Episode 18 — The Third Choice
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Viktor stared at Silas.
For the first time, the confidence disappeared from his face.
“You can't.”
Silas stepped forward.
“You said there were only two choices.”
Viktor shook his head.
“There are always consequences.”
“Then let the consequence be yours.”
Elena moved beside Silas.
The First watched them silently.
Its enormous chains continued to shake.
Clara whispered, “Silas, what are you doing?”
“Ending this.”
Viktor slowly reached for his pistol.
Silas noticed.
“Don't.”
Viktor stopped.
“You think you can threaten me?”
“No.”
Silas's eyes flashed silver.
“I think you already know what happens if you try.”
Viktor looked at the Black Wolf.
The creature growled.
Viktor lowered his hand.
“You don't understand the pact.”
“Then explain it.”
Viktor laughed.
“The pact cannot accept the blood of someone who wasn't chosen.”
Silas looked toward Elena.
“She's chosen.”
“Yes.”
“I'm chosen.”
“Yes.”
Silas pointed at Viktor.
“And you were chosen by the council.”
Viktor's expression changed.
“That isn't the same.”
“Why?”
“Because I was never a vessel.”
Silas smiled.
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“But you were part of the pact.”
Viktor said nothing.
Silas looked at Matthias.
“Wasn't he?”
The priest nodded slowly.
“He was.”
Viktor turned toward him.
“Don't.”
Matthias continued.
“Viktor was one of the seven who renewed the pact twenty years ago.”
Silas stared at him.
“And he gave his blood.”
“Yes.”
Silas looked at Viktor.
“Then the First knows your blood.”
The creature's eyes began glowing.
Viktor stepped backward.
“No.”
The First spoke.
“YOUR BLOOD IS TAINTED.”
Viktor shook his head.
“I served you.”
“You BETRAYED me.”
The chains rattled violently.
Viktor turned toward the staircase.
He ran.
Silas followed.
“Stop!”
Viktor climbed the stairs as fast as he could.
Silas caught him halfway.
They crashed against the stone wall.
Viktor punched Silas.
Silas barely moved.
Viktor stared at him.
“What have you become?”
Silas grabbed his coat.
“Something you created.”
He threw Viktor down the stairs.
Viktor landed hard.
Elena and Clara watched from below.
Silas descended.
Viktor crawled backward.
“Wait.”
Silas stopped.
Viktor looked desperate.
“I can help you.”
“You've had twenty years.”
“I can tell you everything.”
“You should have done that before you killed my family.”
“I didn't kill them!”
Silas's expression hardened.
“You ordered it.”
“I ordered the ritual.”
“And what did you think would happen?”
Viktor's voice became weak.
“I thought the First would give us eternal life.”
Silas stared at him.
“You destroyed an entire family for a fantasy.”
Viktor shook his head.
“No.”
He looked toward the First.
“It promised.”
The First growled.
“I PROMISED NOTHING.”
Viktor froze.
Silas looked at Elena.
“It's time.”
Elena nodded.
Together, they stepped toward the altar.
The First's eyes followed them.
“CHOOSE.”
Silas looked at Elena.
She shook her head.
“Not me.”
Silas looked back at the creature.
“Not me either.”
The First growled.
“THEN ALL SHALL DIE.”
The cavern shook.
The remaining chains snapped.
One after another.
Clara screamed.
“Silas!”
Silas grabbed Elena's hand.
“Trust me.”
She nodded.
Their eyes turned silver.
The wolves surrounding the cavern began howling.
Silas raised his voice.
“We choose the one who broke the pact.”
Viktor stared at him.
“No.”
Silas pointed toward him.
“Viktor Rask.”
The First became completely still.
Then it lowered its enormous head.
Viktor screamed.
“NO!”
The creature moved.
Viktor ran.
The wolves surrounded him.
He fell to his knees.
“Silas!”
Silas watched.
Viktor looked directly at him.
“You're no better than me!”
Silas shook his head.
“No.”
He looked toward the First.
“That's why I'm giving you a choice.”
Viktor stared.
“What choice?”
“Confess.”
Viktor laughed.
“You think I'll confess?”
Silas stepped closer.
“Tell the truth about the council.”
Viktor remained silent.
“Tell Blackpine what happened twenty years ago.”
“You'll kill me anyway.”
“No.”
Silas looked toward the First.
“The pact will decide.”
Viktor stared at the creature.
He knew he had lost.
Slowly, he began speaking.
“The council found the First beneath the mountain.”
His voice echoed through the cavern.
“We wanted its power.”
He looked at Matthias.
“Your priest helped us.”
Matthias lowered his head.
“Your grandfather helped us.”
Silas clenched his fists.
“Continue.”
“Your father opposed us.”
Viktor swallowed.
“Your mother tried to stop the ritual.”
He looked at Elena.
“Her family tried to help her.”
“And you?”
“I burned the house.”
Silas's eyes filled with anger.
“You burned my home.”
“Yes.”
“You killed my mother?”
“No.”
Viktor looked toward the Black Wolf.
“She sacrificed herself.”
Silas looked at the creature.
“And my father?”
“Your father chained himself to the seal.”
Viktor lowered his head.
“I thought that would be enough.”
Silas whispered:
“It wasn't.”
“No.”
Viktor looked at the First.
“It was never enough.”
The creature moved closer.
Viktor closed his eyes.
Then the First spoke.
“THE PACT IS RESTORED.”
Silas looked surprised.
“What?”
The creature turned toward him.
“THE BETRAYER HAS CONFESSED.”
Elena stepped forward.
“Then the sacrifice isn't necessary?”
The First stared at her.
“NOT YET.”
Silas frowned.
“What does that mean?”
The creature looked toward the ceiling.
“THE BLOOD MOON HAS NOT REACHED ITS PEAK.”
Clara looked at the darkness above them.
“How long?”
The First answered:
“UNTIL MIDNIGHT.”
Silas looked at the others.
“We have hours.”
Elena nodded.
“Then we find a way to end the pact.”
Viktor suddenly laughed.
Everyone turned.
Silas frowned.
“What?”
Viktor smiled through the blood on his face.
“You still don't understand.”
Silas stepped closer.
“Understand what?”
Viktor looked toward the First.
“The pact was never created to imprison the creature.”
Silas froze.
“What?”
Viktor's smile widened.
“It was created to protect the world from what comes after it.”
A terrible silence followed.
Then the mountain shook.
Far beneath them, something screamed.
Not like a wolf.
Not like a human.
Something ancient.
Something hungry.
The First lifted its head.
For the first time, fear appeared in its silver eyes.
Silas stared.
“What is that?”
The First answered in a voice that shook the cavern.
“THE SECOND.”
The lights went out.
And from somewhere beneath the mountain came a whisper:
“Vane.”
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