hadesvania

[reposing]

[Only Zagreus would know how many times he's made his escape attempt.

As for Alucard, he is on his first attempt to break into the Underworld.

The entrance was not actually complicated to find. His father's collection of books made it easy to determine where to go, and the cold does not especially have any effect on him. He marches forward, through the entryway, finding himself in a familiar place of gears turning.]

Hm. Could it be this is where you drew inspiration? It wouldn't be surprising...

[And so it is, two princes bound to run into each other, coming from opposite directions.]

Comments

[reposing]

I see your point.

[There's a pause, then he points at Zagreus.]

That one doesn't count. Don't count it.

[And off Alucard goes, phasing to his next target. This time, he's attacking barehanded, his supernatural strength allowing him to rip a shield free from a Greatshield before striking it with its own weapon. His sword, meanwhile, is doing work on his behalf, twirling elegantly in the air to slice away at another shade.]

[reuniter]

Hold on — what sort of weapon is that!

[It's not like his Infernal Arms, even though they seem to have a life of their own at times, shivering and shuddering when brought close to the taste of Titan's blood. And it's not like Varatha, merely returning on its own. No, this sword fights for itself, inexplicably, and Zagreus actually misses out on a few stabs and slices he otherwise should've landed easily, because he's so busy preoccupied with watching.]

Does it have a name? Where did it come from?!

[reposing]

What? Oh-- this? It's-- well, it's a magical sword, can't you tell? It's mine.

[Does it have a name. What does he look like, a Belmont, going around and naming weapons like they're his children? Perish the thought!]

It was gifted to me when I was very young. Isn't yours magical in some capacity?

[reuniter]

Of course I can tell it's magical, it's moving on its own. Stygius doesn't move on its own.

[It does, however, do a pretty radical ground pound, which he just so happens to do while Alucard is still watching, because he can't let his topside partner be responsible for all the cool moves in this fight.]

Does fairly well for itself when channeling blessings from my relatives, though. Who gave yours to you?

[reposing]

That's Stygius, the very same that Poseidon once wielded? A bit more full of skulls than I expected.

[Alucard is a bit impressed, which is expressed by him determined to not look impressed. He holds out his hand, summoning his blade back to him, and he continues to fight, count, and talk all at the same time.]

My godfather. He told me that he worked with another entity to give it to me. It contains a familiar I made a pact with, so it comes to my beck and call when I need it.

[reuniter]

But you did expect some skulls, evidently!

[It's so charming that this mysterious Alucard guy actually recognizes an Infernal Arm when he's presented with one. But that just brings Zagreus to another looming question...]

All right, that's it. When I win this, I want to know the name of this mysteriously knowledgeable godfather of yours! He really seems to have his fingers in every pie, doesn't he? Like I said, it's mysterious!

[reposing]

With you, certainly. With the God of the Sea, less. Shouldn't it be covered in coral and seashells or something?

[Ugh, clearly, he's spoken too much. Alucard sighs as he gives a powerful backhand to another wretch.]

You're not going to win, and you certainly don't need to be bothered with that bit of information.

[reuniter]

It's still an Infernal Arm, not an oceanic one. Aspects don't change its nature, just some of its flavor.

[More green light erupts from his hand, winding across the battlefield and seeking out another set of foes to strike. As the shades erupt back into their ghastly forms, Zagreus is ready and waiting with a swing to cut them down.]

Is it a secret, then? Or are you just shy about it?

[reposing]

Well now, look who's suddenly an empowered weapons expert.

[The cast is interesting, as if Zagreus is trying to show off a bit more. Maybe he is.]

I'm not shy, you're just nosy as hell.

[reuniter]

"Who's your godfather" is hardly a nosy question! I told you who my father was, didn't I?

[A wave of pink butterflies start to flutter across the field; making a face, Zagreus abandons the exalted for a moment and makes a beeline for it, eyes intent.]

And Achilles, and my relatives, and my friends, and my dog, and the Elysian champions — frankly, you're behind and need to catch up, as far as I'm concerned!

[reposing]

What am I even supposed to say to someone who didn't react to the name "Dracula"? The son of Hades, no less?

[While Zagreus pays heed to the ball of butterflies, Alucard keeps his focus on the exalted. Ducking out of the way of an arrow, he charges for the strongbow.]

[reuniter]

Just because I don't know much about the surface doesn't mean I don't know much about the Underworld! Quite the opposite, actually!

[Fucking butterflies. He's darting and pivoting and landing some clean and solid hits, but the ball is a sturdy thing, and the threat of butterflies is still swarming in the air as he tries to dispatch it.]

[reposing]

Right, so not a single surface name is something you know until you encounter it down here? Is that how it works?

[Though Alucard does pause in his slaying of shades, he watches Zagreus work to deal with the butterfly ball. It really does seem like a pain in the ass to deal with compared to the exalted, which is already something irritating to deal with.

Turning around, he dashes across the field, launching off of a phoenix statue to come from above to dive down and stab into it.]

[reuniter]

Hold on — no, don't you dare, this one's mine!

[It is far, far too late to complain, however. Alucard is already there, weighing in with a hit of his own, and on impact the butterfly ball breaks in half.]

...You're sure you've not got a few blessings from Hermes on you, mate? I don't think I've ever seen somebody so fast.

[reposing]

So sorry, you just seemed to be struggling a bit with that one.

[He throws out his sword, letting it twirl away to attack another shade on its own.]

I'm quite certain. I'm not completely human, Zagreus. Nor am I divine. That is enough to give me an edge in battle.

[reuniter]

...Hm.

[It's a comment that seems to intrigue him, or at the very least preoccupy him a bit, but for the time being he's got some ground to make up and so he dashes off in a cloud of pink glitter hearts to do precisely that.

There physically aren't enough shades left for him to catch up, but that's fine. Now it's more about pulling his own weight than it is about claiming a technical victory.]

You're of the opinion it gives you an edge, then?

[reposing]

[Why the fuck are there pink sparkles when he dashes. What the fuck. Why is that happening.

Anyway.]

Well. In battle, in any case. More than most humans.

[reuniter]

And more than most gods? You mentioned divinity, too.

[DON'T GET IN HIS HALO ALUCARD OR HE'LL MAKE YOU WEAK FOR HIM TOO hurr hurr hurr]

Ah — three left!

[reposing]

I mentioned it so that you would have the clarification, since you don't know much about the surface as you say.

[WHATEVER B-BAKA]

Oh, do you need help with those three too?

[reuniter]

[Tempting as it is to retort, as is of course the obvious thing to do, Zagreus instead focuses on rushing the last three shades — dashing into one, casting at another, and then quickly hacking at all three before finishing them off en masse with a groundpound.]

...What three? You must be seeing something I'm not.

[Cheeky.]

[reposing]

[What a fucking showoff. Alucard snorts and looks away, shaking his head to himself. It's very cheeky and a bit charming, but he'd never admit it. What an oddly energetic man this son of Hades is.]

My mistake, clearly.

Good fight. You've done this often, clearly.