Michael Belmont and the Heir of Van Helsing (The Adventures of Michael Belmont) (38 page)

Once they were gone Mihnea looked at them sternly.
 
“I strongly warn each of you
not
to wander from this guest wing, you will not be safe in any other part of the castle.”

Michael nodded.
 
Despite his warning, Mihnea grinned back in a way that almost dared him to try and escape.
 
Michael was sure they’d be locked in and placed under guard anyway.

“So when exactly is the wedding?” Michael asked politely.

“Tomorrow night.
 
Do you three think you can behave yourselves until then?”

None of them answered.

“I always repay people back ten-fold for the way they treat me.
 
I advise you all to keep this in mind; it goes for my friends as well as my enemies.”

He unlocked the door of a nearby room.
 
“Magda, this one’s yours, in you go.”

She looked like she wanted to attack him, but Michael shook his head at her.
 
He threw his arms around her and whispered into her ear, “Now’s not the time.
 
Trust me.”

“I do,” she whispered back, and quickly kissed his cheek before Mihnea grabbed her by the shoulder and shoved her into the room.
 
He locked the door behind her.

“This one’s for you,” he told Liam while crossing the hall.
 
He opened a door and Liam disappeared into the room with a curt wave.
 
“I hope there’s a bathroom in here,” he called out before the door slammed shut.

“And finally, for you,” he told Michael, opening the door next to Liam’s.
 
He walked into the large room and turned to face his captor, crossing his arms and staring into Mihnea’s eyes.
 
“Thanks for the hospitality,” he said sarcastically.

“Whatever you do, don’t look under the bed,” Mihnea sneered and closed the door.
 
A moment later Michael heard the lock click.

He turned to examine the place, which was dimly lit by candles even though he could see a window covered up on the opposite wall.
 
A canopy bed was centered in the middle of the room, and a suit of armor stood guard in the corner to his left.

Michael pulled out his lantern and it lit up the room.
 
He walked slowly around, scanning the place for anything unusual or a possible route of escape.
 
He even stooped to look under the bed, knowing that he’d keep hearing Mihnea’s voice in the back of his head until he’d done so.
 
There was nothing under there except for a mouse skeleton and a whole lot of dust.
 
After giving the room a thorough examination and finding nothing, he put the lantern away and pulled down the black material covering the window.
 
Mid-morning light flooded the room, and he looked out north over the snow-covered Fagaras Mountains.

Surprisingly, the window opened when he pushed on it, allowing a cold wind to blow in over his face.
 
He picked up the Sword of Van Helsing and hopped up onto the bed, causing a small poof of dust to spread out around him.
 
Once it cleared he lay back onto his pillow and unwrapped the sword, then grasped it by the hilt.
 
Everything faded to black.

Michael found himself walking along a dark corridor.
 
It soon came to a door, which he found himself opening, and then he walked out onto the parapet wall of the castle.
 
He noticed the snow-capped mountains off to his left, the same mountains he’d seen out the window only a few moments before.
 
The sky was rather dark, and he knew he must be facing east, which meant the sun had just gone down behind him.
 
He lifted the sword up before his eyes to examine it more closely, and recognized the man staring back at him from the reflection in the blade.
 
It was Mihnea.

He noticed the maniacal smile spread across the vampire’s face before twirling the sword through the air and swinging in fancifully down at his side.

Mihnea looked up to see a dark figure leaning against the wall of the tower in front of him.
 
“Well, look who decided to finally show up,” Mihnea said.
 
“You could have helped me get ahold of this thing.
 
After all, opening up that portal is in our mutual interest.”

“You look like you did alright without my help,” the man answered.
 
“Was the information I provided helpful?”

“Your sources were correct.
 
Mark Belmont had the sword all along.
 
It took me a while to procure it, but here it is.”

“And the Van Helsing boy?”

“I’m sure the Belmonts are headed for him even as we speak, and I’m having them watched.
 
Once we determine his location I’ll pick him up personally, and bring him back here to open up the portal.”

The man pushed himself off the tower wall and stepped out into the light.
 
Michael felt anger explode within him as he saw the man’s face.
 
ZURIEL
, he yelled within his head, but Mihnea said nothing.

“Good,” Zuriel nodded.
 
“But be careful, the Van Helsings and the Belmonts might try to destroy that gateway if they learn what it is.
 
In fact, they may already know.
 
Be sure to bring the Van Helsing boy under your control as soon as possible.
 
Turn him into a vampire or werewolf, and then he might even help you willingly.
 
As for the Belmonts, kill them all as soon as you can, they’re nothing but trouble, and their family has a long history with this castle.”

“Yes, I remember my father speaking about the Belmonts as powerful adversaries.
 
I find it interesting that a Belmont was able to obtain the sword from its hiding place so easily.
 
I’d been searching for it to no avail for a century.”
 
I’ll take care of them once they’ve played their parts,” Mihnea told him.
 
“In the meantime, I have need of them.”

Zuriel frowned.
 
“Ah yes, this wedding of yours.
 
Why go to so much trouble?
 
Why not just force this woman to give you children if that’s what you want.”

Mihnea shook his head.
 
“An illegitimate child cannot be used for the ritual.
 
Once Elizabeth has become my wife, the Belmonts will all be turned or destroyed.”

“As you wish, but I still don’t think that keeping them around is a good idea.
 
Don’t underestimate any of them, especially the boy.”
 
Zuriel sneered as if he were remembering something that put a very bad taste in his mouth.

“Belmonts have always had a knack for unlocking the mysteries of this castle.
 
Perhaps I can use that to my advantage.
 
Use them to uncover some things that are hidden even to me.”

“You are an ambitious man,” Zuriel laughed.
 
“I admire that, but remember my warnings.”

Mihnea nodded.
 
“I will.
 
One more thing.
 
I’ve not been able to carry this sword past the threshold of the throne room.
 
Do you know what strange magic prevents me from doing so?”

Zuriel scratched his chin and leaned out to look over the castle wall.
 
“Your father really didn’t tell you much, did he?”

“Are you joking?
 
The old monster protected his secrets as a she-bear protects her cubs.
   
He was always worried about a usurper, and rightly so.
 
He never told me anything.”

“It has to do with the seal of protection placed on the gateway.
 
Only the gateway’s guardian can approach the throne with the sword.
 
Dracula discovered these secrets and learned how to make himself the guardian.
 
After he was killed, Abraham Van Helsing was able to approach the gateway with the sword and reset the seal because your father’s blood was still on its blade.”

Mihnea twirled the sword through the air once more.
 
“I see.
 
So I’m going to need the blood of Van Helsing’s heir simply to get the sword into the throne room, then I can reset it once more with my own blood.”

“After that, the gateway will be yours to control.
 
You’ll be able to remove the seals of protection that prevent me from entering the castle,” Zuriel told him.
 
“Then I can free my brothers and we’ll be on our way, and you’ll have access to allies and power beyond anything you’ve ever imagined.”

Mihnea let out a deep, guttural laugh and sheathed the sword, and the scene went black.

Michael woke from the vision with a start and sat up on the bed.
 
His head was swimming.
 
He needed to work this out quickly.
 
Time was ticking away, and Elizabeth and Abigail were depending on him.

So, that’s why Mihnea had given him back the sword- in hopes that he’d uncover more of the castle’s secrets.
 
It seemed like a big risk to give an enemy such a powerful weapon.
 
What if he tried to use it against him?
 
But Mihnea wasn’t afraid of a boy.
 
Even Michael knew that he wasn’t strong enough to use the sword on that creep himself; he’d be easily overpowered if he tried.

Michael hammered his fists down onto the bed, releasing another cloud of dust into the air.
 
Maybe I’ll prove him right, maybe this castle does have some secrets I can uncover, but to use
against
him.
 
We’ve already freed his grandfather, I bet he wasn't’ expecting that!
 
Mihnea was powerful and conniving, but perhaps his overconfidence could be used to defeat him.

He jumped off the bed and walked around it a few times before ending back up at the window.
 
Looking off into the mountains and breathing the cold air seemed to help him think.

So the gateway was in the throne room, and only Olaf would be able to carry the sword in.
 
Maybe they could find some other way to destroy the portal, figure out how to do it without Olaf.
 
If they only needed his blood to break the seal of protection, perhaps they could just put some on the sword to carry it in, but what then?
 
Michael needed more answers.
 
He rubbed his head and then climbed back onto the bed.
 
He reached down and grasped the sword again.

Nothing happened.

“Come on,” he pleaded in frustration.
 
“I need answers.
 
I need to figure out how to defeat Mihnea and destroy that portal!
 
Show me something, ANYTHING.”

He concentrated as hard as he could.
 
Tell me how to defeat him, show me a way, please
!

Michael’s ring began to glow, and within seconds blue light enveloped the sword. Once again, the room before him faded away.

Michael opened his eyes to find himself riding a white horse, which galloped swiftly along a winding country road.
 
It was a beautiful day; the air was warm and the sky was clear, except for a few clouds hanging off above the green hills in the distance.
 
He could just make out the outskirts of a village.

“Looks like Silene is just up ahead,” Michael found himself saying while giving the horse a pat on the neck.
 
“I’ll bet you’re ready for a cool drink of water, aren’t you boy.
 
You’ve been working hard today, Artax.”
 
Michael recognized the kind voice of the man whom he’d heard the fist time he touched the sword.
 
It belonged to George.

Before long they were riding through the gates of the village, and George brought the horse to a halt in front of an old woman walking along the side of the road.

“Pardon me,” he said to her, “could you direct me to the well that I might draw water for my horse?”

The old woman looked up at him pitifully.
 
“I would happily do so, good sir, were it not for the serpent who guards the spring.”

“Serpent?” asked George.
 
“What manner of serpent could withhold your spring from a knight such as I and his thirsty steed?”

“The most fearsome dragon upon which ever these aged eyes of mine have lain.
 
He is a merciless creature, demanding the payment of a sheep for each day my people desire to use our own well.
 
Yesterday we gave the beast our final sheep, and this morning he demanded a maid in its stead.
 
The fathers of each young maid in our village drew straws, and fate determined that our beloved Princess Sabra must be taken to the vile serpent as an offering.”
 
The old woman lowered her head and began to sob miserably.

“Has your princess already been taken to this devil?” George asked her.

“Even as we speak,” she wept.

“Then quickly, dear mother, show me the way to your spring, and by my life your good princess may yet be returned to you.”

“Many have tried, and turned feast for that monster,” she told him, “but if it be your will to try, then drive your steed to the foot of that mountain as quick as he runs.”

George turned his horse and without hesitation galloped down the path.

“Fly, Artax!
 
This is no mortal dragon we go to face; we shall test these new weapons that Uriel has gifted to us.”

They soon came upon the well, where a large dragon towered over the form of fallen knight in plate armor.