of dismissal, shedding off the responsibilities, but Pius frowned in response.
"And why me, I'm literally the worst advocate-"
"Because a war is coming." Pius informed Abraham, causing him to stop in his tracks.
"You mean with us humans-"
"No Abraham, not just us humans, but a war with the gods." Pius wore a grave expression, causing Abraham's breathing to momentarily halt.
"What are you saying-"
"A fragment of Nyx under the supervision of the Greek pantheon has disappeared." Pius warned him, and Abraham felt his heart start to race at the implication of what that could bring.
"But that has nothing to do with Christianity-"
"You know how wars between gods bleed into other pantheons," Pius said, leaning back as Abraham began to pace as Father Sebastion stood nearby, wearing a somber expression.
"How many fragments have been stolen?" Abraham suddenly asked, his voice tense, as if he needed to understand the implications of these fragments.
"Only one." Pius informed Abraham, who rubbed his scruffy gray beard in thought.
"The Nazi party is evidently starting to gather people of power to its side to aid in the takeover of Germany." Pius said, his gaze filled with concern as he had been asked to start a holy war multiple times but had consistently refused, leaving Abraham to process this unsettling information.
"They are gathering and interfering with powers they shouldn't." Pius said, closing his eyes as he braced for the coming bloodshed.
"But they are only a party-"
"The Nazi party is inflating rapidly, and it's only a matter of time before it consumes Germany whole and pries its fangs into its surroundings." Pius revealed, causing Abraham to come to a standstill, the gravity of the situation settling in.
"What does this have to do with Dracula?" Abraham asked, voicing the question that lingered in his mind as Pius looked down, his expression grave.
"So far, from our indications, it doesn't have-"
"Then I'm not doing it," Abraham declared, suddenly aware that the church was attempting to offload its burdens onto him.
"Abraham this is-"
"Not my problem! My only concern is making sure I don't spend eternity in purgatory!" Abraham yelled as he strode out of the room, leaving the two behind.
"Your Holiness, is the loss of one fragment really cause for concern?" Father Sebastion asked tentatively, prompting a deep sigh from Pius.
"Yes, it is," Pius replied, sinking into the chair at the table and gazing up at the ceiling as if searching for answers in the heavens.
"There are only three fragments left, and if they manage to come together, a wave of darkness will consume the earth," Pius warned, his voice heavy with foreboding as Father Sebastion bit his lip, the weight of the situation settling uncomfortably between them.
"But would Nyx-"
"No, her hatred is solely directed at the Greek pantheon. However, in war, others inevitably get drawn in. Once Nyx is revived, she will stop at nothing to kill every Greek god." Pius spoke, and Father Sebastian understood it was his cue to leave.
"Your Holiness," Father Sebastian bowed, then quietly exited, closing the door behind him.
After a moment, Pius rose and walked slowly to the center of the room and after kneeling, a soft, holy light descended upon him.
"What is it my child?" An ethereal voice hummed as Pius looked up to see a perfect creature standing before him with twelve wings behind it.
"I apologize for my sudden call but I wish to convey a message to the Council Of Thones."
Capítulo 75: Chapter 74: Duel Of Blood
Next Day,
"To think, today's the day I actually beat up a racist dwarf. Who would've thought?" Ricky chuckled from across the circle, the same spot where he'd battled Percival just the day before.
"Spare me your impure words." Ernst growled at Ricky, who swore he saw one of the veins in his eye darken to black.
However, his observation was cut short by a sudden ringing in his ear, making him wince.
'Kill them all~' The words pounded through his skull with a relentless rhythm, each syllable like a hammer striking his temples.
A sharp, throbbing pain spread behind his eyes as Ricky gritted his teeth, trying to push through the haze of discomfort.
'Kill~'
'YOU MUST KILL!'
Ricky felt like he was losing his grip on reality as voices swarmed his mind, growing louder with each passing second.
The chaotic whispers, fragmented and unsettling, echoed inside his head, threatening to drown out his own thoughts.
Desperately, he clenched his eyes shut, forcing himself to imagine a barrier, a mental dome forming around his brain, shielding him from the invasive noise.
He focused on that image, a protective shell hardening with every breath, pushing back the relentless barrage of voices.
Slowly, the chaos began to dull, muffled behind the walls of his makeshift defense.
'Wait, that worked?' Ricky blinked in surprise as he opened his eyes, having done it instinctively in the heat of the moment, then gave himself a small nod.
'Neat.' Ricky rubbed his neck, lost in thought, until his gaze settled on the void-black stone beneath the monolith, where the so-called ebony blade lay in wait.
"The Duel of Blood will commence. Is there any opposition to this battle that will determine who will bear the title of the next Black Knight?" Father Sebastian inquired, addressing the crowd, but silence hung in the air; no one spoke.
Ricky stood facing Ernst, shirtless and clad in oversized shorts as the rules of the duel dictated that he could bear only a single sword and a pair of pants, leaving him feeling exposed yet determined.
While he wasn't allowed to use his powers in a conventional sense, he knew he could tap into the full potential of his new eyes, a secret advantage he was ready to exploit.
'I mean, is it really cheating if I don't get caught?' Ricky pondered the situation, his mind racing with possibilities, when he noticed Ernst drooling slightly at the corners of his mouth.
"BEGIN!" Father Sebastian announced, but neither Ricky nor Ernst moved at first as he rested the sword on his shoulder, sizing up his opponent.
Compared to Ernst, Ricky was incredibly muscular, likely weighing over sixty pounds more than him, and it was clear he held a significant physical advantage.
Still, Ernst felt a surge of confidence as he met Ricky's gaze, ready to prove that strength wasn't everything.
From an early age, Ernst had been trained in the art of the sword, his skills honed and sharpened like a finely crafted blade.
With unwavering confidence, he charged forward, rushing at Ricky, who met him with a steady, knowing gaze.
Ernst feinted an arc before swinging horizontally, but Ricky merely yawned, his movements relaxed as he effortlessly countered the strike with a swing of his arm, deflecting the attack with surprising ease.
*DING*
"Urgh." Ernst grunted as the force of one of Ricky's swings knocked the sword from his tightly gripped hand, sending it flying across the arena.
*BAM*
Ricky followed up with a powerful Spartan kick that sent Ernst tumbling backward, a wide smile spreading across his face as he watched his opponent struggle to regain his footing.
The shock from the blow forced Ernst to one knee, and Ricky felt a surge of triumph; he knew he had already won.
While Ernst's skill with the sword was undeniable, Ricky understood that even the most refined techniques could only do so much against the raw power of the Emperor's eyes.
" Just surrender man, you can't beat me." Ricky glanced to the side and gave Father Sebastian a thumbs up, remembering the warning not to kill Ernst.
However, Ricky had no intention of allowing his enemies to linger any longer as he now understood all too well the risks of letting someone like Ernst survive, even in his weakened state.
Keeping him alive now would only plant the seeds for future chaos, the kind of trouble that could grow into a massive headache and a complication Ricky had no interest in dealing with later.
Ricky could already sense that Ernst would likely come back for revenge or try something desperate.
That's why he planned to offer him a chance to surrender, though deep down, he doubted Ernst would ever take it.
It was to give the illusion that he tried in front of these priests and holy men so when he refused, Ricky would find a way to 'accidentally' finish the job, ensuring that the threat was permanently eliminated.
"NO, THIS IS MY DESTINY!" Ernst roared as he charged forward, but Ricky swiftly raised his hand into the air, a signal to halt the reckless advance.
"YOU HAVE NOTHING BUT PIG'S BLOOD FLOWING THROUGH YOUR VEINS-"
*SLAP*
Ricky backhanded Ernst as he tumbled to the ground once again and Ricky sighed while looking towards Father Sebastion.
"Is this really necessary-" Ricky maintained his composure, playing his part, when his peripheral vision caught something out of the corner of his eye.
*BAM*
Ricky instantly kicked the air in front of him, the force of the blow colliding with Ernst once more, sending him crashing to the side.
"Just end it father-"
"That is not how it works child." Father Sebastian shook his head as Ricky turned his attention to the center, sensing the tension in the air.
"Only when the sword shows itself will the next Black Knight be decided." Father Sebastian hinted at something, and the subtle implication turned Ricky's smile into a frown, a flicker of concern crossing his face.
'Don't tell me those creepy whispers were coming from the sword-of course they were. Why wouldn't they be whispers that invade my f*cking mind?' Ricky interrupted his own thoughts with a sigh as he deftly dodged Ernst's attack.
In one fluid motion, he flicked Ernst's forehead before delivering a sharp kick to his shin and finally finishing with a kick to his stomach and sending him backwards.
'Okay, so this guy seems pretty reckless, like me, but way angrier-....kind of like a little Christmas elf trying to convince a Jewish kid that Santa is real, getting more pissed each time he's not believed.' Ricky tilted his head, genuinely analyzing the thought since if Ernst had pointy ears, maybe the comparison would make even more sense.
'Whatever, I'll just drop the mental barrier holding back those weird whispers, summon the sword, and when it appears, he'll probably say something like 'I'm not worthy' and rush to kill me from behind. Then I'll just turn around and 'accidentally' finish him off.' Ricky thought, mapping out his plan mid-fight, knowing it wasn't ideal to strategize on the fly, but he figured it was still progress.
Despite his reluctance to let his mind be penetrated by weird whispers, Ricky decided to drop the mental barrier he had maintained until now.
As soon as he did, he clamped his hands over his ears and dropped his sword as a tidal wave of whispers flooded into his mind, overwhelming his senses and threatening to consume his entire thoughts.
'COME TO ME!'
'COME TO ME!'
'COME TO ME!'
'COME TO ME!'
'COME TO ME!'
'COME TO ME!'
"Fucking hell, how does anyone get used to this?" Ricky gritted his teeth, his palms clamping over his ears as if that would help stave off the chaos.
The words echoed furiously in Ricky's head, drowning out everything else, while Ernst took a step back in surprise.
Just then, a sword began to lift out of the ground, its void-black blade glimmering ominously as it broke free from the earth.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO-"
*WHOOOOSH*
A wave of air shot out as Ernst lunged for the hilt, but he was violently rejected as a powerful gust sent him crashing into the wall, while Ricky remained completely unfazed, caught in a slight trance.
He stumbled toward the red and black sword, its colors dancing along the blade, eagerly anticipating his touch.
Without hesitation, he reached forward, mesmerized by its captivating glow as the dark hue seemed to stretch out, eagerly anticipating his touch.
"No." Ernst whispered, his eyes widening as Ricky's fingers brushed the hilt of the blade.
A vibration resonated within the sword, forging a connection with its new wielder.
Black residue began to seep onto Ricky's hand, trailing down his body and spreading across him like a dark ink.
With the mere touch of the sword, armor began to materialize, enveloping Ricky in its ominous embrace.
Clad in black armor, the ebony blade rested comfortably in Ricky's grip though no light shone upon him as instead, an intense, building power radiated from his being, seeking to ensnare all around him in a murderous glow.
"I give myself to the darkness; I surrender it all for one request." Ernst slowly rose to his feet, his eyes beginning to darken, swirling with black.
"Kill that man."
Abraham's head jerked to the side, a familiar sensation washing over him, a feeling he thought he could never experience atop holy ground.
"KID, KILL HIM NOW!" Abraham screeched at him, Ricky gazing back at Abraham in confusion who was charging forward until he was stopped by the barrier.
"I was going to after he charged my blind spot-" Ricky whispered to himself, only for his senses to suddenly scream at him, freezing him in place.
"Oh, how I missed these grounds." A deep, garbled voice echoed from behind Ricky.
He turned to see Ernst floating in the air, his eyes completely devoid of color as Ernst reveled in the eerie presence of the place, his expression twisted with a sinister satisfaction.
"SEB. TAKE DOWN THE F*CKING BARRIER, DO IT NOW!" Abraham reached for his old friend, but Father Sebastian shook his head, a look of concern crossing his face.
"I-It's impossible the trial isn't over yet-"
"Abraham, is that you?" Ernst called out toward the side, causing Abraham's breathing to quicken.
His horrified eyes turned to the floating figure of Ernst, a mix of fear and disbelief flooding his expression.
"It really is. When was the last time I saw you? It's been what, twenty years?" Ernst grinned madly at Abraham, who balled his fists in immense strain, blood trickling down his palms.
"When was it? Oh yes, it was when I slaughtered your son and daughter-in-law right in front of you while you begged me to stop-"
"DRACULA!" Abraham screeched in pain, rushing forward, but he was abruptly halted by an invisible barrier before him.
"Oh sh*t." Ricky, confused by the whole scenario, muttered to himself as he looked at Ernst with a questioning look.
"You're Dracula?" Ricky asked, tilting his head as Dracula, within Ernst's form, regarded him with a curious expression.
Now clad in the black knight armor, the armor effectively blocked Dracula from piercing into his identity or probing his soul, keeping his true self hidden, a significant advantage for Ricky in this tense confrontation.
"Yes, and I see you're the new Black Knight." Dracula rubbed his chin thoughtfully, while Ricky responded with a smirk.
"Pretty cool, right?" Ricky bragged nonchalantly, waving his newly acquired sword as Dracula let out a slow, amused hum in response.
"It is indeed 'pretty cool'." Dracula nodded, laughing at Ricky's relaxed expression as it had been a long time since someone had looked at him with such casual confidence.
"So, hey, I get that you probably have some ill will toward the Church and a bad history with the old man over there, but do we really have to fight?" Ricky asked honestly, hoping to defuse the tension.
His thoughts flickered to the reality of the situation as he hadn't wronged Dracula personally.
Until a thought struck him like a bolt of lightning.
'Oh sh*t, I forgot I killed his son.' Ricky's own thought process was abruptly interrupted by the realization that he had indeed killed Xarus.
'Nah, it's not like he knows-'
"You're hiding something," Dracula frowned, observing the shift in Ricky's demeanor and immediately probing further.
"Well, yeah, I mean, everyone has secrets," Ricky replied, looking around and spreading his arms as if to question whether he was wrong as even Percival shrugged in agreement.
"No, you fool, the way you looked at me for a split second suggested that a topic involving me somehow implicated you in wrongdoing. Do you truly believe I haven't noticed?" Dracula, a vampire who had mastered the art of observation, read Ricky like a book and let out a hearty laugh.
"Yeah, I don't know, that seems like quite a stretch," Ricky replied, outwardly skeptical as even for him, it felt like a leap to assume so much from a brief glance at his behavior.
"YOUR HOLINESS, A LITTLE HELP!" Abraham shouted, pounding on the barrier.
Pope Pius, sensing the urgency, advanced swiftly, his hands radiating a brilliant holy glow as he prepared to intervene.
Gold sparks flickered against the barrier as Pope Pius focused his energy, essentially drilling into the very arena that contained one of the swords of God.
The air crackled with divine intensity, each pulse resonating through the barrier as he sought to breach its confines and assist those trapped within.
"Well, it doesn't matter. The condition for ownership of this body is to kill you, and with that, I'll claim the blade as well." Dracula had a plan in mind, one that involved turning Ernst into a ghoul and using him as a fearsome undead warrior.
All the priests paled, along with Abraham, realizing that their secret weapon, the one they had hoped to train in hiding to combat unholy creatures, had already been exposed to one of the most notorious undead beings on Earth.
"However, this isn't good since it seems like there is a threat, I mean, your equipment, not you in particular." Dracula said, furrowing his brows at the potential consequences of allowing Ricky to leave alive after observing his armor.
Throwing caution to the wind in front of the actual Dracula, Ricky donned his trench coat and gauntlets.
Even the sword seemed to understand his intentions, freeing his hands to allow the gauntlets to merge seamlessly with it.
"!" Ricky's eyes widened as warning bells blared in his mind at an intensity he had never experienced before.
He pushed his mental barrier to its limits, desperate to shield himself from the impending threat.
"I'll snip out your bud right now, to eliminate any headaches that may bloom in the future." Dracula intoned, as Ernst's body convulsed under a dark, ominous red energy.
The towering wave of magical energy loomed over Ricky as he strained to keep his eyes on it, reinforcing his mental barrier with all his might.
"KID, COME OVER HERE NOW!" Abraham yelled from behind Ricky, his voice strained with urgency as he watched Pope Pius manage to pry open a tiny hole in the barrier.
"I-...no, I can't." Ricky then turned back to the floating husk of Ernst, whose very presence distorted the air around him with an unsettling energy.
The atmosphere crackled with tension, the malevolent power radiating from Ernst felt almost tangible, wrapping around Ricky like a chilling shroud.
"I see you are a courageous fool, how amusing." Dracula chuckled venomously, his hands pulsating with an eerie red glow that cast ominous shadows on his face.
Dracula aimed to eliminate him in an instant, preferring not to exhaust this husk of a body only for it to be accidentally destroyed.
With a flick of his finger, the immense tide of energy warped and twisted, coalescing into a horrifying spell that crackled with dark magic.
It surged forward, a swirling vortex of malevolence, each pulse resonating with the promise of devastation.
Ricky felt the raw power of the spell as it hurtled toward him, time seeming to slow as he braced himself for impact, adrenaline coursing through his veins as his eyes surged to time it exactly right.
'Full counter.'
*THOOOOOOOOOOOM*
The area shook violently as Dracula's eyes widened in shock as his conduit, Ernst, was being enveloped by his own spell, which swelled to an overwhelming volume.
Dark energy crackled and roared, distorting the very air around them, as the spell threatened to consume everything in its path.
The intensity of the situation escalated, leaving Dracula momentarily stunned by the unexpected backlash of his own dark magic.
"Interesting, I did not expect that." Dracula uttered his last words, just before the spell completely engulfed his conduit.
A massive explosion erupted, sending shockwaves through the barrier and illuminating the area with a blinding light.
The pulsating energy radiated outward, distorting everything in its wake, leaving behind a deafening silence as the dust began to settle.
*HUFF*
Ricky collapsed to the ground, unable to fully evade the backlash from the explosion as he fell to one knee, holding himself up with the ebony blade, cold sweat dripping down his face at the strain of redirecting such an overwhelming power back at Dracula.
The blinding light began to wane, revealing Ernst's body, now completely devoid of blood and flesh.
Only his bones remained, scattered across the ground, a grotesque reminder of the spell's destructive power.
As the barrier fell, Abraham seized the opportunity and with a fierce determination, he charged forward, dagger drawn and glinting in the fading light, ready to confront the horror that had just unfolded.
*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEE*
A loud screech resounded from Ernst's body as it showed that even with his skeleton state, he had survived as his being slowly turned into ash.
"ERNST!" Bishop Thomas screeched, rushing forward as he sought to grab the black ash with a pale expression.
"LOCKDOWN THE VATICAN, WE HAVE BEEN BREACHED!" Pius sounded as the priests flinched before standing to their feet.
"ARE YOU AN IDIOT!" Abraham turned to Ricky who wiped the sweat from his forehead as Alexander and Henry scurried to his side.
"Well, right now but I'm already thinking about ways to overcome that-"
"DAMMIT KID, YOU'VE THROWN YOURSELF INTO THE SIGHTS OF DRACULA!" Abraham pushed RIcky as he stumbled backwards.
"Uh, come again?" Ricky asked out, huffing out a breath and wiping his forehead.
"HE KNOWS YOU EXIST HE-"
"HOW THE F*CK WAS THAT MY FAULT, HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW HE WOULD JUST APPEAR!" RIcky yelled back at Abraham, laughing since he couldn't tell the future.
"You should've ran to us, broken the barrier and-"
"I wouldn't have done that anyways so it doesn't matter." Ricky shrugged, Abraham showing a livid expression as he pushed him back.
"You don't get it, you should've played dead and-" Abraham hurried after him, lecturing Ricky who was adamant about facing it head on.
"Listen, we can have a full conversation about all the things I did wrong later-"
"NO!" Abraham stepped in front of Ricky, prompting a frown from him.
Ricky recognized the recklessness of confronting Dracula directly, yet he couldn't shake the feeling in his heart that compelled him to take this stand.
"I get I was reckless okay, I admit it." Ricky appeared Abraham who couldnt' but laugh.
"You don't understand, do you?" Abraham exclaimed, gripping Ricky's shoulders tightly and shaking him, his eyes wide with desperation.
"Can you imagine a figure so monstrous that he instills this level of fear even through a conduit?" Abraham pressed, his fingers digging into Ricky's shoulders as his arms trembled violently.
"You've never met Dracula; I have. He's not just some human, he's BRUTAL!" Abraham's breath quickened, the intensity of his heartache spilling over into his anger, leaving Ricky speechless.
"Tell me why, why did you reveal your capabilities to a man who takes pride in obliterating anything that stands in his way?" Abraham's voice dripped with desperation, while Ricky's expression gradually transformed into a stoic mask.
"It may sound stupid to you, but I don't want to run from my problems any longer." Ricky said, exhaling a heavy sigh as he pushed Abraham away.
"What-"
"I just figured out that I'm exhausted from running and if I didn't kill Ernst right there it might have snowballed into a bigger problem." Ricky let out a resigned shrug accompanying his words, scratching his head as he tried to put it into words.
"But he could've killed you-"
"I think I finally realized that if taking a step forward leads to my end, then it's whatever." Ricky continued, his words only deepening Abraham's exasperation.
"But I don't want to be afraid of making a mistake or doing something wrong anymore. It looked stupid to you, but I really thought confronting him head-on was the best choice." Ricky genuinely spoke to the completely jaw-dropped Abraham.
Ricky understood that he wouldn't always make the right decisions, no one could, but he refused to let fear hold him back from moving forward.
He wasn't about to apologize for attempting to make the right choices and in his mind, he could only imagine the havoc Dracula would unleash if he managed to seize Ernst's body or roam freely around the Vatican.
At that moment, Ricky saw this path as the best choice available to him and if it turned out to be a mistake, that was acceptable too, because unlike before, he genuinely wanted to learn from any missteps he might take and actually start on the road of self improvement.
"Even if he did kill me and I died right then and there, at least I can die knowing that I didn't run away like I always do." Ricky then walked off, leaving the baffled Abraham standing there, speechless.
"YOU IDIOT! THAT ISN'T JUST SOME RANDOM BLOKE ON THE STREET, BUT THE GODDAMN LORD OF BLOOD!" Abraham yelled in frustration, but Ricky simply waved him off, dismissing the urgency in his voice.
"Seemed like a dork to me." Ricky insulted the infamous vampire without a care in the world as he nonchalantly walked with Percival in tow.
"What are you still doing here?" Ricky asked, his gaze shifting to Percival, who was looking down at Alexander, squeezed into the translation ring while wearing it as some sort of belt.
"Alexander and I have come to an agreement for me to help train you," Percival said gleefully, flashing a grin as Alexander raised a paw in approval.
"Hooray." Ricky grunted, his voice laced with distress, mirroring the frustrated expression on Henry's face but couldn't turn it down since in all honesty, he needed all the help he could get.
"What just happened? Seb, please tell me I'm hallucinating and that it was some sensible person who just happened to look exactly like that kid!" Abraham exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Father Sebastian merely shook his head, his expression turning serious as he moved to assist in securing the Vatican.
Meanwhile In Transylvania,
On a stone throne, constructed from the ruins of slaves who were falsely promised freedom, sat a solitary figure.
His name was notorious throughout history and mythos, a symbol of terror and the very embodiment of the threat against humanity itself, Dracula.
"My lord?" A vampire knelt before him, glancing up in surprise; it had been at least thirty years since he had seen Dracula so deeply lost in thought.
"There is a saint within the vatican." Dracula uttered words that his humble servant never imagined he would hear.
"We must-"
"No, they would anticipate a night raid. We'll bide our time and observe their situation more carefully, then strike." Dracula declared, raising his hands, his outrageously long fingernails glinting in the dim light.
"Yes, my lord," the servant replied, ducking his head in submission as Dracula leaned his chin on his hand, his piercing gaze fixed on the trembling figure before him.
"So, Baron Blood, how goes the cooperation with those humans who call themselves the 'Nazis'?" Dracula inquired, his voice smooth yet edged with curiosity and Baron Blood finally dared to look up, meeting the ancient vampire's intense gaze.
"The research will take a step forward once we receive more test subjects-"
"Didn't that blood bag, Hitler, want to exterminate the Jews?" Dracula yawned, his indifference palpable as he lounged on his throne.
Baron Blood nodded in response, sensing the gravity beneath Dracula's casual demeanor.
"Then support it, encourage it even." Dracula commanded, his voice dripping with authority, as he traced the sharp edge of his fingernail along the arm of his throne, leaving faint scratches in the stone.
"Inform them that I'll send more vampires to fulfill his bidding, provided he agrees to allow the capture of additional subjects for testing. This research is essential for the future of our race, after all."Dracula continued, indifferent to the suffering his orders would inflict upon the humans, as long as it served his own interests.
Baron Blood nodded vigorously, a glint of eagerness in his eyes, desperate to curry favor with his master.
"Now leave; I have much to ponder," Dracula commanded, flicking his wrist dismissively.
Baron Blood vanished instantly, the air shimmering in his wake as the vampire lord was left alone in the cavernous throne room.
The silence settled around him like a shroud, allowing his thoughts to spiral into the depths of his dark ambitions.
Dracula tapped his long, bony fingers against the cold stone of his throne, each rhythmic sound echoing in the vast chamber.
Lost in thought, he examined the new chessboard slowly laid out before him, the usual game that always brought him great entertainment against his old so-called nemesis, the Van Helsing family or what was left of it.
Strategies whirled through his mind like shadows, each move calculated as he contemplated how to exploit Abraham's weaknesses and turn the tide of their eternal one sided conflict to bring about more amusement for him.
'Oh Abraham, I cannot wait to see that look of despair when I crush this new acquaintance of yours.'
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