March 29th.
Hey Mason,
So I have bad news for you.
Tyler activated his curse a while back and as you know, the full moon is tomorrow.
Any idea what he should prepare for?
He confided in me and I realized that I already have a sort of experienced werewolf to ask.
If you want to return to Mystic Falls and help him, then you're free to but if you die then that means you're useless.
I know wolfsbane is a thing and the Lockwood cellar is a great place to transform.
He saw your journal and the video too.
I'll help you keep watch tomorrow.
It's the least I can do for my brother almost getting involved in your death.
--Cherith Gilbert.
March 30th.
Gilbert Residence.
"Now that you've got this back, what are you gonna do with it?"
Elena grunted slightly as she stared at the moonstone in Bonnie's hand, the two best friends in her room that morning as they discussed their plan on the oncoming Klaus nightmare.
"Right now,"
Bonnie sighed as she looked at the stone, watching as it reflected in the light.
"It's what is binding the Sun and the Moon Curse. If I can figure out a way to remove the spell from the stone, the stone becomes useless."
"And according to Katherine, Klaus becomes vengeful. Look, Bonnie we should be discussing how to get Stefan out of that tomb right now! And preferably far away from Katherine."
Elena bit out as she paces slightly in her room, not feeling comfortable with all the decisions being taken around her.
Just then, Cherith walked into her room dressed in a black crop tank top, silver sweatpants and a thick color block checked woolen shirt jacket with a mix of colors such as ash, white and brown.
"Well someone sounds jealous."
She said as she walked in while packing her hair into a loose and slightly unpacked bun.
Elena and Bonnie turn to her and Bonnie gave her a wave receiving a wink in return and Bonnie sighed internally glad that Cherith didn't seem angry with her over all that had happened.
She knew part of this had also been her fault and now, she wanted to try and do something about it all.
"Cherry, are you heading to the tomb later on?"
Cherith shrugged as she sat on the bed, eye catching the moonstone and taking it from Bonnie's hand and running her hand over it.
This was actually her first time being in such a close enough proximity to check it out without planning on putting a curse on it.
She could feel something inside it. Very subtle but very complicated as well.
Whoever created this thing must have been someone who had an in-depth knowledge on magic. And if the Scooby gang as she now liked to call them, thought that they could do anything about it, well… they'd more or less need the help of more experienced witches or warlocks.
"Cherry, could you at least try checking out the tomb? See if you can… do something about it!"
Elena begged her sister who passes the stone back to the mocha skinned witch.
This time, Bonnie cut in.
"First of all Elena, Stefan pretty much wants us to focus on this moonstone thing and I honestly agree with him."
She said resolutely and Elena's face turned red.
While it was quite funny to watch and Cherith was cheering Bonnie in her head, she didn't want to spend her whole day with this… besides, she had… Other plans, preferably ones that involved the full moon.
She'd made a promise after all.
Cherith sighed, turning to Elena.
"Alright Bon-Bon, tell me what the tomb spell majorly consists of."
Elena and Bonnie immediately turn to her in shock.
"Wait… really??"
Elena asked, slight hope in her heart as her sister waved her off before offering begrudgingly.
"Yeah whatever. I'm only doing this because I kind of want to pay Katherine or Katerina or whatever a visit. Also… I won't have any of you guys' time in the evening so you probably wouldn't hear from me then. Now's your chance as I'm ACTUALLY volunteering this time so… use me to your satisfaction."
She ended sarcastically and Elena threw her a thankful smile before the two sisters turned to the other witch who was still unsure.
"Come on Bon-Bon, I know you also want to fully focus on this moonstone shit, so just leave all this to me."
Bonnie sighed with a nod.
"I know… but, this is still a Bennett family spell so…"
She shrugged and Cherith let out a disbelieving laugh.
"Really?"
"Bonnie!"
Elena forced out, staring at her friend as if looking at her for the first time.
"Look Bonnie, it's not like I can even understand the language it's been recorded in. You're the only one between the both of us who actually has ideas on this magic thing. I just need some basics."
Cherith looked at Bonnie confused but before anyone else could talk, Jeremy walked in.
"What are you three arguing about?"
Bonnie looked at him.
"We're not arguing about anything."
She gave him a look as she put the stone in her bag and turned to Cherith.
"I want coffee. How about you come with me and I give you some idea on what the spell basically runs on?"
She had a slightly meaningful look on her face which Cherith found fascinating as she stood up.
She wanted to eat breakfast anyways.
As the two girls walk out, Bonnie turned to her as they jogged down the stairs.
"So, basically the spell is more or less tied to powerful magic and you have to be very powerful enough to overpower that spell."
"Lots of 'power' in that sentence."
"That's because I'm trying to reiterate just how dangerous it is."
Cherith nodded.
While she found herself powerful, she remembered something Lucy had said. You had no idea what plans other people had up their sleeves.
Never take anything at face value basically.
"So it needs a lot of power thrown at it?"
Bonnie shrugged as they entered the kitchen and Cherith began to make herself some oatmeal with fruits in it.
"In a way. The spell of my ancestors basically focuses on bringing down the ward. There might be other ways but… the Bennetts put up that ward, so of course a Bennett should be the one to bring it down."
She said confidently as she carried her cup and Cherith shrugged.
She wasn't one for following the system anyways.
Bonnie took a small sip of the coffee before a contemplative look appeared on her face.
"I'll be right back. I put a spell on every exit on the house and I'll need to temporarily bring it down before you leave."
Cherith snorted as the girl walked off and she enjoyed her breakfast.
A prisoner in her own home.
Poor Elena.
A devious smirk appeared on the red head's face.
It didn't take time for her to hear some voices from the hallway and she stood up with her bowl and walked over.
"Klaus killed Katherine's entire family just because she crossed him."
Elena said stubbornly to Jeremy and Bonnie who ignore her.
"I can't let that happen."
Suddenly, Bonnie steps aside to let her leave and Elena looks mildly confused as she walks down the stairs and opens the door to leave, but an invisible barrier prevents her from doing so.
A snicker escapes Cherith.
Elena turned to the tree of them accusingly.
"What did you do?"
Bonnie stepped forward, closer to her friend.
"It's for the best, Elena."
Elena gives them a look as she turns back to the invisible barrier, trying to break it to no avail as Jeremy sits on the stairs, an amused look on his face and Bonnie turned to Cherith.
"Ready to leave?"
Cherith cracks her neck slightly and walks to Elena who turns to her just in time for the red haired to drop her half empty bowl in the confused brunette's hands.
"Yep! I have a lot of plans today and not everything included being stuck with you guys or trying to break Stefan out. That one has a limit on afraid."
Elena turned to her sister with a pleading look but Cherith raised a hand to stop her from saying anything.
"Believe me sister dearest. I understand your frustrations over people telling you what to do. But… I'm actually reveling in it this time."
She chuckled, crossing her arms.
"How does it feel, to be told what to do?"
"Cherry—"
"Leave it to the Scooby gang sis… they think they know what they're doing anyways…"
She shrugged as she patted her pocket, this time to be sure her phone and other necessary items were with her.
She then turned to Bonnie.
"Alright Bon-Bon, go get your cute grimoire."
Bonnie scoffed amused as she jogged up the stairs.
"It's not cute."
"It's a grimoire bonita. A magical book. It's cute."
Cherith turned slightly to her sister who had a look of wheels turning in her head and gave her a dry look.
"If you so much as try to make a break for it once the ward is down, I'll levitate your ass back in and make sure you get slightly banged up while doing so."
Elena gave her a look.
"I'm the older one."
"Yeah well I'm the genius one."
She replied with a shit eating grin and Jeremy scoffed from where he sat on the stairs and Elena glared at the two of them.
"I should probably tell Bonnie to tie the ward to just you instead. Make it easier for the rest of us."
Jeremy added and Elena had the urge to take a swipe at her younger siblings but they'd probably tackle her down Instead.
The Grill.
"Hey."
Tyler walked towards Caroline's table with a black duffel bag and sits down with a slightly panicked look on his face.
"Hey. What's wrong?"
Caroline frowned at the boy in front of her and he leaned in closer to her.
"This girl Mason knows stopped by the house. She said he never made it back to Florida. My mom is freaking out and she was on the phone with your mom when I left."
Nearby, Alaric eavesdrops on their conversation as Caroline looked disturbed at this turn of events.
Tyler sighed, feeling jittery at the thought of the full moon happening in a few hours.
"We should get going."
"Yeah. Yeah, we probably should. Cherith will be meeting us later. She has a… uh, thing, to deal with first."
She stuttered out as she walks off with him, exchanging a look with Alaric as she leaves.
Old Church Ruins.
Cherith frowned at the message Caroline had sent to her about some woman having arrived in town and informing Mrs. Lockwood and Tyler that Mason wasn't in Florida.
That alone could cause some unwanted troubles but now was not the time to think on that.
This particular problem, she knew she was involved in, especially when she'd practically sneaked him out of town, making everyone actually believe Mason was dead.
There was no escaping this one.
As she went down the stairs of the tomb, she wrinkled her nose slightly at the amount of dust in the area.
It's had been quite a while since she had come down here.
It looked the same but also different at the same time.
"Yo Stefanie! You in there?!"
She stood in front of the tomb entrance and a blur was heard and suddenly, a smirking Katherine stood in front of Cherith, Stefan blurring over not a moment later, a few feet behind and a surprised look on his face.
"Cherith? What are you doing here?"
Cherith sighed slightly as she rested on the wall, looking at Stefan.
"Elena's being all whiny and brattish so I decided to come check out your fate here."
"Well well…"
Katherine smirked.
"It's the Salvatore charm isn't it?... I'm pretty sure you're more fond of him than Damon, right?"
Cherith looked at the vampire, a feeling in her heart of wanting to crush her into nothing but bones which she could then design into some sort of fashionable belt.
"You've got mouth, don't you think? Especially in my presence."
Katherine shrugged unconcerned though there was still a slight wariness in her eyes.
"What can I say? I'm just not impressed anymore."
The two girls stare at each other, smirks on their faces and Stefan watching warily behind.
Cherith though, fortifies her whole body with a lot of magic like she'd done when she punched Tyler or arm wrestled Mason, making her stronger than even the other vampire and suddenly, she took a step into the tomb, startling the two vampires.
"Got mouth to speak now?"
Cherith questioned and before Stefan could tell her to step back, Katherine smirked.
"Just because you have a lot of magic, doesn't make you strong."
She snarked, blurring over to the girl and harshly grabbing at her neck, intending to throw her against the wall, her anger over what the witch had caused her building in her.
"Cherith!"
Stefan blurred over but Cherith suddenly raised a hand and squeezed Katherine's neck instead, startling the vampire who tried to squeeze Cherith's neck but nothing happened, confusing her and Stefan who slowly walked over and Cherith grinned.
"Oh honey, I am not what you think I am."
With that, she lit the hand around Katherine's neck as the vampire choked and a blast from said hand blew Katherine deeper into the tomb and she became unconscious, her neck burnt and sizzling.
She then dusts her hands together before turning to Stefan who looked at her in surprise.
"Well then! Now that my main reason for being here is actually done with… you're next."
She gives him a frustrated look and he smiles a bit.
"Do you think you'll be able to get me out?"
He wondered and Cherith takes a step back out, trying to feel for the magic in the air and the ward.
"I don't know. While Bonnie believes only a Bennett can bring down this words or someone powerful enough, there might be another way to do this. I don't follow witch rules anyways."
She smirked as she looked around the tomb and Stefan folds his arm.
"Yeah and why's that? Because of the uh… myth?"
Cherith gave him an amused look.
"If you think you can trick me into giving something away, then you must be suffering from blood relapse already."
Stefan smirked.
"So you know about the myth and what it entails, don't you? In fact, you just might know why you're like this."
Cherith turned to him and shrugged.
"Possibly the only thing you can get out of me."
She mumbled as she ran her hand around the stone of the building.
"Hmm… I do feel it's magic. It's not only concentrated somewhere, rather everywhere."
"So you might have an idea?"
He called out to her and she walked back to the entrance.
"Not really. I'm not exactly trained after all and I don't know spells and incantations. I never learnt all this from any witch or… warlock. It just simply, came to me. This is going to be new for me."
She admitted, her eyes glowing crimson for a moment even as Katherine's groaning voice sounded as she rolled around pitifully on the ground comically as she gained consciousness and Stefan sighed while Cherith brings out her phone to check her messages.
"I thought I could embrace the quiet for a while…"
He admitted as he turned to Katherine still on the floor and moaning in pain and Cherith snorted as she started walking out of the ruins and he called out again.
"Are you leaving?"
"Yeah. Nothing's coming to my mind right now. I have something to do first then maybe lunch would do me good and I'll be back."
Stefan chuckled as he heard her footsteps getting quieter and turned back to the slightly conscious body still rolling slightly on the floor, throat bloodied as he passed her by.
Maybe a little sleep would do him some good.
The Grill
Jules walks into the grill, looking around, watching the people closely when she spots Matt walking by after clearing a table.
He looked to be about Tyler's age so she stopped him.
"Hey, excuse me. Crazy question: do you know Tyler Lockwood?"
A few feet away, Alaric and Damon are watching her.
"Mmm, Mason's mystery woman."
Damon narrowed his eyes, staring at her while eavesdropping on the conversation.
Alaric them turns to Damon with a curious look on his face.
"Where is Mason anyway?"
"Decomposing in a ditch somewhere."
Alaric rolled his eyes at that before turning back to the woman.
"So you think she is a werewolf like him? She doesn't look like one."
Damon snorts.
"Well Mason never looked like one either. He was just a dick that turned out to be a wolf. And I hope she's not, being that it's a full moon, Ric, but we should definitely find out."
He feels his hand into his pocket immediately and takes a sachet from his pocket.
"What is that?"
Alaric asks as Damon hands it to him.
"Wolfsbane. Now, let's see if we can get a little bit of drunk acting out of you."
He smirked at the history teacher who groaned as he turned away.
"Ahh, I hate you."
Lockwood Cellar
Tyler crouches down, busy preparing the chains for the long night while a nervous Caroline paces around while checking her phone.
She'd messaged Cherith over an hour ago about the girl asking about Mason mostly because she was super nervous.
Tyler was opening up to not just her but also Cherith and if he finds out they were directly or indirectly involved in the death of his uncle, no matter that it was Damon who'd caused it, that could lead to a whole lot of mess.
She breathed out shakily as Tyler stood back up.
"Tell me you brought the instruction manual."
"Tell me you brought the wolfsbane."
He fired back and she nods, dipping her hand into her back and bringing out a yellowish plant.
"Yes. Not an easy herb to find, mind you, especially with just a day to find it. But yeah! This is it."
She gives it to him and as soon as his skin made contact with the plant, it burns and he yelps, drawing in his breath and shaking his hand.
"Well now we know it actually works."
He lets out, looking at the plant warily and grabs a water bottle.
"I have this. We can mix it in here."
Caroline nods as she takes it from him and starts to shove it into the bottle and Tyler turns back to the chains, holding them.
"The guy at the hardware store said this set-up could hold up to 5,000 pounds."
"Is that more than a werewolf can pull?"
He shrugs.
"I have no idea."
Caroline looks at him as she shakes the bottle with the plant and water, making it acquire a light yellow color and she wrinkled her nose in disgust.
He was the one that would have to drink the stuff and she'd seen how it had hurt Mason to drink it. Heck just thinking about the transformation, she idly wondered why Tyler looked as calm as he did.
"Hey Tyler, how are you doing?"
"Still human. When did you say Cherith would be getting here?"
He asks as he takes off his shirt and starts to turn away.
"When it's getting darker. She kind of has something to take care of first—Oh my god, you're not gonna get naked, are you?"
She shouted out slightly shocked as he held his trousers as if to unbuckle it and he turned to her with a raised eyebrow.
"It's elastic. What should I wear? I don't think it's like The Hulk, where I get to keep my pants."
He ignores her and continues to unbuckle it and Caroline immediately turns away from him, face slightly red as she hoped Cherith could suddenly appear at that moment.
Mystic Grill.
Early Evening.
Cherith walks into the Grill that early evening for late lunch.
She had had an errand to run.
Right now, apart from wanting to get something to grab and eat, she wanted to see the lady asking of Mason. Where else but the Grill would she be?
It was practically where everyone went to since it's creation. Basically showed how boring the town was anyways.
As soon as she stepped in, she didn't even need to search around before she spotted Damon by the bar, talking to a lady she'd never seen before and Alaric a few feet away doing who knows what.
Without so much of a second thought, Cherith began matching over to them.
"Whoa Cherith, what are you—"
Alaric tried to stop her but she went around him and reached the bar, resting next to them and ignoring the look Damon gave her when he spotted her.
Instead, she gestured to the waiter for some fast food to go. She'd spent quite a large part of her day thinking of the tomb spell and believe it or not, she had a plan to deal with it, and better yet, a plan that would leave Katherine still stuck in it. She just hoped it would work.
"Mason Lockwood."
The lady said and in that moment, Cherith used that opportunity to barge into their conversation.
"Mason Lockwood?"
She utters out, making the girl turn but Cherith was faster as she moved to where Damon was and used her elbow to powerfully hit him out of the way in his gut and he let out a loud painful wheeze as he stumbled and almost fell on a waitress holding a tray of drinks, the lady staring at it all in shock as Cherith put on a fake yet believable smile.
She wanted to know what this woman knew and if she should be worried.
"Mason Lockwood? How is he by the way? It's been a while and I know Tyler's been trying to get in touch with him."
She chirped slightly, ignoring Damon's low 'what the hell'
"You know him? I'm Jules, by the way."
The woman turned back to her with an amused smile.
"Well nice to meet you, Jules. Call me Cherith. And yeah, I kind of beat him in an arm wrestling competition. And I'm pretty close to Tyler."
Even though that was an exaggeration… she still wouldn't let the woman know.
How do you even know if someone is a werewolf?
I mean, Mason just HAD to have had other wolf friends, right?
Jules chuckled quietly, probably thinking Cherith had been joking about the arm wrestling thing.
"So where is he then? He owes me and he's acting like an ass not answering my phone."
"Cherry Berry! Come now, we don't want to be disturbing the pretty lady."
Damon walked over, giving Cherith a smile but she only looked at him blankly.
"Do I know you?"
And turned back to Jules. Damon looking at her incredulously while Jules' eyes darkened slightly.
"Mason is the reason I'm here. He's gone missing."
Cherith frowned.
"Missing? Isn't he like that whole surfer trying to find the perfect wave? Tyler told me that, by the way…"
Jules shook her head.
"No. There is something odd about it."
The way her eyes darkened as she said that… There really was something off about her.
"Hey, do you know where I could find Tyler?"
Cherith's eyes immediately narrowed slightly.
Why was she still looking for Tyler?
Coincidentally the night of the full moon?
Or was Cherith reading too much into this?
"Okay Cherith!"
Damon came back, making her turn to him.
"Don't you have SOMEWHERE to be?"
He gave her a look and she rolled her eyes, groaning slightly as she stood up.
"Ugh! You guys are no fun!"
She them stood up, grabbing her food pack and turning to the guy.
"He'll pay for it."
She pointed at Damon who gave her a 'really??' look as she patted him on the shoulder rather harshly and walked off.
There was something really off about that woman.
Even if she had no idea if she was a werewolf or not, just the feelings the woman seemed to exude.
And if she indeed was a wolf, what the hell was she doing out and about on a full moon night?!
Speaking of…
She brought out her phone as she walked over to her car and dialed Caroline's number.
"Hey Care Bear."
"Cherry! Where the hell are you?! It's almost 8!"
Caroline's frantic voice sounded over the phone and Cherith immediately knew she was scared.
After all, she had no idea about werewolf transformations, and Caroline was also a vampire, and from what she'd heard, the bite of a wolf was deadly fatal to a vampire.
It really made Cherith respect what Caroline was doing.
She'd probably be a Gryffindor if she went to Hogwarts.
Cherith, meanwhile, would have been a proud ass Slytherin and she wasn't ashamed about that.
"I'll be there soon. On my way to the old ruins then I'll fly over to the cellar after."
Caroline breathed out.
"Okay just… hurry. Tyler's starting to freak out a bit and I'm also starting to freak out as well. Maybe you could just knock some senses into him or something."
She whispered slightly and over the phone she heard Tyler say.
"I heard that!"
Cherith snorted.
"I'll be there soon. Promise."
As she cut the call, Cherith turned on her car ignition and sped off.
Gilbert Residence.
"Forgive the home intrusion. I mean your family no harm."
Elijah told Elena as soon as she closed her door so Jenna and Jeremy had no idea a powerful vampire capable of killing them in a second was in the house.
She suddenly wished Cherry were here.
Taking a deep breath, she stilled her rapidly beating heart.
"Why did you kill those vampires when they tried to take me?"
"Because I didn't want you to be taken."
Elena frowned at that and he elaborated.
"See, Klaus is the most feared and hated of the Originals, but those that fear him are desperate for his approval. If word gets out that the doppelgänger exists, there'll be a line of vampires eager to take you to him and I can't have that."
"Isn't that exactly what you're trying to do?"
Elijah made a small noise as he stood up from her window seat, suit looking as impeccable as ever.
"Let's just say that my goal is not to break the curse."
That in turn made Elena confused.
"So, what is your goal?"
"Klaus's obsession has made him paranoid. He's a recluse. He trusts only those in his immediate circle."
"Like you?"
She asked him rather disbelievingly and he shook his head a bit.
"Not anymore."
A sudden thought then filtered to Elena's mind.
"You don't know where he is, do you? So you're trying to use me to draw him out."
"Well, to do that I need you to stay put and stop trying to get yourself killed. I imagine that would make your family and those pesky Salvatore brothers happy."
Elena still wasn't about to believe him so easily.
"How do I know you're telling the truth?"
"If I wasn't being truthful, all your family would be dead and I'd be taking you to Klaus right now. Instead, I'm here and I'm prepared to offer you a deal."
Elena looked at him closely before speaking again.
"What kind of a deal?"
"Do nothing. Do nothing, live your life, stop fighting and then, when the time is right, you and I shall draw out Klaus together and I shall make sure your friends remain unharmed."
"And then what?"
"Then I kill him."
Elijah said with such surety and a blank face that it startled Elena slightly.
"Just like that?"
"Just like that. I'm a man of my word, Elena. I make a deal, I keep a deal."
"How are you gonna be able to keep everybody safe?"
Elijah raised an eyebrow at that.
"I notice you have a friend; Bonnie, is it? She seems to possess the gift of magic. And then there's also your sister who helped you escape from me, Cherith Gilbert, right? Well I have friends with similar gifts."
"You know witches."
He nods.
"Together, we can protect everybody that matters to you. So, do we have a deal?"
Elena didn't bother to tell him that there was a high possibility that her sister wouldn't want to work with him, especially since she hated new people.
But there was still something she needed him to do. Something that no one had been able to help her with.
"I need you to do one more thing for me."
Elijah raised an eyebrow.
"We're negotiating now?"
Elena tilted her head slightly, a small and almost unnoticeable smirk on her face.
Tomb.
"Stefan!"
Cherith called out as soon as she entered the tomb.
"Get your butt out here!"
She stood at the entrance as Stefan walked out, holding a lamp and Katherine stood behind a bit warily.
She hadn't forgotten what the girl had done to her after all.
Stefan dropped the lamp and walked closer to her.
"Hey. I thought you'd given up or something, since it's been over 3 hours."
Cherith scoffed at that.
"I knew I wouldn't be getting any answers here, so I broke into those Martin people's house."
Stefan's face furrowed slightly.
"Martin?"
"Yeah. There's a warlock family in town and I sneaked into their home by the window and they had a bunch of grimoires! You should have seen them! Scattered all around the house."
"You broke into someone's house?"
Stefan looked at her slightly shocked but she waved it off.
"Not my first rodeo."
Katherine scoffed slightly at the back but the other two paid her no mind.
Stefan sighed before asking her another question.
"So, what did you find?"
"Well… since Bonita hadn't been forthcoming enough with information, I browsed through some of them. There were a couple of languages I didn't understand of course, but I came across a few written in Latin. My mother spoke Latin, according to my adoptive mum and dad. Ancient Latin to be precise, and so I used to learn it as well however I could. Basically, this thing is tied to the comet that passed a few months back. If I want to take it down, I need a power even more greater than that. So, I realized something…"
Her face suddenly became devious here.
"What if I draw power from the full moon itself?"
Stefan's eyebrows were raised at that.
"Draw power? How?"
She waved him off.
"You wouldn't understand. Anyways, get prepared to leave this hell hole. And you owe me after."
"Well finally… someone who at least has some juice in them."
Katherine smirked where she was and Cherith looked over at her with an amused look.
"Ow… who told you I'd be letting you go?"
Katherine glared at her at that as she stood straight.
"You think you'll stop me from leaving this place before your spell is up again?"
Cherith scoffed.
"I carry power, you vampire bitch. In my very veins. If I want to bend the very magic of the full moon to do my bidding how I see fit. I assure you… I will make sure of it."
She glared at Katherine before closing her eyes and raising her right hand where the invisible barrier was and she began breathing in and out.
Her magic began to react as the air in the tomb began to pick up and Stefan shifted back a bit.
Suddenly, the light of the full moon itself shone in the tomb, making it look like a million flashlights had been lit up in there and it was centered around Cherith, as if she was absorbing it.
And as it did, an aura began to light up around the edges of her body from her head to toe.
It was a reddish gold aura and as her hair billowed in the air that had picked up, the red aura brightened the more full moon magic she absorbed and It got brighter and surrounded her like flames, and in the middle of the flames, Stefan and Katherine watched as a two horned crown headpiece seemed to slowly come into existence on her head.
Suddenly, her crimson eyes opened as her right hand seemed to make contact with the invisible barrier and it shined into existence, a golden color.
Cherith then raised her left hand into the barrier for Stefan as a clear sign to take her hand, and as he did, she began drawing him out.
Katherine gasped and walked closer.
"Stefan! You can't let her leave me in here!"
She called out to him and as he turned to her, he gave her a small shrug.
"See you around, Katherine."
He was finally out of the tomb.
After so long.
He turned a thankful smile at Cherith before he paused as her hand was still on the barrier but its was apparently now loosing it's golden color.
The girl in front of him, if she could still be regarded as that, exuded so much magic that even just standing in close proximity to her made him want to look to her as a… goddess.
"Cherith?... Cherith I'm out…"
He moved to shake her shoulder slightly but her hand swiftly held it and as she said a word, warning bells immediately sounded in his head.
"Don't."
It was like as if 2 disembodied voices had said it. A deep male voice, and Cherith's voice.
A feeling settled in his stomach at the aura and suddenly, it was all gone, even up to the crown he'd spotted.
Cherith cleared her throat, blinking her eyes slightly before turning to Stefan and looking unconcerned.
"Cool. You still owe me though."
With a shit eating grin, she waved Katherine who looked like all her plans were over, and walked away.
"Hey, Cherith, wait up."
Stefan called out as they climbed up the stairs and she groaned slightly
"What now Stefanie?! I have somewhere to be at now."
He stood in front of her.
"Did you notice anything when you were drawing the full moon's power? Anything at all?"
Cherith frowned, tilting her head slightly.
"Uhm… not that I remember, no."
Stefan frowned, wondering if she was lying.
"You exuded a huge aura, Cherith. You even had some sort of two horned crown on your head! And your voice!"
"Look!"
Cherith stopped him, feeling irritated already.
"I don't know what you're talking about, okay? I have somewhere to be. See you around. Go surprise Elena or something."
She turned to walk off, slightly disgruntled as Stefan watched her go…
He still had this feeling.
Heck, her whole body still exuded the aura. It was powerful and drawing… but it made him wonder what was to come.
And that two horned crown.
Where had he seen it from?
Meanwhile…
Cherith walked a bit further away from Stefan before stopping and looking at her hands.
She knew her skin color, but now more than ever, they seemed to be the same color as the moon itself. A pale grey. Her whole body was.
Maybe she had absorbed too much power from the moon.
She could even feel it.
The power had been so much and so freeing… she would be the first to admit she had been greedy with it.
Honestly! It had been like… drinking water after 100 years of living in the sun.
But now was not the time to think on it.
She had go meet Tyler and Caroline. If only to make sure Tyler couldn't escape.
With that, she flew off into the skies.
She didn't realize how easier it was for her to do so… but she would… With time.
Elijah looked up in the forest as he heard a rather loud whoosh with his more sensitive ears and the red hair was a dead giveaway of just who was capable enough to actually fly.
"Fascinating…"
He said to himself, before continuing his walk to the tomb.
He needed to have a little talk with Katerina, and in order for him to do that, he had to have the spell on the tomb down and allow the Salvatore boy leave.
Martin and Luka just had to bring it down for him.
He just had to wait a while.
Town.
Bonnie and Luka are on a rooftop in town, candles around them which Bonnie was lighting up and Luka reading through a grimoire.
"You know…"
He started as he turned to Bonnie.
"This is good. This is really good. There's a clear view of the moon and it's private."
Bonnie grinned rather excitedly.
"If anyone looks out, they're gonna think we're insane!"
Luka grinned.
"Are we? So what is this mysterious talisman we're unbinding?"
Bonnie immediately brings out the moonstone which he takes in his hand, feigning disappointment.
"Oh, wow, a white rock. This is fascinating."
Sarcasm in his tone and Bonnie laughed.
"Hey! I know it doesn't look like much, but…"
She shrugged, not wanting to reveal as much as she already had.
It was better thus way anyways.
"What's it spelled with?"
He asked her as he looked at it and Bonnie keeps quiet, making him look up at her.
"Really? Help a girl out, she still keeps secrets."
"Sorry…"
She said with a slightly guilty expression and he grinned, as the stood in the middle of all the lit candles.
"I'm just teasing you. Come on, let's do this."
He puts the stone in her hand and settles his hands under hers.
They then close their eyes and start to chant.
The stone then rises up and explodes in a shower of sparks.
They open their eyes, both smiling and laughing in wonder as sparks rain down around them.
Lockwood Cellar.
Cherith puts on the torch of her phone as she slowly walks down the cellar and opens the steel door, walking through it.
She jumps slightly at the sound of Tyler's screams and runs in to see him already chained down in a pair of 3 quarters, Caroline holding into him.
Caroline looked up soon as she heard Cherith and relief clouds her slightly teary face.
"Cherry! You have to help him!"
She cried out as Cherith jogs over to them and crouches, laying her hand on Tyler who whimpers in pain.
"It hurts… It hurts so bad…"
He cries out and a feeling of sympathy settles in Cherith's stomach.
Tyler wasn't the type to ever admit to pain of any kind and here he was, crying out.
Caroline looked at Cherith.
"Can you like… help him heal?"
Cherith shook her head.
"Even if I do that, his bones are still gonna break again."
"AHHH!!"
He cries out and his eyes alternate between their original color and amber.
"I wish I could help… but he has to go through this on his own. What if I'm not always there and he doesn't learn how to endure the pain? It would be like starting all over again."
Cherith frowned and Caroline face was clouded with tears.
She always was the emotional one, and that was one of the things that made her a strong woman.
"Yo-you guys should leave…"
Tyler breathed out through the pain.
"I'm not sure I can…"
"Shh…"
Cherith told him as she patted his hand slightly, not really sure what to do but prepared in case shit hit the fan.
Maybe that was another advantage to having absorbed the full moon magic?
Something to think on.
"We're not leaving you Tyler."
Caroline told him strongly and Cherith turned to the blonde.
"Well… maybe you should, what with being a vampire?"
Caroline rewarded her with a stubborn look.
"No. I won't leave him."
Cherith sighed and looked back at the writhing boy on the floor.
She really wished she could help him.
Times like this, she wished people didn't expect a lot from her.
Without them even knowing it, they occasionally looked to her like she knew the universe's secrets.
She didn't.
But that didn't mean she wouldn't try to though.
"Hang on Dante… very soon…"
She whispered, a grim look on her face.
Mystic Grill.
"Where is she?"
Damon gritted out as he and Alaric walked out of the Grill that night, Damon seething.
"Just let it go, Damon. Don't be stupid."
Damon scoffed.
"So what? Just let her get away? 'You've been marked'. What the hell kind of wolf throw-down crap is that anyway?"
Alaric gritted his teeth and stopped Damon angrily.
"Damon, look up! Just look up!"
Damon sighed, looking up in the sky and he paused as he stared at the big and very full moon right before his eyes.
Alaric spoke up again once more.
"If this werewolf stuff is true, one bite and you're dead. One bite! Alright? Don't risk it. Just go home, lock your doors and we'll deal with it in the morning."
Damon seemed to have a battle in his head before he nodded albeit disgruntledly.
"Yeah."
Gilbert Residence.
Elena sits on her window seat, a sad look on her face as she stares out the window, hoping everyone was okay and Stefan was fine.
Suddenly, she jumps slightly as she spots Stefan's reflection on the window and she quickly turns around to see him standing by her doorway.
"Elena? Hey."
She wasted no time, running towards him they kiss.
"Hey!"
She grins up at him, relief in her eyes.
"That was fast…. I didn't expect Elijah to fulfill his side of the bargain so quickly."
Stefan paused at that, a small frown on his face.
"Elijah?"
"Yeah… he was the one who set you free."
Stefan shook his head.
"Uh, no. It was Cherith who did that."
Elena's eyes widened.
"What?"
Stefan smiles.
"Yes. And she did it with Katherine still being stuck in there."
Elena remained speechless.
She had thought her sister wouldn't have been able to get him out.
While she knew Cherith was quite powerful, Bonnie had explained the tomb spell away as using the power of a comet.
If Cherith had been able to over power that, just what was she capable of?
Maybe it was indeed time for her to start keeping a closer eye on her sister than she did.
Now was not the time though, as she reveled in the happiness of getting Stefan back, he carried her and laid her carefully on her bed and as their lips connected, she had no thought but Stefan.
Lockwood Cellar.
Tyler is still on the floor, laying quietly. His eyes are closed.
Caroline sits with him, holding him while Cherith paces around slightly, occasionally not noticing her skin taking the glow of the moon and her skin being the light in the room as no torch whatsoever was on.
"It's okay. You'll fight through it, okay?"
Caroline softly whispered to Tyler, her voice sounding rather soothing and Tyler's libs suddenly spasms, as more bones begin to break rapidly. He screams in pain as Caroline tries to soothe him and Cherith wondered if it was indeed time.
"Leave!"
He screams out but Caroline shook her head stubbornly.
"No."
"Just go, please!"
He sounded so much like he'd given up and Cherith walked over to Caroline, moving to hold her shoulder.
"We should leave…"
"No Cherith, not yet!"
She yanked her shoulder away from Cherith who breathes in air through her nose.
Now was not the time for Caroline to be stubborn.
"Just go!"
Tyler screamed out and Caroline stood up straight.
"I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere."
But all her morale bravado was all for nothing as he screams out again and this time, his eyes the yellow and his fangs are out.
"Time to leave?"
Cherith whispered to the vampire as she lit her hand and began moving backwards and Caroline followed her.
"Yep."
As they move to the door, he gets up and looks everywhere around him and his head snaps over to them as they close the cellar door and he rushes over to them, removing one of his chains.
Caroline sits on the cellars stairs, crying quietly at the sound of Tyler's painful screams and even Cherith who stood next to the door was shaken as he practically screamed himself hoarse.
As much as she used to have some animosity towards the boy a while back, she would never wish such a curse on him.
A tear fell from her right eye and landed on the floor beautifully like crystal water concentrated by the light of the moon.
Suddenly, it's quiet.
Cherith hastily cleaned the tear line and turned to Caroline who was also quiet, the only sound being Caroline's rapid breath in the cold night.
"Is it—"
Cherith put a finger to her lip and Caroline understood as the ruby haired girl turned to the cellar door, about to take a step closer.
As she raised a hand to give it a knock as it was way to quiet, a loud boom against the door startled the two girls, Caroline jumping on her feet as wolfy growls were heard and Tyler in his wolf form tries to beat down the door.
The door stood unbreakable though and Cherith grabs and props a wooden plank against it.
She then turns to Caroline.
"You should stay further away."
Caroline shook her head, a look of alarm on her face as Tyler continued using his body to hit the door.
"N-no! I'm not leaving you here!"
Cherith gave her a look.
"Look, we both know I'm stronger than you. Also, you're a vampire. Just a little nick and you're dead-dead. I have the ability to fly as well as the ability to hold him down and he would be helpless. Stay in the woods for now at least. We don't know if the door will actually hold!"
She moved back from it and Caroline looked indecisive.
"Just go!"
Cherith snaps at her, her eyes momentarily turning crimson gold and that seemed to snap Caroline slightly as she blurs out in that moment.
Cherith sighed as she moved away from the door, climbing a few steps up the stairs but making sure she was well balanced enough in case he ended up escaping.
As much as she was tired of all the dramas packing themselves up in such little time, she wasn't going to allow a werewolf free reign of the town of Mystic Falls.
No one would be able to stop him after all, and people would die.
Salvatore Boarding House.
Damon walks into the library, a glass of bourbon in his hand and his mind still on Jules when he spots Rose and he stifled a sigh, slight anger brewing in his head.
"You just can't stay away, can you?"
Rose sighs as she walks a bit closer to him.
"You don't answer your phone."
"What do you want?"
"I wanted to apologize."
"Just admit it, you don't have anywhere else to go."
He scoffs, gulping his drink in a go and putting the glass on a table.
"Look Damon, I'm sorry about Elena. I wasn't thinking straight. I didn't know that she had a death wish but I called you, I tried to make it right, okay? I'm sorry, Damon. And I have nowhere else to go."
Damon looked at her, slight betrayal in his eyes.
"There's nothing here for you, Rose."
Rose sighed, raising her hand slightly.
"Well, then—"
Before she could finish her sentence, they hear the sound of glass breaking in another part of the house.
Exchanging a look, they head into the living room to investigate.
As they walk in, a window shatters as a slightly wolf lunges into the living room and Damon immediately moves to grab a sword that was hanging on the wall and swings it out towards the wolf in his front.
As it lunges at him though, Rose pushes Damon out of the way, leaving her in it's trail as it jumps on her, pushing her on her back on the floor, and chomping down on her shoulder.
She lets out a startled and painful cry and Damon wastes no time stabbing the wolf with the sword.
It let's out a pained whine and the wolf flees the same way it came.
Damon throws the sword on the ground as soon as it fled and he crouches by Rose who's slowly sitting up.
"How bad is it?"
She looks over her shoulder where the bite was and she winces.
"It hurts."
Damon winces, slight guilt brewing in him but much to their confusion and right before their very eyes, the bite heals up and Damon's jaw dropped.
"It's healing."
Rose gasped slightly as it closed up and tears filled her eyes, her heartbeat banging in her chest.
"Oh my God, I thought a werewolf bite was fatal! I thought… I…"
She begins to cry, unable to contain her emotions and Damon hugs her, a look of relief on his face as well.
"You're gonna be okay."
Tomb.
Katherine sits by the entrance of the tomb, anger and frustration brimming in her.
Her chance to escape the tomb had been thwarted by a 16 year old brat.
A 16 year old powerful brat, that is… she disgruntledly agreed.
The girl had a lot of powers, there was no doubt about that. Even her little demonstration of apparently drawing power in from the full moon had told her that.
The sound of footsteps made her look up as she idly wondered who had come down to see her.
After all, Stefan wasn't stuck in here anymore.
"Who's there?"
She called out slightly and the figure walked over to her, and as she saw who it was, her self preservation kicked in as she scrambled to her feet, moving slightly away and Elijah smirked.
"Hello Katerina. Very surprising to see you still in here."
Katherine gulped down, fear taking over her entire body as she felt herself shake slightly and Elijah smiled.
"I'd have thought you would be far away from the town immediately after you got your freedom."
"I'm stuck here."
She shakily answered him.
He tilted his head.
"Are you sure about that?"
He took a step into the cave and Katherine let out a shaky gasp as she moved back and to her surprise, he walked back out and he smiled.
"The spell on the tomb as been down for quite a while. Very odd, don't you think?"
Katherine's mouth fell slightly as she slowly walked towards the entrance but not too close to the original as well.
"But…"
"And I don't see the other Salvatore here, nor do I hear his heartbeat. So, tell me… how is this possible?"
He looked her in the eyes and Katherine gulped slightly before answering.
"Cherith Gilbert. She… she helped him out."
"Oh? And how did she manage that?"
He inquired, now even more curious and wanting to know how powerful she was as well as what she was capable of.
"She drew her power from the full moon and overpowered the tomb spell."
"Fascinating…"
Elijah muttered, curiosity in his eyes.
"And you were left here?"
"She said I would be stuck here."
Elijah smirked.
"Funny thing, you see… the lovely lady Elena had bargained for Stefan's release from here and I had obliged due to a bargain we struck."
Katherine looked at him, eyes narrowed at that.
"Imagine my surprise, when my warlocks came here with me to let down the spell also using the power of the full moon and they tell me it is already down. She must have drawn too much power from the full moon. She might not even know just what she's capable of. So you could have escaped this place a while ago."
Katherine swallowed, looking shifty eyed and her eyes moved to the entrance of the tomb.
As she tried to blur out though, Elijah blurred right in front of her and held eye contact with her.
"Ah, not so fast Katerina. You should not exit until I say so. When Klaus comes, he'll want to know exactly where you are."
He compelled her and Katherine's found her freedom was getting further and further away from her.
"Besides…"
He gives her a mocking smile.
"I will be telling them to raise up the spell once more once I leave here. Do enjoy your wonderful night Katerina."
He gives her a nod and walks out, ignoring as she falls to the ground.
The youngest Gilbert was hard to hold an audience with, but perhaps, there would soon be an opening for him.
From what he had seen and heard, she was a very powerful one. And if the myths were right, she would become even more powerful than she presently was.
Something to be exalted yet something to be feared.
She could be just the person to help him against his brother.
Niklaus.
It was time for him and the lovely Miss Gilbert to be formally introduced.
Cellar.
It had been over some hours now and Cherith was now seated on the staircase, the cellar quiet and she hadn't heard a sound for a long time and she wondered if it was finally over.
She turned behind her as soon as she heard someone approach and Caroline walked over.
"Hey… is it, over?"
She hesitantly asked the ruby haired who stood up, dusting her clothes.
"Time has passed. It should be over now I guess. Let's go check it out."
Caroline nodded as they slowly walked down to the door.
"By the way Cherry, Damon called. Rose was bitten by a werewolf. It seems that lady was one."
Cherith wrinkled her nose in confusion as she removed the wood from the door and slowly opened it.
"Rose? Who the fuck is rose?"
Caroline scoffed slightly as they opened the door as quietly as they could.
"You really need to start listening to the conversations going on around you."
Cherith waved her off as they walked in.
"I only listen when it matters to me… oh look, naked wolf boy."
They spotted a knocked out and very naked Tyler and Caroline quickly blurred over to him, crouching by his side.
"Tyler?"
She called out slightly as Cherith walked over to grab his jacket and lay it on his waist to cover him up and he stirred slightly.
"Hey dude…"
Cherith greeted him as he opened his eyes.
"You're okay. You made it. You didn't get out. You're okay."
Caroline tried to make him feel better but he broke down instead, shaking his head.
"No… I'm not."
Caroline bites her lips, pity in her eyes as she embraces him, exchanging a look with Cherith.
He really wasn't okay.
And it truly wasn't over.
Hi guys!So that happened...The next chapter sure will be something else...Stefan seems to think there is something about Cherith's powers... Do you think he'd be the first of the gang to find out?And Tyler has gone through his first transformation too... The poor guy.As much of an ass he was in season 1, I wouldn't wish such a curse on him.And I think it's time we bring Elena up to speed with Cherith's university application... Wonder how she'll react, lol...As for Elijah and Cherith... They'll definitely meet in the next chapter... How fascinating would that be...Already recovering from my sickness and even though I'm not all that there yet, I'm definitely better than before!Hope you all look forward to the next chapter!I Purple You!!!!