Soma Cruz

"Something in my heart. It's..."

"It'll work out. I must keep that in mind."

“I’ll smash it.”

“Sigh.”

"There's a lot more fighting these days than I would like for there to be. I'd rather not have to resort to that myself."

"Just another day."

"...Uhuh."

“It’s cold today.”

Moving silently with each step, the mysterious young man walks up a long stone set of stairs to reach the shrine above.

The moon had shone brightly and full, reflecting against his clear white jacket and made only more luminous the higher he was to go.

"I hope I never have to do something like that again."

“Less coffee, more tea.

It’s helped a lot.”

"Hhmm."

"My nerves have calmed quite a bit. Drinking much more tea, and... Making curry more often."

"Oh, yes, to you as well."

"Or maybe not... So many different beings about, but I can't tell who's hostile or not."

“…I’m being followed.”

“I spend less time dwelling on the past than I use to. The important thing is to value who and what I have now and keep moving forward.”

Sigh

“Something, doesn’t feel right…”

"Up to now I've been able to manage, despite the sensations.

I'll still need to keep my guard up, seeing as I don't know for sure what could happen in the future."

“I hope Mina likes her present. I personally didn’t want anything this year myself.”

"I'm sorry... I'm thankful for your help, Arikado, but we'll need to watch each other's backs. I'll give you as much assistance as I can too."

"Yes..."

Once again, though this time not alone, Soma finds himself at the gates of the castle once ruled by the Lord of Night, Dracula.

Something about its presence was different, but it didn't stop him from being prepared to take it down all over again.

"Its presence is a burden on mankind."

For long enough to keep them from further losing control.

Soma's suspicion of their state continues.

The sudden kick was faster than he could have assumed, quickly guarding but being sent into the air from the werewolf's force.

Mid-air he regains control, and with a reach from inside his pocket, he tosses out a web, that of Arachne's jail net.

Wide in nature, he intended on keep Talbain still,

"Staying as calm as I can for now. I've run into trouble a few times, but it's nothing I can't handle."

"Arikado... It looks like my powers have returned again. Could it be the work of this strange place?"

"This sensation."

Soma wanted to doubt the werewolf's ferocity from having an unfamiliar essence to his own, but he still needed to defend himself.

As Talbain raced toward him, he produces a giant bone to stop his bite, before warping to the side opposite of him with blurring movement.

"Stop! Come to your senses!"