Categories > Anime/Manga > Hellsing > Hellsing: Legends of Shadows
Bones
"Who am I to question fate? I know not what is to come, but rather what I must do-"
White gloss floor shined and reflected the form that strode along its surface. Black combat boots clacking and echoing down the well-lit halls. The halls were completely empty aside from his self and the guards that dotted the way every so often. He paid no mind to them as they observed him, silent and unmoving. You could almost mistake them for marble carved to mimic men down to the finest detail.
Clad in white they matched the halls they guarded. Not a hint of flesh or cloth showed through their armor. A charged electric pike in the right and shield in their left they were as fierce as they were intimidating.
He continued on his way as if he couldn't feel their stares on his back. Dressed in black military attire he greatly stood out from the halls of the spire he was currently in. A matching windbreaker jacket billowed behind him lightly as her moved.
The man passed another spire guard before stopping abruptly only to turn facing the wall which reflected his appearance. Gold eyes, pale face, and light brown hair was hazily reflected.
"Lieutenant General Bikas Takaso requesting entry."
The Lieutenant General stood for what could have been a long silent moment before his reflection rippled and a creased appeared splitting the mirror wall in two before the wall receded allowing passage. Takaso scanned the room plainly.
It was a massive room with many shelves along the walls holding things from small equipment to massive crates to steel bens. Scattered about the floor were steel tables and the occasional desk. Loads of olden day alchemic equipment and modern science tools dotted the table tops if not covered in rotted books or yellowing documents.
A hall or two led to different areas which were sealed off at the moment. Scanning more he saw the person in question he sought. The man was mildly tanned with a graying hair and loosely clothed in red coat, leather boots, grey shirt, and brown pants. The green eyed man was currently hovering over his latest project giving it his utmost attention.
Takaso leaned over his shoulder peering at the older man's work. With the tiniest hammer and chisel he'd ever seen the old wizard looking man was cutting slowly at a fist sized rock. The stone was jagged but rounder at the bottom then at the top which came to a single point. Despite its many edges it appeared smooth and glowed with an ominous dark energy at the center that pulsed throughout the bloody red hunk of rock.
"Are you just going to stand there lurking or are you going to tell me what you want, Takaso?" Came the man's deep baritone voice, though he didn't once look away from his work.
"I'm bored." Takaso drawled.
"I see." The elderly man sighed. "Tell me then, how did the negotiations fair?"
"You do realize I'm a solider of war and not some delivery boy, right?"
"You mean a now reserve solider turned delivery boy now that the treaty with Grand Vahalia is in place."
Takaso frowned crossing his arms over his chest.
"Fine if you must know they went horrible." He snarled. "Brazen refuses to lend aid to Berkshire and while Arcsven agreed they're sure taking their sweat time."
"That's unfortunate."
Finally a small sliver came from the red stone and was placed in a petri dish with tongs.
"What are you gonna do Manto?"
Manto rubbed the back of his neck popping it a few times.
"I'll report what you have shared with me for the time being." He tapped his fingertips together. "Though if something is not done soon the people and creatures of Berkshire will without a doubt starve and that's if they don't freeze to death first." Manto sighed deeper this time.
There was a pause of silence before Takaso sought to change the subject.
"So what's that chunk of rock you got there?"
Manto stood from his stool.
"I'll have to explain it all to you later." He carefully cloaked the red stone in a silver silk cloth before tucking it into a large wooden box and locking it. Lifting the somewhat large and heavy oaken box he whistled.
"Akaska would you be a dear and place this in vault 2 for me."
A door opened followed by jingling as a girl entered the massive room. She was rather short in stature but walked with a stiff and broad pose. From the looks of her she was far younger than his self though he couldn't be certain since she wasn't human either. For the most part she appeared as a fair skinned human except what her orange eyes gave away. Her stare was intense and giving her a very wolfish nature.
Her hair was stark black in color possessing no sheen like most dark hair did. It was long in the front hanging over with pointed uneven bangs and very short and ruffled in the back. She looked as though she had just awoken from a nap considering her mess of bed hair that stood on end but mostly hung over on her right side.
Akaska or so Manto called her was covered in tattered cloth like clothing which appeared rather dirt stained. Her top was loose around her collar bone and the bottom barely met her knees like a short skirt. The girl's feet were bare and callused, but adorned with pointed black nails matching the longer ones on her hands. She was thin but not boney, rather Akaska did look a bit muscular.
He almost cringed when he noticed her ears which were cropped so they looked sharp and pointed. Various black rings adorned her fingers with two on the left, placed on the thumb and ring finger, and four on the right, placed on the index, middle, and two on the pinky finger. Earrings also lined her ears with five on the right and three on the left. A thick brown leather and brass collar hung loosely around her neck resting on her collar bone. Lastly large black metal rings hung at her ankles and wrists clinking as she stalked forward.
The solid wood box was heavy to the old man but Akaska held it with ease once he placed it in her arms. Her expression was plain or rather non-existent unless she was staring at Takaso then it became a harsh glare.
He glared back at her as she moved away with the box taking it to where Manto ordered. Takaso shot a glare at Manto.
"Who's the evil bitch?" He almost growled. "And since when did you start keeping women locked up here with you?!" Takaso smirked wide showing fangs. "She's a bit young for you don't ya think?"
Manto rubbed his temples.
"Akaska is not here for such purposes as your foul mind can concoct. She is both a guard dog and assistant. Besides I'm far too old for that."
"So what kind of mutt is she?"
Manto scratched the stubble on his chin.
"A Dire. According to her papers she was bred in the mountain ranges of Ghondoria near Berkshire. Her sire was a Ghondorian Mountain Mastiff and her dame an imported Red Masked wolf. Though there is some lycan thrown in there somewhere too." He paused as if considering it. "I think the breeder was Toma- Toman or something like that."
"Are you insane?!" Takaso roared. "Do you know how big and aggressive they get?!"
"I'm well aware that the Red Masked wolf can grow to be larger than horses while the Mastiff can just about look a man in the eyes without standing on its rear legs, and considering the lycan blood she will definitely get even larger than the both of them combined." Manto nodded knowingly to himself.
"She'll kill you."
"Nonsense. The seals on her collar are more than capable of keeping her at bay." He chuckled. "Besides she actually far too lazy to turn on me. I found out early on that her favorite tasks are eating and sleeping."
"She's gonna get hungry then she'll eat you."
"Fool." Manto moved to a different table petri dish in hand. "Who you answer to is no one compared to who I answer to so don't think for a moment that I can't afford to feed her."
The table he set the dish on was next to another with a rotted man sized box on top that looked as though it may have once been and elegant coffin.
"Do keep in mind Takaso that the amount of credits that I make in a year is far more than you could make in your unlife." Manto chuckled.
"Tsk. Whatever." Takaso growled before sighing. "Just tell me what's in the box geezer."
"Fair enough. Here help me lift the lid."
Takaso rounded the table and stood across from Manto. He grasped the lid at both sides before ripping it clean off.
"Gross." He frowned and swatted the rotted wood flakes from his hands.
The pair peered into the box.
"So who's the poor bastard?"
"This is a woman."
"So who's the poor broad?"
"Must you be so vulgar?"
Takaso shrugged. "I'm a vampire, I have a natural curiosity and no mental filter like you humans."
"Divine spirits help me…"
"Maybe they'll help you kick the bucket you old fart."
Takaso picked up a glass orb, swaying it from side to side in his hands. He watched as the shards within it swayed in the water and gleamed like diamonds.
"So disrespectful, your mother raised you better than that." He frowned at the other. "Put that down, it's not for vampires to play with."
Placing it down, and not where he got it, Takaso scoffed. He crossed his arms in defeat.
Shaking his head the elder man pulled another metal table next to the one holding the coffin up. Takaso watched as the elder man removed the aged bones with care, placing them on the other table in order. The vampire stared at the few that had been assembled.
A healed fracture was evident in the skull along the frontal bone down to the left eye socket. Other bones also had evidence of fractures and breaks that had healed over time including the ribs, right arm, hip, left fingers. He squinted harder as he noticed what appeared to be small chips cut out of some of the ribs and arms.
"Are those stab wounds?" He announced as he moved around the table to get a better look. "Who the hell is this person and how did they die?!"
Manto carefully placed the last bone in place and scratched his stubble at the vampires curiousness.
"If my hypothesis of this woman's identity is correct then records conclude she met her end to natural causes."
"Natural causes my ass." The vampire huffed. "What was she doing all her life to earn such a beating?"
"Why hunting vampires of course." Manto smiled as if his statement was the most obvious. "You are looking at the body of a very legendary hero of the old era."
"So what exactly are you doing with this oh-so legendary corpse." Takaso stated rather flatly.
Manto took the red stone shard from its dish with tongs. He held it at the chest about where the heart would have been.
"What are you-
The old wizard released his grasp on the shard. To Takaso's surprised it remained in place. The vampire jerked back when the bones started to rattle and shake in place. Former cracks and evidence of injury were slowly repaired as the bones came together at the joints.
"Is… that magic?!" Takaso almost shouted and pointed at the now animated bones.
"The philosopher's stone." Manto responded coolly.
"Wha-where did you get that?"
"I crafted it of course."
"So you're using it to create yourself and undead wife?"
Manto held his face in hand.
"How can you possibly be so dense. This is a resurrection not a summoning."
"So your wife is going to be alive and not undead."
The old wizard felt the sudden urge to beat his own head with a brick. He couldn't believe the words coming from the vampire mouth, did he even think before he spoke? Manto steadied his self with a few deep breaths.
At the front of the table Akaska, whom returned from her task, eyed the glowing stone curiously. Manto smiled at her slight expression as he absently rubbed his arm. The little she-devil was curious about the stone but unsure if she should ask. Now that he thought about it he wasn't even sure if she could speak, she'd never said anything before. He made a mental not to explore that further later.
"Hello, earth to Manto! I'm talking to you."
"Oh right where was I…"
"You were explaining to me why you were resurrecting this old broad and that she wasn't going to be your wife."
"Well," He scratched the stubble growing on his chin, " While outside the wall to the south I discovered a burial ground that may have been well over a thousand years old. So I collected this person for further research in the era before the contamination."
Takaso rolled his eyes, he should have known.
"I actually had no intention of resurrecting her until I discovered her identity." He smiled. "You see this person may just be the answer to our worldwide problem."
"Problem? Are you referring to the Dead Man's virus?"
Manto nodded.
"How is bag of bones supposed to help." Takaso scowled.
"Don't worry I've done extensive research and I'm sure it'll work."
"That doesn't answer my question."
Manto didn't respond. The elderly man simply pulled a sheet from a nearby desk and threw it out covering the bone lady. Takaso was a bit surprised at the progression of the body; from what he saw before the sheet covered the form she was no longer a bone lady, instead the bone was now completely covered in muscle, arteries and veins had even formed, and ever so faintly he could hear the slightest beat of a heart. He listened to the sound as it started faint but grew stronger as minutes passed.
"I'd like you to do me a favor, Takaso."
"Sure I suppose I've got time until sunrise, and it's not like you'll ever leave this tower."
"Take Akaska with you and-
"What no! I'm not going anywhere with that dog. Just look at that look on face!"
He pointed a finger at her as her lip curled into a snarl.
"I only wish for you to go down to the tailor and get some clothes for Akaska and our soon to be complete guest. As you can see the clothes she came with are not very appropriate and I don't want the other walking about in the nude."
Takaso stifled a groan; he threw his coat back over his should with a huff instead.
"Fine damn it!" He began pushing his arms through the jacket. "I'll take the mutt but she better not maul me in an alley."
"Much appreciated Bikas."
Said man started for the door almost stomping his feet in agitation. Akaska followed silently as they left. As Takaso got his coat rightened the lettering across the back became clear. Written clearly in bold white where the words: Hellsing Organization.
"Who am I to question fate? I know not what is to come, but rather what I must do-"
White gloss floor shined and reflected the form that strode along its surface. Black combat boots clacking and echoing down the well-lit halls. The halls were completely empty aside from his self and the guards that dotted the way every so often. He paid no mind to them as they observed him, silent and unmoving. You could almost mistake them for marble carved to mimic men down to the finest detail.
Clad in white they matched the halls they guarded. Not a hint of flesh or cloth showed through their armor. A charged electric pike in the right and shield in their left they were as fierce as they were intimidating.
He continued on his way as if he couldn't feel their stares on his back. Dressed in black military attire he greatly stood out from the halls of the spire he was currently in. A matching windbreaker jacket billowed behind him lightly as her moved.
The man passed another spire guard before stopping abruptly only to turn facing the wall which reflected his appearance. Gold eyes, pale face, and light brown hair was hazily reflected.
"Lieutenant General Bikas Takaso requesting entry."
The Lieutenant General stood for what could have been a long silent moment before his reflection rippled and a creased appeared splitting the mirror wall in two before the wall receded allowing passage. Takaso scanned the room plainly.
It was a massive room with many shelves along the walls holding things from small equipment to massive crates to steel bens. Scattered about the floor were steel tables and the occasional desk. Loads of olden day alchemic equipment and modern science tools dotted the table tops if not covered in rotted books or yellowing documents.
A hall or two led to different areas which were sealed off at the moment. Scanning more he saw the person in question he sought. The man was mildly tanned with a graying hair and loosely clothed in red coat, leather boots, grey shirt, and brown pants. The green eyed man was currently hovering over his latest project giving it his utmost attention.
Takaso leaned over his shoulder peering at the older man's work. With the tiniest hammer and chisel he'd ever seen the old wizard looking man was cutting slowly at a fist sized rock. The stone was jagged but rounder at the bottom then at the top which came to a single point. Despite its many edges it appeared smooth and glowed with an ominous dark energy at the center that pulsed throughout the bloody red hunk of rock.
"Are you just going to stand there lurking or are you going to tell me what you want, Takaso?" Came the man's deep baritone voice, though he didn't once look away from his work.
"I'm bored." Takaso drawled.
"I see." The elderly man sighed. "Tell me then, how did the negotiations fair?"
"You do realize I'm a solider of war and not some delivery boy, right?"
"You mean a now reserve solider turned delivery boy now that the treaty with Grand Vahalia is in place."
Takaso frowned crossing his arms over his chest.
"Fine if you must know they went horrible." He snarled. "Brazen refuses to lend aid to Berkshire and while Arcsven agreed they're sure taking their sweat time."
"That's unfortunate."
Finally a small sliver came from the red stone and was placed in a petri dish with tongs.
"What are you gonna do Manto?"
Manto rubbed the back of his neck popping it a few times.
"I'll report what you have shared with me for the time being." He tapped his fingertips together. "Though if something is not done soon the people and creatures of Berkshire will without a doubt starve and that's if they don't freeze to death first." Manto sighed deeper this time.
There was a pause of silence before Takaso sought to change the subject.
"So what's that chunk of rock you got there?"
Manto stood from his stool.
"I'll have to explain it all to you later." He carefully cloaked the red stone in a silver silk cloth before tucking it into a large wooden box and locking it. Lifting the somewhat large and heavy oaken box he whistled.
"Akaska would you be a dear and place this in vault 2 for me."
A door opened followed by jingling as a girl entered the massive room. She was rather short in stature but walked with a stiff and broad pose. From the looks of her she was far younger than his self though he couldn't be certain since she wasn't human either. For the most part she appeared as a fair skinned human except what her orange eyes gave away. Her stare was intense and giving her a very wolfish nature.
Her hair was stark black in color possessing no sheen like most dark hair did. It was long in the front hanging over with pointed uneven bangs and very short and ruffled in the back. She looked as though she had just awoken from a nap considering her mess of bed hair that stood on end but mostly hung over on her right side.
Akaska or so Manto called her was covered in tattered cloth like clothing which appeared rather dirt stained. Her top was loose around her collar bone and the bottom barely met her knees like a short skirt. The girl's feet were bare and callused, but adorned with pointed black nails matching the longer ones on her hands. She was thin but not boney, rather Akaska did look a bit muscular.
He almost cringed when he noticed her ears which were cropped so they looked sharp and pointed. Various black rings adorned her fingers with two on the left, placed on the thumb and ring finger, and four on the right, placed on the index, middle, and two on the pinky finger. Earrings also lined her ears with five on the right and three on the left. A thick brown leather and brass collar hung loosely around her neck resting on her collar bone. Lastly large black metal rings hung at her ankles and wrists clinking as she stalked forward.
The solid wood box was heavy to the old man but Akaska held it with ease once he placed it in her arms. Her expression was plain or rather non-existent unless she was staring at Takaso then it became a harsh glare.
He glared back at her as she moved away with the box taking it to where Manto ordered. Takaso shot a glare at Manto.
"Who's the evil bitch?" He almost growled. "And since when did you start keeping women locked up here with you?!" Takaso smirked wide showing fangs. "She's a bit young for you don't ya think?"
Manto rubbed his temples.
"Akaska is not here for such purposes as your foul mind can concoct. She is both a guard dog and assistant. Besides I'm far too old for that."
"So what kind of mutt is she?"
Manto scratched the stubble on his chin.
"A Dire. According to her papers she was bred in the mountain ranges of Ghondoria near Berkshire. Her sire was a Ghondorian Mountain Mastiff and her dame an imported Red Masked wolf. Though there is some lycan thrown in there somewhere too." He paused as if considering it. "I think the breeder was Toma- Toman or something like that."
"Are you insane?!" Takaso roared. "Do you know how big and aggressive they get?!"
"I'm well aware that the Red Masked wolf can grow to be larger than horses while the Mastiff can just about look a man in the eyes without standing on its rear legs, and considering the lycan blood she will definitely get even larger than the both of them combined." Manto nodded knowingly to himself.
"She'll kill you."
"Nonsense. The seals on her collar are more than capable of keeping her at bay." He chuckled. "Besides she actually far too lazy to turn on me. I found out early on that her favorite tasks are eating and sleeping."
"She's gonna get hungry then she'll eat you."
"Fool." Manto moved to a different table petri dish in hand. "Who you answer to is no one compared to who I answer to so don't think for a moment that I can't afford to feed her."
The table he set the dish on was next to another with a rotted man sized box on top that looked as though it may have once been and elegant coffin.
"Do keep in mind Takaso that the amount of credits that I make in a year is far more than you could make in your unlife." Manto chuckled.
"Tsk. Whatever." Takaso growled before sighing. "Just tell me what's in the box geezer."
"Fair enough. Here help me lift the lid."
Takaso rounded the table and stood across from Manto. He grasped the lid at both sides before ripping it clean off.
"Gross." He frowned and swatted the rotted wood flakes from his hands.
The pair peered into the box.
"So who's the poor bastard?"
"This is a woman."
"So who's the poor broad?"
"Must you be so vulgar?"
Takaso shrugged. "I'm a vampire, I have a natural curiosity and no mental filter like you humans."
"Divine spirits help me…"
"Maybe they'll help you kick the bucket you old fart."
Takaso picked up a glass orb, swaying it from side to side in his hands. He watched as the shards within it swayed in the water and gleamed like diamonds.
"So disrespectful, your mother raised you better than that." He frowned at the other. "Put that down, it's not for vampires to play with."
Placing it down, and not where he got it, Takaso scoffed. He crossed his arms in defeat.
Shaking his head the elder man pulled another metal table next to the one holding the coffin up. Takaso watched as the elder man removed the aged bones with care, placing them on the other table in order. The vampire stared at the few that had been assembled.
A healed fracture was evident in the skull along the frontal bone down to the left eye socket. Other bones also had evidence of fractures and breaks that had healed over time including the ribs, right arm, hip, left fingers. He squinted harder as he noticed what appeared to be small chips cut out of some of the ribs and arms.
"Are those stab wounds?" He announced as he moved around the table to get a better look. "Who the hell is this person and how did they die?!"
Manto carefully placed the last bone in place and scratched his stubble at the vampires curiousness.
"If my hypothesis of this woman's identity is correct then records conclude she met her end to natural causes."
"Natural causes my ass." The vampire huffed. "What was she doing all her life to earn such a beating?"
"Why hunting vampires of course." Manto smiled as if his statement was the most obvious. "You are looking at the body of a very legendary hero of the old era."
"So what exactly are you doing with this oh-so legendary corpse." Takaso stated rather flatly.
Manto took the red stone shard from its dish with tongs. He held it at the chest about where the heart would have been.
"What are you-
The old wizard released his grasp on the shard. To Takaso's surprised it remained in place. The vampire jerked back when the bones started to rattle and shake in place. Former cracks and evidence of injury were slowly repaired as the bones came together at the joints.
"Is… that magic?!" Takaso almost shouted and pointed at the now animated bones.
"The philosopher's stone." Manto responded coolly.
"Wha-where did you get that?"
"I crafted it of course."
"So you're using it to create yourself and undead wife?"
Manto held his face in hand.
"How can you possibly be so dense. This is a resurrection not a summoning."
"So your wife is going to be alive and not undead."
The old wizard felt the sudden urge to beat his own head with a brick. He couldn't believe the words coming from the vampire mouth, did he even think before he spoke? Manto steadied his self with a few deep breaths.
At the front of the table Akaska, whom returned from her task, eyed the glowing stone curiously. Manto smiled at her slight expression as he absently rubbed his arm. The little she-devil was curious about the stone but unsure if she should ask. Now that he thought about it he wasn't even sure if she could speak, she'd never said anything before. He made a mental not to explore that further later.
"Hello, earth to Manto! I'm talking to you."
"Oh right where was I…"
"You were explaining to me why you were resurrecting this old broad and that she wasn't going to be your wife."
"Well," He scratched the stubble growing on his chin, " While outside the wall to the south I discovered a burial ground that may have been well over a thousand years old. So I collected this person for further research in the era before the contamination."
Takaso rolled his eyes, he should have known.
"I actually had no intention of resurrecting her until I discovered her identity." He smiled. "You see this person may just be the answer to our worldwide problem."
"Problem? Are you referring to the Dead Man's virus?"
Manto nodded.
"How is bag of bones supposed to help." Takaso scowled.
"Don't worry I've done extensive research and I'm sure it'll work."
"That doesn't answer my question."
Manto didn't respond. The elderly man simply pulled a sheet from a nearby desk and threw it out covering the bone lady. Takaso was a bit surprised at the progression of the body; from what he saw before the sheet covered the form she was no longer a bone lady, instead the bone was now completely covered in muscle, arteries and veins had even formed, and ever so faintly he could hear the slightest beat of a heart. He listened to the sound as it started faint but grew stronger as minutes passed.
"I'd like you to do me a favor, Takaso."
"Sure I suppose I've got time until sunrise, and it's not like you'll ever leave this tower."
"Take Akaska with you and-
"What no! I'm not going anywhere with that dog. Just look at that look on face!"
He pointed a finger at her as her lip curled into a snarl.
"I only wish for you to go down to the tailor and get some clothes for Akaska and our soon to be complete guest. As you can see the clothes she came with are not very appropriate and I don't want the other walking about in the nude."
Takaso stifled a groan; he threw his coat back over his should with a huff instead.
"Fine damn it!" He began pushing his arms through the jacket. "I'll take the mutt but she better not maul me in an alley."
"Much appreciated Bikas."
Said man started for the door almost stomping his feet in agitation. Akaska followed silently as they left. As Takaso got his coat rightened the lettering across the back became clear. Written clearly in bold white where the words: Hellsing Organization.
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