Disclaimer: I do not own Elijah or any elements from the Vampire Diaries or the Originals. I do, however, own my OC Eternity and any elements from my up and coming novel. Please review! I'd appreciate it a lot! Thanks and happy reading!
Elijah followed Niklaus into his painting studio. The bright sun shone through the window brightly, glimmering off the glass jars upon the paint covered table by his brother's easel with various brushes poking out the tops. It was to these brushes that Niklaus went. He took one of them from the container and dipped it into some red paint he had laying about.
With an over the shoulder smirk to him, Elijah's brother knelt down and began to draw runes onto the hardwoods. Elijah realized immediately that Niklaus was preparing to cast a spell. Though he found it odd because it was impossible for vampires to use magic.
"Niklaus?" He questioned.
"We might not be able to do Earth-based magic," his brother grinned slyly, "but nobody said we couldn't use the magic of the gods."
So that was it. Loki must have shown Niklaus how to use magic from the Immortal Universe. There was probably some law against it, as anything based in the Mortal Universe wasn't supposed to know about the other side at all. Instead of mentioning this possible violation, he simply watched with interest as Niklaus wrote the runes for 'summon the white goddess'.
Once they were complete, the hybrid put the brush and paint off to the side. Then he hovered his hand over the center of the rune design. He said a few words in a language that Elijah couldn't recognize. He only knew that they were not of mortal origins.
The runes began to glow bright blue and hummed, much like in the way a unicorn's horn does when using magic. Then after a moment, the markings ceased to glow or hum. Niklaus stood and moved away from the runes, as if he had accomplished his goal. There was just one problem; Eternity didn't immediately appear, as Elijah assumed she would.
"Well, did it work?" He asked his brother impatiently.
"Relax, Elijah. She will come," Niklaus calmly answered. "It's not the type of spell that results in instant gratification. We will have to wait until nightfall, but she will be here. I promise."
Elijah tried to play off his nerves as nonchalantly as he could, but of course, his brother knew the secret that was his relationship with Eternity from start to finish. Fortunately, he didn't have to suffer from any more of Niklaus's knowingness, because Gia had entered the room to unknowingly save him.
"Hey, Elijah," the raven-haired vampire said with a radiant smile. "The rest of the family is wondering where you two have gotten off to. I offered to come check. Is everything alright?"
Elijah attempted to relax and succeeded to a degree. "Yes, all is well. Niklaus here was just making a call," he replied to her with a tight smile, while gesturing to his smug brother. "We should be getting a response by nightfall. Hopefully, with any luck, this family's troubles will soon be over."
Gia's interest was piqued. She moved further into the room, "Oh? That's good. How, exactly?"
Niklaus smirked at Elijah, which in turn made him want to punch it from his smug face. "An old friend of your fiancé's is coming into town, at my request," his brother told Gia, who turned a curious expression unto him. "This friend has powers like you've never seen, my dear. She should be able to help us with our predicament."
"A friend?" Gia questioned turning back to Niklaus. "What friend? And why are you only now calling this supposedly powerful person up to help? Why didn't you do that before the Hollow possessed Hope?"
Elijah's brother shrugged, "I needed to exhaust all our options first, before seeking...outside help. Now that we have, it is safe to call upon divinity." Again, he looked at Elijah mischievously.
"Well, that's great," she said while putting one hand in the back pocket of her jeans, then gestured behind her with the other. "Shouldn't we tell the others of this grand master plan? Hayley would especially like to know that her daughter is going to be safe. She's fit to be tied as we speak."
"It's not time for them to know," Niklaus replied mysteriously. "They will find out this evening. Gia, be a dear, and go tell my lovely wife and siblings that all is well. That I have things well in hand."
Gia looked displeased with the way that Elijah's brother was ordering her about. Yet, she still complied with a roll of her brown eyes and left the room to do as Niklaus asked.
Elijah smiled fondly at her exit, knowing he was probably going to hear about the hybrid's rude behavior later from the baby vampire. She and his younger brother never did get along and never would it seemed, even if she did marry into the family and become Nicklaus's sister-in-law.
"Ah, the drama that is about to unfold," chuckled Elijah's little brother, after Gia was clear of ear shot. "This shall be quite the entertaining evening. I rather look forward to it."
The smile shifted into a frown upon Elijah's face and he rolled his eyes with an exasperated sigh. "I'm so glad that you are amused, brother," he said, looking out the window. "Though, I fear you may be disappointed. I highly doubt Eternity will be...catty, as you undoubtedly hope she will be, nor will Gia for that matter. Both women are rather understanding, insightful, and most of all, above such childish nonsense, Niklaus." He delivered a tight, unamused smile to his brother.
"Oh, I don't doubt it," Niklaus replied, "I actually wasn't referring to the women, but to you, dear brother. I know where your heart really lies and I can't help but wonder what you will do, once your former lady love finally returns to the fray?"
Elijah sighed exasperatedly again, rubbing his fingers over his forehead as he did. "I don't know," he spoke honestly, "but I do wish you wouldn't use my life as a source of entertainment. I spent these past ten years as half a man without Eternity. I am trying to move on with my life, to love again, to be happy. Yet, it seems this is just a game to you, my suffering, my misery."
Niklaus immediately turned completely serious then, for the first time since this whole conversation started. "Brother, I do not take lightly your pain," he said, "but it is your fault for daring to love a creature that should have been left well enough alone. I told you that you would no longer belong to yourself, that you would belong to her, yet you didn't heed my warning. You didn't listen."
"No, I suppose I did not," he shoved his hand into his pants pocket to hide his clenching fist. He wanted to punch his brother for the whole 'I told you so' speech he had been spitting at him since they reunited. It was growing tiresome. "Yet, I do not regret it. I could never regret loving her, despite the misery of this life in her absence."
Niklaus came over and clasped his shoulder, "Well, perhaps your misery can end, brother. Maybe she will return to you. The reason why she left in the first place is gone. She killed Loki. There could be hope still."
Elijah huffed. He didn't want to even entertain the idea that this time she'd stay if he asked her to or if she volunteered to, knowing there was a chance he'd only end up hurting himself more. Still, he appreciated his brother's attempt to console him. It was a nice change from his earlier amusement at his expense.
"Perhaps, but I think it best not to think so hopefully," he replied and then with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, he changed the subject. "We should head back to the others and prepare for our incoming guest."
With that, Elijah swept out of the room, before Niklaus could say anything else. His brother followed him and they rejoined the family in the study, where the meeting had been called. All eyes fell to him and Niklaus the moment they reentered the room.
"I'm sure little Gia has already told you," his brother announced in that boisterous way of his, "that all will be well by nightfall. So you, my family, can go about your day without worry. Hope will be saved this day."
Everyone looked at each other and then back at Niklaus as if he had finally gone completely mad. None of them moved. They each wanted to know what was going on? Why their brother was acting so cheerfully and unworried when only moments before he was distraught and desperate to save his daughter.
"What the bloody hell are you going on about, Nik?" Rebekah demanded. "What's with all the secrecy, you wanker? I think we'd all like to know."
"Yeah, what Rebekah said," Hayley nodded, crossing her arms over her chest in that authoritative way of hers. "Gia said that you made a call? What have you done exactly, Klaus? How will our daughter be saved?"
Elijah decided to not play Niklaus's game of mystery. Before his brother could spin more riddles, he took the opportunity to explain, "A decade ago, both Niklaus and I had separate encounters of the two of the most profound creatures to ever exist. We learned the answer to the question so many in this world seek; are we alone in the universe? The answer is simply no, we are not. My brother knows how to call upon these creatures or rather a specific one - the most powerful creature to ever exist. It is this...goddess that will help save Hope."
"Oh! Did you have to ruin my fun, Elijah?" Niklaus whirled on him, looking utterly annoyed and disappointed.
Hayley approached Elijah, hope sparkling in her hazel eyes. "How do you know this 'goddess', as you call her, will help?"
Elijah smiled in distance fondness, his voice thick with emotion, an affliction he couldn't help, as he replied, "I know, because this particular woman is a light in the darkness. She is divine and powerful enough to defeat the Hollow without fail. You don't have to worry, Hayley. Hope will be safe in a matter of hours. You have my word."
The female hybrid gave him a curious, contemplative look, which prompted Elijah to put distance between them before she became too curious and continue to grill him until she figured out the truth. He knew he was unable to hide behind his usual suave mask, not this time, not in regard to Eternity. The cracks in the mask were obvious every time.
Once the explanation was given, he fled the room, unable to take the inquisitiveness of his family. Nicklaus could fill in the gaps, though he knew to keep certain details quiet or else he'd incur his big brother's wrath. Not surprisingly, Gia followed after him.
"Elijah," she called after him, as she trailed him down the stairs into the courtyard.
At the bottom of the stairs, he fluidly turned back and smiled at her as she too reached the bottom. She really was a beautiful woman and so real, but not for the first time, did Elijah see the white ghost of Eternity superimposed upon Gia's corporal form, haunting him. It would always make him believe for the briefest second that she was Eternity until the glamor faded and he was faced with the reality.
Still, despite this, he reached for his dark haired beauty and pulled her into his arms, giving her the sweetest kiss. It was one of longing, caused by the apparition. She squeaked in surprise, before melting into him, seemingly unaware of his true heart's desire.
Just then, Elijah heard a familiar sound, but one that he had not heard in ten years. It was the sound of demonic growling. Immediately, he broke their kiss and turned from Gia, pushing her behind him protectively as he did.
"Elijah?" She questioned in a concerned whisper, "Elijah, what is it?"
He didn't say anything. Instead, he put his finger to his lip to signal her to be quiet. Then he turned back to the foe that loomed in the shadows of the courtyard. As he watched for movement, the rest of the family quickly rushed from the study to hurriedly join him. They had felt the danger as well then.
"What the bloody hell is that?" Niklaus growled.
"Demons," Elijah replied and as he did, the little green grotesque creatures emerged in a small army from the shadows.
"We come for the girl," one of them said in a growling hiss, as it slinked closer like a predator preparing to attack. "We want the child possessed by the one known as the Hollow. Give her to us. Now!"
With that, the demon horde did attack. Though they seemed easy to overtake, and when faced against Eternity they were, the little creatures were, in fact, quite a challenge to overcome for the Original family. Each member took on a small section, fighting them off well enough, but none were able to make a kill. This was because the demons' hides were thick and impenetrable to any kill shot executed. They couldn't tear their hearts out or rip their heads from their shoulders, which was frustrating as it was worrisome.
"Why won't these nasty buggers die?" Rebekah growled as she threw one against the wall and then tossed another across the courtyard.
"I've never seen creatures like these before," Kol commented as he fought against four of the demons at once, holding them at bay with his fighting prowess, but also unable to kill any of them.
Niklaus raged as did Hayley, both frustrated by the lack in ability to slay the enemy and panicked that these creatures would succeed in getting to their daughter that lay in a spell induced sleep upstairs. Finn too seemed agitated by this impossible enemy.
Elijah didn't know what to do. He knew that none of them could defeat these creatures. A helpless feeling coursed through him as a result, one that echoed through to the others. Then one of them slipped past their collective defenses and went after Gia, whom didn't participate in the fighting and had ducked down behind the stair case, knowingly unable to fight but unwilling to leave Elijah.
Foolish girl, he thought as he shouted her name in panic and raced to save her from harm. He succeeded by grabbing the creature by the back of the neck and tossing it clear across the room effortlessly. Then he ordered Gia to get upstairs with Freya, whom had also remained behind, and she complied without protest, racing up the stairs.
Just as he turned back to face the chaos around him, another demon made a leap for Elijah, but was felled before it could get it's claws on him...by a sacred arrow! He couldn't see her at first, but knew that she was there.
Eternity!
One by one the twenty or so demons fell to her sacred arrows. They all screamed and burned as the pure energy ate them from the inside out like an administered poison. Within moments, the threat had been obliterated.
It was then, in the calm of the battle's end, that Elijah saw Eternity standing there near the arched entryway of the compound with her yumi bow at her side and the quiver on her back. She looked the same, yet different. The ethereal glow was still there, but the light in her eyes, in her face was diminished. Even the way she held herself was changed, hard and foreboding.
Her style reflected this change too. Instead of silky and colorful corset tops, she wore a tight and thick leather vest over her leather leggings and a thick oversized leather duster hung over her body ominously, all the leathers were worn and old looking, making her look like she was death itself. Her white hair that usually hung down around her in ever moving waves, was kept braided in tight braids along one side of her head while the rest flowed freely. Leather fingerless gloves adorned her fingers and she kept one hand resting on the hilt of her katana that was strapped to her side. She looked like a battle worn warrior, cold and tired.
Elijah couldn't stop staring at her. It was too good to be true for her to be there.
Then he noticed that she was not alone. There was another, a mini-me, as it were. There was a young girl that looked like an almost identical clone to Eternity, yet there was a childishness to her that told Elijah that the girl was much younger than her. This clone also held a yumi bow and a quiver of arrows. She also wore similar leathers to her older counterpart, yet her slightly shorter white hair hung around her as Eternity's normally did.
Could this be Eternity's daughter? Elijah though with wonder.
"Well, well," Eternity then said with a smirk, catching Elijah's attention, "if it isn't my favorite vampire family; the Mikaelsons. Would someone please like to tell me just what is going on here? More specifically, whom it was that was bold enough to call upon me so freely?"
It was then that Niklaus stepped forward into her view. "It was me, love. I called you."
What followed next was both deserved and worrisome.
To Be Continued...