Trevor awoke to the sound of someone snoring next to him. Opening his eyes and turning his head slightly in the direction of the snoring before smiling a bit to himself. Stela was asleep next to him, her head leaning slighting against his shoulder with her cloak wrapped tightly around her body. He recalled her declining his offer to give her his cloak so she wouldn't freeze, saying she didn't want him to freeze to death before they reached Gresit. She even immediately declined his idea of her sleeping on the ground next to him so he could cover them both with his cloak, saying it was improper and she'd feel better sleeping wrapped up in her own cloak. Her facial features twisted in an uncomfortable manner like she was having some sort of nightmare and twitching every now and then.

"Stela, Stela wake up." Trevor murmured and shook her a bit. Stela's eyes blinked open before she sat up.

"What time is it?" She asked rubbing the sleep from her eyes and winced. "Oh god my eye hurts."

"Morning, obviously." Trevor responds as he gets to his feet and extends a hand to her. "Come on, we have to keep walking to get to the next town for some food. I think Gresit is close."

Stela took his hand and let him hoist her up before following him. The two walked in silence through the forest until they came to the edge of it. A large city stood a few miles from the edge of the forest, though from a distance the city hates looked as if they were blocked.

"There it is, Gresit. The only city that's between us and starvation." Trevor stated with a yawn. "Come on, the sooner we find a way in, the sooner you can find whoever you're looking for and have a better traveling companion."

"Why is the entrance blocked off?" Stela asked, gesturing to the closed gate that seemed to have crates on the other side. "Shouldn't it be opened at this hour?"

"I suppose it's because of them."

Stela looked to where Trevor was pointing to and saw what looked like five or six strange looking creatures climbing down from the city walls and scampering off, one carrying something in its mouth.

"Minions of Dracula's army...oh god." Stela murmured before saying loudly, "I have to get into the city, and fast."

"There's no way in, and I doubt the people of Gresit are going to bother opening their gates." Trevor pointed out and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look, let's just find a way in and once we do we'll go our separate ways."

Trevor was the one who reluctantly suggested they used the sewers to get into the blocked off city, though he looked like he was having second thoughts when he saw they had to cross a small pond that smelled nasty and barely had anywhere to stand on. He went first, telling Stela to step where he stepped and to say at least one foot behind him.

"Ugh, God forbid you should warn people before you empty your shit pots." He groaned when some foul smelling liquid came flying out of the pipe.

"Well that explains the stink." Stela mumbles as she followed him into the pipe, taking care not to step on the middle of the floor and lifted her cloak to keep it from dragging.

"Never thought I'd have to climb a shit pipe in pursuit of breakfast." Trevor muttered loudly. "This better be worth it."

"Trust me, it will once we get out of the pipe. After this I'm definitely taking a long hot bath."

"If you can find a place to bathe."

The duo soon reached the top of the pipe and climbed out of it, feeling grateful to no longer be in a smelly pipe. A guard stood nearby, thankfully asleep so they just had to walk past him and not disturb him. Once they got past the guard, Trevor and Stela walked a bit farther into the city where what looked like a majority of the buildings were destroyed before stopping.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye." Stela said as she reached for her belt and took out her coin purse.

"Now hold on, you don't need to pay me." Trevor said quickly as she pulled out a few coins from the bag. "You keep that in case you need food for yourself or that friend or whoever it is you're looking for."

"No really, I did promise you money and I'm going to feel bad for not sticking to my promise." She grabbed his hand and dropped the coins onto it before covering it with her own hand. "Even though I barely knew you for a day, this little trip was quite eventful and I learned a thing or two. Take care Trevor Belmont, perhaps we'll run into each other again in the future."

"Perhaps, or perhaps not." Trevor said with a shrug and gave her a small smile. "See you around." Stela returned the smile before pulling the hook of her cloak over her head and hurried off into the city.

The square was full of people, much to Stela's relief, and she decided that it would be a good idea to start asking around.

"Excuse me, but by any chance have you seen a man much taller than me with a black and gold coat and long blonde hair?" She asked a woman who was busy collecting some fruit off the floor.

"Haven't seen a person like that dearie." The woman responded briskly. "Looking for someone?"

"Yes, my younger brother. He said he'd be in this city, are you sure you haven't seen him? He told me to meet him here in a year."

"Can't say I have, not many people come to Gresit and stay for a year unless they're moving in to live here permanently."

"Alright, sorry to bother you. Good day."

Stela asked the same questions to all the vendors, at one point even asking some of the townspeople if they'd seen her brother, but no luck. At one point she thought she saw Trevor wandering through the square, also talking to some of the people, but decided not to approach him.

"Adrien where are you..." Stela murmured as she moved away from the square towards the alleys. She was already starting to lose hope that he was even in the city at all. She even had asked if there were any tombs under the city, which had resulted in her getting puzzled looks or a bunch of "no's".

"I'm going to kill that bastard!" Stela stopped in her tracks when she saw two men clothes in black with red sashes tied around their waists come from around the corner of one of the buildings, one of them covering his eye what seemed to be bleeding and the other holding his hand to his chest with the front of his robe covered the front of his tunic. That one glared at her. "What the hell are you staring at, never seen a priest before?"

"I have, just not one who swears and is bleeding like a butchered bull." Stela retorted as she edged away from the two. "I hate to be a bother, but have you seen a man much taller than me with a black coat-"

"You know the whip welding bastard?" The priest asked, his eyes narrowed in anger. "You tell him once I get my hand fixed I'm coming after him and impaling him with my knife! Defending a fucking Speaker of all people, they're the reason why the demons have been coming to this city at night!"

Stela wasn't even sure if the man was talking about Trevor, but who else did she know who carried a whip? "That's certainly no way for a man of God to talk, I'm surprised you haven't been struck down for swearing and threatening innocent people who probably haven't even done anything to you."

The priest's face was now turning a nasty shade of red at this point, which was her signal to leave. As she walked, Stela began to wonder where she could even find the tomb where he brother was sleeping in. Had he awaken early and left Gresit to go looking for her? Was he still asleep, waiting for her to come with a hunter and a scholar? She recalled Adrien mentioning that a Belmont could help them fight, they were professionals and sworn enemies of Dracula, and she had found one, so maybe Trevor was the hunter of the prophecy. But who was the scholar?

As she walked, Stela didn't hear the sound of someone approaching her from behind until she felt a tap on the shoulder.

"Can I help- Trevor!" The hunter stood behind her with a solemn look, an old man dressed in blue robes at his side with a much more pleasant expression.

"Ah, you must be the young lady my companion mentioned." The older man said, giving Stela a warm smile. "He insisted we find you before returning to my people, sounded quite concerned and worried for your well-being."

Stela's eyes widened in surprise and looked to Trevor, who turned to look away from her with an embarrassed look.

"Had a run in with two priests, not very holy men if I'm being honest because they tried beating this old man and nearly stabbed me. But I didn't think it'd be a good idea for you to be wandering around the city with priests like that on the loose." He mumbled and rubbed the back of her neck. "You alright?"

"Too late, I ran into a pair of priests and the more pissy one was swearing and threatened to come after you if he saw you again." Stela stated, to which Trevor rolled his eyes and she cracked a grin. "They seemed quite beaten up, figured it was you since they referred to you as "the whip welding bastard". What sort of trouble have you been getting into without me Trevor Belmont?"

"Just- just come, and at least stay with me and the Speakers for a bit. Any luck on finding whoever you're looking for?"

"No, I asked around and hit a wall. I'm starting to think he's not even here at all."

"Shame."

The three continued to walk, Stela and Trevor keeping the elderly Speaker between them while he happily chatted with Stela about the places he and his people have been to. After a while they soon came to a more deserted area of the city, where one lone house stood. It seemed more intact than the other buildings surrounding it.

"This is where we live, please come inside." The elder said gesturing to the house. "Meet my people."

They entered the house and shut the door behind them. Stela counted about ten people dressed in blue robes similar to the elder's, all with their hair cut short. She remembered her mother telling her how the women Speakers cut their hair short and dressed in large robes like the men so it was safer for them to travel, something she had done when she and her brother went separate ways.

"Elder, we were worried about you! I told you it was too soon to go outdoors." One of the Speakers said, a young man who looked around the same age as Stela.

"And I told you it was necessary to offer aid to the people." The elder responded. "However I was met by some of the Christian priests."

"Are you alright?"

"Thanks to this man." The elder turned towards Trevor and Stela. "He and his traveling companion walked me back home safely, although I fear there may be terrible things ahead because of it."

The younger Speaker turned to the two of them. "What did you do?"

"I'm a little out of practice, they're both still alive." Trevor replies.

"You used violence on them?!" The younger speaker asked in horror.

"I simply crossed paths with them, one threatened to kill my companion but I didn't do anything to them- though I wish I did." Stela replied with a shrug. "It's rather sad that a bishop even allowed such violent men like that to become priests. If Trevor's actions to defend your elder upset you, I apologize."

"The younger people believe that words can speak louder than actions." The elder explained.

"Well your Speakers words are what you do." Trevor murmured.

"You know of us?" The younger Speaker asked, looking quite surprised.

"My family has always been on good terms with Speakers, although my father once got into a fight with one."

"I thought Speakers were supposed to be peaceful and kind people?" Stela asked. "I met some when I was little, they were kind to everyone including the women in the brothel."

"She is right, true Speakers don't fight."

"When he tried to convince a Speaker to have your oral history transcribed on paper." Trevor adds.

"Ah yes, we are quite protective of our ways." The elder said with a small laugh. "History is a living thing, paper is dead. Would you like something to eat?"

"If you have anything to spare, it's fine." Stela responds.

"I'd prefer something to drink." Trevor replies.

"Arn, bring our friends some water."

"Oh... nevermind then."

Stela bit her lip to keep herself from laughing at Trevor's disappointed expression as one of the Speakers gave her an apple and happily bit into it while listening to Trevor ask why the Speakers were even in Gresit.

"Speakers live anywhere they seem right, you must know that." Arn, the Speaker talking to them earlier responded.

"Aren't you supposed to be a nomadic tribe?" Stela asked, pausing to bite into her food and chew it a bit before swallowing the piece. "Your group seems to have been here for a while."

"How do you know that?"

"Because the locals are blaming you for the attacks." Trevor replies.

"That's the church's doing, they need something to blame."

"To divert people from the truth, that the church itself brought Dracula's hordes down on the land."

"Really?"

"There were Speakers in Targoviste a year ago. The church burned Dracula's wife at the stake as a witch."

"I was there with my brother, we knew her." Stela spoke up and the three men looked to her in surprise. "I found out later it was an old wise woman from the town Dracula's wife was living in who told the church what happened, jealous that the people were flocking to her for medical help and taking her medicines instead of the old hag's remedies that were really just broken fingernails mixed with piss."

"Shit..." Trevor muttered.

"That is indeed one way of putting it." The elder agreed.

"You didn't answer my question."

The elder looked at Trevor solemnly before walking to a crate and sat on top of it. "There is no structure left in Gresit, no doctors, no aid. If you know Speakers, you know we can't turn away from those in need. That is why we are here."

"You may as well tell them the rest." Arn commented and the elder nodded.

"The rest of what?" Stela asked.

"In Speaker history there is an old story, a legend probably." The elder then explained an old legend of a savior who slept under Gresit until he was needed until there was a darkness in the land.

"Yeah I've heard that one, "The Sleeping Soldier"." Trevor commented. "It's a local legend, sounds weirdly convenient to me is you know what I mean."

"My brother and I heard that one, an old tale that some of the townspeople seem to believe." Stela added.

"Exactly how much do you know about this?" The elder asked them.

"I'm a Belmont," Trevor responds and shifts a part of his cloak to show him the small family symbol on his chest that Stela hadn't seen until now. "So I know you're nomadic people who father knowledge, memorize it, carry complete spoken histories with you."

"I happened to read about it, my adopted father had a large library that my brother and I used to practically live in to soak up as much knowledge as we could, and we happened upon one old book mentioning this old legend." Stela added with a shrug. "Believe me, you'd be surprised how many daughters of lords with vast libraries in their homes actually have read all the books in there more than once just to memorize something."

"I also know you gather hidden knowledge and have practitioners of magic in your tribes." Trevor adds.

"A Belmont? I thought your family had vanished." Arn said and looked to Stela. "You're one as well, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not, I grew up in a different family." She responded and jerked her thumb at Trevor. "I'm not related to him in any way."

"If by vanished is the polite way of saying exiled, hated and burned out of the ancestral home." Trevor said and pushed her hand down.

"Then you know something of magic." Said the elder. "And so you know that just because we found a story in our past, it doesn't mean it originated there."

"Then where did it originate from?" Stela asked.

"The wisest and cleverest of our magicians know that time is not absolute, that it is possible to hear stories from the future."

"So you think there is someone who can save the city is asleep under it, and you are here to wait for him?" Trevor asked and the elder nodded.

"One of us went to look for him."

"This would be your missing Speaker."

"Yes, that one went into the catacombs under the mazolium west of the church, has not returned."

"Wait, catacombs?" Stela asked, perking up. "I've been asking around where those are and no one has told me anything or looked at me like I was crazy!"

"I wonder why." Trevor muttered. "Isn't there a head man in Gresit you can go to?"

"He died in the first horde attack. Our searches have been unsuccessful." The elder sighed before looking back to them. "So, what are your plans?"

"Find some more food, find some drink, get drunk, eat some food, move on." Tevor replies with a shrug.

"That's it?"

"Maybe find a tall tree, sit in it and watch the show before I move on. All the good little people dying horribly no doubt."

"You feel no compassion?"

"I'm pretty sure all his compassion went out the door when the church burnt his home down, but even I have to say I'm shocked that you still don't want to help people." Stela commented with a frown. "Don't you even want to help? I thought that's what the Belmont family was supposed to do, not just sit back in the shadows and do nothing."

"This is what the church wanted." Trevor retorted, and Stela could hear the anger in his tone "My family were the only people who could have fought Dracula, but they didn't want us. They wanted to fight the darkness on their own terms, good luck to them."

"But the ordinary people of Walechia, they didn't get a choice." The elder pointed out.

"For evil bastards in power, all ordinary people have to do is stand aside and keep quiet. There's always a choice."

"People like the ones who burned your home and hurt your family did the same to mine, and yet do you see me ignoring them in their time of need?" Stela shot back. "That didn't stop me from trying to help them, unlike you, who'd rather watch the world burn because you don't give two shits about anyone but yourself like the selfish bastard you are!"

"Watch your tone." Trevor muttered and Stela nearly pithed her apple at him in anger. "And if you're forgetting I actually helped you find this city and brought you to it as safely as I could, then went looking for you to make sure those priests didn't hurt you. Am I still a "selfish bastard" now?"

"Well, find a good tall tree. You can watch us die too." The elder commented.

"Don't be crazy. Leave now, head south, hook up with another train."

"It's his grandchild!" Arn suddenly spoke up.

"Arn!"

"I don't care! It's the elder's grandchild down there, we can't even bury them." Arn stated and looked down at the floor mournfully. "It's just not our way to leave our dead unattended to."

"We're staying for the people of Gresit." The elder insisted.

"Yes, we do. But we also hope-"

"So you're staying to die with the good people of Gresit because it's a good thing to do, but because you don't have your grandchild's body?" Trevor interrupted.

"You can't even go outside without someone trying to hurt you, that's why you can't go retrieve their remains." Stela added.

"If you want to put it that way." The elder said with a small nod.

I can't even leave Gresit without actually finding my brother, he said something about being underground. What if the place he said to find him in is where this missing Speaker was looking for? Stela thought to herself. Did they die looking for that place? If they did, what if Adrien died looking for it too?

"If I go and recover your kid's body, will you please leave?" She heard Trevor ask from his spot in front of the small fireplace. "Wait outside the city, give your aid to the survivors when the night horde just rips through this place."

"Why would you do that?" Arn asked.

"They're going to come for you soon, the good people, it's going to be a polgrom." Trevor responds and turns to the Speakers. "They were talking about it in the marketplace this morning."

"I don't think you answered my question."

"I know what it's like to be persecuted by your own country for the accident of your birth."

"I know about that as well." Stela murmurs, and for a moment she thought she saw a look of sympathy in the hunter's eyes. "He is right, you all should leave the city, stay away as far as you can and give aid when it's over so the people would know you are not responsible for all this mess."

Trevor nodded and looked back to the elder. "If I find your grandchild-"

"If we, I'm coming with you." Stela interrupted. "And you're not stopping me."

"Fine, if we find your grandchild will you leave the city before nightfall?" Trevor said, turning his attention from Stela back to the elder Speaker.

"If that is the condition of your recovery, then yes." The older man agreed.

Trevor cracked his fingers and walked over to one of the seated Speakers, taking an apple from their hands before walking to the door. "I'm leaving now, don't go walking about to find people to give support to. Stay right here."

"Belmont," the elder called as Stela walked to the door and pushed it open. "It is not dying that frightens us, it's living without ever having done our best."

Trevor stood there at the door for a moment before gently pushing Stela forward. "I don't care." Once out the door, Trevor turned to Stela with a serious expression. "Are you absolutely sure you want to come with me to retrieve this Speaker's body? We don't know what is down there."

"Yes, I am going with you, unless you're too scared to go poking around an old crypt by yourself." Stela responds and pokes him in the arm. This response earns her what she guessed was a small smile from Trevor.

"Thought you were mad at me for being a "selfish bastard" earlier."

"I was, but that's in the past and I'm not holding that against you."

"You do know the last time you were with me you got hurt, that eye is still looking bad."

"We all have to take risks Belmont. So are we doing this or not?"

Trevor sighed before nodding. "Fine, I'll let you come along. But if something happens to you down in the crypts I don't think I'll have the strength to carry two bodies back with me."