Horror Beyond Nightmares

Horror Beyond Nightmares is the second episode of the first season, and the 2nd episode overall, of Netflix's original series, Castlevania: Nocturne.
==Synopsis==
:As the threat of a Vampire Messiah looms, Tera's past holds dark omens for the future. Annette, Edouard, Richter and Maria head for the château.
==Plot==
===Paris, 1792===
Revolutionaries are executed in the rain as Abbot Emmanuel preaches to the church. He claims a messiah is coming to deliver France from the godless mob that threatens to overthrow their society. In the midst of the public execution, a vampire and her escorts ride into the city. They're greeted by guards who demand to know their reason for entry. A dark-skinned vampire woman disembarks her carriage and introduces herself as a representative of the "messiah". The primary guard tells her all religious organizations must be registered but she clarifies that she doesn't mean a catholic messiah, but the real one. The vampire pounces on the guards and slays them all in a matter of moments.
At Tera's house, Maria mourns the loss of one of her familiars. Maria is unsure if she should bury it and her mother comforts her before asking for help with breakfast. Richter puts the dead night creature in a ditch and burns its body. Over breakfast, Maria tells Annette and Edouard what she knows about the revolution in the Caribbean islands. Apparently, word takes a while to reach France, but Maria heard the the slaves had an uprising where they burned the plantation to the ground and killed all the slave owners. Annette clarifies that many colonists were vampires and one vampire slave owner escaped. Edouard commends Tera's food, enjoying the bread and expressing that he's happy to finally be eating something other than ship rations. Richter can relate to that struggle and tells them that he spent three weeks on a ship when he was a boy, the worst time of his life.
Richter asks Annette and Edouard what they know about the Vampire Messiah. Annette reveals that her priestess teacher warned her about the messiah and told her to find a Belmont to help stop them. She further explains how vampires have coiled themselves around the nobility of the old world. The Messiah promises to keep these mortals in power with vampires pulling the strings. For this to take effect, first they must crush the French Revolution. Annette then asks if Richter can use magic as she was told, but he reveals he hasn't been able to do it since he was a child. Annette reveals the name of the Vampire Messiah is Countess Erzsebet Báthory, someone who terrorized Tera in the past. Overcome with trauma, Tera has to leave the group for a moment and walks off into the woods. Meanwhile, at the château, vampires congregate to choose a proper sacrifice for their messiah.
Maria and the others find Tera in the woods where she tells the story of her past. Her clan of speakers were destroyed by vampires in Russia. Tera's sister was captured by the countess and turned into a vampire, made to suffer for eternity. Tera attempted to rescue her sister but was forced to kill her and flee after discovering her fate. Tera had to flee until she found refuge in France, where she was embraced by Abbot Emmanuel. Tera apologizes to Richter and Maria for not telling them earlier, but Richter assures her there are things he doesn't talk about either.
Annette swears to defeat the Countess before she can destroy the revolution. Angry, Richter walks off and agrees that they will definitely kill her. Later that day, Maria buries her familiar and Edouard sings for both it and Tera's fallen sister. Afterward, Annette learns from Richter that vampires are gathering at the château and suggests they do some reconnaissance. Tera thinks they should wait but Richter agrees and tells her to stay behind. On the way to the château, the group talks about otherworld and how all humans descend from gods. Annette in particular descends from Ogun, the god of iron and war. This gives Annette complete control over minerals both metal and stone. Richter claims he doesn't need magic because Belmonts have hunted vampires for generations with just the vampire killer whip. He mentions that many of them could use magic, including his mother, but claims its non-essential. Annette asks about Richter's mother and he admits that she died because some vampires can use magic as well.
Annette creates a bridge to get everyone across the water where they sneak into the property of the château. They find the Marquis working with other vampires to turn corpses into night creatures. Maria recognizes that Jacques is among the corpses and Annette notices the slave owner that got away, the Comte de Vaublanc, is also among them. Annette loses her composure and ultimately reveals their position, causing all the vampires and night creatures to attack. They're forced to run away from their enemies with superior numbers, but Edouard is caught and killed. While mournful, Annette creates a bridge to escape and the others get away to the other side of the water. Devastated, Annette immediately breaks down and starts crying at the loss of her friend.
Edouard's body is put amongst the corpses that are to be turned into night creatures by the Marquis and his wife. They're brought to the Abbey and transformed using a machine that acts as the tool of a forgemaster. Edouard is transformed into a night creature as Olrox looks on and points out the irony of giving glory to god.
==Cast==
*Edward Bluemel as Richter Belmont
*Pixie Davies as Maria Renard
*Thuso Mbedu as Annette
*Sydney James Harcourt as Edouard
*Nastassja Kinski as Tera
*Richard Dormer as Abbot Emmanuel
*Aaron Neil as Mizrak
*Elarica Johnson as Drolta Tzuentes
*Zahn McClarnon as Olrox
*Alastair Duncan as Vaublanc
*Deputy's daughter
==Quotes==
:– Richter Belmont: "Tell me what you know about this Vampire Messiah."
:– Annette: "In Saint-Domingue, there's a mambo, a priestess, my teacher. She's a powerful sorcerer and seer. It was she who told me to find you."
:– Richter Belmont: "And she knows about this Messiah?"
:– Annette: "She said, 'Something is changing out here in the Old World'. For centuries, vampires have lived coiled around old houses of Europe, like vines. Close allies of the dukes and barons, the principalities, even the royal courts themselves... But many vampires resented their reliance on human kings and princes. This Messiah promises to make them unquestioned masters of the world... They'll leave the kings and princes in place, but with vampires pulling the strings, which means, first, they need to crush the Revolution."
:– Annette: "The Messiah was a monster before she was a vampire."
:– Tera: "She?"
:– Annette: "Even as a human, she tortured and murdered young girls and boys."
:– Tera: "What's her name? The Vampire Messiah, do you know her name?"
:– Annette: "Erzsebet Báthory. Countess Erzsebet Báthory"
:– Maria Renard: (Concerned) "Mum, what's wrong?"
:– Tera: (Horrified) "Oh no."
==Gallery==
===Screenshots===
===Concept art===
Castlevania Nocturne S1E2 Storyboard Layout (Maria).png|Storyboard layout by Kathryn Layno and Saren Stone.
Castlevania Nocturne S1E2 Storyboard Layout (Tera).png|Storyboard layout by Kathryn Layno and Saren Stone.
Castlevania Nocturne S1E2 Storyboard Layout (Richter and Annette).png|Storyboard layout by Kathryn Layno and Saren Stone.
Castlevania Nocturne S1E2 Storyboard Layout (Edouard).png|Storyboard layout by Kathryn Layno and Saren Stone.
Castlevania Nocturne S1E2 Storyboard (1).jpg|Storyboard by Kamille Areopagita.
Castlevania Nocturne S1E2 Storyboard (2).jpg|Storyboard by Kamille Areopagita.
Castlevania Nocturne S1E2 Storyboard (3).jpg|Storyboard by Kamille Areopagita.
Castlevania Nocturne S1E2 Storyboard (4).jpg|Storyboard by Kamille Areopagita.
Nocturne EP2 Backgrounds Art (1).jpg
Nocturne EP2 Backgrounds Art (2).jpg
Nocturne EP2 Place de Grève Art.jpg
Notre Dame Execution Square.jpg
Vampire Carriage Driver Concept Art (1).jpg
Vampire Carriage Driver Concept Art (2).jpg
Castlevania Nocturne Season 1 Episode 2 Colorscript.jpg|Colorscript by Bo Li.
Category:Nocturne Season 1 Episodes