Chapter 17: The Divine The Demonic Part 2

Date: January 2, 2020

Warnings: Character Death(s) Violence. Lot's of violence.

Author's Note: Happy New Year! There is a lot of moving parts to this chapter so bear with me and please forgive all editing flaws. Happy reading!

When Agnes came to, she was on her back, staring up at the night sky. The stone beneath her was ice cold like marble and for a brief moment, she wondered if she was still on earth or if she had traveled to another realm. The sound of chanting broke her out of her thoughts. She glanced towards it and discovered Sabine chanting over a lifeless body. She sat up, noticing that she was stretched out on a marble slab. They were in Lafayette Cemetery. It was the spot where they attempted the harvest spell the first time. The spot where twenty-seven witches were sacrificed. Each time she thought of the family, the sisters, they lost that day, her blood burned hot. Marcel would pay for this.

Blood dripped from Sabine's nose and Agnes wasted no time coming to her aid. She grabbed Sabine's outstretched hands and channeled her energy towards the young girl. Instantly, Sabine felt a surge in power which motivated her to finish the spell. Once the spell was completed, the body below them came to life. Though the face was unfamiliar, the magic that came from her was not.

"Bastianna," Agnes spoke softly in awe. The unfamiliar face smiled with a familiar gleam in her eyes.

"In someone else's flesh," Bastianna confirmed as Josephine LaRue and Genevieve Baudelaire appeared. "We have a spell to do." Agnes watched as witches flooded in from each direction. The sounds of a struggle directed their gaze to the Cemetery's entrance where Davina Claire was flanked by two warlocks. The iron on her wrists, coupled with the herbs they used on her muted her magic, preventing her from escaping. The wild, terrified look in Davina's eyes could be seen from where Agnes stood. Sabine stood and lit the torches surrounding them with a single thought. Their faces glowed in the flames and Josephine stepped forward.

"Let's begin."

-X-

Marie flipped her long braids over her shoulders as she trekked in front of Niklaus through the alleys of the French Quarter. The two of them were silent as Marie strategized her next moves. "I must say, Nikki," she began, "I'm surprised you didn't choose to remove the binding spell." When faced with the opportunity to cover his tracks, Marie was sure Klaus would act in his best interest, to say she was thrown by his decision was an understatement. Her interest now piqued.

"Don't call me that," Klaus grumbled as he walked behind Marie. His tone was bored but that didn't deter her.

"Don't tell me she got to you too? First Marcel, now you, and all it took was a flash of those pretty green eyes of hers," Marie teased. When Klaus didn't respond, Marie kept poking. "You'd think I cast a spell on you too…" Klaus's steps faltered slightly and Marie smiled to herself, bracing herself for impact. Without fail, Klaus had her pinned against the building alongside them.

"What are you saying, Witch?" Marie chuckled despite her racing heart.

"Down boy, I didn't do anything," Marie assured, raising her hands in defense. "I'm's just sayin', you're not acting very Klaus-like. I'm wondering if Miss Bennett may have cast her own spell on you," Marie smirked, swaying her hips suggestively. Klaus glared at her before pushing her out of his way.

"Keep walking," Klaus demanded and Marie grinned to herself as she stepped over a pile of discarded bricks. Marie led them to her intended destination. Her house. They stood outside of the gates and Marie turned to face Niklaus.

"I'm inviting you in this once, after that, yo' ass is uninvited, you hear me, 'Chere?" Klaus only shrugged in response, ready to get this night over with. The two entered the house and Klaus waited as Marie gathered the ingredients for the spell. The house was oddly normal. As grandiose as Marie's persona was, he expected something a bit more lavish. Instead, the house looked as if it belonged to someone's grandmother. There were knick-knacks everywhere, neatly organized on shelves upon shelves.

As Klaus looked around, he surmised that the things on display were things she'd collected over the years which was jarring considering that Marie wasn't a very sentimental person. There was no dust anywhere and the place, though crowded with a lot of shit, was immaculately spotless.

"I didn't take you for the sentimental type, Marie," Klaus noted when she returned with the ingredients for the spell. He watched as she set up the altar, strolling around the room, looking at pictures of Marie with different relatives from different time periods.

"Dis ain't my shit, it's my family house," she spat. "My descendants lived here. All of 'em. The last of 'em died back in the 60s. I only kept it 'cause it wouldn't sell for shit," she elaborated. To untrained ears, she kept her voice void of emotion, but Klaus was the master when it came to hiding his sentiments.

"So I guess what they say about you isn't true then, that you sold your child to Papa Legba for more power." Marie went still.

"You bests watch what you say to me, Chere…" Marie warned. "Don't nobody know a fuckin' thing about me," she snarled.

"Care to enlighten me? I'm sure your version of events is much more riveting." Marie glared at Klaus before waving him off. She knew he was simply trying to get under her skin.

"Shut yo ass up," she muttered. "Papa Legba took my child but she wasn't the only one I had," she corrected. "Just my first." Marie began to chant to avoid any more of Klaus's questions. She wasn't at it long when her eyes shot open and a startled breath escaped her lips. "Fuck…" the panic in Marie's voice made every hair on Klaus's body stand at attention.

"What the fuck do you mean, 'fuck'?"

"She's awake," A sliver of anticipation and apprehension ran down Marie's spine as she began plotting her next line of defense. Klaus watched her with an inscrutable look.

"You'd better not be fucking with me," Klaus growled. Based on Davina and Vincent's assessment, it would take them hours to break the spell.

"Do I look like I'm fuckin' lying right now?" Marie began blowing out the surrounding candles and stood to her feet. "We have to get to the cemetery." The spell had to be completed or else the nine covens would be cut off from their powers forever. With Bonnie awake, there was no doubt that she would be out for everyone's blood, including Marie's.

-X-

The light of the torches illuminated the tombs of Lafayette Cemetery. The closer Marie and Klaus got, the louder the chants became. Klaus assessed the area around him, sniffing the air. "So this is where the other witch went," he assessed through gritted teeth. Without hesitation, Marie released a handful of Goofer Dust into the air. Before Klaus could react, he found himself immobilized. He tugged at his feet but it was as if they were glued to the ground. He growled after Marie as she shot past him and ran through the cemetery's entrance.

"Sorry baby," Marie huffed. "I didn't last this long being naïve." The moment she realized that she was no longer useful to Klaus, she knew it was only a matter of time before he turned on her and snapped her neck, undoubtedly. Like Klaus, she always had to stay just one step ahead. Marie disappeared into the cemetery, following the light from the torches.

From across the cemetery, Davina's eyes darted around wildly, praying that someone would rescue her for a second time. She knew however her chances were slim. Tears streamed down the young girl's face as she tried to block out the familiar chanting. This all felt like déjà vu, only this time, she was alone. As Josephine LaRue walked towards her, Davina released a scream as the knife that was used to kill her friends appeared. With a swift motion, Davina's screams were cut off by the gurgling of blood that filled her mouth came rushing down the front of her dress. The coven watched as Davina fell to the ground, lifeless. The ground began to shake slightly, a sign that the ritual was complete.

"It is finished," Bastianna announced as the witches of the coven rotated their positions to begin the Reaping Ritual.

While Klaus struggled to free himself, Davina's screams cut through the air, causing him to go still. He'd left Davina with Marcel and Vincent and now wondered what the hell happened. His thought immediately shifted to Bonnie. Marie said she was awake but at this point, he didn't trust a word she said. If Davina was here, where was Bonnie? And where were Marcel and Vincent?

Klaus didn't have to ponder that thought for much longer. He looked up at the skyline and noticed the wind picking up, carrying the surrounding treetops with it. He felt her power immediately and was taken aback at the surge she carried with her. As the wind picked up, Klaus noticed an encroaching storm and while the night was calm originally, in an instant, rain descended upon the cemetery in droves. The visibility was instantly diminished to just a few feet ahead and Klaus silently waited for Bonnie to arrive. The anticipation swelled in his chest when he noticed a small figure storming in his direction.

"Bonnie?" Klaus wasn't sure why he was sparing him a glance, Bonnie charged past Klaus, reaching out to place a delicate hand on his chest. Klaus blinked as the hex Marie placed on him was lifted. He wasted no time speeding towards the cemetery's entrance behind Bonnie only to be met with resistance. Figures. Bonnie passed through without trouble and for the first time since she began her journey, she stopped in her tracks and turned to stare up at the invisible barrier, almost as if she could see it. As Bonnie surveyed the barrier, Klaus watched her. Moments later, Marcel showed up with Vincent not far behind and almost out of breath.

"There's a barrier," Klaus announced before either of them could attempt to cross. Vincent reached out and stuck his hand through the barrier. Once realizing he could pass through, he crossed over to Bonnie's side.

"Not for witches," Vincent surmised. The three of them watched as Bonnie closed her eyes and extended her hand towards the shield. The ground shook as the sounds of glass shattering echoed throughout the cemetery. Instinctively, the three men jumped as if they expected shards of glass to fly out at them. Instead, sparks of magic rained down on them as the shield around the graveyard went crashing down. The disturbance brought the attention of the witches in the cemetery and one by one, they began to appear. Bonnie watched as a red-headed witch appeared out of nowhere with his arms stretched towards Vincent.

"Traitor!" Before he could launch an attack at Vincent, Bonnie aimed a protection shield towards him. The witch then turned his attention to Bonnie. "Witch bitch," he spat, before spitting at Bonnie's feet.

"My issues aren't with you," Bonnie spoke calmly. She felt Marcel and Klaus come to stand behind them and extended her hand, preventing them from attacking the boy. "I only want Marie." Bonnie wasn't interested in picking a fight with a coven of witches. Witches were already a scarcity and though she was furious, she wanted to prevent as much bloodshed as possible… if possible.

"Fuck you!" The boy screamed and launched a ball of fire at Bonnie. Extending her hand, Bonnie absorbed the energy of the flames and inhaled sharply. The witch stared in awe as Bonnie's neck began to glow. Her green eyes glowed from the energy of the flames and without warning, Bonnie opened her mouth, allowing the flames to escape like a mighty rushing wind.

Vincent watched in silent shock as the boy went up in flames. The heat that escaped her was so hot, the three men had to take a step back to avoid getting charred. Marcel reached out to grab Bonnie's arm only to let go when he felt how hot she was. Unscathed, Bonnie continued her warpath into the cemetery. Witches began to appear from behind every tomb. The torrential downpour made it hard for everyone to see, which Marcel and Klaus used to their advantage. Vincent pleaded with the witches as they launched attacks towards him and Bonnie, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

The commotion was heard from the other side of the cemetery where the Reaping Ceremony currently took place. The sudden onslaught of rain, doused the torches around them, throwing the witches into darkness. The moment their barrier was destroyed, it left no doubt in their minds what was on the other side of it.

"Bonnie," Marie whispered. Agnes glared in the direction of the cemetery's entrance and huffed.

"It's time to get rid of that bitch. She's caused enough damage to our city, she and that vampire boyfriend of hers," Agnes spat. Marie's initial reaction was to defend Bonnie. It was what she'd grown accustomed to doing since the younger witch's arrival. Bonnie stuck out like a sore thumb and was an instant target amongst the witches of the quarter. It was Marie's acceptance of her that kept them off Bonnie's case. Marie knew that in a war against Marcel, Bonnie would have been a viable asset to them. However, Marie mishandled the situation and now Bonnie was their biggest threat.

Everything the witches had been telling her.

"You let me deal with her," Marie spat back.

"Because you've done so great at dealing with her in the past? Put a leash on her before we put her down." Bastianna threatened. Marie glared at Bastianna.

"I'll be damned if you lay a finger on her, White Devil," Marie spat as she stepped down from the altar and marched towards Bonnie. Though they were coven sisters, Marie wasn't quick to overlook the blatant racism that still ran rampant within the world of the supernatural. Bastianna did not retaliate. Instead, she took a step back and stood over the bodies of the harvest sisters, waiting on their souls to find their way back to their bodies.

Her immense power was omnipresent and the pull of Bonnie's magic called to every witch within its radius. One by one, a witch showed up to put a stop to her but Bonnie thwarted each attack. The tombs in the graveyard served as a maze. Each structure seemed to have a witch behind it, ready to attack. Bonnie grew frustrated. As she rounded a corner, she came across a group of five witches, huddled together and chanting.

"Where is Marie," Bonnie growled, projecting her voice over the roar of the storm encompassing them. The witches continued to ignore Bonnie and chanted in her direction. All of a sudden, Bonnie fell to the ground in pain, landing in a puddle of water. Her hands came up to her head and clutched it in pain. Bonnie growled as she tried to fight off the attack. Tears of frustration blurred her vision as she struggled internally with what to do. Up until this moment, she held back her wrath for Marie solely. She had no desire to lay waste to a group of already-persecuted people, but the longer they continued their attack, the more they chipped at Bonnie's patience.

"Surrender yourself to us, Witch, and we will spare your life," one of the witches shouted. Her words triggered Bonnie and something inside of her snapped. Bonnie felt her magic surge as it began to tingle beneath the surface of her skin.

Slowly, she felt the migraine they inflicted on her begin to lessen. The confusion on their faces was palpable as they watched Bonnie begin to rise to her feet. Thunder cracked the sky as the clouds overhead gathered over where they stood. The group of witches broke their concentration and stared up at the sky in fear. Bonnie channeled the rainwater at her feet as she struggled with the earth's elements, focusing it like a laser beam at the witches. With her arms outstretched, Bonnie allowed the energy to flow through her, smiling when she felt the release of the tension. With a loud crack, lightning split the sky and came crashing down at full force at the witches before her.

Without flinching, Bonnie watched as the witches disappeared into a cloud of dust. The force of the lightning hit the water and its energy recycled back into Bonnie as she absorbed it. It was absolutely invigorating. Tiny black veins flitted beneath her skin and her eyes glowed white from the energy of the storm. As she commanded lightning bolts from the sky, one by one, she began to lay waste to every perceivable threat, losing herself to her magic and the energy that swarmed around her. The feeling she got from seeing her enemies vanquished was exhilarating. Heaven only knows how long her tirade lasted before a voice she longed to hear, brought her back to earth.

"THAT'S ENOUGH, BENNETT!" Bonnie's movements stilled. She turned slowly, coming face to face with Marie Laveau. Marie stood before her, drenched in rain and panting heavily. If looks alone could kill, Bonnie would be dead. For what seemed like a lifetime, the two women faced each other off in dead silence. Bonnie allowed the energy she harnessed to flow back into the earth. The rain began to subside slowly and after a few minutes, the torrential downpour finally ceased. Bonnie squinted at Marie and slowly began to circle her, like a leopard stalking its prey. Marie flipped her wet braids over her shoulders, turning as Bonnie circled her. Their eyes never left one another.

Marie's anger came off her in waves. Watching Bonnie tear through her coven angered her; knowing she was the cause of her coven's destruction pained and frustrated her. Her actions against Bonnie had big-time consequences that Marie wasn't ready to face.

"You wanted me well, Bitch, here I am," Marie shouted boldly. Bonnie's eyebrow raised, clearly taken aback by Marie's misplaced anger. Marie placed her hand on her hip and gave Bonnie a pointed look as if to say, 'yes, I did'. Bonnie chuckled softly. As expected, Marie was putting on a good front. A closer look revealed to Bonnie the apprehension and uncertainty in Marie's eyes.

"Drop it, Marie," Bonnie said with a bored expression. "It's over."

"It ain't over 'till I say it's over," Marie countered. "I'll be damned if I let some juvenile witch take me out over some damn tantrum!" If there was one thing Marie was good at (besides hexing), talking shit was it.

"I said drop it," Bonnie growled.

"So what I hurt your feelings? This is war, baby girl, this shit ain't personal," Marie continued. Bonnie closed her eyes. The anger she felt earlier was quelled during her rampage, however, the more Marie goaded her, the more it began to resurface. "You comin' after me like you and your boyfriend didn't destroy a whole city of witches! You are no better than he is, Bennett," Marie provoked. She knew that in a battle, she would never be able to go against Bonnie. Nevertheless, Bonnie's main flaw was her heart and Marie was a master manipulator.

"I did what I had to do to protect my people, Bonnie," Marie continued. It was now her turn to circle Bonnie like a lioness preparing for an attack. "You of all people should understand." Bonnie's eyes opened and landed on Marie.

"And you of all people should know that path usually ends with death." Marie barely had time to move out of the way. A jolt of lightning shot past her head, burning her cheek. The white-hot energy caused Marie to scream out in agony as she grabbed her face. Marie extended her hand, smiling as Bonnie's skin was instantly covered in ants. Bonnie screamed in pain as the ants stung her body. She could feel their venom all over her and used her magic to incinerate them all before her magic began to heal her. She couldn't allow herself to give in to Marie's mind games and illusions.

Marie teleported behind Bonnie and blew a handful of grave dirt on Bonnie, temporarily striking the younger witch blind. Bonnie growled at the inconvenience and put up a wall of defense around herself until her vision returned. When it did, Marie was nowhere to be found. Her eyes darted in every direction, looking for the witch. She allowed her magic to extend away from her and scour the grave for Marie's presence. The moment she felt her, Bonnie closed her eyes and focused until she was standing before Marie. Marie gasped, startled by Bonnie's sudden appearance. Bonnie grabbed Marie by the neck and held her in place. Marie could do nothing but watch as Bonnie began to drain her of her magic. Marie squirmed under Bonnie's hold.

"Turn me loose, Bitch!" But Bonnie didn't budge. Marie's attempts to be freed weakened as Bonnie continued to drain her. Marie watched as her vibrant brown skin began to fade to a dull grayish tint. It began to lose its elasticity and Marie realized that as her magic began to fade, so did her vitality. Marie screamed in horror just as Bonnie released her from her grasp. Bonnie watched as Marie withered before her eyes, smirking with satisfaction.

While Marie grappled with what Bonnie had done to her, Bonnie circled the woman, chuckling at what she had become. Vindication prickled against her skin as Bonnie reveled in Marie's defeat.

"You were wrong, Bitch," Bonnie began. She stood behind Marie and watched as she collapsed to the ground. The earth was still wet from the storm Bonnie caused. Bonnie circled Marie to stand in front of her. Their eyes met and for a moment, Bonnie felt a familiar tug in the center of her chest. It was her humanity beckoning to spare Marie and for a moment, she felt like the young girl that arrived in New Orleans almost three years ago. Bonnie grabbed at Marie's braids and pulled her to her feet. They were so close, their breaths met between them. Bonnie's green eyes glowed with rage as she stared into Marie's face. Using the strength of her magic, Bonnie plunged her fist through Marie's chest. Marie gasped in agony and nearly crumpled in Bonnie's arms. Bonnie caught her effortlessly and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"It was personal."

She pulled her hand from Marie's chest, taking her heart with it. She watched as the light in Marie's eyes dwindled to nothing and her lifeless body crumpled at her feet.

-X-

Marcel, Klaus, and Vincent were left behind in Bonnie's wake. Vincent was stunned by the amount of power Bonnie possessed and was suddenly grateful he was on her good side. While the majority of the witches were fighting against Bonnie, there were a few that were simply caught in the crosshairs. Springing into action, Vincent began to rally the surviving witches and escort them out of the cemetery. Klaus wasted no time fighting off Marie's followers, picking them off, one by one. Torn at first, Marcel was tempted to follow Bonnie to make sure she was safe, but Davina needed his help. After the show Bonnie put on moments ago, Marcel was confident that Bonnie could take care of herself.

Marcel sped through the cemetery at top speed, tearing through any and everyone in his way, making his way to the spot he found the witches during the first attempt of the Harvest Ceremony. He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Davina lying on the ground. The blood on her neck an indication that he was too late. Marcel dropped to his knees next to her body as grief struck him cold.

"Davina!" Guilt, grief, and anger flooded him. He'd promised to keep her safe but failed to deliver. While he mourned, Bastianna stepped from the shadows of a tomb, watching Marcel quietly.

"Don't be dramatic, she'll be awake momentarily." Marcel glanced up at the witch, too defeated to attempt an attack.

"Fuck you!" Marcel spat in the witch's direction. "Who the fuck are you?" Bastianna rolled her eyes.

"Right, new face," she muttered, annoyed at the thought of having to reintroduce herself in the future. Bastianna waved her hand to create a glamour of her old appearance. Marcel gritted his teeth in response.

"I thought Klaus killed your ass." At this point in the night, Marcel knew to expect just about anything.

"One cannot kill what cannot die," Bastianna boasted with a smile. She extended her hand towards Marcel and grinned as he succumbed to an aneurysm. That smile faltered when she felt a presence behind her.

"I'll have fun using you for target practice then," Before Bastianna could turn to face him, Klaus swung his arm, knocking her head from her body. He sped over to her head and stomped on it as if squashing a bug. From the corner of his eye, he saw movement and spun out of the way just as a wooden stake went flying past him. He turned to Marcel, his hybrid face surfacing.

"Take her and get out of here," he commanded, just as Agnes appeared from the shadows. Marcel picked up Davina's lifeless body and without a moment's spare, sped out of the cemetery, leaving Klaus to deal with Agnes. "How many times do I have to kill a bitch before it sticks?" Annoyed, Klaus sped towards Agnes, growling when she disappeared.

"Fool me once, shame on you…" Agnes called from behind him. Klaus spun on his heels as Agnes disappeared again. This time, for good. If she knew what was good for her, she would never show her face in Louisiana again. Klaus surveyed the cemetery, noting that it was mostly empty. No longer faced with distractions, he made his way to Bonnie, allowing the pull of her magic to guide him to her.

A/N: I hope you all liked this chapter. Chapters 16-19 have been a massive undertaking for me but I can honestly say that I'm excited to share them with you guys. The other chapters are undergoing editing so I shouldn't be too long between updates. After Chapter 19 though, it may be a minute while I try to navigate the direction of this story. Hopefully, my muses aren't fickle and it comes as easy as these past 8 chapters have. Thank you all for your continued support. I'm so sorry it's almost been a decade since I've started this story smh.

Welcome to the Roaring 20s!