I own nothing but my own words.
Chapter 28: Bury Me This Time
Josie wasn't feeling too good about herself.
After the final meeting last night, Josie had been consumed with her anger toward Clarke and had, once again, taken everything out on Hope in her mind. And that was when it finally struck her how unfair she was being to Hope. Hope didn't even know about that meeting. She didn't know that someone cared enough about her to die for her. As much as Josie hated Clarke, there was something surprisingly noble in that.
She had been lashing out at Hope more and more in her thoughts. She really thought she had gotten past all her hurt but everything sprung back. She needed to stop thinking things like that. Hope was her friend. Hope had nearly died in trying to get the darkness out of her. Hope wasn't trying to ignore her. Hope was just trying to save them all. When this was all over, Josie knew Hope would be right there. She hadn't forgotten her. She was just busy right now.
"Mom…" Josie whispered. "I think I might be a horrible person."
The room was dark. Her alarm had yet to go off to signal the start to the day. Her father was sleeping in the other queen bed. For the first time in a long time, she got to sleep snuggled safely in her mother's arms.
"What makes you think that?" Caroline whispered back.
"I thought without my magic that all the bad thoughts would go away," she said. "I thought the magic was turning me into this jealous, angry, vengeful person. But, I think it was just me. That's who I am." She started choking up, barely able to get the last out. She remembered when Hope tried to help her with the sand clock and how Hope had tried to tell her that maybe what she felt wasn't from the magic. Apparently she was right.
"Honey," Caroline murmured, clenching her tightly. "You could never be a horrible person. The fact that this is bothering you so much shows that you're aware there's a problem. If you don't like who you are on the inside, you can work on it."
"What if I don't know how?" she asked.
"Well, there are people who can help," Caroline said. "Me, your dad, and your sister—she's had a lot of practice with that—and then, of course, there's always a professional."
"You think I should see a therapist?" Josie asked, feeling a little scared at the thought. Lizzie had gone to a therapist all her life, but she didn't know if she could. Sharing everything about herself with someone else seemed scary. She didn't think she struggled like Lizzie did, her issues weren't as bad…were they? "Do you really think that's necessary?"
"Josie, you're my daughter and I will always love you," Caroline said. "To me, you are my perfect little girl who will always brighten my day with your smile. You are my kind-hearted angel who is always willing to help and be there for others. But sometimes it's at an expense to yourself. I think that might be where all the bad thoughts are coming from."
"Do you think I'm broken, like Lizzie, and just don't know it?" Josie asked.
"I think no one has everything figured out, especially at seventeen," Caroline said. "But you've got family and friends who will always love you. And I think if you are worried enough about yourself to want to change, admitting that you need a little help isn't a bad thing. Seeing a therapist isn't a bad thing."
"Can…I think about it?" Josie asked.
"All you want," Caroline gripped her tightly and kissed the top of her head. "Whenever you make a decision, just let me know. I'll see to it."
"Thanks, Mom," Josie said. "I'm really glad you're home."
"Me too, sweetie," Caroline smiled down at her. "Me too."
Hope woke slowly from a strangely dreamless sleep. Awareness brought back the memories of yesterday.
Of everything that happened, the one thing that stood out—though some would argue it shouldn't in the midst of everything—was Ryan telling her he loved her.
He loves me, she thought with a smile so big she felt like her heart might burst.
He said it didn't matter what she became or what she did, he would always love her. Witch, wolf, vampire—even when she inevitably became the true tribrid she was always meant to be—he had promised to love all of her.
Thinking back to their conversation yesterday evening, she remembered how forceful he had been about the prospect of her dying to become a vampire…and then she realized something else, something she neglected to mention to him in all of this. No wonder he had put his foot down and been so resistant.
From her perch lying against his side with her head on his chest, she opened her eyes and looked up at him. It seemed he had stayed awake this time, as he wasn't asleep. He was staring down at her so his eyes met hers as she raised her head.
She reached with her right hand and stroked the backs of her middle and forefinger down the side of his face.
"I won't jump in," she said softly.
"What?" he said.
"If I have to use the golden arrow and he goes back to the pit, I'll activate my vampire side, but I won't jump in, not if I don't have to," she said. "I should've told you that yesterday."
He smiled slightly. Leave it to her not to realize how important her life was.
"I'll try some blood or another body simulation like before," she said.
"And if that doesn't work?" he asked.
"Then…" she sighed. "I'm just saying. I won't just jump in. Not unless there isn't another option."
He stared at her. He already knew everything she was telling him. It was the conclusion he had drawn himself. He knew they had both been working toward a common goal—to see the destruction of Malivore. But didn't she realize she just told him that she was willing to die if it was needed? He didn't feel guilty at all anymore for keeping things from her. Not when she knew how he felt about her but was willing to let him live without her.
The fact that she thought he would be okay with letting her die meant she still had a whole lot to learn about him.
"You really expect me to be okay with that?" he asked. Because it wasn't okay.
"No," she lowered her head and wrapped her arm across his chest. "Hopefully it doesn't come to that."
He hoped the same but, either way, his father's time had come. He would be destroyed today. There wouldn't be anymore last minute saves, no more chances. He wouldn't find himself confined to his prison again. There would be no chance that Hope would find herself making a choice to alter the course of her life, or end her life, again. Not when it came to his father.
"We don't have much time," he glanced at the clock. There wouldn't be any time for fooling around. Just as well. It would just drive home the fact that she was finally ready for all of him and he couldn't give it to her.
"Since I didn't last night, I'm showering first," she said with an impish grin. She leaned forward and kissed him, then got up.
She kept facing away from him since she had never found her camisole to put back on last night, but she brushed at her shorts, frowning.
He held his breath, sitting up slightly, waiting for her to say something. He had done his best to wipe away all the herbs once he got back to the room. Did he miss some?
She didn't speak though. She just shrugged and continued on.
He lay back, sighing.
"Tell me everything is going to work out," Lizzie said, staring at the ceiling of Hope's room yet again.
"Everything is going to work out," MG said, once more lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling as well.
"Liar," Lizzie said.
"I'm not," MG said. "We've got an actual army helping us. We've got what we need, and we've got a plan. A good one. Everything is going to work out."
"Why did Clarke seem so certain last night that it wouldn't?" Lizzie asked.
"Because he's paranoid?" MG suggested.
"If the plan doesn't work, if we have to use Clarke's plan," she said, "he's going to die, isn't he?"
"Yeah, I think he will," he said.
"She'll be devastated," she said.
"But she'll be alive," he replied.
"I don't know if that will matter to her," she said.
"You're not thinking to tell her, are you?" he asked. "Because you can't."
"No…" she said. "I won't tell her. Because as much as it'll hurt her, you're right. She'll be alive. It took years for me to become friends with her. And it hasn't sucked."
"Yeah, she's pretty cool," he said.
"We have to get that golem body out of the pit," Lizzie said. "If we do that, everything will be fine."
"We'll do it," he said.
"If we don't, Clarke…and Chad will die too," Lizzie's eyes widened. "If the pit is destroyed, so will everyone and everything in it, right?"
"That's a theory, but you don't know for sure," he hastened to reassure her.
"Of course we know it for sure," Lizzie frowned. "Nothing can exist in a place that doesn't exist."
"We'll get it," he reassured her again. "He'll be opening up portals all over the place. We'll just pick one and jump in. We'll find Chad and the body right in time for the vortex to pick us up and spit us out."
"I hope you're right," she said.
"Me too," he muttered under his breath so she didn't hear.
Staring down at the map, Josie mentally prepared herself.
"He's in the woods in this area over here," she pointed at the map.
"Are there any other lights?" Rafael asked.
"Only a couple," Josie said. "At least the flashing stopped."
"For now, anyway," Jade said.
"Guess we're going in," Josie said, folding up the map. "You ready, Wade?"
"I suppose," he said.
"Jade, Rafael," Josie spoke to them first. "Stay on any monsters with him. They shouldn't be able to see you but distract them if you have to. Wade and I are going after Malivore." Her plan was for the four of them to go invisible. They weren't there to fight Malivore and his monsters. They just wanted to capture Malivore and get out of there as quickly as possible.
Jade held up the axe she had. "Ready for anything."
Rafael held up the aluminum bat he carried. "Good to go."
"I told the driver to drop us off right outside of the woods," Josie said. "Once we float him, we'll move him into the back. All of us will get in and we'll be on our way."
"She makes it sound so easy, doesn't she?" Jade whispered to Wade.
"How did you even find someone willing to drive us all the way there?" Rafael asked. "And in an armored truck?"
"My mom knows the mayor," Josie shrugged. "He arranged it. She just had to ask."
"Good ole Caroline," Jade said.
The truck came to a stop.
Josie grasped her necklace and siphoned. "Invisique."
"You're all invisible now," Josie said. "But we can see each other. Be quiet, and maybe we can do this without having to fight."
"Wishful thinking," Wade said.
Josie motioned them to leave with one last warning by holding up a finger to her lips.
They all followed Josie as she had studied the map best.
Coming to a stop when they finally spotted Malivore with a couple of monsters, Josie motioned for Wade to follow her.
Rafael and Jade, glad that there were only two monsters, split them up between them and went to cover their potential opponents.
Josie led Wade right down the path to stand in front of Malivore.
She nodded at him and he screwed up his face in concentration.
Poof.
The fairy dust sprayed out right on Malivore.
Josie grinned as it actually worked. Malivore suddenly froze up and began to rise.
Reaching out with her magic, she stopped his ascent.
"Invisique," she whispered, making him invisible too.
Then she cast her dragging spell and he was dragged feet first across the field, toward the waiting truck.
Josie started running after him, motioning for Wade to follow.
Meanwhile, Malivore's disappearance hadn't gone unnoticed.
The two monsters looked around with looks of confusion.
Jade and Rafael backed away slowly, careful not to make any noise. They would only attack if the monsters started toward their direction.
Mercifully, they didn't follow.
Unbelievable, Jade thought proudly. Josie actually did it. She felt the incredible urge to hug her. She wouldn't though. She knew Josie had indicated to her that she didn't care about her past, that she was interested in her regardless, but Jade wasn't sure she was the best person for Josie.
That didn't stop her from admiring her from afar.
They all climbed into the back of the armored truck, Rafael and Jade keeping an eye out for any creatures as Josie used her magic to slam the doors shut and lock them in.
Josie banged on the wall behind the driver twice and the truck took off.
They all sat and breathed a sigh of relief.
Josie removed the invisibility spell and looked down at her feet.
Malivore would be floating up against the ceiling, but she and Wade had strewn metal chains across him to weigh him down.
"It actually worked!" Josie exclaimed.
"No kidding," Rafael said. "You know, what are the chances we just keep him like this for the entire thing? No fighting or anything."
"We need him to open at least one portal," Josie said. "Otherwise, Lizzie's team can't get into it."
"What are the chances he only opens one portal?" Rafael asked.
Jade laughed. "I'd say next to zero."
"Yeah," Josie said. "Floating was not fun. I was completely powerless and helpless. I couldn't scream. My mind was there, but it felt like it wasn't my own. When the dust wears off? He's going to be pissed."
Rafael looked around and said softly to Josie, "If his Plan B was actually Plan A, we wouldn't have to let him open any portals at all."
Josie nodded. "I know, but this is what Lizzie wants. What Hope wants. For no one to die. And… I'm okay with that." Two people had already died because of her, because Malivore had gone after her. Gretchen and Dennis didn't deserved to die. Malivore needed to pay for what he had done.
"Yeah…" Rafael sighed. "You're right. No matter how much I don't like him, I've never wished for anyone's death. And if it goes that way, I gotta give it to him that Landon's mom won't have to die either."
"We'll go, we'll fight, and we'll hope all goes well," Josie said. "We're the good guys… and I guess Clarke is this once."
"How long do you think the dust will last?" Jade asked suddenly, staring down at Malivore.
"It lasted for an hour on me," Josie said. "So maybe it's the same?"
"Still, we need to keep an eye on him," Jade said. "If he wakes up and we don't dust him again in time, we could be in real trouble."
They all stared down at Malivore, save Josie who reached for her phone.
"Gotta let the girls know."
"Here," Hope said, quickly shoving a vial at MG as she climbed into the back of the limousine.
Aunt Freya had rented a few vehicles and Aunt Rebekah had compelled the drivers so most everyone in the compound had transportation to the battlefield. No flying today, just starting out early. It gave them time to go over everything without eavesdropping. Plus, flying the day after Thanksgiving? No.
All of the people in town who planned to fight were probably already on their way. Some had started traveling the night before. Vincent told her that she didn't have to say anything to the factions, that he would take care of it on her behalf. Which made her breathe a little easier because she honestly didn't know what to say to them. She figured she would speak to them eventually, but right now too much was going on for her to worry about that too.
Nik and Keelin were staying at home, of course. Hope wanted to insist Aunt Freya did as well, but she was powerful and very much needed for the fight ahead. Her aunt knew what she was doing and how to protect herself.
"Oh goodie," Lizzie grumbled sleepily, seeing what Hope gave MG. "Breakfast."
"For right before the battle starts," Hope said, looking pointedly at MG.
"Got it," MG nodded, shoving it into his pocket.
"Was that blood?" Clarke asked.
"Yep," Hope nodded. She slid into the seat next to him and put her seatbelt on.
"Yours?"
"Yep," Hope settled back.
"Why?" he asked.
"Oh, you mean there's actually something mister-know-it-all doesn't know?" Lizzie asked, feigning surprise.
"It's to make sure MG doesn't die today," Hope answered.
He thought back over the conversation yesterday about protecting the students—at least the wolves and vampires. "The werewolf cures… it's your blood, isn't it?"
"Not so loud," Lizzie glanced around even though the only people who would remember this conversation were the ones who already knew the truth. "Wouldn't want that to get out."
"We discovered recently it doesn't just heal the werewolf bite for vampires," Hope explained. "It also prevents them from dying for a little while."
"How'd you discover that?" Clarke asked. It couldn't have been that recently as she had only been around him.
"When my father shot an arrow through MG's heart while he was feeding on Hope and nearly killed her," Lizzie said brusquely, eyes flashing at him.
"Lizzie," Hope said, warning her to chill.
"What?" Lizzie said. "I'm just stating the facts. If that makes him uncomfortable, well it should."
Clarke had already apologized to Hope for leaving her that day. And if he hadn't left, he wouldn't have met the Sphinx, so it was meant to be. Apparently this was too.
"Guess it's a good thing it happened then," he glared back at the blonde. "Otherwise how would you protect him now."
"You do realize you just said it's a good thing your girlfriend nearly died, right?" Lizzie said, laughing in disbelief.
"Would you two stop?" Hope looked back and forth between them. "What's done is done. I'm okay, MG is okay. We're all okay. I will not listen to you bicker for the next six hours. If you want to keep your mouths, stop it." She glared more at Lizzie than Ryan.
Remembering when Hope had done that to her before, Lizzie stopped talking even though she glared at Hope too.
Silence reigned until Clarke spoke up again.
"So why were you resistant to the wolves taking the cure too?"
Even Lizzie and MG weren't sure about that one.
"Yeah, you did weird out over that," MG said.
Hope picked at imaginary lint on her pants. She trusted all three of the people with her. And they should probably know in the event it happened today…
"If a wolf dies with my blood in their system…they become a hybrid."
"Get out," Lizzie leaned forward.
Clarke frowned. He didn't like this at all. She had just given a million reasons for all vampires and werewolves of the world to come after her if the truth got out.
"But that's actually cool," MG said. "They can change whenever they want and have a combination of both wolf and vamp. Why would you be worried about that?"
"Because it's not cool," Hope sighed. "They're sired to me. Like, really loyal. Like, they'll do anything I say whether they want to or not. The only way to break the sire bond is to go through the change a hundred or so times. I wouldn't wish that on anyone."
"Oh," MG said, finally understanding.
"Doctor Saltzman said he'd explain what would happen before he gave it to them," Hope said. "I don't know if any of them will choose to take it or not."
"Guess it's up to them," Lizzie said.
"Who knows about this?" Clarke asked.
"The hybrids? Or my blood?" Hope asked.
"The blood," he said.
"Besides you three and my family?" Hope thought about it. "Doctor Saltzman, Caroline, Kaleb, and Josie. And depending on how he worded it to the wolves, them too. But Doctor Saltzman can be vague when he needs to be. The Crescent wolves know about the hybrids. Just not the rest."
"No one else finds out about that," he said, looking meaningfully at Lizzie and MG.
"Mums the word, mud boy," Lizzie said. "Dad swore us to secrecy after MG came back to life."
"Good," he said, resting his head back against the seat again. He knew a lot about Hope, but apparently not everything. He thought he liked this bit of information least of all.
"Just got word from Josie," Lizzie said, looking at her phone. "The beast is contained. They're on their way."
"She did it," Hope shook her head. "You know, she's a lot more powerful than she thinks she is."
Lizzie laughed ironically. "You think I don't know that?"
Jade had been staring extra hard down at Malivore, looking for any sign of movement.
Her eyesight was the most keen of them all, so when she thought she detected a slight flutter of an eyelash, she jumped, "I think he's waking up! Wade, dust him!"
"It's only been twenty minutes," Rafael said.
"Do it!" Jade exclaimed.
Wade tried to hurry up and dust, but he was going too slowly for Jade.
She jumped up and swung the axe down at his head, but Josie stopped it with her magic. "No!"
Poof!
The fairy dust fell over Malivore once again.
"Whoa!" Rafael jumped up. "What was that for!?" he exclaimed to Jade.
"Why'd you stop me?" Jade asked, tugging her axe back.
"Because Wade can't dust him while he's dead, but Malivore can still control the monsters while he is," Josie said. "You can't kill him or that trouble you're worried about? It'll find us."
"Oh," Jade said, putting the axe down. "Sorry."
"So he has to be dusted every twenty minutes?" Wade asked, frowning.
"Looks like any bathroom breaks will have to be quick, for you at least," Rafael said.
"Why are you frowning?" Josie asked Wade.
"Because we've never tested my powers," Wade said. "Not really. I don't know how much fairy dust I can make and for how long."
"Let's just hope it's enough to get us there," Josie said, suddenly frowning too. "Breaks to a minimum."
They all nodded.
"This is going to be a long six hours," Wade said.
He wasn't wrong.
"I somehow thought this would be a bit more of an adventure," Ethan said to Jed.
"It will be," Jed said. "Just…not yet."
Fortunately, Doctor Saltzman had opted for the Salvatore School bus instead of his van because they never would've fit otherwise.
And Ethan was right. It didn't feel like much of an adventure driving along with a bunch of adults up front while the kids hung out in the back.
Jed's only relief came from the fact that Alyssa had chosen a seat all to herself. Which meant Kaleb couldn't spend the entire trip next to her.
Instead, they all claimed their own seats. Kaleb in the one behind Alyssa, Jed in the one in the same row, and Ethan in front of Jed.
"This is impossible," Alyssa complained, rearranging her pillows again. She looked around before using her magic to widen her seat so it stretched all the way to meet the back of the seat in front of her. "Finally!" She stretched out.
"That looks pretty comfy," Kaleb said, looking over the seat at her.
"It is," Alyssa said. "Now be quiet so I can sleep. All this early morning travel is ruining my beauty sleep."
"I still think Doctor Saltzman shouldn't have let her come," Jed whispered to Ethan.
Ethan shrugged. He didn't particularly care for the witch, she seemed to always look down her nose at him, but if she wanted to fight, the more the merrier.
Kaleb moved to the seat behind Jed, having overheard. "She just couldn't be away from me that long, clearly."
"Did she say that?" Jed asked. "Because I'm sure I'm the one she couldn't be away from."
"I didn't want to be stuck inside a filthy hotel playing babysitter while everyone else was off destroying things," Alyssa said from her blanketed cocoon. "You boys can't have all the fun."
"Jed's right though," Ethan said. "There's going to be an army of experienced witches. There's no reason she should be there."
"Who gave you permission to exist?" Alyssa sat up slightly to glare at him. She conjured a ball of fire in her palm. "Because I could change that right now."
"Hey, hey, hey!" Alaric called out, smelling the smoke and seeing the fire from all the way up front. "Put that out, Alyssa!"
She did, closing her palm with an annoyed sigh. "It's out."
"Good!"
"Do you really think it was a good idea," Emma said softly, "bringing her along?"
Alaric squinted, thinking about it once more. "Not really, but she demanded to come. And we need two witches to project Dorian and me onto the field. I'm pretty sure she's good to do that, but not much more. I'd rather not take one of the more experienced witches away from the battle if I can help it."
"Do you really think we'll be able to do that much?" Dorian asked. "The two of us running around as our astral selves telling them how to kill things? Sounds redundant, ineffective, and a lot of ground to cover. Plus, as long as they go for the head or heart, a majority of the time they'll kill them before we can open our mouths."
"It was Hope's idea," Alaric said.
Emma smiled. "She's protecting you, Ric. And Dorian."
"I know that," Alaric said, at the same time shaking his head.
"She knows you won't sit this fight out, but she also knows how dangerous it's going to be," Emma said. "So she gave you a part to play."
"And we're damn well going to play it," Alaric said.
"Gotta admit though," Dorian said. "They're doing a pretty darn good job."
"That they are," Alaric said, feeling proud of his girls despite it all. It was Malivore's day of reckoning, and Lizzie, Josie, and Hope had planned it all. He was used to being in charge, but his girls, they were all grown up and taking the lead themselves.
Mac listened to the other's conversation, and then leaned over to whisper to her sister. "You really think they can do it?"
"Those girls are tough," Seylah nodded. "They aren't afraid to do what needs to be done. Like me."
"But if anything goes wrong…" Mac looked at her, eyes worried.
"Let me ask you," Seylah said, "Would you not do the same for Maya or Ethan?"
"In a heartbeat," Mac replied immediately. She would do anything to protect her children.
"Then you understand."
Mac nodded.
"Worry not," Seylah grasped her arm in a comforting grip. "If today is my last day, I'll see you in the next life."
Mac understood, she just wished Seylah wasn't so darn cavalier about it. But how else was she supposed to be?
She only hoped her nephew would one day understand how lucky he was, to have a mother such as her sister.
The girls had fallen asleep as the day wore on.
Hope had long since forgone her seat belt and curled up into Clarke's side.
Lizzie still had her seat belt on, but her head was resting on MG's shoulder.
"You really think it'll come to that?" MG asked Clarke softly.
Clarke looked down at Hope sharply and shook his head at MG to indicate he be quiet.
"So, instead, how about you tell me why you had me turned?" MG asked.
"Truthfully? I can't stand your mother," Clarke said.
"That makes two of us," MG said.
"I was taking down Triad," Clarke explained further. "To do that, I needed to destroy the founding families. Turning you into something Veronica hated seemed more satisfying than having you killed outright."
"Well knowing the alternative, I guess I should be thanking you," MG shook his head at the irony of everything.
"You don't hate me for it," Clarke said, noting MG's attitude hadn't changed.
"If I'd never become a vampire, I wouldn't have met her," MG looked down at Lizzie.
"Guess you can thank me for that too," Clarke smirked.
"Nah," MG said. "I'm not that chill."
Clarke laughed.
"If this goes south," MG said, "Just know we'll all look out for her."
"I know," Clarke said. "She's well loved and protected."
"That she is," MG said with a knowing look.
Clarke nodded, acknowledging what MG didn't have to say. That Clarke was included in that.
The car came to a stop.
"Are we there?" MG looked up.
Doors from the other vehicles holding the originals could be heard closing. Clarke looked out.
"Yeah."
"Lizzie," MG said, nudging her. "We're here."
She groaned and woke up. "Already? Fine." She undid her seat belt and made her way out, grabbing her small backpack with supplies.
MG followed, closing the door behind him.
"Hope," Clarke murmured, running a hand through her hair, waking her gently.
She opened her eyes sleepily, "Hey."
"We're here," he said. "It's nearly time."
She moved to sit up and looked around. "It's really happening, isn't it?"
"Yes," Clarke answered. "Today's the day my father meets his end."
"Let's get this over with so we can get to the good part," she said.
"Which part?"
She reached for his shoulders and tugged him towards her.
"This one." She kissed him, pressing against him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
He tilted his head and met her kiss. She took his bottom lip between hers, biting gently. He pulled her against him and she turned into him, letting go of his lip to kiss him once more.
She pulled back slowly and looked into his eyes, "Later."
The promise in her gaze had him marveling, once more, at the irony of it all.
"I love you," he whispered, needing to say it at least one more time. Not for himself, but for her. So when this was all over, she would understand why he'd done what he had.
Bang! Bang!
"Show time, love birds!" Kol shouted from outside, banging on the car. "War waits for no one."
Sighing, Hope pulled away from Clarke and they both got out of the car.
She went to the trunk and retrieved her bow just in case, and a couple daggers. She would have to forgo her usual axe. Today was mostly about the magic.
Spotting Lizzie, MG, Jed, and Ethan in the distance, she grasped Clarke's arm.
"See you after," she stood on tiptoes while he leaned down to kiss him one last time before the battle was to start.
Then she left for the group. Clearly Doctor Saltzman had arrived too. She needed to talk to him about signals for Plan B in case they had to go that route. She would need to know when Emma completed the spell so she didn't accidentally kill Landon before Seylah's life force was on its way to him.
But for now, she had to speak to Ethan.
"Hello there," Hope said, arriving to the group of four.
"Hi, Hope," Jed said with a smile. "Long time no see."
"I could say the same thing," Ethan said.
"You three ready?" Hope said to Lizzie, MG, and Jed.
"Yep," Jed answered for them. "As long as your aunt returns everyone's memories of me, I'm good with it."
"Hey, Ethan, I know this is all new for you," Hope said. "But thanks for agreeing to be part of it."
"Its part of my legacy, isn't it?" Ethan said.
"That, and being a wolf," Hope said. "I could hardly believe it when I heard."
"Yep, a Crescent like you too, apparently," he said.
"Really?" She was surprised. Most crescents knew what pack they belonged to. They didn't leave the area. They were protective of their own. The only crescent she knew of who didn't grow up with the pack was her mother, but that was because Marcel had hidden her away to protect her as a baby.
"Right down to the birthmark," Ethan shook his head.
"Birthmark?" Hope asked, frowning slightly.
"Yeah, the crescent shaped thing on my shoulder. Guess it's a pack thing," Ethan shrugged. "I'm still learning."
"But, that's not…" Hope trailed off. Now wasn't the time to get into it but all crescent wolves weren't born with the mark. Only those born of the Labonair blood line had it. Labonairs were royalty to the crescent wolves, but all Labonairs except for Hayley and Hope had been killed in some freak accident because of The Hollow before it had manifested on earth again.
If Ethan had the crescent mark, he wasn't just a Labonair. He was related to Hope.
She would have to go through Grandma Mary's books for any mention of someone named Machado. She was meticulous in keeping birth records while she was living.
"That's great," Hope finally said, correcting herself. "I'll be sure to tell you all about the pack when this is over."
"I'd appreciate it," he said.
"Kaleb!" Hope exclaimed, glad to see her partner. "Ready to prepare for Josie's arrival?"
"You got it boss," Kaleb said.
The two left, heading off to set things up.
Lizzie turned to Ethan now that Hope had gone away. "Come here, wolf boy."
"Who are you again?" Ethan asked.
"Josie's sister, Lizzie. We need your blood for the spell," Lizzie said, not bothering to mention it wasn't for Hope's spell. It was for Clarke's. She was really hoping they wouldn't have to use it, but if they did it had to be ready. She would get Josie's blood last, if, and only if, they needed it.
She pricked his finger and pinched it over the container.
"That's kind of a lot," he said, looking down.
Lizzie shrugged. "Man up, wolfie."
She got as much as she could, then let go. "Now run along to Hope. She's the safest place for you to be during this."
"Shouldn't I get a weapon?" He asked.
"No," Lizzie said. "You aren't fighting. We need you to wipe the mark. We need you alive. You're going to go to Hope and sit pretty until it's time. After that, I don't care."
"You don't gotta be such a bitch about it," Jed said.
"That's me," Lizzie said with sarcastic sweetness. "Queen bitch. Now go, wolf boy. And Jed, do you have it?"
Jed pushed a bag out to her. "One nasty smelling blood covered t-shirt. What other strange things do you keep in your room?"
Lizzie snatched it from him.
"You won't be finding out." She needed Seylah's shirt with Chad's blood to track him once they went into the pit.
Clarke found the first steel case in the trunk and began assembling his rifle. He would assemble both guns, one for himself, and one for the sheriff of Mystic Falls.
The sun was suddenly blocked by a presence to his right.
"Kol," he said while still looking down.
"That little gathering you put on last night," Kol said. "Enjoyable, if a bit overdramatic."
"Just spit it out," Clarke said. "What sage bit of advice do you Mikaelsons have for me now?"
"Davina died before," Kol said. "She was dead for five years, in fact."
Clarke listened as he continued to assemble the guns.
"I was sure that was it. The one person to change my life, to make me a better man, gone forever," Kol said. "And yet, here we are." He held his arms out with a smug grateful grin.
Clarke finished and looked at him.
"Life has a way of going the most unexpected way," Kol said. "I'm a firm believer in anything is possible if you believe in it enough."
Hearing Hope's words from that long ago night repeated back to him, he understood that Kol was simply offering what Hope had offered him with those words. A small piece of hope that everything would be alright.
Miraculously, it had been alright the last time.
Would he get another miracle?
"I believe one of those is for me," Mac said, arriving and pointing at the guns in the trunk.
"Thanks," Clarke said to Kol.
"Anytime," the original nodded before taking his leave.
Clarke handed a rifle to the sheriff.
"There's a good vantage point up there," he pointed to a building across the way.
Mac nodded and followed him when he started toward the building.
"Didn't think the next time I saw you, we'd be working together," she said.
"Life is full of surprises," he said. "I should let you know, we make it through this, I will be returning to Mystic Falls."
"I think it's safe to say, I won't have a problem with that," she said.
"Good."
They climbed the stairs of the empty building—thanks to Triad—and Clarke busted the lock to the roof.
They both set up their guns, Clarke choosing the side that would give him the best view of Hope.
"Aim for the head or the heart," Clarke instructed her. "And obviously make sure you've got a clean shot before you take it."
"Which one's Hope?" Mac asked, looking through the sight on her weapon, stifling the urge to mention her background while serving.
"The badass with the bow," he replied.
"Ah," she said, spotting the only person with a bow and arrow below.
He swung his sight down until he found the blonde he was looking for. "There," he pointed at her. "See the blinding shock of blonde hair?"
"You mean Lizzie?" Mac asked. "I know her."
"She's head of the A Team," he said. "They're going invisible when the fighting starts. Whenever you see them again, let me know."
"I need to watch my son," Mac insisted. "Ethan."
"The newbie wolf?" he asked. "He's with Hope. No safer place for him."
"But—"
"If he dies, this whole thing is over," he interrupted her. "Hope knows that. She won't let anything happen to him."
"You better be right," she grumbled.
"I'm always right," he said.
Po…of…
"What was that?!" Josie exclaimed.
"I think…I'm running out," Wade said, feeling exhausted. "I'm really tired."
"How much further?!" Josie said.
Rafael looked down at his phone. He was keeping track of their route along with resetting the timer each time Wade dusted Malivore. "We're about fifteen minutes out…"
"Reset the timer and start hoping," Jade said.
Josie opened the mesh covered square to the driver and said, "We need you to speed."
"Will do."
Josie closed the square and turned around.
"Okay," Josie breathed out. "Almost time."
Hope looked around. There were so many people spread out everywhere, all waiting.
Josie would be there any minute.
And then she saw them.
The armored vehicle Josie had described. It was heading straight for her.
Good. That was what they planned.
As she watched, the vehicle screeched to a halt and turned around so the back was facing Hope.
The doors flew open and a body came flying out, being dragged across the field.
"He's waking up!" Josie screamed out.
Hope could see it; see him coming to his senses. See him spread his wings as she heard the cries of warning go out to indicate portals were opening.
And so it began.
"Ethan!" Hope yelled.
"On it," he flicked a switch on the ten thousand gallon army grade water tank Clarke had requested Triad to transport and leave for them. Then he aimed.
The giant hose sprayed out a hard stream of water straight at Malivore, soaking his wings, putting the fire out, pummeling him to the ground.
"That's our cue," Lizzie said to Hope, nodding at the portals.
"Invisque!" she cast the spell over her, MG, and Jed. "Let's go boys."
Fighting broke out all around as hundreds of monsters left the portals and began to fight, trying to make their way to their master at his command to help him. The monsters Malivore sent out this time were the worst of the worst. Vicious and excited at the prospect of violence. It didn't take much to get them to do Malivore's bidding.
Josie, Rafael, and Jade were running close behind Malivore, heading toward Hope because they were supposed to back her up along with Kaleb. Wade brought up the rear, unsure of where he was supposed to go now that they had arrived.
As they neared Hope, something was thrown in their direction, but it wasn't aimed at the witch, vampire, or wolf. No, it was aimed at the fairy, because the fairy could incapacitate Malivore.
Jade, seeing the flying fatality, jumped back in front of Wade and grabbed it midair. "Gotcha!" Then she was hit through the heart with a second one she didn't see coming.
"Josie!" Wade said loudly.
Josie turned around.
"Pull it out! She's fine!" Thank God Jade had taken the vial of Hope's blood before this started.
She turned back to Hope, seeing all the creatures trying to get to her. "You've got to put up some kind of boundary. We can't keep them all back well enough for you to focus."
"On it," Hope said. She concentrated and created a boundary in the dirt, an invisible dome that circled the ground and ran over her and Malivore's heads. She made sure to include Ethan in the boundary. She had to keep him safe.
"Wade!" Josie called out. "Get to Ethan, inside the boundary!"
"Can't he just dust him again?" Hope asked hopefully.
"He ran out of dust for now."
Rafael and Kaleb were inside the circle too, but the creatures hit the boundary all at once.
"Something tells me with all the monsters out there, something's going to make its way through," Kaleb said.
"Then I guess we better make sure they take a step back," Rafael said, winding up the bat, then stepping forward and swinging.
Seeing the creatures stumble backwards, Kaleb clutched his own club more firmly. "Let's go."
"Nice try, but you can't defeat me," Malivore said to Hope. "And just because my creatures can't get in, doesn't mean I can't open a portal in here."
"You're wrong on both counts," Hope said. "You actually gave it away, how to kill you. Good job! Also, this is my boundary. Nothing gets in or out without my say so."
He tried, but she was right. He couldn't open them inside. That didn't mean he couldn't open them on the outside.
"I think I might have something that could destroy this boundary."
Dragons were released then, three of them. They went flying around, spewing their fire to the ground, making both sides run out of the way of the burn.
Josie had the spell for death this time. She knew she shouldn't do black magic, but she needed it. She was caught off guard at the school and two teachers had died because of it. She wasn't taking any chances when it came to dragons ever again.
She ran out of the dome and raised her hand to the first dragon that was flying in and was preparing to fire down on top of the dome.
Freya and Davina joined her.
"Do you got it?" Davina asked.
"Running out of power," Josie said, hating that she didn't have enough to do it on her own.
Freya and Davina looked at each other before they joined hands with her and began chanting her spell with her.
Combining the power of the three witches together was enough to reach all three dragons instead of just the one.
As they watched, the dragons went up in smoke.
One of Malivore's creatures must be able to control the weather because a sudden downpour erupted.
A battalion of trolls were sent out of the portals in droves.
The sound of all the monsters being attacked by the wolves, vamps, and witches had been loud. The noise of the trolls attacking made the sounds louder as they began to throw people and grab at them to tear apart.
Hope started the spell, hoping enough time had passed for Lizzie and her team to get into the pit already.
"Diviser ak konkerani. Chire apa ak yo. Ak konkerani. Ak yo…"
Malivore struggled to focus on controlling his creatures and fighting the pull of Hope's spell at the same time.
Hope struggled to get the consciousness out, to be ready when Lizzie got back, but Malivore was one stubborn being.
When he tried to get to Ethan, Hope threw a dagger at him. He landed on the ground dead for the moment. Lizzie still wasn't back yet, so Hope bought herself some time before working on the spell again. She needed to get it just right. She knew she was on the verge of breaking through, but she still needed a place to put him.
Two trolls broke through Kaleb and Rafael's defenses and no amount of shooting on Clarke's part would stop them.
Hope turned around when she heard the loud banging of fists against her barrier. Trolls. She recognized them immediately. Seeing them and feeling the rain, she raised her arms and focused. The rain stopped and the sun came out, turning all of the trolls to stone.
In the school bus, Emma was projecting Dorian onto the field as Alyssa projected Alaric.
Seylah was on top of the bus, shooting using Mac's rifle. She wanted to fight but knew she needed to be near Emma in case the spell was needed.
Out on the field, Dorian called out to a wolf who was struggling with a creature. "That's a Balachko. A three-headed giant that spits fire and breathes cold wind. Let it do the fire and wind, then it'll be weak and you can kill it anyway you want."
Alaric called to a vampire, "That's a Cyclops! Go for the eye!"
"Gorgon!" Alaric called next. "Chop its head off!"
Marcel and Kol pulled a monster apart by each gripping one arm.
"Haven't had this much fun in years," Marcel said.
"I'll show you fun," Rebekah said. She marched up behind another one and tore the arms off herself. "Some of us don't need help."
"She's feisty when she's showing off," Marcel said to Kol.
"Save me the flirtatious bantering," Kol said. "You're married. Just kill all these things then you can go show off without involving me."
Lizzie, Jed, and MG problem wasn't finding portals.
Their problem was getting to them before they closed because the monsters kept getting in the way.
Lizzie finally yanked a piece of hair out of each boy's head.
"Not the hair!" they both cried out, horrified.
"Go! Find a portal to jump into. We can't jump in together, but I'll find you using these," Lizzie insisted.
They nodded and went off to find one.
She turned and ran to find a portal for herself. Finally, she saw one and raced to get to it before it could close.
The monster that came out of it was fighting a vampire so it was getting out slowly.
She didn't hesitate, just immediately jumped, both feet aiming for the black pool. She braced herself, wondering what it would be like.
Then she slammed hard into the surface of the blackness.
Her feet landed, as if on the ground. She wasn't falling into endless darkness, she hadn't even moved past ground level. She didn't go anywhere. The portal wasn't liquid for her. It was solid.
She couldn't get in.
"No!" she shrieked. She jumped up and down, trying to break through. She siphoned from a passing creature then directed all her magic at the ground beneath her feet.
"Liquefy!"
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
She looked around for the guys and saw they were having the same problem.
"It's not working!" Jed said, trying to jump up and down himself, then squatting and punching at the ground. That definitely didn't work.
MG looked at Lizzie apologetically. He had told her everything would be okay. This changed things. If they couldn't get into the pit, they couldn't get Malivore's body and they couldn't save Chad.
Lizzie stomped her foot. She screwed up. This had happened because Malivore knew what she tried to do before. He had been building himself up, hadn't he? Getting stronger. Making sure he had absolute control, down to who was allowed to enter his hell dimension.
Jed looked back and forth between them. "Plan B?"
Lizzie screamed out in frustration, then turned and stomped off back towards Hope.
"Was it something I said?" Jed asked MG.
MG just shook his head.
Malivore exploded into a burst of flames, and then quickly stood up out of his rock mold. "Well, dragons didn't work, and neither did the trolls. These next creatures proved pretty effective," Malivore opened up a portal in the sky and released the Birds or Ares.
Hope looked up, "Crap."
"Oh no," Lizzie said, looking up. "Those damn birds." She dropped the invisibility spell. "We need to get to Hope."
"Jed, get out of here," MG picked up Lizzie and went speeding back to Hope.
"Something's happening with our A Team," Mac said. "I saw the shock of white blonde hair."
Clarke looked over and followed her line of sight.
Jed was standing there looking bewildered.
"Where're the other two?" he asked.
Mac followed her sight around. "They took off pretty fast but…" she paused. "Near your girl."
Clarke swung his sight back over. Lizzie was trying to get to Hope through the throng of monsters and none of the trio had Malivore's original body. That could only mean one thing.
Something went wrong.
Clarke looked down. He had known in his bones it would come to this. But he was hoping it wouldn't.
"If you need more ammo, use my gun," he said.
"Where're you going?" Mac asked.
"To end this." He activated his ring, making himself invisible so he could get through without having to fight his way. He would just have to dodge the falling arrows until someone took the birds out.
Seeing the birds flying toward the bus, Seylah shot at as many as she could before she had to get down and inside or chance being killed. When she got inside though, the arrows hit the roof but went through the windows too. The witches broke concentration and Alaric and Dorian were back in their bodies.
"What happened?" Alaric asked.
"What do you think?" Alyssa asked, pulling back in disgust at having to hold his hands for so long for the spell. Ugh.
"Emma!" Dorian grabbed at her where she had fallen.
"Is she okay?" Alaric said.
Dorian felt for her pulse, "She's alive, but she was hit with one of the arrows. She's not awake. I think it'll be okay to remove it, but I need your help."
Alaric looked up at Seylah in alarm. "She can't do the spell."
Seylah nodded. "Okay."
She turned, put her rifle down, and grabbed a gun.
"What are you doing?" Alaric asked, unable to get to her as Dorian was blocking the aisle.
"If Plan A fails," Seylah said, "I told you no one is hurting my boy."
"We'll get Alyssa to do the spell!" Alaric said.
"She is a child," Seylah said. "You said yourself she's not experienced."
"Hey!" Alyssa said, insulted.
Seylah didn't stop again, she just kept going.
"Seylah! No!" Alaric tried to get to her. "Don't hurt her!"
She didn't reply, just sprinted off the bus and ran toward Hope.
"Ric!" Dorian hollered. "I need you!"
"She's going after Hope!" Alaric said.
"And she'll fail! She's human, Hope's more powerful, and there's an entire army out there that has her back!" Dorian argued. "Emma is the one who needs help right now!"
Alaric clenched his eyes tight and nodded. Dorian was right. Hope would be okay. He needed to help Emma.
"We've got to do something about the birds!" Josie exclaimed to Freya and Davina.
"Hold hands and repeat after me," Freya said. "Merculae aspectu, Merculae aspectu, proselytum."
The three of them held hands and chanted Freya's spell.
The magic rose and stretched out, spreading up and surrounding all the birds. As they chanted and watched, the birds of Ares changed from birds with arrows for wings to hundreds of black birds who chirped as they flew off, far far away.
Hope was back to struggling to get Malivore's consciousness out.
He taunted her, "You'll never remove me. You're not strong enough."
"Wanna bet?" Hope's rage grew and she didn't think as it mixed with the spell, not realizing her eyes had become completely black.
"Hope! Stop!" Lizzie grasped her shoulder, eyes wide at seeing Hope's. "It didn't work. We couldn't get it out."
The blackness left her eyes, and she stared at Lizzie uncomprehending.
"We couldn't get into the pit," Lizzie said. "He blocked us."
Hope nodded. She slowly pulled around the bow and reached for the arrow she magic'd to stay in her quiver until she needed it.
"Hope," Lizzie's eyes grew at seeing the arrow.
"I'll wait for the signal," Hope said softly. "Now, stand back."
Lizzie did more than that. She made her way to Josie. She still needed her blood, and they had to do the spell to combine all four. They were going to need it now. She hoped Rafael got to Hope before she shot Landon though.
Malivore, seeing her intention, rose his wings up again, only to be hit with the hose of water once more. Ethan was ready that time.
Wade made his way next to Ethan. "I think I can float him again."
"Get over there," Ethan said. "I'll hose him 'til you do."
Wade made a determined face and went over, avoiding the water spray. He nodded at Ethan who shut off the water.
Poof!
Wade covered Malivore in a burst of fairy dust that had him floating once more.
Hope nodded at them, "Thanks."
She cast a spell to hold Malivore in place so he couldn't float away.
According to Josie, she had twenty minutes before he could do anything again. He couldn't even open more portals right now.
She shot up a burst of fireworks that was the signal she told Doctor Saltzman would indicate Emma should do the spell for Seylah to take Landon's place.
Waiting for time to pass in the middle of a battle turned out to be one of the harder things she had done. She turned to look around at the fight, wishing she could be out there instead of standing where she was, waiting to kill the mother of a boy who had meant so much to her.
She used her magic to help those fighting from afar, doing what she could while she waited, but she still hadn't seen an answering signal. It shouldn't take Emma this long. What was wrong?
She was rammed in the left side.
Gripping hold of the arrow despite being off balanced, she fell over and suddenly had to fight to keep the arrow from being taken from her.
Seylah was struggling to get it out of her hand.
"Stop!" Hope cried out, struggling and maintaining her grip but not putting much effort into maiming Seylah.
"What are you doing?" She didn't want to hurt her.
"Emma is hurt, can't do the spell," Seylah gritted her teeth.
Oh, Hope bit her lip.
"Seylah, I have to," Hope said, struggling. "I have to end this."
Hope finally started fighting back. She got her feet up under Seylah's stomach and pushed with all her might. The woman flew through the air and landed on her back.
Hope scrambled to her feet and started to latch the arrow on the bow.
"Aunt Seylah, stop!" Ethan hollered just as Hope heard a loud bang.
Turning, Hope stopped the bullet in midair. She stared at Seylah in dismay. She actually shot at her.
Kaleb turned when he heard the shot but breathed a sigh of relief at seeing Hope was okay. How someone had gotten to Hope… he saw Seylah then. No wonder. Friendly fire…or not so friendly.
Grateful that MG and Jed had joined him, Jade, and Rafael, he turned back to fight again. He had maimed, broken necks, and shoved his hand through chests to rip out hearts countless times that day.
Rafael had been waling on monster after monster with his bat. His strength had some of them flying back with the force or crippled. When MG had joined them and shook his head, he knew what that meant. The first plan had failed. He needed to find a way to distract Hope.
Suddenly it seemed as though the monsters weren't fighting him anymore. He looked around and saw that the creatures were still trying to get through to Hope, but they were going after the other guys, not him.
A disquieting feeling came over him and he looked around, feeling like he was being watched. The feeling was oddly familiar.
There.
He saw him.
The Necromancer.
A chill ran down his spine.
He didn't remember ever seeing him before, only had Hope's illustration of him to go by, but it was him. That creepy face was grinning at him.
Hope had said he was gone forever…in the pit. That Malivore would never let him back out because he had tried to control him.
She had been wrong.
And Rafael was still under his control.
The sorcerer didn't have to speak, only gave a knowing look, and suddenly Rafael was turning back toward Hope against his will, easily making his way through friend and foe.
As he approached her from behind, he couldn't help but think Clarke probably didn't have this in mind when he told them to distract her.
Hope whispered, "I'm sorry," to Seylah before she cast the spell to knock her out.
She looked down as she latched the arrow to the bow, surprised her fingers weren't shaking. She didn't know what would become of Malivore once she shot this arrow, but she knew one thing with absolute certainty.
Landon would die.
By her hand.
She had prepared for this. Pegasus, Joan of Wad, Fenrir. The countless others who had died at her hand. It was all for this, this moment. To prepare her for killing someone she loved. For making the choice to put everyone else, possibly the entire world, above his life.
She could do it. She had to do it.
But she really didn't want to.
"Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do because you're the only one who can do them."
Her mother had taught her that, a long time ago.
She braced herself and pulled back on the bowstring.
"Hope!" Lizzie exclaimed. The spell was cast, the blood was ready. She hadn't seen Clarke since before the fighting started, but she knew he would be there any minute. Someone had to stop Hope before she killed Landon and it led to her own death. Where was Rafael with that distraction?!
"I have to, Lizzie," Hope shouted out while taking aim. "Don't try to stop me!"
Lizzie breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Rafael finally approaching Hope from behind. Thank God…. Wait.
"Raf! What are you doing!?" Lizzie screamed right before Rafael hit Hope in the back with his bat.
Aim flying completely off course as she let the arrow go, Hope fell face down, crumbling at the pain.
Lizzie ran forward and jumped on Rafael's back. "This wasn't what he meant! Stop! What are you doing?"
Rafael easily shook her off, but not before she siphoned some magic out of him.
She didn't have a chance to use it because Hope was up again.
"Expello!"
Rafael went flying back.
"Raf, I'm sorry, I have to," Hope said.
He got up, but he didn't say anything, just tried to come after her again. His eyes were blank.
"He's not himself," Hope said, squinting at him. "Expello!"
He flew back again but just got back to his feet once more.
"Ya think?" Lizzie exclaimed.
Hope looked around and she didn't have to look far. Ted was a diva, a show off. He would want Hope to know he was behind this. He had sent Rafael after her on purpose. No... Malivore had made Ted send Rafael after her on purpose. Rafael could get through the barrier where the other creatures couldn't.
Malivore must've commanded him before he was floated again.
She could try to kill Ted, but he could kill Rafael at any moment in the process.
But she had to retrieve the arrow wherever it went and shoot Landon with it.
She glanced back and forth between Rafael and the area she had shot the arrow.
"Go," Lizzie said, "Help Raf. I'll find the arrow."
"Get it to me as soon as you find it," Hope said, glancing at Malivore. "He's not going to float much longer."
Lizzie nodded, having absolutely no intention of doing that.
Rafael took that moment to come after Hope again, and she shrugged off the bow, dropping it to the ground, and launched into the fight. If Ted wanted a fight, she would put on the performance of her life to keep Rafael occupied until she found a way to kill Ted once and for all. She just needed to get closer to Ted to do it.
And then she would kill Landon.
Lizzie breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Hope and Rafael start to fight. Each blow and hit taking them further away, out of the dome and into the fray.
"Damn it, Clarke," Lizzie looked around. "Where are you?"
"Here," he said, startling her as he deactivated his ring. He had seen Rafael attack Hope. He knew she could take it, but it still hurt to see it. He was glad to know it wasn't Rafael's choice to distract her by beating her with a bat. Clarke definitely hadn't meant to distract her by hurting her.
"Roll up your sleeve," she said. "The fairy dust is going to wear off any minute."
She looked up and motioned for Ethan who nodded. She looked over at Josie. Her twin didn't need to be told, she just knew. Josie nodded and started making her way over. She looked at MG and blasted the monster he was fighting with magic to get his attention. He nodded and called out to the guys before he ducked out of the fight to make his way over too.
Clarke did as she instructed then waited as she drew the symbol of permanent death—the mark of Malivore—on the inside of his left arm with the blood the twins had magically bound together.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," she mumbled the entire time.
She finished the drawing, glaring at it, then up at him. "Any last words?"
"Tell her I said to bury me this time," he said, staring down at the symbol.
"She's never going to forgive us," Lizzie said.
"She will," he said. "Forgiveness is part of her nature."
"Yeah, until she's hurt enough to change it," Lizzie said.
"It's the only way," he reminded her.
"The spell she used didn't work though," Lizzie said. "I don't know how you expect me and Josie to make it work when she couldn't."
It looked like Hope had been about to use black magic with the spell instead of earth magic, and that had scared her a little because Hope didn't know the black magic spell. Had she been about to do black magic without a spell?
"Do the spell to weaken him," he said. "Then siphon Landon. Leave the rest to me. He'll take the bait."
"If you say so," she said. She waved a hand over the drawing, drying the blood and sealing it to his skin. Then she pulled the sleeve down so no one—especially Malivore—could see it.
"Josie has the knife?" Clarke asked.
"She does," Lizzie said. She knew Josie would probably enjoy that part a little too much.
"Good," he said. "She's the only one who won't hesitate."
"You're not wrong."
"Give me a couple minutes to talk to him before you start," he said.
"Okay," she nodded then walked away.
He moved his right hand over to the ring on his left. Adjusting it, he willed a new illusion, for his father and him alone to see.
His father was suddenly surrounded by tall metal prison bars, with nothing to see past the bars except for Clarke, standing on the outside, looking in.
Then he waited.
The dust finally wore off and Malivore got to his feet.
"Hello, Father."
Malivore didn't reply. He was too busy taking stock of his new situation and figuring out what happened in the time the fairy had bested him this time.
"No response?" Clarke asked with a sly smile. "Perhaps because we haven't been formally introduced this time around. I'm Ryan. Ryan Clarke. You can call me Clarke."
Malivore looked unamused as he glanced around, taking in the cell he was standing in.
"Another prison," Malivore said.
"I saw you imprisoned once before," Clarke said. "Only fitting I do it again."
"No hiding behind humans and witches this time?" Malivore smirked.
"You used to terrify me," Clarke said.
"I still do," Malivore said.
"No," Clarke shook his head. "You've been beaten back today by a bunch of teenagers. You aren't as powerful as you think."
"But she is?" Malivore asked. "The tribrid, she keeps trying. But even she can't defeat me. Is that why you're here? Do you think you can?"
"She can, but this shouldn't be her fight," Clarke said. "This isn't her fight. This is mine. I've spent years cowering, dreading the day you rose. Scrambling to do your bidding for just one scrap of approval. But you were never going to give me that. Because I have never been enough for you."
"You weren't the son I wanted," Malivore said nonplussed, "and because of that, all you are is just mud. Dirt. Worthless. Nothing."
"And I believed you," Clarke said. "But you're wrong. She showed me that."
Around the illusion, Clarke could see when the twins began the spell. Each girl holding onto one of the boys as the source of their power.
Malivore looked around, confused, feeling what was happening but not understanding.
"It's the cage. It's unfortunate. You're trapped in there as your power is slowly draining away."
The girls lightly touched Malivore's back and began to siphon Landon's power.
Malivore could feel the magic draining from his host as he fought against the cage's punishment. It felt familiar.
"You're trying to move me," Malivore looked around. "But you have nowhere to put me."
"I do," Clarke said with a knowing look.
"You want to be my vessel."
"Not particularly. But I don't have a choice. It's me or her."
Malivore was swaying now. He couldn't hold on anymore, whatever the cage was doing, it was winning.
"And I'd never let her die."
Knowing now that if he were put into the 'other' boy death was imminent, he sent out a last minute command to one of his creatures. The boy, he had indicated the tribrid cared for him. If there was one thing he knew about the tribrid, her heart was her weakness. She would never let someone die in her place, not if she knew about it.
Hope hated that she had to fight Rafael like this. She had never sparred with him before, but he was coming at her again and again. She needed to stop the fight and kill Ted, but she hadn't been able to figure out how to do it without Ted killing Rafael.
"Uh oh, rules changed," The Necromancer said before flicking a finger.
Rafael's head jerked to the side, snapped. Dead in an instant.
"Raf?" Hope stopped and grabbed at him as he fell. She crouched to the ground with him, unable to believe he was actually dead.
But he was.
Glaring up at Ted, Hope cried out, "Why!?"
"Because my master needs your help," Ted said, looking extremely annoyed and bored.
"I'd never help him," Hope said between clenched teeth, gripping Rafael tightly.
"But you might, knowing what his boy is trying to do," Ted said. "It'd be a shame if you don't make it there in time. Your father actually likes this one."
He had to mean Ryan. Hope slowly stood and looked back toward the boundary circle. Ryan was there with Lizzie, Josie, MG, and Ethan in some sort of stand off with Malivore. What…
Looking down at her feet and seeing Rafael again, her eyes flashed black and she reached up.
Behind her, Ted clutched at his head as the aneurysm spell tore his brain apart. She had no reason to keep him alive anymore, not when he had killed Rafael. She started walking away, still holding her hand up.
Then she made a fist and Ted's head exploded. Her eyes cleared and she started running.
What were they doing? Why hadn't Lizzie found the golden arrow and gotten it to her? Why were none of the creatures attacking her as she made her way back to the dome? The four were with him, the descendants of the ones who created Malivore to begin with. But they didn't have Malivore's golem body, so why… Ryan.
Her heart nearly stopped. Ryan was a golem. Linked to Malivore. They were going to use Ryan's body since they couldn't get the real one.
"Ryan!" she screamed, running faster now, as fast as she could but…
She could see it happening and there was no way to stop it. The twins had done it. She could see the purple glow from where she was. They had removed Malivore's consciousness and they were putting it right into Ryan.
"No!" She couldn't get there fast enough. It was too late.
Without hesitation, Josie moved swiftly forward and stabbed Clarke in the heart to put Malivore out of commission as they did the next part.
Josie helped MG hold him up.
Lizzie grabbed Clarke's left arm and pulled it out towards her, pushing up the sleeve.
Josie slammed her right hand down on the mark first, then Ethan on top of hers, then MG on top of that, and finally Lizzie. The twins siphoned from the boys, linking the four of them together, so that all four were a part of the magic that flowed into Josie's hand.
"Now!" Lizzie said, and they all moved as one, wiping the mark clear.
Josie and MG let go of Clarke, but Lizzie kept hold of his arm and tried to ease him to the ground instead of letting him fall.
She looked up then and saw Hope standing there panting, only just arriving. Her face was stricken, the anguish so horrible it hurt Lizzie to even look at.
Lizzie had no words. She couldn't even apologize. She knew it wouldn't be enough.
Hope couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. She could only stare at him.
She didn't know it was possible to hurt this much.
He was gone, wasn't he? He had sacrificed himself…for her, hadn't he?
She remembered their conversation that morning.
"You really expect me to be okay with that?"
He loved her so much, he did this because he knew there was a chance she would die. She knew that deep down.
He told her once that she was his purpose. So, if she were to die… He knew she might die and he couldn't live without her.
Didn't he know?
She couldn't live without him either.
Not now. Not when…
She loved him too.
"You know that feeling inside? Like a balloon constantly filling up, always on the verge of popping?"
"Let it pop."
Hope closed her eyes.
She had enough.
She had lost too many, lost too much.
She screamed.
The power moved like a tidal wave, rushing out of her, pushing out in all directions, spreading out across the entire battlefield and then some.
Every last creature from Malivore was hit with it, and every single one of them was brought to their knees, frozen, immobile.
Everyone else turned and looked toward the source of the power surge in awe.
Hope finally finished screaming, breathing hard, feeling lightheaded.
She was done.
"That's right!" MG called out, grabbing hold of Kaleb's arm, excited that it was finally over and they had won. "Bow before your queen!"
"Damn," Kaleb said, looking around in amazement.
Then Hope passed out.
To be continued…