Enigmatic Distances: A Klaus Mikaelson Story {6}

Chapter 16: Holding Up Your End of The Bargain

"We're not here to hurt you." Hayley assured the wolf.

"You can't hurt me anymore than I've already hurt myself." Clara replied with a grim smile. "I didn't know this was going to happen. I didn't know they were going to bring children into this."

"It's okay." Hayley told her. "Just tell us who they are."

"Those that serve The Hollow. Followers of the blue light." She explained. "I thought we were doing something good. Trying to take back our city."

"Back from what?" I asked her.

"From him." She said as she pointed to Marcel with a knife. I instinctively stepped in front of him in desperate need to protect him. "From the vampires. For five years, we kept quit, watching you lord over this city like it was yours."

"Hey!" Marcel as he stepped out from behind me. "I spent the last years keeping the peace—"

"IT IS NOT YOUR CITY TO RULE!" She yelled. "New Orleans belongs to all of us! And The Hollow offered us the power we needed, so long as we pledged our allegiance."

"But Clara, you're a Crescent." I said to her, still unsure as to why she would need to do this. "You have the pack, why would you need this cult?"

"What would you know about the pack?" She asked me in disgust. "You chose the Original family over your own kind. And then Hayley did the same. Don't you see? Our pack means nothing! You mean nothing!"

"You're right." I said in agreement. "I left you all. But I have a daughter now. And she is one of those children in danger. So please help us, help them."

She looked back at the three of us before going into a state of dark hysteria, her humourless cackle resounding over the Bayou.

"You can't help them." She told us as she walked towards Hayley. "The Hollow wants power. The kind that only comes from sacrifice. Those kids will die, so it can get stronger and it will feed, and it will rise and we will all bow before it. The great beast. Even you, Enigma. My only mercy is that I won't be here to see it." She took the knife and jammed it into her throat, dropping into Hayley's arms as she bled to death.

~Elijah POV~

"I assume you told everyone to be on their best behaviour." Vincent said to Elijah as they all prepared to meet at the Hollow's ritual place.

"I told them." Elijah confirmed as he examined one of the witches' handicrafts that was hanging up in a tree. "Whether or not they'll be obedient is another thing all together."

"Where's Grace?" Elijah asked as his brother and Odessa joined them.

"She's with Freya now, she's fighting it." Klaus told him. "Whatever it is."

"These kids are attached to that spell." Vincent explained. "We save these kids; we save your little girl."

"And the sooner you all can be on your way." Marcel said as he joined them along with Hayley and Fiore.

"I guess we're skipping the pleasantries." Fiore said with a chuckle. "So, Vincent?"

"The trail leads all along the way so I guess we follow the brick one." Vincent decided.

"I say—"

"We split up." Marcel said, interrupting Klaus as he did. "Klaus you're with me, I'm not letting you out of my sight and if anyone has an issue with that—I don't give a damn."

~Klaus POV~

"I assume you embark on this mission out of the kindness of your heart." Klaus said sarcastically.

"There are kids in trouble." Marcel replied as they walked down the trail. "Yours included."

"A little late for you to start caring about my child, seeing as you left her fatherless for five years." Klaus snapped.

"Well, speaking from experience, I figured I was doing her a favour." Marcel shot back. "Elliott too."

"Careful." Klaus growled. "Lest your insults mar an already tentative peace."

"I don't care about our peace; I care about finding these missing kids and wiping out the people who took them." Marcel told him, becoming increasingly agitated. "Root out the problem, make them go away, that's what you do when you're king."

"All I see is a petulant prince." Klaus told the smug man.

"Always with the insults, you never do learn." Marcel said with a roll of his eyes.

"On the contrary. My time in your dungeon, clarified my priorities, my concerns are with my children. And as for you, I can imagine no better revenge than leaving you with the endless struggle to prove yourself my better. You're welcome by the way." Klaus said smugly, before walking off and leaving Marcel behind him.

~Fiore POV~

"Are you ever gonna hold up your end of the bargain?" Odessa asked me as the two of us walked through the forest.

"You're still alive, aren't you?" I told her. "Consider it fulfilled."

"That is not what our deal was." Odessa said as she sped in front of me blocking my way. I rolled my eyes and thrust out my hand, tossing her to the wayside.

"Do not get in my way." I snapped as I continued walking, only for her to block my path once again.

"Fiore, please." I grabbed her throat in my hand and pressed her up against one of the trees.

"My daughter is under the influence of a psychotic spirit, now is not the time to start asking me about stupid deals!" I growled. I looked back at the scared girl and knew that my eyes had once again become purple. I sighed and let go of her before walking again, only to stop and turn to face her. "Odessa, I promise you. They will never get close to this city, or to you for as long as you wish to remain it."

~Hayley POV~

"So you knew her? This Crescent wolf?" Elijah asked as they walked down the path.

"Yeah. But that wasn't her. She said she's been following some blue light." She told him. "Know anything about that, Vincent?"

"Yeah." The witch told her. "The sprit represents itself in a bright blue form of light."

"How do we kill it?" Elijah asked him.

"Well, Elijah." He began. "We gon' find out soon enough."

~Fiore POV~

The two of us arrived and saw the ritual going on. Everyone else was already there and suddenly Klaus threw a branch into someone's chest, causing everyone else to attack.

"The kids!" Vincent yelled. "The kids!"

He, Odessa and I ran into the centre, picking up the children and taking them to safety.

"Will?" I said in surprise as I saw my former prison mate. "Will, please don't do this. My daughter is one of these people you're hurting, please! We can end this!"

"I'm sorry Fiore, but it's only just beginning." He held out a necklace and I was sent flying backwards into a tree, whilst the others closest to him were brought down onto the floor.

Nik dashed up to him and took his throat in his hands, gripping tightly whilst Vincent looked on in horror.

"You can't stop what's coming." The detective said with a grim smile, only for Klaus to break his neck, killing him. My husband was suddenly forced onto his knees along with Marcel, bound in a circle of fire.

"MARCEL! NIK! NO!" I yelled as I pounded on the fiery boundary to no avail. "PLEASE! NO! PLEASE!"

A/N: I hope you enjoyed! Please vote, comment and follow! Love you as always! X