The Immortals

NINETEEN - Work Together

The three teenagers stood in the room, surprise on all their faces as the Original admitted that his coming enemies possessed something that had the power to put him down.

Victor himself now leaned casually against the doorframe, his posture casual yet imbued with an air of indifference. His arms were crossed, and his dark brown eyes roamed contemplatively from Tom to Celine and finally to Eliott, as if weighing the worth of their reactions.

"So," Eliott spoke first, "What exactly is the weapon?"

"That remains to be seen," Victor replied and the others stared at him in disbelief now.

Tom huffed, his incredulity evident in the sharpness of his voice. "You mean, you don't wanna tell us. You don't trust us."

"Of course not," the Old One retorted, his voice laced with a dryness that contrasted starkly with the weight of the moment, "and concerning this weapon, I only know of its power and purpose, not its appearance. It might be a dagger, a stake or just even a spoon."

"Well, that's very helpful" Celine murmured, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Tom, shrugging with an air of dismissiveness, interjected with a snide undertone as he cast a sidelong glance at Victor. "Honestly, it's not our problem, is it?"

"My life may not be your problem indeed," Victor mused as his gaze went through the room, "Though the vampires who wish to exterminate it, they will be a problem."

"How so?" Eliott asked, trying to conceal his unease.

"They are a group of five vampires, they all bear the strength of at least nine centuries and they will not stop until I am found. Even if that means they'll tear the town apart, find the people I've associated with and pulled the information they need along with your innards out of you", Victor explained, his voice lowering with each word.

Silence covered the room for moments until Celine let out a long exhale. "So, what are we gonna do? We don't like you, we wouldn't help you gain anything."

"Obviously," Victor dryly remarked, "But what if working together seems like the most survivable option now?"

"It's shit options" Tom sighed and ran a hand through his blond hair.

The Original slightly tilted his head, "See, for now, I am willing to work together to defeat those five scoundrels. I'd just like for you to keep in mind that if the chance for victory diminishes, I will leave this place and you to fend for yourself."

The girl with blue hair exhaled an exasperated breath, her frustration palpable in the stillness around her.

"That is not selfish at all," Celine retorted, her tone thick with sarcasm, Victor just giving her a shrug.

"So, as long you profit, you'll help" Eliott pointed out, crossing his arms.

The Old One pushed himself from the doorframe and strutted around the three teenagers, who could do nothing but stare as he circled them, passing behind them and turning again to face them.

What he finally said, was: "One day, you'll learn that's what all people do."

"Really?" Celine scoffed, "Some do help because they're selfless and good."

"They say it feels good" Victor mused, his gaze holding a buried glance of hate and disgust, "Therefore, does that not make them help others for their own profit? Even if the reward is as fleeting and trivial as a brief moment of exaltation and self-importance?"

"You're sick," Tom whispered between gritted teeth and his hand balled into a tight fist, "Why a--"

"Enough!" the ancient vampire cut in, his tone low and calm, yet there was a sharpness to it.

The others stayed silent now as Victor's stare swept over them and he stepped aside.

"Until tomorrow, witches!", Victor bid as his hand reached forward, gesturing in the direction of the door.

Tom and Celine stared at him in mistrust and disbelief, and slowly stepped towards the door.

"Don't do anything to Eliott!" Tom said as he put his hand onto the doorknob

"Bring what you can gather at Grimoires, tomorrow!" was all Victor said as they opened the door and began to walk through it, "You'll need most of the magic knowledge you can gather."

The door closed and the two vampires were alone. Just as Victor was to turn around and leave himself, Eliott chimed in.

"As long you profit, you'll help," he echoed his words from before and turned his head to look at the Old One.

"Mhm," Victor simply hummed and the younger vampire gave him a slow nod, then said: "So, why did you turn me?"

"Because I share your opinion," Victor replied, "You told me you were sick of leading a sad and simple human life. And I agree that the human life is sad and simple, yet sick and twisted, in a strange way, organized yet chaotic at the same time."

As the ancient vampire saw that Eliott's expression was not that of understanding, he sighed and gave him a shrug.

"I simply thought you'd make a finer vampire than human," he explained and gave him a short smirk, "Perhaps it was also just a way of mine to thank you for a good night's sex."

In disbelief, Eliott stared at the other vampire, his mouth slightly parted and he stuttered, "So, so tha-that's it? No big plans for me?"

"Should there be?" Victor questioned and then stepped towards the door, "I think you just should enjoy your eternal eighteen-year old youth."

The Old One opened the door and Eliott called after him, "Wait, how old were you?"

"Older by a bit," Victor answered, "Twenty? Twenty-One?"

"That's not much," Eliott murmured as Victor stepped outside and closed the door behind him.

The younger vampire now stared at the door, processing the events that all just happened. His friends found out he was a vampire now. His maker made him drink from Tom. There was a group of vampires approaching with a weapon that is powerful enough to put someone like Victor Black down, apparently. And they were probably going to face them.

They were gonna die, weren't they?, Eliott thought and he let out a sigh ...