Gwendolyna lay in the bed she had shared with Richter so many nights, clinging to the pillow that still smelled of him as she wept into it.  As Alucard instructed, she saved all her prayers for Richter’s safety while simultaneously mourning her life with him.  No outcome looked promising to her.  Should Alucard succeed in stopping him without hurting him, he’d be free of the curse.  His proper state of mind would return and he’d no longer need her to taunt Dracula.  Between the two hunters, Castlevania would once again be sent back from whence it came, sealing her with it.  If Alucard didn’t, Dracula’s resurrection would be complete and there would no longer be any need for Richter.  She hated to think what would become of him once he was no longer of use to whatever had cursed him.  Victory or defeat, what they had was over, and gone was everything that made her feel like she was alive.

The Belmont may never had truly been hers, but losing him was devastating all the same.  She could not face eternity without him.  Her sorrow was so profound that part of her could understand why her sire turned to madness and revenge so many centuries ago.  However, Gwen could blame no one but herself.  There was none else she could pin her wrath on.  She was the one who told Alucard where to find him, and she was the one foolish enough to fall in love with him in the first place.  If she knew where she could find a stake, she’d drive it through her own breaking heart.  She’d certainly find herself in hell, but she was grateful to have had a taste of heaven while it lasted.

Through her tears, she could pay no mind to the world around her.  She did not hear the rushed footsteps that approached the room, nor the door as it swung open.

“Gwendolyna!  There you are!”

The sound of her name was so foreign, she initially failed to recognize she was being addressed.  Once repeated, she lifted her head off the bed and sat at attention when she noticed her company.

“Lady Gwen,” Richter exhaled.  He appeared to be flushed from exertion.  “Oh, thank goodness.  I’ve been looking all over the castle for you.”

Gwendolyna could hardly believe her eyes.  It was indeed her beloved Richter!  He was disheveled and drenched in sweat, but otherwise stood before her unscathed.

“Lord Belmont!”

“Lord?  You need not refer to me as that,” he said, accompanied with a slight chuckle.  “I am no lord.”

Something about him had changed.  The look in his eyes was softer.  The tone his voice took lacked the haughty air she had gotten used to hearing.  He had referred to her by name, rather than insults or pet names, and it wasn’t spat out in disdain.  Her heart fluttered upon realizing Alucard was successful.  The curse must have finally been lifted.  Not only had he not perished, but more miraculously, he did indeed return to her like he had promised.

“But never mind formalities, we haven’t time to spare, milady,” said Richter.  “I must get you out of here.  Dracula has been resurrected and Alucard has sought him out.  I fear if you remain in this castle, we shan’t meet again.”

“Richter…  What are you saying?”

“I cannot allow your existence to end,” he put it bluntly.  “I have enough to regret as it stands.  Should I allow this light to be consumed by the darkness, I’d surely live in shame for the rest of my days.  I wish to save you from this place.”

He took a step closer and held out his hand.

“Lady Gwendolyna, let us leave Castlevania.  Together.”

She rose to her feet and reached for his out turned hand, but drew back and averted her eyes.  As delighted as she was to have Richter return to her and offer her escape, she feared it may not be that easy.  It had been centuries since she stepped foot outside of the grounds of Castlevania.  She knew not what the world beyond this castle had in store for her.  She was apprehensive, unable to foresee anything but pain.  She was but a child the last time she was out and set to be executed.  Now, as a vampire, she couldn’t imagine any sort of warm reception among the living.  Her kind should not roam the earth.  Her kind definitely shouldn’t burden a Belmont.

“I mustn’t,” she said.  “‘Tis my destiny to stay in this cursed place.”

“‘Tis not,” insisted Richter.  “I know your heart, Gwen.  You are far too pure to remain in such desolation.”

Pure.

She clutched her chest.  She never thought such a word would apply to herself.  She hadn’t considered herself pure in well over two centuries.  Tears welled in the lady’s eyes and she crumbled to his feet.

“I know I am not worthy, Richter Belmont,” she sobbed.  “A monster such as myself does not deserve your salvation.  Please, spare yourself and retreat from this place before it is too late.”

“Monster?”

Richter crouched down to her level.  Her chin was tilted so that cobalt and amber eyes met.  She’d looked into those eyes many times since being claimed by him, but never had they looked at her in such a light.  They glistened.  The corners crinkled as he offered her a reassuring smile.

“Yes, you are a vampire, but a monster, you are not.  I apologize sincerely for my part in making you believe that.  I was wrong; Dracula was wrong.  Your father, your village.  Everyone who ever convinced you of that was wrong.  Rid your mind of such false notions,” he said unto her.  “Gwen…  Can’t you see?  You were my salvation.  Do not think your tireless efforts had gone unnoticed.  My redemption is owed in part to you.”

His thumb stroked the tear that trailed down her cheek.

“Listen to my words, Gwendolyna.  I swear on my lineage that there is nothing but truth in what I am about to say to you.  Believe these words are from my soul.  No longer am I under any influence.  I feel my mind has never been as sound as it is in this moment.  I can say this to you now, with my whole heart,” Richter said.  She stared at him in absolute reverence, breath metaphorically bated in anticipation of the words that would follow.  “I love you.”

His confession left her speechless.  She felt she would continue to live for all eternity without hearing them uttered to her by anyone, let alone Richter Belmont.  She could do nothing but shake her head in disbelief.

“I mean it.  I love you.  Even possessed, you touched my tainted heart.  Your companionship was the only touch of humanity I had felt during my time under the spell.  Without you, who knows what kind of monster I could have become.  I care not what runs through your veins.  If anyone deserves salvation, ‘tis you.”

Tears began to fall harder, prompting Richter to pull her into an embrace.  He shushed her and rubbed her back as he held her against his chest.  The sound of his heart still beating was such a comfort.  Listening to it, she found herself calming down.  She didn’t lift her head as he reached into his coat between them, but did when she felt familiar linen dab her damp cheeks.

“Yes, this is yours.  I took it from you,” he laughed softly as he wiped her tears with her own handkerchief.  “To remind me of my weakness to you.  If you promise to stay with me as my reminder instead, I may let you have it back.”

Through her sniffles, a smile began to form.  Her fingers folded over his, enclosing the handkerchief in his grip.

“You may keep it,” she said.  “And me as well, if you so wish.”

“I do wish.”  A sly smile formed on Richter’s face.  “Now leave with me, or I shall be forced to carry you out over my shoulder.”

It took Gwen a few seconds to process Richter’s statement, but when she did, she couldn’t help but giggle.

“There’s your smile,” he said, pulling her in once more and kissing her cheek.  With a squeeze, he added, “I shall never get over how beautiful it is to see.”

He rose to his feet, holding his hand down for her to accept to pull her to her feet as well.

“Gwen, stay behind me out here,” he warned her as they approached the door.  “The castle has turned against me, and I fear you too will not be spared from its wrath.”

She acknowledged this with a nod.  With her hand in his, he guided her to the door.

Outside the chamber, a young woman was waiting.  The sight of her confused Gwen, as she was no creature that belonged in Castlevania, but she hadn’t time to ask questions before the other noticed the pair.

“Oh!  Have you found her, Richter?” the woman asked.

“I did indeed.  Maria, this is Lady Gwendolyna,” Richter said.  “Gwen, this is my sister, Maria.”

The vampire peeked out from behind him and offered a shy wave.

“Nice to meet you!” Maria said.  “I’m so glad we found you!  Richter seems mad about you.”

“… Maria,” Richter mumbled, hiding his blushing face behind his hand.  “Now is not the time for teasing.”

Both she and Gwen giggled, causing the man’s face to flush brighter.

“Sorry, Richter,” said Gwen with a sympathetic squeeze of his hand.  “Lead us out of here, please.”

With a nod, he led the women down the corridor.

The three stayed together as they navigated the labyrinth which was Castlevania.  Gwen felt helpless compared to Richter and Maria as they powered through.  The other two were doing everything in their power to keep her safe, and she had nothing on her to defend herself.  She stayed as close to Richter as she could without getting in his way.

Out of nowhere, a large rumble quaked the castle, so great it caused pillars to crumble and fall.  In the scramble to avoid getting trapped beneath one, Gwen ended up separated from Maria and Richter.  She pulled herself to her feet and attempted to crawl over the pile of stone, but a voice had her stopping in her tracks.

“No, you don’t.”

Gwen froze, recognizing that arrogant tone at once.

“You!” she exclaimed, spinning around upon seeing the one she considered her rival.  “I thought you were slain!”

The succubus cackled as she stepped closer.

“With the resurrection of my master, his fallen forces have too been called forth out of hell to put an end to all who oppose him,” she revealed.  “You think you can betray Lord Dracula and run away to a happily ever after?  You and your Belmont can meet your demise together.  How romantic!  Or perhaps I should make you watch as I kill your beloved and leave you to suffer with that for the rest of your cursed existence…”  Gwen stared her down as cast her eyes in Richter’s direction.  If looks alone could kill, the vampire would have claimed her very first victim the moment she smiled at him.  “Don’t worry, Richter.  It’d be a terrible waste to get rid of a man as beautiful as you.”  After winking at him, she looked back at Gwen.  “That Belmont would make such a good pet, don’t you agree?  I bet he’s learned all sorts of tricks from you, too!  I think I’ll send you to hell so I can have him to play with myself.”

Gwen cast her eyes down, fuming at the crude implications.  When she glanced down, she noticed the holy whip had fallen from Richter’s grasp and onto the ground on her side of the rubble.  Without a second thought, she lunged for it while the demon was distracted by her monologue.

“Hah!” the succubus laughed as Gwendolyna stood with the weapon in her grasp.  “How cute!  The little vampiress thinks she’s a Belmont!  My, you really have spent far too much time with him.”

Gwen did not fall for her taunting.  She had intended to hand the whip back to Richter, but when she looked over, she noticed he was still struggling to move the fallen pillars out of his way so he could get to her.  With no other choice, she raised the whip above her head.  It buzzed with energy, emanating heat against her palm.  It was nothing she hadn’t felt before at this point, so she tightened her grip.

“Just what do you expect to do with that?” asked the succubus with a smirk.  “Have you forgotten you too are a monster?”

“No,” she said with a shake of her head.  “I’ve not forgotten anything.  ‘Tis true.  A Belmont, I may not be, and a vampire, I am…  But a monster, I am not.”

“Very well!”  With a gust, the succubus’s wings opened.  “If you want to play mortal, then prepare to die like one!”

The succubus flew in Gwen's direction.  The vampiress quickly mimicked the motions she had seen Richter perform countless times.  With a loud snap, she sent the other woman backwards, causing her to skid across the marble floor.  An ugly wound was left across her bare chest.  Flesh was torn and bubbled.  The demon lay stunned that the hit landed.

“Magnificent, Gwen!  Do that again,” she heard Richter shout to her.  “Before she gets up!”

Gwen raised the whip, but the succubus dodged it the moment it was cracked.

“You got lucky the first time,” she hissed as she took to the air.  “Now that I know you’re not as weak as you look, I won’t go easy on you, little vampire.”

She swooped towards Gwen, who ducked and rolled out of the way.  The succubus then shot projectiles from her wings, which the vampiress only narrowly avoided before scrambling to her feet.  Gwen had sworn that she had dodged the attack, but somehow, she still felt like she had taken damage.  The right side of her body ached, but she had no option but to continue fighting back.  With a wince, she cracked the whip again.  This time she missed, allowing the succubus to get closer in an attempt to attack her. 

Gwen couldn’t let it end here.  She was so close to freedom, so close to escaping Castlevania after all this time, so close to a living a life of that once-impossible sounding fantasy of being loved by Richter.  With tears brimming her eyes, she took a step back and tried once more.  It struck the demon, who let out a pained shriek.

“She sounds weak,” Richter called out.  “Finish her off!”

Gritting her teeth, Gwen flicked her wrist again, and again, striking the succubus until she disappeared with a screech and a burst of light.

“Gwen!  That’s my vampire!” exclaimed Richter.  “You did it!”

Gwendolyna wanted to rejoice with Richter, but found she could only stand still and speechless, clutching the whip as she stared off in the direction where the succubus had been.

“… Lady Gwen?” asked Maria when she did not move.

She dropped the whip, revealing that holding the handle of the holy weapon had left blisters on her palm.  Even as her vision blurred, the gruesome sight made her sick.  As she swayed where she stood, she looked to Richter, attempting to cast him one last smile before crumpling to the ground.

Maria gasped as Richter shouted her name.  With his sister’s help, he scrambled to push the remaining wreckage out of his way.  Once enough was moved that it was safe to climb over, he rushed to her side.

“Gwen!” he said as he scooped her into his arms.  “Gwendolyna, speak to me!”

Even as he shook her, she was unresponsive.

“No,” he choked out.  “No, dammit!  Not again!  Gwen, please.  Wake up!”

Another great rumble caused the castle to shake as he held her to his chest. 

“Richter, the castle is crumbling!” Maria told him.  “We need to get out fast!”

With a shaky exhale, Richter nodded before scooping up his whip, coiling it, and hooking it to his belt.  He pulled Gwen into his arms again.

“Gwendolyna,” he whispered into her ear, so soft Maria wouldn’t hear.  “Gwen, don’t make me carry you out over my shoulder.  You know I’ll do it.”

In his heart, he hoped his joke would wake her, but it was not met with a smile or a soft laugh.  He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.  Out of respect, he wouldn’t do that to her.  After everything, she deserved to at least make it out of Castlevania with dignity.  Though he wouldn’t be able to defend himself, he hoisted her up, rising to his feet while holding her like a bride.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said.

Maria nodded, and the two resumed seeking out the castle’s entrance.  It was no easy task.  Maria's familiars took care of the monsters that crossed their path since Richter's hands were full.  Thankfully, many had scattered due to the castle falling down around them.  He was aware of the crack of walls as Castlevania grew unstable, but it felt like it was his world that was crashing down around him.