Avistus slumps to the ground and stares at his reflection on the water's surface. After composing himself, he lies back and closes his eyes, taking deep, rhythmic breaths. "Why?" He asks himself. Suddenly, he is thrust into Victoria's mind. At first he sees nothing but an inky darkness, but slowly images begin to form. A small Victoria runs to the door and opens it holding her arms open to a man.
"Hi daddy!" The little Victoria squeaks enthusiastically. Her father just stares at her silently, no sign of emotion on his face, and walks past her. The child's head hangs down and her eyes which were lit up only seconds prior, become dark and lifeless. A boy that looks younger than her places a hand on her shoulder. When she turns to look at him, he smiles brightly and the light returns to her eyes as she runs outside to play.
The memory begins to fade as another begins to start. Avistus sees Victoria's life in rapid succession, most of it bad, rarely good and some extremely traumatic. This time Victoria is quite a bit older, her sweet demeanor now gone. "Morning mom," she states in an emotionless tone as she walks towards the door. Almost there, the door is suddenly thrust open with a startling "BANG!" Victoria falls onto her backside and stares up wide-eyed. It's her father again. This time there is no sweet hello, no lit eyes, no beaming smile. Only fear and uncertainty are within her eyes. "WHERE THE FUCK IS DINNER!?" Her mother rushes into the room from the kitchen. "Coming right up dear!" Despite her fear, the woman smiles and reaches for him. "SMACK!" A sickening sound erupts from Victoria's mother as her father slaps her to the floor.
Victoria stays stock still not knowing what to do. If she acts, he may retaliate against her mother and hurt her even more. While she argues with herself trying to figure out what to do, the man leaves the room. Victoria rushes to her mother's side. "Mom!" Her mother simply places a hand over her daughter's mouth as she tries to cover her bloody lip with her other hand. "Shh, it's okay, mom is okay." "I'm not a kid anymore, none of this has ever been okay!" Victoria stands up ready to let into her father when a hand is placed on her shoulder.
"Sis, don't." The boy again, apparently her brother, stops her. "Someone has to stop this!" "Come with me," the boy states as he leads her to his room. "I have an idea," he says slowly as he waits for Victoria's response. "What is it?" "I will talk him into divorcing mom, so that we can party more." "Don't be ridiculous! YOU shouldn't be partying at all!" "This is the only way.." "Just come back after he leaves okay?" "I will try.." Avistus can tell the boy is lying to Victoria and a tear escapes his eye.
After a few more memories pass by, Avistus begins to realize that her mother blames Victoria for the father leaving. They never again have a real connection after that and Victoria simply exists day by day. No real friends, abandoned by her brother, father and mother. Her only serenity is her dreams, her future. "So that's why she hung on so long?" He tries to leave her mind, but for some reason, he can't get out. Instead, he is forced to not just watch the memories, but also to experience every emotion and thought she has had since the blood moon arrived.
He sees the very first dream Victoria has of him and experience the confused, yet alluring feelings she has about it. Then he sees her brush it off and continue on. "I hadn't even met her yet, in her dreams or in reality.." he becomes more interested and less willing to leave. He sees and feels her reaction to their first meeting. "I was so cold and strange. Not even a drop of concern for her feelings.." Then he feels her lamenting that they hadn't exchanged names.
Memory after memory, he pushes her away and then he sees it. He had just saved her from Sul at the abandoned house and her eyes lit up just like when she was a child. He then felt the gut wrenching pain as his words stomped on her heart and he sits and watches helplessly as her eyes once more become lifeless. "Why was I like that with her?" Suddenly, he remembers the Goddess's voice. "She can keep one.."
"That's why, I knew, I knew all the time but, I didn't know that we could.." Avistus is sickened with himself. He has no idea what to do, or if he should even do anything. Current memories of her, Schon, and Draven, what happened to her in Schon's castle, and when she saw he and Milany together at the house flood his heart with despair and darkness. "It's all my fault.. if I had just.. None of this should be.." He feel disgusted and sickened and all he can feel or think of is how much he wants to help Victoria. As his face lay buried in his hands, he smells a sweet fragrance.
Looking up, he stares into the dark abyss, straining his eyes he looks all around. There in the distance, he can make out the faintest of light. He gets up and begins running towards it as fast as he can. Even though he is using his powers, the light still refuses to grow bigger, it's as if he will never reach the speck of hope. Desperate, Avistus calls out with his mind, "Victoria is that you? Please, let me in. I promise I won't hurt you anymore. I'm so sorry, I thought I was protecting you. I didn't know you had already fallen for me. Please, I promise.."
The light grows bigger, but still he cannot get to it, he grows frantic realizing the barely existent light is her. "That's her soul! Victoria, don't do this! You can't just give up and leave! I need you! I need you to be okay!" The light stays steady but does not grow, worrying Avistus even further. His palms and forehead begin to sweat, his heart is threatening to leave his chest and his mind is racked with pain. "I'm not giving up on you, I refuse!" The light begins to steadily shrink.
Avistus is in a full blown panic now, his heart sinking, stomach lurching into his chest, his eyes wide and tears filling them to the brim. "Damn it, Victoria! I love you!" He stops running and falls to his knees defeated as the last bit of light dissipates from his view. It's as if he cannot breathe, his lungs refuse to work for him. "What have I done?" As he asks himself this, he is suddenly awake again, the harsh light nearly blinding him.
He turns on his side and looks at Victoria's face, which is an unhealthy shade of pale. Avistus takes his hand and places it on her cheek, only to pull it back upon feeling her cold skin. "Victoria!?" He checks her pulse, breath and heartbeat yet feels nothing. "Victoria!?" Refusing to admit she's gone, he shakes her and repeatedly screams her name. When he gets no response, he gently bends over her lifeless body and softly presses his lips to hers, his tears soaking her cheeks. "I will always love you," he softly whispers as he pulls back stricken with grief.
YOU ARE READING
The Curse of the Blood Moon: The Beginning of Darkness
RomanceA moon, red as blood and a young woman somehow connected to it. All she wants is a normal life but little does she know, her life is slowly becoming something more. The light she once basked in is becoming darkness and her world slowly begins to fil...
