THE WITCHER AND THE WOLF

CHAPTER FIVE: DRACULA

Dante was in his home mixing and pouring all kinds of magical potions. He was acquainted with the Witcher as he was picking his herbs from his nearby garden. The Witcher lay astern at the heart of the garden delirious and senile. He spoke in an ancient language that Dante could not decipher. 

He carried his heavy body built like stone into his home and gave him all the aid and care he needed. He applied all kinds of herbs on his wounds from hibiscus to ashwagandha they all gave a potent herbal smell that filled the room. He also gave him a spicy elixir which the Witcher Amadeus spat immediately. He has been poisoned thought Dante.

Amadeus fell into a deep sleep, his breathing low and deep as if the angel of death had kissed his soul. After a few hours he awoke with a jolt. “Where am I?” said the Witcher. “You are in Wallachia friend,” said Dante. "I am nobody's friend, know this and I will spare your life" said the Witcher commandingly. 

"My steed...where is it…argh?!" He said as he writhed in pain holding his head in great discomfort. "Rest of great silver hair, your belongings are safe with me,” said Dante. "Now drink this potion I have prepared and get the strength you need so" added Dante. Amadeus bent over as if receiving communion and drank from the small crucible.

He immediately went into a deep slumber.

The next day

The sun rose with all its s glory like a shining disk. Its bright rays of light entered the small cottage house of the healer. Amadeus was struck with shock and awe. The last thing he remembered was him fighting a huge Leviathan in the Night Wood, injured and left for dead. 

His horse Knight carried him from harm’s way into an estranged village outside of Wallachia far from the Night Wood. He woke up again this time around he felt much stronger as the potions regained his strength.

“Where am I?” The Witcher asked again. "You are in the city of Wallachia in Transylvania home of the count of Dracula also infamously known as Nosferatu,” said Dante. “I thought I killed that beast years ago,” said Amadeus. "I have heard such tales but the count has many subordinates and he is much powerful, people say he is immortal and cannot be killed even by ordinary means...He has laid a wake of terror from days of future past and continues to wreak havoc on our poor souls. 

He releases daemons from hell that terrorize the small city of Wallachia. Families have been killed. Families have fled. Families have died. The count sits on his throne atop the mountain of Wallachia and rules with an iron fist. Leaving us to live in fear...." said Dante cowardly.

"Then I will kill this Nosferatu as it is my sole purpose of which I exist" said the great Witcher. His wolf howled at the sound of the Count a long growling howl that left Dante in goosebumps and shrieked at the sound of the great white wolf.

"Then I may join you in your quest as I and my people were once warriors like you protecting the realm from evil until the Count killed my family. This will be an act of vengeance" said Dante regaining his bravery. "You will only slow me down boy" said The Witcher.

"No I shall not, grant me my desire as I will prove useful such a time like today" said Dante. "If you insist" said Amadeus as he shrugged his shoulders. With that Amadeus grabbed his huge long sword Stormbringer and put on his dusty black armor and also draped his black long cape which was black as a night crow. His silver hair shimmering from the dying sun. "Let us make haste as hitherto discussed we do not have much time" said Amadeus sternly. 

The healer grabbed all sorts of ointments and potions and put them all in a leather pouch. Amadeus opened the door as the sun hung low like a hanging bright orange fruit, giving hues of yellow and purple. His horse Knight hurried towards him with great strength and velour.

He saddled it and climbed upon it. Dante climbed too on his white horse known as Day and fixed his short sword in it's sheath. Amadeus led the way, the path he knew all too well for he was the vagabond that roamed the earth like the phoenix before time and after it. 

He will continue to carry the heavy responsibility of slaying demons from its crevices and banishing them back into the infernal hell they all seemed to crawl from. Up the winding path they went.

 

Slowly and desolate cautious of what creatures might lurk in the darkness. They trotted for hours with no sign of life. All the villagers seemed to have fled and some hiding in their homes, as the night birthed demons that would come from the NetherRealm to haunt and leave destruction in their awake. 

By the morning they would crawl back in their portals for they hated sun light as it blinded them and their skin would burn like fire weakening them so much so they would wither into a pulp.

There in the distant a band of skeleton like creatures emerged from the darkness screeching and running towards them. Dante armed with a metal whip he would swing to these vile creatures laying waste to them. Slashing and slicing like a mad man until they were no more. " I may have use for you" said the Witcher grinning wanly. 

As Dante was out of breath, he quickly drank one of his potions and was restored to normal strength. They rode up the winding path into the mountains. The air was cool and thin and left their hands hard as ice. "We must camp here. I fear the road ahead will present more atrocities" said the Witcher sagaciously. "Okay o’ silver hair'” said Dante.

They started a fire that left them warm and rejuvenated. Snow his huge dire wolf curled into a ball and enjoyed the heat as he hummed in his sleep. The smoke went up into the sky like a beacon of hope. Earlier they scored game of rabbit and deer and were now chewing their soft meat charred by the mid night fire. There they fell into deep slumber and rested, for the road ahead was a long one.

 

The sun rose the next day but fell into a deep gray spell. It was snowing and cold small snow flakes filled the Witcher’s silver hair blending it so smoothly his hair looked like it was covered in snow. Dante yawned gaudily and woke up from his slumber like a small child, groggy and reluctantly. 

As they went higher and higher into the mountain their horses would not keep up and had to be abandoned. Later a blizzard engulfed them in a deep storm but it was so much so their vision were blurry and would not see the road ahead.

"Von namos" Dante called a spell that lit his hand in a ball of fire and illuminated their trail. "There!" He said in amusement. "The Count Dracula's Castle!,” said Dante. The castle was tall and seemed abandoned it had hundreds of rooms looming in the distance.

It looked haunted from a far and dark as night as no light was shown from the blurry windows. The stern spread through a tall wall that surrounded it. Gargoyles were embroidered on the tall roof looking aghast and diabolic.

"Let us go in haste and kill him as he sleeps,” said Dante. "In the lower crevices of the castle the count will reside." Said Dante. Shocked by the knowledge of this healer, the Witcher obliged. And they walked down into the dungeons. 

Inside, there was a graveyard of bodies that left a stench of Sulphur and foul scent that made them cover their noses. Dante pulled a potion from his pouch and sniffed it and gave it to the Witcher and now they were able to breathe as normal. 

An enchanted Lilly thought the Witcher. They lit some torches and went down deeper into the dungeons. Coffins were seen from the left to the right, thousands, that were uncountable and numerous.

The steps finally ceased and there in the middle of the room lay a huge coffin in the center of the dark room. Dante removed a golden crucifix and would start to speak in an ancient tongue that Amadeus later realized was Latin. 

The coffin was built with a strong mahogany wood that was bolted down in great precision. As they walked towards it, Snow the Witcher’s dire wolf gave a long howl and ran off up the stairs it’s tail between its legs. That is unlike Snow thought the Witcher to run so cowardly in despair truly the path ahead must be dangerous and horrid thought the Witcher. 

Suddenly the coffin would start to levitate from its stern position and open its lid like the sun slowly rising up from slumber. The coffin opened and a huge black like figure emerged from its depth. The great vampire was pale and his face was aquiline, his nose was hooked and long and his hair was short and bristle.

A daunting sight Dante gasped in amazement, his fangs were long and sharp and seemed to grow disproportionate to his other teeth. He opened his red eyes that seemed to stare into the Witcher’s soul like great embers of a raging fire.

"Whom disturbs my peace!" said the Count in a loud voice that echoed through the tomb in a booming and deafening sound. “We are here to end your tyranny!" Said the Witcher pointing his great sword Stormbringer at him. 

Dante quickly got out his crossbow aimed it at the Count and triggered it only for the count to catch it in midair and break it into pieces. "You will have penance for that misdeed." Said the Count. With a great spur of movement, he manifested into a huge black bat and charged at Dante and colliding with him only for Dante to fall to his knees. 

"And you Witcher. Why do you anger me so?!" Said Nosferatu.

"I am simply doing my bidding Dracula” said the Witcher and with a great hand motion he cast a spell that made him docile and isolated. Seizing him onto the ground. "Sar la vastu" said the Witcher. "Quick cast a binding spell!" said the Witcher to Dante. 

Dante got up to his feet and said " Heratus von duir" said Dante. A pentagram formed beneath the count and a ball of fire erupted from beneath his feet as he screamed and writhed in pain. "You will pay for this treacherous act!" Said the Count. As smoke lingered in the air, Dante dousing him in holy water that made his skin burn like a fiery furnace.

"This will not be the last time you see me great Witcher for I am immortal and will haunt you to the days of great future!” said the Count as he disappeared into soot.

His word lingered in the Witcher’s mind and ringed like a church bell. We have won the battle but not the war thought the Witcher.