[X] Belmont
Others are lame.

[X] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.
[X] Marisa Kirasame, self-confessed Witch.
No reasons, most interesting.

[X] Forest road by coach.
No reason, most interesting again.

[ ] Belmont

[ ] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.
[ ] Dr. Eirin Yagokoro, Alchemist and Healer.

[ ] Mountain pass by foot.

[x] I dun care.

[X] Miss Sanae Kotiya, Priestess of her own pagan religion.

[X] Dr. Eirin Yagokoro, Alchemist and Healer.

[X] Mountain pass by foot.

[X] Belmont

We came to the SDM as a Belmont before. We shall do so again.

[X] Marisa Kirasame, self-confessed Witch.
[X] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.

A magician and a fighter.

[X] Mountain pass by foot.

One does not enter Dracula's castle by any other means.

[x] Belmont

[x] Miss Sanae Kotiya, Priestess of her own pagan religion.
[x] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.

[x] Upriver by boat.

[X] Lecarde
[X] Aya Shameimaru, Reporter with quick feet and few scruples.
[X] Dr. Eirin Yagokoro, Alchemist and Healer.
[X] Upriver by boat.

Oh come on, whips are fine, but let's try some spear on spear action for once.

[X] Belmont

[X] Professor Nitori Kawashiro, Inventor of strange machines.
[X] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.

[x] Belmont
[x] Aya Shameimaru, Reporter with quick feet and few scruples.
[x] Marisa Kirasame, self-confessed Witch.
[x] Mountain pass by foot.

I HAVE NO REGRETS
THIS IS THE ONLY PATH
UNLIMITED MANLY WORKS

[X] Belmont

[X] Aya Shameimaru, Reporter with quick feet and few scruples.
[X] Miss Sanae Kotiya, Priestess of her own pagan religion.

[X] Forest road by coach.

Because fighting Death on the coach was badass, and ladies should ride in comfort.

Forgot to add
[X] Forest road by coach.
to
>>23137

[✗] Juese Belmont

[✗] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.
[✗] Dr. Eirin Yagokoro, Alchemist and Healer.

[✗] Forest road by coach.

[X] Morris
[X] Miss Sanae Kotiya, Priestess of her own pagan religion.
[X] Dr. Eirin Yagokoro, Alchemist and Healer.
[X] Mountain on foot.

Fighter/Mystic/Healer combo for a balanced team.

Almost went with Aya as a Thief instead of Sanae, but eh...

[Z] Cruz.

[Z] Aya Shameimaru, Reporter with quick feet and few scruples.
[Z] Marisa Kirasame, self-confessed Witch.

Every good castlevania has a witch or a reporter.

[Z] Forest road by coach.

[X] Belmont

[X] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.
[X] Marisa Kirasame, self-confessed Witch.

[X] Forest road by coach.

[x] Lecarde
Eric Lecarde was entrusted with Alucard's spear just for being a total badass. When he died in Dracula's castle protecting his daughters, he bound his spirit to it and came back like Obi Wan motherfucking Kenobi to help John Morris's son free his daughters and avenge his death. That's the lineage I want.

[x] Aya Shameimaru, Reporter with quick feet and few scruples.
[x] Marisa Kirasame, self-confessed Witch.
Scout and magic user, will round out the team nicely since it looks like Belmont is going to win. Lecarde knows magic, I'd swap Marisa with Nitori for his team.

[x] Mountain pass by foot.
One does not simply ride a fucking coach into Castlevania.

[x] Lecarde

[x] Aya Shameimaru, Reporter with quick feet and few scruples.
[x] Professor Nitori Kawashiro, Inventor of strange machines.

[x] Being launched without your consent by a giant fucking catapult.

[x] Belmont
[x] Aya Shameimaru, Reporter with quick feet and few scruples.
[x] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.

Delicious Shameimaru.

[X] Belmont

[x] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.
[x] Miss Sanae Kotiya, Priestess of her own pagan religion.

[x] Mountain pass by foot.

HY is pissed off.

[X] Belmont

[X] Marisa Kirasame, self-confessed Witch.
[X] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.

[X] Forest road by coach.

Lets see... Vampire hunter... check. Magic user... check. Quick blade user... check. Okay, we're good for Castlevania 3 now all we need is a descendant of Tepes himself (or someone who claims to be his descendent ;D )

[ ] Belmont

[ ] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.
[ ] Dr. Eirin Yagokoro, Alchemist and Healer.

[ ] Mountain pass by foot.

not nearly enough Eirin ANYWHERE, gensokyo's most ferocious and vigorous fighter gets far less love than she deserves

>>23159
Hi there!

[ ] Morris
[ ] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.
[ ] Marisa Kirasame, self-confessed Witch.
[ ] Forest road by coach.

Descendant of the man who, despite knowing it would likely kill him, took up the legendary Vampire Killer and smote Dracula once again.

[x] Belmont
[x] Aya Shameimaru, Reporter with quick feet and few scruples.
[x] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.
[x] Mountain pass by foot.

[d] Morris
[a] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.
[z] Dr. Eirin Yagokoro, Alchemist and Healer.
[e] Mountain pass by foot.

haha. I just had an idea.

Play as Simon Belmont.

Your whip is the whip that cracks the heavens! HAHA!

What a happy coincidence, I just bought Order of Ecclesia the other day.

[ ] Belmont
[ ] Youmu
[ ] Marisa
[ ] Upriver by Boat

I have been looking forward to this for a while.

[x] Morris
[x] Miss Sanae Kotiya, Priestess of her own pagan religion.
[x] Dr. Eirin Yagokoro, Alchemist and Healer.
[x] Forest road by coach.

[X] Belmont
[X] Youmu Konpaku, Mysterious Swordswoman from the far East.
[X] Dr. Eirin Yagokoro, Alchemist and Healer.
[X] Forest road by coach.

[X] Belmont
[X] Aya Shameimaru, Reporter with quick feet and few scruples.
[X] Marisa Kirasame, self-confessed Witch.
[X] Mountain pass by foot.

I want to break some walls.

[X] Morris

[X] Miss Sanae Kotiya, Priestess of her own pagan religion.
[X] Professor Nitori Kawashiro, Inventor of strange machines.

[X] Mountain pass by foot.

[X] Morris
[X] Marisa Kirasame, self-confessed Witch.
[X] Miss Sanae Kotiya, Priestess of her own pagan religion.
[X] Mountain pass by foot.

Suicide OPTION!

☑ Belmont
☑ Marisa Kirasame, self-confessed Witch.
☑ Dr. Eirin Yagokoro, Alchemist and Healer.
☑ Forest road by coach.
Warrior and magician.

[+] Lecarde
[+] Miss Sanae Kotiya, Priestess of her own pagan religion.
[+] Dr. Eirin Yagokoro, Alchemist and Healer.
[+] Mountain pass by foot.

It seems that the protagonist will provide the "warrior" archetype no matter what name is chosen, thus having a second warrior such as Youmu seems redundant to me. Dr. Eirin provides medicinal support which none of the other characters can provide, and will be most useful when recovering from unknown foes with unknown means of attack, not to mention her great intelligence. This leaves the party in need of a more magical-oriented combatant for a well-rounded team (thus shunting aside Miss Aya and Prof. Nitori, which though useful are more physically oriented). Sanae is preferable over Marisa for a very large reason: faith. When fighting demons and darkness, more than simple incantations are needed; one cannot simply approach a devil and “kill it with fire.” One needs the force of faith and light, a path closer to heaven to combat the path closer to hell.

>There is no H in this story
I laud you for having the courage to say this outright, in a world made primarily of males who perhaps too often think with their hormones before their minds.

Welcome back to the Scarlet Devil Mansion, Sir Hungry Youkai. We’ve kept your seat warm for you.

Calling it now!

Belmont, okay. More votes for Morris than Lecarde? ... I have nothing to say to you people.

Youmu and Marisa it is. Good choice, but perhaps not for the reasons you think.

Mountain pass by foot. Hardcore mode.

Writing starts when I put down my work.

Youmu...

Not that girl! She will chase after me! She will call me One-sama.
NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm lost!

>>23186
But she's still stalking you in >>21955, so you should be safe in here, if that makes any sense.

Anyway, GET BACK TO WORK!

i have a sudden craving for castlevania symphony of the night...if only i could find that damned disc.

The journey into the depths of Transylvania has been a hard one. It has been only seven years since Remilia's army of darkness swept over Europe, the wave of evil finally breaking against the untold numbers of human dead. With the nations of the world still rebuilding, few have noticed the stirrings in the shadowed east once more. The further you travelled, the more unexplained noises shattered the quiet of the night, the more frightened villagers pleaded for help to find their lost sons and daughters, the more you felt you were being watched. For you alone know, in your blood, that although the horde was defeated, their Mistress still lives. If allowed to regain her former strength, the race of man would be doomed to an eternal unlife, toiling beneath her rule. So, with a heavy heart, you returned to this place of horror and darkness.

The bickering of your companions has not helped your mood either.

[][][]

"Belmont, make her smile! She won't smile!" Marisa hops from foot to foot in front of you.
Youmu sighs loudly, rolling her eyes. "There is a time for mirth, now is not that time." She repeats for the third time this day alone.
Marisa grins at her. "Come on, just a little one!"
"You would do better to concern yourself with our surroundings." Youmu says.
"Yes." You chip in. "Eyes on the crags, please."
Marisa pouts at you and then turns away, skipping forwards over the rocks without paying much attention to anything.
Youmu frowns after her, tutting under breath.

The two women who you met on the road couldn't be more unlike each other. Stoic and phlegmatic Youmu, an Asian with white hair, an impossible sight. Wrapped in thick layers of green, you doubt her ability to fight in a skirt, but you've seen stranger things in your life. She still hasn't drawn either of the two curved swords at her waist, or told you why she hunts for Remilia's head. Marisa on the other hand is full of energy, boisterous and argumentative, trying to draw Youmu in with pointless contradictions and petty comments. She called herself a 'witch', proved by lighting the night campfires without flint and tinder, but any help against Remilia is welcome, even that of questionable motivation.

The walls of rock tower over you at either side as you pick your way though the mountain pass, Youmu walking carefully at your side, Marisa out in front, humming to herself. Your fingers twitch as you take hold of your whip's handle.

You're being watched.

[ ] Alert the others.
[ ] Stay silent.

+

[ ] Stay by Youmu.
[ ] Catch up with Marisa.

[X] Alert the others.
[X] Stay by Youmu.

AWESOME!

[x] Alert the others.
[x] Catch up with Marisa.
WHO'S GANGSTA
MARISA, NIGGA

[X] Alert the others.
[X] Stay by Youmu.

[x] Stay silent.
[X] Stay by Youmu.

If we've noticed it Youmu probably has too. Draw it out, and let it think it's got the advantage of surprise.

[x] Stay silent.
[X] Stay by Youmu.

[x] Stay silent.
[x] Catch up with Marisa.

▶ Stay silent.
▶ Catch up with Marisa.

{X} Stay silent.
{X} Stay by Youmu.

Okay, 5 reached on both counts. Writing now, but slowly.

>>23189
Hello, id/ego/super ego.

The feeling of being watched has dogged you since the borders of Transylvania, but this is different. Closer, like you can feel the fetid breath on the back of your neck and the beady eyes watching from the cracks in the rock. You open your senses, scanning the crags for any sign of movement. Nothing.

"Do you feel that?" Youmu asks, voice barely above a whisper.
You nod. Her hand strays to one of her swords.
"We should alert Marisa, she seems unconcer-"
"Shhh." You put your finger to your lips. "Whatever it is, it doesn't know we can feel it, yet."
Youmu frowns at you, then nods. "Very well."
Marisa stops up ahead, looking back at you for a moment. You feel a small pang of guilt, your decision is putting her in danger, such a young woman. Well, it was her choice to follow you, she knew the risks, her own powers should keep her safe if it comes to a fight.
Although, if she can't handle herself, you would be better off without her. You frown at yourself. Such callous thoughts are unbecoming of a Belmont, surely.

"Ah!" Youmu suddenly exclaims. You break from your contemplation in time to see a tiny black shape flit in front of you.
"It's only a bat." Youmu says, sighing. The bat darts through the air in front of you, tiny rodent features picked out in perfect clarity in the slowly waning sunlight. You don't take your eyes off it for a second.
"A bat, during the day?" You ask out loud. The feeling of being watched is only getting slowly worse.
Youmu raises an eyebrow at you.
"What are you two doing?" Marisa calls back. You wince at her loud voice as the bat suddenly darts away from you.

[ ] Let it go.
[ ] Catch the bat down with your whip.
[ ] Time to test your companion. Tell Youmu to bring the bat down.
[ ] Time to test your companion. Call to Marisa, tell her to bring the bat down.

[X] Catch the bat down with your whip.

▶ Catch the bat down with your whip.

[ ] Catch the bat down with your whip.

[x] Catch the bat down with your whip.

[X] Catch the bat down with your whip.

[x] Catch the bat down with your whip.

Poor bat is gonna die now...

[x] Time to test your companion. Call to Marisa, tell her to bring the bat down.

[!/] Catch the bat down with your whip.

Saguya engrish-slip there, HY.

>>Saguya engrish-slip

Yes, I noticed only after I posted it.

Anyway, calling it now. Food then writing.

Bats and vampires go together like files and shit. This one could be natural, but so close to the Scarlet Castle? Unlikely. It's probably a scout or a messenger of some kind. Better not let it live, don't want to give Remilia an early warning if you can help it.
Quick as lightning you unhook your whip from your belt, unfurling with a back-hand motion before you lash out. The whip scythes through the chill air, humming with the speed of your strike. The tip strikes the bat, eliciting a squeak of pain as it drops like a stone.

Youmu watches you with an impassive expression as you pull the whip back again, curling it into place with a practised motion of your hands.
"Interesting." Youmu says quietly. "Not many people can use a whip for fighting, fewer with such unerring accuracy."
"Runs in the family." You say, winking at her and stepping over to the fallen bat.
"Hey!" Marisa comes running back to you. "That was amazing, what-" She pauses when she spots the dead bat.
"What!" Why did you kill the bat?" She asks, frowning angrily at you.
"It probably belongs to Remilia." You say. "A scout of some kind. We need to preserve the element of surprise as long as possible." You explain as Youmu steps up beside you, listening closely to your words.
"You would do well not to question the actions of the only seasoned vampire hunter among us." Youmu says to Marisa. Her words are blurred by something. What's that noise?
"Huh? Oh shu-"
"Quiet!" You hiss.

On the edge of your hearing there is a rushing, like water over rocks, wind through trees, wings on the air.
"What's that?" Marisa asks.
Youmu simply looks up at the same time as you.
A cloud of darkness swoops down out of the sky, a mass of giant leathery wings, gnashing fangs and staring red eyes.

[ ] "Down!" Hit the dirt.
[ ] Go for your whip.

>>23216
>>files and shit

FLIES, FUCK, FLIES

[✗] "Down!" Hit the dirt.

[x] "Down!" Hit the dirt.

[+] Go for your whip.

The first bat seems to have been bait. By killing it, you signaled your presence to the true threat, which descends upon you knowingly. Hiding will solve nothing here.

[x] Go for your whip.
Battle!

[X] Go for your whip.

[x] Go for your whip.

[x] "Down!" Hit the dirt.

Fucking "mass of bats" boss

[X] "Down!" Hit the dirt.

{X} "Down!" Punch Hit the dirt.

[X] "Down!" Hit the dirt.

Hitting the dirt now.

>>23230
This feels good so far! It's been so long.

"Down!" You shout, throwing yourself to the floor as razor-sharp claws rake the air inches from your face. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Youmu doing the same, covering her head with her hands. Marisa shrieks in surprise and goes down in a heap, pulling a mass of reeking fur and leathery wings with her. In that moment you get a proper look at your foe. No wonder they made so much noise, they're gigantic, easily the size of a man. A single giant bat is trying to pin Marisa to the ground, snapping jaws held back by her frantic hands.

The swarm abates and your wits return to you. There will be only moments before they turn and make another pass. You hop to your feet and unfurl your whip a second time, lashing out and wrapping it around one of the giant bat's wings. It screeches with pain as you drag it off Marisa, breaking the delicate bones in the wing. It flops on the ground and you deliver a quick kick to its head, snapping the neck instantly. It twitches and lies still.
Marisa is still on the ground, shaking with the shock.
"Up, quickly!" Youmu says, stepping past you. "They will back again!"
"Are you hurt?" You crouch, placing a hand on Marisa's arm. She shakes her head, taking a deep breath and getting to her feet.
"Didn't expect that." She says, laughing, kicking the corpse of the bat in the side.
"Youmu is right." You speak fast, already the rush of wings can be heard again. A little way down the pass, the cloud of dark shapes turns, racing back towards you.
"Brace yourselves!" You say, hand on your whip.

Marisa jams her hand into her pocket, pulling out what looks like a rock. What's she going to do? Throw it at them? You try to ignore her, the ways of magic are incomprehensible to you anyway. Youmu alters her stance ever so slightly, in ways only a trained warrior would be able to notice, hand on the hilt of one of her swords.

The swam rushes at you, spitting and biting.

[ ] Stand your ground, go for your whip.
[ ] They're fragile enough to take down in flight, tackle one of them full-on.
[ ] They're moving too fast, try to dodge somehow.

[✗] They're fragile enough to take down in flight, tackle one of them full-on.

"Vampire Killer" is now playing in your head.

[x] They're moving too fast, try to dodge somehow.
[x] Reach for your whip.

Marisa looks like she's about to go crazy. I don't want to be near any bats when she does.

[X] Stand your ground, go for your whip.

Master Spark and Youmu's swords are going to outshine our whip big time, but we have to at least try to take one or two bats down...

[x] Stand your ground, go for your whip.
Where are our other weapons, HY?

{X} Stand your ground, go for your whip.

[x] Stand your ground, go for your whip.

[X] Stand your ground, go for your whip.

>Where are our other weapons
We haven't found any yet. For now we just need to remember to kill the first candles we come across.

>>Where are our other weapons, HY?

"Weapons and equipment procurement on site."

Wait, wrong game.

You need to find the possible sub-weapons before you can use them. Happy hunting!

>There is no H in this story.
What, no BDSM scene where we tie up Remilia with our whip after defeating her?

Back again, writing now.

There must be at least half a dozen of them, you can't take them all at once, not before they hit you. There's nowhere to run and if you just keep ducking and weaving then they'll get you eventually.

You unfurl your whip.

The leader of the swarm dies first, whip wrapped around its throat. You pull it back so fast that you draw blood, black and sticky, spreading from the corpse as it falls. Another bat gets tangled in the leader as it goes down, screaming with pain as its wings break.
They're too fragile for a proper assault, definitely an early-warning system. No time to think about it now as you hear a crackle from your right.
"Woo!" Marisa shouts with glee as a blinding ray of light erupts from the stone in her hands, searing a pair of bats, setting their fur alight and blinding them with the flames. They screech with pain as the fire crisps their skin, the smell of burning flesh filling the air.

The next bat hits you too fast.
Your whip misses its target as you're forced to defend yourself with your arm, catching the bat under the chin. It reels from the impact. A second one enters your field of vision, jaws snapping.
Damn, you're too slow. The first bat recovers, buffeting you with flaps of its wings before a sudden sound of ringing steel leaves it without a head. Youmu is right next to you, sword already back in the scabbard. You never even saw her move.
A fountain of dark crimson erupts from the stump of the bat's neck and it flops to the ground, head rolling away. The single remaining one panics, only the burning and broken corpses of its pack remaining. It flaps its wings in a frenzy, rising up and away, trying to gain some height.

[ ] Let it go, let Remilia panic at your coming.
[ ] No! The element of surprise must be maintained! Bring it down.

[x] No! The element of surprise must be maintained! Bring it down.
Stop hitting things? I think not.

[✗] No! The element of surprise must be maintained! Bring it down.

[ ] No! The element of surprise must be maintained! Bring it down.

[X] No! The element of surprise must be maintained! Bring it down. Tell Marisa to zap it if you miss.

Obvious choice is fairly obvious.

[x] No! The element of surprise must be maintained! Bring it down.

I can't see Remilia panicking. Though the element of surprise would be hard to contain with Marisa on hand. Either way, more killing is the way to go.

[x] No! The element of surprise must be maintained! Bring it down.

>[ ] Let it go, let Remilia panic at your coming.
Potentially, this could lead us to an alternate route into the castle, however,
[x] The element of surprise must be maintained! Bring it down.
We don't know how much information it could report back on us. Best to play it safe for now.

[X] No! The element of surprise must be maintained! Bring it down. Tell Marisa to zap it along with you.

Adding nuke for more damage.

[+] No! The element of surprise must be maintained! Bring it down.

An excerpt from the Touhou Wiki on Remilia Scarlet:
>She may be weak against sunlight, but she has a pretty strong constitution, so as long as some bit of her still remains, say, a little bat, she can regenerate any time.

There is a possibility (however slim), that this pack of bats may in fact be a piece of Remilia herself; a much better scout than bestial creatures, even loyal ones. She's no idiot, so even if you kill every last one, she'll have left a piece of herself back at the mansion, and can thus regenerate. And even if this is simply a mundane scouting party, the mere fact that they do not return is evidence of your presence. It may then be assumed that, no matter what happens, Remilia Scarlet now knows you are here.

What she may not know, however, is your identities, your fighting styles, and your weapons. These will be much more important to keep safe, and thus all scouts should be eliminated before they report back.

While this information seems irrelevant now, it may be useful later. Perhaps I think too much, but as a voter, perhaps it is better than thinking too little.

Writing now, yass.

>>23257

I just have to say, after an exhausting day of work, walking two miles in the freezing cold, and fighting off a persistent cold, coming home to find this story waiting for me just made everything better.

It cannot be allowed to escape! You tense, taking a moment to aim properly. Only one shot before the bat is too far out of range. Your whip goes back, over your shoulder, twirling in an arc that brings it to nearly its full length, moving through the air in a blur of motion so fast that the bat doesn't have time to react. The tip cracks against its wing, breaking bones and piercing the leathery membrane with a horrible tearing sound.

The bat falls in a long, slow descent to the ground, flapping its uninjured wing in vain. It crashes to the earth with a splattering sound. You yank your whip out of its wing and calmly wrap it back up.
"That was awesome!" Marisa jams her odd looking stone back into one of the many pockets of her dress, beaming at you. "Did you see? I set them alight! I-"
"What was that exactly?" Youmu asks, completely composed as you prod the twitching corpse of the last bat with your boot.
"An advance guard?" She suggests.
"Hey! Don't interrupt-"
You cut over Marisa's complaint. "That wasn't an advance guard."
"What makes you so sure?" Youmu asks. You can feel the tension in her voice.
"That was nothing." You say, frowning down at the dead bats. Unnatural they may be, but they were easy pickings compared to what Remilia will have waiting in that castle.
"Yeah! They weren't so tough!" Marisa sneers at Youmu. "What, are you afraid?"
Youmu frowns at Marisa. "No. Fear has no place in the mind of the warrior. Neither does pride, or anger. Perhaps a lesson you would do well to learn."
"Both of you should be afraid." You say, silencing their argument before it can go further.

"Very afraid."

[continue]

The rest of the mountain pass is a difficult climb, made all the worse by the need to keep one eye on the sky, one ear out for the sound of rushing wings. The air turns cold, mist springing fourth from the ground as if summoned by some terrible will. Marisa and Youmu both stick close to you now, twitching at every unexplained noise. But eventually you reach the other side, the mountains towering behind you as you emerge from the pass. The mist thins for a moment.

"Is that ..." Youmu trails off, falling silent.
Marisa says nothing, just stares.
"The Scarlet Castle." You confirm.
The edifice towers over the landscape around, like a boil made of red stone, tainting the land with its presence. The numerous towers and balconies are too many to count. Giant bats and other, less identifiable things, wheel around the summit of the highest tower.
"There." You point at the drawbridge, the mountain pathway leading from the castle's entrance to a tiny village at its foot. "That's the front door."
"I assume we won't be taking that?" Youmu asks.
"Perhaps." You say. "But castles always have other ways in and out. The door will be guarded."
"But it's so big!" Marisa says, a hint of panic in her voice.

"Yes, it is." You say. "Come on, let's go."

[ ] Check out the village at the foot of the castle. Perhaps you can learn something.
[ ] Head for the front door anyway. Screw surprise!
[ ] Skirt around the castle, there must be another way in.

[X] Skirt around the castle, there must be another way in.

As nice as it would be to stroll in the village, maybe we should get a move on?

[x] Skirt around the castle, there must be another way in.

We can fight Beelzebub in the sewers.

[x] Head for the front door anyway. Screw surprise!
We. Kill. Things.

[✗] Skirt around the castle, there must be another way in.

[x] Head for the front door anyway. Screw surprise!
Let's kick Meiling's ass.

[x] Skirt around the castle, there must be another way in.

No sense in weakening ourselves with China when we have bigger things to whip

[x] Check out the village at the foot of the castle. Perhaps you can learn something.

Why not?

[x] Skirt around the castle, there must be another way in.

[!/] Skirt around the castle, there must be another way in.

[ ] Head for the front door anyway. Screw surprise!

Because that's just how we Belmonts roll

I should really sleep now. Some more tomorrow.

>"But it's so big!" Marisa says, a hint of panic in her voice.
I tittered like a schoolgirl.

[x] Skirt around the castle, there must be another way in.

>>23221
Son of a...

Owen? Are YOU the legendary Plusfag whom I have been voting in the footsteps of since the dark days of MiG?

[X] Check out the village at the foot of the castle. Perhaps you can learn something.

Or perhaps, if we're lucky, find a shop and pick up some healing items before we charge in whips a-blazing.

>"But it's so big!" Marisa says, a hint of panic in her voice.
>I tittered like a schoolgirl.
I did too.

[X] Check out the village at the foot of the castle. Perhaps you can learn something.

We can either find a shop with sub-items and/or new weapons/armor/potions. If it's Bad Day for us, at least we get free EXP.

Win-win if I do say so myself.

[X] Check out the village at the foot of the castle. Perhaps you can learn something.

[Z] Check out the village at the foot of the castle. Perhaps you can learn something.

It worked for me. Just don't forget your automatic crossbow. ( '_')b

>>23288
A far superior version of yourself would like to have little word with you.

... back to sleep with me.

[X] Check out the village at the foot of the castle. Perhaps you can learn something.

[x] Check out the village at the foot of the castle. Perhaps you can learn something.

[-] Check out the village at the foot of the castle. Perhaps you can learn something.

[X] Check out the village at the foot of the castle. Perhaps you can learn something.

>>23289
mm. Agreed. The only good scene in the new movie was the scene with that damned awesome crossbow. The rest of the movie was entirely forgettable.

Thats what happens when you make a movie about "James Bond meets Vampires".

>>23296
Yeah, that awesome crossbow that, uh... did little more than miss.

>>23297
Yes, but it missed spectacularly.

>>23289 >>23296
Which is funny, considering that Van Helsing pretty much was Castlevania: The Motion Picture. Prove me wrong.

>>23260
[X] Check out the village at the foot of the castle. Perhaps you can learn something.

Pic related.

test

[+] Check out the village at the foot of the castle. Perhaps you can learn something.

There are multiple possibilities here, and I tend to think the pros outweigh the cons. If the village is being held under the thumb of Remilia's oppression, the residents will be only to glad to help you out. If they are loyal to Remilia, or worse, if they are her blood-slaves, then you should have no qualms with, shall we say, "pressing" them for some information. If they don't care either way, you should at least be able to get some supplies. In any case, Remilia most likely knows you are here already (and even if she doesn't, it's best to overestimate your opponent), so you would do well to plan your next move carefully, rather than assaulting the castle without preparation.

>>23280
Sadly, no. My first post of "A Scarlet-Stained Memoir" was the first post I ever made on this site. It appears that yet again I have been mistaken for someone else. Sorry to dash your hopes.

An additional edit, as I did not notice this before.

>>23289
I approve profoundly of the presence of the esteemed Dr. Anthony Hopkins VanHelsing in this thread. This also reminds me to approve of Count Gary Oldman Dracula.

[ ] Skirt around the castle, there must be another way in.

I'd prefer to try sneaking in, the village might hold goodies and it's possible that Remillia could know that you're in the castle no matter what approach you take, but I'd still like to maintain a low profile if we can.

I did a really good job of arguing against my choice didn't I?

The mist thickens once more, hiding the castle behind a wall of grey as you make your way down towards the village. It is a pitiful place, huddled in the shadow of the mountains, squat and dark, as if trying to escape Remilia's notice. The road leading into town is nothing but a dirt track, the buildings poorly constructed, the smell of fear hanging heavy in the air. There are no people in the few, unpaved streets, only the bitter wind. The doors of the houses are closed and bolted, the windows shuttered or completely boarded up. A few ravens wheel overhead, squawking at each other.

"Where is everyone?" Marisa asks.
You keep your hand on your whip. This feels wrong, somehow.
"This place is dead." Youmu says.
"Not quite." You say, pointing at the ravens. "They're here for something. Come on."
You walk down what was probably once a main street, feeling eyes staring at you from the cracks in the shutters. This place isn't as dead as it seems. Youmu and Marisa follow you, the latter taking quick little steps, glancing up and down the street, the former trying to affect an air of clam. You follow the ravens, bracing yourself for what you know is awaiting. You turn a corner, into some kind of town square, and there they are.

"By the gods." Youmu mutters.
"There are no gods here." You say.
A line of twelve stakes forms a ring in the centre of the town square, each one at least eight feet high, cut from oak, sharpened to a point. On each stake a person has been impaled and left to rot. The dead hang in grotesque poses, as if held up by the hand of some cruel giant. Some are little more than skeletons with flesh hanging from their bones, others are so fresh the blood is not yet dry. Most are men, but there are a few women, even a child. The ravens pick at their faces.
You hear Marisa wretch behind you, turning away to vomit.
One of the bodies catches your eye, skin too white to be rotten, but surrounded by blood, still pooling at the base of the stake. A woman with long white hair.

The ravens aren't touching her.

[ ] Step closer, investigate.
[ ] No, steer clear. This could be some kind of trap.

[X] Step closer, investigate.


HAVE TO SEE IT!

[x] Step closer, investigate.

>an air of clam.
☑ Step closer, investigate. Keep the whip at the ready.

The ravens aren't touching her because she isn't dead.

>an air of clam
Oh for fuck's sake. I'm making typos like the fist of the north star in this story.

[X] Step closer, investigate. Keep the whip at the ready.

>>23318
That's what you get when Saguya is doing the proof-reading.

>Hungry Youkai(Mon)11:36
>Sakuya (Mon)11:38

No way he's reading and deciding that fast, he already knows what's in the update.

[x] Step closer, investigate.

Dunno. Maybe Mokou or Eiren? Oh well, we'll see soon enough.

>A woman with long white hair.

Remi got it wrong when Mokou and Keine opened that Yakitori restaurant and turned her into a shish-kebab.

Maybe she is just a girl... Who will turn into a vampire. I bet it is already too late to save her.

{X} Step closer, investigate. Keep the whip at the ready.

Writing now.

You take a step forward, into the square.
"What are you doing?" Youmu hisses at you. "It could be a trap."
"Then stay here if you like." You say. There's something wrong about that corpse, you're going to find out what.
"H-hey!" Marisa says as you walk forward again, scurrying to your side. Seems like she doesn't want to be left alone in the midst of this desolation. The ravens scatter at your approach.

Up close, the dead woman seems even stranger. Her white shirt is stained with so much of her own blood that it almost matches the colour of her strange looking baggy leggings. The stake has taken her in the small of her back, punching out through her ribcage, leaving her hanging face up, as if leaning back. Her arms and legs are limp, flesh nearly pure white.
"What is all this?" Marisa asks, eyes wide with fear.
"An example to the villagers." You say. "These people were probably local leaders, anyone who dared to oppose Remilia."
"But why? Why not just ... kill them all?"
You glance down at Marisa's pale face, her expression twisted with disgust and horror.
"Unlife feeds on life." You say. "To recover from the worst defeat, Remilia requires resources. Blood, human lives, flesh with which to remake her legions. This village is like a final stockpile, just in case."
"That's horrible." Marisa says, looking back up at the impaled woman.
"It is an extremely disturbing concept, indeed." Youmu says, finally stepping up behind you. "Is she alive?"

You shake your head. "No, simply a curiosity. Let's-"
The body gurgles and you spin around, reactions taking over, reaching for your whip. Her head twitches, face rising, red eyes staring down at you. Blood trickles from her mouth and she reaches for you with one hand, trying to form a word.
"Ahhh!" Marisa screams, stumbling backwards in surprise. Youmu places a hand on her sword.

A door slams open somewhere behind you.
"No! Leave her alone! You promised this time, damn you!" A woman's voice screams.
The revenant manages to pull itself up, hands gripping the stake, bones crunching and blood bubbling from its mouth. The face is a rictus of agony.

[ ] It's a zombie, go for your whip.
[ ] Whatever it is, it's alive, help her down.
[ ] Turn around, who was that shouting just now?

[x] Whatever it is, it's alive, help her down.

[ ] Whatever it is, it's alive, help her down.

[x] Whatever it is, it's alive, help her down.

[X] Whatever it is, it's alive, help her down.

>Hungry Youkai 08/11/24(Mon)12:31
>Sakuya 08/11/24(Mon)12:32

...

[x] Turn around, who was that shouting just now?

Helping her without making sure would be kind of exploiting our knowledge.

[X] Turn around, who was that shouting just now?

Huh? Villager? What's going on with that villager?

[x] Whatever it is, it's alive, help her down.

Wake up, Mokou.

[X] Turn around, who was that shouting just now?

[x] Turn around, who was that shouting just now?

Writing now.

The revenant opens its mouth, screaming through the blood. A zombie would not be able to do such a thing. This woman is alive, somehow. You let go of your whip, stepping forward. You may not be able to save her, the damage is too extensive, but anyone with enough strength of will to pull themselves off a stake like that, they deserve to die at rest, not hanging like a stuck pig.
Youmu keeps her hand on her sword and Marisa keeps her distance as you reach upwards, placing your hands on the woman's legs and pushing upwards, lending your strength to hers. She screams again as the spike clears her chest, slipping through her innards and out the other side with a wet slurping sound.

As she tumbles to the ground you step back, catching her in your arms. She looks up at you with heavy eyes, clouded with pain.
"Thank you." She forces through the blood, voice cracking with effort.
"You get away from her!" The voice from before calls out, closer this time, accompanied by the sound of running feet. You gently lower the dying woman to the ground and turn just in time to get smacked in the face with a large book. You reel from the unexpected blow.
"Get off her!" A blur of blue screams at you in anger. "All of you! We had a deal!"
"Woah, woah, calm down lady!" Marisa says. As you recover, you get a glimpse of a woman in a long blue dress, hair tinted an unnatural blue as well. She has a oddly shaped box-like hat on her head, and gives off an aura very much like a schoolmarm. All around the square now, sullen faces are peering from half-open doors, watching the commotion with obvious fear. Mothers hold their children behind them, men twist their hands and look away from your gaze.

Marisa makes a grab for the woman's arms, only to receive a book to the head for her efforts. Youmu steps forward, hand on the hilt of her longest sword.
"I said get away!" The woman shouts again. "We had a deal!"

[ ] Let Youmu threaten the woman.
[ ] Tell Youmu to leave it, you'll speak to this woman.
[ ] Ignore this waste of time, give the dying woman her last rites.

[x] Ignore this waste of time, give the dying woman her last rites.

[X] Ignore this waste of time, give the dying woman her last rites.

Keine doesn't seem to be in the mood for diplomacy.

[X] Tell Youmu to leave it, you'll speak to this woman.

[ ] Ignore this waste of time, give the dying woman her last rites.

We'll prove ourselves through actions, Not words.

[ ] Tell Youmu to leave it, you'll speak to this woman.

Diplomacy check

[X] Ignore this waste of time, give the dying woman her last rites.

[X] Tell Youmu to leave it, you'll speak to this woman.

[X] Let Youmu threaten the woman.
[X] Ignore this waste of time, give the dying woman her last rites.

Diplomacy? This is how I do diplomacy. Get Youmu to occupy Keine while we do the "last" rites for Mokou. Then we can talk about how we will quell the vampire threat. (By whatever means, be them of Nanaya's style or of David's style)

Am I the only one thinking, that the "deal" Keine is talking about contains leaving the people impaled and being otherwise safe from Remilia (for the moment at least)?

I just realized something.

You couldn't kill the impaled woman if you wanted to.

>>23351

So, no matter how often we kill her, she will not die? That means I could try to save everyone!

[X] Ignore this waste of time, give the dying woman her last rites.

>Am I the only one thinking, that the "deal" Keine is talking about contains leaving the people impaled and being otherwise safe from Remilia (for the moment at least)?

Could be, it would explain why she's upset about us getting someone down, especially since she probably thinks we're one of Remilia's thralls. Though I'm not sure why Mokou would be actively trying to get down if that's the case.

Maybe Mokou took someone else's place at the stake, someone who wouldn't revive.

>Maybe Mokou took someone else's place at the stake, someone who wouldn't revive.
Yes that's what I thought at first, but that would give her reason to stay up there, and she was trying to get down. Of course I suppose weeks or months of being impaled could have hurt her mental fortitude enough that she just didn't give a damn anymore.

Maybe Keine made that deal, not Mokou

I doubt Mokou was on that stake of her own free will.
If those townspeople were willing to agree to keep their own people on those stakes, they probably wouldn't object to putting some poor unwilling sap up their themselves if it would save their own necks.

Writing now.

This is a waste of time, foolish woman can deal with your companions. You turn back to the dying woman on the ground, crouching down and placing your hand on her forehead as gently as you can. Her eyes are open, she's alert and aware despite the agony of her wound. Blood bubbles from her lips as she tries to speak.
"Don't try to speak." You say quietly.

"Step back, if you value your life." You hear Youmu say. You try to filter out what is happening behind you.
"We had a deal!" The woman screams. "Don't you dare take her up there!"
"What?" Marisa asks. "What are you talking about?"

You ignore the argument, staring into the eyes of the dying woman. "May the Lord God protect you and lead you to eternal life." You say quietly, crossing her forehead with your finger. The dying woman tries to shake her head weakly. You frown. What?
The argument behind you suddenly goes quiet.
"You're not ... you're not Remilia's thralls?" The angry woman asks, fury draining from her voice.
"No." Youmu says sharply. "We are vampire hunters, come to claim the head of the countess and wipe her stain from the earth."
The woman laughs sadly. "You will fall, like all the rest. And that woman is refusing your sacrament because she isn't dying."
"She's not dying?" You ask, standing up and looking at the woman in blue.
"No, she's immorta-" The woman's eyes go wide and her words stop short as she sees your face. She steps forward, as if in a daze, staring at you in wonder.
Youmu makes to restrain the woman, but you shake your head at her.

"It's you." The woman says, reaching up to your face with a shaking hand. "You're alive, you came back ... Belmont." She says. Her fingers brush your cheek.

[ ] "Indeed, I live. Hello Keine."
[ ] "I am no Belmont. You are mistaken."

[x] "Indeed, I live. Hello Keine."

The plot thickens.

[x] "Do I know you?"

Wait, what?

[X] "Indeed, I live. Hello Keine."

[ ] "Indeed, I live. Hello Keine."

[X] "Indeed, I live. Hello Keine."

[x] "Indeed, I live. Hello Keine."

>>23369
System Hint: Hit things until they die.

[X] "I am no Belmont. You are mistaken."

In the off-chance that Remilia has some bats or other form of spy in the village, it might be best to keep our identity rather hush-hush.
Unless we suddenly no longer care about the element of surprise, anymore.

>>23371
Wethinks Remi already knows of our merry band of heroes.

[x] "Indeed, I live. Hello Keine."

dun dun DAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Writing now!

"Indeed, I live." You say. "Hello Keine."
"My god, you really came back!" She breaks into a smile, throwing her arms around you. Awkwardly, you return her hug. You can see the villagers relaxing, crossing themselves and sighing, even beginning to chatter. Keine finally lets go of you and blinks, wiping her eyes, then glances between you and your companions.
"Perhaps you do stand a chance." She says, folding her arms. "But you better not be the last of your family, how many died in the war?"
"A few." You say. "There's still enough of us, some went to the Americas."
Keine chews her lip. "Then I wish you luck, you will need it."

"You two know each other?" Marisa peeks around Keine's shoulder. Youmu just stands off to the side, looking awkward.
"Yes!" Keine says. "When he fought Remilia last time."
"Last time?" Youmu asks with a frown.
"Yes, last time." You say. "A tale I do not wish to tell at the present moment." You gesture behind you, to the 'dying' woman. "What's this all about Keine? You made a deal with Remilia?"
Keine frowns at your tone. "Yes." She says, hands on her hips. "This girl, her name is Mokou, snuck into the castle for God alone knows what reason. Turns out she regenerates, somehow, kept trying. Remilia threatened to turn her into a thrall, I negotiated a deal."
"What kind of deal leaves a person impaled on a spike?" Youmu asks, obviously sickened.
"Forty days and forty nights up there, and she could go free." Keine nods at Mokou. "I agreed to stop her from going up again ... but if you're here, maybe things are about to change."

You stare at Keine with the same admiration as last time. Any woman who can cut a deal with a vampire is a woman to be treasured.

"How was she getting into the castle?" You ask.
"Oh, yes, I suppose you'll be wanting to know." Keine says, frowning. "There's a sewer entrance, you can get into it from the river on the other side of the village."
"We should take that." Youmu says, nodding at you.
"Thanks Miss Keine!" Marisa pipes up.
"That's quite alright." Keine says. "Sorry for hitting you with the book, dear."
"The sewers will be full of her beasts." You say. "Is there no other route?"

"N ... not ..." Mokou tires to speak, struggling to move her cracked lips. You crouch down, listening closely.
"Not the basement." She whispers, reaching up and grabbing your coat. "Don't ... don't ta ... take the basement."

[ ] Thank Keine for her help, go find those sewers.
[ ] Basement? That sounds like it might be less well guarded.
[ ] Subtlety will only get you so far. Storm the gates.

[x] Thank Keine for her help, go find those sewers.

[x] Thank Keine for her help, go find those sewers.

[X] Thank Keine for her help, go find those sewers.

Fun.

[!/] Thank Keine for her help, go find those sewers.

Pfft. Flan-chan would be slim-pickings if Mokou did not tell us not to take the basement.

Now SUDDENLY THOUSANDS OF SAGUYAS...wouldn't be.

It occurs to me that if Mokou tried repeatedly to get in through the sewer that Remi will be aware of the matter. Of course, the basement holds a more obvious danger.

[X] Thank Keine for her help, go find those sewers.

Ick, poo gas.

>>23381
I figure that she tried to get in through more ways than just the sewer. If she was trying to win through trial and error she probably tried the front gate, basement, windows, and just about anything else she could think of.

[✗] Thank Keine for her help, go find those sewers.

[x] Thank Keine for her help, go find those sewers.

Could we put Mokou in our pack and take her with us? That would be fun.

>>23386
Cut off her arms and legs and maybe she'll fit.

>>23387

Or, if we hack her head off, she can this game's incarnation of old Skully. Except she would talk back.

[X] Basement? That sounds like it might be less well guarded.

>>23388

That would be pretty funny. Until she regenerates, that is.

Okay, not really able to pound out another update this late. Back tomorrow.

>>23386
>>23387
>>23388
>>23391
You people are horrible! Funny, yes. Good, no.
[X] Thank Keine for her help, go find those sewers.
Better than the front gate, and better than the basement, that is my argument. And since i've not yet had the chance to do so, welcome back, Hungry Youkai! Already this story shapes up to be a great one.

[ ] Subtlety will only get you so far. Storm the gates.

Because.That's.Just.What.Belmonts.Do.

For a minute there I thought Mokou might be joining us. I guess she'll take a while to recover from that, though.

>>23396

Not when he has companions in this story, it seems.

[ ] Basement? That sounds like it might be less well guarded.

[x] Thank Keine for her help, go find those sewers.

[X] Thank Keine for her help, go find those sewers.

[X] Thank Keine for her help, go find those sewers.

[x] Subtlety will only get you so far. Storm the gates.

[x] Subtlety will only get you so far. Storm the gates.

THIS IS THE BELMONT CHOICE!

Seriously, if you can't beat the doorguards, then how the hell could you defeat Remilia??

"I am waiting for you..."

>>23439
We're also waiting for you, over at Hacked Modo 5. ;_;

>>23438
Rather, we should save our strength for Remilia, no? Thus, the sewers.