A few of London's survivors notice what appears to be an angel in the sky. As they look on, more appear, but they aren't angels -they're the effects of smoke bombs been dropped by the forces of Archbishop Maxwell.

Iscariot has arrived, and Maxwell tells everyone that they are the soldiers of the angels of death, and have come here for them. They are going to now pass judgment on all below, and Britain and the monsters are all guilty, and are all sentenced to their deaths. As he laughs, the Major sees the new arrivals and says that Maxwell can really put on a show when he puts his mind to it.

Doc appears and asks for the Major to come back inside, as it's dangerous out here. The Major just asks him if it is ready yet. Doc knows what he's talking about and says it's ready, but is untested and risky. The Major is glad, and tells his remaining forces to muster. Meanwhile, Maxwell's forces start to land in London.

Maxwell tells his forces to attack, so they start firing from the ground and air. Millennium's flagship takes heavy damage, and Doc again asks for the Major to come inside, as their armor plating won't hold out for long. But he sees that the Major is acting as a conductor -he sees the carnage as music, the music of the battlefield.

As the Nazis start to suffer big losses, the Major continues to conduct, even when an enemy helicopter appears right next to him. Before the helicopter has a chance to fire, it gets sliced into pieces and explodes.

Walter appears, but there is something different about him. The Captain also appears next to him as the Major tells his butler his work was quick and excellent. He then laughs and says this plan was decided half a century a go. Meanwhile, Maxwell's forces aren't just shooting Nazis, they also fire on anyone else they find.

Maxwell encourages them, saying to kill them all and show the vermin the power of the Vatican. The only good protestant is a dead protestant. Integra happens to see his helicopter fly past and says that he has betrayed them. Anderson says sneak attacks and betrayals are just par for the course in war. In some circumstances he'd even say they are worthy of praise, especially against heathens such as her. But this is different, and he doesn't like it. He thinks Maxwell has become enraptured, intoxicated by his own authority and power. They're only meant to be implements of a higher power, the power of God. But Maxwell has turned his back on God, and is now only serving his power.

Heinkel reminds Anderson that they were told to capture Integra. Some of the Iscariots surround her, but Maxwell says he still doesn't like this. Suddenly the ones around Integra get knocked away by a red streak of light.

Seras has arrived, and after checking that Integra is alright, she reports on what has happened to their HQ and what happened to Mr. Bernadotte. Integra knows that she has sucked his blood, and has now become a true vampire. Heinkel and Yumie get ready to attack her, but Anderson tells them to stand down. Even with their powers combined, they aren't a match for her now. Anderson has to say that she's become quite the fearsome creature. Her eyes look like they go to the bottom of the abyss. It's striking, considering how human she looks.

Both of them then suddenly look in the same direction. They've both sensed Alucard, who's finally arrived in London on the Eagle.

Alucard jumps off the ship and into the city, just as both Anderson and the Captain head towards him. Alucard lands between Maxwell's forces and the Nazis, and is soon joined by Anderson and the Captain.

The Major sees that all is ready, and the players have taken their place on the stage. Alucard asks his master for his orders. Seras has taken Integra to the roof of a building, and she tells him that his silver gun shall stain the white army crimson, whilst his iron gun will stain the black army scarlet. He is to search and destroy -none may leave the island alive.

He is to release his control art restriction level zero, and say the words to release his full power. Alucard says he is the bird of Hermes, and he eats his own wings. As he says this, his coffin, which is in the wreckage of the aircraft he crashed into the Eagle, opens.

Anderson then attacks him by throwing some bayonets, whilst the Captain does a kick at him before he retreats. Anderson then moves away, as the Nazis and Vatican forces open fire...

...on Alucard, who has become red and black shadow matter. Nothing shot at him seems to do anything, but Anderson knows it's as if everyone sensed that something terrible is coming unless they put this monster down. Alucard says "to keep myself tame" as his coffin fully opens. Suddenly several Nazis and Vaticans die when playing cards and thrown through them or they are hit by a blue bullet.

Alucard has started to release his familiars -including Tubalcain Alhambra and Rip Van Winkle. More and more familiars appear around Alucard. Maxwell watches and can't believe something like this could even exist.

Seras and Integra are watching. Integra tells Seras this is the true face of the vampire. Blood is the currency of the soul, the vehicle of life. Blood is the medium which life can be transferred on. To drink blood is to take the essence of a soul into yourself. Seras should understand the full ramifications of this, now. Anderson sees that the familiars Alucard has summoned include the forces of the Kazan and Yeniçeri, forces he had killed long a go. How many people has he killed? As they watch they even see men who were Alucard's own forces at one point, who have been consumed by him. Alucard then re-appears.

Alucard was once known as Dracula -and his appearance now is what he used to look like a long time a go. His forces move forward through the streets, easily overwhelming all opposition.

Maxwell's helicopters fire, but many of them are shot down by Alhambra or Van Winkle. Some of them contact the Bishop, begging for him to allow them to retreat, but Maxwell gets angry -they should never refer to him as that, as he's an Archbishop now! Just as he says this, his helicopter gets hit.

This causes the cables carrying his truck to snap, and he falls to the ground below. He has survived and sees that he is about to be attacked, but they can't get through to him - he's protected by hardened tektite compound reinforced glass. Dead people won't even be able to scratch it, but as Maxwell gloats, a bayonet then pierces through the glass.

The glass shatters as Anderson says they are the soldiers of Iscariot, the instruments of God's wrath on Earth. They shatter the dreams of the unholy, and with that, he bids goodbye to this friend. Maxwell begs for him to save him, but he does nothing. Maxwell then gets impaled, and thrust up into the air.

Just before he dies, Maxwell can't believe that he's really going to die in a place like this. He was born alone, but he's going to die alone, also? He calls out to Jesus as his last act, before passing away. Anderson walks to his fallen body and remembers that he once told him he would become great, and have his revenge on all who had wronged him. Anderson tells him he was a fool.

He then contacts the paladins, and tells them to withdraw to the Vatican. Heinkel picks up his message and says he can't be serious, but he tells them that it isn't their place to die here. They must return to the Vatican, and protect the Pope. The ninth crusade is over. But he is going to stay behind, to find Alucard and defeat him. It's now or never, as Alucard has released the last of the restraints on all of his powers. He's now in a form he might be able to do damage to. He knows that this is what that Major wanted -all of this was to make Alucard vulnerable.

Anderson says farewell to his allies, and departs. Meanwhile, Alucard kneels before his master. She sees that the count has returned. Seras is also glad her master is back, although she thinks he looks a little funny with a moustache.

Alucard looks like he's about to hit her, but he actually pats her on her head, calling her by her real name, clearly proud of what she has become.

Anderson then drops down and clashes with Alucard. Alucard congratulates his nemesis on his attack, and the two clash again. Anderson manages to cut Alucard's face, whilst Alucard destroys the barrier Anderson had created. He tells Anderson that he's become a formidable warrior. He welcomes his challenge, and tells him to try and pierce his heart with one of his bayonets.

The two resume fighting, with Alucard's sword against Anderson's bayonets. Anderson tries throwing several bayonets at his opponent, but Alucard, who changes to his usual form, pulls out his guns and shoots them all.

The ammunition the Jackal uses are pure silver, macedonium-processed mercury rounds, in Marvels chemical NNA9 cartridges. Even regenerators can't heal themselves after taking a hit from these. He uses the Jackal to shoot one of Anderson's arms, badly damaging it. Alucard then jumps back behind some of his familiars, and watches as Anderson gets hit by Alhambra's cards and Van Winkle's bullet.

Alucard asks the Catholic what he intends to do now. He must want to defeat him, but what are his chances? One in a thousand? A million? A billion? Anderson says he'll destroy him no matter what the odds are. Alucard tells him he's injured, and his arms is hanging by a few strings of meat. What is he going to do? Anderson bites into his arm to pick it up, and says this wound won't stop him. He tells Alucard to attack him, and hurry -hurry!

Anderson starts to fight Alucard's familiars. As Alucard watches him, he thinks about how Anderson reminds him of those men, from long a go, who defeated him.

As Anderson continues, he sticks a bayonet into the mouth of a large foe, who survives, and grabs his arm. Anderson then sees more enemies approaching him on horseback, each one armed with a spear. It doesn't look like he'll survive this one when the men on horseback start to get shot down.

Heinkel, Yumie and the others have come back, and help Anderson by killing as many of the familiars as they can. Anderson calls them idiots as he'd told them to go back, but Heinkel says if they did that they'd no longer be soldiers of Iscariot. Yumie reminds him of the things he taught them, but he wanted some of them to survive, and carry on their work. Too many have died today already.

But as he's about to charge full speed into hell, he might as well have some company. The Iscariots charge, and any that get hit simply blow themselves up, taking as many enemies as they can with them. Yumie and Heinkel keep fighting...

...as Anderson breaks through and reaches Alucard. Alucard is impressed with him, as Anderson brings out a box and tells him that he isn't the only one who has a weapon to end life with. The box shatters, revealing a nail. Alucard knows what it is -the Shroud of Turin, the Holy Grail, the Lance of Longinus...he assumes Anderson is threatening him with the last of the lost holy relics of Rome. That lingering scent of a mircale...it must be the Nail of Helena.

Anderson is about to stab the nail into himself, when Anderson screams for him to stop. If he does that, he'll become one of God's monsters. He should maintain his humanity, and not succumb to power. Whether a monster who affirms God, or a monster who defies God, he'll still be a monster. Don't become like himself. If he is to be defeated, it can only be at the hands of a human, not a monster. He shouldn't do this -he shouldn't become a monster.

Anderson says he wants to become a bayonet, a bayonet wielded by the hand of God. He wouldn't have minded being born as a terrible force of nature, without a heart, or pity. And if this relic can change him into such a thing, then he's happy to give up his humanity. He stabs himself in the heart with the nail, and Alucard calls him a fool. He walks down towards where Anderson is...

...only to get his arm, and his head, cut off. Still in control of his body, Alucard fires the Jackal at Anderson's head, blowing half of it off.

As Alucard reforms, he sees what the relic has done to Anderson. His body is covered in thorns, as Alucard says that Anderson's body is no longer that of a man. Only by gouging out each other's hearts can either of them die now. Alucard starts shooting.

Both Alucard and Anderson can now heal wounds instantly now, and Anderson's thorns are capable of countering Alucard's shadow matter. Alucard sees the nail, and tries shooting it, but the bullets do nothing as Anderson jumps up, high into the air.

Alucard takes aim, but before he can fire, a bayonet plunges through his head. The bayonet has thorns erupt from it.

The thorns then catch fire, burning Alucard. His army of familiars also catches fire, and soon everything is ablaze. Is this the end of Alucard? "Master!"

NOTES

This episode adapts part of the manga's seventh volume, along with the majority of the eighth.