They headed about the place, collecting a number of scattered items and collecting more souls, Soma feeling... strangely more connected to the souls of the Giant Bat, Flame Demon, and the Succubus, as they headed to the top to stop Graham from trying to become the dark lord, but the party felt the fact a bit over the top as they always arrive after the fact.

They didn't waste that time much more after confirming with the party at the gate before going to confront the missionary as they did find him, he floating in the air with a red aura as he spoke. "You're too late, Soma! Dracula's power is already in my grasp." Soma countered as he shouted at the mad man with the part behind him.

"Dracula's power doesn't concern me! I came here to find a way out of this castle."

"With my new abilities, I can get you out of here quite easily..." The standard look slipped away to insanity as he glared at Soma. "You, however, have some property of mine in your possession. The souls of MY demons are under YOUR control. Can I forgive such a crime? NO! NEVER!"

"If I knew how, I'd return them all to you right here and now!"

"Even if you return them, you have still committed the crime of stealing. Don't you know that? It's only right that thieves receive the punishment they deserve." Soma shouted in rage as he ranted at the mad man before him.

"You are one selfish bastard!" Still, Graham continued to speak in arrogance.

"You are guilty of grand theft. Therefore, I sentence you all to death!"

"You're insane!"

"And, as a special treat, I myself will deliver the punishment!" The battle became as Graham fired bolts and orbs of flames, but the party fought back, dodging and striking with effort before, for a second, Alex felt the sudden pulse of power and Graham drew back from his mortal body's failure, his look horrified. "I can't believe it... How did YOU come to possess those powers?" Soma grew confused as he spoke.

"What do you mean by 'those powers'?" Insanity filled Graham's eyes as he shouted.

"I'm Dracula. And you're not the one!" He screamed, adding to the blood-soaked ground as it turned into a monster that embodied both light and darkness in one, blood and skulls with angelic features of a colossal and the fight started once more, a larger target this time around as he swept at them and the skull halo blasted bolts of lightning at them before they struck him down once as he howled. "Nooo! This cannot be! Does this mean that I'm not Dracula?!" He howled as his form burst into flames, but the souls he collected roamed about the throne room as Kenmur spoke.

"Alex...?"

"Something... is not right." Suddenly, the black masses that must be souls charged, soaring passed the party and slamming into Soma as he called out.

"Wha... what's this? Whoa, something is... flowing into me! NO, WAIT! PLEASE... STOP! NOOOOOOO!" He screamed as the party was blasted back some, the light that came clearing as they got back up and stared at Soma, as he slowly got up and turned his hands over before Morgan spoke.

"Soma...?"

"Finally... I clearly understand... everything." He peered up and Morgan stepped back from the now red eyes donned with a dark look as Soma finished. "I am... Dracula." The party readied slightly for an attack as Soma threw his hands down and scoffed. "This is like a bad joke." He turned to them, or rather, the door behind them. "Come out, Arikado. I know you're here." They turned to the door opening and Genya Arikado stepping in, an aura of red surrounding him as he looked back with red eyes, but before anyone could speak, Soma shouted in upset. "Why did you force me to awaken!? I was just fine as I was."

"Yes, you weren't supposed to come to this castle in the first place."

"Then why did you make me come here!?" Soma pleaded as Genya hummed before he spoke again.

"Your soul and Dracula's magical powers are one and the same. No matter what we did, this day was destined to come. That being so, I decided to awaken you somewhere I could use MY powers." This puzzled Soma as he inquired for something, anything that could help.

"Huh? What do you mean? I don't understand."

"Because you are now one with him, an evil spirit must be flowing into you." The party turned back to Soma as he flexed his fingers.

"Yes. It started not too long ago, and it's slowly filling me up... I'm doing all that I can to keep from being consumed by it." A silent struggle that Soma was undertaking without anyone knowing it as Genya continued.

"Once you have finished absorbing all of it, his powers will be yours. You will then become the evil count... I do not want to let that happen!"

"Neither do I!" Soma shouted, the party drawing back some as it was clear that Soma was not happy, he was upset, grieved even to be burdened with the coat of the Dragon, of the Count Dracula when he just wanted to be Soma Cruz as Genya answered.

"I know. That is why I chose the dangerous route."

"The dangerous route?" Soma asked as Genya continued to explain.

"The evil in this spirit comes from those who seek chaos and destruction. So we need to cut off the source of the chaos influencing the spirit."

"Is that possible?"

"This castle is a product of Dracula's magic. It's a spiritual world." The party nodded as Genya continued to explain. "My point is this... a stream of chaos exists within this castle as well. There is a place where only you, Dracula, can go. That's where the chaos is!" Soma breathed as he spoke, resolve made as he spoke.

"I'll go, I'm not afraid... but what do I do once I get there?"

"You'll have to stop it using your own strength. You already succeeded in reaching the throne. I'm sure you can do it."

"If it will make me myself again, I'll do whatever it takes." Genya nodded as he stepped to the side and pointed down the way.

"As long as my powers continue to affect this place, the flow of the evil spirit into you will be slowed down. Go quickly!"

"I'm going... I appreciate your help..." Soma dashed away, obtaining the soul of the black panther, he did well to be silent, but no one could hide the tears that he had on his face, he was afraid as the party watched him leave before they spoke.

"We were aiding in Dracula's revival... this time, we willingly did it." Sapphire huffed as Morgan spoke next.

"We put our faith in him, and he goes and stabs us in the back, what a jerk..."

"What was once noble is now just as dark as the notion of humanity."

"I just can't believe that we trusted him in the first place." Kenmur huffed to Walhart's answer, Shanoa angry as well as she had her fair share of reviving the dark count, but stopped from adding to it as Alex had said nothing and turned just as he was fixing his gloves and walked over, Kenmu getting spun around before a resounding...

'SLAP!'

Silence filled the room as Kenmur slowly raised a hand to his now redden cheek, Alex speaking for the first time after the sudden reveal. "You should be ashamed of yourselves... How dare you, ANY OF YOU, make light Soma's new status?!" He lowered the offending hand as he continued to lecture them, even Genya's attention taken in surprise. "Soma never wished to be marked as the count of Transylvania, he never wished to be known as Dracula in the first place, he arrived here and has sought a way out of this blasted castle, the fact that you all completely discarded his humanity and labeling him as a monster... maybe it was wise he left, since our company is nothing more than monsters in the end." He stomped off with a swish of the cloak, the party left speechless, even Shanoa who clenched her fingers in front of her chest with bitten lip, she saw the look of disappointment in his eyes, he knew what she was thinking.

She collapsed to her knees... and cried in grief at how suddenly the tide had changed, Genya himself running a hand through his hair in grief as well as Mist held to Shanoa for comfort. "I'm sorry... I should have known that Alexander Helmsmith was a force in of himself, how blind have I, have we, been to dismiss his teachings as void, he has been trying to teach Soma control and restraint, he was far more greater in keeping the spirit back and away than anything I could have thought of..."

Soma headed through the Floating Gardens after saying... his farewells at the gate, knowing the way now that the Floating Garden was just the hidden path to this spirit, his lessons from Alex gone as he didn't know how to keep all the power away now and just pushed to press on, arriving to the causeway to where he needed to go before a voice spoke up. "Stop!" Soma turned with surprise as he asked to the man approaching him, Dracula's spite for the man and his line pulsing in vain to blast the man as Soma asked.

"Julius?" But the man spoke as he gripped his fists.

"So you were the one. I didn't want to believe it was true..." Soma nodded as he spoke.

"It's true. I am Dracula." He then shouted as he pleaded. "But I'm not what you think I am!"

"I must destroy Dracula at any cost. That is my destiny."

"NO, WAIT! I don't want to fight against you." The Vampire Killer was readied as Julius spoke once more with the leather weapon primed for action once more.

"Nothing you can say will stop me! Prepare to die!" Soma groaned as he dodged and readied his blade for combat, but the whip came fast and he focused on dodging before Julius spoke again. "You dodge well, but it will not be enough, take this." He floated into the air and Soma held as parts of the castle rumbled as Julius unleashed the might of Grand Cross, FAR more powerful than any of his ancestors in the past and it drained Soma some before he panted as Julius spoke again with the leather readied to strike again. "This is the end of the Count Dracula." The whip lashed as Soma grimaced that he could do more...

The crack came, but Soma didn't feel it as another voice spoke. "I will not let you strike my pupil any more, Julius Belmont." Soma glanced up as the cloak bellowed as Alexander stood between him and Julius, his arm wrapped in the coil, hand gripping the head as Julius spoke.

"An agent of Dracula, I believed you were following on blind faith, but you are committed to the dark lord's power, are you not?"

"Me? An agent of Dracula?" Alex scoffed as he ripped the cloak away, it shredding itself to Alexander's reveal of muscles, of a combat attire of a sparring man, and that of a scholar as he spoke once more, eyes aglow with power. "Then perhaps I need to show you JUST WHAT I CAN DO!" Julius pulled fasted as the castle actually shook and greater pieces descended below, both surprised to the surge of power that Alexander unleashed as he glared at Julius from a torrent of blue, his eyes piercing through as he spoke.

"I am the son of a world I had left behind, I am the heir of a power left forbidden and extinct, I am the man who traveled through time itself to meet your blood to the very beginning of your crusade against the darkness, and I am the one who aided them in their fight against that same evil." Julius toppled down to the power as Alex continued, his steps changing the very stone to both molten stone and living plants. "You WILL NOT pass judgement upon Soma Cruz, he has come here to sever the connection of chaos his soul is bound to, and you will NOT interfere with his choice, Herald of the Belmont lineage!" Julius gulped before he stood up and, to Soma's surprise, coiled the whip as the power faded and Alex was left standing still as he gazed at Julius as he spoke.

"Indeed, I remember who you are now, Alexander, you... are correct." He glanced to the still-toppled Soma as he spoke. "... When I fought you, I felt the evil spirit within you. But there's more... I also sensed Soma's spirit. And that's more than enough to stop me." Soma breathed before he stood up and walked past Alex as he spoke.

"... I've got a favor to ask of you."

"What is it?"

"From here, I will set off to fight against my own fate." He peered at his hand before he gripped it tight. "If I lose the battle... and become the reincarnation of evil, I want you to kill me." Julius was quiet before he answered back, a weight off his shoulders as he accepted.

"... I will... I promise."

"Thanks... now I can go into this battle without reservations."

"Farewell, my friend. Don't let me use that whip again." Soma nodded as he headed on, Alex adorning himself in another cloak as he followed Soma forward, they approaching the pedestal as the eclipse crossed once more and they entered the place where chaos was free to roam, the Chaotic Realm as Alex spoke.

"Are you ready, Soma Cruz?"

"I... I think so..." Soma answered as he gripped his hands for the mission before him. "I am just wondering if I can do this..."

"Not everyone gets to learn about their powers more deeply than under me; If I saw potential..." Alex smiled as he finished. "...Then I saw you being the best student I ever had to teach, now let us find the true source of chaos." Soma nodded as they traveled through the chaotic realm, fighting the monsters that made their homes there before they arrived to a darkened room with a single column of violet light and Soma approached it, Alex peering at it as well and feeling the wellspring of chaos trapped on the other side and waiting to take and mold Soma into its contracted host.

"I'm finally here... I wonder if I can do this alone..." Another voice spoke, its echoing to the pair.

"You're not alone." Soma stammered to Mina's voice as he uttered in confusion.

"Wha... what?"

"Everyone remaining in the castle combined their powers to contact you." Soma looked down as he asked, Alex hummed as well.

"Does that mean they all know... that I'm Dracula?"

"Yes... Arikado told us everything..."

"I bet they're all afraid of me..."

"No, not at all!" This surprised Soma as Mina continued. "At first, we were shocked. But everyone believes you'll get through this. I'm going to send you a message from them now. Listen..." The other voices echoed to Soma as they somehow filled up Soma's soul.

"You'll visit my shop again, won't ya? I'll be waitin' for ya." Hammer cheered as Yoko took over.

"Good morning, Soma. I just heard about what happened to you... I told you this before... You are who you are, and you mustn't let him win."

"To the man who beat me... don't disappoint me now." Julius answered with Genya behind him.

"This is your last chance, and ours as well. I'm counting on you..." Before long, another series filled the echo, Soma's soul beaming brighter than before as he heard them.

"It's not everyday that I get to meet such a guy, you just get back here and I will treat you like a proper guy for the fight!"

"I was mad, sure, but if Alex believes in you, then you are okay in my books!"

"Sir Alexander is not one to put idle trust in people, you have earned his trust and his mentor-ship."

"Once I get my clothing shop back up, I WILL make you some nicer duds, it's the least I can do for a guy who is single-handily the tough guy I have come to know, behind Alex of course."

"You can do it! Win, win, win!"

"I was a member devoted to stopping evil, now I see that I too allowed my own vice to control me. Please, return home safely, I have come to trust you and I know my love knows his own trust better than others." Tear fell down Soma's face as he spoke.

"They're all... rooting for me..."

"... You can do it... because I believe in you." He wiped away the tears as he answered to their calls.

"Mina... Alright, here I go!" He headed in and nodded to Alex giving him a smile before he was taken into the darkness and to a chaotic realm, the souls abandoning him to the hands of three statues, but he was not done in as he shouted. "If you think that I will bend to your power, I will not bend to this fate, this is my life, not your show!" The statues attacked him, but he destroyed them and the souls returned before darkness overtook him again and the core revealed with eyes peering back as he wielded the lightning in his palms and shouted. "I am Soma Cruz, my power may be that of Dracula's, but I am a student of Alexander Helmsmith and I will NOT fall to you!" A skeletal dragon surged through the openings of the realm as the core fought back, to break him and turn him into the count, but he struck, destroying the eyes with both power and skill before destroying the core, the pulse of a beat disappearing before the core cracked and shattered, the link disappearing as the castle was ripped to pieces and disappeared into the moon once more, never to come again...

Soma breathed as he felt... like he was floating in an abyss of light as voices spoke to him, the silence he had ending as Yoko spoke in thanks. "Hello, Soma. Congratulations. I've got another job that I must attend to, so I have to go now. When I heard that YOU were Dracula, I was shocked... I was also just waking up, you know. If you think about it, though, everything turned out OK." She laughed before continuing. "... I'll never forget your strength and courage. And I haven't thanked you yet for rescuing me. So... thanks. You're like a younger brother to me. It was fun, and I hope we meet again. Goodbye." Her voice faded as Hammer was the next to speak.

"Hey there! Much obliged for your business at my shop. Back at the castle, I realized my true calling. Fighting's not for me. I think I'll quit the army and open up a shop sometime soon. Promise me you'll come. I'll give ya a good deal." Julius was next as he felt the burden given lifting for now.

"You fought well. When we fled the castle, I felt the power from Vampire Killer fading away. I don't know what that means. But I won't have to do anything for the time being. Farewell. May we meet again." Genya was next as he spoke, those fragmented memories giving Soma a real name, but Alucard was his own person and he was thankful for that.

"The path you took was the most challenging one. You did well. For God to be good, evil is an absolute necessity in this world. In the future, someone may follow again in Dracula's dark footsteps. At that time, perhaps we'll meet again. Farewell... In my mother's name, I send thanks to you." The abyss started to fade away to Mina's voice rousing Soma.

"...Wake up... Wake up... Wake..." Soma slowly came to in Mina's arms, back at the shrine as she spoke again in rousing Soma. "Wake up... Wake up, Soma." He groaned before Mina exclaimed in joy. "Soma! Oh, thank God! I was so worried about you... Arikado told me that you would be okay, but I was worried. I thought you would never wake up." Soma pulled himself to get up and stand with Mina standing up as well as he spoke about the short abyss he felt.

"I heard everybody's voices... You saved my life... again!"

"AGAIN?" Mina was skeptical about that Soma continued.

"Yes... I couldn't have won the last battle by myself. Everyone's kind words and encouragement led me to victory..."

"I'm so glad that your experience didn't change you."

"But it DID change me..." Mina raised a brow as she asked.

"In what way?" To that, Soma jokingly swept his hair back like one of those hot-rod riders.

"I'm a lot cooler now!" Mina rolled her eyes as she answered back.

"Yeah... you HAVE changed. The old Soma would never have said that." He nodded before resting a hand on his chest as he turned to the eclipse, strange how such a thing had happened and now, he had the powers of something more.

"Remember, inside of me, Dracula's power lies sleeping. It may not be evil anymore, but, it's definitely changed me." Mina closed the gap as she spoke.

"It's OK. If anything ever happens again, everyone will rush to your aid."

"That's right. I guess they will. Look, the eclipse has ended. Your kind words gave me the strength to win... Thanks..." They watched as the eclipse came to an end, her hand slipping into his own as they just watched as the solar eclipse, the one that had sealed Dracula's castle thirty six years ago, came to an end, the clouds hiding the sun still before Soma spoke. "Wait, what about...?"

"Honestly, I was expecting a bit more of a moment than that conversation cutter." Both glanced up to one of the trees to find the party in it, Mina in awe as Soma blushed red at the cocky smiles on some of them as he spoke.

"What the heck are you guys doing in that tree!?"

"Relaxing..." Alex answered as he jumped and landed before surging over and speaking again to Mina up close. "By the way, Soma wouldn't want you to know, but I have some pictures of something that happened in the castle earlier." Soma glowed red as Mina whispered in confusion.

"What is it?"

"N-Nothing, Mina! He is bluffing...!" That only went for a short bit before Alex pulled out... pics of the Mina Une and Soma's hair stood on up in shock as Mina blushed as well before he yelped in reaching for the pictures. "Give me those pictures!"

"Ah, young apprentice, you have much to learn before you earn these." Alexander laughed as Soma took off to get them, the party watching as well before laughing at the chase going as Shanoa spoke.

"Thanks for giving us a reason to keep going, Alex, and I know I have already gotten your acceptance, but once more... I am sorry for turning so swiftly at the revelation." She glanced to the eclipse with Mist by her side as Death's words echoed while they were waiting for Soma to awaken again.

'I can not see any more futures where your actions are required, live in this world of the future and rest assured, I have both the belief that he will not turn to darkness and the honest loyalty to see him rise to the throne, keep him well, it is his choice to make...'