Dedicated to my twin sister, my mirror image, the holy knight of light who has always been there for me when I've needed protection, in this evil world that surrounds us all.
The storm rumbled through the Valley of the Graveyards. It went over the Morbid mountains, from south to north.
It made everything on its way tremble. Trees and bushes shivered when the lightning hit the ground. The rumble of the thunder
was loud. And when the lightning hit again, it lit up the surrounding, making everything look spooky.
In the town of Warakiya, no one paid attention. They were used to the weather. Everyone was asleep.
The night was dark. The towers of Castlevania across the water shone when the lightning flashed again.
There was one man to see all this. Only one man, because the night was dark and scary and all the people were sleeping.
This man, dressed in red clothes, stood alone near the Moor of Silence, and looked through the wall of the rain. He turned to the lightning, just to see Castlevania shining far away from him, on the solitary island in the Crystal lake. The town of Warakiya was just a gray shadow in front of it.
The rain was pouring down, making his clothes wet. He didn't care. He walked towards the dark forest. It looked threatening, although nothing was moving. There was no animals. Not even the werewolves, or the demons from Castlevania. And no human being was there, besides that one man. That man from the town of Warakiya, where people called him a mage.
He stopped, shook his cloak and kept on walking. He couldn't see the forest anymore because of the rain.
The storm continued. Once again, the lightning hit the ground, and the thunder rumbled. The rain came down like a gray curtain,
and no one could see through it.
"Better get some shelter", the mage said to himself. "The healers would kill me if they caught me here. Or at least poison me with some herbs..."
The healers - he meant the old healer of Warakiya and her assistant, Christopher Belnades. He was his friend.
Eventually, the mage turned and headed for Warakiya. He sighed and wiped his face. He was wet. The rain wouldn't stop.
The Clock Tower of Untimely Death was beside him. It was no place to find a shelter - the tower was part of Castlevania.
There was only the army of evil inside. Mostly skeleton warriors and Axe Knights. No, the tower was not a shelter. And he wasn't up
for a fight right now.
He looked behind him. He couldn't see anything. All he could see was the rain and the lightning.
He continued walking towards the town. It was quiet, nothing moved. Far away, he could hear a wolf howl. So he wasn't the
only one outside. But the wolf was far away from him. Probably on the Mountains of Mist in the north.
He stopped and started to think. Was it a good idea just to go home, or some place else? Home didn't sound so great. It was in the
other side of the town. But where to go then? He had to get in somewhere.
Ah. He could go to see how Christopher was doing. He hadn't seen him in four days. He turned and walked to the gate
and opened it.
No. Christopher was sleeping. And he didn't want to see him right now. Damned healers. Always complaining
about something.
He walked past the house, to the animal shelter. He opened the door quietly, lit a lantern and walked in.
He glanced at the two horses in there, the dark mare of Jonathan Belnades and the gray stallion, Shadow. That was his name.
The mage owned him. He was allowed to keep him here for free while he allowed Christopher to use him.
The healer needed a horse.
There was some hay beside the wall. He put the lantern on the floor, sat down, put his staff beside him. Then he took of his cloak and
put it away hoping it would dry a little. He also took off his shirt - it was soaking wet. He sighed and threw it next to his cloak. Then he
closed his eyes.
He was a fifty-year-old, dark-haired man, though his hair was mostly gray now. His brown eyes looked dark, almost black. He was rather
tall and skinny. Just a normal man. But he was wise. The people of the town knew it. They liked him, he always knew how to help.
They didn't want him to leave, even if it was said he could use magic. No one had ever really seen him do that, only some tricks.
But the rumors said he was a real magic-user, who could cast every spell there was. Those of real use, those of no use at all. The magic
spirit stayed with him.
He also knew how to use a sword. He didn't like fighting. He would only fight the servants of evil, but if it was necessary, also those who would threaten his homelands. He was a warlord of some kind. He knew how to command soldiers. And that was all that Warakiya needed. They didn't have many warlords, all the great ones had died - or some of them had left.
This man had learnt a lot, he had wandered around the Europe for years. But this was his home. He loved the Valley of the Graveyards, and he had always come back. And here he stayed. He didn't know why. But here he would live for the rest of his life.
The only one to prevent him would be Count Dracula of Castlevania, but he had been put to eternal sleep by Sonia Belmont. But now the Belmont family had been exiled from the valley, just because the people were afraid of them. The family had power that people could not understand. Just like magic - and no one knew for sure if Simon Blackwood, the red mage was able to use it.
Now he was there, with the two horses and all the animals of the Belnades family, thinking what to do. Awful weather.
The rain... And the roof of his little cabin on the other side of the town needed repairs.
He looked at the lantern for a while. Then he closed his eyes again.
"Mr. Mage? What on earth are you doing here?"
The mage opened his eyes. A man, some years younger than he, was standing there. He looked surprised.
It was Jonathan Belnades, Christopher's father.
"On my... Well, this isn't the first time I catch someone in here, but this is the first time it is a wizard!"
"I'm not a wizard. But I guess I owe you an explanation..." The mage said. He stood up.
Jonathan watched him for a while, then he said:
"No need for an explanation. I never understood you anyway. No one does. I just... I'm... What are you doing here in the middle of the night?
Were you outside? In that storm?"
The mage stayed quiet for a while.
"That is true. The storm is horrible. So? Do you really need a reason why I'm here?"
"You could have come inside the house."
Jonathan sounded much calmer now. The lantern he was holding shone, enlightening the corner. He wasn't fully dressed.
"Oh forget it. I only came to see how the animals are doing. Christopher was worried. And that mare is too easily frightened. Anyway, everything seems to be okay. Now, would you come with me? Or do I have to take you by force?"
Jonathan smiled. The mage looked somewhat confused.
"Alright, it seems I have no other option... Oh don't tell me Christopher is awake. And please don't tell me Adena is there, too, otherwise I'm leaving and going home. One healer is enough, but two of them..."
He took his shirt and cloak. They were still wet, but he didn't care. Jonathan tried to look serious, but he couldn't.
"Mage..." He started to laugh. "Sorry to say, but they are both there. Catherine is having the baby now."
"Oh, then I won't come to disturb them." The mage said.
"Alright, but then I'm saying here, too." Jonathan sat beside the wall.
"You win. I'm coming, no matter how many healers are in there." He picked up his staff from the floor.
Jonathan stood up. "Good."
The rain was still pouring, but the men stopped for a while.
"Beautiful, isn't it." said Jonathan.
"Yes, it is. And one really can see something in here."
"Maybe you can. I can't see a thing. This rain... Where's the house?"
The mage smiled. "The door is just beside you! Hold on a second."
The mage went a little further, beside the bushes. He looked around, then raised his staff and hit something. That something didn't move any more. He returned to Jonathan.
"Just a snake. Let's go in, my son."
They went inside. "I'm not your son", said Jonathan. "I'm too old to be your son."
"You know what I meant."
"I guess so."
"Who meant what?"
They both turned. A 20-year-old man stood by the table, which was covered with some herbs.
"Oh, nothing. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be with your wife?"
"Well, actually I'm... just looking for something. What took you so long, father? And why is Mr. Mage here with you?"
Jonathan did not answer. "Go sit by the fireplace", he said to the mage. Then he turned to his son and whispered: "Make some tea, that old fool was outside in the storm."
"I heard that."
Christopher smiled. "What are you going to do? Burn us all with the spell of fire?"
"I don't think so." The mage sat beside the fire. Christopher took some hot water, put some herbs in it and gave it to him. Then he turned.
"Oh, father, there's something I'd like to tell you..."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. Adena!" He called for his teacher.
An old woman, much older than the mage, came from the other room. She was holding something.
"Simon, what are you doing here? Well never mind. Jonathan, here's someone who'd like to meet her grandfather." She gave the little thing to Jonathan. It was a small, beautiful baby girl.
"Oh my. Already? I..."
"I did choose the right moment to send you to check the animals, didn't I?" Christopher grinned. "How are the animals, anyway?"
The mage put the teacup down. "Since you father is too stunned to answer right now, I'll do it. The animals are fine. I was in the shelter when your father came there. Horrible, that storm out there. Well. Anyway, congratulations."
The mage walked to Jonathan and looked at the baby he was holding. "Oh, she will certainly grow up to be as beautiful as her mother."
"No doubt", said Jonathan.
"Look at those eyes. Not brown like yours, Chris, and not blue like Catherine's. Light gray. She looks very intelligent."
"Yes..." Jonathan gave the baby back to Adena, who took her back to her mother. Jonathan shook his head. "Christopher, you... Well. I kind of hoped it would be a boy... but a girl will do. You and Catherine are young, you will get more children."
"You're absolutely right. If you'll excuse me." Christopher went to the other room to his wife and the new-born daughter. The two older men stayed by the fire.
"So, your son got a daughter. Wonder what Celia would say about this."
"Who?"
"You know, my sister. The seer. The one who was here just six months ago. She would be suspicious."
"Oh, that one. She is your sister? You never told me. Weird woman. Travels around Europe if I remember correctly. But you and your family... all I know is that I don't need to know anything."
"They say she's a witch. She's just a seer. She would be worried about your granddaughter. It's full moon."
Jonathan looked at him. "Is it?"
"Celia once said to me 'Dark times have come when a gray-eyed child is born on a stormy night, when the moon is full.' I never knew what she meant by that." He paused. "I still don't. But I suggest you keep an eye on Christopher's daughter." He stood up. "If you won't, I will!"
"You? The red mage who lives in a cabin, in the forest that borders this town? You, who are always so busy to protect the town that you don't even have the time to eat!" Jonathan looked straight in his eyes.
"You of all people. You're much more busier than I am, and I'm busy enough not to believe in some witch's sayings. Christopher has a daughter, that's it. There's nothing more to it. These are not dark times! Or if these are... Things have always been like this."
"You don't know what I'm talking about."
"And what does your sister know?"
"Nothing."
"There you have it. And don't you say anything your sister have told you to my son. Christopher has other things to care about. But, go ahead, keep an eye on my granddaughter if you really have time for that."
"I was planning to." The mage walked to the table, picked up his teacup and drank the rest of the herb tea. It was cold.
"Father? Simon? Go to sleep."
"Christopher. I was just... Oh well. Good night." Jonathan left and went a small room next to his son's room.
"Good night father." Christopher looked as his father closed the door. "Well, mage, what are you going to do? Adena is staying here, just in case. You could stay, too."
"No. I'm going home. It's almost morning... and I need to get that roof repaired before next storm." He took his clothes and put them on. "Everything alright?"
"Yeah, just fine. Catherine is tired, she's sleeping. And so is Sypha."
"Sypha? Interesting choice for a name."
"Why?"
The mage smiled. "In the language of the ancient wizards, that means 'Peace'. That is a good name. Good night. Shall the magic spirit protect you, until the morning comes."
"Well, it'll surely protect you, mage."
"I do hope so, healer."
The morning came. The storm had stopped and the sky was clear and bright, as bright as the golden sun. But as the red mage sat in his
cabin he didn't pay any attention. His sister had once said something that now had a meaning, but what was the meaning? What are the
dark times, after all the times he had seen? The times when Sonia Belmont had been around, to defeat the lord of Castlevania...
Those times were dark enough.
He went outside. He walked for some time, to the cliff North of the town of Warakiya. He stood there, searching for the answer.
And the castle of the prince of Darkness stood alone, on the solitary island in the Crystal lake, surrounded by water.