Chapter 10 – Prophecy
The cave was dark and wet as Damon sloshed through the puddles that had collected in last night's rain. He rubbed his hands nervously together in the hopes that this new piece of information would please the master. Corbin was seldom in a good mood. Torches lit the way to the large antechamber that had been constructed for the master's comfort during his stay. Damon swished into the room with a sweep of his cape, passing by the vampire guards that stood at the mouth of the chamber. Corbin lounged there in a deep-burgundy, velvet chair tapping his ringed fingers on the carved wood. His long hair waved over the deep red robes he wore over a gold shirt. The oracle, Norah, was sprawled in the corner with her arms bound behind her back. Her blue dress was stained by dirt and blood. She cowered under her stringy multi-colored hair the moment Corbin's head came up.
"Ah, Damon" he said making a steeple with his long fingered hands "I trust you have brought me good news this time? Your performance thus far has been rather....dissapointing" the statement was said with an undertone of violence, a threat simmering just below the surface of his eloquently spoken words.
"Yes...yes master, good news indeed" Damon answered just barely able to suppress the excitement in his voice. He would be rewarded handsomely for this.
"Well" Corbin drawled slowly.
"It is exactly as you'd hoped, sire. The Cullen girls are both with child and..."
"I don't care about the Cullen brats" Corbin boomed as he stood. He looked menacingly over at his servant clenching his hands "If you have nothing more..." he trailed off, suddenly calm as he gestured towards one of the hulky guards. Damon recoiled quickly as a pair of rough hands clamped down on his shoulder.
"No, sire, please. That's not all I have" he managed to squeak out between his terrified snivels. "The female wolf, Leah Clearwater"
"Now were talking" Corbin said wryly. He serenely sat back down with his robes billowing out over the chair and waved off the big vampire guard with a flick of his wrist "and what of the newborn?"
"Tristan is exactly as you'd hoped, master. Very unstable and Leah has been very...umm...helpful"
"and the other witch, the female elemental, has she found her way to Seth?"
"No...I don't think so. I've been watching her with the Cullen boy, Phoenix" Damon related nervously with absolute certainty that this revelation would upset his master.
"Unacceptable. What do I have you all for? Idiots! I should have known that if I wanted the job done correctly to do it myself" Corbin raged and knocked over an empty chalice. Damon staggered back slumping against the wall scarcely blinking before his master was upon him. He was raised nearly to the ceiling by his throat, his eyes bulged like red pools of blood rolling back white into his head.
"Corbin, you need not fret" Norah suddenly jumped up with her pale eyes gone to smoke. They were unusual for a vampire, nearly violet in color and as varied as a polished opal when the visions came. The rattling of chains was the only noise other than the terrified gasps of the vampire spy "Leah is the one you need to focus on. Isn't that why we herded the three witches here? It was exactly as I envisioned it from the moment Zachary turned Tristan. He is meant to be with the female wolf. Zachary's sacrifice was a good one"
"and Aurora? What of her? She was also supposed to be turned was she not?" Corbin questioned still holding his minion against the dripping stone wall.
"Her path is not yet settled. Perhaps Phoenix will turn her and then she and Seth will be together. She has yet to make a decision about who she truly loves but it does seem that Samara's path is clearing. I have seen her with the wolf. Their fates are intertwined" Norah's voice was almost pleading and she was desperate now to help the only friend she had left since her lover's death. She knew that the only way to free Damon was for Corbin to be angry at her and the quickest way to do that was by telling him what he didn't want to hear.
"Samara is to be mine!" Corbin's icy screams echoed in the dank cave drowning out the thud of Damon's body hitting the rocky floor. Norah felt the bite of his sword against her hard skin long before she heard the velvety noise it made coming out of its sheath. With enough pressure she knew that she would be looking up at her own decapitated body and though the very prospect terrified her, she also knew that she was far too valuable an asset for him to lose.
"I'm sure she will be" Norah said calmly biting back the snaking fear "The child Corbin. I have seen him in my vision" she deflected knowing that this was his whole reason for being since he had first glimpsed the tattered parchment "The chosen one, born of both beast and vampire, set to bring about the destruction of the vilest of races, the plague of humanity. His power will be such that the angels will weep and the demons will join him in his battle cries. The world will be his to reign over beginning a new race, a new era of superior beings" Norah recited the prophecy as it had been written hundreds of years ago by Aro's own hand.
"Are you forgetting, dear Norah, that there is a much less enjoyable outcome to that prophecy If we should lose!" his razor sharp teeth were bared in a snarl as he bellowed the last few words.
"Perhaps than it is time to do what is needed to bring your plans to fruition?" Norah questioned softly, trying not to register the bite of the heavy sword. Damon groaned loudly in the corner and was hoisted to his feet by the vampire guards. Corbin whirled away, swiftly sheathing his sword before setting his wicked grin back upon his seer.
"Is it time?" he asked with an almost giddy disposition.
"Yes" Norah whispered with the sick knowledge that she was condemning so many to their doom. The dreams and visions of what was to come had plagued and haunted her nearly every night.
"Rally the first battalion, Brock" Corbin said to the dark vampire that had been sitting calmly throughout the entire outburst. The giant nodded and stood in a bow that somehow managed to look regal despite Brock's large size. "As for you, Damon" he began "you will continue to watch the Cullens and the Quiluetes. Do everything in your power to throw Leah and Tristan together. Take the Cullen boy out of the equation. We want the witch to be with Seth. The chosen one must be born at any cost"
"...and...umm...Samara" Damon gulped in terror.
"I'll take her when the moon is full along with her whelp lover. I want him to watch when she gives all to me" Corbin explained as if he were speaking in a dream. In his mind she was already his.
"I assume you will want the others captured" Brock finally spoke in his full, booming voice. His dark eyes almost melded with the color of his skin as the candles flickered about the room.
"Only the talented ones, the ones that Aro covets for himself shall be my captives but most importantly I want the Quiluetes, Brock. Bring them to me alive and screaming"