Shaft

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Shaft

Japanese name	Shaft
Appearance(s)	1792:Castlevania: Rondo of Blood 1797:Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Role(s)	Dark Priest, Villain
Weapon of Choice	Dark Arts
Abilities	Magical powers
Voice Actor(s)
Seiyuu(s)
Music Theme(s)
Gender	Male

Shaft is a dark priest and leader of a cult who was seeking to revive Dracula. He was the only servant of Dracula who was able to resurrect him twice.

Story

Events of Rondo of Blood

In the late 18th century Shaft, along with his cult, desired to disturb the prosperity and sentence the Transylvanian countryside to darkness once again. Within a monastery, Shaft prepared the ritual. During the ritual, he commanded his men to drive their blades into the body of a young maiden. Her blood was spilled over Dracula's corpse and he awoke from his slumber. Shaft was present during the raids on the nearby villages. In one of these villages he ran into Annette. He was about to turn her into one of Dracula's brides but was instead commanded by Dracula to lock her away in the clock tower. Shaft also abducted a little girl known as Maria Renard in who he sensed great magical abilities. He locked her away in the castle's main halls, where Shaft would do to her as he pleased. While he was tormenting Maria, Richter Belmont attacked Shaft but he quickly withdrew, vanishing into thin air.

After a while, Shaft informed Dracula that a suspicious character was making his way through the castle. Shaft awaited the intruder in the and it turned out to be Richter Belmont. After a short conversation, he summoned four creatures from the underworld to kill the vampire hunter, but they were vanquished. Shaft and Richter engaged in battle, but he was ultimately defeated. Although Shaft's physical body was gone, his ghost didn't pass on. He awaited Richter at the Clock Tower, where they would fight one last time. Due to Richter's efforts, Shaft didn't live long enough to know the outcome of the fight between Richter and Count Dracula.

Events of Symphony of the Night

Shaft still didn't pass on, however, and hatched a plan that would make his master unstoppable. Taking advantage of Richter's feelings, Shaft possessed the vampire hunter four years after Dracula's defeat. His plan was to coerce the strongest vampire hunter, Richter, to Dracula's side. By doing this, no other vampire hunter would be able to defeat Richter, and soon, all other vampire hunters would be killed off, leaving none to oppose Dracula. However, Alucard, with Maria's help, was able to see through Shaft's illusion and save Richter from the possession. Later, Shaft would face Alucard in battle, telling him of the plan and trying to stop Alucard from reaching Dracula. They fought fiercely, but in the end, Shaft was defeated again and dispatched from the world forever.