Who: Sir Integra Hellsing, Alucard, And Doctor Stephen Strange What: The removal of an unwanted entity When: Backdated to a few after their return to Tumbleweed Where: The Sanctum Sanctorum Warnings: Body horror, violence Status: Complete g-doc
It was honestly worth a headache. Not enough that they had just appeared back in the town, but also that now the town was different. It certainly lend to a theory that time kept changing, which was only given more strength with how no one seemed to have noticed anyone to have gone missing. Time, and space probably, had shifted. And while she certainly didn’t know much of it, she planned to learn.
Integra never liked not knowing. She wanted at least the fleeting idea she could get a grasp on all this.
But now she set all that to the side. There was the more important part of getting Alucard’s uninvited familiar removed. A process that made her want a smoke, but considering one of the benefits of being stuck on a boat had been that she’d been able to quit it would be counterproductive to start again. She wanted to make it at least a week.
Once they arrived at the Sanctum she knocked before crossing her arms, an old and familiar movement.
Alucard stood beside his Master. He held himself as though the reason they were here mattered not at all to him. In truth, he wanted to rest a hand at the small of Integra’s back, as he might be allowed to get away with at a ball, but certainly never in public. The gesture would have calmed him, and perhaps Integra, if she would allow it. But there were standards to which they must hold, he supposed.
The creature that limited his powers sat dormant, so far as he could tell. Alucard had been careful in the midst of the battles these last few months to take no souls. He’d fed, but lightly, never once taking enough from any aggressor to risk pulling them into his thrall. To some extent, Alucard blamed that necessary restraint on the injuries Integra had suffered in combat. He loathed to see her take anything more damaging than a bruise. His duty to protect her gave him purpose, tied him to the world, and he did not take it lightly.
At least Strange believed he could do something to remedy the situation.
In the three months they’d been at sea, Stephen hadn’t forgotten his promise to help Alucard. Since their collective return to Tumbleweed, he was able to finish watching the Hellsing DVDs that helped him better understand what sort of vampire Alucard was, and to learn what he was up against with the demon Schrodinger. He also conferred with Sam Winchester, the undisputed expert at demonology, to continue the conversation they started on the cruise ship. No precaution was too much - Stephen solemnly knew the dangers that would occur should the demon be released into this universe. It wasn’t until he was absolutely sure that he contacted Integra to let her know he was ready for the exorcism.
The door to the Sanctum opened to reveal Stephen standing several feet further back, at the foot of the grand staircase, waiting with his arms folded across his chest. He looked from Integra, to Alucard, and back, then gave a single nod of greeting. His expression was serious and determined. It wasn’t until his guests entered the Sanctum and the door closed behind them that Stephen spoke.
“For safety’s sake, we won’t be doing the spell here.” Not in the middle of Tumbleweed. Stephen held out one hand and moved the other in a circular motion to activate his sling ring to open a portal. He then gestured, and requested, “After you.”
They would find themselves in the outskirts of town, far in the desert, inside a warehouse. “This was the place where Sam, Vision and I kept the Mogwai that nobody wanted,” Stephen explained, since neither of them had been there, before. He then cast another spell, which broke the area into crystal-like fractals, opening yet another portal. “This is the entrance into the Mirror Dimension… a dimension parallel to Tumbleweed, but what happens here does not affect this dimension, and is contained.
The Mogwai shelter they’d built had been cleared away, the floor made clean with a smooth surface: a large, magical circle was painted in the center of the area, as yet another precaution. “This was done by Sam. Alucard is to stand inside the circle as the procedure takes place. When Schodinger is removed, the hope is that he will not be able to escape, and then we may trap him. Are there any questions?”
There was little about this she liked, but she showed nothing. Instead when they entered she gave the doctor a nod and a thanks. The portal was interesting enough though. She'd give a good bit to see how it worked, or get it for herself. And she gave credit where it was due and didn't hesitate to step through it. She didn't bother to reorient herself, knowing she'd probably have gone several miles away.
That could be very useful.
"For now we see through a glass darkly" She noted when the crystals appeared. It seemed apt if anything. The other dimension made her head hurt but she still took note of it once inside. She checked the circle, if for no reason then for her own. Nothing sat well for the simple fact that she felt she should have been able to do this. Alucard belonged to her, thus as his Master she had a duty to look after him. Her ancestors might have only seen him as a weapon but she'd argue even the best of those needed sharpening, and cleaning. It was her duty to ensure his safety and health, and the fact she had neither skill nor magic to drag Schrödinger out and find a way to kill the creature permanently sat wrong with her.
It wasn't something she'd voice, or show. She'd found a way, even if it wasn't her preferred one.
"No box?" She gave idly. It had been half joke and half not. It seemed apt enough to actually work. She raised her eye from the circle to Alucard. "You'll need blood I gather, what of that?" The last was aimed at Stephen. She knew what the wards would take, but not this. She was present, and Stephen always seemed amiable enough in offering but she had no real knowledge here. And she didn't quite like it.
“I will require blood, yes. Removal of my final familiar will weaken me.” Alucard made the frank admission without hesitation. He trusted Strange well enough, and Integra implicitly. Schrodinger was a nuisance the vampire could ill afford. He wanted the creature gone.
Gloved fingers pressed lightly against the lines of the circle. Alucard was curious about its exact nature. The mirror dimension presented a new curiosity as well. He smiled, pleased that he could still be surprised now and again.
“Tell me how this will work, Strange. Will you require deeper knowledge of the binding to follow? You are sworn to the defense of the innocent, after all, and I am a weapon.”
“Don’t touch,” Stephen sharply warned Alucard to prevent him from accidentally smudging the circle and thus breaking its protective magic. He then turned to Integra, and with a wry smirk, he made a complicated series of movements with his fingers to summon a black box, the outside of which was completely etched in bright, glowing yellow lines that created more circles and ruins. “You mean, this?” He handed the box to her. “Once Schrodinger is removed, this ought to contain him, much the same way he’s been contained inside Alucard. Think Ghostbusters, but on a more mystical scale,” he added as a joke to try to lighten the mood a little.
Ought to. Because there was a slim chance of failure. Stephen and Sam worked together to ensure that margin was as small as possible, but nothing was guaranteed. For that, there were backup plans, including a spell that would force Schrodinger back into Alucard where Stephen knew the demon would be contained. Alucard might not like it, but Stephen wasn’t going to risk setting a dangerous demon loose upon this universe.
“Please hold this while I cast the spell,” he told Integra, becoming serious again. “And whatever you do, don’t let go.”
Slowly walking around the outer circumference of the magical circle to inspect that everything was in order for the last time, he dryly spoke again to Alucard without looking at him. “The last time we sat down to discuss this, before we went on the cruise, you wanted to be mysterious and warned me that you might withhold information because you needed to keep your secrets. So I took the liberty of watching all the DVDs and reading as much information online regarding your lives, including fans’ discussions about Schrodinger. I think I have a good grasp on this binding, thank you. As for being a weapon, yes, I know your nature. But I’m trusting Integra to keep you in control.” Here, he shot a dark and poignant glance at her, conveying that he hoped his trust wouldn’t be misplaced.
“Where will you be getting the blood?”
She took the box, and felt somewhat better for it. For all she didn't know about Schrödinger, she had enough occult knowledge to know that sometimes irony made magic a bit less complicated. There was, added to that, the power in names. Millennium had given Schrödinger his, and whatever magics or science had gone into that they'd also put that bow on the creature much in the same way her ancestor had simply reversed Alucard's name. Sometimes the more complicated things were, the more easier things became when you went around naming it. She was half sure Stephen got that. "I've never seen that, but I get your meaning."
She could do that though, not let go. When Stephen spoke again she narrowed her eye. She wasn't much fond of what she knew, those things she'd gone through, to be used so lightly. Her life, and with that Alucard's, wasn't a book to just be opened. But then again, finding knowledge where you could and where it was needed. She did much the same. If something happened and it needed Hellsing to take care of it she'd use every advantage she could, which would include going through whatever media available to her to better know her opponent. She just hadn't expected Stephen to go to those lengths. She'd misjudged him in that. "Oh good. Fans." She gave dryly but really why not. She met his gaze calmly, not bothered by it. She didn't mention that by all likelihood Alucard might be too weak to cause any real havoc. "You can trust that doctor." She wondered if she should add that Alucard had been on his best behavior so far, that for the last few months there hadn't been any wards that forced him to obey her orders. He'd simply had, and stayed, for his own reasons.
But it would be a hard thing to explain, and she wanted some secrets. And it wasn't, technically, any of the doctors business. "Until we can redo the bindings," and this time that was Alucards choice despite the fact she still didn't fully understand the why of it, "he'll behave." She glanced to Alucard then, "And you. If you disappear on me again there isn't a realm or dimension you'll be able to go that will escape me. Do you understand me?" There was plenty hidden behind those words that she was sure Alucard would take note of. But for everyone else, let them think that she was only upset she'd lose her most valuable weapon.
She glanced to Stephen, "well we're present. It will do to get him on his feet. Beyond that while the military is currently out of commission I very much doubt whatever springs out of those ashes will be one to let him, or any of his kind, go without." That and she had plans. With less oversight there were plenty of monsters on the outskirts no one would miss terribly.
Alucard rose, barely giving Strange a glance in response to the man’s concern about the binding circle. He’d thought for a moment about allowing his fingers to pass through the floor, insubstantial, but now might not be the time to irritate the person who would remove Schrondinger.
“I wished only to ascertain that you had all of the knowledge necessary. I shouldn’t like to find myself damaged due to an oversight.” He moved to stand beside Integra and inspect the box. Though he wished to wrap an arm around her, he doubted she would welcome such solicitous overtures under the current circumstances. “Integra will need me at her side, and so I must ensure that I remain there.”
At the news Strange had watched the series in which Alucard and Integra featured, the vampire frowned. He hadn’t seen it himself. Like Integra, he disliked the notion of what Strange might have seen. Still …
“Let’s begin. I don’t care to have this creature within me one moment longer than necessary.”
Stephen felt the way Integra spoke to Alucard about not disappearing seemed to be a show put on for his behalf, but honestly? He didn’t care. He’d only made the comment about Integra needing to keep Alucard in check because Alucard was being such a snit. Between his interactions in Tumbleweed, and the watching the DVDs, Stephen really came to dislike this haughty attitude that Alucard and Integra possessed. In a way, it reminded him of how he used to be, before his accident, a personality trait that had separated himself from friendship and love with others, including his ex-girlfriend. Stephen naturally assumed that once this business was over, Integra and Alucard would retreat into their own private, secretive lives and have little or nothing to do with him.
Stephen sighed.
“Alucard, if you would be so kind, stand inside the center of the circle?” he requested, gesturing with a gloved hand. He waited until the vampire did as instructed, then, pointing his finger to project a beam of light, he sealed the circle, which started to shimmer with an eerie blue-white glow. He then looked toward Integra and gave her a small nod to indicate she should get ready, the procedure was about to begin.
This was the tricky part, which Stephen had practiced several times in privacy to ensure nothing would go wrong. Concentrating his will, and focusing it upon Alucard, he traced mystic symbols in intricate patterns in the space in front of him, which became visible in sparking lines of red-yellow fire. The mandala thus formed hummed with energy, which could be tangibly felt as a vibration. Another gesture sent the mandala toward Alucard, and the moment it came into contact with the vampire, the entire room quaked with the intensity of the magic.
She watched, carefully. She had no control here, no power to change anything if it all went bad. She disliked it, hated feeling so helpless. But there was no choice but this. She gave a silent prayer and then held firm. This was unlike the times where she'd seen Alucard release his familiars, because this wasn't one who would go willingly. Despite hating Millenium more then she did anything else, she had to admit that they'd created an impressive Trojan horse.
To her, one could hate an enemy and still respect them in some fashion. Anderson had proved that much, even though on the whole she'd prefer the insane priest. At least Anderson had had some honor, until ego had overtaken him. Had it been Anderson who'd held the blade she'd hated him for it, but in the end would have understood. Even Alucard had held hopes there, she knew that.
The thoughts offered some distraction form only really being able to watch, and wait.
Releasing a familiar was one thing, having one ripped from its stubborn hold within him quite another. Alucard couldn’t have adequately described the sensation of either. He could tell anyone who asked that the latter was infinitely worse. Schrodinger clung to him like … well, a cat. Vaguely, Alucard wondered if anything in mortal life had burned as badly as this. He thought the experience might be comparable to having the seals burned into him, though this was something being forced out.
All of Alucard’s focus collapsed inward. He grasped Schrodinger’s essence and yanked hard as the magic forced the creature out of the limbo between being and not being, and into a more substantial state.
The vampire’s form wavered within the circle, seeming to blur at the edges. Alucard went to hands and knees. His lips peeled back from his fangs, and he snarled. “Get out.”
Alucard’s body seemed to become less, somehow, diminished in power if not in size, and soon became more shadow than substance. Blood seeped from the indefinite outline of his hands against the floor, Schrodinger’s attempt to pull as much from Alucard as possible as he was forced from his post within the vampire.
Beads of perspiration formed on Stephen’s brow from the intense mental exertion of keeping the demon from breaking his spell. He knew that Schrodinger was strong and would put up a fight, but nothing could’ve prepared him from knowing just how strong the demon was. Stephen, however, was resolute in purpose and focused, which were the most important elements in his style of magic. Having Alucard helping to expunge the demon within him was a great help - Alucard pushing while Stephen pulled.
When the demon first began to materialize out from Alucard, Stephen was encouraged, but a shiver of horror automatically ran down his spine as more of him emerged - once his head and mouth were freed, it let out a terrorizing yowl, that of a monsterous cat in pain, piercing and unrelenting. Shoulders, then torso, forcing itself from the space between Alucard’s shoulders, but Schrodinger had his claws dug deep and refused to budge any further. Stephen saw the tan uniform Schrodinger wore, the Nazi emblem on his armband, and the sorcerer couldn’t help but sneer. The most uncomfortable aspect of watching the Hellsing DVDs were all the Nazi references - it stirred something instinctively hateful in Stephen and provided extra incentive to purge the demon from Alucard.
Left hand held out to maintain his initial spell, Stephen lifted his right hand above his head and gestured wildly to cast another: flaming, serpentine ribbons of red light shot toward the demon and wildly wrapped around Schrodinger - the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. Stephen clenched his hand into a tight fist, and the bands became taunt; he drew back his arm like a fishing rod and the demon’s cries became even more tormented as he was further torn from his place.
It was probably one of the most brutal things to watch. And she was helpless. She could only watch, and grit her teeth. Even after the Valentine debacle she’d been able to do something. But this too was her fault, and she should have found a way to handle it. Her men, her responsibility.
She held the box firmly and kept her eyes on the scene before her, watching Schrodinger and Alucard fight, watched Stephen’s aid in it. She took all of it in, knowing that all she really could do was learn from this so it wouldn’t happen again.
Alucard would have liked to give Schrodinger one final shove, but he’d exhausted his reserves. Without even one familiar to draw on now, he barely ranked above the ordinary, undead trash he had been taking out for a century on Hellsing’s behalf. It stung his pride to be so dependent on Strange. He briefly cursed the Major for creating the cat in the first place.
Then, with one last, fresh tearing sensation, the creature came free of the vampire. Alucard’s body returned abruptly to a solid state. It was like falling for hours only to be brought short by a wall of jagged rocks. Arms and legs giving out, he collapsed onto his side. Had he been mortal, his chest would have heaved with short, pained breaths. Instead, he simply laid there, eyes unfocused, skin almost translucent for lack of blood. He was more than the hollowed-out husk Integra had found all of those years in the basement dungeon, but less than he had been when Abraham had driven a stake through his heart. At least then Alucard had still had his legions.
Schrodinger’s scream, fueled by pain and rage, resounded at a volume so high that had they been in the ordinary dimension, it would’ve been heard for miles. The demon writhed and gnashed his teeth in a struggle to free himself from his bonds, but the magic circle held fast and prevented him from using its nature, which was to be everywhere and nowhere at once to escape. Stephen likewise struggled to keep Schrodinger bound, and had it not been for Sam’s contribution, he was certain the demon would’ve broken free.
There was no time to lose: Stephen swung his arms in Integra’s direction, sending the demon careening through the air - instantly, the box Integra held unfolded and opened wide, revealing a bright, white light. Schrodinger was sucked inside, and the box quickly sealed itself shut. Now warm to the touch, and rumbling with the life trapped therein, the room suddenly became quiet and still, though the cackle of magic could still be felt in the air. Exhausted, Stephen dared not rest just yet. He quickly came to Integra’s side to take the box away from her, then with a hand gesture, opened the magic circle, which ceased to glow, allowing Integra passage inside. Stephen didn’t need to tell her to go tend to Alucard - he knew she would do that, automatically.
Integra often got nicknamed 'The Iron Maiden' for her lack of emotions, despite having them. She'd just been raised to be able to put them behind a door. It had allowed her to walk through the graveyard that had been London without screaming, and now allowed her to stand perfectly still and not scream again. The only thing that gave her away was the look in her eye and the tremble in her hands. But when Schrödinger was drawn into the box she didn't relent. She held fast, watched the creature until it left her sight and held tight. The rumble beneath her fingers made her smile, just so.
The last of Millennium, finally defeated. She owed Stephen for it, and she paid her debts. She'd find a way. The sudden silence would be odd, if it wasn't oddly a reminder of past events. London had been like that. And the Manor, after the attacks. She pushed those memories aside and handed the box to Stephen. "If there is some blackest pits of Hell, send it there. It can be with it's Masters." To her credit her voice didn't waver. "You defeated Millennium doctor. Thank you." She might have not been able to do it, but she knew when to give credit. And he might have seen the events, but she felt he deserved to know what he'd done. She nodded, gratefully, when he opened the circle and made her way to Alucard's side. If her steps were just a bit hurried, she didn't care too much right now. He looked dreadful. Worse then when she'd found him.
She crouched beside him and bit into her finger before offering her hand. "Drink," she gave simply. She knew the lines, and where she'd never before allowed him to touch her now was different. Before there'd been the fact that he'd also been bound to her blood and therefor it had more effect. Now there was none of the latter. She watched him, worried. She was glad they weren't home. Too many enemies would be taking advantage right now. And she'd almost lost him. Again. She went to set her free hand over one of his. Despite how he looked he was at least still here.
The scent of Integra roused the vampire, and then the scent of her blood hit him. He reached for her hand, pupils blown with desire. Though the binding was gone, Alucard cherished what her offering meant. Integra did not offer her blood lightly.
Careful of his fangs, he brought Integra’s hand to his lips and drank greedily. The blood that had seeped from him onto the floor gradually found its way back, creeping ever so slowly into the edges of his form and restoring a little color. His hunger tempted him to take more, ignore the rules that governed his relationship with Integra, but his affection for her had him pulling away sooner than he strictly could have. Still, he did not release her hand, instead pressing against the warmth of it like a cat.
With a spell, Stephen shrunk the box so that it could fit easily into the palm of his hand, but he still held on to it tight. Even though it was secure and reinforced with some of the strongest wards known to man, the demon inside was dangerous and Stephen didn’t want to take any risks of it escaping. Integra might’ve expressed her desire to sent it to the Hellish Dimension, but Stephen had already privately decided it would stay with him, in the Sanctum Sanctorum, where he could keep his eye on it, constantly.
Because he was their only way out of the Mirror Dimension, Stephen waited discreetly for Alucard to regain his strength so they could leave together.
She winced when he took the blood but it was all she showed. She knew she could trust him so she simply waited. She only breathed easier when he looked at least a little bit more put together. Briefly, she set her fingers on his skin when he let go, putting sheer gratefulness and affection in the touch before drawing back. "Can you walk?" She did want to get out of this dimension, away from Schrodinger, and be able to put all of this behind her. Move on to the next stage. Find a way to ensure this never happened again.
She offered Alucard a hand up if he needed it as she rose and looked to Stephen, offering him a grateful nod. Despite the fact that it still bothered her that she had to look elsewhere while all this had been her responsibility she was still appreciative of it. She’d find a way to repay that.
Forgoing his pride for once, Alucard accepted Integra’s assistance. He stumbled to his feet with all the grace of someone who’d been in a bar brawl. The feeling was foreign to him after so many years of near-invulnerability. In truth, walking out on four legs would have been easier than two, but Alucard lacked the strength to shapeshift at the moment.
“I can manage well enough,” he told Integra, though he did not let go of her support. He leaned into her, none of his usual games or attraction at play - only exhaustion. His weight was next to nothing for a man of his size, his reserves not yet sufficiently replenished to lend solidity to his gangly frame.
Alucard turned his dulled scarlet gaze upon Strange, and nodded. “My thanks, Doctor.” One corner of his mouth ticked up. “You are the first physician whose services I have required in a long while. What is it mortals do these days? Leave a … oh, what do they call it? A Yalps review?”
“Yelp,” Stephen dryly corrected Alucard. He didn’t think it was funny, but given the trauma that the vampire had recently experienced, seeing him express his wit was a good sign that he was already feeling better and that he’d recover quickly.
Schrodinger’s box was stashed inside one of Stephen’s pouches to free his hands so he could create a portal that would not only take them out of the Mirror Dimension, but opened directly in front of Hellsing Manor. “You go ahead. I want to tidy up here before I leave.” And contact Sam to tell him what happened and that everything went well.
Like Stephen, the bit of wit made Integra feel a little better. It was a good enough gage to see how Alucard felt. Either he felt good enough to make comments like this, or at least wanted to make an appearance of feeling well enough. Still, it didn’t stifle her sigh and she just gave her vampire a look before turning her gaze to Stephen and offering a nod. The portal opening was curious but she was grateful the way home was at least a bit easier.
“Let’s go home,” she gave before walking through the portal. She continued to offer Alucard her support, even though he felt a whole lot less solid then he usually did. But at least he still felt solid. And while she missed home, missed the actual mansion and her connections and resources, she doubted that any of this would be possible. He’d said himself it had taken him decades to find his way back, and while that time hadn’t passed for her she doubted that she could have done anything when he was from. Which meant that after her, he’d have been stuck with the trojan horse for the rest of time. So while she certainly wasn’t pleased at the fact that she had no control over this place, nor could determine when they’d all be whisked away by the portal to some new place and time, at least she’d been able to find a solution. Maybe not the perfect one, but it was a solution. And one that meant that at least he’d not be going anywhere.