Disclaimer: I do not own any of these character, except for the few original ones that had to be created. Oh, and I do not own Sir Anmy, I think that did sound a bit confusing in the last disclaimer. But I do not own him, nor any other character mentioned in Underworld the movie, script, novelization, or comic book adaptation. Please do not sue me, Savvy?
Author's note: And now for the chapter in which I had to attempt the impossible. Make people feel sympathy for Viktor. Don't know if I pulled it off or not, but I tried my hardest. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated, and again, thanks to Erika and my other reviewers!
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CHAPTER FIVE: NUMB
MOON PHASE - FULL MOON
Years passed until it was the year of the awakening of Lord Viktor, and Lucian and Sonja still continued on, their lives bleak and cold. Lucrecia was fading faster now, as Rendor and Lucian grew and matured. Rendor had found a potential mate, Lydia, and had begun to court her. Lucian's obsession with the vampire princess had grown though he saw her less and less. Sonja's longing to see the mysterious lycan grew as well, confusing her as she could not comprehend the strange and strong desire.
Six years had passed since Rikard and Aurelia's deaths, only days remained before they would find out how Viktor would handle the discovery. Lycans and vampires alike feared how it would effect him. The vampires pitied him, the lycans felt empathy.
Times were bleak, as the Turks attacked the surrounding provinces, gaining more and more control. The vampires and lycans knew there was a chance they would be discovered by the war crazed people, but they stood their ground. Marcus often sent someone to see how the human Corvinus line was doing, making sure the family Corvinus lived on.
But soon, Lord Viktor would awaken, and would assume command yet again.
***
Marcus walked into the chamber where Amelia and Viktor slept. Alone, and weary, he walked over to Viktor's tomb, and he began to prepare everything for the ceremony and for Viktor's revival. He dreaded what had to be done, but there was no other way. Viktor would ultimately have it no other way.
Once everything was done, Marcus stood at the sarcophagus, exposing his right wrist. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on his memories, collecting and gathering them up, putting them into order, forming them into a single thought. He reached over and with a small dagger, cut his wrist, letting his blood flow.
He pitied what Viktor would be forced to watch as he awoke.
***
Everything happened in seconds, all the knowledge and memories and thoughts passed into Viktor's mind as his body eagerly and hungrily spread the blood through his system, waking and reviving his organs. His heart began pumping steadily as the memories ran through his head, informing him of the previous century.
Then everything halted, and he came upon what must have been a special, more important memory. She saw his daughter, Sonja, running towards a group of vampires, running until she dropped down beside a burned corpse, a female vampire burned beyond healing.
Aurelia.
NO!
Viktor felt himself struggling to move, as if he were in the memory, trying to comfort his daughter, trying to reach his dying wife, to heal her, help some way. He wanted to cry out, to stop the past event from happening. But nothing worked. He watched in horror and despair as his weeping daughter spoke and listened to her mother's final words, he watched as Marcus pulled her away.
In seething sorrow he watched as Marcus raised his sword and brought it down, decapitating, killing, his beloved wife.
NO!
***
"NO!" came a pleading whisper from the swiftly regenerating body of the lead Elder. Marcus looked down at Viktor, watching with blank eyes as the other Elder returned to his normal state, the skeletal form visibly coming back to life.
Marcus sighed, weary and dreading when Viktor finally came into full consciousness. He could see Viktor was already struggling to move, the last memory causing him to cry out. Marcus was afraid that would happen, and he tried to keep Viktor from harming himself.
"Perhaps I should send for Sonja," Marcus grunted as he held down the other vampire's arms. "Well, too late now I suppose."
***
"Aurelia is dead. She is truly dead. Her body burned too badly for her to be saved."
Viktor kept repeating Marcus' words, his ice blue eyes staring off into space as he was unable to focus on anything but those words. Such a simple fact, yet it carried so much weight, so much sorrow, so much pain.
Everything was frozen and bitter now, and he felt as though he could not move, could not speak, could not focus on anything around him. His wife was dead, she had been dead for six years and he had not known! For six years, six damned years, Aurelia had been gone, and he now had to wake to the world without her!
He thought of Sonja, his poor daughter having to carry this burden alone for six years. He had to go and see her, make certain she was well. She was all he had now.
All because of those accursed Turks. All because Aurelia had to leave the castle while he slept, going against his pleas with her not to. All because he was asleep and the Laws kept him from being awakened to help her. He could have saved her, he would have saved her. There had to have been a way. But it was lost, she was lost.
He was lost.
He was cold.
He was numb.
And his beloved wife was no longer there to change that.
***
Viktor walked out of the chamber, garbed in his Elder robes and fully regenerated now. He looked several years older now though, as he had let himself age after hearing of his wife's death. Almost as if he wanted to bear the sorrow visibly, as if that would help somehow, honor her in some way.
Marcus was now in slumber, and Viktor was truly in command. His ice cold eyes were narrowed as he looked at the Death Dealers waiting outside, and he passed them without a word. His expression grim, he made his way quickly to Sonja's chambers. He had to see his daughter, his only family left.
The Death Dealers moved to follow him, and he finally spoke, irritated. "Stay, I can walk on my own," he told them, never even turning towards them. When they stopped, he continued on alone.
He reached Sonja's rooms finally, and softly knocked before opening the door. Normally he would wait for her to say it was all right to enter, or for her to open the door herself, but not this time. He saw her, his daughter Sonja, standing there at he dresser, fingering the pendant he had given Aurelia.
"Sonja," Viktor whispered, his eyes softening.
She turned and he could see her eyes were red-rimmed, glassy with crimson tainted tears. "Papa!" she cried, running to him.
Viktor embraced his daughter, holding her tightly like he had done when she was a child and the thunder had made her cry. He remembered how Aurelia would then sing her to sleep after he had assured Sonja everything would be fine.
Part of him wished that was all this was, that he could make time go back. He knew Sonja wanted the same, they both did.
But they couldn't. The world was numb and bitter and cold.
And now the only thing keeping him from letting the world make him the same way was his daughter.
***
Lucian looked down at his sleeping mother, his eyes filled with sorrow. He and Rendor were being selfish, keeping her here. They no longer needed her, they would be well enough on their own. It was time for them to let go, for her to join their father in eternity.
As much as Lucian wanted to be selfish and to hold on to her, he knew he could not do that to her anymore. He was torturing her. They were torturing her, keeping her with them.
"Rendor," Lucian called to his brother, signaling him to come over. He ignored the glare Rendor gave him, as it was almost sunrise and they needed to go to their posts. But Lucian was determined to see to their mother first. "Rendor, we cannot make her live any longer," Lucian told the older lycan.
Rendor's expression turned grave at Lucian's words. He bowed his head, nodding reluctantly. "I know. I've know this for several days. We no longer need her, not enough to keep her trapped here." Rendor met Lucian's eyes. "I will go and inform,"
"No," Lucian cut him off. "No. I will do it. You go on, I will take Mother to the vampires." Lucian stared Rendor down, refusing to let the older lycan take the duty. Lucian would bear this, like he bore the responsibility of relating the news of his father's death, like he had carried the weight of his mother's care, of keeping the others well, like his father had done.
Rendor glared at Lucian, angered at his brother's stubborn will, but he bowed his head, giving in. "Just, take care, Lord Viktor is now in command, he was awakened this eve. He is never as kind as Lord Marcus, and today he will be in a fouler mood than ever before," Rendor warned.
"I know," Lucian told him, and Rendor realized that was one of Lucian's reasons for taking this. Lucian was calmer than Rendor, and able to hold his tongue. Lucian nodded towards the door, signaling that Rendor needed to go. He then turned and went over to his mother.
Tonight he would be thankful for the full moon's releasing light. Tonight he would howl freely, and he would mourn in wolfen form.
***
Lucian and Lucrecia walked down the corridor, heading for the Death Dealer quarters. Lucrecia's eyes were downcast, yet clear and hopeful, while Lucian walked with his head slightly bowed, and he kept his eyes blank. It was a custom, a mercy the vampires had easily agreed to, that should a lycan die, if the mate wanted to die as well, then they would be executed.
When Lucian had been younger, he had found the practice appalling and disturbing, but now he understood. They were not like the vampires, so that even when they were not truly considered Life Mates, they're bonding was still deep, and their connection so close, that to live without the other could be unbearable. And that was what was now happening to his mother, his dear, kind, stubborn mother.
As much as he wanted to think it would pass, as much as he wanted to keep to his beliefs of his youth, he could not. No longer could he deny that his mother was fading, kept here only by her immortality and will to stay with her sons as they needed her.
As he reached the main room of the Dealers sect, he saw Lord Viktor himself was in the room, for only he would be dressed in the regal robes so similar to Lord Marcus'. Lucian bowed quickly, pulling his mother down beside him.
"What are you both doing here again?" Soren asked impatiently.
"Again?" came the cold, unfamiliar voice that could only belong his master, Lord Viktor. "What do you mean, 'again'?"
"The day of," Soren paused for a moment, uncertainty evident in his voice. "The day of Aurelia's death, these two came, concerned for the lycan that also died was the mate and father," Soren explained to the Elder.
"I see," came the cold, emotionless reply. Lucian wondered how this could be the father of his beloved princess, this vampire was so cold and hard, she was so kind and gentle, glowing as if filled with moonlight.
"My Lord, I am simply here to ask for my mother's," Lucian closed his eyes a sighed, resigned to this fate, "to ask for my mother's life taken, as she has lost her mate and wishes for it to be." Lucian kept his eyes on the ground, frightened of what he would see should he look up. He had respected and rightfully feared Lord Marcus, but the Elder had always been lenient towards his people.
But Lord Viktor radiated frozen bitterness, his presence terrifying, and Lucian suspected that even the other vampires felt it somewhat. Still, he reasoned that it may have been for the loss he had suffered, for he himself had seen how loss of a loved one could destroy.
He heard the Elder, his master, coming closer to them, kneeling beside his mother. "You wish for death?"
Lucrecia nodded, never meeting the vampire's ice colored eyes. "Yes, Master," she replied. "I am of your lycans, and therefore at your mercy."
Lord Viktor nodded. "Yes. Yes, you are." He stood, facing Soren. "Escort the male back to the lycan quarters, I will lead this one to the Judgment room for her execution," he told the Death Dealers.
Lucian struggled not to howl softly, his eyes blinking rapidly. This would be the last time he would see his mother. He turned to her, meeting her eyes one last time. He managed a smile when he saw the look of peace on her face, and it gave him the strength to follow the Dealers away from her. For the last time.
***
Lucrecia followed her master to the Judgment room, at peace with her fate. She was so proud of her sons, so mature and strong. And Lucian, an alpha like his father, calm yet willful. He had been brave today, and she knew he would take care of the others.
Lord Viktor strode briskly, and Lucrecia almost had to run to keep up. He was frightening, more so than Lord Marcus. Just as tall, perhaps taller than the other Elder, Lord Viktor exuded cold ruthlessness and age old wisdom. He was a warlord, with a keen mind and good leadership. The lycans knew that he had never been fond of the idea of keeping them as slaves, and they were especially careful not to anger him.
But Lucrecia felt only empathy for him now. He had suffered the same loss she had six years ago, though at least she had seen her mate one last time, even though it was his corpse, lifeless and empty. But he, he had nothing but a memory.
Soon, they had reached the Judgment room, and she followed her master into it. Once inside, he closed the huge doors, and they were alone inside the oppressive room. It was time.
"That was your mate, the one that died alongside my wife?" the Elder asked her, his voice emotionless, but somehow not as cold as it had been before.
Lucrecia turned and faced him. She nodded, her eyes lifting up to finally meet his. "Yes, Master," she confirmed. "Yes, he was." She watched as something akin to sympathy, empathy, flashed through his eyes before they again returned to their frozen stare.
Lord Viktor pulled out a silver dagger, his expression blank. "You were fortunate, lycan," he said softly. "Very fortunate to have been with your lover that day."