𝐓𝐕𝐃: 𝐀𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐮𝐦 𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫

𝟚.𝟛

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After the confrontation, Elias assisted in carefully lowering Emilia's family from the stakes. As they gradually regained consciousness, Emilia swiftly filled them in on the night's harrowing events. Meanwhile, Elias, seeking a semblance of normalcy, scavenged clothes from one of the fallen men and changed to present himself more decently.

As he was about to depart, the faint voice of an older woman halted him. With his enhanced senses, he turned towards the source of the sound. The woman, mustering strength with Emilia's support, stood and approached him. "Thank you for saving my daughter," she said, her voice soft but filled with intense gratitude. "You have no idea how much this means to us. As a token of our thanks, my family will be indebted to you and will aid you when you are in need. We are the Spellman coven."

Elias delved into the woman's mind, a brief, subtle invasion to gather any pertinent details that might serve him later. Satisfied with the gleaned insights, he turned to her and said, "I appreciate your family's vow. It will not be forgotten."

He said, "If you need healing, my blood can mend your wounds." He extended his wrist towards her, the offer genuine.

Holding her dignity and perhaps a tinge of fear, the woman shook her head. "No, but thank you. We must deal with our healing in our own way," she replied firmly, a touch of pride in her voice.

Elias nodded, understanding the complexities of such an exchange. "Very well," he responded, and with a final, respectful nod, he turned to leave. "Now, I must find the one I've lost," he murmured, more to himself than to those present, his thoughts already shifting to his husband.

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After learning that two centuries had passed, Elias returned to the cave to retrieve a white oak stake, an essential item from his past. He then went to the location of his old home, only to find the village gone and nature having taken over. Determined, he dug up his mother's grimoire from where her house once stood. With the book in hand, Elias quickly found shelter in a nearby home and began to look through the grimoire. To his surprise, he found a letter addressed to him tucked inside,

"Dear Elias, if you are reading this, I am no longer with you. I searched tirelessly for you, but to no avail. I confronted Esther, but it was too late; she had already passed. Mikael had gone off to hunt his children. By now, you must have discovered the truth about your werewolf nature. The pendant you wear was designed to suppress your anger and prevent you from triggering your curse. I regret concealing this truth from you and hope you can find it in your heart to forgive my deception. Please know it was done to protect you. I wish for you to embrace your true self and find peace. With all my love and apologies."

Love your Mother."

As Elias absorbed the letter's words, a storm of emotions raged within him. He felt a searing anger towards his mother for concealing the truth about his werewolf nature, a deception that shaped his entire existence. Yet, mingling with this anger was a profound sadness for the loss of his mother, a sense of mourning for what could have been. The emotions were overwhelming, amplified by his heightened senses and abilities, and all the pent-up feelings from his isolation, anger, and sense of betrayal surged forward. He felt an intense urge to cry, to release the flood of emotions that had been building inside him for centuries. It was a moment of raw vulnerability, a cathartic release he hadn't allowed himself to experience until now.

As he grappled with the tumultuous emotions, Elias questioned the necessity of such intense feelings. The desire to shut them off, to flip the switch and numb the overwhelming tide, grew stronger. After 200 years of solitary confinement within his mind, the sense of creeping madness was all too familiar. He reassured himself that his husband was safe, allowing him the space to focus solely on his own needs and mental well-being for the moment. With a determined resolve, Elias temporarily distanced himself from the emotional chaos, seeking a reprieve to gather his thoughts, regain his strength, and perhaps, in time, confront the full extent of his feelings with a clearer mind.

Elias chose to shut it all off — the pain, guilt, betrayal, and sadness that had been consuming him vanished in an instant. With his emotions now muted, he experienced a moment of mental clarity, a respite from the relentless storm raging inside him. His heightened emotions no longer clouded his judgment or affected him; he felt detached and unconcerned.

Driven by a more primal need, he acknowledged his hunger. It had been too long since he last fed, and with his newfound indifference, he acted swiftly. He left the room, feeding on the unsuspecting man who had unwittingly offered him shelter. With the grimoire and the stake in hand, he exited into the night, 

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 - Who asks Damon Salvatore why he doesn't sparkle (like the vampires in "Twilight")? 

Oof, Elias turns off his emotions. It should be fun to see how it goes for him. Also, I wrote out the rest of this act, and I am so happy!!!