Castlevania Nocturne: A Sneak Peak

Sneak Peak: The Scarlet Lord

Jocasta watched the moon from the window. In the gardens of Versailles, the lanterns lit, illuminating the pathways. Many of the angels outside remained to rest beneath the starlight, while others returned indoors to the chateau. Jocasta, Ardeth, Evie, Eli all agreed to take shifts during the night to watch over Emma.

"It's been hours." Jocasta said, watching Emma's body still in its trance. A muted glow enveloped Emma from Bastet's protection, but only Jocasta seemed to notice. "Shouldn't she have returned by now? What if she's lost?"

"Time moves differently in the spirit world than it does here." said Eli. "Emma might not have been in there for long on her side." He touched Jocasta's hand. "Sleep, I'll wake you if anything."

Jocasta nodded, seeing Ardeth and Evie sleeping in the bed together. It was Eli's turn, and Jocasta needed to rest in case Emma needed her. "I must forewarn." Jocasta said before taking her leave. "If Emma speaks to you,it might not be her." She briefly explained about Bastet's earthly soul protecting her immortal vessel.

"I see." Eli blinked intrigued. "I'll keep that in mind."

Jocasta kissed Emma's cheek before retiring on the couch, laying on her side to face Emma even when she fell asleep.Eli tucked the blanket around Emma's body, beginning his watch.

                                                                                      .....

The seraph carried Emma across the aurora sky, through the many lands of the Celestial realms. Gods did not cross into one another's realms, but angels did so with ease.

Below Emma saw vast plains and deep jungles, rugged mountains, and seemingly endless tundras. They were the final resting places of souls from the many regions of the globe. If she wasn't on a world saving mission, Emma would have liked to visit the rest of her departed family. Her aunt Sypha and uncle Trevor, her mother-in-law Katerina, especially her Belmont cousins. Too much time had passed since she reached out to them. "Another time." Emma murmured, holding on to the Seraph's spine as it soared the realms.

Above and around her the aurora shimmered in a brilliance of greens, purples, and blues. Emma could hear them crackling in her ears, and saw the fleeting birdlike figures of angels passing her by. A couple of them flocked around the Seraph, hovering in the beat of its burning wings, before darting off on their own course. They seemingly took no notice of her. Emma was fine with that, most celestial messengers reacted adversely to her presence. Vampire blood and all.

In front of her Nedjem tucked herself beneath the Seraph's webbed frill, crouching down and digging her claws into its scales. Emma didn't need to understand the feline guide to know she wasn't thrilled about this part of the journey.Around her the air burned from the Seraph's wingbeats, but the flames didn't harm her.

"We should be there soon Nedjem." Emma stroked the cat with her free hand. "At least I hope." Emma relaxed in her seat, sitting up while still holding onto the spine. It was peaceful up here, on the back of a divine seraph flying across the spiritual plane. She hoped her return journey just as smooth.

Alone without danger, her thoughts prickled her mind."There's something I've pondered." Emma spoke to the seraph. "It's been on my mind since beginning this quest."

Emma felt its multiple eyes looking back at her.

"Before the Conclave, Ardeth told me Egyptian gods have three souls. The ba and ka that remain in the physical plain within the blood and heart , and another one that returns to the Celestial realm. The akh. That's what I'm looking for in the spirit world, Bastet's akh, but wouldn't it be the same for Sekhmet too? Is her third soul somewhere in this plain?"

The seraph didn't answer her. Instead it lowered its head and arched its fiery wings. Emma felt the forward tilt in the angel's body, they were descending. She leaned forward,laying her belly against its back and held on to the spine as the seraph began its landing. Soon the auroras shone above them instead of around.

Once the seraph leveled out, Emma gazed to her side. Below her a vast desert spread as far as the eye could see, cut across by a wide shimmering river spanning north to south. Above her the sun blazed hotter than the seraph's flames. "It almost looks like the Nile." If Emma didn't know any better, she'd swear she was in Egypt.

Emma sighed with butterflies in her stomach. She finally reached Bastet's realm and was about to meet the goddess herself. Was she ready for what was to come?

The seraph turned its coarse, winding north. Nedjem perked up her head watching the sands below them. "We're here." Emma brushed the cat's fur. The river snaked its way onward, wider than a canyon. Green palm trees flanked its banks. Emma caught sight of a lone boat making its way downstream in the opposite direction. She wondered who they were and where their journey took them.

The boat sailed out of view when the seraph made its final descent, landing on top of the dunes overlooking the riverbank. Emma picked up Nedjem and jumped off the seraph's back with a flash of her wings. The angel perched like a Chinese dragon, inclining its ruffed head at the tiny Nephilim.

Emma looked up at the divine being. "Thank you."

The seraph blinked its six eyes and plucked a scale from its throat, handing it to Emma.

"Oh I forgot! Thank you so much!" Emma took the scale from its humongous paw. It was beautiful, white like ice with a translucent shimmer. It shone with its own light rather than reflecting it from the aurora, and it was warm in her hands. Hopefully it would be enough to prove herself to her final obstacle, The Lion god of slaughter.

With a furl of is wings the seraph launched into the sky, nearly knocking Emma off her feet, Emma watched it snaking up the aurora before finally vanishing from sight. The Nephilim sighed, mustering her courage.