Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Categories:
Fandom:
Characters:
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:
2020-05-10
Updated:
2021-07-02
Words:
1,320
Chapters:
2/?
Comments:
1
Kudos:
13
Bookmarks:
1
Hits:
255

The Descent.

Chapter 2: Gabriel (Continued)

Summary:

Follow-on to the previous chapter.

Shout-out to CloeliusPrincess for telling me to 'give us the story'. This is for you.

Chapter Text

Carl looked at Gabriel quizzically.
'What do you mean, remember?' he asked. 'You were just dreaming, as you always do.'
'No,' despite the warm and humid night, Gabriel shivered in his night-shift, 'I realized something, Carl, something I have never spoken about to any soul.'
Carl released his grip on the door and came to perch at the end of Gabriel's bed.
'Realized what?'
Gabriel Van Helsing sighed, turning his head toward the window again.
'He asked me something, you know. He asked me if I ever wondered why I had such horrible nightmares, horrific scenes from ancient battles past... He knew me, Carl. Knew about my nightmares, knew about my training, knew that I was despised for being a murderer... It was like he knew me better than I know myself.”
“You were the most wanted man in Europe, of course he knew about you,” said Carl, righting the upturned table and placing the candlestick on it. “Your face was plastered on every noticeboard from Paris to Istanbul.”
“But the dreams, Carl. Everyone knows I have them, but he was the only one who knew what I dreamed about.
He offered to help me remember, to give me back my life and my memory... but despite my desire for self-realization, I refused... said some things were better left forgotten...”
“He was lying to you!” cried Carl. “He was trying to catch you off guard, manipulate you, make you vulnerable. That is what he did best... put people under his control, and that same Devil's magic is the reason he knew about your dreams... and what is the use of this conversation, now? He is dead, Van Helsing. He is spending eternity in the deepest circle of Hell.”
“You're not listening to me, you weren't there, Carl.” Gabriel pulled open a bedside drawer, rummaged in it for a moment and pulled out a ring, the dragon ring that he had always worn previously to their Transylvanian assignment, but no longer did...
“This was his,” Gabriel placed the ring in Carl's hands. “It matched the insignia in the corner of the map that led us to his castle. Dragulia, the Dragon, it was his symbol, and I took it from him. Why would I do that?”
Carl no longer seemed to have words. He turned over the ring in his hands, touching the dragon insignia with the tip of his finger.
“We were both Knights of the Holy Order, we were friends, he said... and I murdered him. Why? Why would I do that?” He said again.
“Van Helsing, I don't think...”
“I had peace for six months but now... Now every night I see him,” Gabriel took a sharp intake of breath, he seemed to grow paler before Carl's very eyes. His eyes widened as if he was seeing the very thing he was describing happening in front of him. Of all the things Van Helsing had done and seen, Carl had never witnessed him appear so troubled.
“I see him laying there, on the blood-soaked snow... I cut it from him... and there's a smile on his face. It's as if he knew, then.
“Van Helsing,” said Carl gently. “It's just a dream...”
“No,” Gabriel's eyes flicked back to look at him. “It's a memory, Carl.”
A silence lapsed between the two men. Gabriel ground the heels of his palms into his eyes and groaned. Carl seemed at a loss.
“Yes well, there isn't very much we can do about it just now... But we will try. I will speak to Cardinal Jinette.”
Gabriel did not respond, he still held his palms to his eyes.
“Do try and get some more rest. You have a new assignment.”
Gabriel uncovered his eyes.
“A new assignment?”
“It came in this evening, you were already asleep so I did not want to wake you, that is, until I heard your screams, of course...” Carl dug around in the pocket of his night-gown and produced a letter. He handed it to Gabriel who promptly turned it over.
“This is from Bucharest,” he said, frowning. “The East... but they have not been plagued by evil since Dracula's death.”
Gabriel tore open the envelope and unfolded the letter, moving the candle closer. Carl watched as his brown eyes scanned the parchment.
“What is it?” asked Carl, growing concerned at the expression on Gabriel's face.
“There is something strange at work in Romania, Dracula lorded over most of the monsters and they disappeared once he was destroyed... but now they are saying there is an influx of imps, dark faeries, strange beasts coming down from the mountains and the forested hills... People are disappearing, seemingly straight from their beds at night... They want us to go and investigate.”
“Romania?” said Carl. “Where in Romania?”
Gabriel folded the letter away. “Load up the silver bullets... we have orders to return to Transylvania.”