The Hero And The Count Part Two

Night Two Hundred And Fourteen

Age 1991

Dianthus City...

The Castle...

"Uh Mr. Hero?" Rio asked to the spaced out man who was walking.

"Twenty Six... Our Lord has Twenty Six Soldiers. Or he had twenty six... However many of the Dragon Clan are missing or dead... A is for Alpha, and is held by God himself... B is for... Well B is held by me. C is for Clown and used to belong to Piero but he turned traitor. His daughter Hero Law now has it. D is for Dreams and used to belong to Nightmare but she died at the hands of the first Hero Law. It was then passed down to Yuma, who was killed by his twin brother Piero. It now resides within Row Law. E is for Evermore... It is held by a Dragon Clan named Kore. F is for Fertility, it is held by a Dragon Clan member named Jutai. G is for Grand it is held by a Dragon Clan member named Gura. H is for Hero. It was held by Yoshi but she is know unknown and Missing in Action after she turned traitor. I is for Ideals and held by Dragon Clan member Riso. J is for Justice and held by Juan of the Dragon Clan. K is for Killer and held by Dragon Clans member Kira. L is for Lover and held by the Clan member Aisuru. M is for Mind, and held by Ash who is currently believe dead after he turned traitor. N is for Nevermore and held by Kesshite of the Clan. O is for Overlord and held by Ains of the Clan. P is for Prirde and held by Hokori of the Clan. Q is for Quest and held by RPG of the Clan. R is for Redemption and held by Shokan. The Holder of Silence was killed by Piero when he turned traitor. That Crest was passed down to Reaper who is now dead. It is currently the only Crest that is no longer of this world. T is for Terror, and held by Tero of the Clan. U is for Unrest and held by Fuan of the Clan. V is for Virgin and held by Bajin of the Clan. W is for Wait and held by Matsu of the Clan. X is for Xennia and is held by Nia of the clan. Y is for Young and held by Wakai of the clan. And Z is held by Zonbi of the Clan..."

"Uh Hero?"

"I need you to let go of my leg." Hero Otoko said shaking his leg and knocking Rio, the boy that clung to it off.

"Ow!" The boy said rubbing the back of his head. "What was that for."

"You're in my way." Hero currently stood in front of a set of large wooden doors that led to the massive castle where the Count was said to lay. The place was huge, ever bigger up close. Compared to the village down below this place was massive. "Do you know anything about the Count?" Hero asked.

"No... Sorry." Rio threw his arms behind his head. "I got here yesterday after my talk with- Well his name isn't important. The point is he told me some things and I got interested and so I came here. All I know about the Count is what the locals do... They claim he's a Bestia Macht in human form and he's been coming down and killing him. One of those rotten jerks thought that by giving away young girls they'd be able to appease him... So they've been collecting any girl under the age of 18 and sending them here... Then they go missing... I think he's eating them!"

"I see." Hero bit his lip. "I just hope 'she' isn't dead..."

"She?"

"I was sent here to watch over someone... A young girl named Musume Vil. She's the daughter of Go- She's the daughter of a friend of mine I guess. My boss's Daughter... I was told to come find her and keep her safe."

"I see... Hmm. From what I know ten people have been taken. Ten girls a I mean."

"I see..." Hero reached out with his left arm. For a moment black lines seemed to come out of it as the Equation in his hand glowed. He placed it on the wall of the castle and closed his eyes.

"What are you doing-"

"Shh."

"Sorry-"

"Shh!" Hero was silent for a moment before a frown crossed onto his face. "That's odd..."

"...Can... Can I speak?"

"You may."

"What's odd?"

"There are twelve life forms in this castle... Eleven are human, and one is a Bestia Macht..."

"So one more than I thought was taken? That's not really that odd is it?"

"What's odd is I don't sense any Seraphins... I was assuming the Count was a Seraphin based on how he was described as a human Bestia Macht but... I just sense a normal Bestia Macht... Threat Level Earl... But more than that... I smell Beast blood..."

"Beast blood..."

"Yeah... No humans have been killed on this land... Only Bestia Macht... Wait... That Bestia Macht is right behind this door-" Hero's frown grew larger. His right arm grew slightly larger as a bone knuckle duster formed on it and he slammed it into the door. The entire door was blown off its hinges as it went flying into the room. It crashed down sliding across the floor.

"Oh damn it." A female voice cursed. "Now we have to clean that up... And fix the door!"

Inside of the castle it was quiet dark. It was also cold. A strange black shadow loomed in it. Inside of it a large red carpet rested with a set of stairs that led up to further rooms. But what really caught Hero, and Rio's attention was the woman who stood inside of the castle. She was a young maiden of only 21 or younger. She had short green hair tied back into a pony tail, and a pair of light yellow eyes. She wore an elegant black dress and a frown was on her face as her arms were crossed.

"Great. More Enforcers." She sighed. "Guess I'll deal with you myself-" She looked up just in time to see a massive fist flying at her face at high speeds. 'Oh...' She thought. 'I'm dead-'

'Bang!'

The castle shook as Hero's arm slammed down into the ground where she had been, but she was no longer there. Hero's arm shrunk back down as the smallest hint of a smirk seemed to cross onto his face. "Hey. You're not to bad. You're pretty fast aren't you."

"I don't know who you think you are." A new voice said making Rio look up. Standing on the chandelier in the castle a new man could be seen. He was wearing a fancy, yet old fashioned black suit, and he had slick back brown hair. A set of blood red eyes rested behind a pair of simple round glasses, and he wore a black cloak over his body. In his arms he held the girl Hero tried to kill. "Veo are you okay?" He asked looking at the woman for a moment.

"Y... Yeah." The girl nodded a fearful look on her face. "That man isn't like the other Enforcers Vlad. He's far stronger."

"I see..." Vlad dropped down from the chandelier landing on the ground. He set the apparently named Veo down. "Please head down stairs with the others and keep them safe." Vlad asked.

"R... Right." Veo turned but stopped. "Good luck." She said turning back and giving him a kiss on the cheek as she ran off.

"Um... Are we the bad guys?" Rio asked.

Hero and Vlad ignored the man as they stared at each other. "I don't know who you are but you've come into my home, and attacked what I hold dear. I won't be letting you leave." Vlad said. "Not unless you beg for forgiveness."

"I'll beg for forgiveness only once the mission of God is done." Hero said. "When God wins, taking the Heart back, and uses its power to recreate the humans, kill the Squid, and bring back all broke worlds that it has eaten. Only then will I get on my hands and knees and beg for the forgiveness that I will not deserve. When this world is truly saved and I have become a Devil. Only then. Will I beg. That said I will offer the same thing to you Monster. Release everyone, and allow me to give you a swift death Bestia Macht."

"Oh? You think I'm a Bestia Macht..."

Hero frowned for a moment and closed his eyes. His eyes opened again as shock found its way onto his face. "You're human?"

"Vlad Bludfeng at your service. I am the Lord of this Castle, and the one who has killed all Bestia Macht that come here. I am saving the people."

"That's not what I heard."

"Then I guess you've heard a wrong strong."

"Whatever the case... I don't care. Release the girls."

"I can not do that."

"Oh? Why not?"

"I can not say."

Hero let out a sigh. "Well. Then I guess I'm doing this the hard way." He said cracking his knuckles. "But before then. I want you to promise me something."

"You wish to make me make a promise?"

"I do." Hero pointed his thumb at Rio. "That brat won't stop following me. The thing is I can tell you're strong. You're as strong as a Captain, maybe even stronger. If I lose this fight I want you to promise me you'll let Rio go and won't harm him."

"I... I don't need your help!" Rio announced drawing his broken sword.

"It is a deal then." Vlad nodded. "I will not touch the boy."

"Good."

"I told you I don't need your help!" Rio fumed.

Hero crouched down. "Now that, that's been settled..." He fired forward with insane speed pipes jutting out of his arms and legs and boosting him forward with a wave of flame. He spun his body around slamming his leg down into the head of Vlad only for the attack to miss as Vlad's body seemed to morph into mist. "What-" The mist took shape behind Otoko as Vlad was remade and slammed his elbow into the head of Hero.

The Count kicked out with his legs slamming a powerful kick into Hero's gut and making Hero gasp out in pain. He slammed his arm forward into the Seraphins face and opened his mouth wide showing off his many fanged and jagged teeth. In a flash he sunk his fangs into Otoko's neck. The Seraphin grunted slamming a punch into the Count and throwing him back. The Count spun around and reached up wiping the blood from his lips as Hero's shoulder wound began to heal steam flowing off of it.

"Your blood is gross."

"What are you a vampire?"

"In a way... I feast on Bestia Macht... But you're part human."

"I'm a Seraphin."

"Never heard of them."

"Then... You're in for a shock." Hero screamed punching forward and sending out his arm which grew in size smashing into Vlad's face and blowing him back catching the Count of guard. His hand wrapped around the mans leg and he raised him up but the Count's body turned to mist slipping out of the grip. He reformed above Hero slicing out with his claws but Hero was expecting it forming a large bone spike and stabbing it up into the shoulder of the Count and shooting out a powerful air bullet.

The Count was thrown high into the roof and slammed into it with a loud smack as the castle shook. He groaned and closed his eyes. "Please... Lend me your strength." He asked as a bright pink aura with a black outline covered his body. He opened his eyes and fired down with blinding speed severing Hero's right arm. The limb flew high into the air and he spun around grabbing the hand and stabbed it into the gut of Otoko making the boys eyes go wide as blood vomited out of his lips. However in a flash a new right arm formed back which he smashed into Vlad's face sending him stumbling back. Then he ripped the arm in his gut out.

"What the hell is that pink aura?" Hero frowned.

"That's a Mantra's Lover Bond!" Rio yelled with wide eyes. "His power has shot up with it... But... Well Lover's bonds are always a Pink Aura but he also has that black outline... His is something more..."

"Noted..." Hero sighed. He raised his right arm up forming a large bone blade which he pulled out. He now held a large bone sword. His left arm glowed and shifted into its Hades form as he wrapped his left hand around the bone sword. He ran it down lighting the blade up with black flames. "Devil Saber." He announced now wielding a black flaming sword forged of his own bones. The Count let out a loud hiss as black claws stabbed out of his finger nails. "Well come on then!"

And come, the Count did, charging at the Seraphin. Vlad fired now with even more speed as he slashed out his claws meeting Hero's sword as sparks flew. Both of them unleashed a barrage of strikes faster than the eye could follow, claws, meeting bone, energy, meeting black flames. Hero's sword slashed through the Count's side making him stumble back. The Count in return though slammed his hands down and sent out a wave of slashes which left ten large scars right down Hero's chest.

Hero countered by breathing in. "Air Cannon!" he screamed breathing out and spitting out a massive air beam which stabbed through the Count. The Count slammed through several walls a hole now in stomach as he spat out a glob of blood. He was back on his feet as he hissed out. A pair of bat like wings stabbed out of his back as he fired forward his arms becoming wolf like and gaining fur as his fanged teeth grew even larger. Hero stepped forward slashing his flaming sword down and splitting the Count in Half!

Or at least...

He would have.

The Mist came forth forming behind Hero as the Count shifted at the last second. He reformed and slammed his hand through Hero's stomach. He grabbed a hold of Hero's small intestine ripping it out of Hero's gut. Then he used it to swing Hero around blood splattering everywhere as he used the 22 foot gut rope to swing the Seraphin through his castle slamming Hero across the wall and grinding him down it leaving a massive red streak across it. With his other hand he ripped Hero's great sword out of the ground pick it up as he pulled Hero towards him with the boys guts and impaled the sword into Hero's head stabbing it out the other side.

Hero fell to the ground an ocean of blood spurting out of him. He slowly yanked the sword out as his face began to heal and spluttered out gibberish from the brain damage.

"What was that?" Vlad asked limping over to the bone sword and raising it up, ready to slice the boys head off.

"I said..." Hero Otoko said quietly. He reached up pulling down his cloak and showing the B shaped scar over his heart which began to glow. "B is for Balance."