Blood and Throne.

Chapter 3. Disguise.

In the midst of the scorching hot sun, endless grass field and clear blue sky, was a man. He was almost easy to dismiss, if not for the heavy scowl created upon his face.

Alucard was not happy, after coming back to his senses, he had shamed himself for behaving like a feral beast. He knew he wasn't to be blamed, and yet. It felt wrong for the King Of Vampires to lower himself to such a state, simply because of blood deprivation.

'It has to be this body of mine. It's slowly corrupting my mind. Yes, if not I wouldn't have. Shouldn't have' he thought.

He looked down upon himself, the clothes of the man he had just killed. Although it was torn up at the edges and stained with blood, Alucard had made sure to wash up after coming past a stream.

And now, he was headed towards the nearest human settlement that he could find. What other choice did he have? It was either that or die alone in this disgusting expanse of nature. Besides, the cursed hot sun wasn't making him feel any better.

'So much heat. Why is it so hot?' he knew about the cycles of the human realm, Deaglix. But it was also his first time being here.

'And what was that voice back then?'. After he had shamefully devoured the damn human, he had heard a voice, telling him he had acquired restoration. Perhaps it was some black magic tied to this weak abominable body of his.

Just to make sure he hadn't been seeing things, he had looked up and seen an unfamiliar... He wasn't sure what to call it. It was something written in the air. Telling him of his newly found powers.

'Words on the air huh? I must be running mad then!' he chuckled to himself. But he felt its powers, soon after he saw the message, his entire body began to heal, his broken bones mended in mere minutes, the scars on his face, the wounds and gashes of torn flesh healed themselves. He was simply good as knew, and felt much stronger.

"Maybe, just maybe I was dreaming. If I see the damn thing one more time, I might fall on a silver stake myself" he mused. But the proof existed, on his right hand was a blood red mark that he hadn't seen there before. He guessed it was closely related with the thing that had spoken to him.

He narrowed his eyes, far up ahead, he saw the high walls of a city. Certain things hung from the wall but he was too far to see them clearly.

'Guess I'll have to blend in'.

While he was washing himself in the stream, Alucard had a good look at his new face. He had to admit, he was quite the looker, but nothing compared to how stunningly beautiful he was before his slumber.

'Why had I slept again?' he thought deeply, but no matter how deeply he thought, the answers always eluded him. Always. He gave up, feeling somewhat frustrated.

Then slowly exhaled. Calmly, he retracted his fangs, making them seem like normal teeth. His vision blurred, his eyes turning a light blue colour, limiting his vision. His claws immersed themselves back into his fingernails. There was nothing else to do. Now he looked and felt completely human.

That was the only benefit of being a Dhampir. The only race that held both traits of a vampire and a human. And as such, they could live double lives. Some Dhampirs may not take blood for extended periods of time, sometimes even their entire life but they became just as weak as humans. While those that embraced their Vampire's side, were as strong as low ranking Vampires.

By now, Alucard was much closer to the walls of the city, he could see what lay strung up on the city walls.

"Aahh. What an ominous welcome." He watched closely, before moving on. On the walls hung several bodies of Dhampirs, their corpses rotten to the core, their hearts ripped out and their heads pinned on stakes.

Alucard felt a bit anxious, exposed even. He was the weakest he had ever been in his life, entering into a human stronghold. He was simply begging for death. Yet he moved on.

The city seemed to be blocked by a stream of running water, a bridge placed across it. Alucard smiled. Humans had this foolish notion that Vampires were scared of running water, due to their unchanging nature. How foolish, he chuckled.

Alucard saw half a dozen men who manned the bridge. He also noticed how other humans seemed to pour in from places he hadn't known existed. Unsure of what to do, he walked past the line of humans, straight through to the soldiers who guarded the bridge.

"You there! State your name and division" a man pointed at him. Alucard felt a little irritated like that. Did he have to sound so commanding?

"Alucard" he said thoughtlessly. Then bit his tongue out of spite. He was sure he would be impaled. What kind of human walked into a human encampment, claiming to be the king of the Vampires?

"Alucard?" The guard eyed him suspiciously.

"Uuhh. That's not... Valentine" Alucard cleared his throat uncomfortably, having to use the name of a lower subordinate of his. How demeaning.

The guard still eyed him heavily, but eventually relaxed. He seemed to trust the uniform Alucard donned more than his words.

"And your division?" The man asked once more.

Alucard looked at him stunned, then shook his head. "Four?..." He said doubtful.

"And why do you look like s**t?" The man shot him a sharp glance, looking him up.

"I... Uuhhm. Ran into a Dhampir and disposed of him. His remains were scattered across the fields, to be feasted upon by any beasts of wander that happens upon it" he finished, feeling quite confident in his lie.

The soldier looked at him confused. "Why do you talk like that?" He asked.

"Talk like what?"

The man shook his head, "Nevermind, you lot at the forth division are all crazy after all. Get back to station. There's to be an execution at the square. We finally caught that damn witch" the soldier said with a smile and dismissed Alucard.

What an odd fellow, Alucard thought. But proceeded into the walls of the city, not bothering to look at the slain bodies of the abominations that hung above him.

Being Alucard's first time in a human city, he was quite confused. Why was it so congested? It was simply a maze of scattered humans, walking around as they pleased. Although some people recognized the clothes he wore and gave him odd looks, the rest ignored him.

Following the current of drifting humans, he walked towards to the only other place, to the centre of the city, supposedly where the execution was to happen. Alucard had no doubt it was a Dhampir, or perhaps a Vampire, he wasn't sure.

He eventually arrived at the execution center, before him he saw a Guillotine, strapped up and a woman being forced to lower her head down. She struggled a bit but the men stabbed her severally, forcing her head down.

"Kill the witch"

"Burn her alive."

"Rip her heart out"

Alucard heard all these screams from the crowd. He wasn't sure how to feel. He has always thought humans had more... Decorum. Apparently he was gravely wrong.

The woman looked up with blood red eyes, a determined look on her face. She didn't look like she had given up, or had accepted death. She looked like she was going to make it out alive, no matter the cost.

As if by chance, the woman's legs finally caught one of the legs of the men that held her down, she maneuvered with odd fluidity, felling the man and jumping to her feet, the other soldiers were already upon her, but she swung her feet hard at the Guillotine.

The wood holding the suspended blade shattered violently as the Guillotine came crumbling down. She kicked down a soldier, taking his blade from him, while she got stabbed through by another man from behind her, she staggered but found her footing, turned around and sliced the man's head off.

More soldiers ran towards the stage, but Alucard watched for a while longer. He was excited, she had shown her mettle, and for that he would let her live. These were merely just soldiers to him. They didn't have the powers that the gods had blessed humanity with.

'Cursed Divine Magic.'

Alucard may have been forgotten, lost, fallen to the level of a Dhampir, but what he had never forgotten was how to kill. He grinned darkly, brandishing his claws.