LWC - Frankenstein's Castle - Outside - 5 Years BDC

[Hollywood Heidi]

Frankenstein's Castle - Outside
The castle grounds surrounding the castle

Events occurring 5 years before Dark Curse

[Hollywood Heidi]

Etta stumbled as she was dragged along, still in a daze from the blow to her head. The sight of villagers tossing wood into a pile around a large post set into the ground brought her clarity. No, no, no, she thought. She was going to die. Her father was going to die.

As they awkwardly dragged her up the small hill of wood and began tying her to the post, she felt something returning. That something within that had lent her the extra strength when she'd momentarily broken free of one of her captures had been knocked back with the punch but now, it began to surface once again, triggered as a defense mechanism. It was her last and only hope and so she welcomed it.

Henrietta's world went dark and her head fell forward.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Hyde's world came to light. She'd momentarily gained control when the weak human had been overtaken with fear but something had knocked Hyde back into the darkness. The weak one had once again been overcome with fear and had left the floodgate open in invitation.

Hyde's head snapped up and she snarled at the men binding her. Her wolf-like gold eyes bore through them with murderous hatred as she snapped at them, nearly biting one. He stumbled, losing his footing and falling off the pile of wood onto the ground, crawling backward away from her as the other managed to keep his footing as he stumbled off the pyre. Both watched her with wide-eyed fear despite the fact she was bound and the mob fell silent as they shuffled back a few steps.

Hyde yanked at the ropes, fighting, snarling, and snapping like a wild animal, managing to budge the post ever so slightly with an inhuman strength.

"Demon!" Utterson shouted. He looked at the wide-eyed crowd and began shouting orders. "Don't just stand there! It's trying to break free! We must burn the monster before it calls forth it's master! Prepare the torches!"

Hyde paused momentarily to snarl at Utterson. The coward was quick to shout orders as he kept his distance. She would take immense pleasure in ripping out his vital organs as he watched with his dying breath. The image brought a dark smirk to her face and gave her a renewed strength. She held his gaze as she struggled against the bindings and the snarling smirk widened as the coward took a step back.

[DarkSideCookie]

While Utterson, the town judge, let the convicted young woman bind on the stake, in the middle of the castle's backyard, the plan to bring her out the land was already settled. Her destiny already was rewritten. Whether it was a blessing to cross the Dark One's past or not. It couldn't be undone anymore. Still there was a descicion needed, but she wouldn't have another choice but choose the life. The father's life above all. The wolf-like gold eyes were glowing through the deepblack night around the square. They have awaken the beast inside. The actual beast, which they had convicted. And now they made it went berserk. Seething with anger it struggled against the bindings again and again.

"Demon!", Utterson shouted, as he looked at the beast's wide open eyes.

The Dark One was watching the pageant, hiding from everyone's eyes. His accessory was sent to the place he wanted him to be. Waiting for a sign. But it was not the time yet.
While the men around still were busy with controlling Hyde, Rumpelstiltskin remembered his little betray.
And what kind of a favor shall that be?, he again heard the judge asking.

Don't just stand there! It's trying to break free! We must burn the monster before it calls forth it's master! Prepare the torches!"

Oh, nothing more than a trifle, he had answered to Utterson.

The look of Utterson turned around, as he called out for the torches to be prepared. As if on cue a villager, dressed in a darkgrey cloak with a hood hiding his face, came out of the crowd. In his hand an inflamed torche he slowly came closer to the middle of the square.

Everything I want is..., Rumpelstiltskin remembered his then words.

The crowd was in an uproar, as the villager with the torche approached the woman on the stake. "Burn the witch!", a hymn of agitation was starting around him.

Rumpelstiltskin was watching the tied woman, the beast, which was awakened. In this form she wouln't recognize the deal. She wouldn't recognize him after all. It was less effort for him, only a little bit of magic, but she would felt the beast's anger deserting her. While he freed her from it, Rumpel again was indulging in reminiscences.

The villager with the torche was only a few of steps away from the woman, whose eyes seemed to lost their wildness. Slowly the face under the hood raised up to her.

Everything I want is... holding the torche.

A dark grin appeared on the face under the hood and a pair of big creepy eyes starred at Henrietta.
"Now I want your decision, dearie.", he whispered, very close to her exhausted face, while raising up the torche in his hand.

"Now burn the witch!", Utterson shouted from behind, getting impatient.

Their time was limited. And Henrietta should be fully aware of that.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Hyde quieted and stilled as she senses a kindred dark presence. Her glowing eyes raked the crowd and locked on the man approaching. A slight flick of his hand and she growled as she felt herself fading.

Hyde's head fell forward and the body momentarily went limp, held up by the ropes alone.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Etta came to, flinching as the ropes dug into her torso at her limp state. She straightened and looked up in confusion, momentarily disoriented. Her eyes were drawn to the glow of the torch and then the creature holding it and everything flooded back.

"Now I want your decision, dearie."


She never imagined that she'd be burned alive so whether or not it was too late to save her father, her answer was the same. Her eyes shifted once again to the torch before returning to the Dark One. "I accept your offer," she said in defeat.

[DarkSideCookie]

"I accept your offer."

The grin on the Dark One's lips broadened, as he heard her accepting. The crowd behind was continuing their hymn. "Burn the witch! Burn the witch!"
And Utterson lost his patience, minute by minute.
Slowly the torche in Rumpelstiltskin's hand raised up, as his other hand appeared from under the cloak.
"Welcome...", he again was whispering to Henrietta, while his finger made a circling gesture under the torche in his other hand. Only she would be able to perceive this.
"...to magic!", Rumpel ended up the sentence a little louder. At the same moment the torche beside them emitted a very high darting flame up to the sky. A flame, which could be seen even from a near little window at the castle...

[unwrittentales]

Victor

Nervously he was waiting in front of a window near the front entrance of the castle. From here he could see the crowd trying to burn his secret love but was condemned to inactivity by the plans of this gnome. Again he was asking himself why for gods sake he had accepted those plans at least after he knew the price he needed to pay for saving her. Yet still, if the plan succeed he would be willing to pay the cost.
Well... actually he wouldn't follow the whole plan as Rumpel wanted to use his brother Gerhardt for a diversion. Unbelievable what a guy like Utterson would to him after Victor and the others were able to escape. Therefore he had made up his mind conceiving another plan to save her. A plan to show the power of science.
Behind the walls and this far from the stake he wasn't able to understand any of the spoken words. But it was not necessary to hear them as he could imagine everyone of them. He knew that Utterson was pressing the villager to finally burn her as well as he knew she was crying for help which he wasn't able to provide. He had a sad expression on his face when tenderly touching her face in the glas of the window.

"Just hang in there my dear. Just for a second. I will be there soon." He whispered as finally the agreed sign appeared. A darting flame enlightened the sky for a moment. Everything was prepared for this one moment and so was he. He even opened his brothers cell and had at least a short moment to say good bye to him so there was nothing left to do except Henriettas salvation. Before the flame vanished again he already had picked two vials whith ingredients which would unleash a thig fog once mixed. But that was not the whole plan. He could feel the heavy tubes filled with black powder, a newly found chemical composition which causes light explosion and lots of noise when it was inflamed. Without stoping a second he took one of the torches from the entrance gate and continued his way to the castles outside where the stake was piled up.

Just a second had passed until the vials had been cracked in the crowd and a strange white fog appeared between them.
"So lets proceed to the final part of this play. Science final victory." A broad grin showed
upon his face. Victor had already inflamed the fuse of one of the tubes when he heard the deep dark voice blowing over the field.
"V...i...c...t...o...r" It was his brother who finally left his cage.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Etta gaped as the flame of the torch shot high up into the sky and beyond, giving the clouds above an eery glow as if they were about to rain fire.

She hadn't noticed that a hush had fallen over the crowd until a murmur began to grow among them. Pulling her eyes away from the flame, she looked to see a thick white fog crawling it's way through the crowd.

"V...i...c...t...o...r"

The crowd turned toward the ominously monotone voice and a sob caught in Etta's throat. "No," she whispered. "No, no, no, no," she quietly repeated as she struggled with her bindings. How had he gotten out? She wanted to shout at him to go back inside but didn't want to bring more attention to him than he was already gaining on his own but it wouldn't be long until they realized.

A woman screamed and swooned while others shouted and once again, Utterson's voice boomed to rile the crowd.

"The witch's powers are far beyond any recorded! She has brought back her dead and buried betrothed and has called forth her master!" Utterson pointed toward the creature that had tricked him into making a deal. "Burn the witch Henrietta before she calls forth more demons and prepare for two more burnings!"

The crowd was whipped into a frenzy as shouts of "Demons!" "Burn the witch!" "Monster!" and the like emanated.

Unaware of exactly what was going on around him, Gerhardt paused at the familiar name. "E-tta?" he said as he tried to process. Etta? Burn? He looked over at the pile of wood and behind the hooded man. "E-TTA!" he shouted, the sight of Etta bound to the pole and of fire sent him into a rage. With an animal-like growl, he turned and stomped toward the man shouting out the orders, sending those who tried to stop him flying in either direction with a flick of his arm as if shooing away flies.

"Burn the-" Utterson's words ended on a gurgle as the monster wrapped a hand around his throat and effortlessly raised him off the ground. His eyed bugged as he clawed at the hand. Fear turned the blood in his veins to ice as the monster glared at him with such intense animalistic hatred.

"Gerhardt, no!" Etta cried out but Gerhardt had gone beyond reaching. Etta continued struggling against the bindings and ignored the warm sticky feeling of blood as the ropes dug into her arms. They would kill him. She was going to lose Gerhardt again. The fear he was invoking would lead them to attack as a swarm and despite his strength, he was no match for an entire crowd of villagers, especially when he was completely incoherent with rage.

Etta turned to the Dark One. "Why did you involve him? They'll kill him," she said, her voice shaking with anger as tears ran down her face. "This was not part of the deal!"

[DarkSideCookie]

The sound of cracking glass brought an astonished expression on the Dark One's face. With a roll of his eyes he turned around to the castle's entrance gate.
'You... little... mule', he thought, as he saw the thick white fog appearing in the crowd. Well, essentially he knew the doctor would try to find a way to buck his orders.

"V...i...c...t...o...r"

Rumpelstiltskin couldn't hide his spitefulness, when he heard that dark monotone voice blowing over the field. On his lips was shown a soundless giggle. Viktor really was foolish enough to free his zombie brother notwithstanding...? How Amusing.

"No, no, no, no,", he heard Jekyll's whisper behind, which drew his attention back to her.

"The witch's powers are far beyond any recorded! She has brought back her dead and buried betrothed and has called forth her master!""Burn the witch Henrietta before she calls forth more demons and prepare for two more burnings!", Utterson suddenly shouted, drowning out the crowd's screaming and crying.

Now a highvoiced giggle left his lips, while he turned around to the town judge. Actually the plan was to free Jekyll from the ropes, as soon as the doctor reacted on his sign... of course that way he was told. But considering that Viktor didn't heed his orders, his beloved has to persevere a little longer. 'See it as a kind of disciplinary measure', he thought, while he was approaching Utterson.
"Master's name... is Rumpelstiltskin!", Rumpel responded, undraping the face under the hood. The town judge shall know who he had dealt with, before he was going to look death in the face...

"Burn the-", Utterson wanted to repeat his order, as his words ended on a gurgle.

Rumpelstiltskin, standing still, just watched the reawakened monster wrapping it's hand around the man's throat. Rumpel was the one, who gave Viktor the magic heart to let him create that monster, like he helped him out create his monster in return. Rumpel exactly knew where the heart in the monster's chest came from. Meant, he also was able to control it, whenever he wants. But there was no reason halting this... for now.

"Gerhardt, no!", Jekyll cried out from behind, as she suddenly addressed him. "Why did you involve him? They'll kill him,""This was not part of the deal!"

"Well, dearie,", Rumpelstiltskin turned around to face her. "I am not the one, who uncaged him. You have to thank our venerable doctor for that, dear."
As if on cue the white fog finally cleared entirely and the Dark One's extended finger pointed at the doctor, who was standing still, with a shocked expression watched Gerhardt loosing control. It won't be long until the monster would have killed off Utterson... a now unimportant person.
Rumpel was innerly full of joy to play both ends against the middle. Now, where the crowd's commander was a bit prevented, there was still time for some fun, wasn't it?

[Hollywood Heidi]

"Well, dearie," "I am not the one, who uncaged him. You have to thank our venerable doctor for that, dear."

Stunned by this revelation, Etta looked at Victor, a look of shock and hurt on her face as she watched for any signs that confirmed the Dark One spoke the truth.

[unwrittentales]

Victor

Unable to intervene or at least to move he was condemned to be an observer in his own escape plan. Like in slow motion he saw his brothers silhouette storming among the villagers who (at least in his own imagination)
where thrown through the air like token swept away from an angry kids hand. For a short moment the white fog cleared and revealed a scenery of dread. His brother, Gerhardt, laid his big praws around the neck of the
towns judge and it wont be long before Uttersons last breath would leave his small lips.
"No... stop it..." His voice was not louder than a whisper. Victor knew that he had to intervene the sooner the better. As soon as anyone died they would hunt his brother in revenge. But what options did he have?
He won't have enough time to run to the pile and stop his brother in his wrath. To be honest, he wouldn't be able to stop his brothers wrath even if he would have all the time of the world.
Therefore he had to use his only left tool and with a grievously expression on his face he enflamed the black powders tube and threw it next to Gerhardt. A slight explosion some fire and more fog than he had
calculated where the result. Even if it was not such a big explosion it was sufficient to let Gerhardt throw the judge away and flee in the dark. But not before Gerhardt gave him a last view and with a deeply
grieved tone he said "You too Brother?"

A stabbing pain in his chest let him fell down on his knees. "Gerhardt... you have to believe me... Everything I did was for your safety but everything I earned was your damnation." His words flew away unheared as the monster already disappeared in the darkness of the nearby forest.

[DarkSideCookie]

Rumpelstiltskin inwardly was full of joy to causing some trouble, when he saw the expression on Henrietta's face. His eyes turned back to the doctor, who now was fully free from the fog. But instead of reacting on his little utterance, Viktor enflamed a tube with something black in it and threw it next to his wild-eyed brother.
"You drag...", Rumpel mumbled, while watching the explosion the enflamed tube caused. While the others around were shrinking back, he stood still, just watching. A thick cloud of fog appeared again and let the monster throw the judge away to flee into the dark.

"You too Brother?", it turned around one last time to the doctor, before it was going to disappear in the darkness of the nearby forest.

"Gerhardt... you have to believe me... Everything I did was for your safety but everything I earned was your damnation."

Rumpelstiltskin had another look at Viktor, who was babbling around. This was going to be boring. His eyes turned around to the heavily injured judge. The plan seemed to proved to be perfect at last. Utterson was disabled and the crowd mostly in panicked. No eyes on Henrietta.
The Dark One slowly approached Viktor, who was sitting down on his knees.
"Now we better do what we came for.", he said, while pulling the doctor up on his feet. He had to suffer enough for now. So this was the time to free his beloved at least... of course only for his advantage.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Henrietta watched as Gerhardt disappeared into the forest. She knew she'd be leaving him behind but thought he'd remain safely hidden within the castle with Viktor to care for him. Now that he'd been exposed to the town folk, there was just as much chance of ensuring his safety as she'd had. They would hunt him and they would end him.

Etta looked back at Viktor once again, hurt and betrayal still etched into her expression. Unable to look at him any longer, she let her head fall forward as she closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry. The price to save her father's life had just increased. If she hadn't hesitated--if she'd accepted the Dark One's offer when it was first proposed, it would only have cost her free will and not the second-life of Gerhardt. She was also to blame.

[unwrittentales]

Victor

Deep in thoughts and self-pity he had almost forgotten his surrounding until he noticed the voice of the dark one showing him the way. "Henrietta..." he whispered. How could he lose sight of his goal?
Slowly he straighten himself and in a firm voice he answered to Rumpel. "You're right. Let us finish what we came for." At a brisk pace he managed the distance to the stake ready to open Henriettas shackles but as he arrived he felt his self confidence passed away, again. For some reason he felt like he had to explain what happened to her but was totally missing the right words. Nervously he was bitting his underlip while searching a good explanation. But all he could say was "I never meant to end it like this. I'm so sorry." And with shivering fingers he started to open the shackles...

[DarkSideCookie]

"You're right. Let us finish what we came for."

Rumpelstiltskin just gave the doctor a little nod, watched him lowering the distance to the stake, on which Henrietta was tied. On her face was still a hurt expression readable. But this time it didn't reveal a smile on his lips. Viktor would get an earful later on. So Rumpel would get enough to laugh, when it was the time. But now was the time for getting the woman away from here. He really had enough from this grey science nightmare.
For one moment Rumpelstiltskin thought the doctor would start to bear his heart to her. Rumpel's face became an impatient expression. His lips already indicated a quite grumbling, as he saw the doctor starting to open her shackles.
"Now take her with you and finally let us leave this place!", Rumpelstiltskin shouted at him, while the last shackle fell down.
Without checking, if Viktor did what he was told, the Dark One didn't pay attention to the two of them anymore and instead turned around to the crowd, or that what was left from it. With one single move of his hand he let the fog consolidate again, till nothing but a thick cloud would catch their eyes.
One more time he turned around to Viktor and Henrietta. "Ready?"

[Hollywood Heidi]

Etta rubbed her wrists, raw from the shackles. She didn't think anything of the Dark One's eyes flickering to Viktor when he'd asked if she was ready. She wasn't good with goodbyes and at the moment, she was still harboring anger toward Viktor for using Gerhardt as a pawn to release her. It was best she leave without the risk of saying something she may later regret.

Wordlessly, she gave the Dark One a nod.

[DarkSideCookie]

Actually his question was directed to Viktor, but despite he answered her nod with a satisfied smile. A dark smile, full of joy only about the own advantage of course.

The next steps happened very fast. While the crowd was still surrounded by the fog, Rumpel indicated to Viktor to carry Henrietta, as she still would be weak in the legs and therefore pose a barrier for them. The doctor lifted her up without any forewarning. Rumpelstiltskin formed the front. It would have been an ease to just disappear on the spot, but then his handicapped allys were left behind. So this time the Dark One didn't use his magic for their escape... not so much of it, at least.
Rumpelstiltskin led them to the agreed place, where Jefferson already would be waiting. Yes, he needed the Mad hatter's help for travelling through the lands. But unfortunately he was just able to use the hat between magical lands... Rumpel threw away his thoughts and when they reached Jefferson, who was leaning on a house wall, he gave his allys behind a sign to hurry.

"You're late, Rumpel.", Jefferson sayed with a quick look at the stars above. "I already was wondering, if..."

"Yes yes, now do your share!", the Dark One responded impatient, but still followed by an amused grin.
A grin was shown on the Mad hatter's lips either, before he bared his head and threw his hat in the middle of them. The hat began to rotate, as a portal seemed to arise in it.
"Let's go!", Rumpel spat out, while giving his two allys a little nudge. Before he jumped into the portal himself, he turned around to Jefferson one more time.
"We will talk about the payment later, dearie."
Jefferson answered with a gesture of his hand, pointing at the hat. With another grin on his lips, Rumpel followed the others through the portal.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Etta gasped as she suddenly found herself lifted off the ground and held onto Viktor for dear life as they suddenly all ran. Why were they running and to where? Why didn't the Dark One make them disappear and appear to their destination as he'd appeared to her with apparent ease?  "I can walk," she protested weakly but knew she'd have probably slowed them down. Her legs were wobbly after having lost circulation from being tied in an upright position for so long. 

She wiggled herself free from Viktor's arms as they stopped in front of a stranger with an odd looking hat, holding onto Viktor's arm for support as she looked between the Dark One and the stranger. 


"You're late, Rumpel.", Jefferson sayed with a quick look at the stars above. "I already was wondering, if..."

"Yes yes, now do your share!", the Dark One

Etta watched in awe as the hat began to spin of it's own accord, the blackness of the hat's opening growing until it was a large, gaping hole. 


"Let's go!",

The Dark One nudged her toward the abyss and before she could think better of it, she jumped. 


***Etta, Viktor, Rumpel, and Jefferson exit to Prince Eric's Kingdom - Moonstone Falls Forest***

[Ariel]

"The witch's powers are far beyond any recorded! She has brought back her dead and buried betrothed and has called forth her master!""Burn the witch Henrietta before she calls forth more demons and prepare for two more burnings!"

Words and thoughts of the crowd of villagers in the distance transmitted through the mind of the focused wolf, scampering at a rapid pace along the night fallen forest floor. The whispers that had crept through the lands were confirmed - there were powerful monsters out of control. They needed a hell sent savior, someone to help them gain control. Yet, everything comes with a price. The time to act was now, before the so-called witch and her undead figured out the small print before their hands could be forced to sign for their lives. Proceedings had begun, and the wolf had heard all he needed to hear as his eyelids flashed open to reveal two dark, glowing crimson eyes that could pierce the soul of any mere mortal that were to gaze into them. It would be clear to anyone who would fall into the presence of this wolf that he was no pure, helpless animal. For whom currently resided in this furry body was a creature so twisted and malevolent that most who had encountered him had mistaken him for the devil himself.

As his paws had reached the outskirts of the forest, the wolf's head snapped to the side as his ears picked up a sudden noise of commotion among the trees and bushes nearby. A large, dark silhouette was captured running into the forest, away from the raging crowd about to burn the victims. Still running towards the glowing lights of torches, the wolf turned his gaze back towards the forest exit as couldn't be bothered with what else was lurking at this nocturnal hour.

The trees began to disappear behind him and the death day scene appeared before him, but only momentarily before a white fog encased every inch of their surroundings. Yelping, the wolf was completely blinded and couldn't see far enough to pin point where the monsters were. Frustration and anger overcame the being as he growled and nipped at the air, realizing that clearly someone or something was on the same mission and had gotten to his prize before him. Suddenly, the body of the animal began to shake until it completely fell over to it's side.

What happened next was something that would be traumatizing to the naked eye. The side of the wolf split open, and emerging from the animal's flesh was a being that roared in affliction as his body transfigured into that of a man. Though, by the razor sharp points of his teeth that were on display, one could tell that this was no mortal man, but Dracula himself.

Dracula's throat gurgled in a breathy growl with every panted exhale that escaped his body as he stood upright over the mangled carcass, attempting to grab any sort of composure. Hearing voices plotting of escape, his bloodshot eyes furiously darted through the white fog to catch whoever was hijacking his monsters. Yet, his anger clouded his focus and he was rendered impaired until the fog started to slowly clear away. Confused villagers, a critically maimed judge and an empty stake were the leftovers that were served to Dracula, and he was far from happy. Dracula was furious and ready to charge in and slay a few morsels,yet he halted himself in the forest outskirts as he overheard the remnants of a conversation that presented some useful information to him. 

"Utterson!...Someone get the judge some medical attention!...Utterson, who was that?! Who did this?!"
"... Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpelstiltskin..."
"They might be gone, but we can still make the undead monster pay for his crimes! He ran into the forest...if we leave now, we can catch up to the beast!"

Rumpelstiltskin? Dracula listened intently, yet this was all the judge could babble in his injured state. He had the name of the culprit, and whoever this Rumpelstiltskin was must be just as powerful as Dracula. If not, more. Dracula decided that he would devout his time to learning more about this powerful being and seek him out. Until then, it sounded as if this Rumpelstiltskin left Dracula a monster behind to collect. Looking up at the sky that was blanketed by the night, Dracula faced his palms upward and raised his hands by his side, closing his eyes in concentration. A swarm of screeching, black bats suddenly fell from the sky and upon the remaining villagers. The bats tormented them until every single one of the villagers had no choice but to run back to their homes and away from seeking their revenge on the undead man. All except for the judge who still lay in the middle of the dirt, struggling to survive. 

"Humans are always so dramatic." Dracula rolled his eyes and turning himself around, he strolled nonchalantly back into the depths of the forest, in hopes of taking home the undead monster...and the judge to quench his starvation after all of this was over.

*** 30 minutes later ***

"Ah, there you are," Dracula whispered to himself as he spotted the monster curled up in a ball by a stream, sulking rather loudly. A toothy grin crept along his face before stepping out of the thick of trees, revealing himself to the undead man.

"You know, if you're going to make a break for it, drowning yourself in your tears by a river isn't very intelligent. You might as well have just stayed put, waiting for your end. Would've been quicker." Dracula remarked as he shed a tone of judgement on the creature, shaking his head. Keeping his distance, Dracula slowly circled the creature. It was apparent that Dracula had startled him, as he looked upon him with utter mania and began to charge. 

"Hey, hey. Down boy, I'm not one of them. Unlike them, I understand you. And I'm going to help you." Softening his complexion, Dracula put his hands up at the furious undead man as he took a slight step backwards in caution.

"NO!" The man threw a powerful swing at Dracula that missed, landing itself in a tree trunk as bark spewed everywhere, "No one gets Gerhardt. No one likes Gerhardt. I am ... no one."

"Your friends that left you behind, those villagers, of course they don't get you. But I do...Gerhardt," Dracula spoke in reasoning as he circled around Gerhardt to do what most probably would be afraid to do -  face the beast, "I know you're confused. You feel like you don't belong. You are out of control, but my friend, your path has lead you to me," Dracula took a few steps forward towards Gerhardt. The man bore so much pain in his heart more than anything, and Dracula knew that he had this Gerhardt right where he wanted him. At his most vulnerable, "Come home with me. Let me help you, and in return I can give you a good life. A life that you would only dream about. What do you say, lad?" Dracula affirmed as he extended a hand towards Gerhardt, as the monster was left with no other choice but to accept or die by the hands of mortals. Gerhardt looked down at the ground before nodding in agreement.

"Perfect. Let's go home."

***