[theme music playing]
[owl hooting]
Don't look at those.
Sumi.
Taka.
Hm. I'm just getting used to saying names again.
How long have you been here on your own?
Oh, years.
Or possibly a couple of months.
So...
you've seen the parlous condition of my new home.
It wasn't what we expected.
Well... there was a small battle.
It must have been a legendary battle.
Mostly just desperate and sad.
What exactly happened to the mechanism that moves the castle?
She melted it.
[inhales, exhales]
Never mind.
So you were part of the court of this vampire you call Cho?
Yes. In northern Japan.
Far from anywhere.
[Sumi] We all lived in her secret fortress.
Trapped in her fortress.
[Taka] We were given to Cho's hidden court as children.
It amused her to have a human honor guard.
Not that she needed guarding.
Sometimes,
it was her pleasure to have us allow a hunter
to pass through her ranks and into the court.
[Sumi] This was how it was... every day.
Some new horror.
Some new punishment.
Some new boastful exercise of her complete power over us.
Every day was slavery.
Every day was death.
[swords clanging]
And we had to watch it all.
[Taka] Cho was ancient and arrogant.
She had lived forever where no army could reach her.
No superior power could end her.
We just watched.
And learned.
[Sumi] We spent years studying how she lived...
studying how she fought.
We learned from her every victory.
Memorized her every weakness.
Our lives became nothing but the development of plans to end her.
[Taka] We read her books
and listened to her legend
and wished only for the chance to free our people from her teeth.
And then she left.
Summoned to Dracula's war court.
[bow twangs]
[Sumi] We killed all her guards
and freed the people of the hidden court within days.
But Cho was always going to come back.
So we left to hunt her.
Because if she returns to the court,
it will begin all over again.
If she's truly dead,
then other vampires will eventually take her court over.
And our freedom will mean nothing.
We need a friend, Alucard.
You need instruction.
Perhaps one or two new weapons.
Maybe learn a little magic?
Magic?
- Really? - Magic.
What do we think?
[footsteps]
[Morana sighs]
So... what do we think?
[Striga] It's always the same.
Carmilla always has a scheme.
She's a dreamer, Striga.
No.
It's never, "Gather round, girls. I have a dream to tell you about."
It's arms waving in the air
and "Vampires and sisters, I have a scheme!"
[laughing]
- Ah. - Tell me I'm wrong.
No, you're not wrong.
But she did get us here.
It's because of Carmilla that we got to fall in love in a fairy-tale castle.
Oh, God, Morana.
You sound like Lenore.
Is it still romantic if I'm sick on your hair?
[laughs] Oh, shut up.
It's been amazing, and you know it.
Yes. I admit it, all right?
It's been amazing.
But I also remember how hard it was to get here.
You and Carmilla only see the present and the future.
I can't shake the past.
Neither can Carmilla.
She still has nightmares about the years
before she killed the vampire who turned her.
She doesn't forget, Striga. She just looks ahead.
But taking and controlling an 800-mile-wide corridor of land...
[Morana] It's big.
[Striga] Big scheme.
[Morana] Big dream.
Fucking scheme.
This is what she does, she pulls this stuff out of the air
and expects the three of us to make it happen.
But can it be done? Militarily?
Ahh. Pfft!
In theory?
I need more intelligence from the territory.
But in theory? You said it'd be hard to police.
I mean, would we have to throw a stockade around the corridor, or...?
Oh, no.
The border would be entirely notional.
It's a question of putting rotating sweeper patrols on the border,
building watchtowers, taking towns,
and forming fortified camps to concentrate the humans in.
So you know you can do it.
Well, maybe.
Possibly.
But it would be hard.
Anything worth doing is hard.
And just think: if we did this,
you would be commanding the army of an empire.
What?
We would own and control the land from here to Braila.
Almost to the Black Sea.
That's not a country or a region, love.
That's an empire!
An imperial army.
Applying all the lessons from empires of old.
If you can win the war, I can perfect the machinery of empire.
[laughing]
This is how she does it.
The horrible bitch gets in our heads
and inspires us to make her madness work.
Yes, it is.
But imagine. Hm?
Imagine.
An empire ruled by four women.
Vampires and sisters.
[both] Vampires and sisters,
we have a scheme!
[both laughing]
[crows cawing]
They may be crazy, but they're careful.
[cawing continues]
Time to play the game.
Be masterly, young man.
[Saint Germain] Prior Sala!
I thank you again for this opportunity
and this insight into your fascinating new philosophy.
I wish you'd stop talking to me like I'm insane,
Saint Germain.
It's not like I am some demented child
that will wet itself
if you stop patting me on the head.
[stammers] Oh, well, um, I'm... sorry?
Don't be sorry.
Just be better.
Yes. Of course. Um... thank you.
Lovely... place.
[soft creaking]
[coughs] Quite lovely.
This suffices.
This is part of the library. You can start here.
Very original shelving method.
Yes, well...
in the grand scheme of things, they no longer seemed necessary.
But you persuaded me
that there may yet be something of worth in them.
So... have at it.
Might I point out that your wall hanging is crooked?
It got knocked askew when our visitor arrived.
It's not something we give too much thought to.
He may even be pointing in the right direction now.
Towards Hell.
Where the night creature came from. Your "visitor."
Why do we call them "night creatures,"
Saint Germain?
Well, because...
they only come at night, I suppose.
Or it's a simple translation of a very long Prussian word.
But they bring light.
The very name Lucifer means "light-bringer."
Have you stopped believing in God, Prior?
Not at all.
God created everything.
God created Hell.
If God is perfect,
then causing Lucifer to go to Hell is his plan.
The wisdom of Hell and its night creatures
is God's wisdom.
Don't you see how it all begins to make a terrible sense?
It is indeed fascinating.
Tell me...
how did you arrive at that symbol to identify yourselves?
This?
Those of us who bore witness to the visitor wear it
because he gave it to us.
Do you know what it means?
- It is his mark. - No, Sala.
It's the alchemical sign for sulphur.
Used by philosophers to denote Hell.
We wear the mark of Hell?
Yes.
Magnificent!
Indeed.
You are a wise man, Saint Germain.
I confess I had doubts about you.
But I stand delighted that you would bring us your knowledge.
Please! Begin!
Find us more treasure
that we may increase our knowledge of the true way of things.
You will be brought bread and wine shortly.
But please...
restrict yourself to this hall for the moment.
Much work goes on elsewhere,
and I would not have it disturbed.
- Yes? - Yes.
Of course. This hall only... for the moment.
Excellent.
[sighs]
What are we doing?
We are gathering information.
Understanding the territory.
You sound like a burglar.
I'm a drifter, Sypha.
I can't roll up in a cute little wagon
in my quaint speaker robes and get alms from the locals.
Course I've been a burglar.
We could just ask people some questions.
[scarred monk] Hey.
Oh, good.
Oh, good! Hello!
Move away.
Gladly!
I just have a few questions for you.
Nobody comes near our home. Move.
Calm down.
[Sypha clears throat]
We are visitors to your lovely town.
There was only one... Visitor.
OK... we are travelers,
pausing here for a few days.
And my idiot servant here, and I,
couldn't help but notice your pretty priory...
and...
your armband.
I hadn't gotten a close look at that before.
Enough. Move away.
We protect this place.
From what?
Prying eyes.
Anyone who tries to interfere.
Anyone who gets in the way of the work.
[Sypha] Do you know what the sign on your arm is?
[scarred monk] The Visitor gave it to us.
What's the work? What are you doing in there?
No more.
You're new here.
So, in the interests of a quiet life,
I'll give you this one chance.
Everyone here knows not to approach the priory.
Everyone here knows not to ask questions.
You leave us alone.
We have work to do.
Fine.
Thank you very much for your kindness.
Have your whip ready.
Just one more thing.
Speakers tend to be natural prey in towns,
because we don't carry weapons.
So we all learn how to spot when someone's concealing a knife.
Don't you think monks wearing a magic sign for Hell
and hiding blades in their robes is a little obvious...
even for a small town?
I see you.
[Sypha sighs] Priests with knives.
This is Gresit all over again.
[Trevor] Are you sure you didn't overplay it?
I mean, you do have a... habit of... uh...
Perhaps.
But quietly confident people are competent and careful.
Nervous people make mistakes.
I'd rather they were nervous than happy in their work.
If I thought just rolling up to the front door
and annoying some mad monks would do the trick...
I would have done it my fucking self.
That place stinks of magic.
They're doing something terrible inside.
[gulps]
[footsteps]
[footsteps continue]
I have one question.
Oh, for God's sake.
I'm only alive because Carmilla wants a forgemaster, aren't I?
Stop pretending that this is anything other than what it is.
I'll answer your question.
Yes, Carmilla is keeping you around because she'd like a forgemaster.
Now you answer my question.
It's not poisoned.
All right.
Good.
What would you like?
- What? - It's clear enough.
Let's talk about what you would like.
- Shoes. - [laughs]
Fair. Did the apple buy me another question?
Why not?
All right, ask away.
What was Dracula going to give you?
I... I don't understand the question.
You were helping build an army for Dracula.
You were advising him.
He was going to kill all the humans...
I didn't know that.
I didn't understand that until later.
I thought it was gonna be a cull,
with the human population controlled and incarcerated.
Really?
That is exactly our plan.
So he lied to you?
[sighs]
He... He withheld.
Oh. Well, never mind.
What was he going to give you
for doing this work that he lied to you about?
What was your reward for serving a man who lied about his intents?
Ach.
I-I assumed I would live outside whatever enclosures
were placed around the remaining humans.
You "assumed."
I'm not sure there was ever a conversation, as such.
He would have continued to need night creatures.
He seemed to value my advice,
so maybe I would have kept a role in his court.
"Assumed." "Seemed to." "Maybe."
Did you not want a reward, Hector?
Or were you just expecting one would be presented?
So... what do you want?
I wasn't necessarily looking for a reward.
I believed in his work.
But obviously you expected something.
Even if that was only to be spared from the slaughter.
Or to be kept in a cage. [laughs]
So that worked out well.
- [chuckling] - Seriously.
Other than shoes.
Well, this isn't a serious conversation.
Oh, it is.
Because Carmilla has commenced her plans
to place the human population under controls.
Mercy kills, and if you'll forgive the term,
humane feeding.
This is the same plan that Dracula presented to you, yes?
Much the same.
Only he was lying...
and planned to exterminate the human race, yes?
Yes.
We're not lying.
And we don't expect you to work for free.
Or even for shoes.
You're bribing me, you mean.
Oh, for God's sake. We're paying you.
Nobody here holds a grudge, Hector.
I'm not saying Carmilla pushed you here on a wagon filled with feather down.
She was pissed off, yes.
But if she'd left you in Braila, do you think you'd be alive today?
I might still have my shoes.
So, you would have died with your boots on.
Hm.
Dracula would have protected me.
- I know he would. - Oh, I'm sure.
Even though he'd decided to kill every human being on Earth
because they murdered his wife.
I'm sure you would have been the only survivor of the human race.
Makes perfect sense.
On the bright side, after everybody on Earth was dead,
you could have had your pick of any house you wanted.
Unless he was lying to you.
But what if you're lying to me?
Oh, I don't have to lie to you.
I have no interest in faith.
Faith makes for terrible diplomacy.
This is simply commerce.
In commerce, we don't have to have faith in each other, do we?
We don't have to guess.
It's simple. There are rules.
I give you something,
you give me something.
You understand that when I forge a night creature,
they are bound to my command.
Their loyalty is to me.
Well, maybe we'll talk about that another time.
Until then... I'll get you some shoes.
And what do I have to give you in return?
Talk to me some more.
[laughs]
About?
Whatever you like.
I like the sound of your voice.
You're interesting.
I mean, look at you. Beaten down a dozen different ways,
and you don't give up on yourself.
It's... nice.
[footsteps recede]
I can't promise a nice pair.
So long as they don't have holes in them.
Oh, so now you're a fucking aristocrat?
[Hector laughs]
You have nothing to fear from me. We're just leaving.
[Sergeant] No.
No?
No. You will not enter Genoa.
Get back on your ship, with your monstrosities, and leave.
It seems my ship has already left.
It has a shrewd captain.
It took his wit to show me that I'd stopped praying.
Can you imagine that?
I stopped praying and devoting myself, and I hadn't even noticed.
What a monster I have become.
You don't want me to be a monster right here in your nice port, do you?
Let us pass.
No.
My ship is gone, and I need to go north.
Let us through.
We'll drive you and your filthy creatures into the sea if we have to.
We know what's been happening in Wallachia.
It will not happen here.
[Isaac] Ohh.
I cannot believe this is happening again.
It's absurd.
I just... can't.
Why do I keep doing the same thing
and expecting a different result?
Isn't that the definition of insanity?
Am I mad?
[growling]
You know... one day,
the last one of you will ask me,
"Why did you work with Dracula himself to murder all the people?"
And do you know what I'll say?
It's because you're all so fucking rude. [snaps fingers]
[growling, snarling]
[men screaming]
Bring me fresh material!
[men yelling, screaming]
[roars]
[thunder crackling]
[theme music playing]