[theme music playing]
[wind whistling]
[pencil scratches]
[footsteps approach]
[Morana sighs]
Why are you still awake? It's the middle of the day.
I'm redrawing my plans.
Carmilla's gotten inside your head.
If her scheme is going to work, we need to move fast,
before the humans regain control over the region in question.
Ah, I don't think that's likely.
There's been no intelligence from the capital of Wallachia.
They could be preparing for a move.
Or they're all dead.
But I don't know.
So I have to factor that in.
Mmm. You should sleep.
We can possibly push east as far as Lake Balaton
before I run out of soldiers,
but that exposes our Western border.
Sleep.
We can't do it without Lenore turning the forgemaster,
and she's just taking him out for fucking walkies.
She will land him.
It's going to have to be soon.
Come to bed.
[inhales] And the weapons! The supply lines!
Ohh! I worked all that out earlier.
- What? - It's just money and time.
I did the calculations.
Then calculate this.
We need dead bodies, but we also need feeding stock.
Hector can make every human from here to Balaton into a night creature,
but that leaves us with nothing to eat.
Yes,
but surely you know how the regions surrounding Styria defend their borders
against the four terrible vampire women in the castle.
With soldiers.
They don't have that many soldiers.
They hire mercenaries.
Yes. Soldiers, mercenaries,
local forces... what's the difference?
The difference is that mercenaries can be rehired
by the opposing side for more money!
But... there's no honor in that.
No, but there is money.
So we can deplete the forces rallied against us
and deploy the men we buy, as you wish.
You can actually do this?
It was an administrative problem, and I solved it.
[Carmilla] Can you not keep it down?
I can hear you through several walls and three snoring boys.
[Morana] I do not want to know.
What are you doing in the middle of the bloody day?
Making your scheme work.
You don't have to "make" it work. It was bloody genius.
Good morning. I'm going to bed.
Well, we're all awake now, we might as well have a drink.
And you can tell me how you helped with my scheme.
Wait.
You call it a scheme?
It is a scheme.
Rude.
But if you insist... we can have a drink
and tell you how we'll be ruling an empire next year.
If Lenore can do her part.
Well, now I definitely need a drink.
I think she's fucking adopted him.
[gears cranking]
He's holding things back from us, you know.
He's lonely. He wants us to stay.
Well, he did kill his father.
And the people who helped him left.
It's just him in a dead castle guarding a ruined house.
[Taka] It doesn't seem fair, does it?
He rid the world of Dracula, and this is his reward.
I think that he thinks he deserves it.
The loneliness?
[Sumi] He killed his own father.
He wants to be punished for it.
[Taka] Even though he had no choice.
It seems that he probably killed Cho, too.
At the very least, Cho died as a result of his attack on Dracula.
[Sumi] Now home is more unprotected than ever.
But he has so many wonderful things.
He can do so much for us. Give us a future.
[Taka] But he stays here
because it's as close to death as he can manage
without killing himself.
We should do something for him.
Give him a reward.
Can it be after I've had a nap?
I've read so much, my brain hurts.
[scoffs] So lazy.
I'm not lazy.
I conserve my resources for important efforts.
Like eating?
God, did we miss lunch?
Maybe Alucard can make lunch again.
- And dinner. - One more dinner?
Well, sooner or later, I'll have to start preparing my own food again.
And meals taste better when someone else makes them.
[Taka] That's what I always say.
[Sumi] I know.
All right, then.
Lunch and dinner,
and we'll see what the night brings.
[roars]
Oh, shit.
[snarls]
[roars]
[panting]
Aah!
Are you wandering around again?
Uh, n-n-no, not at all.
Just stretching my legs before I go outside.
The knees, you know. Not what they used to be.
I spent too much time crouching down with your wonderful books.
[chuckles] I see.
H-Honestly. Wonderful.
I've learned so much.
What... have you learned?
Well, I believe many of the previous occupants of this place
had a real interest in contacting Hell itself.
You mean we are not the... I mean...
this has happened before?
In the past.
It's clear to me that there have been attempts
to open a door to Hell here.
In fact, this entire structure could be contaminated.
I worry for your health, Sala!
I myself may have developed a nasty cough and a slight limp.
You shouldn't be here.
Two of our number have gone missing.
But our work is almost done here.
Not soon enough, Sala!
They may have expired from the Satanic poison
permeating the very stones and timbers of this building.
We can't leave right now.
But you must! You must flee, Sala!
Flee?
You're absolutely right, Prior! Flee!
[footsteps recede]
[door opens, closes]
So...
why don't you tell me how many of you there are in that priory?
[Scarred Monk laughs]
You're a bit late.
Not as many as there used to be, but more than enough.
[snorts] What, have you been eating each other in there or something?
We've been leaving... for days!
Just a few of us, one a day.
Walking to other towns, spreading the word.
- Like an infection. - Like evangelists.
Passing on the knowledge and the plan.
Bring Hell to this abandoned Earth.
[Judge] This is Sala's plan?
This is our Visitor's plan.
He spoke to us.
We heard his voice in our heads.
Since that moment,
everything has been clear.
It really did drive them insane.
The monks may actually be the victims here.
Night creatures have magical powers. It may have distorted their minds.
[knock on door]
They've got a night creature under the priory.
[Judge] They didn't kill it, they hid it.
Wait. One second.
[grunts, exhales]
Carry on.
The priory is in ruins.
I suspect it's been deconsecrated.
There is a night creature being held on a basement level,
symbols drawn around it.
The Corridor is in that same basement.
It's alive down there?
Oh, yes! I didn't even get the sense that it was in pain.
And it's proximity to the Corridor is suspicious.
I think it's waiting.
Sala and his men are enacting some kind of plan
involving these alchemical symbols.
[Sypha] The same symbols we've seen?
Indeed! Combined!
There are pages missing from volumes in the priory's old library.
The application of alchemy is honestly f-fascinating.
They completely ignored the best part of the books stored in the priory.
Two persons who have gone through death and rebirth
can be fused into The Rebis,
the ultimate alchemical goal,
- and they didn't even think of it... - Saint Germain. Focus.
Y-Yes, yes, of course.
It's just, the missed opportunity to complete alchemy itself!
It could save the very world!
Let's settle for saving this town.
Indeed. I feel as if I've been led here.
To find the Infinite Corridor,
to achieve the ultimate goal of philosophy,
and to be... [stammers] a hero.
From a discreet and respectful... distance.
[Trevor] We're doomed.
[Judge] We absolutely are not.
Sypha, translate this idiot's gibberish into actual language for me.
I don't have enough information yet.
All you need to know is that the priory is desecrated
and they are somehow working with a living night creature
who has taught them magic.
Sadly, that is all entirely possible.
We can handle the night creature,
but I'd rather not wade through a small army of mad monks to get to it.
I'll summon my men-at-arms by stages.
I don't want to cause alarm or give Sala warning.
We'll strike at sundown, when the townsfolk will be indoors.
Sypha and Saint Germain will need to get under the priory with me.
Your people shouldn't be anywhere near that.
Make a hole for us, and keep the monks off our backs.
Do we really have time to wait for sundown?
This is my town. You do as I say.
We must have strategy and force of numbers.
This will be done properly.
I'll begin the preparations.
And, uh, why would I be going down there with you?
I seem to have missed that part of your epic plan.
[Trevor] Because from what you've said,
there's a night creature between you and the Infinite Corridor.
Yes...?
And we may only have one chance
to get you past it so you can open the Corridor.
I'm afraid I don't understa...
Oh! Wait!
You're... You're actually...
helping me?
You're being... kind.
All right, all right, no need to make a production out of it.
Well... [laughs] I'm so sorry.
I'm-I'm-I'm simply not used to people being kind to me for no reason.
That's enough. Keep it down.
We don't want anyone to hear.
[whispers] He saw a man try to kick a cat once,
and he broke the man's leg in three places!
[Trevor] Well, you don't do that to cats, do you?
[Sypha] Three places. I heard three cracks.
[Trevor] Poor bloody cat wasn't hurting anyone.
Cats just want to get on with their lives.
[Sala] You have shown us the truth.
We have listened. We have prepared.
We have restrained you, as you wished.
We have given you time to meditate, as you asked.
[growling]
God has abandoned the Earth.
Dracula must be brought back.
It is what you want.
It is what he who forged you would want.
We do this in the name of our Visitor,
and his forgemaster, Isaac.
When the sun goes down,
we shall do what needs to be done.
[growling]
[Taka] The armory here is beautiful.
I expected there to be more magical weapons, though.
My father was an accomplished magician.
He held enough power within himself
that he felt magically enhanced weapons to be unnecessary.
He preferred physical things to be themselves.
Do you?
I don't have a strong opinion.
Magic and science are two sides of the same coin to me.
Are you sure the castle can't be moved?
I'm sure.
There's not something you're not telling us?
No.
Would you tell us if there's something you're not telling us?
Excuse me?
It's just that...
there are parts of the castle that you avoid showing us.
Things you don't talk about.
It's a big castle.
Filled with centuries of material, like the Hold.
We have plenty of time together, don't we?
Yes, we do.
All right, then.
Who's hungry?
[footsteps approach]
Has night fallen already?
- You didn't hear me enter. - No.
- [cell door closes] - You have a scent.
Like... jasmine and wine.
Good book?
I didn't notice that ring before.
Really? We all wear them.
All?
The four of us.
Carmilla, Morana, Striga and I.
I'm presuming there's some disturbing reason for that
and I will regret asking.
[scoffs] Silly.
Look. The black and the red.
The night and the blood.
These are the things that bind us together.
The rings are a sign of loyalty to each other.
[chuckles] That's actually... well,
"nice" seems like the wrong word.
It is nice.
It's a different facet of you all, I suppose.
Like this book.
- Oh? - Yes.
It's a magical work, but it's also...
how to describe it?
Vampire philosophy. It's fascinating.
So now we're not all monsters?
Oh, I didn't say that.
Go on, admit it.
I admit there seems to be more...
depth to...
what would you call it?
Vampire culture? Than I thought.
There are ideas in here about physical presence in the world,
the importance of soil and landscape
and... being.
[chuckles] I mean, actual philosophy. Amazing.
Well, good.
Then I have a philosophical question for you.
All right.
It's hard to do diplomacy when the other person is in a cage.
I can't disagree.
[Lenore] Diplomacy is compromise.
I get something, you get something.
Neither of us get everything we want, but we both leave happy.
- You have my attention. - But you...
you don't even get to leave!
You haven't got anything!
I have all the power, and you're a pretty man in a box.
I'm... I'm pretty?
It just doesn't seem fair.
What's happening?
I've been awake all day thinking about it.
You. Down here.
What's the question, Lenore?
What do you want?
I want to be let out.
I know.
That's all I can think of.
It's the only thing I can do for you.
But you're not just gonna let me out.
Well... no.
I'm loyal to my sisters.
To just fling open the door and say, "Fly, be free, pretty human boy"?
That... That would be a direct betrayal.
Come and sit down.
[chuckles] Also, you'd survive less than a day on your own.
That's not true.
Well, OK, that's completely true
and I would die almost immediately.
[Lenore laughs]
You only have one advantage in this whole negotiation.
I'm not sure it's an advantage.
I like you.
Uh, that wasn't what I was expecting to hear.
Well, what did you think your advantage was?
You want me to do my human magic
to give Carmilla an army of monsters.
Oh, that.
I was eavesdropping on Morana and Striga during the day.
They can buy mercenaries to fill out the army.
I don't understand. Carmilla's given up?
She gets distracted.
She calls it the burden of genius.
We could run out on her this morning and she wouldn't notice for days.
I'm loyal to my sisters...
but what we're doing is wrong.
We could just leave, Hector.
If you want to be with me.
[army marching]
I was wondering...
how does someone open the Infinite Corridor?
It's an appalling act of will.
A combination of ancient knowledge and sacrificing something of your soul.
And it's still impossible to control with any accuracy.
But you can do it.
It took me a year to recover from the last time I did it.
And we're sure the monks don't know an entrance to the Corridor is down there?
[Saint Germain] Absolutely. It's invisible to the human eye.
It's why I need the jewel.
I think we've made a terrible mistake.
Sala!
Prior Sala!
When you were a simple man of the church,
I tolerated your hold on my people.
When you became a mad hermit who shunned my people, I tolerated you still.
No more.
You will vacate the priory. Throw your weapons out as you exit.
Sala! I know you have deconsecrated the priory.
God is no longer in that house.
You enjoy no protection.
Out! All of you! Now!
Or we come for you, Sala!
[liquid sloshing]
[night creature growling]
[growling]
It is time.
[Gregorian chant style singing]