Castlevania Equestria Chapter 10: Just A Phase

"No matter what era we exist in, no matter of the reality of peacetime or wartime, there will always be evil of a kind Solaire. And our order will always be dedicated to wiping it out." Solaire just nods his head. He remembers the priest telling him this before. It's like deja vu. Except...he is certain the priest that trained him only ever told him this once. This wasn't something the old man had repeated. Why was he being told again? He rubs his neck as he turns, looking at the reflective mirror beside the purifying basin-to help the user look into their own soul and identify impurities-there's a human face staring back at him. Soft, pale skin, hair bleached from magical saturation...why Is he human? He's an equine-has been for months. They were...working on...saving this planet, this country from a new threat. Why was he...back in the Chantry... This is all wrong. He knows there is no way he's awake. As he turns back to ask the priest anyway, he gasps-Couper is right in front of him. He's just as surprised as the first time he saw the young Belmont-scruffy, unshaven chin, eyes slightly bloodshot from another hangover, and a hand shoved into his pocket standoffishly. "Who the hell are you? I didn't know they had a boy band working here." He'd never forget that line. Couper had just been an angry drunk without much of a purpose when they had first met. He of course does the same thing he'd done before, offering out his hand politely. No, his hoof. He has a hoof? He just stares dumbly down, before whirling back ot check the mirror again. There is not mirror. There's the haunted house, screaming specters chasing after them, flashing dark...he growls internally as he tries to summon his sword...but...he's so...sluggish...he can't move...it's like he's been submerged in molasses. He closes his eyes, trying to make sense of anything. Anything. Is he dreaming? Why is he closing his eyes in the dream? What is going on...? He has to try. Years and years of magical training-this is no dream. Too vivid. Someone has messed with his head, and the only way to center himself. Even if in his vision...he closes his eyes and regulates his breathing, trying to piece back things. He had just woken up from a nap and gone out to get something to drink from the kitchen. Couper had gone at for drinks with Sin, Trish was still missing, and the others were looking for him, the only person there was him...except he hadn't been. There was an individual in the headquarters when he had awoken, and they were messing with the crystal in its containment case. Of course he had called out to them to stop-the character was entirely unfamiliar and he knew had secured the headquarters-not that it mattered. He'd been closing the distance to press the intruder back from the crystal when it had exploded in his face. He instinctively reaches down, eyes still closed, to feel if he's hurt. He can feel damp, wet on his robe. The hooded figure had cast some sort of spell...and fled. Running off for the door...he couldn't follow...he was injured...? The bright light. The entire HQ..it had...how could he even describe it? It SHRANK. With him still inside...? All he remembers is the room warping and getting smaller...and... He opens his eyes with a shudder, his face going slack as he looks around. He's...floating. Floating in the most indescribable, mystic plane he's ever seen. There's random constructs and cloud around, mishmashed machinations of shimmering light and color. They could be solid, liquid, he couldn't tell. The sounds were warped, distorted...what WAS this? He wasn't afraid of death. Never had been. But he sure hoped this wasn't the afterlife. He surely wasn't done his job, and to die here...this far from home...? It felt like the universe had cheated him...