After searching the upstairs for the twins and coming up empty handed, I head down the ballroom stairs to look on the main floor. However, I don't have to look any farther, because the twins are circling the table in the middle of the room. The table has the jawbone in the center of it, with a protection spell around it. The twins stare at the bone intently.
"Bexley? Hope, what are you doing?" I ask them stepping to where they are. Neither of them remove their eyes from the jawbone.
"Mom?" Bexley questions.
"Can you hear them, too?" Hope inquires. I grab their arms and turn them away from the bone and towards me.
"What's going on?" Nik questions walking into the room, but I don't answer him.
"What are you hearing?" I scrunch my eyebrows, looking between them.
"Voices." Hope says.
"They said that the three of us and Aunt Hayley are connected to this." Bexley finishes. I look between them and then connect my worried eyes to Nik's.
"If this fossil has been whispering lies, I'll gladly throw it in the river." Nik states.
"No. Not the bone." Bexley denies, as the girls look at their dad.
"The witches." Hope explains. "The Ancestors. They have a message for us. A warning."
"What did they say?" I inquire.
"They want you and Aunt Hayley to go to St. Anne's Church to talk to them." Bexley tells me. "They said you have to do exactly what they say, and you have to do it now."
"Before the Hollow comes for us." Hope adds.
"Why don't you guys go play?" I suggest and they nod, before going into the Courtyard.
"I'll message Hayley and we'll head to St. Anne's." I tell Nik.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Nik asks in concern.
"If they have a way to stop this thing and save our daughters? I think it's an excellent idea." I nod.
"I'm going with you." He sighs.
"Okay." I state and I pull out my phone and contact Hayley.
______________________
Nik, Hayley, and I walk into the church. "It's quiet." Hayley comments.
"Of course it's quiet." Nik deadpans. "It's a trap."
"It's not a trap." I tell him, hopeful.
"New Orleans witches have hated my family for three centuries." Nik counters, as we walk to the front of the church with Nik leading. "Of course it's a trap."
"The coven protect their own." Hayley says.
"Which now includes Hope and Bexley." I add. "They are part of their legacy."
"Bexley and Hope are a far cry from a French Quarter fortune-teller." Nik scoffs, turning to Hayley and me. "And while we're on the subject, they're seven. If anyone wants to talk to them, they should ask my permission."
"You're going to be a lot of fun when they start dating." Hayley rolls her eyes.
"I'm gonna be a prefect gentleman." Nik smirks. "And should any of their suitors fail to meet my expectations, I'll compel them to the priesthood." He tells her and I laugh.
"At least he didn't say he'd kill them." I shrug at Hayley. "I call that improvement." I smile and she chuckles.
Four teen girls show themselves at the front of the church. "Oh, look, Harvest Girls." Nik muses. We walk up to where they are and Nik addresses them. "I assume you speak on behalf of your Ancestors."
"Provided that you've come in peace." One of the girls tells him.
"Well, that depends on you, doesn't it?" He counters.
"We don't want to fight." She says. "We're here to offer a deal."
"Although your brother did murder all four of us, so let's not pretend we're friends." The girl next to the one that was talking says, stepping down a few steps and approaching Nik.
"Please consider all pretense of friendship dropped." Nik says. "Where are the Ancestors?"
______________________
Nik and I sit on the steps with Hayley standing next to me and the four girl prepare for the spell. Including, a salt circle in front of us. A girl passes a bowl to another girl and she holds it out to us.
"We need your blood." She says.
"That's funny, I didn't hear you say 'please'." Nik states with sarcasm.
"If you want answers, we have to guide you to the Ancestors." They explain and Hayley walks over and takes to bowl. "But since you aren't witches..."
"We need to bend the rules." Hayley cuts her off. "How?"
"Simple loophole." The girl says. "But, only for Kelsey and Klaus." She looks at us. "You're both bound be blood to New Orleans witches. We can use the link to your children to cast a spell and link you to an audience with the dead. Although, Hayley is a blood relative of the twins, she too far down the line for the spell to work for her." Hayley passes me the bowl and I bite my wrist, spilling my blood into it. Nik clears his throat and does the same.
"Why do I get the feeling there's something you're not mentioning?" Nik inquires as we both stand and get in the circle. He returns the bowl with our blood to them.
"Just one thing-- this is gonna hurt." She states taking the bowl.
They hold up their hands and winds whooshes around us. My body goes stiff and pain spreads throughout it. I groan and grunt in discomfort, my ears ringing. Then, Nik and I simultaneously drop to the ground.
We immediately sit up gasping. The Harvest girls are gone and the church is much darker. I pant to regain my breath and quickly look over at Nik.
"Now can I be angry at them?" Nik asks me and we stand to our feet.
"No." I shake my head. "Not yet. We're here and maybe we can finally get some answers."
"So are we to wander around this dreary purgatory in search of lost souls?" He asks as we walk down the aisle.
The dim lights start to flicker and there is an electrical buzzing. We stop in our tracks and look around at the lights. Foot steps approach us and we snap our heads in that direction.
"I wasn't sure you were gonna show up." A familiar voice says in the shadows. My heart hammers and I take a step forward. My mouth goes dry and a knot appears in my throat, while my eyes begin to get cloudy.
"Well, I'm full of surprises." Nik muses. "I hope you intend to make our trip worth the effort." The girl gets closer, a hood covering her face.
"As a matter of fact, I do." She says and she removes her hood. I swallow thickly and tears roll down my face as I stare, in shock, at Davina, standing in front of us. "And you are gonna listen to every single word I have to say, because right now, I'm the only thing standing between you and the Hollow."
I fling myself at her and she catches me. I hug her as tight as I can, tears leaking onto her cloak. I squeeze my eyes shut and she hugs me just as tight.
"I never thought I'd see you again." I pull away and look at her. "Five years without you has been...." I trail off.
"I know." She nods. "When you left New Orleans I thought you'd be gone forever. I was so happy when you returned with my nieces. Seeing you and them is a bright side of being here. But, how's Kol? I can't see anything here except New Orleans."
"I believe he's currently traipsing through the French Riviera, though I'm sure he'll return once I tell him how lovely you remain." Nik tells her. "Death becomes you.
"Nik. Stop talking." I snap, before speaking to Davina. "Your death hasn't been easy on him either."
"Gladly..." Nik replies. "Once she tells us something that could be of help, because, as I recall, when Freya kicked her into this drab shadowland, her brethren wanted to tear her apart."
"You want to defeat the Hollow." Davina states looking at Nik. "So do I. So do the Ancestors. But first you need to know what you're up against. It begins a thousand years before the city was founded." She starts explaining. "Two rival tribes decided to combine their power. They thought that by uniting in peace, they would enter a new age of harmony. A marriage was arranged. Two powerful witches joined together to create a unified coven."
"Ceremonial wedding." I sigh. "Like the one Hayley and Jackson had to bring together their packs."
"Let me guess." Nik interjects. "Something went wrong."
"That marriage bore a child." Davina continues. "For nine months, the tribe elders visited the mother, using magic to grant the child great power in hopes that the newborn would become a symbol of prosperity. But they had no idea what they were bringing into the world. She was named Inadu. Soon it was clear that she was stronger than anyone could imagine. And that she had a terrible hunger for more power still and that's how the Hollow was born."
"Well, this is all frightening fodder for campfire tales, but how do we kill her?" Nik asks.
"You don't understand." Davina shakes her head. "You can't."
"So, this thing has so much power that we can't destroy it." I sigh. "Then, why are you telling us all of this?" I inquire.
"The Ancestors needed you to know." Davina states.
"Please inform the Ancestors that they're a colossal waste of my time." Nik says. "I've been alive a thousand years. I've never met anything I couldn't kill. We will defeat this pathetic phantom, as well."
"Her tribe is responsible for turning her into this thing and it was her family's responsibility to stop it." I state in frustration.
"You don't think they tried?" Davina counters. "All they wanted was to undue what their magic did. But that was the beginning of the end. Over time, she grew and craved more power. Inadu channeled life in all its forms. Her hunger was insatiable. She loved the fear she inspired in others. Her people knew her as ruthless, unfeeling, empty. Until that became her defining quality. So they began to refer to her by that single trait-- the Hollow."
"She killed all of them." I put together.
"Not because they hurt her or were unkind." Davina explains. "She did it for fun."
"Well, to be fair, we all have our bad days." Nik retorts and I roll my eyes.
"You think this is a joke?" Davina sneers.
"No, but it is a trifle tedious." Nik counters. "Perhaps you could get to the bit of the story that might be of some use."
"You want to defeat the Hollow?" Davina questions walking towards Nik and past me. "She only has one weakness."
"You have my undivided attention." Nik states. "What is it?"
Davina turns to me. "You and Hayley." She says. "You guys are the only chance we have."
"What the hell does that mean?" Nik questions with traces of concern on his face.
"I'm done talking to you." Davina tells him, before walking over to me and grabbing my hand.
_______________________
I shot up from my laying position on the ground. Nik is still out cold, in the Ancestral plane. Davina is crouched in front of me and Hayley stands behind her.
"What the hell is all this?" Hayley questions.
"This is what's needed if we want to stop the Hollow." Davina says. I reach over and touch Nik's arm.
"We need Nik." I tell her.
"No, Kelsey, we only need you and Hayley." Davina denies.
"What are you talking about?" Hayley questions.
"It all comes down to the bloodline." Davina explains. "That's the only thing that worked against her. When her evil became too great to bear, the tribes united to defeat her. Tribe elders managed to capture her using mystical bindings. But even with all that power, Inadu was too strong. Death seemed the only solution. Four of the strongest elders each imbued a part of their magic into a mighty ax. When the weapon was ready... they relied on her mother, the one who gave her life, to be the one to take her life. But before she could kill her child, Inadu cast a final spell. One powered by her own death. A curse upon all present that night. She bound them to the full moon, so that once a month they would turn into the very beasts they used to hunt her."
"The Hollow created the werewolf curse." Hayley states.
"I hate this girl." I mutter.
"You guys bear the mark of the Crescent." Davina says. "So did she. And her mother-- who, once cursed, became the first of the werewolves. The others fled, becoming the six other wolves you know today. But it was your guys line that began it all, and yours alone that still has the power over the Hollow."
"That's why she's been hunting Labonairs." Hayley realizes.
"That's why our parents died." I mutter.
Davina nods. "The Hollow fears you. She wants you dead. And if you two die, there's only two Labonairs left."
"Hope and Bexley." I whisper.
"You can protect your daughters, Kelsey." Davina reassures. "But I need you to trust me. The Ancestors can't find the Hollow, which means she's chosen a host. Now, if you guys can track her, you can fight her. You are her weakness, so use it. Once her spirit's free, I can use Klaus to cast a spell to imprison her for good." I bit my lip and look at Nik, wary of their history. "Remember, Kelsey, this won't work if your don't trust me."
"Okay." I nod and Hayley and I exit the church.
______________________
Hayley and I to St. Ailbhe Cemetery. When we arrive the Hollow, who has taken Sofya as her host, had thrown Marcel and Elijah to the ground. The bone they had recovered lying next to them. The Hollow goes to step towards it.
"Now the game comes to an end." She says.
"Not just yet." Hayley counter as we vamp in front of her, cutting off her.
'Sofya' stares at us, fear hidden well in her expression. Hayley and I simultaneously pull out two knifes. We both cut the palm of our hands and vamp forward, stabbing Sofya on the stomach. She gasps and doubles over in pain.
"Hurts like a bitch, doesn't it?" I say in amusement.
"Our blood?" Hayley adds and Sofya straightens up and starts chuckling.
She puts up her hands up and pushes them towards the floor. Hayley and I are forced on the ground. "Whoever told you how to destroy me left a little something out. Trapping me requires the release of power. The kind you get when you sacrifice the life of an immortal."
"Damn it, Davina." I groan in fear of Nik's life, now. Marcel's head snap towards me in shock, still unable to move off the ground.
"So, tell me which of you will die to stop me?" She taunts. She repeats her hand movements and shoves us back into the concrete ground.
"No one is dying today." Marcel counters.
"Well, then I guess we're done." She vamps and grabs the bone, before disappearing.
Groaning I push myself off the ground. Elijah gets up and helps Hayley to her feet and Marcel does the same to me.
"You okay?" Elijah asks.
"I think someone is going to die." Hayley states looking at me.
"Davina has Nik." I reveal.
"Wait-- Davina?" Marcel inquires. "The Ancestors need a sacrifice to put the Hollow down for good."
"Davina will not hesitate." Elijah says.
"You are not to touch my sister." I glare at Elijah. "You will let us handle Davina."
________________________
We walk into the church and Hayley stops and turns to Elijah. "You should wait here." She suggests. "She still blames the Mikaelsons for what happened. You'll just make it worse."
"And I can't focus on saving Nik and watching you." I sigh.
Marcel, Hayley, and I enter the sanctuary. "Davina." Marcel calls, when we don't see her. Nik is still passed out in the circle.
Davina appears in front of the circle. "Don't try to stop me, Marcel, Kelsey. If I don't kill Klaus, if I don't put down the Hollow, she'll come for all of you, including my nieces. She'll burn the entire city."
"Please, Davina." I exclaim.
"D. There's got to be another way." Marcel says walking into the circle with her and Nik.
"No." She denies. "I was just waiting for the weapon, but now that you're here..." She put her hand towards him, and he groans, being pulled forward. "I'm sorry. But you need to kill him."
"No, Davina." Marcel shakes his head.
"He's lived ten lifetimes, that's more than enough." Davina says.
"Davina, please, you can't." I walk towards her. "He's Bexley and Hope's father. They need him."
"Your sister needs him." Hayley adds. "He's her fiancé."
"The twins will still have you." Davina tells me. "And I know you love him, that's why this is not easy for me. But if we don't stop the Hollow, then Hope and Bexley will die." Davina looks at Marcel. "You can save them, Marcel. Hope was already attacked by the Hollow, and because they're twins the Hollow was draining Bexley, too. Marcel, you can save everyone."
"Stop this." Elijah demands, entering the sanctuary. "This is about your grievances with me."
"This has nothing to do with you." Davina sneers. "This is about a sacrifice. One death for the greater good."
"Then take me." Elijah states.
"Elijah, no." Hayley says reaching for him, but he pulls away from her.
"No." He denies. "If indeed there is no other way... then end this now."
"No. No." Marcel exclaims. "No, nobody's dying today."
"Davina, this isn't how we beat the Hollow." I shake my head. "We don't sacrifice people we love to win. Elijah and Freya were blinded. You and Marcel shouldn't have died to kill Lucien and the prophecy. And Nik or Elijah shouldn't have to die to trap the Hollow. That can't be who we are. It can't be my little girl's stories."
"I'm sorry." She states sincerely. "I have to." She looks at Marcel. "I'll do it myself." She magically forces Marcel to his knees.
"No! Davina!" Marcel yells through a groan, as she forces him to change. "Davina!" Marcel grunts in pain.
"Davina!" I yell. "Stop."
She forces him on his hands and knees, with his mouth open. She drains Marcel's venom from his fangs onto the floor. Marcel grunts and pants, until she has enough, and she release her hold. She magically moves the venom across the floor and towards Nik.
"Davina, please..." Marcel pants.
"You don't have to do this." Hayley interjects.
"I know you despise him, and I never pushed otherwise." I tell her. "But Hayley's right. Okay? I need him. I lost him for five years when, he was just held captive, but he was at least alive. Losing you and him was almost unbearable. If he dies... I-- I can't...." I trail off.
"I know." She mutters regretfully. "I don't want to be the reason you lose the love of your life, or my nieces lose their dad. But I'd rather you guys hate me than be dead. I'm sorry, it's the only way." She exclaims, in a way that I know doing this bothers her. The venom getting closer and closer to Nik. When, it's right next to his hand, she magically cuts his skin open.
"NO!" Hope and Bexley scream together. I snatch my head towards the door at the same time Davina and everyone else does. The twins are staring angerly at Davina.
"You promised you were going to help." Bexley sneers.
"But you're not helping." Hope says with the same look on her face. "You're hurting us, and we won't let you."
"We thought we could trust you because you're family." Bexley glares. "We were wrong."
They both throw their fists towards her and wind barrels at us. We can barely stay on our feet. Davina, however, is sent back to the Ancestral plane. We fight against the rushing wind, until the twins put down their fists and everything goes still. I watch them in shock at their power, before turning and looking at Nik. He wrinkles his face and then opens his eyes. I drop to my knees next to him as her wakes up and I wrap my arms around his neck and his goes around my waist. I pull back from him just in time for the girls to run into his arms.
________________________
We are all back at the Compound, including the man that brought one of the bones, that was apparently at Tyler Lockwood's mansion in Mystic Falls. Hayley vaguely knows the man named Alaric Saltzman. But Nik knows him well, just not in a good way for Alaric. Hayley told me that when Nik was trying to get to the doppelganger to break his curse and unlock his werewolf side, he inhabited Alaric's body, because he was the doppelgangers father figure/Guardian/Aunt's boyfriend. A girlfriend Nik ended up killing. So, as you can imagine Alaric isn't a fan of the Originals, especially Nik. He brought the bone to us so that they stayed away from Mystic Falls and so we had a chance to stop a bigger evil than Nik and his siblings.
"Well, that is all very impressive." Alaric compliments the twins as I enter the ballroom, where they are, holding a plate of cookies.
"They are impressive young ladies." I smile interjecting into their conversation.
"It was good meeting you two, littlest Mikaelsons." Alaric tells them. "I'll be seeing you guys around." He exits the room.
"Are those for us?" Hope inquires as Bexley smile and they both step closer.
"After you guys did what you did today, your dad compelled the entire Magnolia candy shop." I smile at them, and they laugh.
"Dad seemed sad." Bexley says.
"I think he wanted to be the one doing the helping today." I sigh. "But we both agree that you two were very, very brave."
"We thought about what you would do." Hope smiles. "It's like you always say: if we stick together, nothing can hurt us. Always and forever."
"But, your not mad at us, are you?" Bexley asks. "Your sister means a lot to you."
"Yes, she does." I nod. "But, no I'm not mad. I'm proud of you both. You're Aunt Davina loves you two, Marcel, and me very much. And the Hollow scares her. So, she was acting on fear and when we do that, we don't always make the best decisions. So, you not only saved your dad, but you also saved Aunt Davina from doing something she would regret." The nod in understanding and I blink my eyelashes quickly, signaling butterfly kiss. They giggle and one at a time they bring their cheeks to my face, and I butterfly kiss them. Then, I wrap them up in a hug.
______________________
After I send the girls off with the cookies, I walk into the Courtyard, where Alaric and Nik are talking.
"....a trip down memory lane." Nik says.
"Look, from one father to another, you're not gonna be able to keep Hope and Bexley locked up much longer." Alaric tells him, as I step next to Nik. Nik sighs. "And I'm guessing you know that Caroline and I have built a school. It's a place for kids with supernatural leanings, just like Hope and Bexley. Our two girls are thriving there. They are learning to use their powers for good... and to embrace their identities without fear. Hope and Bexley would always be welcome there."
Nik sighs and nods, then he walks to Alaric. "Give my regards to Mystic Falls."
"Thank you, Alaric." I smile in appreciation. He nods and goes about his way out of the Compound.
"Are you okay?" I inquire, but he doesn't answer so I just stand with him in silence.