Chapter 201: More Blood
Viktor’s footsteps were the only sound echoing through the hallways. There was no one else in sight, it felt as though the castle had been abandoned. He understood why. Everyone had locked themselves away in their chambers, afraid of crossing paths with the demon’s wrath.
He sighed, one hand resting on the hilt of his dagger as he scanned his surroundings cautiously, prepared for an ambush or worse. Viktor knew running into the demon would be catastrophic, and he silently prayed to the gods it wouldn’t happen.
As he turned out of one hallway, the sound of rapid, uneven breathing caught his attention. Viktor leaned forward and spotted a man dressed in a guard’s uniform slumped on the ground, blood covering his face and neck.
Viktor immediately dropped to his knees beside the man, who was pressing a shaky hand over his wound. "Where are you hurt?" he asked, eyes darting to the blood pouring between the guard’s fingers.
He cursed under his breath and pressed his hand firmly over the man’s to apply pressure. "I need to get you to the clinic. You need treatment immediately."
The guard’s eyelids began to droop as he blinked slowly.
"No, no, no, you can’t close your eyes. Stay with me. Stay awake until we get to the clinic." Viktor tapped the man’s cheek gently and urgently, snapping him back for a moment but it didn’t last.
The man opened his mouth to speak, trying to form words as he struggled to keep his eyes open.
Viktor’s alarm grew. With all the strength he could muster, he pulled the man to his feet and slung the guard’s arm over his shoulders, dragging him as fast as he could toward the clinic which, thankfully, wasn’t far from where the man had collapsed.
"Open up!" Viktor shouted, pounding on the door. "I have got a badly injured man!"
The door flew open. An elderly physician and two young assistants rushed out, quickly taking the guard from Viktor and carrying him to the nearest bed.
"What happened to him?" the physician asked sharply, already gathering his tools and preparing to work.
"I believe the demon attacked him. Please, hurry and help him," Viktor said urgently.
One of the physician’s assistants turned toward them, his face pale.
"What is it? Why do you have that look on your face?" the physician asked with a frown.
"I... I’m sorry. The man is dead," the apprentice whispered, lowering his eyes to the ground.
A heavy silence filled the room. The physician stepped toward the bed where the guard lay and examined him briefly before turning to Viktor. "Unfortunately, he is right, my lord. The guard has passed away."
Viktor let out a shaky breath, closed his eyes while running his fingers through his hair in defeat. He took a moment to regain his composure, then cleared his throat. "Prepare him for burial. Find his family and... inform them of his passing."
"Very well, my lord. We will see to it immediately," the physician replied.
Viktor gave a small nod and turned to leave, but paused at the door. He glanced back over his shoulder. "Be cautious and careful. Do not step out of your chambers unless absolutely necessary."
"Understood," the physician said with a nod, then adjusted his glasses. "My lord... is there any chance we’ll survive this demon?"
Viktor swallowed the lump rising in his throat. "Yes. We are working on a solution. Everything will be back to normal soon." He stepped out of the room before more questions could follow, desperate to escape the weight of guilt pressing against his chest.
He had just lied to them, blatantly and without hesitation. Things weren’t under control. Everything was spiraling out of reach, and like everyone else in the castle, they were all stumbling blindly through the fog.
Not even a full day had passed, and already two innocent men of Valyron had been murdered. There was no guarantee the number wouldn’t triple before nightfall. They needed to act fast. They needed a plan before there was no one left to save.
Letting out another sigh, Viktor continued sweeping through every corner, hallway, nook, and cranny, advising everyone he came across to be careful and remain cautious. After successfully searching the castle and its surroundings, he felt a little better. The demon wasn’t in the castle and most importantly, there were no more dead bodies.
Night had already fallen, so he decided to return to his chambers, keeping in mind that at dawn, they would all begin brainstorming ways to protect the innocent and stop the demon.
Just as Viktor reached for the knob to open his chamber door, he heard another door creak open behind him.
"Dear heavens! Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
Viktor turned to see Charlotte rushing toward him, panic and fear written across her face. She clutched his arm, her eyes scanning his body for injuries.
"I told you to stay in your room, Lucy," he said calmly.
Charlotte pouted, her eyes brimming with tears. "I was worried about you. I couldn’t sit still, knowing you were outside in danger."
Viktor gave her a small smile. "I told you I would be fine, didn’t I, Lucy? Still, you shouldn’t have left your room."
Her eyes dropped to his shirt, her expression tightening. "Why is there blood on your shirt? Is... is it yours? You said you would be...."
"Calm down, Lucy," Viktor said gently, cutting her off. "The blood’s not mine. I found a guard who had been injured. That’s where it came from."
Charlotte pressed her lips together, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Oh. Alright." She released her grip on his arm. "What happened to the guard? Is he being treated now?"
Sadness returned to Viktor’s eyes. "No. He died before we reached the clinic."
"Oh.. I am sorry about that," Her voice softened, concern evident in her eyes, "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I am good. How about you?"
Charlotte nodded, "Me too."
"Good. It’s late, you should try to get some sleep. It’s been a long day," Viktor said, to which Charlotte smiled at him. He arched a brow as she remained standing beside him, nervously playing with her fingers.
"Is there something else you want?" he asked.
Charlotte swallowed, clearly uneasy. "I can’t sleep alone," she admitted.
"How about Lilith? You could spend the night with her," he suggested.
"I think she’s already asleep. I knocked on her door earlier but didn’t get any response. It’s locked from the inside," she replied.
"Oh," Viktor said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Do... do you want to spend the night with me?"
She pressed her lips together, trying her best not to appear flustered. "If you don’t mind? I can even sleep on the ground if you want."
Viktor thought for a few seconds. "Alright. But first, I need to freshen up before you come in. Can you give me twenty minutes? I’ll call for you once I’m done."
"Alright. I’ll wait. Thank you," she said with a soft smile before walking back into her chamber and closing the door behind her.
Viktor did the same, letting out an exasperated sigh as he shut his door gently and bolted it locked.