Castlevania Nocturne: A Sneak Peak

Sneak Peak: Mentors

Several hours earlier.

"Hold on. I need some fucking answers, Granddad." Richter followed the old man outside of town.

"Please, call me anything but Granddad."Juste grumbled poorly attempting to shake Richter off.

"Where the fսck have you been all my life?" Richter demanded. "I thought you were dead!"

"I'm gonna kill Tera." Juste muttered under his breath.

"I came to this country when I was 10, knowing absolutely nobody and if it wasn't Emma who took me in as her son and Auntie Tera, who isn't really my auntie, more some sort of third cousin a thousand times removed..." Richter ranted

"We had a fucking deal!"

"What do you mean you're gonna kill her?" Richter questioned.

Juste sighed. " She promised not to tell you where to find me."

"What are you talking about?"

"You mean, she didn't tell you?" Juste raised his brows.

"No! What? No... No!" Richter stammered.

Juste stopped walking and turned to him. " Uh... Well, in answer to your question, where have I been all your life?" I've been here all the time. Since you came to France. Keeping an eye on you."

" You mean you've been watching me? Secretly?" Richter exclaimed.

"Well, when you put it like that, I suppose it sounds a bit creepy." Juste rubbed his chin.

"And Tera knew?"

"She agreed not to tell you. I've been giving her money." Juste admitted.

"And that was the deal!?" Richter was flabbergasted.

"No, no, of course not. Uh, well, sort of." Juste stuttered. "When I have a bit of money from killing these stupid provincial vampires, I give her some to help out. But I asked her not to tell you about me because....... Well, I thought it was for the best."

"You didn't want me to know I had an actual fսcking grandfather living a few miles away?"Richter said angrily.

"No, I didn't." Juste sighed exhausted. "You might expect things from me. Advice, encouragement, birthday presents. Who the hell wants that?"

"My mother said you were dead." Richter clenched his fist. "In fact, she never even mentioned you except to say you were dead. She said she went to the New World because there was no one else, and she was the heir to the Belmont mission, and there were vampires there she had to fight!" His voice cracked in pain. "Like Olrox."

Juste paused a moment. For a second Richter believed Juste had a good excuse, or a heartfelt apology for ditching him all his life. The old man simply carried on walking down the road.

"Where are you going now?" Richter followed in frustration.

Juste didn't answer, ignoring him like a tag-along kid until he made his way back to his cabin, where Richter stood at the door, watching his long lost grandfather settle in. "You're a Belmont. You're not supposed to hide in a hut. And you're not supposed to kill vampires for money."

Juste kindled a fire under the kettle pot, seemingly ignoring his grandson. "I was a hero... once. I lost count of how many vampires I killed... "heroically." The whip was mine, then, of course. But I had other powers. One of our ancestors 300 years ago was a great sorceress.

" Sypha, yes. I know." Richter said bitterly. "I know everything about the history of our family. My mother taught me. And she left you out. I'm starting to see why."

Juste chuckled. "You sound so much like her." He tended the kettle. " I was the most powerful magician the Belmont line ever produced. Barely needed the whip. I could roast a whole nest of them with a burst of flame."

"So, when did you turn into this creepy old man?" Richter asked.

"Go outside. I'll bring you coffee." Juste watched the fire. "I think I've got another cup."

Richter waited by the lake, sitting down by the bank watching the fireflies drift above the water. He wondered if Amalie knew, and wished he could speak with Emma. Just approached him offering a cup of coffee and holding his own. "Why are you here, if you didn't come looking for me?"

"Amalie sent me off to the tavern. She said I needed a drink and gave me coins for it, which is kinda weird for the town doctor suggesting a mug of beer . "

"Of fucking course!" Juste nearly threw his cup into the lake. "That angel can't mind her own damn business. She kept her promise of not telling you about me, but she sent you knowing well I was there."

"Wait. You know Amalie's an angel?" Richter remarked surprised.

"Of course I know." Juste sipped his coffee. " And she's not just an angel. She's the angel. Our ancestor Zaharial. She's watched over our family for generations since Trevor Belmont's time. She took a break for a few decades, but returned during my grandfather's life. I've known her since I was a child."

For some odd reason, Richter could easily believe it. Amalie always felt like the family matriarch. "She's always been that quirky village lady?" Richter asked.

"Oh yes. Irritating, insufferable at times, but a very loving guardian." Juste sighed. "She taught me how to use magic. Without her, I wouldn't have been a powerful magician, but that was a long time ago."

"What happened?" asked Richter. "You said you were a powerful magician before. Emphasis on the 'were.'

"I had a wife." Juste answered quietly. "Your grandmother, Lydie. And a friend too, if you can believe that. His name was Maxim. A vampire killed them both." He sighed, struggling to speak of it.Lord Ruthven. God, that's a name I haven't spoken aloud in years." He closed his eyes, letting the tears run down his face. "I held her in my arms, pleading with her to come back to me. "Come back to me." Holding her. So limp. So cold. So cold. And across the hall, Maxim, my friend, butchered. And for a while, not quite dead. All because of me. The magic left me. I had nothing. Nothing left."

"You lost your daughter too." Richter added bitterly. "Or have you forgotten that part? Your daughter who went to America to fight evil alone."

"Evil will always win, Richter." Juste said despondent. "Whatever it is, evil. And it's everywhere. It will always be stronger than us. And you can kill this or that devil. A Lord Ruthven, a Dracula, maybe even an Olrox. But there'll always be more, more and worse. And they'll murder the people you love. No one around you are safe. Evil will always win."

Richter broke down, smothering his cries in his arms. Juste reached an arm out, unsure of what else to do.

"You're wrong."

Juste flinched his hand back. "Come again?"

"You're wrong." Richter lifted his head, staring angrily at his grandfather. "Evil will always win if the good do nothing to stop it. There's always a choice. Always a chance to stand up and fight. I was a fool to think otherwise."

Juste smiled. "Emma taught you well."

"She did..." Richter stood up. "And she needs me."

"Wait." Juste stopped him. "It's too dangerous walking back to Tera right now. Stay with me for the night. Amalie put a ward around my cabin, you'll be safe until morning." Richter saw the pleading in Juste's eyes. "Emma will be fine, she's got her mother watching over her."

Richter eased his shoulders. "Fine." He knew Juste was right. Em's safe with Amalie, his own fucking ancestor. He'd have a lot to ask her when he returned, but he had far more to say and ask with his grandfather.