Finally, I was in the real world.
A few nurses immediately rushed to help me get dressed, but I refused outright, growling at them until they backed away. My dignity had already taken enough of a hit after waking up naked in front of a guard. No way was I letting strangers handle me like I was some fragile patient.
"Out. All of you."
They hesitated, but the expression on my face must have convinced them, because soon the room was mine alone. I took my time dressing, every piece of fabric feeling almost foreign after so long in blood, shadow, and smoke. The simple cotton shirt, the smooth pants—mundane, but grounding. Real.
When I was done, I stood for a moment, just breathing. The sterile air of the clinic smelled like antiseptic, not burning corpses. The floor was cold, but solid—not splintering temple stone. I clenched my fists, whispering under my breath:
"…Finally."
I left the room, and there they were. My family.
Unfortunately, it was daytime, and the sun was streaming through the glass panels. My skin prickled and burned at the edges, forcing me to retreat into the shadowed hall. I yelled down the corridor, my voice hoarse but insistent.
"Get inside! Come on—before I fry like a damned egg!"
They rushed in.
Mom and Rain were the first to reach me, both of them crying and wrapping me in a crushing hug. My mother's perfume—vanilla and something floral—was so achingly familiar it almost broke me. Rain's small frame trembled as she clung to me, her little hands tight around my back.
"Alucard!" Mom sobbed. "Oh, thank the gods—you're really here. You're alive!"
"I… I missed you so much, big brother," Rain whispered, her voice cracking.
Dad stepped in next, strong hand patting me on the back before pulling me into the hug too. His voice was rougher than I remembered, but steady:
"You did it, son. You came back. That's all that matters."
And then the twins. Seven now. They both barreled into me like cannonballs, almost tackling me to the floor. I barely managed to stay upright, laughing even as tears stung my eyes.
"Al! Al! You missed our birthday!" Dante whined, punching my arm.
"Yeah, but we forgive you—'cause you're here now!" Luca added, clinging to my waist.
I dropped to my knees and wrapped them all in my arms, letting the weight of their warmth anchor me. For a moment, I wasn't the Monarch of Crimson. I wasn't the heir to Dracula's castle. I was just Alucard, a son, a brother.
We caught up quickly. Dad had gotten a promotion at work. The twins were starting school soon, and were already bragging about who would be smarter. Rain was doing well in school herself and was now on winter break.
"Wait," I interrupted, frowning. "Winter break? What… what date is it?"
"December first," Mom said gently, brushing my messy hair out of my eyes.
I froze.
December first. That meant… the winter solstice was only twenty days away. My stomach dropped like a stone.
I had just gotten back, and already, I'd have to leave again.
I forced a laugh. "Of course. Figures. I wake up from six months of hell and the Spell's already got a timer waiting for me."
Rain tilted her head, frowning. "What are you talking about?"
"Nothing. Just… complaining." I tried to wave it off. "Don't worry about it."
Inside, though, the thought burned. I'd barely get three weeks with them. Three weeks before the Dream Realm dragged me under again. Hopefully, I'd spawn near a gate this time. Maybe it wouldn't be another nightmare hellscape. Maybe.
Later that day, I summoned the Shadow Knight's armor. The shadows spilled out of me, wrapping around my body like liquid night, solidifying into jagged plates of obsidian darkness. My helmet sealed, two crimson slits glowing from beneath.
The looks on everyone's faces were priceless.
Rain yelped and grabbed Mom's arm. Luca actually cheered. Dante muttered something about me being cooler than a superhero. Dad just stared like he couldn't decide if he was proud or horrified.
So yeah, picture this: a family walking to a personal transport vehicle, smiling and chatting… with a giant, nightmarish shadow knight trailing behind them. The guards on the street nearly jumped out of their skins.
I laughed inside the helmet. "Man, I could get used to this."
The next few weeks were… normal. Beautifully, painfully normal.
I played video games with Rain. She absolutely obliterated me. Six months in a nightmare had dulled any gamer reflexes I had.
"Ha! You're terrible," she teased, grinning as her avatar stomped mine into digital dust.
"Not fair. I haven't touched a controller in half a year," I protested, slamming the buttons like my life depended on it.
"Excuses, excuses," she sang, already pulling off another combo.
I slumped back, fake dramatic. "This is humiliation beyond redemption."
She giggled, smug as a queen.
Cooking with Mom didn't go much better. She tried to teach me a new recipe, and I somehow managed to burn water.
"Alucard, how is this even possible?" she asked, holding the ruined pot like it was a crime scene.
"Talent," I muttered, staring at the mess.
She smacked me lightly with the spoon. "Hopeless. Truly hopeless."
We both laughed until our stomachs hurt.
Fixing Dad's personal transport vehicle was worse. He handed me a tool, gave me instructions… and five minutes later, I had somehow broken something that wasn't broken to begin with.
Dad pinched the bridge of his nose. "You know, son, some people are just… not meant to handle machines."
"I think I made it worse," I admitted, staring at the leaking engine.
"You think?" he deadpanned.
I shrugged. "At least I'm consistent."
He sighed but smiled anyway.
The twins dragged me into watching one of their shows. Just my luck, the episode had a vampire in it.
And gods, it was bad. Overly dramatic hissing, sparkles in the sunlight, the whole cringe package.
I actually groaned out loud. "This… this is a crime against my existence."
Luca and Dante howled with laughter. "Look! It's you!"
I buried my face in my hands. "No. No, I refuse. If I ever start sparkling, kill me on the spot."
"Alucard, language," Mom called from the kitchen.
"Sorry!" I yelled back, glaring at the screen. "…Still stands, though."
And through it all—laughing with Rain, burning meals with Mom, messing up with Dad, cringing at bad TV with the twins—I smiled. But every smile was tinged with something bitter.
Because I knew it couldn't last.
Three weeks. That was all I had before the Spell called me back.
And when it did… there was no guarantee I'd ever come back home again.