Rain

Disclaimer: I don't own Hellsing or it's characters, nor am I making any money from this. My original characters contained within, Rathlan, Yosh and the Taisho mark belong to me so please don't use without asking permission. Thanks. My original work, “Death of An Angel” is solely mine and I ask that you don't use or borrow it without permission as well. There's a mention of an anime event, although I don't think I mentioned any of the manga elements. However, if I did I'm sure Ludifer will call me on it. :)



Rain



Chapter 4: The Ties That Bind



Lightning arched from slender fingertips, heat rose as electricity danced around the petite woman, surrounding her in a sphere of bluish-white energy. Thoughts in her head intensified, driving her mad. Raising a hand towards her master whips of colored heat lashed out knocking both Alucard and Dru to the wall. They wanted to fight back, but were hesitant. One of them still needed to maneuver close enough to verify her eyes. Then it would end.



Dru winced as Seras' mental screams assailed his mind. Concentrating, blocking out the pain and pressure, he lowered the piercing sounds making them bearable. Glancing over at Alucard, he grew angry when he realized that not only was the ancient vampire ignoring the high-pitched shouts and pleas, but he was answering a challenge put forth by her. Dru would go so far to say that the vampire was aroused by the power Seras emitted. But he might get himself killed if he's to reckless, Dru thought as he ran his hands through his dark locks. The Sephiroth watched in fascinated amazement as Alucard approached the emotionally and elementally violent female.



Alucard now stood before her. Her psychic thought patterns didn't seem chaotic and evil as suggested in Dru's information. Panicked sentences streamed from her mind to his, calling for help, begging for him to tell her what was happening to her. Automatically he turned the volume down, shouting wasn't great on anyone's ears especially for a vampire who's naturally over sensitive to sounds.



“Seras, calm yourself. You control these things. Don't let them control you.”



“I don't know how, master. I'm afraid...” Her face twisted as an unknown source of pain shot through her and she bit back a curse.



Alucard watched her suffering in fury. Drumir had told him that when she woke she'd be a new creature, not that she'd still be writhing in agony still. Had his friend lied or withheld information? “Dru? What the hell's going on? You said nothing of this before!” A shadowed arm shot out to grab Dru by the throat to force him, if necessary to reveal the required answers, but the shadow assassin disappeared before the tendril could reach him, and he reappeared by the vampire's side.



“I've never encountered this, Alucard. If I can get close enough and look at her eyes I'll know for sure, but these powers usually aren't bestowed upon Sephiroths. They usually are given to female's who traverse the path of the Hell Goddess. If she's turned there's only one option...”



“I know”, Alucard snapped. Her pain bit at him. Such conflicted feelings and hurt trapped within such a small creature. He was about to say something when she mentally screamed.



“I can't take this anymore!”



Lightning crackled, whips spun faster creating a splendid, beautiful, yet deadly, light show. Then with a loud crack the light brightened and the two males were forced to cover their sensitive eyes. Heat blasted within the stone confines, energy danced around them as Seras released more and more energy. Without warning the blinding brightness and deafening thunder ceased, the last remaining sound echoed, fading, then dying into an awkward silence.



Sensitive ears recovering from the booming sounds, eyes adjusting under lids to the brilliant flashes of light, which promptly died, both their hands dropped. Crimson and green eyes slowly fluttered. When they opened them she was gone.



“Alucard, what are we going to do now?”



Eyes narrowed, staring at her vacant spot he smirked in response to the invitation. “Find her, of course. Let's go.”



“Does she have any number of places she visits when she's upset?”



“She's a woman, Dru. They all do.” Irritation clearly evident in biting sarcasm which fell from his lips.



“No wonder she left! If you acted like that all the time...I'd have left your sorry ass, too!” With his arms crossed, Drumir glared at Alucard, unafraid of the retaliation the vampire could bring. But then again, Dru being a Sephiroth, he contained more power than Alucard. He just never flaunted it, or his attitude, as did Alucard. Subtle was the path Dru took. He always did his job, never looked back, and was one of the best at eliminating targets picked out by his employers, which Rathlan just so happened to head up. Not that Dru liked it, but it paid good and it enabled him to keep an eye on newer Sephir recruits, making sure they stayed in line and walked it straight.



“Alucard, would it kill you to be a little more sensitive towards her for once”, he questioned. Truth be told, Dru worried about her. She needed understanding, space and a friendly face. Someone to tell her things were gonna be okay and that she wasn't alone. “Seras is transitioning into a strange, new life. All she's known is you and being a vampire. That's it. Now, she's having to soak in information that's difficult for her to process, information that has changed her entire way of life, with you. She needs understanding, my friend. And she needs you. Whatever you do don't leave her in the cold or Rathlan or Yosh are bound to get to her, twisting and manipulating her to their way of thinking. Don't let it happen”, he warned, brows knitted, and eyes pleading.



Growling a warning, Alucard seethed, “Don't push your luck.” Nodding to his friend they both fell back into the shadow's, welcomed by it's dark, quiet embrace.



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Seras, exhausted by the massive energy exerted earlier fell back against the stone wall. The familiar surroundings disturbed and comforted her. Running trembling fingers across the surface, she remembered the night she first met him here. Cheddar. Her back falling against the wall outside the demolished church her mind ran away, remembering the dreaded, frightening moments which had haunted her for so long. Her unit, her friends, all she'd known, dead and gone. And no one left to remember her. How sad. Yet she felt no tears for she had been given a respite, a chance that few would ever have. The chance to live another life without fear of dying before her time. She was already dead. Wasn't life in itself a mockery at times?



Whispering the names of her former unit reverently, she prayed for them silently hoping they'd found their way. They'd suffered enough in their last waking moments. It wasn't too much to ask for their souls to find peace.



Her unit had been sent in to deal with a vampire masquerading as a priest when their unit had been attacked by zombies, wiping out everyone in D-11 but her. And those fated events led her straight to the man, creature, who would change her fate for all time. Sometimes she had her doubts about her choice, but wasn't that human? And didn't races other than human do the same? Have regrets about something or someone? She could honestly admit that occasionally, yes, she regretted her choice, but she never regretted Alucard, himself. Her master had given her the opportunity to live again, change the things that could be and learn to live with those that couldn't.



During her introspection, loud screaming and shouting broke her concentration. The violence that surrounded her from all around. Suddenly standing outside, Seras searched for zombies, freaks, or Hellsing units that would certainly be on her trail. No one. Why was she hearing these things? Why now? Before all was quiet and now...her ears, the noise, pained her.



A dark voice whispered, “You were their angel. They mourn you. Who else do they have to turn to?”



“Who are you and what do you want?”



Chuckling lowly, shadowed tones reverberated around her, in the air and in the ground. “You were of the light, Seras, an angel, a beauty to behold, until you allowed that rubbish Alucard to taint you. So I took it upon myself to create you in my image- a dark angel, a Goddess worthy of the fires of Hell, itself, an assassin powerful enough to overthrow the hold your master has and join me in destroying Hellsing.”



“I'll never do that”, she swore quietly, firmly, “and you can't make me.”



“Oh? Can't I?” The voice stayed quiet for a moment and then spoke again. “My dear, I'll leave you with a few images to change your mind.” For a moment the glint in his eyes softened, pity filled them only to harden again, his voice harsh. “There is no choice, Seras, no other way. This is how it shall be and the faster you accept the inevitable the better you'll be.”



She screamed as a pair of invisible fingers thrust themselves into her forehead injecting horrible pictures. Everyone she knew roasting in the fires of Hell, Alucard dismembered, bleeding and being torn to pieces by creatures she couldn't name. Creatures with wings, fangs, claws and grotesque faces. Creatures resembling gargoylesque type demons that haunted many a nightmare, causing many to fear the unknown simply because of their nightmares. Terrors that dug in and held on, relentlessly pressing those into madness. Tears welled as she felt the misery, pain and untold suffering that flew through her mind's eyes.



More images flashed. Her father, mother, everyone she knew screamed, cried out to her as demonic creatures of all sorts and sizes feasted on their flesh and souls. Integra and Walter, tossed around like bloody corpses, their eyes frozen in accusation. They all cried out for her to save them only she knew she couldn't. This would be one time she couldn't save anyone. She couldn't save herself.



She could hear their every plea begging for her help, for her to save them. Screams of terror so real that her head pounded with the echoing sounds. Clutching at her chest, terror striking deep, fear taking hold, she gasped, “I can't save them. I can't save them.” Her words faded; tears welled within crimson depths as the magnitude of the suffering to come struck and overwhelmed her. “Their pain...suffering...so great. Why must you do this?”



“Because it's what they want and it's what I want. They beg for it.” Flinging his shadowed arm in a wide arc he shouted, “They deserve it, Seras. For all their pettiness, smallness, lack of understanding, deep hatred for each other and no tolerance.” A wisp of black smoke caressed her face, wiping away a tear, “And most of all they deserve to be tortured and killed for causing you such despair and pain, my dear. You, their angel, who was meant to save them can now only join them in the depths of despair for your own sins.”



Dropping to her knees, she whispered over and over, “No, no, no, please don't let this be true”, she prayed to an unseen deity above.



“Oh, what? You think he's going to save you? Doubt that. Besides, you forsook all his help the moment you took Alucard's hand and willingly stepped into darkness. Since that time he's turned your back on you.”



“I don't believe it! He never abandons those who truly believe in him, so don't give me that!”



Her eyes dawned in realization. “That's it, isn't it? You're afraid of him. Not just him, but someone else, aren't you?” His silence gave her his answer. Laughing, she flung his fear back into his face in retribution for tormenting her. “Imagine that? You do fear someone! The big, bad shadow afraid...of who? Would it be my master? No, I don't think it's him, is it?” Smirking as she moved to her next guess, she fired off, “Well, if it isn't my master then it must be...it has to be!” Eyes fiery and aglow with triumph she laughed as she said, “You're afraid of Dru!”



Infuriated with her disrespect, he launched forward pressing his fingers back into her skull, talons piercing her bone; stabbing into her mind he began the horrendous images again. “I see you haven't learned how to speak to a superior yet. Don't worry. I'll tame you, yet. You already have the makings of a perfect, dark assassin with the mouth to match.”



His gaze lightened somewhat as a memory struck deep. “Oh, that's right. Before I forget, Seras, I have a gift for you.”



Pain encompassing her senses, she attempted to concentrate on his voice and not the wind picking up speed around them. “What...gift”, she hissed.



“I've written a little something for you. It's called The Death of An Angel. It's what will happen to you should you be disobedient and continue to help these filthy mortals. So in honor of you...here goes.” Clearing his throat, standing tall, his deep voice flowed forth foretelling her fate if she chose the wrong path.



“Watching the world amid heavenly colors, layered hues tint my unprejudiced eyes. Observing the world, the good, the evil, crystal tears fall watering the surface below me. Sadness, unhappiness. Feelings which overwhelm my peaceful soul. White wings wither from negativity and pain, leaving me to plummet from ethereal skies.”



“Why must these things be? Can people not see? Blindness, their eyes induced ignorance, their pain becomes my own. Human misery clouds my vision, varied colorful facets now gray. Nothing will be realized, no faults admitted, everyone will carry on the same, day after day.”



“Surroundings have dimmed, my eyes unseeing as those below. Skin so cold- my heart broken, human follies- the cause of my pain. I cry out for them to cease such foolishness, silence echoes back. My eyes close one final time, remembering, my birth, my death, an irreversible finality. The death of an angel.”



Fingers deeply embedded in her head, Seras staggered to her feet hissing with pain. “You call that a gift? Your rhetoric bored the shit out of me! My ears hurt from your lack of poetic wording and phrasing. Could you not find some other way in which to torment me? Alucard even knows how to speak the language of poetry without screwing it up.” She felt a force building within. An uncontrollable spirit ramming at the barriers holding it prisoner. It wanted to be free and soon she didn't think she'd be able to hold it back.



Withdrawing from her mind, he lifted his hand in attempt to strike her, but when she raised her eyes to meet his he knew he'd just added one more person to fear to his list. Hell burned in her eyes. Grabbing his arm, Seras poured energy, crimson colored lightning into the appendage causing it to shrink and burn down to the bone.



“Not able to hide in the shadows anymore, are you? And I bet you're wondering how I accomplished that, right? Suffice it to say that I allowed your pitiful survey into my mind in order to gain a grip on you and find your location. I gained my info through the brief pain I suffered. I used what I had gleaned to bring you forth without letting you easily fall back.”



“No, that can't be. You're not old enough to possess such strategic planning”, he replied shocked.



“Wanna bet”, she fired back sarcastically, “I was a cop for a while and that gave me enough insight to know that I had to think quick on my feet and never give up. And when dealing with the supernatural...you have to look beyond the obvious. That's how it's always been and always will be, so deal with it, Yosh.”



“You knew?” His mind reeled. He'd never said his name yet she was aware of his name.



“I'm blond and dead, Yosh, not stupid. You said you'd chosen to create me in your image so I surmised you were the bastard who gave me the Taisho. Don't ever underestimate me because I'm female. I'll surprise you every time.” She bit her lip, feeling the energy well in her core; spreading to her limbs flooding her with tremendous amounts of strength, giving her the ability to do almost anything. It was here.



The time had arrived. His meaningless ramblings procured her enough time to build on an even greater energy than she'd previously unleashed. He'd wanted torture, pain and Hell, well, she was about to bring it. In spades.



Her inner Sephiroth kicked in and she began to glow. Blue-white energy enfolded her, forcing the unseen hand from her mind. Lightning shot out spearing the culprit, hisses of fury escaped the shadowy form as he safely retreated from her burning form.



The gale-force wind took his shout as he watched in amazed terror at the sight before him. Seras' entire body glowed blue, a shield of some sort flowed around her, an iridescent white-blue, spherical shield protected her as streaks of energy swiftly ran around her, caressing her, empowering her. Blond hair, long in length, suddenly adopted light streaks of blue throughout her tresses. Crimson eyes, once the color of blood, now alight with pale bluish-white mixed with a subtle green tinting. She was fighting for what remained inside. The Seras who wanted to remain a Sephiroth, the one who wanted to refuse being a Hell Goddess, fought for all she was worth.



First, her plans included taking out the dirty bastard before her. Then she'd see where that led.



Yosh pulled his shadows from the skies and the ground as he prepared himself for a fight. A fight he didn't believe she could win as her mind fought against the division that raged there. Sephiroth. Hell Goddess. Which would surface? His supernatural longevity depended on her.



Twirling his hands, muttering ancient spells, he cast a column of fire at her which she easily wiped away with a swipe of her delicate hand. Sending his shadows into the ground, they erupted under her feet. Seras leaped into the air, the gnarled, ghostly limbs missing her by inches.



His hands entwined, chanting increasing in volume, he weaved a powerful spell to wrap her in the Chains of Hell.



These creation allowed the user to entrap his victim; wrapping them in it's powerfully potent magic. The chains, extremely difficult to break; only few had ever accomplished such a feat, usually forced the victim into seeing the future of their nightmares while physically and mentally burning runes of subjugation onto their skin and around their heart. Thus, many had been enslaved and forced to follow the will of whomever held the chain, should they be unable to escape. You had to escape before the last part of the mantra was spoken to escape, that was the deal made years ago between Xerdes, a powerful demon just below the Devil, himself, and a Sephiroth that had been captured by The Chains. Fortunately he'd escaped, making way for others to leave as he had.



Fury burning, Seras' body wrenched as feathered rods of black spurted from her back growing into large, black wings. Weary of Yosh's incompetence and his threats of controlling her, she closed her eyes, then reopened them. Blue-green flames burned brightly as her lips quietly uttered the spell she needed. Within seconds of being finished, Seras lifted a cupped palm to her lips. Pressing her mouth to her hand in a kiss she blew him her love on the wind, commanding it's stoutly blowing tendrils to carry her sentiments to the soon to be departed.



Yosh screamed in terror as a pentagram encircled his body, blue flames spreading along it's borders. Trying to move, he realized too late that she'd frozen him, his body planted firmly to the rocky terrain. “No, wait, please! I don't want to die!”



Seras said nothing, but laughed in the face of his oncoming demise. Her heart had hardened to his cries, feeling nothing but pleasure that one more piece of evil had been dispatched from this world. One less evil to trouble her. One less evil to protect the world from.



Gazing on in morbid fascination, she watched as the pentagram, it's shape originally larger than his frame, slowly shrank it's form burning and crushing the creature entrapped within it's boundaries. Yosh's screams grew louder then died away as the last of the glowing, blue mystic sign finished the demolition and faded away.



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Two forms watched in amazement as Seras killed Yosh, emotions displayed along her face nothing short of hostile. Blatantly revealing her strength to him, the woman showed him his mistake in overconfidence and underestimating those who seemed much weaker, but weren't.



Yosh's body aflame with blue-white light, flesh scorching, burning, the smell assailing everyone in the vicinity. The pentagram lit, pure blue, pure white, indicative of the scorching temperatures, their heated fluctuations quickly burned him, it's form gradually shrinking until he'd been completely devoured. Flesh, bones, clothes...everything disintegrated before their very eyes.



“Holy shit! Did you see that?”



“Yes, Dru. I was right here.” Alucard couldn't help the sarcasm. It was as much a part of him as his weapons or vampiric abilities. “Have you ever seen that before? I have very little knowledge of Sephirs, so I'm drawing blank on this one.”



Shaking his head in disbelief at the major show of power that the small woman had exuded, he said, “I think we're way in over our heads. I've never seen a Sephiroth show that much power that soon, after being reborn, I mean. Of course, we're not entirely certain that she's not a Hell Goddess either.”



Crimson eyes narrowed as he watched the exhausted woman fall to her knees, fighting her inner demon for control of what was left. Whatever that may be.



“Drumir, how many female Sephiroths have there really been in the last few centuries? Tell me the truth”, he ordered. If he was correct in his suspicions then the situation might've gotten even worse for Seras.



“Five or less.”



“What”, Alucard quietly exploded. “Five? What the hell happened to the rest?”



“Either they destroyed themselves shortly after conversion, or they never made it through the conversion process. I personally know two females, but one of them has grown so old that she lays ready to die, even as we speak.”



Eyes studied Seras carefully. “She's not completely through with the conversion like we thought, is she?”



“No. But she's made it this far and most haven't. She's also showing more power than most of the male Sephiroths I know, including me. If she were to get out of hand I would have a tough time with her. More than likely it'd take the both of us to take her out should the time ever be required.”



“Alucard-”



Large hands braced the rocks before him, “He can't have her. I won't allow it!”



“You already know, don't you?” Drumir hadn't wanted to tell him this part, but it seemed his friend already knew. He knew the reason their enemy was gunning for Seras.



“Yes. The bastard can't have her. I'll find a way to defeat Rathlan.” Pushing his territorial instincts back down, he spoke in a deathly calm voice, “He wants her as his mate. But I'll use everything at my disposal and kill him before he gets the chance. She's mine and always will be.”



Dru's eyebrows shot up in his hair. “Testosterone levels up much?”



“No, just feeling a little protective.”



“Just a little, huh?” Dru smirked, green eyes shining, perfect lips smirking at his friend's predicament.



“Dru?”



“Yeah?



A slight pause sounded then Alucard ground out, “Go to hell.”



“I did. They sent me back. Said I was too hot for them. Can you imagine?”



Their quiet chuckles were interrupted when a voice called out, “You can quit hiding now. It's safe to come out.”



Neither said a word. Had she known their whereabouts the entire time?



Responding to their unspoken thoughts, she said, “Yes, I knew the two of you were there. I could feel everything radiating from you: thoughts, feelings amongst other things.”



Spinning on her heel to face them, her body cloaked in her winged Sephiroth form, blue energy still flowing in circular motion, surrounding her. She stated matter of fact, “I won't hurt you. I'm still Seras you know.”



Mirth twinkling in her eyes, she speared her former master's eyes and teasing him, she said, “Down boy. I'm going nowhere that I don't want to.”



Relieved, the duo stepped form their viewing place and Dru, courage in hand, stepped up and got in her face, his eyes accepting for himself the stark truth of what Seras had become. Smiling, he addressed Alucard, “Well, old friend, it's our lucky day. Her eyes, obviously a beautiful, pale blue-green which makes this, “he pointed to her wings and magic, “her Sephiroth form. Our Seras is officially a Sephiroth, one of the last females in existence.”



Mentally, Alucard sagged a little from relief. To destroy her would've been to destroy a part of himself, which he'd have done in order to save the world and to save her from herself. Her weary voice distracted him from his thoughts.



“Alucard”, she spoke testing the waters, “I'm so sleepy. Take me home.”



Crossing the ground to her, he smiled as the huge, singed wings folded, their great lengths collapsing, sinking back into the flesh from which they'd grown.



Allowing her to fall into his muscularly taut arms, he whispered, “Go ahead and sleep. I'll watch over you, I promise.” Glancing over his shoulder; addressing Dru, he said, “You and I have much to discuss when we reach Hellsing. You left out some rather pertinent details that would enlighten us further to her situation. And I warn you ...don't lie or leave anything else out. Got it?”



The male Sephiroth nodded, his eyes and mind blown with the power he'd witnessed coming from such a tiny figure, and one so young in Sephir time. She was an amazing woman. No wonder Alucard was taken with her. So much talent and capabilities...she'd make an extremely formidable enemy one day.



The two males, Alucard with Seras in hand, traversed the ground and suddenly vanished from sight. Nothing to indicate the trio had ever been there. Nothing except the scorch mark atop the ground where Yosh had lived his last moment.



A shadowed figure ran his hand along the ground reading the events that transpired a short time ago. Smiling, his voice darkly rang out, “Very interesting indeed. She's almost ready. The ties are almost broken.” Eyes glowing in the dark, the figure vanished, his evil chuckles receding on the wind.