"Nathan."

"What? Who is this?"

"Nathan, you have to win. I know you can, don't give up! I have faith in you."

"Who are you? Get out of my head!.."

"Good evening Nathan. I can hear you awakening."

Nathan's brain woke him out of his dream and signalled his eyes to open. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and something just clicked in his mind. He was in a dark cave by the entrance where the moon poked out from the top to enlighten the dark sky. Across from him was a pale, chiseled back of a man, sitting on a rock with his head bowed.

Nathan's senses cleared and he sprung up to a stand and stepped away from the fire between them, "No. Fucking. Way..."

"Calm down, there's no need to get riled up." said the man, standing to rotate and face Nathan.

Nathan couldn't help but stare at the figure before him- how he didn't change one bit. He almost forgot for a moment this person was immortal.

"Six years ago, I would've wanted so badly find a way to kill Dracula. I wonder what's stopping me from doing that now." snarled Nathan.

"Because, I mean no harm now." the man replied with a smirk on his face, with his symbolic fangs flaring that made Nathan reminisce every time he's felt them pierce his skin.

"Give me a reason why I should believe you."

"After our last encounter, The Grim Reaper had told me later that night about the deal you made-"

"You weren't supposed to be a part of that deal. I just wanted Adrianna back."

"I'm well aware. Believe me, it was one of the oddest things that had happened to me that night; to know that my nemesis practically saved my life- intentionally or not. Which is why I chose to bring you to full health again. I owe you, Nathan. And as much bad blood as there is betwixt us, I should at the very least say thank you for that. Whether or not you accept my gratitude, I can care less. But, I'll have you know as a result of the deal you made, I've adapted my lifestyle around it."

"I've noticed. You kill animals now. Don't let Geo found out!"

"Well, I need to feed somehow! Who's Geo? Actually, never mind, I don't care. Killing humans would only provoke you to come to avenge them, and the last thing I needed was another one of our beloved battles."

"Did Joseph beat your ass that much last time?"

"You amuse me! Believe me, I had planned to revisit you both that night to settle my business, but The Reaper had stopped me. I found no reason to fight, and I respectfully gave you, Joseph, and Adrianna the peace you deserved."

"Hmm...Well, I'm now convinced you mean no harm, but I still despise your existence."

"Likewise, especially since I have to share my cave with you."

"Speaking of which, you said you 'chose' to take me in. What does that mean?...Wait, were you also-"

"Nathaniel, I know what's been going on lately, it's obvious. The Seven Deadly Sins, the excess demons, and false-Jesus; Satan is planning a return. Yes, I'm also the one who assisted you at the nightclub. I wasn't too far when I saw those demons flying together. They weren't causing me trouble this time, so I was unsure if I should fight them myself or not. That's when I saw you a few seconds later chasing them down, which only urged my decision more to just walk away, but I then figured that was the perfect time to meet with you. But, Hades had arrived and would've seen me as another threat, so I left.

"I later found you again lying on the street. Poseidon and Anubis came to your aid after Satan nearly killed you. Again, I found no reason to intervene, but then I overheard their conversation. They were troubled on whether you should rest in other realms, but conditions proved otherwise. I then stepped and offered to take you myself."

Nathan spotted another rock closer to the fire, and chose to sit down to absorb the information. "I never imagined myself saying this, but I guess I should be the one to say thank you, Drake."

"Don't mention it. I owed you anyway." replied Drake.

Nathan stood up, realizing his battle uniform was still on him. Serpent-like flames whirled around him and he was back in his blue sweatpants and matching T-shirt. "Well, I should get going then."

He took a step forward, but his body gave out and he tripped forward onto the rocky surface.

"Careful, your healing isn't the same. Satan really destroyed your spine." Drake advised, helping Nathan to a stand, then Drake carefully sat Nathan down on the same rock again.

"No kidding. So this is what it feels like to be human." Nathan gruffed, wincing at the sharp pain throbbing throughout his back.

"You were out so cold, you didn't even budge when I cut you open."

"Really? Wow- wait, what?"

"I basically performed a surgery on you. Your middle to lower spine was literally crushed into pieces. When I slit open your back, I had to dig in there and fish out every piece of bone while your new spine was ever so slowly growing back. In all the years we've ever fought, I have never seen you regenerate at such a rate...What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"...I can't believe you did surgery on me. I've always resented going to the doctor, and here I have my greatest enemy playing the surgeon!"

"Well, call me an Oscar-nominee, because I played that role too well! Method actors don't have a damn thing on me!"

"Except that they're actually alive and do not live in a cave."

Drake smirked and flipped a middle finger at a snickering Nathan, returning to the opposite rock.

"But shit, I can't stay here." Nathan continued.

"You can't go anywhere like that. Anubis will have my head if you get hurt again." Drake responded.

"First The Grim Reaper, now Anubis? Do they even pay you to work for them?"

"Funny. He made me swear to Osiris, even though I was going to do that without his demanding."

"He made you swear by his father, the Egyptian God Of Resurrection? Why?"

"Oh, Nathan. I suppose you should take this time to know your enemy."

"You can ask stuff about me if that makes you feel better."

"If I find the interest."

"I think I'm pretty interesting."

"We'll see about that. Going back to the point, what do you know of me?"

"Uh, you're a vampire, an asshole, you're old, a bigger asshole,-"

"No, no! Me as 'Dracula.' What do you know about the stories?"

"Oh, sorry, I was confused."

"Sure you were."

"Well, I know you are the first vampire, the king of them, and-"

"That's enough."

"Well, that was rude!"

"Well, here's the thing, you're partly wrong. You see, as I've told you, I'm not from this world, I was casted away and sent here because there wasn't an alternate version of me in this world, so placing me here would look as if I belonged."

"You're a fucking alien! An alien vampire!" Nathan teased.

Drake exhaled through his nose, trying to maintain patience, "Listen, you fool! I'm from another Earth, another dimension. In my world, I am the first vampire ever created. When I came to this Earth, I came to learn that the idea of 'Dracula' existed only as far as mythical legends. I didn't believe it at first, so I began to dig deeper. That's when I learned that in this world, the first vampire ever was actually Osiris."

Nathan readjusted on the rock, "Oh, shit."

"It's a lesser known fact about Osiris. So for that, I feel as if it is an obligation to give my utmost respect to Osiris, because if I am the King Of Vampires, that would make the him the God Of Vampires, who also happens to be the father of the God Of Death, Anubis. Clearly, there is no reason to try and take his place- because again, this isn't my world in the first place. I'm only here to survive. At least that's what it was until I started working with The Grim Reaper, then Joseph came into the picture, then you...I'll admit it to you right now, a part of it was also to bounty for Satan, but we rivaled so well, the competitiveness only drove me to lethal measures, where killing you actually sounded like fun."

"That's...quite the imagination you have there, Drakey. A bit kinky if you ask me."

Drake let out a boff and slapped his leg, "I can assure you, I am not brainwashed with Lust! Besides, you wouldn't meet my ideal standards for a mate."

"Oh really, what's your ideal woman like? Oh wait, I have a guess: my wife?" said Nathan, cocking an eyebrow.

"You wedded? Good for you. I don't believe I've ever met your wife, however."

"Adrianna."

"Oh!...Oh, no! How could you ever ponder that?!"

"Jeez, you make her sound like a shitty person."

"Granted, she has her looks and her spunk, but she is most definitely not my type."

"Now my question is, then what was your interest in her all those years ago? When you constantly went after her, remember?"

"Ahh, yes. I believe she told you the story of how we met, as you somehow learned I was Dracula- and she was the only one who knew at the time."

"...Dead giveaway now that I think of it."

"Hmph. So, after that first event, I felt the need to track her down and kill her, then so again with a third attempt. She was quite agile for a human. There wasn't to be a fourth time, I was just about convinced she could keep her mouth shut, but that was until The Grim Reaper told me she was supposed to die on the second attempt, to not give up and complete the bounty for her soul. She somehow escaped again for the fourth time, pissing me off even more. Finally, it was the fifth time when I thought I had her, but that was also the night you sealed your fate as my sworn enemy."

"I thought Joseph was your sworn enemy? And thanks for the info, I've been curious."

"You're welcome. And, who told you that?"

"Joseph. You killed his parents, you sick bastard!"

"HA! You boys never fail to humor me. Is that what he told you?"

"I don't understand where the humor is in this is."

"Enough of this subject, let's move on to you, Nathan."

Nathan shifted again, nodding his head at the topic change. "What would you like to know?"

"Satan banned you for a reason he refused to tell me. Why?" questioned Drake, leaning forward on his lap, giving Nathan his full attention.

"When I turned eighteen- the same day I met you and Joseph- was the same day we found a way to attack Heaven. Satan has prepared me for this moment my whole life, with gruelling training, worse punishments for every time I failed at something. My life was dedicated to impressing him and to improve myself to finally blow off the steam against Heaven when the time came. Not once did I experience the fun any regular human boy experienced. Back then, I never saw it as a problem, it was in my blood to hate.

"Anyway, it was supposed to be a war, we even had help from demons and beasts of other religions. We were bound to win. Satan had wanted me to face God or Jesus, and so I found God first, but when I reached his throne room, I managed to pick up The Bible, and I learned of Satan's ways."

"What made you read it?" Drake intrigued.

"I felt like I was compelled to read that book, right there and then while the battle carried on. I trusted my instincts, and something clicked inside of me. It must've been the human side of me that saw what I was doing, and how wrong it was."

"Ah, the power of God Almighty overcame you. I've never liked the man, but never have I been foolish enough to challenge Him."

"And in cause of that, was because of me being The Black Phoenix."

"What the hell is that?"

"It's an ancient Spirit Of Vengeance. The prophecy states that a demon half-blood will rise from the ashes of his/her sins, and will bear the power of this spirit. Which is why Satan wants me, for the spirit. If he manages to separate me from the spirit, he will use its vengeful nature to end this world."

"I've had much experience with Spirits Of Vengeance."

"Really?"

"Hmph. They're quite interesting in my old world. Actually, they're similar to you, as they also hunt demons. However, yours sounds more potent."

"Imagine, before I learned to control it and bind it to my soul, I nearly overpowered Jesus Christ."

"You're bluffing. Full, bullshit."

"I shit you not, and most definitely not from a bull."

"Nathaniel, you mean to tell me you had the potential to kill me this entire time, and you didn't?"

"There's the catch, I can't summon The Black Phoenix on my own. It's provoked by absolute rage. Although, you came close the day you finally killed Adrianna, I was just about ready to end your shit. The Grim Reaper's arrival is what set me back."

"The Reaper is quite the character."

"Character's not the word."

"A monster?"

"Hunter."

"Hungry."

"Never satisfied."

"Demanding."

"A whiny skeleton?"

Drake's dark eyes came off the mesmerizing flitting of the fire before them, and straight to Nathan. Nathan looked away from the wall to meet Drake, and the two bursted out into a shared laughter- this being the first thing they have ever shared together besides a resentment for one another.

"You know Drake, you're not all too bad. Hey, do you know who Dominic Purcell is? He's a really good actor, I recommend you watch some of his movies or TV shows. But, ever since I've become acquainted with Earth's customs, I've always thought you looked just like him, you know? With the shaved head and everything; you even kinda sound like him." said Nathan.

"Heh, heh, Nathan. I'm all forms of bad. Never mistake that..." he said, his attention diverting to the floor.

Nathan followed his eyes, but couldn't make out what he was doing, because the fire was in the way. Before Nate could ask, a palm-sized rock flew out through the fire and Nathan weaved just in time for it to skim his ear and shatter on the wall behind him.

"What the fuck, Drake?!" he snapped.

"First, that was to test your reflexes. Looks like you've gotten better. Second, please, it's no secret anymore, just call me Dracula, would you? And third, don't you ever trust too deep in me. I am beginning to respect you, but I still don't like you, or anyone on this damned world for that matter." expounded Drake.

"It's no wonder why you're single."

"And I'm fine with that. Now, I'm starving, so I'm going to find some food. Whatever I find is what you'll eat."

"As long as it isn't a deer."

Dracula stood up and walked to the opening of the cave.

He dusted off his dark brown leather pants and turned his head to face Nathan, "No promises."

Two symmetrical slits peeled open on his chiseled back and his two bat wings shot out, gliding out of the cave to find food. Moments later, he was far from being able to see his lair and he landed quietly to not spook anything close by, searching for anything that moved.

"I had fish yesterday, but if nothing passes, I'll have to go to the lake once more. Something told me to grab extra."

"Enjoy your last meal while you can, traveler."

The voice brought a cold wind through the dimly moonlit forest. Dracula clenched his fists and cautiously turned around.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I have any business with you. Leave while you still can." warned Dracula.

"Join me. You seem to survive well in other worlds." the tall, white-haired, and gold-eyed man said.

He had an insignia of a crossed-out heart on his chest. Dracula took a whiff of the mysterious man from his distance.

"You're not human, you don't have blood. Who, or what are you? And no, I'd rather die before working for someone else."

"Hahaha! Very well, I will not argue any further. You just blew your chance to conquer multiple worlds and universes! I hope Satan deals with you appropriately."

"In that case, I'd hope he does too."

The man departed through a black hole-like portal without another word.

"What the..."

Dracula still felt he wasn't alone. On instinct, he spun around with his clawed fingers to thrash at whatever was behind him, and a small, beady yellow-eyed creature was going to pounce on him, but Dracula stopped it on time. It vanished in defeat, and Dracula hastily checked his surroundings, ready to attack whatever came next.

After he was convinced that he was safe, he then shot out his wings again and pushed off the dirt. "Screw it, I'll have fish again..."

*SO NOW YOU KNOW DA MYSTERIOUS SAVIOR! Hahaha, did anyone expect it?

But now we need to think about that dream Nathan had earlier on...or was it a dream?

And what is the goal of this unnamed white-haired man?

Keep on readin', because believe it or not, we are nearing the epic finale.

Vote, comment, and/or STAY TUNED for more! Thanks everyone.