Chapter 11: Dracula’s Castle

Mario and Link rested well in their Inn, as they went out, a bunch of villagers were at the door of their room. Although they all had pitchforks and torches, they were not there to kill them, but rather they wanted to request something. They wanted both Link and Mario to go with them as their leads to the Castle nearby to kill Count Dracula that’s ruling over them with an iron fist, and they can't do it on their own since because Dracula's army is too powerful and numerous. The two knew that they had no choice but to comply with the order, as they did not feel like fighting against any more ghosts. They accepted, worried that their chances of survival diminished greatly, now only being concerned with just that, and not into saving more people. A hooded figure was nearby in the Inn drinking his ale, as he had the same plans to head right into the Castle, and seeing that what appear to him as unusual looking characters, one with a big head and nose, and the other with pointed ears, he wondered if they were really were up to the task as they felt uncomfortable, but he decided he should take care of the vampire lord before it's too late.

So then Mario and Link made it to Dracula's Castle. They knew courage was needed so the latter drew out his Master Sword and Hylian Shield while Mario had his fists out in a fighting stance. They walked in with the dark atmosphere in place. The hooded man followed them meanwhile from a distance, as he went in there, he had noticed some unusual creatures much more so than Dracula's as he did not remember him having such weird monsters in his army. The hooded man just thought that maybe the vampire was just creating more demons to destroy him, so he just decides to simply fight as it's just another time Dracula rose from the grave.

The two went through the hallways, encountering some monsters made from the Shadow Bugs, while some were new creatures that neither had seen before but looked similar to many that they both faced against. They soon made it to a room where they soon saw Death, the Grim Reaper, and alongside them, Carmilla and the other three vampires came along, who were Stella, Lorretta and Charlotte, or Carmilla’s daughters. Mario and Link were shocked and scared upon seeing this uncanny semblance to a Poe in the Hero of Hyrule’s case. The Grim Reaper used his Scythe to rip out the souls of them both and held them in his hands. Charlotte and her now two sisters all smiled sadistically in unison about having two new souls to play with, and their “mother” said that it’s their reward for successes in putting the humans in pens and conquering many worlds, as the three sisters chatted about how will they abuse those souls.

Then the hooded man entered the room, and demanded for them to return the souls back to their bodies right away. The three sisters were delighted to have another soul as a plaything, as Death knew what he had to do. The hooded man had taken out a whip and hit Death with it, took off his hood to reveal himself as none other than the legendary vampire hunter Simon Belmont. He took out a large cross, threw it at Death as he disappeared, allowing the souls of Mario and Link to return to their respective bodies. They woke up and were glad that they were saved. Simon told them both that they should not have gone in to fight against vampires, as they are powerful, stating that they have no prior experience from what he had witnessed. But Mario and Link thought they should team up together mentioning that one can’t do things alone, as Simon agreed reluctantly, as he just wanted to do things on his own.

Carmilla told her daughters they have to escape, so all four teleported out of the room, and had their army of monsters to take care of them. Simon told the two that they should support him, while he takes the lead in defeating them, saying they do so, and then the same when they face up against Dracula. On their way up to the room, as they passed the hallways and the clock tower, while dealing with Primids. Mario and Link were having a hard time, but the two have decided to use their previous tactics when dealing with undead back on their world, and they have worked, although Mario decides not to do his tactic with the Boos of looking away of course. They finally made it to the chamber of Dracula, where Simon bashed the door open to see Dracula on this throne with a female vampire beside, drinking blood from a wine glass. Simon told him that his reign of terror is over, and that Transylvania will be freed, as shown by his two new allies. Dracula yawned, as although he knew he was a Belmont, he gained so much power conquering other worlds, not telling Simon about this. He had the female vampire, Edea Lee, the former heroine of another world who’s now his wife, replacing Lisa entirely since her death long ago, and Edea Lee’s world is now under control of Dracula. They both decide to fight together as a couple to kill all three to show their new power. Simon told them both they go with the same strategy as they did from before. Link tried to talk back, not sure if that would work, but the vampire hunter was adamant, so they can’t do anything about that. Mario said to the Hero of Hyrule that they should just go along for now, and see if they could find a portal ball somewhere while fighting.

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So the fight went on, and the trio ended up losing, as Edea Lee and Dracula’s teamwork proved too much. The Vampire Lord mocked Simon Belmont, saying that he finally won due to the power that he gained from not just the Shadow Bugs, but the evil that connected all dimensions giving him greater power. Edea Lee herself made fun of them for ever thinking that stupid ordinary humans could ever defeat the great power of vampires, and they were more superior than humans ever could be. Simon has no idea of how to respond to this, as the idea that his nemesis becoming more deadly than he already was, and from something he was not familiar with frightened him. As Dracula was about to kill the three, Simon thought quickly as he threw a bottle of Holy Water into the air, and Link jumped up to do a Spin Attack and his sword broke the bottle spraying the water into both vampires, as they hissed at them. Mario found a portal ball beside Edea Lee, as she dropped the ball in the middle of trying to get holy water out of her eyes, so he grabbed it quickly and threw it, opening up a portal. The plumber told Link that they had to go, until the Champion of Hyrule said they can’t leave Simon behind, as he still is trying to defeat them, but the vampire couple still has the upper hand. While Mario quickly jumped into the hole, Link went and tried to convince Simon. While the Belmont is stubborn, he quickly changed his mind once he realized that he can’t defeat them, as Edea Lee mocked him, as she tripped him, and Dracula was about to cast his Hellfire spell, Simon admits that it’s pointless to save the world, and Link helped him up, and they both rushed into the portal just before it closed.

Dracula was angry that now Simon could destroy him in the future, but his wife Edea Lee calmed him down, and said that it’s pointless for them, as sooner or later, Simon will be killed or corrupted. Dracula calmed down, and he agreed with his wife. He heard news that Carmilla and her daughters took over many new defenseless worlds, which he is glad about. He reported to a bigger master who is a Shadowy Figure to tell him everything he just learned about Mario and Link, and the fact the two now made a new ally.

Mario, Link and Simon found themselves in what appears to be a Cranyon. With what they dealt with they had to rest. While Simon just thought that Dracula was up to his old tricks, and did not expect anything out of the ordinary for himself, wondering what's even going on. Mario and Link explained to him about the Shadow Bugs, and what they knew is that they somehow travel from one reality to the next, turning the kindest people into the most evil people and serving the villains in that world, who gain even more power from the Shadow Bugs. They knew nothing about the origins, as it’s hard to know as they could come from anywhere or anytime as their realities work differently. Either way Simon said it’s best not to worry, as he states that although they are in intense stiuation, he believe that his goals still are the same: defeat evil whenever. Then they all nodded and put their hands all together hoping they could go through this and get to a safe reality where there is a lack of Shadow Bugs, or save those who have not been affected.