Victoria Valorian

Ironhand 9886, Ashe Manor

Eigengrau watched as Victoria was chained up on the front lawn of the manor. She was disappointed, in a way. An execution wasn't what Victoria deserved, no matter her crimes. No matter, she was already here and Victoria was a vampire, so she would see her through to the end out of respect.

She watched Marvin and Hamlin have their last words with Victoria, and could see the pain in Hamlin's face and body language. She contemplated for half a moment, wondering if she should stop this. Opening the Book of Fates and turning to Victoria's entry showed her that today was the day, though.

"Victoria, you did not deserve this." Eigengrau said out loud to herself.

Eigengrau watched with disinterest as the first rays of the sun hit Victoria. In a moment of remarkable humanity for such an ancient God, she directed the fire already igniting under Victoria's skin to destroy her ability to feel pain first, before she was even fully engulfed. As a result, Victoria was completely silent as the divine punishment consumed her body, giving her the chance to face her death with some dignity.

Eigengrau waited patiently, until everyone was gone. She noticed the two young children left last, lingering to look at the wooden board that Victoria had been secured to. For the moment though, she turned her attention back to Victoria. Curiously, her soul was already in a humanoid form. Victoria was curled up on the board, weeping.

"An execution." Eigengrau sighed. "Certainly not what you expected."

"I didn't mean to do it why did I do it?" Victoria said, between sobs. "I loved them both so much..."

"Victoria Valorian." Eigengrau said, crouching down next to Victoria and offering her hand. "It is over."

"No, it's not." Victoria said, still crying. "I'm not ready to go."

Eigengrau sighed. "Are you certain? To be a ghost is not an easy path."

Victoria looked up at Eigengrau, the tears still pouring from her eyes like an endless river. She nodded, but when she spoke her voice cracked with sorrow. "Yes, I need to see it through." Taking Eigengrau's still out-stretched hand, she slowly got to her feet.

From the point of view of others, however, all that appeared to happen was Eigengrau scraped something off the board, taking the shadow of Victoria when she did so.

"Very well. Come with me." Eigengrau said, as she began to walk, Victoria following beside her.

"Where are we going?" Victoria asked, as Eigengrau headed toward the gardens.

"Well, you liked the gardens, did you not?" Eigengrau asked, as they stopped at the flowers Victoria had personally planted nearly a year ago. "I will plant your soul here, and tonight you will become the ghost of the Ashe Manor."

Victoria looked around. For the first time in years, she was outside in the sun. The bitter reality that she had to die to experience this again stung, as did not being able to feel the warmth of the sun's rays on her skin. Even so, she nodded. "Do it."

Eigengrau took Victoria's soul, and began to remould it. She squeezed and pulled it like wet clay, until at last it resembled a small child's doll. She closed her eyes for a brief moment and exhaled, before burying it in the garden. "There was no ash left, so I hope this will suffice. Nobody else could have done it."

"Thank you, Lady Eigengrau." Victoria's voice said, drifting up from the dirt.

"You're welcome." Eigengrau replied. She sighed again, it was too much like a suicide. Victoria all but hung herself with the rope Rebecca gave her. Slowly, Eigengrau's body dissolved in the morning air, before the last traces of her ever being there were blown away by a gust of wind.