Capital Letters

five

After Damon's groggy awakening, he found himself lying on the ground, his eyes met by the amused gaze of Nathan, who wore a triumphant smile. The absence of Damon's signature daylight ring did not escape his notice. He wasted no time in voicing his concern, his voice edged with irritation. "Where's my ring?" he demanded, his eyes scanning his empty finger.

Nathan's smirk danced on his lips as he revelled in his brother's discomfort. "It's nice and sunny outside, you should see it," he taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "Oh wait, you can't," he continued, his tone laced with amusement. "Unless you wanna burn?" He leaned in closer to Damon, savouring the moment, before allowing a sigh to escape his captive brother. Damon's head fell back onto the ground, his annoyance palpable.

Damon, struggling to gather his bearings, attempted to regain control of the situation with a hint of curiosity. "How long have I been here?" he inquired, his voice a mixture of resignation and impatience.

"Three days," Stefan's sombre voice joined the conversation as he approached the door. His gaze locked onto Damon, observing him through the cold metal bars.

Damon grimaced, his eyes shifting toward the vervain-laden syringe near him. "What are you guys doing?" he questioned, his tone filled with suspicion and growing unease.

Stefan began to explain the ancient vampire traditions they were adhering to, his voice carrying the weight of centuries. "During the dark ages when a vampire's actions threatened to expose or bring harm upon the entire race, they would face judgment," he elucidated. "They sought to reeducate them rather than to punish them."

Damon's defiance persisted as he pointedly raised a concern. "You know what will happen if I don't... feed on blood," he warned, his gaze shifting between his two captors.

Nathan's amusement seemed unyielding as he offered a gleeful response, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Why, yes, brother. You'll grow weaker and weaker," he elaborated, his tone mocking. "Eventually, you won't be able to move or speak. In a week, your skin will desiccate, and you'll mummify."

Stefan chimed in, driving the point home with a sober tone. "A living corpse. Unable to hurt anyone. Ever," he added, their united front evident.

Damon's defiance only seemed to fuel their determination. His tone grew more skeptical as he questioned their intentions. "So what, you guys are just going to leave me in the basement, forever?" he quipped with a hint of bitterness.

Stefan cast a meaningful glance at Nathan, sharing a brief non-verbal exchange. Stefan offered a calculated explanation, his voice unwavering. "I've injected you with enough vervain to keep you weak," he revealed, his words carrying an air of finality. "Once your circulation stops, I'll move you to the family crypt, and then in 50 years, we can reevaluate."

Nathan, with a casual indifference, interjected, offering a darker alternative. "Or we can keep him in the crypt forever," he mused with a sinister smirk. "The world would be better without him," he added, a chilling edge to his words.

Damon's eyes darkened, a simmering rage threatening to resurface. He retorted, his voice defiant, "I'm stronger than you think."

Stefan acknowledged his brother's indomitable spirit with a degree of respect. "You always have been," he admitted, an acknowledgment of Damon's tenacity.

Nathan couldn't resist adding a final flourish to the conversation. "But you're not stronger than the vervain," he concluded, his voice filled with a touch of regret. "I'm sorry, Damon. It didn't have to be this way."

With their mission accomplished, the two brothers left the dimly lit basement and ascended the stairs.

"I gotta go meet up with Caroline," he disclosed, acknowledging the lingering emotions between him and the young vampire. "She's been leaving me voicemails. I figured I should explain some things."