GOAL 10+ COMMENTS FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER
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THE CRESCENT WOLVES WHO are staying at the compound are congregated in the courtyard when Elijah enters the room.
"Brother! Niklaus!" At the sound of Elijah's voice, Hayley walks into the room to see what is going on.
"You do realize that literally everyone in here has supernatural hearing, right?"
"Where is my brother?"
"I'll check his calendar. Wait, no. Not his wife, so..."
Elijah is clearly annoyed. "Hayley, this city is under siege by an army of beasts following my deranged mother's every command. Now, considering it was your people who just declared war on my kind, now's not the best time for your particular brand of sass."
Hayley is unamused. "Klaus left a while ago. If you want to find him, I can't help you. If only there was a magical device that people used to call people? I don't know, I'm out of ideas. Good luck." She turns and walks away, but stops and turns back at the last moment.
"Oh! One more thing, Elijah. Those "beasts" that you're referring to? They may be under Esther's control, but, like you said, they're my people. So, if you hurt them, your bitch mother will be the least of your problems." She turns to leave. Elijah stands and stares as she walks away, looking unhappy.
THE FRENCH QUARTER
The All Hallows Eve party is still raging on in the streets as Cami exits Vincent's office. She calls Elizabeth, who answers it.
"Finally, you pick up your phone! I've been trying to get a hold of you for days! Way to leave a girl hanging."
"I know, I should have called you back. I didn't want you to worry. I just... things are complicated." She watches while Davina helps Mikael trains with a wooden staff out in the yard.
"Yeah, well, word on the streets-- and, by streets, I mean Josh, is that you've gone totally MIA. Seriously, are you okay? Where are you?"
"I'm fine. I'll be back soon, I promise. And... thanks for calling. It's good to hear your voice." She hangs up on Cami and returns to the cabin.
"Liz? Liz?" She sighs and checks her phone to see that the call has disconnected. Behind her, Klaus is standing and smirking.
"Well, that was rather rude!" Cami turns quickly and gapes at him in shock, which makes him smirk in amusement.
"Well, it's a pleasure to see you, too, Camille!"
"Don't...Don't do that crooked-smile thing, okay? I haven't see you for months, and now you're... appearing out of the blue? What do you want?"
"Well, I have a rather long list of people I need to track down and deal with, and at the top of that list is a certain runaway witch."
"Maybe she doesn't want to be found."
"And for good reason. Had I magically resurrected the insane, vampire-hunting father of my sworn enemy, I'd be hiding too!"
Cami is stunned. "Wait, what?"
"Oh, haven't you heard? Mikael the Destroyer, back from the dead. And, by all accounts, under the complete control of your little friend, Davina and Elizabeth who is suppose to be on our side."
Cami is worried. "Well, you heard her, clearly. She didn't say where she was!"
"Oh, on the contrary, love. You just had to know how to listen. For instance, I heard cicadas, and I heard tans, but the real giveaway was the church bells. Did you know Davina's family owns a little cabin in Terrebonne Parish? It's been abandoned for years! But, a brief glimpse at a map showed its just a mile from the loveliest little chapel."
"So, what's the plan?"
"Well, the way I see it, if Davina and Elizabeth want to use Mikael to kill me, we just have two options. One, you reason with them. Two? Well, I don't think you'd like two very much."
Cami considers this for a moment, before she sighs. "Fine. Let's go."
The two begin to walk down the street and head off to Davina's cabin.
LAFAYETTE CEMETERY
Esther and Kol are in the greenhouse of the Lycée, where they are holding their hands over a map to do a locator spell. Esther is chanting the spell, while Kol just pretends to mouth the words while he tries to check his phone.
"Où tu fuis, a pouvoir la trouver. Yonn souri nan zeb—" She notices Kol's distraction and claps loudly to snap him out of it.
"Kol! Concentrate." Kol rolls his eyes and puts his phone away. "Unless you've finally heard from our missing Elizabeth Sheperd."
She takes a rose and plucks several petals from it before dropping them in a glass bowl of water.
"Well, it's only a matter of time. I mean, look at this face! How long can she possibly resist?"
"Given your progress, I'd say indefinitely." She pricks her pinky with the end of a dagger and drips her blood into the bowl with the rose petals.
"No matter. I'll find her." She holds up the bowl. "Now, focus. Conjure her in your mind."
Kol sighs and closes his eyes as Esther speaks the incantation.
Esther chants. "Ma te ak san sou ki à lumière la fille—" Suddenly, the bowl shatters in her hands, startling both Esther and Kol. The bloody water and rose petals spill all over the map.
"She's somehow blocked our locator spell."
"Not entirely my fault, then." Just then, Finn enters the room and joins them with an annoyed demeanor.
"Considering your sole task was keeping track of your ex girlfriend, you might want to draw a little less attention to your absolute failure to do so."
"Oh, you're one to talk about failure! Have you got that human girl to bare her soul to you, yet? Or are you too busy playing captain to a pack of mangy dogs to have any success as a fake headshrinker?" Kol snarls back at Finn.
Finn is very annoyed. "You know what your problem is?"
"Oh, I would love to listen—"
"Boys."
Finn and Kol break up their fight, and each look guilty as they turn their attention back to their mother.
"Now, if I'm right, Elizabeth and Davina have the white oak stake. Find the girl, Kol, and get it back."
DAVINA'S FAMILY'S CABIN
Mikael is outside, standing with his wooden staff with his eyes closed, as though he is meditating. He is clearly still healing from his battle against the werewolves in Alive and Kicking. After a moment, Davina and Elizabeth come out to join him.
"You don't look so good. Those bites—" Elizabeth gets interrupted by Mikael.
"Werewolf venom is to be purged by force, not acquiesced to."
"And what is that? A Viking bumper sticker?"
Mikael ignores Elizabeth. "Exactly how much longer are we going to be hiding here? Like cowards?"
"Elijah saw you. If he knows you're here, then Klaus does, too. So, I'm sorry, but until I unlink him from my friends, you're stuck here with me." Davina says interrupting the bickering of her bestfriend and Mikael.
"Confrontation is inevitable, child. Your fear will prove to be our greatest disadvantage."
"We're not afraid." They speak in unsion making them smile at eachother.
"Well, you both should be. You guys are weak."
"But we're still in charge." Elizabeth holds up her wrist and shows him her bracelet, the same Davina has on her wrist.
"By the way, I spelled it while you were...purging. It won't come off again." Elizabeth gritts.
"Ah, yes. Your magic. How well did that serve you when the wolves attacked? Hmm? Magic can only ever fight half your battles. Remember that." Mikael turns to go back to his training. Elizabeth calls after him, as Davina goes back inside.
"Okay. Fine. You're so tough? Teach me."
"Teach you what?"
"How to be strong." Mikael smirks, visibly impressed by her nerve.
It's a while later. Mikael is carving a symbol into another wooden staff he has made from a tree branch when Davina comes outside to join Elizabeth and Mikael.
"What's that?" Davina asks, Elizabeth turns hearing her bestfriend's voice and sends a soft smile at her which Davina returns.
"The crest of our clan. A reminder that we always carry the honor of our ancestors before we go to battle." Mikael speaks as he flings the knife into the wooden swing on which he's sitting before standing and throwing the staff at Elizabeth, who just barely catches it.
"I wasn't ready!" She scoffs, while Davina is stunned slightly at her reflexes.
"First lesson, always be on your guard." Elizabeth takes note of the weight of the staff in her hands for a moment.
"It's heavy." Elizabeth says shrugging making Davina laugh softly.
"I was half your age the first time my father gave me the staff. I would have torn every muscle rather than let him see me. And, had I—" He attacks her, and she barely blocks his blow. "—He would have corrected me."
Elizabeth pants. "No offense, but your dad sounds like a jerkwad."
"Mothers love their children. Fathers make them strong." He attacks her again, and though she struggles, she manages to continue blocking him. Davina wants to help her friend but knows Elizabeth wants to train.
"My mother was never there me, and my dad died with her, so..." She starts to fight back, but Mikael easily dodges her strikes.
"You're anticipating. Do not let me see your move before you make it."
He strikes at her staff, knocking her off-balance and causing her to twist her ankle as she falls. She whimpers in pain.
"Get up."
"I can't. I hurt my ankle."
"The ability to end your pain is a warrior's true weapon. Master that, and nothing holds power over you"
Elizabeth glares at him. "Now, on your feet." Elizabeth winces. "I said, On. Your. Feet."
Elizabeth continues to glare at him, but does grab her staff to use it to help her pull herself up on her feet. She leans against the staff for support. Mikael looks mildly impressed.
"Good. Perhaps you've actually learned something today."
Elizabeth is now inside, sitting in a chair, as she gingerly removes her boot to find that her ankle is swollen and bruising. Davina is outside with Mikael training. She whimpers in pain as she gently touches the top of her foot, and, seeing no other options, picks up her phone and dials a number.
"Hi. Um, I'm sorry, I know I haven't called in a while."
She has called Kol, who is still hanging out in the greenhouse of the Lycée.
"Don't be silly, love. Are you alright? Where are ya?"
"Um...I'll text you the address. And maybe a list of some things you can bring me?"
"Alright, I'll be right there." He hangs up and smiles triumphantly.
Kol has arrived to the cabin with the things she asked for, and is taking a lot at Elizabeth's injured ankle. He rolls up her jeans to get a better look.
Kol examines her ankle. "Yeah, I've heard about this! I've never actually seen it firsthand. It appears someone has knocked you head over heels, quite literally!" Elizabeth giggles. "And I thought I'd have that honor!"
Elizabeth smiles. "Hmm."
Kol uses his fingers to scoop up an herbal poultice that he's made in a bowl and spreads it over Elizabeth's injured foot.
Elizabeth wrinkles her nose. "Ugh, it smells like—"
"—The wrong end of something quite dead? Yeah. It's just a little something I picked up from a shaman bloke in Uganda." He finishes treating her ankle. "There you go!"
Elizabeth sighs in relief and tries to stand up.
"Wow, the pain is just—"
She stumbles on her numb foot, but Kol catches her before she can hit the floor.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!" He sits her down on the bench next to him.
"It's magic, alright? It's not a miracle." He sets her ankle on the chair so it can rest before nodding toward the vials, herbs, and parchments with magical writing sitting on the table.
"That's quite the spell you've got going here!" Elizabeth chuckles. "I mean, not to pry, but I figured you had your secrets after our last date ended in a werewolf bar brawl."
Elizabeth smiles. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that."
"Aw, it's alright. I've never really liked dull girls, anyway. That said, what exactly is going on here?" Elizabeth opens her mouth to speak, but can't find the words.
"You're still not the trusting sort."
Elizabeth sighs. "Do you trust me?"
Kol looks at her jokingly. "Are you slicked? Those sad eyes might fool some people, but not me. I know what you're after."
Elizabeth looks at him in confusion and fear, but he's only teasing her.
"You've got a lecherous heart, Elizabeth Sheperd! Elizabeth bursts out laughing. "I won't be used, not for my body, nor my medicinal herbs!"
Elizabeth giggles. "Hmm."
"We can hold hands, that's it!" He looks at her for a moment.
"Whatever it is you're up to, well, you can tell me when you're good and ready." He brushes a lock of her hair behind her ear, and Elizabeth stares at him, smiling.
It's a while later. Kol has just put a sleeping Elizabeth in her bed. When he's sure she's asleep, he closes her bedroom door and starts to sneak through her things in search of the white oak stake. He passes an ajar door and sees that dozens of candles are lit inside.
He slowly opens the door and peers inside, and when he determines it to be empty, he walks inside and starts to look around. He opens and shuts several drawers before finally finding the stake. Just as he grabs it, Mikael appears and twists his arm behind him.
"What have we here? A liar and a thief?"
Kol groans. "I'm just looking about!"
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right here?"
"The bracelet. The one they use to control you. I'm a witch. I know the magic to turn it off. You'll be free to do whatever you want, provided you promise not to harm me."
Mikael considers this offer for a moment before roughly letting him go. Kol winces in pain and rubs his hand where Mikael gripped it.
"I take it we have a deal?" Mikael stares at him, visibly conflicted.
Kol is leaning over Elizabeth's sleeping form, about to de-spell her bracelet for Mikael, when she suddenly wakes up and sees him leaning overhead. Kol quickly grabs her phone from on top of the bed to cover for himself.
"Your phone is chock full of texts. Who's Cami?" Elizabeth looks at her phone and sees multiple texts from Cami and Davina. They read: "I really need you to answer me!" "HE KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE!"
Elizabeth looks scared, making Kol frown. "Come with me. Now."
She takes Kol's hand and leads him out of the room. Outside, Klaus has just arrived at the cabin. He walks up onto the porch and looks through the windows. Because Elizabeth and Kol are doing a spell inside, he can't see anything.
Inside Elizabeth is chanting. "Keschede sede ni canun. Keschede senu ni..."
Kol continue chanting with her. "Excede canun infernum da ba nunc canun. Senon canu ni..."
Klaus walks across the porch and looks into another window. Although Klaus can't see anything, Mikael is standing inside, watching him and gripping the white oak stake in his hand.
When Klaus goes to look around in the yard, he sees a staff with the crest of his family's clan carved on it and grabs it before angrily throwing it through the window like a javelin. When Elizabeth and Kol duck, Elizabeth's head hits the edge of a trunk and she's knocked unconscious.
Klaus shouts from outside. "Enough games, Liz! Send out my father! Let's finish this."
Kol is checking on Elizabeth when Mikael grabs him in a choke-hold.
"Release me! Or I will kill you right now!" Mikael drops Kol onto the floor.
Klaus still from outside. "LIZ! Is this not why you brought him for? I'm not afraid!"
Kol grabs Elizabeth's wrist and touches the bracelet.
Kol chants. "Dinti tu e sedo per un dayen un trahen ble doce mozore. Un frantue e sedo per un dayen un trahen ble do sedo per."
Elizabeth's bracelet starts to glow, and Mikael closes his eyes, feeling the power of the curse lifting. Klaus is waiting outside when he hears the sound of the door creaking open. Mikael walks out onto the porch and smirks.
"Hello, boy." Klaus tries to remain strong, but he can't help but look slightly scared.
"You seem rather impatient. Are you so eager to meet your end?"
"I'm only eager to stand over your burning corpse again. Only this time, I intend to enjoy it more." Mikael walks down the stairs of the front porch and approaches him.
"I've traveled all the way back from hell for this moment"
Klaus smiles. "Well, then, I'd hate to keep you waiting!"
He lunges for Mikael, and the two begin fighting. Though they both manage most of each others' blows, Mikael clearly has the upper hand. He eventually kicks Klaus down onto the ground, and then kicks him again so that he's laying flat on his back.
He grabs Klaus in a choke-hold and is about to stake him when Klaus kicks him backward, allowing him to rise to his feet. He stomps on Mikael's hand before he can grab the stake, which is laying on the ground between them, and the two begin to fight again.
Mikael once again knocks Klaus flat on the ground, and holds him in a choke-hold as he tries to stake him, while Klaus desperately tries to keep the stake from piercing his skin. Eventually, Mikael manages to stab him in the shoulder.
Klaus screams in pain and grabs Papa Tunde's blade from his jacket before stabbing Mikael in the chest with it. Mikael screams out in pain and falls to the ground as the knife begins to embed itself in Mikael's chest. Klaus pulls the stake out of his shoulder and rises to his feet.
After the break, Klaus, still with the stake in hand, stares at Mikael's body lying still on the ground, completely incapacitated by the pain inflicted by the cursed blade. Suddenly, Cami appears out of nowhere and runs toward him as fast as she can, panting and trying to catch her breath.
"Where is she? If something happened to them, Klaus, I swear to God—"
"Elizabeth and Davina are fine. Elizabeth will wake with a spectacular headache, but given her intentions for me, she should count herself lucky. As for Davina she's not here." Cami sighs in relief, and Klaus smiles.
"Course, if you drop dead of a heart attack, I may have to kill her on general principle."
"You're the one that ditched me at the bar! I had to hitch-hike and then run on the backroads of the Bayou!"
"Well, your perseverance is duly noted."
Cami is annoyed with the hybrid infront of her. "Oh, shut up! I'm so mad at you, I can hardly speak. But, I am here, and it is to tell you not to bargain with you, and not to shame you, but to tell you under no circumstances will you hurt those girls, do you understand me?"
Klaus opens his mouth to say something snarky, but when he sees just how frustrated Cami is, he reconsiders his position.
"You have my word."
Cami, relieved, rushes to Klaus and gives him a hug. Klaus looks surprised. When they break apart, Cami sees Mikael laying on the floor.
"Is that Mikael? Is he...?"
"He's still alive... in complete and utter agony. I decided to take your advice and keep him that way." Cami looks surprised and slightly horrified.
to be continued..