Final Symphony.

Broken Bonds.

Integra sits at her desk, teeth gritting into her cigar as she flips through the stacks and piles of reports on her desk with no avail. The letzes battalion was becoming more forward in their attacks and it was becoming more than what they could handle. She emit's a low growl of frustration as she exhales a wafting column of smoke. A click echoes throughout the room followed by a long creaking groan as the door is pushed open and Walter calmly walks into the large room holding a tray that has a teapot and glass balanced on it. Integra only pauses momentarily to acknowledge the butler then continues to sift through the files again.

Placing the tray on the corner of the desk, the only part of its surface that's not filled with reports, Walter looks over the chaos drolly. "The fight against Millennium has become quite troublesome milady." Without looking away from her work she growls silently, "We will not let them win." "Might I offer a suggestion?" He asks. Integra pauses, looking over her glasses to the old man. "… What did you have in mind?" "Do you remember how you found Alucard in the dungeon?" She stares at the butler for a moment, ashes collecting on the end of her cigar, "What of it?" "He… wasn't the only one your father held down there." "That's impossible. We scoured the entire building after he was found." She replies curtly, returning her gaze to the report she held. Undaunted by her manner of reply, Walter continues, "There was… One place we overlooked." He hesitates for a second time, unsure of whether his thought was truly a sane one. Integra looks up to him again with an expression clearly stating, 'Go on.' "it's a cell deep within the basement, far deeper than where Alucard was kept. Your father had it sealed away soon after we finished dealing with Millennium the first time. Although incredibly dangerous, that creature might be of some use to us as we are now. " The ashes that had collected on the tip of the cigar fell to the papers lain on the desk. "Walter… what's down there?"

* * *

Their footsteps echo and reverberate throughout the passageway as they descend the cold stone steps. Water dripping from various orifices in the ceiling causing their descent to be an occasionally slick one. "Now, I will warn you that when you meet her you should both keep your distance and avoid her eyes. God knows what she'll be like being kept down here so long." Walters words echo loudly, causing Integra to inadvertently raise her voice as to speak over his repeating words. "If this woman is as strong as you say she is and is neither vampire nor human what exactly is she?" "You'll see soon enough." He replies blandly. Continuing their journey into the dungeon.

As their decent lengthens, they watch as the condition of the hallways and stairwells gradually show greater signs of disrepair than the last. They eventually come to what seems to be the bottom of the foundation, surprisingly enough, the lights illuminating the hallway work perfectly. All the doors down this hallway appear to be simple and incapable of holding any prisoners in their current state. They walk towards the end of the hall, Walter raising his hand to stop Integra from going any further once they are roughly a few meters from the end of the corridor. "There we are." He says, gesturing towards the right of the hall. Turning, Integra realizes they are standing in front of a door that resembled more of the entrance to a bank vault rather than a prisoners cell. "Hidden by means of only being able to see the door if you stand directly in front of it…" The butler says under his breath as he reaches into his vest, withdrawing an old, rusted key. He inserts it into the slot in the center of the door, struggling momentarily they eventually hear the inner mechanisms of the lock click and slide into place. Putting forth much effort, the door eventually swings open with ease.

They enter the heavily secured cell, the overhanging lamps from the hallway casting the only light into the room. Against the far wall Integra can make out a figure chained against the wall, its head lowered against its chest. The figure lets out a long exasperated breath as they enter the room. In a crazed, singsong-like voice it speaks "Angel…" Drawing the syllables out in a chilling tone, "To what do I owe this vis….." The thing drifts off, its head jerking upward slightly. "Ahhhhhh the master Hellsings young daughter, what an immaculate surprise…"

Stepping out of the doorway the light hit's the figure. Revealing a woman strapped to the center of the wall by chains and metal fastenings, her arms drawn up against her chest like an ancient Egyptian corpse. A blindfold hung loosely around her face, revealing only one eye. The woman's face was long and sunken in, her hair concealed most of her body as it fell over her shoulders, a generous amount sprawled across the stone floor. The corners of her dry lips curled into a freakish grin as the one exposed eye searched frantically back and forth in the fresh light.

Momentarily appalled by the seemingly undead girl, Integra regains herself and steps forward, making sure to avoid her exposed eye. "You were used to fight against Millennium." The woman lets out another clearly audible breath, "Perhaps…" "As head of the Hellsing family I am ordering you to aid us once again." A slow rasping laugh escapes from the woman's throat, echoing throughout the room "Ahhahahahhh, Montana rises again does he?" The woman raises her head quickly towards Integra, making brief eye contact. The rooms fills with carnage and blood to Integra's eyes, in an instant disappearing. A mild gash splits across her right cheek, blood rushing down her face, falling silently to the floor and forming a small pool. A half metallic, half electric sound echoes throughout the room, the woman tied even more so now by hardly visible wires, a warning look cast in the butlers eyes as he keeps his grip tight against them. Completely unaffected by the threat, the woman speaks in a cold voice, "I don't take kindly to orders you naïve little princess…. It would do you good to remember that."

Integra reaches into her coat pulling out a white handkerchief and placing it against the wound. "Walter! Is this woman truly trustworthy?" She demands, turning towards the old man. "She's like the Wild Geese madam. As long as she is rewarded in the end, she'll follow." "What will be my prize for playing along?" She quickly interrupts, the wires loosening from around her as she looks from one to the other. Eye finally settling on Walter, "If you behave this time we'll let you free." "Oh? Isn't that what you said last time Angel?" "The last time you withheld information from us…" She grins at him in the manner of a madwoman. "I simply answered what was asked of me, nothing more. And I shall do the same this time as well... If the Lady Integra wishes my help that is." She says, her gaze traveling over to Integra. Narrowing her eyes in suspicion, Integra had never told this woman her name. She stays silent for awhile, then asks slowly, "What are you?" The girls expression heightening in madness, having caught Sir Hellsings interest, "Simply a scorned woman stuck within limbo. That's all." She replies simply.

"Now, if I could be let down from here…" Switching the subject quickly, signaling as best she can to the chains and restraints. "I've been chained to this wall for at least 60 years… the sooner you get me down, the sooner I will be able to help you." Integra reaches again into her suit and withdraws a slim cigar and lighter. Covering the end of the cigar as she places it in her mouth and strikes the lighter. A second later returning the lighter to its place, inhaling deeply as smoke wafts around her. "Walter, undo her restraints." "Yes Madam." He bows slightly then reaches into his pocket, withdrawing another old worn key. "Hopefully your locks haven't rusted over." Walter chuckles as he approaches the closest restraints. "Would I be in such a state if there was any humidity in here?" The woman replies curtly at his remark. "I suppose not." Eventually the clack of the final lock being released echoes throughout the room and the woman collapses onto the floor in a heap, her figure nothing more than a dried corpse, bones visibly stuck at unnatural angles through her skin.

Slowly she rises from the position no human could possibly duplicate. Once standing flexing and twisting her body, her bones groaning and joints popping from their long misuse. The sickening sound clearly audible to everyone in the room. She sighs in relief, reaching up to her face she removes the blindfold that hung about her eyes. "Ahhh… much better. Now…" She approaches Integra with uneven steps, her body not used to its new state. Once in front of her, Integra realized the woman stood well above her, even in this diminished state. "How may I be of service?" Integra only scowls at her. "Girl, how much help are you truly going to be in such a poor state?" This causes the woman to look herself up and down, "Oh… I'm just dehydrated. A few glasses of water should help this condition." She smiles at her, one that held more calmness than the previous ones she had sported. "Also. My name is not 'girl', its Emma, simply that." She states with slight warning.

"Very well." Integra's voice holding a hint of satisfaction within it. She turns, walking to the doorway. "We should return to the surface, the others should be returning soon enough." As they step into the lighted hallway, Emma growls at its brightness, reacting by reaching a clawed hand to her head and pulling a section of hair in front of her face giving slight relief to her eyes. "Not quite used to light, are you Emma?" Walter questions after closing the cell door behind the two ladies. Turning, even though her face was well covered, she was able to see how much the Angel of Death had grown old since her day. "You've aged quite well Angel." They trail behind Integra, conversing for the first time since Walter was but a young child. "For the most part I am now retired. Millenniums recent activity has pulled me out of that though. So please, Walter." "Ah. Well then, Walter," She says putting emphasis on his name, "Tell me, does that demon of a vampire still exist?" He laughs slightly at her unchanged mannerisms. "Yes, although Alucard had been sealed away soon after you were, Miss Integra had reawakened him when she was still just a child." "Does he still take on that ridiculous form?" "I'm afraid not." "Hm." Emma curls her hand around her torso, resting her other arm atop of it and placing her free hand to her face in thought. "It will be interesting to see how he appears now." "I think you'll find our young miss much more of an astonishment." "Don't tell me Alucard found him a virgin." "Quite right." "Naughty man." She grins as Walter chuckles again at her reaction. They continue to the surface in silence except for the sound of their footsteps and the cracking of Emma's joints.

"I'll give you time to get comfortable, and to restore yourself." Integra says to the woman in her usual tone as they enter the main hall, "Walter will show you to the kitchen and later on to your sleeping quarters. As soon as you have recovered your strength and Alucard and the others have returned we shall deal with the introductions." After stating this, she walks back towards the direction of her office to return to the work she had been conducting beforehand. "Right then, I'll show you to the kitchen then." Walter turns to Emma, gesturing for her to follow him throughout the mansion. As they walk the girl breaks the silence, "The world has changed drastically, hasn't it?" "Yes. It is quite different than from what you remember, but you will grow accustomed to it within time…" Soon they come to the door leading into the kitchen. "Here we are, I'll leave you be for now, there is some business I have to attend to before the others return." "Thank you." Emma speaks gratefully. As she walks past the old man she pauses momentarily, a sinister tone laced in her words, "Your still a part of them, aren't you Angel?" He smiles, truly nothing got past this woman. "Hmhmhm, like you ever left yourself. Not when he still remains." He shoots her a smirking glace, "Unlike you I never chose a side boy. You should remember in age not to test me." She growls back in a tone he knew well not to push further. Still smiling, he walks past her replying over his shoulder, "It will be interesting to see who returns first."

~ I'll post the next part once I finish it.