- Chernobyl, Ukraine, 1986 -

– So, professor, what are we looking for? – said Allain, standing at the entrance of the main power plant.

– Vell, Allain, ve are looking for an Anomaly. Curse type. According to ze scans, it's inside ze power plant. I would advise you to not go all out. Who knows vhat would happen if such a power surge altered ze stability of ze reactors. – the professor stood besides Allain, scolding him.

– Well, don't jinx it then. – Allain grinned, teasing the professor.

[The man with the odd accent is none other than my good friend, Professor Johan Van Helsing. Yes, just like "that" Van Helsing from "that" novel. And I am Allain. I know, odd name. Let's just say it's the least odd thing about me.]

They finally enter the complex. The area seems empty. Nothing but machinery is seen around. As they explore, they encounter a worker, lying on the ground. As they approach him, a thick smoke begins coming out of the body. The man is now fully encased in the smoke. It slowly takes a humanoid form and reveals some "eyes" and "mouth". It then proceeds to yell out.

– WOLFHEIM!!! – the creature seems to say, amidst all the odd, monstrous sounds.

– The thing's pissed! – Allain shouts, immediately taking a fighting stance.

– It's not a thing, it vas once a vorker of zis facility. Und it knows who ve are... – Van Helsing is apprehensive, deciding to stay back.

– It's not like all other groups hide their faces when hunting. – Allain takes any opportunity to tease his friend, but still focusing on the Anomaly.

– Ja, ja. I know. – Van Helsing is unfazed by the comment.

As the men were talking, the creature became more and more infuriated. Now it looked even less like a human being, and more like a mass of darkness, hatred and despair. It changed into an amorphous cloud, and finally, into what could only be described as the embodiment of hate: an angry face.

– WRATH! WRAAAH! SKRREE! – the creature lost it's speech ability, slowly substituting it with feral screams.

– With our little chat, we've lost him. No more. It's over. He's just a monster now. – Allain is visibly upset. He prefers to save the people, rather than just killing monsters.

– Nein. It's never a monster. The order still maintains. No going all out. – Van Helsing keeps his cool. He knows that there's a serious safety issue.

– Sure... – Allain's eyes had now a red hue. The pure golden irises were now tainted with darkness. – Activate Magic Cast: Circle of Containment Level 2. Let this damned soul be restrained by it's own hate. – Allain moved his hands, like if he was summoning some sort of magic.

As Allain chanted these words, a myriad of magic circles and seals approached the creature. Their magic was powerful. The air now felt different, it was as if it became colder, it felt like death was near. Suddenly, Van Helsing's radio went off.

– "Boss! Doc! Come in, Johan! There are still civilians in the area! I repeat, there are civilians in the area! Abort mission! Use the containment protocol! No hostility!" – the radio quickly shuts down.

– You heard zem. Cancel ze summons. Don't engage him. – Van Hellsing is restless. Before him, Allain is slowly becoming something else, like he was becoming a monster himself. Although Van Helsing knew exactly who was coming.

– Too late, Van Helsing... It's no use. Once I begin, I can't stop. Hehe... hehehehe... Hahahaha! Activate Final Seal: Trial of Dis! BEGONE VILE DÆMON! – this new figure, surrounded by darkness, quickly attacked the monster. By going all out, an explosion occurred. The rest, as they say, is history.

- Wolfheim HQ, Canada, 1996 -

– It's been ten years. You should stop bugging me 'bout it, Doc. – the mystery man sat on a couch, having a glass of wine.

– Vell... first of all, you nearly destroyed an entire country. Second, you were almost demoted from Class S hunter to Class B hunter. Class B! And not to mention the countless lives lost to the explosion and radiation. – Van Helsing, although he was just 56, was clutching a walking cane. The event clearly damaged him.

– Oh really?! Well, "first of all", I knew what I was doing. "Second", that would be Allain, not me. And third, 31 people isn't that big of a deal. – the man was clearly mocking Van Helsing's listing of the consequences. He's way different from Allain.

– I know you don't care much about other humans, Siegfried. But vhat would you do if I had died back then? We are no longer zhe icons ve once were to this damned organization. They would ditch you right away. – deep down, Van Helsing was still worried about the man in front of him.

– Well, look into the bright side. You're losing the accent. A few more years and no one would notice. – Siegfried smiled, taking a more relaxed position in the couch.

– Oh, you're one to talk... – Van Helsing almost laughs, but stops himself. In the end, he was still scolding Siegfried.

– In my defence, I've had centuries to lose it. – as Siegfried finishes his sentence, he sips some wine.