Hellsingrevamped - HellsingReVamped

My contribution to the gamer Dimitrescu meme

Daniela x Maiden ---- Hunted Ch. 1

Your breath casts little plumes of smoke while you trudge through the snow-covered forest, double-checking the map in your hands as if it will provide the solution to your problems.

It doesn't.

You remain in the same state you have been for the past hour or so; so fucking lost.

There's supposed to be a village around here, you’re sure of it, but you cannot, for the life of you, pinpoint its location. The forest feels like it spans forever and the white layer that covers the ground does you no favors, either. There are no discernible marks or traces for you to follow. For all you know, you may be walking in giant circles.

And the worst part is; the sun has began its descent.

Ugh. You huff irritably, holding the map on one hand to adjust your backpack's straps with the other. Considering the distances you often cover, you know to always pack light. Only the absolute necessities are in there, a few clothes, a few supplies, your trusty old bow and its matching quiver attached to one side.

Still, even this little is starting to weigh heavily on you now. You're exhausted, your lungs struggling in the icy air like you are. Alarm bells are going off in your head, warning that you need to find shelter, quick.

To make matters worse, a sudden gust of wind pries the precious sheet right from your numb fingers. You can't even summon the strength to be mad as you watch your last hope of guidance fly further and further away from you.

Luck is just not your side, but you already knew this.

With the life you led so far, it doesn't take a genius to figure that out.

If there's one thing you're good at, though, that is fighting against the odds. Surviving. Battling some more.

So, you look forward and push yourself through the hardships, until a ray of light shows itself. Well. You pray that one does, preferably before the sun sets. You don't know how optimistic you can be, then.

Hope flickers inside you for a while... until you see someone move in the distance.

You have to blink your eyes several times to make certain you aren't hallucinating, yet you are elated to realize you're not. That's definitely two figures walking your direction, clearer by the second.

Yes! You walk a little faster towards them, stumbling over hidden branches in your excitement.

“Hello!” you call.

The figures are distinctly female, you can tell now, one incredibly tall and the other about your height. They pause at the sight of you.

A bit closer and your breath is stolen by what you see; the intimidatingly tall woman is dressed like royalty, with expensive, grey furs covering her cream dress –admittedly thin for this weather, how is she not freezing— and rows of pearls adorning her neck. A wide-brimmed hat tops off the chic look.

Yet what shocks you more than her image is the fluidity of her movements; she walks as if she weights nothing, untouched by the cold and oozing elegance.

Beside her, the smaller figure, clad in a tight outfit underneath a heavy cloak to block out the frost, tenses as you approach. Her lean shoulders raise and square, her hooded head tilts ever so slightly forward. Her companion lays a large hand on her shoulder and speaks something –sounds an awful lot like an order?— you don't quite catch.

“—No.”

You jog the final steps to them.

“Good evening.” you greet, trying to keep your body from shaking.

The woman stares down at you with golden-blue eyes that crinkle at the corners, as though amused by something you can't even begin to guess.

“Ah, a visitor.” she says, voice deep and as rich as she looks. “We don't get many around these parts.”

Perpetually snowy, deadly mountains are not exactly tourist-friendly, you want to reply yet hold your tongue.

That is when your gaze strays to the dark-clad lady, to her features underneath the hood. And—

You almost forget what you were about to ask right there.

The face of an angel stares back at you, framed by silken strands of red hair, complete with almond eyes the color of molten gold, full, crimson lips and a cute divot at her chin. She, too, wears a necklace that screams ‘money’ and you can only wonder what two noblewomen are doing out here, in the middle of nowhere.

Hello, gorgeous. You can't help but think.

Still, there's also something about her –you can't explain what— that makes you want to initiate a tactical retreat... asap.

“Um.” you glance between the two ladies. “I was wondering if you could point me to the nearest village? I am completely lost.”

The way your eye keeps getting drawn back to the redhead, though –okay, yes, your weaknesses are hard to hide— it seems like you pose the question mostly to her.

Her jaw is too tense to answer you, at first. She seems to have a hard time, probably with the cold. You can't blame her. The girl is absolutely pale from it, even if she's the more suitably dressed of the two.

The tall lady's hand then tightens its grip on her shoulder. The leather of her gloves creaks loudly –and it looks like that amount of pressure should be painful.

“Daniela. This young lady has asked you a question. Be a dear and answer her, yes?” there is no logical explanation why that sweet tone sounds so much like a threat.

Everything about these two is off, but then again, with the viruses and mutations running rampant around the whole world, you cannot be truly surprised. Strange is the new norm.

“...that way.” the redhead replies, her silvery voice music to your ears. Dainty, gloved fingers raise to point to her left. “The village is that way.”

“Ah, thank you so much!” you beam at them.

“You should hurry, little one.” The Lady speaks next. “You do not want to be caught out after dark, here.”

“Of course. Thank you again. Safe travels!” you bid them, then make your way towards the village.

When you look over your shoulder, however, a minute or so later… there's nobody there.

What a peculiar village.

-

-

Peculiar, it turns out, doesn't begin to describe it.

You have been here for a month now, but the strangeness and eerie factor has not lessened one bit. If anything, it gets creepier by the hour.

The village is divided into two sections, the Innkeeper tells you; the day and night cycles.

Apparently, the residents of the night cycle are mutants who are not allowed to walk outside during the day, while the opposite is true at night. Anyone who breaks this rule can be terminated by the other side without consequences.

There are other, smaller restrictions set in place by the local ruler –Mother Miranda, who is worshipped as a saint– that you gradually learn mean the difference between a good life and a bad death here.

You've seen your own share of fucked up shit, so a village that functions this way is not that extreme of a notion to you. You're only here for a short amount of time before you must move, anyway. May as well follow their rules and be on your best behavior.

You stayed at the inn the first weeks, but after several successful hunts you made enough Lei to rent the wooden cabin at the outskirts of the village.

The general rule in your life is: the further away you stay from other people, the better.

The better... for them.

And, well. All these years, you're well used to being alone. Loneliness doesn't strike you down as deep nor as hard as it used to.

You don't linger on it anymore. There are more important things to focus on...

Like fixing your goddamn leaking roof before you wake up one night in a sea of rainwater.

-

-

Meanwhile, in the forest...

The small hours of the morning are not for many locals to experience.

It is the time for predators to roam and hunt and feed. The time for the most brutal parts of nature to come alive under the fading moonlight.

Giggles and laughs echo deep in the heart of the forest, followed by slices of sickles that come away swinging arcs of thick, glistening red. Golden eyes narrow and zero in on their next target. It is a wonderful feast.

Until.

Until the cold truly starts to settle. The wind picks up and snow once again starts to fall, quicker and harsher than anyone would have expected.

“We need to head back now, before it's too late.” The eldest of the three sisters on the hunt calls.

“Don't be a chicken, Bela. This is still bearable. Who knows when we get another chance to be outside?” the middle one counters.

“The temperature is dropping rapidly, Cassandra.”

“No, nooo, I still have to get that wolf that got away!” the third complains and runs ahead.

“How unsurprising that I'm the only one that thinks with my head out here.”

Another hour passes.

And Bela has had enough of her sisters' awful, foolish decisions as she races back to the castle. Her speed is already waning in the blizzard. Were she wearing anything other than the outfits specifically tailored for them and their common weakness, she would have frozen over already.

The castle's main gate grants a massive relief when it comes into view. Bela shoves the doors open and immediately flashes to the ever-burning fireplace.

Cassandra joins her only seconds later.

Bela throws her a dirty look.

She opens her mouth to chastise the brunette... but someone else beats her to it.

“Are you out of your damn minds?!” their mother's voice shakes the chamber itself. “How did you risk staying out longer in this unearthly cold?!”

“Mother—”

“I will hear none of it! You three know the dangers—” Alcina continues, then abruptly cuts herself off.

Bela notices what is off about their situation at the same time the Lady does;

“...where is Daniela?”

Cassandra and Bela frantically look at each other, then behind them, at the dark forest shrouded in a white blur. Flies break off and anxiously begin to buzz around their bodies.

“I— I thought she was ahead of you!” Bela exclaims, eyes wide and staring at her sister.

“Why would she be ahead of me when she always runs behind you?!” Cassandra barks back.

“Did... you two...” Alcina begins in a low, threatening tone, like a volcano rumbling before its inevitable eruption. "...actually..."

Heavy steps come down the stairway, each one akin to a judge’s hammer, delivering a severe sentence.

“…abandon your sister out in this BLIZZARD?!”

-

-

In the crack of dawn...

You underestimated the weather to your own peril. Then again, according to the locals, you weren't expecting the snowstorm for another day or two.

The winds are so strong you can barely walk forward. Every gust is an icy slap to the face. You pull your scarf up higher and fight past the resistance, trying to get back to your cabin before you freeze to death.

Everything before you is white...

Except for a black dot a few ways off your road, curled underneath the roots of an ancient tree. The closer you move, you realize its shape looks vaguely humanoid, like someone collapsed over from the cold.

You don't have the time to think on the potential danger to your own well-being if you try to save them. You rush to the figure as fast as your burning legs can carry you—

And you gasp when you see her.

It is her, the girl you saw on the first day here, the beautiful, wealthy redhead.

Except there's nothing showing off status about her now. Not when she's pale as a corpse, halfway buried into the piling snow. Her skin literally looks cracked, but you assume that's due to the layer of frost over it.

Is that... blood? You wonder as you lean closer, checking for a pulse. Indeed, there are dried stains all over her outfit, especially around her chin and you can only pray it's not from her lungs.

There's not just crimson splashes on her, though. Looking closer, you notice frozen, gray blowflies laying lifeless over and around her form. Not to mention the rose-like tattoo right in the middle of her forehead, as if she's part of some strange religion or cult...

That's weird, you think, but there's no time to linger on that now. Everything about this village is weird.

“Shit, shit, come on.” you grab her arm, trying to lift her. She's much lighter than she should be, or that's just the adrenaline talking. Either way, you easily secure her onto your back.

Now, the real fight is getting her home.

You only hope you're not stuck with a dead body in your hands by the time you make it there.

-

-

Hours pass and the woman –Daniela?— doesn't stir. You often have to check her pulse to make sure she's still alive.

She needs help from a doctor, but you can't get anywhere with this blizzard yet raging. All you can do is keep her warm with every fur you own thrown over her in your bed and be ready to dash out as soon as the weather allows it.

“Uggh.” you hear her groan weakly, at some point.

The next heartbeat, you sit on the edge of your bed, anxiously waiting to see if she will open her eyes.

Gradually, she does. Her long lashes flutter against her fair cheeks several times, until her honey orbs start to focus on their surroundings. You open your mouth to assure her she's safe when her gaze catches yours... yet the words never make it past your lips.

Instead, you are literally flipped and pinned into your mattress by her cold hand around your neck. She's over you in a flash, thighs locked around your waist faster than you could ever hope to counter, staring at you like a wolf gone crazed from hunger.

Ack!

Okay, so the angelic-looking redhead is a little feral. Still, you can't really blame her. You would have probably reacted similarly waking up to a complete stranger, whose intentions can only be guessed at.

“H-hey, Daniela, right?” you croak.

How strong is this woman, anyway? You can't breathe.

“You're gonna... be... okay...”

Her grip eases a fraction. Her expression changes to something you can't read. A bit of apprehension, a lot of hunger and a smidge of...

...pity?

Normally, you'd feel better about your dream girl straddling you so fiercely in bed, looking down at you with lidded eyes and long red hair spilling over her tight shoulders like liquid fire.

So... why is it your instincts want you to run?

Daniela slowly leans closer, closer still and you have to turn your head a little so you're not practically ghosting your lips over a stranger's. Even if she's a particularly attractive one. Your body has already decided it wouldn't mind.

Your stomach seizes in both a good and a bad way.

What is she doing...?

You wonder as she nuzzles your neck, runs the tip of her nose underneath your jawline until her chilly lips are hovering right over your pulse. You can feel every little contour and gentle swell of her lithe body pressed tightly, hotly against yours...

There's several levels of wrong to being scared and simultaneously turned on by a mystery girl you just saved from certain death invading your personal space so suddenly.

Things start to get a bit tense for you, however, when you realize you cannot push her off...

Full lips already by your earlobe give a tiny huff of a laugh.

“I'm okay... but you're not~”

You don't have time to ponder what that means, for the next millisecond—

Twin, sharp nails are driven hard into your flesh.

You cry out and thrash violently as she holds you down, biting deeper, harsher. Despite your panic, you register the chilling sensation of your blood being sucked out of your veins in greedy gulps. Your heart is pounding so hard in your chest it's about to burst, only making matters worse for you.

Really, the eyes and complexion should have been your first clue. Should have listened to your gut sooner.

Before you lose all your strength along with your life, you manage to bring a knee underneath you and roll your hips to finally shove her off. You don't know how you manage it, but she doesn't look too happy that you did—

You stumble out of your bed, leaving her wrapped up in the furs and make a mad dash for the door. A loud, insistent buzzing, like that of flies, starts behind you, though you don't peer over your shoulder to check where it’s emanating from.

You practically kick the door open, rush out into the storm—

But you barely make it two meters off your threshold, before you knock onto something very solid that shouldn't be there.

Frantic, your wide eyes turn up –way up— meeting those of the unforgettable, meters-tall Lady. She glances down at you with a tired gaze and an almost sweet smile playing at her red lips...

Then the back of her hand knocks against your head with the force of a truck going at the speed of a bullet.

Your world snaps, cracks and goes pitch-black.

They're the same vibe, idk what that means but it's true

Cool character with just as cool va >>>>

Berserk (1997)