"First of all, I'd like to apologize for the fight. But it was necessary to confirm that you were worthy of wielding the whip," Leon spoke calmly, and Trevor simply nodded before asking, "Is that common? Does every Belmont have to go through something like that?"
"No. But in your case… it's different. The whip itself chose to test you."
"My case…?" Trevor asked, trying to hide what he already suspected, and Leon looked at him with a faint smile before saying, "There's no need to hide it. The whip sensed it the moment you touched it. Your blood is Belmont… but your soul is a fusion of two."
Trevor took a deep breath and answered, "Yeah… there's not much to say. It's true. But it wasn't my choice… and I don't intend to harm anyone."
"I know," Leon replied without hesitation. "You fought with ferocity, but only because I attacked first. And when the whip connected with you, it also sensed your intent. There's no malice in you… nor any influence from darkness."
Trevor relaxed slightly and said, "I'm glad you trust me. But… if you already knew that, why test me at all?"
"For two reasons," Leon said, raising two fingers. "First: when someone who isn't a Belmont tries to use the whip at its full capacity, they must undergo a ritual. Otherwise, prolonged use would drain their life." He paused briefly before continuing, "Second… we needed to be sure."
"We?" Trevor repeated, his eyes widening as Leon answered, "The previous wielders of the whip. They… are here too."
"Yes. They watched our fight… and our conversation. But only I can speak to you right now. I was the one summoned to test you," Leon explained, then turned his head slightly as if listening to something distant before smiling faintly and adding, "Your mother asked me to tell you something."
Trevor froze as Leon continued, "She said she's very proud of the man you've become… that you are still her son… and that she loves you very much," and Trevor couldn't hold it back — a tear slid down his face because even after everything, she still saw him as her son, and she still loved him. He lowered his head for a few seconds, taking a deep breath before wiping his tears and saying, "Thank you… Leon," then looked around as if he could be heard and added, "I love you too, Mom," before turning back to Leon and asking, "Is there anything else?"
"Yes," Leon said, crossing his arms. "Do you know why someone who isn't a Belmont has their life drained when using the whip?"
Trevor thought for a moment and ventured, "Because… the whip is jealous?" and Leon let out a soft chuckle before replying, "In a way. The Vampire Killer is a magical weapon created through a ritual that binds it to Belmont blood. When an outsider tries to use it, the whip forces the user's body and soul… draining their life in the process."
"But… if they go through the ritual?" Trevor pressed, and Leon answered, "Then the whip acknowledges them as worthy. It stops forcing their body and allows them to use its full power."
Trevor frowned and asked, "And what does that have to do with me?" to which Leon replied, "The fusion of your soul… combined with the fact that you underwent this ritual and came into contact with other souls… awakened something dormant." He paused as Trevor focused, then added, "What you would call the Belmonts' 'magic gene.'"
Trevor's eyes widened, and he looked at his own hands, expecting something to happen — but nothing did, and Leon laughed at his reaction before saying, "I said you'll feel it over time. That power has been dormant for centuries… it needs to awaken gradually."
"Right…" Trevor murmured, and Leon's expression grew serious as he added, "One more thing. This ritual created a connection. From now on… other Belmonts may be able to reach out to you." Trevor's eyes lit up as he began, "You mean—" but Leon cut him off gently, saying, "Yes. But only when necessary. It won't be constant," and Trevor nodded, still slightly disappointed.
Leon then stood and extended his hand, saying, "Well… that's everything. It was a pleasure meeting you, Trevor. We have high expectations for you," and Trevor stood as well, shaking his hand while replying, "The pleasure was mine. I'll do everything I can to live up to them." Leon smiled and said, "We'll be watching," and in the next instant, Trevor opened his eyes.
He was back in his room, his grandfather sitting beside the bed, and as soon as Trevor sat up, Lucius woke and smiled in relief, exclaiming, "Trevor!" before quickly standing and pulling him into a hug, checking him for injuries as he said, "Thank God… when you grabbed the Vampire Killer, you passed out… and you wouldn't let go of the whip no matter what." Only then did Trevor notice that the whip was still tightly clenched in his hand, and he loosened his grip, revealing deep marks in his palm.
"I… was pulled into a strange place. I had to fight… Leon Belmont," Trevor explained, and Lucius froze before demanding, "Leon Belmont?! What do you mean?!"
"Relax, let me finish," Trevor said, taking a deep breath. "He tested me. Said I needed to prove I was worthy of using the whip."
"That's never happened before…" Lucius murmured, and Trevor continued, "I know. But… he said that because of it, the ritual awakened the family's magic gene." For a moment, Lucius went silent, and then he burst out with a thunderous, "What?!" before laughing joyfully. "I knew it! I knew it! My grandson is a genius!" Trevor blinked… then ended up laughing as well, and after they both calmed down, Lucius said, "We need to go to the family archives. Now. There has to be something about this."
"Alright… but we need to be quick. I still have a trip to make," Trevor replied, and Lucius paused before asking, "Are you sure about this?" Trevor looked at him firmly and said, "I am," and Lucius tried to say something… but found no words, simply placing a hand on his grandson's shoulder and saying, "I trust you. And I know you'll do great things. I'll help however I can." Trevor smiled, moved, and replied, "Thank you for everything, Grandpa. I'll do my best."
A short while later, Trevor was seated on a plane bound for Beacon Hills, a new chapter of his life about to begin.