Gloom...[Gab & Open to anyone]

[Anna Valerious]

It was a dark and dismal Monday morning and Anna Valerious ventured wearily out of her manor. Last week had possibly been the strangest she’d had in years, it seemed demon hunters from all over the world where flocking to Transylvania and she was still fuming about her encounter with Abraham the other day, bloody glory hunters she thought angrily. To make matters worse her left arm was still bruised and battered from her encounter with Count Dracula, it was safe to say Anna wasn’t in the best of moods.

She walked down the street to the village square, it was quite early and only a few of the shop owners where around opening up and going about there mornings work. Anna’s hand rested comfortably around her trusty sword, she’d inherited it from her father and it had the Valerious crest encrusted onto it, she smiled she always felt better knowing her sword was at her side. Most females had a stuffed animal toy or a particular piece of clothing that made them feel secure, but for Anna the sword was her safety blanket.

She pushed her long brown curls from her face shielding her eyes from the dust as a gust of wind blew around her, she sighed hoping the day would clear up…if it did she might go for a ride to clear her head. But right now she didn’t fancy riding on this gloomy morning.

[Gabriel Van Helsing]

It had been like two days since Gabe and Carl set out on this journey, having assigned on to this duty by the council of priests that criticized the way he killed at his last adventure like every single time. He thought the duty was given to him for making his mind up or sending him out to an exile away from the public's view. Not that he was fond of but somehow these guys left quite a mark where they died. He could not help it. Not the best day he was having.

At least This time Gabe had Carl with him bear this road together to kill Dracula. He did not even know what that guy looked like only heard from the priests that he was no other he killed. Did not they every time say to Gabriel that this monster was a bit different. He could handle it with ease. With the day gradually shifting into the darkness, he held on the reins even more rougly, hitting gently the horse to increase its pace. He was used to coming late though. He wanted to reach this town at daylight. Maybe had some rest in some hotel and started tracking the foul creature.

As the horses whirled up dust, Van Helsing took a brief glimpse of what seemed like to be a settlement. He wondered if that was the right place at the moment but what the heck he thought. A place to pass the night would be good. He looked at Carl briefly, seeing him looking through something he held at his eye level. Rolled over to look at the town which was becoming more come in sight as they advanced.

[Anna Valerious]

Anna gazed around the village; it hadn’t changed much in the years Anna had lived here…which was all her life. She smiled although the village had its many bad points she couldn’t help but love it, she cared greatly for the people in it as many had helped her in her times of need and she felt a strong loyalty to them. She was determined to protect those who where more vulnerable than her.

Anna smiled at several young women who walked past chatting and carrying piles of washing; she gazed out to the path that lead out of Transylvania and noticed a horse galloping towards the village and right behind it another. She frowned wondering who it was, she didn’t think it would be someone who already resided in the village, she didn’t recognise the horse either.

If it was another outsider she wasn’t going to be impressed, it was a small village who didn’t take kindly to strangers. No one trusted them.

[Gabriel Van Helsing]

As horses advanced more and more, the more the gloom around the city became clear to Gabriel's eyes. He gazed out in the distance to gauge how many miles do they have left in order to get in the town. There was not much he calculated by view quickly. He could see Carl caught him up as they got closer to the entrance. Another step and they were in the town, being taken glances by the folk which were not so good. That much he could understand even though Gabe did not what their real intent.

[Anna Valerious]

Anna frowned as the horses approached the village square wondering exactly what they wanted here, it wasn’t exactly the best place to come for a holiday. Anna stepped into the road blocking the horse’s path, her hands placed firmly on her hips, not flinching as the horses sped towards her. Anna’s patience had been running thin for a long time and everyone in the village was fearful of new comers, a lot of them had turned out to be vampires hunting or else people up to no good.

Anna knew a lot of the village people looked to her to help protect them from these things as they had done for years, and so she waited for the horses to reach her knowing she had to do something about these people.

[Gabriel Van Helsing]

Van Helsing as if he ignored the glances of townsfolk got off his stallion with an air of cold expression but out of corner of his eye, he was watching the moves of folks that passed by him. As when he was about to grab the rein of his horse, he saw Carl's gaze fixed upon someone and he did not get off his horse yet. "Carl come on. Off the horse" he said before turning to face a woman. Gabe did not care who she was supposed to be or why had she come standing next to him. He did not look no further nor was he curious as to the girl stood by him. He tilted his hat upward to get a closer look around while waiting for Carl.

[Anna Valerious]

(Occ: We have a Carl now we should invite him to the thread)

Anna glared daggers at the man as he dismounted the horse and ordered the man behind him to do the same. She reached for her sword and pulled it slowly out of its scabbard, the sound of the metal against the leather rang around the square. She placed the sword threateningly under his chin before he had a chance to move; raising an eyebrow she said, “Get back on your horse and leave this village, you are not wanted here” in her strong Transylvanian accent. Anna didn’t speak just for herself but for the whole village, many people had retreated to the safety of their houses frightened this man might be more than he seemed, but Anna wasn’t scared easily she had seen an awful lot and wasn’t scared easily.

[Gabriel Van Helsing]

(Yeap)

He gave out a distressful sigh yet painful smile as could be as the sharp tip of the sword pointed to his throat. Van Helsing looked over her shoulder to the side and the people started gathering up behind her watching directly over him. Prolly they were hoping to see he would leave as being scared and got on his horse galloping to the horizon. But he would not. "Miss, please put that thing back into your scabbard and let us talk. I assure I mean no harm. Actually I am here for solving your ever-lasting problems" he said as his right hand slowly progressed to pull the sword away off his chin.

[Anna Valerious]

Anna rolled her eyes; she should have guessed really he was another demon hunter hoping to be the one to solve all her problems. Well he could just turn right back around and leave as she already had more than enough of these hunters to deal with already.

Anna pursed her lips, but removed the sword from under his chin holding it closely at her side, “And how exactly do you hope to do that, what makes you different from all the other hunters that come through the village?” she asked “Mr…?”.

[Friar Carl]

Carl, who had been staring at the woman blocking their path, dismounted with some difficulty an Van Helsing's word. He turned to see the same woman holding a sword to Van Helsing's neck. He took an involuntary step backwards into his horse. He looked around at the villagers at windows and in doorways, they all had the same expression: distrust and disapproval.

The sword was at the woman's side now, which made Carl relax a little, but not much. People here seemed to dislike travelers. "Is this a typical welcome for you?" He asked Van Helsing. This was his first time outside the Vatican city, and if this was what greeted him outside, it would be his last.

[Gabriel Van Helsing]

"Pretty much" he answered as if nothing out of ordinary, looking downwards. By the expression Carl's face had taken, Gabe could tell he was undoubtedly afraid. Turning his head back to women, as she asked a question rather harshly. "I am Van Helsing the monster hunter and this is I disagreeistant Carl. As for the answer of your question, this is what we do not know yet but we will soon find out. Carl is capable than he seemed. He is such a genuis and an inventor. With his weapons and my skills combined, we will solve your problem. However, a problem arise. I need to know everything about this Dracula and how to kill this thing"

[Anna Valerious]

Anna looked at the man, which Van Helsing had called Carl…capable…Carl looked like he’d run at the sight of a duck let alone a vampire. Still that wasn’t her problem.

“Well Mr Van Helsing, you are not the first nor do I think you will be the last monster hunter to travel through the village, most don’t last very long.” She said with a smirk, she had lived here all her life and knew how to survive in this village. “Is that all you can offer Mr Van Helsing, weapons? I have weapons” she said her hand tightening around her sword for comfort.

[Friar Carl]

Carl decided as soon as he saw the sword that he would let Van Helsing take care of this situation. After all, he must be good at it, he's still alive. He just stood back and watched until the woman said she had weapons. "Not like these weapons you don't," he said, reaching inside the satchel strapped to his horse's back. "Anybody can stab someone with a pointy bit of metal." he continued, drawing out an automatic crossbow. "It takes skill to make and use something like this. You can fire fifty bolts in quick secession with little Chance of jamming." He reached again into the satchel, searching for something to impress the woman further, "We've brought all of the necessities of course. Holy water, cloves of garlic, the basics. Van Helsing is the most successful monster hunter I have ever heard of. He will succeed where others have failed." He turned to replace the crossbow and added to himself quietly, "or get us all killed."

[Gabriel Van Helsing]

Gabe turning his face towards Carl as he started a bit of demonstration in his own way, telling the use of the weapons that he had a grasp on. Van Helsing turned to look at the woman that greeted him with her sword. Van Helsing has not seen a woman till now equipped with a large sword nor have he experienced one had a grasp of it. Though he was surprised, he did not really show it. However, the performance Carl showed was unbelievably impressed Van Helsing. The fear of death made people do the things they never attempt to do. It was the good demonstration of it. Later Gabriel turned at the woman, watched her reaction.