In the depths of a dense, murky woodland, there is an enormous, snow white, gothic-style citadel. The gothic-style palace is large, elegant, incredibly lavish, and heavily fortified. It had been built to remain hidden from the world via sorcery from humans and wizards alike. And so, it remained for hundreds of years.
On clear nights, the valley would be filled with countless fancy carriages being pulled by winged steeds or droves of bats flying towards the citadel in the depths of the dark woods. In daylight, even on a cloudy day, the vampires are sound asleep in their coffins or crypts. No vampire would risk death by sunlight, for not even the eldest and most powerful of vampires could walk under the light of day.
Nevertheless, a group of four hooded figures quietly crept through the lavishly decorated halls of the citadel. The group knew exactly where to go as they climbed into the depths of the citadel. The group stopped in front of an intricately carved stone statue of a woman in regalia and a crown, clasping a royal scepter.
The statue is that of Adelaide of Italy (or Burgundy), the wife of the Emperor Otto, the Great. To others, she was a beloved saint, Saint Adelaide. Many saw Saint Adelaide as the patron saint of stepparents, widows, and second marriages. Yet she was also the patron saint of exiles and prisoners.
A dreadfully pale hand reached out and pulled the royal specter forward. With a groan, the mechanisms began to move as the statue moved back, revealing a pitch-black descending staircase. The group descended into darkness without the use of torches. Their steps are muffled as they descend at a slow pace.
The group halts mere steps away from the floor. Despite the darkness, a dull crimson light can be seen coming from intricately carved sigils. Sigil magic is an ancient pictorial type of magic much like ancient runes called Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis also known as the Little Key of Solomon. Sigils are created using magic of old in the form of kames, (magical squares) using numbers to connect lines and form an abstract figure.
"Blood magic," a frigid woman's voice hissed.
"The pontifex has always been overly cautious, it is expected," answered a calm older man's voice. Reaching into his robes, the elder man carefully pulled out a small velvet bag. The group parted and permitted the man to descend to the last step above the floor.
"Cinis in cinerem, pulvis ad pluvis," (Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust), the elder man loudly chanted as he poured the fine powder onto the sigil.
A blood sigil is broken by fire and destruction. However, they did not have the time or the energy. Since they could not destroy the sigil, they would temporarily put the sigil to sleep using the bone of the creator's sire or dam. The group is silent as they watch the ash scatter and dull the sigil until it ceases to glow.
"I am most impressed, Luther," the elder woman cooly said. "Our bones are scattered upon our death. So just how did you acquire the ashes of his dam?"
"That is for me to know, Hecate," the elder vampire responded as he pulled back his hood, revealing a silky, silver mane.
"Hmph, keep your secrets, old man," Hecate huffed in annoyance, before a pale hand rises and pushed the cowl of her hood back. Her silver hair is tightly coiled back with nary a single hair out of place.
The third hooded figure removes their cowl revealing a man in his late forties with hair the color of raven wings, except for a long white streak that commences from his right temple down to the very ends of his hair.
"Noctis, are you prepared?" Luther asked the other man.
"I know my duty," Noctis grimaced in response.
"Come now, Noctis, no need for a scowl," lightly jested the fourth vampire, a middle-aged man with (rare) brown colored hair (among the vampires).
"It is easy for you to say, Nikolas Van Helsing!" Noctis spat in anger. "Your human kin have always hunted our kind!"
"Fair enough," Nikolas acknowledged with a shrug. It was not as though he could very well deny the truth. The Van Helsings were a family of vampire hunters, it was tradition.
"Gentlemen," Luther's eyes flashed dangerously in firm warning.
"He killed Sanguini!" Noctis heatedly protested.
"He was a spy for the Dark Lord," Luther chastised the other vampire. "Sanguini betrayed the coven, and traitors are always put to death."
"An executor then," Noctis bitterly barked. "Should we fail, our heads will be next."
Luther does not deem a reply, but Noctis catches the reprimanding eye of Hecate. With lips pressed into a thin line, Noctis falls silent. He had never anticipated he would ever be part of a rebellion, much less be marked as a traitor. However, the properties of the Ichor Fructus had the potential to completely change the lives of their kind. No longer would they sulk at night and prey on the blood of humans, utterly beholden to their cursed thirst. Their bloodthirst would be at last quelled by the Ichor Fructus, and they would be able to walk in the light of day again. It was something their kind had only dreamed of.
"And my family shan't be hunters for much longer," Nikolas idly remarked. "My family has agreed to enter into a peace treaty as long as the Coven agrees to subject themselves to the Ichor Frucus."
The nostrils of Noctis flare in anger as he barely refrains from baring his fangs at Nikolas Van Helsing in rage. "What comfort offered by murderers, who have hunted our kind like beasts of game for centuries without the slightest of pity ever extended."
"I said enough," Luther growled in a final warning as Hecate extended a simple head nod in Noctis's direction.
Noctis is somewhat mollified by Hecate's gesture as he understands that she also shared such sentiments regarding the Van Helsing family. The vile acts of the Van Helsing family could not simply be overlooked by a simple slap on the wrist. They had hunted their kind for centuries, their blood kin deserved to be avenged.
Sensing the impatience of Luther is at all all-time low, Nikolas tactically attempts to ease the tension. "I must admit I am delighted to see that walking in the daylight will no longer pose a problem to our kind with the continual consumption of Ichor Fructus. I would argue that sunglasses, sunscreen, and umbrellas are a small price to pay to walk comfortably beneath the light of day."
Seeing the impatience on Luther's face, Nikolas charmingly bowed to Hecate, "Ladies first," who merely stared her nose down at the irksome younger vampire.
After a pause, Hecate loftily said, "Van Helsing do try to keep up," and stepped on the stone floor covered in bone dust. There is a brief moment of hesitation as they can't be certain the dust worked. Seeing the sigils remain dark and dull, Nikolas steps down next, followed by Noctis and Luther.
The four vampires can easily see in the dark as if it were daylight. Darkness proved to be of no imposition for them. Their pace grew slower and quieter as they approached an open cavern. Hecate paused at the entrance to peer inside. Satisfied by what she saw, she stepped aside.
From the folds of their cloaks, the two vampires pulled out their weapons. In each hand, Nikolas firmly held a crossbow and a silver stake, while Noctis unsheathed a pair of long, slender stiletto blades with a needle-like point, perfect for thrusting and stabbing
The two vampires nod at each other in wordless communication before stepping soundlessly into the cavern. The two are followed by Luther and Hecate as they approach a blackwood coffin. The coffin is ironically simple with no intricate decorations or lavish engravings.
The four vampires communicated with their eyes as Hecate and Luther each grasped a corner of the top of the crypt. In a single motion, they tore off the wooden coffin lid that would have been impossible for a human of their age but not for one of their kind and tossed it aside with a loud thud. Without hesitation, Nikolas fired his crossbow while Noctis darted forward and stabbed a blade with full force, penetrating the body in the coffin.