Life is Tragedy [CASTLEVANIAXREADER]

Chapter 23- Something is Wrong

In that instant, a pang went through you, but was instantly silenced. Adrian? No response. If he needed you, there would be more, wouldn't there?

Trevor and Sypha had gone to do what the Judge had asked in his dying breath, leaving you to the burnt town, wondering what to do next. Adrian- something was clearly wrong, but he didn't want you. He didn't want your help with whatever issue he was going through. What should I do?

Your question was answered for you as your vision became clouded and white, knees buckling and giving out before you. Another vision had arrived to see the story finished.

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"Your child, yes. I feel like that's a reasonable price."

"You're mad!" Damien shouted, Calcifer laughing bitterly for a moment as his expression shifted to that of an anger that was barely restrained. "No, Damien. You're the one that's mad."

Damien, with his holy sword of blue and white flame growled, stomping forward. Calcifer's hooded friends backed away, Calcifer doing the same with his arms spread wide in acceptance. "Yes, Damien, strike me down! Just like you have with everyone else who's opposed you!" Damien made no move to stop as he raised his longsword high in the air, ready to give Calcifer a swift end with the downswing of his sword. Instead, Calcifer grinned, clapping his hands together, and in sync the four other magicians at his side. They collectively sent Damien back with a shockwave of magic, an electrical net of orange fire passing through him. Damien roared, falling to a knee as the electricity coursed through him. After a breath, he was up again. But when he tried to raise his sword, he couldn't. The blade remained attached to the ground, your father's expression contorted with concentration as he tried to raise it again. But it was impossible- the weight of the thing seemed to shift from being a sword to being a hilt with a megaton of lead attached to it.

"What have you done, Calcifer?!" Damien roared, Cassandra still standing at the doorstep in terror. Calcifer smiled brightly, pride in his eyes, although a bead of sweat trickled down his temple. "I've simply taken away your Godly strength! Just for a moment, though, I swear." His arms turned into magma. "It'll be over before you know it." Damien, with wide eyes, struggled more, and with incredible effort, swung his sword over his shoulder. His arms trembled with its weight, the only thing keeping him from collapse being his leg armour- locked in place to provide extra support in a swing. His teeth were bared and his face was red, spit escaping his maw as he tried to swing down again with a cry of pure fury, only to collapse under the weight of the sword. Calcifer snorted, and then burst out laughing, along with all of the other hooded magicians around him. "Oh- wow- that's sad."

"Damien!" Damein threw his hand up, catching another blade, welded from manmade steel. All eyes went to Cassandra as she staggered, one arm cradling you and the other out and ready for casting, energy pulsing at the tips of her fingers. Damien, on his feet again, swung his shortsword in a circle, opening the area around him and clearing the way for his wife. "Go Cassandra! I'll take care of them." Cassandra shook her head, the hooded group backed up from the two, Calcifer scowled as he watched them, waiting for the right moment to attack. He'd need them separated, after all.

Damien looked deep into Cassandra's eyes. "Please, my lover. For our child." Cassandra's breath hitched in her throat as her eyes slowly floated down to you, a small creature swaddled in fur and cloth. She took a breath, accepting her responsibility and nodding. "I will come back for you." She said, backing away. Calcifer grinned as Damien smiled at her. "You know you can't. I'll find you." She said nothing, expression hardened and filled with unrealized sorrow as she began to run off. Calcifer held a hand up, whispering to the hooded man closest to him. "Make sure she doesn't escape. But don't kill her until I'm there, unless it's absolutely necessary for everyone's survival." The man nodded, walking off with a group of hooded magicians. Calcifer grinned, watching as Cassandra ran, his men following her from a distance.

"So, what now?" He asked, not taking his eyes off of her. "Now, you die." Damien responded, ready with his sword. Calcifer tisked. "I don't think so." And in an instant, everything was on fire. There was no bang or boom- just a sudden burst as the grass and wood and all that surrounded him but the magician's came alight. Eyes stirred from within the biggest fire, directly in front of him, grinning.

Calcifer was fire.

Damein, eyes wide, turned back to look at his wife. The woman has stopped to look back at the sudden blossom of light and heat, worry clouding her decisions. "Go!" He cried, swinging his sword widely, hitting one of the magicians, a scream escaping her as blood spilled and burnt in the flame.

"GO, CASSANDRA!"

He grinned as he watched her leave. Turning towards the column of fire, he ignited his arms and sword with his blue and white flame, the heat burning his arms for once. Grunting, he readied himself for his final battle.

Then everything froze.

"I won, you know. I don't know how, but I did." A figure walked through the fire. He paused, looking back at Damien. "I'm sorry- I don't want you to have to see your parents die." He turned back to you, a bitter and sad smile on his face. "You've seen that enough in your life, haven't you?" You stood, taking in his words a moment as you realized you were no longer in a memory, nor were you stuck within the body of your fetal form. You immediately recognized him to be- "Calcifer." you said, surprised to hear your own voice. He held up his hands, smiling- a much softer smile than any of the ones you'd seen within any of your visions. "In the flesh.- more or less, at least." He looked tired- older. "What do you want?" You asked as he sighed, looking sad. "I... I want to see you. Come find me... please." He paused, his eyes meeting yours with honesty. "We need to talk."

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You opened your eyes again to be met with fire again, seeing the licking orange and red in a different light after having met Calcifer. Shaking your head and recomposing yourself, you rubbed your eyes, thinking over all of the visions you'd had. "Soon." You said to nothing and no one, only the fire that surrounded you. "I must take care of someone first."