Chapter 12

The hours seemed relentless as the guardians of Hellsing waited for the day to fade into night. Their leader was in the clutches of two ruthless vampires. No one knew that Alucard and Seras were also prisoners of Demir and Aiesha. They knew only that their leader was alive for the moment. Three men had the task of holding the forces and the household together while they waited for night fall.

Each man had his own way of dealing with the situation. Fergason and Walter spent some time coming up with a plan to rescue Integra. Pickman stayed long enough to hear the plan. He decided he'd see Zoey and check on her condition. Nurses were just leaving her room when he asked the doctor to see her. With permission granted, Pickman entered Zoey's room. She was sitting up preparing to eat the meal nurses had just brought her.

"You look like you're doing better." Pickman commented.

"I feel a little better. Where are Seras and Alucard?" Zoey asked.

"Sir Integra has been kidnapped by the two vampires who kidnapped and attacked you. We know where she is but until the sun sets we can't do anything. Plus they've got Alucard and Seras and are holding them prisoner as well." Pickman answered.

"Seras..." Zoey said putting her hands to her mouth.

"Don't worry. Alucard and Seras can take care of themselves. Seras Victoria is a strong girl. Alucard wouldn't have turned her if she weren't." Pickman replied.

"Why are they doing this? What did any of us ever do to them?" Zoey asked.

"I wish I could answer that. Who knows why beings alive or undead do the things they do?" He answered.

"I've been a part of Hellsing for two years now. First time I saw Alucard in battle I couldn't believe what I was seeing. He went into a building full of ghouls. They shot him to ribbons, and I thought he was done for. I was going to rush in and take down as many of em as I could. But Alucard, he pulls himself together as if nothing happened. Then he took out a whole bloody line of ghouls with one shot. Every single one of them shot right through the heart. Just fired one bullet and it ripped through everyone of em like a hot knife through butter."

"He's really that powerful?" Zoey asked.

"Yah. Alucard's defintely unique among vampires." Pickman answered.

"Not to change the subject, but it's daylight. Vampires can't surivive the day. Why don't the human units just storm where the vampires are hiding and rescue Sir Integra that way?" Zoey questioned.

"Normally, we would have done that already. But these vampires have exibited powers we're not used to dealing with. They've been able to cloak their conditions from even Alucard. As powerful as he is, even he couldn't detect them until it was too late." Pickman said.

"It all sounds so hopeless." Zoey replied quietly.

"Nothing's hopeless. Besides, we may have some unexpected help. Last night a female vampire came to us. She wasn't like the two that attacked you. She said she knew a way to destroy...what was the name she kept saying? Lily, Lilt..."

"Lilith?"

"Lilith, yah that was the name. I better go. Once the sun goes down Commander Fergason will put us to work. I'll make sure there are guards here to keep you safe." Pickman said.

"Stewart," Zoey called.

"Yah."

"Be careful."

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The abbey was quiet as the sun began its descent. Seras lay motionless in her cage locked in her vampire death sleep. Integra was also asleep under the spell of her captors. Seras began to stir in her silver prison. She slowly opened her eyes and gasped. Alucard was motionless chained to the wall. His hair had streaks of grey and white due to his massive bloodloss. His face was a sickly ashen color and his eyes looked sunk in. He looked more like a ghoul than the powerful vampire she knew and loved.

"Alucard, Alucard!" She cried.

"He can't hear you my dear. The hunger has made him deaf to your cries. His spirit is fading, and soon he will meet his eternal end." Demir said smuggly.

"You lying bastard." Seras growled.

"Demir, don't waste your time with the bitch. The time is approaching. Soon the ceremony must begin." Aiesha said.

Deep in her sleep, Integra heard a voice calling to her in her mind. It ordered her to remain still and act as if she were still asleep so she would not attract attention.

"Descendent of Van Helsing, remain still and listen to me very carefully. Soon Demir and Aiesha will begin the ceremony to release Lilith's spirit into your world. There is a way to entrap the dark mother once more, but you must do exactly as I say."

"Who are you?" Integra asked.

"My name is Shivana. I carry with me the key to the survival of your race." Shivana answered.

"I'm listening." Integra said.

"It is a sword I have guarded for many centuries. The blade is made of pure and unblemished silver but must never be touched by tainted hands. Your heart and spirit are pure and righteous so long as Demir or Aiesha does not taint you with their blood or defile your virginity." Shivana explained.

"In the center of the blade is a perfect crystal. As long as you remain pure you can use this sword to entrap Lilith's spirit within that crystal. When you have her in range, you must plunge the blade directly into Lilith's heart. Her spirit will be taken into the crystal where it will remain so long as the crystal is undamaged. The sword must then be hidden from all in order to keep her spirit trapped for eternity."

"Sounds easy enough." Integra replied.

"It is not as easy as it sounds. You will only have one chance to strike, and that one strike must count. The blade is forged of holy silver, but it was not forged by man. It was made by the arch angel Gabriel himself. Once the blade touches tainted flesh it will be rendered useless against the dark mother. That is why when you strike, you must make sure the blade pierces her heart directly. The crystal will take her soul and trap it within. This may be your only chance to save your people from the demoness your enemies seek to ressurect." Shivana said.

"Where are you now?" Integra asked.

"For now I must not reveal that to you, but when the time is right I will appear. Do what you must to revive your servant when the opportunity presents itself."

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Back at Hellsing manor:

"The sun has gone down. We need to mobilize in order to rescue Sir Integra. If something has happened to Alucard and Seras, she'll be counting on us to come through." Fergason said.

"I know old friend. But we must not be too rash in our actions. Remember these vampires hold her prisoner and any action we take to rescue Sir Integra could backfire in our faces and cost Integra her life." Walter refuted.

"We can't just stand by while those bastards do who knows what to her. We have to go get her." Pickman protested.

"Calm down captain. I am well aware of the risks Sir Integra is facing. But we must be patient and wait for the right moment to strike." Walter replied.

"You're not suggesting we listen to that vampire who visited us last night. How do we know that stuff she told us is true? Maybe she's in with the two who kidnapped Integra and just told us that nonsense to stall us." Pickman said.

"I've fought the armies of the true undead since I was fourteen years old captain. Being well over seventy years old now and having the benefit of interaction with a vampire for half of those seventy years, I have learned a great deal about the undead. I believe the vampire who came to us last night can indeed help us save Sir Integra."

Walter turned to Fergason. "I believe it would be a wise idea for you to gather your units and have them ready to move out the very moment we are given the go ahead."

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Integra felt her body yanked upward forcing her to awake. She looked straight into the eyes of Demir as he smiled wickedly at her. He looked up and sniffed the air. "Aiesha, the human followers have arrived. Show them in." He said as he forced Integra out of the cage.

"I swear to you if you harm me in any way he'll tear you apart." Integra warned.

"I doubt that. You can see for yourself what your servant has been reduced to. He hasn't even the strength to open his eyes." Demir said pointing to Alucard. He was only a shell of the vampire Integra remembered. But the site of him worn down to nothing more than a hollow shadow did not deter Integra's will.

"Don't underestimate your opponent." She said sternly. She knew what she had to do, but for the moment she kept the thought out of her head so Demir would not find out what she was planning.

"I don't need to worry about underestimating a hollowed out dog. You should just resign yourself to the fact that he is lost. And soon the dark mother will rid the world of his loathesome presense once and for all." Demir replied confidently.

"I'll resign myself when the last drop of blood leaves my body." Integra growled.

"It would be a pity to kill you. But if death is what you want, so be it."

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Walter entered Sir Integra's office. It was a rare occasion that the aged retainer lost faith in his abilities and the soliders of Hellsing, but this was a moment when he felt it wain. "We have to get her back." He said to himself.

"The time has come. Gather your forces and send them to Carfax Abbey. Hurry, for there is no time to be wasted." The voice of Shivana said in his mind.

Walter rushed as quickly as he could to where the human units waited. Fergason was about to speak when he saw Walter dashing like a madman down the hall. "Move your troops out! It's time!" He shouted with all his strength.

"Move out!" Fergason shouted.

Walter leaned against a wall clutching his chest trying to catch his breath. He'd run so fast his monicel fell from his face. It hung from his ear as he heaved in one breath after another. "God...watch over her. Bring Sir Integra back safe and alive."

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Aiesha and Demir watched as both human and vampiric servants gathered around the altar of Lilith. Demir held onto Integra holding her hands behind her back in an iron grip. The witnessess went to their knees and raised their hands to the sky. Aiesha's eyes glowed red with anticipation.

"The moon has reached its apex. The time has come to bring Lilith back into our realm. Demir, bring her arms out and hold her still. You two, come and hold her legs so she doesn't get away." Aiesha ordered.

Two vampiric servants knelt before Demir and held onto Integra's ankles. Their grip was strong even for lowly servants. She struggled but the iron grip Demir had on her wrists was unbreakable. She looked over at Alucard who was still chained to the wall. His body was motionless. But still Integra's will remained unshaken. None who willingly took part in the events about to unfold had no idea of the horror she was going to unleash once she got the chance. Holding to that resolve, Integra stopped struggling.

Aiesha approached with a ceremonial dagger. Demir forced Integra's hand open, her palm facing away from him. Aiesha put the daggers point against Integra's exposed palm. "Dark mother Lilith! Hear your children! Let the strong blood of this virgin fire your soul! Come fourth into our presence, we beseech thee!" She exclaimed as she drug the point of the dagger across Integra's palm forcing it to bleed.

Integra winced but did not show true pain in her expression. She wasn't about to let these two pieces of filth see her suffer no matter how much it hurt. Demir stretched Integra's arm so that her bleeding hand was over the golden chalice. A steady stream of scarlet dripped into the chalice. The sanguine fluid gathered in a small pool in the middle of the cup until it began to smolder and bubble.

All who were there watched in amazement as the stone arms began to slowly move. Inch by inch they slowly brought the chalice to the statue's lips until the blood began to drip into its mouth. Integra watched with wide horrified eyes as the marble stone began to take on a flesh toned hue. Solid rock slowly turned into soft, supple flesh. Her hair and lips turned from pale white to deep red. And her eyes blazed with a crimson glow.

"It's happening! The dark mother's stone prison has turned to flesh! Lilith walks among us again!" Aiesha proclaimed.

Seras looked on terrified at the site she beheld. Her sire was too weak to do battle. She was imprisoned in a blessed silver cage, and her human employer was at the mercy of the monsters who held her prisoner. Everything seemed beyond hope.

"There is hope still." A voice called within her head.

"Shivana?" Seras whispered quietly. No one heard her voice as they were too caught up in their glorious moment to notice.

"Within you flows the blood of Dracula. You are young, but your will is strong. You must use your power to create a diversion if you are to save Integra. Use the power of your mind to aid you. You must hurry. Your human allys are on their way as I speak."

"What do I do?" Seras asked herself frantically trying to think of something. "Use the power of my mind..." She said realizing what Shivana meant.

"He hasn't taught me how to do this yet. But it's all in the mind. Like flying and going through the portal, it's all in my mind." She said looking over at Alucard's Jackul as it lay on the floor.

"It's the same principal as flying. I have to imagine it as being very lite."

Seras focused in on the gun intently. In her mind she imagined it as being something very light. Her crimson eyes blazed as she concetrated as hard as she could. To her amazement, the gun began to rise. She stretched out her arm. The gun began to float in her direction. She kept her focus locked on the gun as it levitated toward her. All eyes were on Lilith so they did not notice her little magic act.

The gun made it's journey toward her outstretched arm. She lowered it carefully to the ground just outside the cage. "If I can handle that huge cannon Walter gave me, Alucard's Jackul should be a piece of cake for me." She whispered as she carefully slid her hand through the bars careful not to make contact with the silver. She pulled the gun toward her. She winced as her skin briefly made contact with one of the bars. She gritted her teeth to keep from making a sound until she pulled the gun in.

Lilith dropped the chalice to the ground and looked at herself. She felt her arms and her hair. Then she looked toward Aiesha and Demir who still held Integra in his grasp.

"Flesh. At last, I am flesh!" She cried.

"Kneel! Kneel before our dark mother!" Aiesha commanded. The servants went to their faces, their arms and hands pointed foward. Then she went to her knees and bowed her head.

"What is this place? Where am I?" Lilith demanded.

"The country is called England my mistress. This is an abbey which we have converted into a place where we could bring you back into our world. Before you I hold the virgin whose blood has again give you life. I wish to offer her as a sacrifice along with two vampires who have disgraced our kind." Demir said pointing to the motionless Alucard.

"HEY! Asshole!" Seras shouted aiming the Jackul at the congregation. She saw that Demir had pulled Integra out of range. She had a clear shot at Lilith.

"Kiss mommy goodbye!" She hissed as she cocked the gun and pulled the trigger. The bullet travled straight for Lilith's heart, but to Seras's shock Lilith caught the bullet with her bare hand. It melted in her grasp.

"Shit!" Seras cursed. But the diversion was about to serve its purpose. Integra, seeing the opportunity thrust her lower leg upward and kicked Demir in a rather sensitive area. Then she ripped the tiny silver cross from her tie and shoved it against Demir's forehead. The pain forced him to let Integra go. She noticed also the two vampires that had been restraining her ankles had foolishly let go of them. She ran as fast as she could straight for Alucard's motionless frame.

"Stop her you fools!" Demir barked as he peeled the silver cross from his flesh. The mark of the cross had been branded into his flesh. Integra squeezed the cut in her palm to make it bleed. She scrapped the blood up with her finger nails and then wiped it onto Alucard's lips.

"You foolish bitch! It will take more than that to revive him!" Aiesha spat.

Integra's lips curled into a wicked smirk. "That's where you're wrong." She said smugly as she continued smearing her blood onto the mouth of her servant. Knowing what was about to happen, Integra rushed toward Seras.

"Prepare yourself Seras Victoria. Things are about to get very nasty." Integra replied.

The small amount of blood Integra wiped on Alucard's lips was drawn into his mouth. His eyes suddenly snapped open blazing red with bloodlust. His lips curled into a maniacal smile and his fangs elongated. The beast had been awakened once again. With relative ease he broke free of the chains that held him. His expression was nothing short of demonic.

"That can't be! No vampire can revive from so little blood!" Aiesha exclaimed in disbelief. The room soon sounded with Alucard's insane laughter. He looked over at the silver cage that held Seras prisoner. With the simple flick of his wrist the door of the cage suddenly flew off its hinges and went flying through the air.

Seras quickly exited the cage. She saw the look on Alucard's face. It was not the look of her sire or the look of the cocky vampire she'd grown attached to. It was the look of death. He turned to her for but a second. "Protect our master." He said cryptically.

Seras led Integra to a far side of the room where they would be out of the way. Integra quickly took off her tie and wrapped it around her bleeding hand. Seras kept Integra behind her to keep her safe. Alucard charged foward, his eyes blazing with pure madness. The servants both vampire and human formed a wall between Alucard and his enemies. Alucard grabbed the first human body he could get his hands on and sank his fangs into the victim's throat. Blood spurted fourth as he feasted. With inhuman ferver he drained his prey dry tossing the corpse aside like a piece of garbage. He felt even more of his strength returning now that he had fresh blood flowing in his veins. He grabbed another human victim and drained that one as well. The lower half of his face was covered in the blood of his victims.

Demir and Aiesha could not believe the horror they beheld. Truly Alucard was a more powerful vampire than they'd thought possible. They along with their mistress watched as Alucard tore through both humans and vampires like they were pieces of paper.

Alucard thrust his arm into one vampire and quickly thrust it upward violently tearing the undead servant in half. It dissapated into nothing but ash. He tore the head off another letting it turn into ash as well. One foolish human went charging at him. He caught the fool by the throat and proceeded to ram his hand through the chest cavity. The victim looked down with a rather horrified expression as Alucard ripped out the heart out. He let the organ drop to the ground and then stomped on it with his foot. It was reduced to nothing more than a bloody pile of tissue under the vampire's boot. He also drained that victim of its blood as well.

Within a matter of moments the witnesses had all been slaughtered. Only Demir, Aiesha and Lilith remained. Aiesha had given Lilith a deep burgandy and rather revealing dress to wear. She looked on with an icy expression that potrayed neither fear nor anger.

"You have underestimated the power the son of the dragon holds." She said sternly to her two remaining followers.

"No matter. I will end him once and for all." The demoness replied confidently.

Lilith approached Alucard. Her red eyes glowed with malice and spite. Alucard expressed the same upon his bloody face. But as they prepared to face off a mysterious wind began to blow. The room filled with a white mist from which a figure stepped fourth.

"Lilith! You are not welcome in this world!" Shouted the voice of a woman. Lilith and Alucard both looked to see Shivana standing amidst the bodies and piles of dust.

"Shivana! You will not ruin this moment!" Aiesha hissed spitefully.

Shivana pushed back her cloak to reveal the sheathed sword she carried with her. Then she turned to face Integra and Seras. "The world of man rests upon you now Integra Hellsing." She said pointing the sword upward. With inhuman precision she hurled it toward Integra. It astonished her that she caught the sword perfectly by the hilt.

Integra looked at the sword in wonderment for a moment. Her reflection cast upon the perfect silver blade. She felt something beginning to happen within her. Her blue eyes focused intently with purpose. Her hands grasped the hilt with a strong but not crushing force. It was as if the hilt had been molded specially for her feminine hands. An unearthly light began to surround her. Her eyes suddenly began to glow with a white light. Seras didn't know what to make of the event folding before her. Even Alucard was astonished by what was happening to his master.

"Foolish human. You expect me to be frightened of your pathetic magic." Lilith scowled.

Unafraid and with determination, Integra as if under the will of a greater force, walked with purpose toward Lilith. She stopped before the demoness and held the sword up so that the point faced heaven. Then she pointed it toward Lilith.

"By Sanvi, by Sansanvi, by Semangelaf..."

Lilith's eyes widened to hear three names she had not heard since the dawn of time.

"By Adam, by Eve..."

Seras noticed Integra didn't sound purely like Integra anymore. She couldn't describe it. It was Integra's voice, yet not Integra's voice.

"In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation!" Integra thundered and lunged foward. As if a strange force were guiding her hands, the tip of the sword plunged directly into Lilith's heart. Caught off guard by the entrancing scene the blade penetrated her flesh before she had a chance to react.

"NO!" Aiesha screamed.

Integra continued pushing the sword through Lilith's heart until the crystal penetrated it. The dark arua that was Lilith's evil spirit was drawn from her body and sucked into the crystal. Flesh, muscle, tissue and bone began to shrivle and turn to dust. The demonic essense was now trapped in the crystal. Proof of that being the pure, clear crystal had now turned black. Before her reign could even begin, it was over.

"Damn you! Damn all of you! Our efforts have been for nothing!" Aiesha screamed.

Seras left the spot she was standing at and stood between Alucard and Integra. Integra shook her head. She did not fully understand what had just taken place. Still grasping the sword she fell to her knees. Demir began to charge angrily toward Integra. He was stopped by a wall of fire that suddenly erupted out of the ground.

"You will not touch my master again." Alucard growled. Seras ran over to where Integra fell. She jerked her head upward hearing numerous voices. She recognized two belonging to Fergason and Pickman.

"Sir Integra, Sir Integra are you all right? Can you hear me?" Seras asked insistantly.

"Seras...what happened?" Integra asked wearily.

"Hellsing units are here. I can hear them outside." Seras answered.

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"I pray to God Sir Integra is still alive." Pickman said as he rushed along side Fergason ordering the units foward to storm the abbey.

"So do we all. Be prepared to attack men!" Fergason shouted.

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"This cannot be happening! We had it all planned so perfectly!" Aiesha shouted angrily.

"Your plans were far from perfect Aiesha." Said a voice. Aiesha spun around to find Shivana standing behind her. Before Aiesha could respond Shivana struck her fiercely with her right fist. Aiesha was thrown to the ground by the force of the blow. A trickle of blood began to leak from the corner of her mouth.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance Shivana." Aiesha hissed.

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Fergason and Pickman heard Seras calling for them and followed her voice. They found her, Integra and Alucard standing in front of the wall of flame protecting them from Demir. Alucard looked toward his human comrades. Seras called out to them to help Integra.

"Hurry! Sir Integra's been hurt!" She shouted.

Fergason and Pickman rushed to Integra's aid. "You all right Seras?" Pickman asked.

"I'm fine. Get Sir Integra out of here before things get out of hand again." Seras answered.

"From the looks of things I'd say they already have." Pickman commented as he and Fergason helped Integra to her feet. They led her from the abbey. Seras was about to take her place at Alucard's side to help him do battle. He stopped her approach nodding.

"Go and help protect Integra. The battle between Shivana and Aiesha is no longer our affair. Demir is mine." Alucard said in a dark tone.

Seras, having seen what he'd done after being revived knew it was not wise to argue with him. She followed Fergason and Pickman out of the abbey as they helped Integra.

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"Damn you bitch!" Aiesha spat as she clawed at Shivana's face. Shivana felt her face seeing the blood now smeared on her fingers.

"I will see to it you never terrorize another innocent soul again. And God has seen to it that Lilith will never walk among the living!" Shivana barked back.

"You're a fool! We freed her once, and we will find a way to free her again!" Aiesha hissed.

"She is too dangerous for this world, and so are you!" Shivana shouted.

The wall of fire vanished as quickly as it appeared through Alucard's will. He and Demir now faced each other. Alucard extended his arm to his side and called his Jackul which Seras had left into his waiting hand.

"It's over. Your dark mother is no more, and soon you shall be the same." He growled.

Demir gritted his teeth and bared his fangs. "If I go to Hell, then I will take you down with me."

"Hell won't have me. The devil's too scared of what I'd do to him." Alucard said with a wicked smirk.

Aiesha and Shivana continued to do battle. Shivana thrust her hands foward sending Aiesha sailing through the air hitting a wall. Aiesha hit the ground with a thud but soon resumed her footing. She in turn slashed the air with her hand sending a large wooden bench flying across the room. Before she could react Shivana was knocked violently to the ground. Aiesha took the air flying at Shivana. Before she could get to her feet Aiesha grabbed her feet and hoisted her up by her heels.

"You are a fool to think you can oppose me!" She hissed and dropped Shivana to the ground head first. Shivana recovered quickly and vanished from the spot where she landed. Aiesha landed feet first upon the ground looking for her rival. For a moment she could see nothing.

"I should have known you were a coward Shivana. I will find you soon enough and end your pathetic existance." She replied with a smug expression. She turned her back beginning to walk toward Demir when something cold and sharp pierced her chest. She looked down in disbelief to see a metal point sticking out of her chest cavity.

"Aiesha!" Demir exclaimed seeing what had happened to her. A long silver cross now protruded through her upper torso.

Shivana stood behind her as she fell to her knees. Her body began to fade from flesh to ash. "May the devil welcome you into hell with suffering and agony." Shivana said driving the cross deeper into Aiesha's body. She watched as Aiesha's body continued to disentigrate. Her skin fell away revealing only decrepit flesh and bone. And soon they too turned to ash and dust.

As soon as Aiesha was gone, Shivana herself vanished. "Son of Dracul, I have repaid my debt." Her words echoed throughout the room.

"Looks like it's just you and me." Alucard said looking at Demir's angry face.

"Then let this be the last time you and I face each other." Demir growled.

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