Chapter 4: At Heaven's Gate

  Melody: Tell me about yourself.

  Al: I grew up in the small house you saw earlier this day. Mother spent every coin she made as a bar maid on my education. For sustenance, we used the ocean. She told me of Dracula's sin once I became older. I then searched in the greatest libraries on this continent for all the information about the Demons and Dracula I could possibly procure. When my travels were complete, I found mother dying of a sickness. Not a word of knowledge could create another minute of time to spend with her. Mother now rests within the sea and my own life cannot begin before my father's is taken.

  Melody: That's rough... But, at least you had someone. I grew in a small port town without a thing. Started stealing drinks from bars with just a sack on. Made some thief pals. Worked our way up to a little ship. Got a real ship about five years later. Started doing jobs soon after.

  Al: Hmm...

  Melody: What's up?

  Al: I was simply pondering, but perhaps the question is somewhat naive. Is a life made harder by losing something, or by never having that same thing?

  Melody: Why's that naive?

  Al: A hard life is not easily calculable. Mental status. Personality. Environment. Those you grow with. One's own strife may be another's simplicity.

  Melody: You should write a book with them brains.

  Al: There is very little to be said that has not already been written. Aside that, I may be more efficient at slaying Demons.

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  Melody: Amen to that.

  They reach the top of the steps and are met with a mirrored set of steps in front of them. On their left is an intricately detailed set of tall doors, made in the image of the pantheon, at the back of a large, round plaza with trees and benches on either side. The doors rest in the center of two tall, stone brick walls.

  Melody: Whoa! This place must've been Heaven in it's glory days if this is the front door.

  Al: There were once thousands who lived upon this mountain. Poseidon brought them water. Demeter and Artemis brought them sustenance. Hephaestus brought them great structures, unlike any other.

  Alucard reaches for Melody's left shoulder with his left hand when a beast's roar comes from above and they ready their weapons. A three headed Cerberus with broken chains around its necks and ankles jumps down from atop the right wall. A blue magic barrier appears around the doors.

  Cerberus: Ahhh! The creation of Dracula has returned at last.

  Melody: What in Heaven's name...

  Al: This is one of three Cerberus, a result of terrible experiments by Athena to make a great creature of war. Each head contains the same mind and each controls a separate element.

  Cerberus: The very thought of Athena chills me to my bones.

  Al: You must have quite a wealth of knowledge. However, we must pass.

  Cerberus: Thou shall not pass. Prove to me thy strength, or die trying.

  Al: Melody?

  Melody: Alucard?

  Al: Very well.

  Alucard shoots out the right head's left eye and stabs the left head's right eye while Melody jumps on the middle head and starts stabbing through it. The left head fires ice at her and then Alucard stabs through the bottom of it. Melody fully stabs through the middle head as the right one throws flames at Alucard. Melody then slashes at the head, making it stop the fire. They both stab through the last head together. The Cerberus falls to the ground with its last breath.

  Cerberus: Thou art worthy.

  Melody gets off of the beast.

  Al: We shall not harvest from this creature. For, it was no Demon.

  Melody: Rest in peace, puppy.

  The body of the Cerberus turns to dust and follows the wind.