Castlevania, Season 4

[Trevor and Sypha are fighting Fleaman demons in a field.]

Sypha:
Shit!

Trevor:
What did you just say?

Sypha:
I said "shit", okay?

Trevor:
Yes, it's just that you never, you know, curse.

Sypha:
I never used to, and then all this happened. And then you happened.

Trevor:
Me?

Sypha:
Yes, you. I was nice. And then I met you, and now I'm like you.

Trevor:
Oh, so it's my fault.

Sypha:
It's all your fault! You did this to me!

Trevor:
I found you turned into a statue in a fucking tomb!

Sypha:
And climbed all over me, and since that moment everything has been shit, and... [two more Fleaman lunge at her] AAH! I AM FUCKING TALKING HERE! [incinerates them] You turned me into someone who says "shit"! Fuckity-shit-hairy-arse-warts-giant-slimy-balls... SHIT!

Lenore:
What the hell was that?

Hector:
The mirror? I got it from one of the mad vampire wizards you keep in the dungeons. They're really very easily bribed.

Lenore:
I mean - and you know that I mean - what did you just do?!

Hector:
Oh, that. Well, I've been conferring with fellow scholars on a way to bring Dracula back. It seemed only fair, since I got him killed in the first place. And I laid a few traps in here during the month, because... well, you never know when you're going to need a good cage, do you?

Lenore:
You've gone mad.

Hector:
I've been mad. This doesn't feel like that. Maybe I've gone sane. [footsteps approach] And here we are.

[Lenore turns as Isaac enters the room.]

Isaac:
Hector.

Hector:
Isaac. [Isaac uses his Forgemaster's dagger to enter Lenore's cage; she backs away from him] Leave her alone.

Isaac:
Is this not one of Carmilla's ruling council?

Hector:
If you're here to kill me, kill me. But leave her alone; she is not the threat here.

[After a pause, Isaac exits the cage and approaches Hector as Lenore watches.]

Isaac:
Are you the threat, Hector?

Hector:
No. Carmilla is. Isaac, I've taken steps to return Dracula to life. [Isaac's eyes narrow slightly] I've done my part to atone for all that has happened. I'm done. Take your revenge. I hold no malice.

[Hector closes his eyes and bows his head. Tense silence.]

Isaac:
I am not here to kill you.

Hector:
...What?

Isaac:
You and I, Hector, we have been children. Revenge is for children. It is our duty to grow up, don't you think?

Hector:
I... I've tried to.

Isaac:
Good. It is time to find our own way. But I will ask a favor.

Hector:
Yes?

Isaac:
This place has many of your Night Creatures. Command them to stand down.

Hector:
Heh. [holds up his left arm, revealing Lenore's curse ring] I can't.

Isaac:
Ah.

Hector:
Yes. Command and control flows through me, to Lenore here, and to her friends. Hold on. [he pulls a pentacle from his belt pouch] I used debris from broken hammers to make this while nobody was looking. I've been putting down fence posts for an escape channel, all through the castle for weeks.

Isaac:
How far will this channel take me?

Hector:
All the way up to Carmilla's chambers. I had to assume I might be running from the top of the castle, one day. [he gives it to Isaac] Place your intent upon it. The command is "Ba'al Initium."

Isaac:
You have been busy.

Hector:
Well, I needed a way out. Carmilla intends to actually, literally rule the world... and I suspect the world, would find that bad for its' health. [points at Lenore] This one stays safe with me. Carmilla, on the other hand... should probably meet you.

Isaac:
I tend to agree. But even if this device works, it would take time to fight through the creatures you've made for her.

Hector:
Can I borrow your knife?

[Isaac hands his dagger to Hector, who uses it to slice off his left ring finger and the ring with it. As Hector clutches his bleeding hand, groaning in pain, Isaac takes the dagger back and uses its power to cauterize the wound.]

Hector:
I just cut off Carmilla's command and control over the night creatures. Makes them easier to pick off.

Isaac:
Thank you.

Hector:
Just get it done.

[Isaac nods, then releases his hand and passes back through Lenore's cage.]

Isaac:
[mockingly] Lady.

Lenore:
Fuck you! [Isaac leaves] He's going to murder Carmilla!

Hector:
Yes, he is. But not you. Or me, it seems. That was unexpected. I don't really know what to do next.

Carmilla:
Is that Isaac? The least interesting man, in Dracula's castle.

Isaac:
Hello, Carmilla.

Carmilla:
Eat shit! Is this about Dracula? Hector's downstairs, if you want someone to kill.

Isaac:
I've spoken to Hector.

Carmilla:
Oh. I see. The humans are sticking together.

Isaac:
I understand you have developed some more... ambitions?

Carmilla:
I'm nothing but ambition. I'm a Queen. This world belongs to me, because the likes of you, never knew what to do with it!

Isaac:
I am not sure that is the point of having a world.

Carmilla:
What kind of Druid bollocks is that?

Isaac:
An opinion I came to, wandering the world, following your destruction of Dracula, his army and his castle.

Carmilla:
I never touched his fucking castle. [chuckles] So, you've personally come to Styria, to kill me, is that it?

Isaac:
...I think the world would be a better place without you, yes. You can't be trusted. I would always fear you, and your ambitions. So, yes, I'm very much afraid, I have to kill you.

Isaac:
Where is your vampire friend?

Hector:
This structure has a basement; she's down there for the moment.

Isaac:
How is your hand?

Hector:
[lifts his bandaged hand] I may never play the pipe organ again.

Isaac:
[amused] Did you ever?

Hector:
No, but I might've wanted to. [Isaac crosses to the table, where a pitcher of water and a bowl of limes are set] Do we now ride, to aide the return of Dracula?

Isaac:
...No.

Hector:
What?

Isaac:
No.

Hector:
But, that- [clutches his forehead in frustration and confusion] I've been working towards this for weeks!

Isaac:
Of course you have. [fills a cup with water] You feel guilt. You want redemption.

Hector:
I want to mend my mistakes.

Isaac:
...The mistakes, you have suffered for. [Hector sits] That said, Hector, you had no agency in those events. You were manipulated. You were used as a tool for leverage, by those who were truly responsible, for the end of Dracula.

Hector:
You believe that?

Isaac:
I've had a lot of time, to put it all together and think it all over. Do you know... I've even been talking to other people?

Hector:
...Actual living people?

Isaac:
Well... mostly. [slices a lime]

Hector:
[scoffs, looks at Isaac curiously]... You've changed.

Isaac:
I hope so. I believe you have as well. [pause] Let him sleep, Hector. We were both mistreated by the human world. [he squeezes the lime's juice into the water] We were both admirers of Dracula's intellect. We both saw something bigger than ourselves, in him. We both wanted to see the world, punished. [shakes his head] We can do more than that. Dracula earned his rest. We can, and should, move forward. [raises the cup to Hector] What do you want, Hector?

Hector:
[looks down at his maimed hand] ... I want to be left alone. With Lenore. I want to read... and make things, and think. That's... all I really want, now.

Isaac:
Then you shall have it.

Hector:
...What do you want, Isaac?

Isaac:
[drinks] ...I have recently begun to consider the future. Which has been a novelty for me, because I never really thought I had one. This is how they get us, Hector. They convince us that there is no future; there's only an eternal now... and the best we can do, is survive until dawn, and then do it all again. That's no way to live. And I have discovered, to some surprise... that I am interested in living. I am interested in building a way to live. And I think I will start here. I have come to wonder, that perhaps Dracula did not run things well... even before his wife died. He lived in one, long night, and never the future. I think, perhaps, he earned his rest... and that we should not disturb it. I will instead, build something new, on all these old bones. Something where people can live, for a future. [smiles] I'm going to live.