The Halloween War

  On the old continent, scarred by bombs and bullets, the shadow of war and death once again lurked over its already suffering inhabitants, and this night, already cursed, would claim the lives of several more saints. In the distant mountains of ancient Wallachia stands an imposing castle that should not exist, but proudly and arrogantly rises to the horizon. One of the most troublesome princes of darkness awaits the warriors of light invited to battle. Meanwhile, the countries of Hungary and Romania are trying to cover up this macabre event by pretending it is a war, evacuating the area and keeping the perimeter under surveillance for any creatures of evil to prevent the number of victims already present from increasing.

  The Church has called for as many warriors as possible to respond to the profane existence of Count Dracula, who has returned to life. It was under this premise that Tamamo and I arrived here, despite my attempt to avoid returning to Europe. When the armored vehicle stopped, we got out and were led to a path leading to the camp where the attack would begin.

  "If you hate ending up in these strange problems so much, why did you agree to come for a letter written by the Vatican Church?" Tamamo said, still doubtful about our involvement in this place.

  "Because it's not about the letter itself, it's about who wrote it."

  "Mr. Franco was an important person in the neighborhood where we lived."

  "A person who always tried to help those in need."

  "When our father died, it was a hard blow for everyone in my family."

  "Father Franco would never be able to bring him back, but words of encouragement are important at key moments."

  "He helped us pay for the repatriation of his body so we could bury him in Costa Rica."

  "He was the one who performed the burial ceremony and tried to be as kind as possible to my mother during those dark days."

  "......"

  "As time passed, he returned to Italy and eventually became the Pope of the Church, and we thought he had forgotten us."

  "That's why it's surprising to see that he still remembers us, despite everything that happened."

  "That he asked my mother's help in the letter, for something like this, of all things..."

  "Undoubtedly, fate seems to be calling us to this place, and although I usually hate anything to do with a predetermined destiny..."

  "I can't deny that in the course of my life, I have too often met important people and events without intending to."

  "You could say that important events always end up calling me in one way or another."

  "The fall of Atlantis, the extermination of Aria, the betrayal of Xian Fang, this is not my first rodeo in these things."

  "It's at moments like this that important things happen."

  "......"

  "Although I prefer to say that I'm just here to pay off an old debt I have with Father Franco."

  "A debt, huh?"

  "Perhaps the world is asking the Emperor for permission to show him the next step."

  "Or maybe the Emperor is innocently looking for his long-waiting miracle," Tamamo said without much thought.

  "What do you mean by that?"

  "Usually you speak with the typical tone of 'I'm a professional veteran, I've seen war a thousand times and I'm tired of it,' but today you speak with the tone of 'A fun adventure! I can't wait to see how many weird things will happen today,' which is pretty weird coming from you.

  "There's something behind this energy, I'm sure."

  "Well, I think it's probably better if I confess a little before we meet with the others."

  "Sure, my sister would love to hear it and make fun of me, but the truth is, I like the Halloween atmosphere."

  "You know, trees with red leaves, the wind, the feeling of something from the past, especially the atmosphere of seeing ruins and skeletons in a cheerful way, costumes, lots of food, the melancholy."

  "Something like the idea of visiting a cemetery, but without feeling sorry for all the people who died, because they're probably having a little party there."

  "Seeing monsters so different, but as if they were friends.

  "To be able to see that there's something beyond death, so not to be afraid of it."

  "......"

  "Especially after seeing so many people die horribly in the war..."

  "....."

  "Do you like the innocent part of Halloween? I'm sure you watched a lot of children's movies and saw things like monsters and magic in a castle when you were a kid."

  "What can I say, I have Maria for a sister, after all, something was bound to stick, right?"

  "......"

  "Better stop now, later it gets serious when it comes to monsters," Tamamo warned, because it was time to work.

  After walking a few more steps, we finally arrived at the camp where we were supposed to report. The place was very different from what I expected when I heard the words "military camp". Instead of tanks and artillery shells being stockpiled, soldiers preparing their rifles, and helicopters hovering near the ground, it seemed like we had traveled back in time to a time when knights donned their armor with the help of their squires, blacksmiths hurriedly forged swords, archers prepared their arrows, and soldiers stuffed as many as they could into their quivers. Catapults were being assembled with wood from felled trees, but some modern things were still visible to remind us of the correct year, like several Russian Airborne soldiers assembling what appeared to be a small military church on an armored vehicle, a group of Asian soldiers quickly transporting crates filled with ceremonial kukri knives, indicating their origin as Gurkhas, really dangerous guys. As we walked a little lost through the strange camp, a priest came up to greet us.

  "Hello, welcome."

  "It is a pleasure for me to finally meet the great Cacique of America and the great..."

  "Enough with the nonsense, the nicknames and the greatness crap. Just call me Elise, it's quicker and easier."

  "The flight was a nightmare and I think we are late."

  "We don't want to cause any trouble, so I would prefer if you could give us the summary of the summary."

  "I'll deal with the details later."

  "Oh, that's fine. Then allow me to begin."

  "I am Cardinal Inquisitor Lorenzo Visconti, commander in chief of the Aetherius Militum."

  "The army assembled here today from all parts of the world, summoned by Pope Franco."

  "This is the camp from which our troops began the attack on Dracula's castle, five kilometers from here."

  "The attack will begin at dusk, at 6:00, in one hour."

  "You will all be part of our spearhead for the attack, so I would like to introduce you to the rest of the team."

  "Please follow me."

  The Cardinal led us to a large tent decorated with crucifixes, candles, incense, and wax seals. According to Tamamo, these were strong protective measures against magic, especially visions and eavesdropping, to ensure that whatever was said in this place would not be known. Inside the tent were several other people, some known, like Sakura, most of the rest were unknown.

  "Allow me to introduce them properly," the Cardinal spoke again.

  "First, with us is Mr. Valerious Van Helsing, head of the House of Van Helsing, a long line of crossbow and sword hunters."

  "Mr. Valerious Van Helsing has more than 30 years of experience fighting the creatures of darkness, making him one of our greatest experts in hand-to-hand combat."

  The Cardinal pointed to a man near the door. He was 40 years old, with black hair and piercing eyes, wearing a black leather jacket with some metal parts. The most striking feature of his outfit was undoubtedly his tricorn hunting hat and his weapons, already stained with blood, signs of a fight on his way here.

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  "Next is Mr. Heinrich Lecarde, head of the Lecarde House, along with his fourth daughter, Lucy Lecarde."

  "The House of Lecarde is one of the families with the greatest experience in magic that we have."

  "His ancestors have helped Christianity since the early days, providing shelter and refuge to those persecuted by the Emperor Nero."

  "Their skills in illusion allowed the Church to survive."

  "Some of the properties where the Church was founded in the old Empire of Rome belonged to the Lecarde family."

  The Lecarde family followed, showing the head of the house as a tall man with a solemn posture full of pride, completely confident in himself and his history, with a serious expression on his face. His blond hair was neatly combed, indicating that he took order and appearance seriously. He wore a Victorian aristocrat's coat, which, according to Tamamo, was filled with all kinds of magic and protection. Thus, the use of expensive clothing did not so much reflect his high status as hide its true practical function. He was accompanied by a book he never left, probably his spellbook. The young girl next to him was dressed like a nun, but with unnecessary details. It looked like she would be cosplaying in any other situation, but it was clear that it was also her combat uniform, just like her father's.

  "The father and hunter Alejandro del Toro are not affiliated with any Old House by blood, adopted by the House of Belmont."

  "However, he was raised and trained by one of our greatest hunters of the past, Mr. Gideon Belmont, may his soul rest in peace."

  "Mr. Alejandro replaces his master due to his sudden death at the hands of the same demonic forces we face tonight, as his successor in the house is Sebastian Belmont, who is only 11 years old at the moment."

  Father Alejandro del Toro was dressed as one would expect a professional vampire hunter to be, with bottles of holy water, wooden stakes, and various knives with the vague silhouette of a cross. He also wore a patch on his chest, the symbol of the House of Belmont, showing the support of the other family members in his abilities, as well as the man's commitment to the family that had taken him in for so many years.

  "Walter Bernhard, hunter of the House Bernhard, known for his shooting skills and his spear".

  "Battle companions and archers of King Arthur, they accompanied Robert II of Normandy in the conquest of Jerusalem during the First Crusade."

  "They helped to defend Europe against foreign invasions and evils that had infiltrated the House of the Lord."

  The warrior from the House of Bernard was young, but unlike Miss Lucy, he was not accompanied. He carried a spear and a metal bow on his sword, but no arrows. A hunter would never be unprepared, so it was easy to assume that the arrows were probably magical or something. Dressed in burnished metal armor, green robes, and a cloak of animal fur, he looked like a strong mountain hunter.

  "Among us is Eberhart Meyer, leader of the House of Meyer."

  "Unlike everyone else in this room, he is neither a hunter nor a warrior."

  "Instead, the House of Meyer is a long family of Venetian merchants, specialized in the creation of magic and amulets."

  "For generations, they have supplied the warriors of the Aetherius Militum with all manner of purified and sacred objects for use in battle against the enemies of the Lord."

  "Please approach him to prepare whatever you deem necessary for tonight's trial."

  The Cardinal pointed to a man outside the tent, near the smiths. The man was standing at a table filled with suitcases and all sorts of strange machinery. The man heard his name called and quickly returned a greeting before continuing to set up his tent.

  "Sakura Izumi, founder of the Izumi House, heroine of Etria, and given the name of Samurai by Divine Providence.

  "Yokai Hunter of the East, she assists the Church in the universal call to defeat evil, demonstrating that we all have the same goal."

  Sakura was simply dressed in a modern schoolgirl outfit with some metal plates and some military bags. Her current outfit reminded me a lot of what she wore during the war against the dragons. The foolish girl is using the katana from last time, no doubt unaware of its origin and its weakness. She doesn't seem to be very happy to see me either, I'm sure she's surprised that she's not the only one from her school class here.

  "Now we also have the warrior with the title of chieftain, Elise, founder of the Cacique House, in our ranks."

  "Hunter of the untameable beasts of the American continent and... Military warrior of the Alliance in the Continental War."

  "And her companion... The young lady at her side..."

  It was clear that the Cardinal was having trouble coming up with something grandiose and traditional for me, but I didn't really care. I simply decided to return the greeting and nothing more. I was just dressed normally in my clothes and my white fur-lined coat, and for protection I only had my bulletproof vest. Maybe it's better to exchange it for normal armor plates before we start. Tamamo was at my side in her typical dark blue kimono, armed only with her metal fan, though she would probably use her naginata if things got difficult.

  After introducing everyone, the Cardinal stood before us and began to speak in a much more formal and serious tone, thus beginning the real purpose of our meeting and the business of the night.

  "This tent is reserved exclusively for the Inquisitors."

  "Our finest warriors in the fight against evil and darkness.

  "This title of supreme inquisitor is also given to all of you as payment for answering the call of duty of the strong men."

  "......"

  "The Inquisitorial Assault Group is specifically charged with the task of defeating Dracula and sealing his threat by any means necessary and at any cost."

  "Please keep in mind the weight of these words as you act."

  "....."

  "To facilitate your task in every possible way, the Church and the Aetherius Militum will provide you with all the resources you need."

  "Your words will be the last and final word in every decision and action."

  "You will lead our finest group of warriors that our Church has kept hidden since before Christ himself."

  "The Umbra Venatores, the shields of the Inquisitors, men of the mountains who have dedicated their lives to a single goal: to fight to the end when the sacred hunting horn sounds in the mountains."

  "Such a call has already been issued three days ago, as required by the law of the Lord."

  "'They will escort the inquisitors, as closely as possible, to the doors of the adjoining room where Dracula's throne is located.

  "'Their task is to take the blows and the fatigue while clearing the way so that the Inquisitors can be in full form for their battle.'"

  "The beasts, the witch eaters."

  The doors opened for the new group of warriors, but there was no man or human behind them. Instead, large fanged and clawed beasts formed ranks to announce their addition to the army. Fierce six-foot werewolves, armored in steel and silver, held banners beside their swords, while demons with crucifixes joined the hunt against their peers. The Umbra Venatores were a group of men who had sacrificed their humanity to dedicate themselves to the hunt for witches and evil, paying the ultimate price for the power to defend the weak. Their demonic, blood-drenched appearance clearly marked them as not the warriors contained within the goodness of heroic tales, but as machines who killed not for pleasure, but as something mechanical and routine.

  "My name is Tiberius Blackthorn, captain of the Umbra Venatores."

  "As required by the pact of our ancestors, we have come here to answer the call of the hunter's horn."

  "Three hundred of us have come of our own free will, each over 30 years of age, each with an heir at home."

  "The survival of our clan is already guaranteed, each soldier present is an expendable piece for the will of God's mission."

  "Hominum virtus duritia respondebit," said the white werewolf in front of them all.

  Without waiting for a response from the Cardinal, they entered the camp on their own and began walking until they took their positions in the assault formation that was being prepared. Some other priests began to walk around the place with incense, trying to cleanse the area of the darkness that was creeping in as the night began to take the sky hostage.

  Cardinal Visconti, his face grave, raised his hand to signal silence. With a simple "It is time," his voice trembling but determined, the assault on destiny began. The archers drew their bowstrings, the catapults fired with fury, and the first waves of soldiers advanced, crossing the drawbridge toward the gates of Dracula's castle.

  "Pray all you know," murmured Valerious Van Helsing, adjusting his tricorn hat. "Tonight will not be easy."