Lux aeterna

The male in his company had almost got it - yes, Alucard made himself useful by taking on that in which most would never wish to face. In doing so he spared villages the pain of losing loved ones, allowing them safety - but he did not do it for the money. No, in fact he never accepted the bounties. What need did he have for money? None.

His company was a forgemaster, then - or so he could guess; a curious occupation but one he wished to not yet pry upon as of yet. No, instead, he began to walk, to follow the tracks; keeping his acidic eyes upon the very light tracks and nose upon the scent; with luck, they would come across them sooner than later; 

“You’re welcome to any bounty offered.” A pause; “I’ve no need for it.”

Hector almost stilled in his tracks with a furrowed brow. “You... do not do this for the money, then,” he stated, “Surely you could need some for the clothing on your back, for sustenance at the very least.” 

Idly did Alucard raise his gaze towards the male in his company, furrowing his brow minutely as he observed his apparent eagerness to come along. Few would leap into the fray of following someone such as he around - or did this fellow simply seek some variety of revenge regarding those that had perished but only hours before his arrival? Hard to say and Alucard had little intention of asking.

“A hunter? Of a kind, I suppose-” One that hunted his own, or in the least the monstrosities in which lingered close to such endless darkness. “Perhaps, more accurately - someone who simply wants to help-” 

For a moment did Alucard regard the other further, a discomfort rising within his chest; “I cannot promise to be able to protect you should we find those responsible-”

“Someone who wants to help... Your kind are few and far between here,” Hector admitted as he looked at the man. “But... I can also see the appeal of the hunt. Some villages offer quite the hefty bounty for the offing of some demons that terrorise their folk. You help people and it keeps food on the table; a sensible choice.”

The forgemaster shook his head with a smile. “I am glad to say I will likely not be needing your protection, kind Sir. Nightcreatures generally steer clear of my kind. One once told me that we smell too much of death, even after multiple washes and having not touched the dead for weeks. It is in our blood, I suppose,” Hector explained simply. He did not seem dismayed by this development.

 This particular night had seen itself become unusually brisk and so Romulus had meandered across his home to go and make himself a cup of tea. While he had been glad to purchase himself such a nice home, large as it was to accommodate his family when needed; well, the damn thing would often get drafty when the temperatures dipped. The place was old though and so this was completely unavoidable for now. 

A knock? 

Unusual for him to get visitors long after the sun was beginning to dip down behind the horizon. Still, perhaps the individual was one of his acquaintances or family who had been passing through? Romulus made his way through the sitting area and into the adorned foyer before pulling back the two locks with a bit of force, and moments later the large door opened slowly to reveal himself to the visitor and vice-versa. Except…this wasn’t anyone he recognized as either a friend or a family member at all. Once the man began to speak though he listened carefully to the words being said before letting out an amused chuckle; ah, that innkeeper had a good eye!   “You are not overstepping anything!” The brunette exclaimed with a burst of warmth to his voice. “No worries, no worries. Do you wish to come inside and warm yourself with some tea?”

The amused chuckle caught Hector by pleasant surprise and he was returning the man’s warm smile in no time. “Thank you... please, pardon my intrusion. I shall take you up on your gracious offer of tea, Sir,” the forgemaster said with a dip of his head in greeting as he entered the threshold of the man’s dwelling.

“Just a few questions on... your experience in wars and then I shall be on my way,” he promised with a smile. It was getting late, after all, and he didn’t want to impose on the kind man more than he had already. 

“My name is Hector,” he said, extending his hand in greeting for a firm shake. “I’m... currently kind of an academic. I study the more macabre subjects of death and decay, topics inherently entwined with war and conflict,” he said regrettably.

Was it indeed a good thing that he had not been in the vicinity at the time of the attack? There was a likelihood that Alucard could have been able to slay a number of the creatures before they took too many lives. The uncomfortable guilt settled within his stomach, the weight of being so close and yet unknowing of the attack painful. He needed to be more perceptive, regardless of unfamiliar surroundings; they were times of consuming darkness, after all, and one life saved would have called for success in the smallest measure.

“Fairing well enough-“ Spoke idly, Alucard focused upon the tracks strewn within the mud and instead attempted to discern a direction the attackers may have gone. Perhaps he could rectify his failure and track them, slay them before they happened upon another settlement. Possible, given his circumstances.

“They headed east-“ He utters, lifting his gaze to his apparent company; long, armoured fingers grazed the hilt of his blade for but a moment before humming, softly. “…I may track them.”

Hector looked up from his inspection of the corpses in time to catch Alucard’s countenance of what seemed to be regret. Strange... I was expecting more relief than anything, the forgemaster mused as he once more took in the traveller’s form and gear. Armour graced his digits and his sword was certainly not a trinket.

“East...?” Hector echoed curiously as he looked in the ascertained direction. “Track? You... you’re a hunter, aren’t you?” The forgemaster set the corpse down gently before he stood and dusted himself off. He took one more look at the carnage – all of it beyond gruesome and none of it necessary, in the least. Death, for him, always brought the possibility of life through forging, but what these creatures left behind were far too gone to do even that, and so the destruction wrought was useless to him. He still held out a measure of hope, however. 

Now it’s her turn to smile for him, truly smile, a little sparkle of defiance in her eye.

“…I left long ago.  I have seen as much of the world as my feet could carry me over…as much as I could afford passage over.  And by Oberon’s grace I shall see more.  This is…”  She sighs, her mood sobering again quickly.  “…We take turns, my siblings and I.  One of us comes by each year to clean the graves.  Pay what respects we owe for our existence.  Make sure they haven’t crawled out of the ground to plague us further.”  The twist at the corner of her mouth indicates the last as a joke, if a dark one.

“…In truth, as she lay dying is the only time I ever saw my mother happy.  And my father got…most of what he wanted.  My siblings are all very successful.  He was well cared for.  I was the only sticking point.  His disgraceful, heretical whore of a stray.”  The smile was still sitting in wry mockery, though for the corpse or herself was unclear.

“Funny the things that stay important to us, whether we will or no.  I’d much rather hear of your studies.  Perhaps he can be of use to someone.  And I did hear you mention magic.”  The twinkle was back, interest, a flame of curiosity.  “And I imagine he’s heavier even this way than in real life.  Do you need help?”

He catches the lady’s genuine smile and it warms him considerably. Hector knows by know that he is not a good judge of character, but something about the lady’s countenance tells him his suspicions that she is a good person cannot be wrong. 

Her joke about her parents crawling out of their graves to plague them hits a special note with Hector, sparking an almost constipated smile.

“Your father was a... fortunate man despite his behaviour,” the forgemaster said thoughtfully. “And it would be ill-mannered of me not to protest that assessment you’ve made of yourself. You are obviously far more the gracious lady he could ever have claimed credit for raising himself.” Surely it was by some stroke of the Fates that such a monster had raised strong individuals such as the lady before him.

“My studies are... a tad morbid to most, I must admit, m’lady.” Hector managed to look mildly abashed, moreso just trying to explain his work than the actual embarrassment he’d endured when she came upon him digging up her father’s corpse. 

In silence does Alucard observe the male’s movements, listens to his uttering - bizarre in the least though his suspicions of anything are set aside in place of being open minded and willing.

“Alu.” Abbreviating his name was easier - it allowed for less confusion between himself and another of a similar name that he had heard many a tale regarding, recently. “I am only passing through, though - - “ He glances around, heeled and armoured boots pausing in the thick of mud beneath them; “…I became distracted by the state of this place….”

“Alu...” Hector repeated it, testing the sound on his tongue. Not from around here? He surmised with a raised eyebrow, the suspicion soon confirmed by the man’s following lines. 

“Good thing you weren’t here when the demons passed through just hours ago then, Alu. It was a sorry sight,” he sighed, “A decidedly wild bunch has been traversing the land as of late, laying waste to anything in their path. Most humans who encounter them don’t live to tell the tale.”

“Sir... Might I have a word? I’m... I’m a traveller... an academic gathering knowledge on wars and skirmishes and... the innkeeper said you look to be the sort who has seen many of those.” Hector paused to stare up at the door, not even knowing if the man was home. “My apologies for... overstepping my bounds, Sir.”

“Are…you a student?  You’re a little far afield.”  Her father wasn’t buried with anything of worth as she recalled.  A sword, from his soldier days, but it was old and most likely useless as anything but scrap.  Any family heirlooms, items of worth that he might’ve once had, had been pawned long ago to feed them during the bad times when they were young.

It was a peculiar place for a chat, and at any moment someone else might happen along and take more umbrage with this situation.  “…Ah…if you are…well he was just an old man.  Died from…being old…”

Having him actually ask for her life story was strange as well, but it seemed to be a night for it.  The massive pack on her back was brought down…she had a leather cloak, treated, waterproof.  Expensive, but needs must.  “Here…you can wrap him in it, so he’s out of sight just in case a guard or something really does come.  And…well.  He…he was someone who always thought he deserved more from the world.  Thought he was smarter than others.  He had high hopes for us, but…more as extensions of himself than for our own sake.  He was a soldier once…apparently did well in it.  I don’t know if it broke him or if he was always this way but he was…mean.  Angry.  With us, with our mother.  He killed her, when I was young.”

“I’m a student, yes,” Hector replied brightly, “Though not quite of any of the local schools. I’m more of a... self-taught academic. I’m afraid there aren’t very many schools that teach the brand of... magic and anatomy I have an inclination for.”

The forgemaster looked up at the lady’s cloak and shook his head fondly. “No... please, not something so precious. Especially not for someone so... cruel. I’m sorry for what he did to your mother,” he said as he looked to her and then back down to the corpse. “Parents have a way of doing... that... having children they believe only to be in their likeness and for their use as opposed to human beings all of our own.” Hector seemed to be speaking from experience tinged with the makings of regret that hadn’t appeared to stick.

@forgemaestro​  ||  DISCOVERED the BEAUTIFUL NIGHTMARE.

Vulgar - the sight of slaughtered innocents; sprawled upon the ground, strewn as if mere physical worthlessness. T’was with furrowed brows that bright, acidic eyes scanned not only the ground surrounding in the hopes of tracking the attacker but also the bodies themselves - perhaps there was some link, some hint. 

Yet nothing was ascertained; nothing at all - and it was in mild agitation that booted, armoured feet took a step or two backwards so to think further, once more. Though thoughts derailed, motions toward movements nearby tracked with eyes and heightened ears; a hand moving to rest upon the hilt of his blade; 

“…Whom is there..?”

A heavy grunt left the forgemaster as he toiled. The massacre was a truly sorry sight, but one that he had to endure and make the most of nonetheless.

“Why couldn’t their deaths have been cleaner?” He asked himself rhetorically as he unearthed yet another body from the pile. Demons, if that was what had ploughed through the unsuspecting town, were very rarely neat when it came to the death and destruction they wrought. No... missing a hand... rib cage too far crushed in... Oh? ...No, won’t even bother with that one.

He was much too preoccupied to notice the stirring nearby until a voice rang through, questioning his identity. It took the forgemaster a mere moment to spot the source.

Alucard’s golden eyes slipped shut as the human kissed at his pale skin. He held Hector a bit tighter, finding the touches rather arousing and caused his heatbeat to quicken. “Come on Hector… Behave yourself.” the dhampir pleaded with a cute whine. “I’ll wrap you up in the blanket if you’re going to be a tease.” He threatened playfully.

He tried to lean back a bit to look at Hector, smiling softly. Another kiss was stolen that soft and tender before Alucard shifted to lay on his back. “Sleep well Hector. I believe I will with you beside me.” The dhampir whispered. Eyes fell shut once again and Alucard breathed out a peaceful sigh, this would definitely be a night without painful bad dreams haunting him.

Hector’s laugh rang light-hearted as he pulled away at Alucard’s chastising. “If you wrap me up in the blanket then you’ll likely freeze,” he pointed out, enamoured by the dhampir’s cute whine. The forgemaster watched as Alucard moved to lay on his back, eyes falling shut as sleep began to take him. This was the greatest peace he’d had in a long time, and Hector took a few moments to savour it, simply watching as the light from the fire danced across the ceiling and landed on Alucard’s serene face.

Finally he himself turned to lie on his back as he let out a deep exhale. He felt calm but something... something was amiss. Just fatigue... he told himself, knowing his thoughts well enough to realise when his anxiety was getting the better of him. Hector closed his eyes and told himself to sleep. 

“I honestly haven’t been around many people, let alone without clothes…” He answered softly and closed his eyes, simply relaxing with Hector pressed against his body. He hummed at the comment and smiled. “It’s far more comfortable with you here now.” Alucard stated. He didn’t mind the wandering hands, his own rubbing at the human’s back gently.

The dhampir could stay in bed for days like this, just holding the human and cherishing the affection he so desperately craved. “Thank you for joining me… I was anxious to even ask, but wanted to do so because I thought we’d both enjoy this. Not being alone…”

“It must simply be your charm then,” Hector smiled as they melted against each other, his hands exploring Alucard’s form. “This feels so... different. So... calming,” he admitted, finding it hard to explain the way he felt. All of his previous encounters had been a flash of folly; both only seeking out their pleasure with only a semblance of care for the other. With Alucard, things were different. 

“You look so fragile, I feel like I might break you if I hold you too tight…” Alucard voiced his concern. He wanted Hector to be well and happy, the human deserved that after all the abuse he had suffered. His smile returned at the sweet words and then pulled Hector over to the bed. “Changed your mind quick once you took off my clothes.” The dhampir teased and pulled the blanket back so Hector could climb onto his soft bed.

Alucard followed and crawled beside Hector, draping the blanket over their bodies. He snaked his arms around the thin waist and stole another kiss. “Guess I have to be the responsible one and have self control.” He said as he rested his forehead against Hector’s. It was unbelievably nice to be held, sharing body warmth with another. The sensation was comforting and he didn’t want it to end.

“I promise that that’s the last thing that will happen to me,” Hector reassured, “Besides... I don’t believe you’d ever hurt me, Alucard.” The forgemaster’s words were fervent, surety in his eyes despite all that had happened to him that would’ve warned him otherwise. “You did, didn’t you? Do you always have this effect on people when you take your clothes off?” The forgemaster chuckled as he climbed onto the dhampir’s bed.

The word whispered and the kisses to his body made his blush only darken. He combed his fingers through Hector’s hair then trailed down the man’s torso. A pout on his lips at how he could feel each rib, gently Alucard held him close and nuzzled his head affectionately. “It’s okay Hector, we’ll get you to a healthy weight again. You’ll be alright.” The dhampir promised softly.

He brought Hector over to the large bed and they finished undressing until they were just down to their underwear. “Would you, um, like a nightshirt to wear?” Alucard questioned. “It might help us keep this from moving too fast…” He stated, as much as he enjoyed touching Hector it  would stop him from getting too carried away and going too far.

It was incredibly endearing watching Alucard blush and pout just as Hector leaned into his touch, eyes closing at the dhampir’s comforting nuzzle. 

“I’m... not worried about my weight, Alucard,” the forgemaster smiled fondly at the other before he looked down thoughtfully at his hands for a moment. “I suppose I just dislike how it reminds me of the time I spent in Styria.” It bore too many scars from the ill-treatment. “But it is nothing I will not be able to overcome in time, especially when I have someone like you keeping my mind... and body so thoroughly occupied,” he smiled, slipping his hands up Alucard’s waist and pulling the dhampir closer once they were nearly fully unclothed.

Alucard shivered as Hector went ahead and pulled off his shirt. He was beautifully toned but since the recent events his body scarred from his father and the twins. The dhampir didn’t like how he appeared any more and couldn’t stop thinking of how flawless the Daycreature was and how enthralled Hector had been with it. It made him a bit uncomfortable and worried.

But Hector’s words were ever reassuring and he pulled the human close to also began undressing him. He leaned down to kiss at the human softly, almost hesitantly as his hands lightly ghosted over the warm body. It was so nice to have someone close, to touch and hold. His heart fluttered with joy.

Alucard was breath-taking to Hector. The forgemaster stared into his eyes, deep with admiration as he leaned forward for a kiss before his lips trailed downward over the strong column of his neck down to his chest. He kissed at his scars, the deep one across his body and the harsh lines that dug into his skin. “Beautiful...” His whisper was soft and admiring. The Daycreature may have looked perfect but he couldn’t hold a candle to Alucard who was real.

Alucard sympathized with the human, it wasn’t right such a beautiful human to be shunned. “I have that sort of trusting presence, though with some it wears off so negative thoughts can fill their minds… Hopefully that wont happen to you.” He said and was happy that Hector accepted the offer to come join him.

He adjusted their path to return to his bedroom with Hector, all the way still holding onto him. “I don’t think there is any reason to get anxious. Just happy to have the chance to hold you all night.” Alucard stated happily. When they arrived at his room he opened the door and allowed Hector inside.

Just the same, Hector couldn’t understand or imagine how anyone could have ill designs on Alucard, especially after getting close enough to him and understanding what a kind and thoughtful man he was. “It was their loss,” he said. “They couldn’t appreciate your goodness and grace.”

Hector, too, was reluctant to let go of Alucard. Now that he was holding him, he found himself glad that he had the dhampir to ground him. It felt too much like this was a dream in many ways. 

Alucard’s room was one of the most beautiful ones he had ever set eyes on. It was elegant just like its owner yet simple. “Mmm, and I myself will not be letting you go that easily,” Hector chuckled though he was blushing deeply. He led Alucard near the fire, watching its embers burn for a few moments before turning back to the dhampir.