Hometorius : Coming Home

chapter 0 : Prologue

"Don't think it's easy for me," Victuvius said coldly and walked away from the desk.

He ran a bony finger across the dusty counter. The dust particles stirred in the air and glittered in a thin stream of light. Vic stopped in silence in front of the seated, crossed his arms over his chest and stuck his piercing cat-like eyes to the woman in front of him. She leaned over the table and her hair gently fell on her face. She put her hands lightly on the counter.

"Can't you just give it up?" she asked in a penetrating yet composed whisper. Then, straightening her arms in elbows, she pushed her body away from the table and leaned against the back of the chair, taking a rebel pose.

For a moment, the man seemed to consider her suggestion, but she couldn't read anything from his face that was hidden in the shadow of his big hood.

"My dear Katrine," he crouched and put his elbows on his knees that were also well hidden under the long black robe he wore. He avoided her gaze. "I really wish it was possible. But unfortunately, it's not."

Finally, he dared to meet her eyes again. She seemed flabbergasted.

"But Victuvius!" she exclaimed, rising from the chair and began to circle the room. Her wings brushed the floor, causing chaos among the ubiquitous particles. "Those are innocent and completely unarmed people! You cannot do that!"

"Katrine, sweetheart," he slowly approached her and grabbed her wrists, maybe a little too hard, because he saw a painful grimace appear on her face. He didn't loosen his grip. "Calm down."

"You cannot!" she repeated, as if she hadn't heard that Victuvius had spoken. "Believe me, I will not let you get away with this. Not unharmed."

"Katrine, you know that you have no say on this matter."

His voice was so piercing that she felt it in her bones. The woman stood still for a moment. She didn't expect that the friendliest of the Ice-Blooded could treat her so coldly. Of course, she was aware that the Icebloods were not exactly friendly in their nature, but she had a slightly different opinion on this particular Victuvius. She really thought he was different.

Even though she tried to keep her face straight, the tears coming to her eyes were too heavy for her to stop. So, she just stood there, staring at him with teary eyes, unable to do anything.

It was only when the man held out his skinny hand in her direction, probably to wipe the tears off her cheek, that she regained control over her body. She turned on her heel vigorously, hitting him with her hair and without a word moved toward the exit.

Katrine had enough. He wouldn't listen to her at all. He wouldn't change his evil plans even if she offered everything that was hers in this world in exchange.

Already at the door, she heard his quiet but still resonant voice behind her back.

"You won't save them from me," he made a dramatic pause, then added, "I'll do it anyway."

Katrine hesitated. She wondered if she should turn around and see the expression on his face. Maybe he just wanted to scare her. He was acting all evil, but maybe she could see that he didn't mean a word he said.

After a moment of doubt, she remembered that the man was wearing a huge hood, which covered his face completely.

Victuvius stopped her on purpose, he wanted her to stand still for a little moment longer. And in addition to that, standing by the door, she was in a perfect distance from him.

"I'm sorry, Katrine," she heard a whisper, and then a strange familiar whistle.

Victuvius shot an arrow. And even before the woman began to wonder what he was aiming at, she felt a stabbing pain in her own chest, near her heart. She turned to Victuvius with a different kind of pain in her eyes. Before he could say anything, what he was going to do because he had already opened his mouth, she spoke.

"What's that for?"

Her voice sounded weaker than she wanted, but louder than expected. The man didn't answer.

Katrine slumped slowly to her knees, then her soulless body dropped on her face, striking the arrow from her body. Victuvius approached her, picked up the bloody arrow that had just been stuck in his partner's dead body seconds ago, and then he simply walked away as if nothing had happened.

He was used to the death of others. He was used to killing. He wasn't associated with anyone in the long run. He didn't need it. He trained his son, Victuvius McDevil, the same way. He always thought he knew everything best, knew everything about everything, and could do everything. And yet...

Katrine opened one eye for a moment. The heavy eyelid lifted by literally a few millimeters. However, it was enough for her to see a diamond vase with black roses standing in the corner of the room.

A thin beam of light that had previously illuminated the dancing dust, now focused on a rainbow-colored rose, stuck between the black ones. Katrine didn't have the time to enjoy this view. Her soul completely left her body.

Victuvius didn't consider the possibility that Katrine could survive and still be alive.