Episode 14 — One Vane Must Die
1306 Words
The words on the silver key refused to leave Silas's mind.
ONE VANE MUST DIE FOR THE OTHERS TO LIVE.
He stood at the edge of the forest, staring at the message.
Clara came closer.
“What does it mean?”
Silas closed his fingers around the key.
“I don't know.”
Mara looked at it.
Her expression changed.
“You do.”
Silas turned toward her.
“You've seen this before.”
Mara hesitated.
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Twenty years ago.”
Silas stepped closer.
“Who showed it to you?”
“Your father.”
Silas's eyes narrowed.
“What did he say?”
Mara looked toward Blackpine.
“He told me the Vane bloodline could never survive without a sacrifice.”
Silas's voice became quiet.
“And he knew the sacrifice would be me.”
“No.”
Mara shook her head.
“Not necessarily.”
Silas looked at her.
“Then who?”
Mara didn't answer.
Clara interrupted.
“Let's get back to the village first.”
Silas nodded.
They started down the road.
None of them noticed the figure watching from the trees.
Blackpine looked different when they returned.
The streets were almost empty.
Every window was covered.
The church bells had stopped ringing.
Smoke drifted through the village.
People stood behind locked doors, watching Silas pass.
Thomas Reed hurried toward them.
“You're alive.”
Silas raised an eyebrow.
“Disappointed?”
Thomas shook his head.
“You don't understand.”
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
Thomas lowered his voice.
“Viktor has declared the northern forest forbidden.”
Silas stopped.
“Why?”
“He says the creatures have escaped.”
Mara looked at Clara.
“How many?”
Thomas swallowed.
“I don't know.”
A howl sounded in the distance.
Thomas looked frightened.
“But they're getting closer.”
Silas looked toward the northern road.
“Where is Viktor?”
“At the town hall.”
Silas started walking.
Thomas grabbed his arm.
“Don't go.”
Silas looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because he knows about your father.”
Silas froze.
“What did he say?”
Thomas glanced around.
“He told the villagers your father is the reason the mountain is opening.”
Silas's expression hardened.
“He's lying.”
“I know.”
“Then why aren't they stopping him?”
Thomas laughed bitterly.
“Because they're scared.”
Silas released him.
“Fear is exactly what Viktor wants.”
The town hall was guarded.
Silas walked straight through the doors.
Two guards raised their weapons.
Clara stepped forward.
“Put those down.”
One guard hesitated.
Silas smiled.
“You really don't want to do this.”
They lowered their weapons.
Inside, Viktor stood before a map of Blackpine.
Several villagers were gathered around him.
Father Matthias was among them.
Viktor turned when Silas entered.
“You survived.”
Silas walked closer.
“So did you.”
Viktor smiled.
“For now.”
Silas placed the silver key on the table.
Viktor's smile disappeared.
“Where did you get that?”
“From my father.”
The room became silent.
Viktor stared at the key.
“He gave it to you.”
“Yes.”
Viktor stepped closer.
“He should have killed you.”
Silas's eyes hardened.
“You've been saying that for twenty years.”
Viktor looked at the villagers.
“Everyone leave.”
Nobody moved.
“Leave!”
The villagers hurried outside.
Matthias remained.
Viktor looked at him.
“You too.”
The priest shook his head.
“No.”
Viktor frowned.
Matthias stepped beside Silas.
“I've spent twenty years obeying you.”
He looked at Silas.
“I'm finished.”
Viktor's face darkened.
“You'll regret that.”
Matthias answered quietly:
“I already do.”
Viktor looked at Silas.
“You found the key.”
“Yes.”
“Then you know about the room.”
“I know there is one.”
Viktor laughed.
“Then you know nothing.”
Silas grabbed his coat.
“Tell me.”
Viktor stared at him.
“The room contains the original blood seal.”
Silas's expression changed.
“Can it stop the First?”
“No.”
“Then what does it do?”
“It chooses the sacrifice.”
Clara stepped forward.
“What sacrifice?”
Viktor looked at Silas.
“The last Vane.”
Silas's jaw tightened.
“Me.”
Viktor nodded.
“Your father knew it. Your grandfather knew it. Your mother knew it.”
“And you?”
“I've known it longer than all of them.”
Silas moved closer.
“Then why didn't you kill me twenty years ago?”
Viktor smiled.
“Because the sacrifice only works when the Vane willingly gives his blood.”
Silas stared at him.
“You needed me to choose it.”
“Yes.”
“And if I refuse?”
Viktor's expression became cold.
“Then the First will rise.”
Matthias stepped forward.
“There's another way.”
Viktor turned.
“There isn't.”
“There is.”
The priest looked at Silas.
“The original pact had two conditions.”
Silas waited.
“One Vane must die.”
“And the second?”
Matthias looked toward Viktor.
“The sacrifice must be made willingly.”
Viktor nodded.
“Exactly.”
Matthias continued.
“But the pact doesn't say the Vane must sacrifice himself.”
Silence.
Silas looked at him.
“What are you saying?”
Matthias pointed toward the key.
“It says one Vane must die.”
Silas understood.
“A Vane.”
Not necessarily him.
Viktor's face changed.
“No.”
Matthias nodded.
“The bloodline only requires Vane blood.”
Viktor suddenly pulled his pistol.
Silas moved.
A gunshot exploded.
The bullet struck the ceiling.
Silas knocked Viktor's arm aside.
The pistol fell.
Viktor struck Silas across the face.
Silas staggered.
Clara screamed.
Viktor reached for the weapon.
But Matthias kicked it away.
The priest stood between them.
“Enough!”
Viktor stared at him.
“You don't understand what you're doing.”
Matthias shook his head.
“For the first time, I do.”
Viktor lunged.
Silas caught him.
They crashed into a table.
Viktor struggled.
“You think you can save Blackpine?”
Silas pinned him.
“I don't care about Blackpine.”
Viktor stared at him.
“Then what do you care about?”
Silas looked toward Clara.
Then toward Matthias.
Then toward the mountain.
“My family.”
Viktor smiled.
“You're still too late.”
A deep roar shook the building.
Everyone froze.
The windows rattled.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Mara rushed through the doorway.
“Silas!”
He turned.
“What?”
She was breathless.
“The northern mountain…”
She struggled to speak.
“It opened.”
They ran outside.
The entire village had gathered in the square.
Everyone was staring toward the mountain.
A massive crack had appeared across its side.
Black smoke poured into the sky.
Then something emerged.
A shadow.
Huge.
Fast.
It moved across the mountainside.
Clara whispered:
“What is that?”
Silas stared.
“I don't know.”
Then the church bell began ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
But this time, another bell answered.
Then another.
Every bell in Blackpine began ringing.
The villagers screamed.
Mara looked at Silas.
“The seal is completely broken.”
Silas gripped the silver key.
“Then we find the room.”
Clara looked at him.
“And if the sacrifice is required?”
Silas looked toward the mountain.
His voice was steady.
“Then we'll find another way.”
Behind them, Viktor quietly smiled.
Because he knew something Silas didn't.
There was another Vane in Blackpine.
And Viktor had already found her.
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