Author Note: Aaandddd we're right back into the action! Enjoy!
The shield spell she had in place was starting to weaken with the multiple forces hitting her at once. Bonnie didn't want to hurt them, but Kai wasn't helping the situation much. He was much too occupied with satisfying his killing tooth by attacking the enemy. Joseph, coward that he was, stood back from the fray and allowed for the others to fight on his behalf.
"Phasmatos Somnus," Bonnie shouted, throwing the spell out in a general direction, hoping that she hit some proper targets to alleviate the pressure against her. Immediately, the heat around her lessened, but she could still see fireballs and weapons bouncing off of the translucent barrier that surrounded her. Taking the small respite, nonetheless, her gaze roamed over the sights before her until they landed on a group of Kai's followers. Their auras were clear and not tinged by the blue hue. A group of seven now sound asleep, bodies strewn about the ground.
Before she could perform the incantation on another cluster, she was hit with a large blast of energy that completely shattered her shield and knocked her sideways, directly into Kai. The pair collided and skidded several feet before falling in an entangled heap.
Her fellow hybrid quickly pushed her off of him, throwing up a protection spell around his body. Piercing her with a gaze of pure animosity, he stood to dust himself off. "You completely threw me off my next move. I was aiming for a triple simultaneous decapitation." His mood was akin to a petulant child who wasn't permitted to do what he wanted.
For her part, Bonnie didn't miss a beat after crashing into Kai and put the large group - that had managed to hit her - to sleep. Another ten down for the count. But she needed a better course of action than this. Putting them to sleep was a temporary solution. They wouldn't be out long and in the duration that they were out, they were completely defenseless.
"In case you hadn't noticed, your cavalry has arrived and they're not in the loop on the current plan or who the common enemy is," she shouted over the witches' chanting.
One of the dissenters screamed a familiar spell, one of hers. It was the one she'd taught Kai...to pull tree roots from the ground as a weapon. Affronted, Bonnie took a magical hold of the roots that had shredded through the earth to encompass her. Grimacing, she pushed the tendrils back down as they reversed course and doubled back towards the caster. The tubers shot up underneath the woman and pierced her and her companion. Their deaths were quick, almost merciful.
"Kai," she barked, "we need to get back inside."
He didn't get a chance to utter a reply before the two of them went flying through the air. Bonnie tried to reorient herself, but the force pulling her was incredibly strong. Before she even understood what had happened, the duo landed hard against the wood floor of the Mikaelson manor. Freya and Liv quickly went to work putting up a spell against the front door. It wouldn't last, but it would provide for a temporary reprieve.
Bonnie immediately jumped to her feet, swiping at her clothes and eyeing Freya, who had brought them to safety. "Thanks, it was getting hairy out there and this one seems to have forgotten that he's supposed to be alerting his people that I'm not the enemy, not playing whack-a-mole with Joseph's followers."
"I was busy," Kai shrugged and she couldn't even bring herself to be hurt at the moment. This behavior was becoming par for the course and she had a lot more to worry about.
They looked to regroup, but was alerted to a larger commotion going on outside. Beyond Liv and Freya's translucent blockade spell, iIt seemed that Kai's people were finally understanding what they'd walked into. Joseph's followers ran up to the triple digits. The audacious numbers told Bonnie that no matter what the outcome, things were going to come to a head tonight.
The younger, more inexperienced group of Kai's coven was severely outnumbered, especially with so many of them having been put to sleep, and they were starting to realize they were in over their heads. The ones still conscious backed into each other, forming an outward-facing circle of protection.
Joseph laughed cruelly as he summoned several of his own to attack. This was ideal for him; taking two birds out with one stone. He could destroy that abomination and those that were loyal to the Gemini leader.
One of Kai's members in the circle tried to rally her peers, shouting instructions that snapped the majority out of their state of perpetual fear. Organizing themselves, many called a simultaneous incantation to put up a shield around the entirety of their cluster. Bonnie was relieved to see that it appeared strong enough to stave off Joseph's minions' spells, but it wouldn't last long.
The enemy leader seemed to sense her eyes on him and turned to give a dark and twisted smile. One that rivaled Kai's, full of terror and a promise of ultimate destruction. Gaze never breaking, he lifted his left arm dramatically and pointed his palm upward. His lips moving without noise, Bonnie couldn't make out the Latin, but was alerted soon enough of his intention. Horror set in as a small group of four sleepers immediately became engulfed in flames. They were completely incinerated before she could even think of throwing out a counterspell.
"Fuck," Bonnie rasped with dread, casting shelter charms over as many of the unconscious ones as she could. Her guilt manifested as a gaping wound in her chest. She'd put them to sleep and had left them helpless. They were babies...she'd recognized a couple of the bodies before they'd burned. They couldn't have been more than nineteen. "Kai, he's going to decimate your clan." She knew without even looking at him that he felt nothing, so she had to realign her tactics. "Your empire is going to dwindle to nothing if you don't help me protect them."
This did the trick. Kai seemed to jolt into action, marching up to the doorway and placing his hands just outside of the threshold. "Manifestum torrens igneus," he shouted loudly as smoke began to billow from where his palms met the stone. The terrain rumbled, starting as a faint tremble and quickly escalating to a localized earthquake. Screams permeated the evening air when molten earth poured through cracks that appeared in the ground. Those who stood closest to Kai's protected circle were taken down by a creek of lava, reducing them to little more than charred bits. Joseph bellowed in outrage, infuriated at losing members of his team. In retaliation, he shouted orders to direct all firepower to the Gemini-shielded group.
Bonnie had never seen anything like it. The concentrated magic looked like it was melting the barrier. She diverted some of her energy to resolidify the protective cover, but she hadn't been quick enough. A hole had materialized, allowing some of the hits to land. Three within the circle dropped to the ground in heaps, showing no signs of life. The rage within her was searing, igniting her fingertips.
"Espirimus Paratis," she growled, cleanly snapping the necks of the duo that had killed the innocents. She chanced a look over to Kai, who continued to bring down people as well. This wasn't sustainable. Joseph had so many followers and it was getting increasingly difficult to divert her magic between protecting those who were asleep and the live ones trapped in the center of the carnage. Even with Freya and Liv helping by throwing out their own attacks, they were in a perilous situation. "We can't fight this aashole and protect the others at the same time. We have to redirect their attention, so you can get your people out of here."
He was reluctant to agree with her, but knew that Bonnie was right. "If you directly attack Joseph, it should put the focus on you. And then we need to figure out how to draw them forward. If we can get a clear space, it'll let me teleport my people out of here."
"Lucky for you guys, I am great at people-herding," Damon piped up as he joined the group. "Trust me when I tell you they're not bothering with the back," he added in response to Bonnie's chastising glare. "Your whole 'safety Mikaelson fortress' plan has died, Witchy."
"Damon's right." Stefan frowned at his brother's smug look, but continued on. "There's no use in us trying to make the fight come to us. Caroline, Damon, and I can do what you need. We have super speed, so it's likely we can create some damage without getting hit." He talked about the potential danger as though it was nothing, like there weren't dozens of witches waiting to burn them alive.
The darker haired vampire smirked at his brother before childishly rubbing his hands together. "Finally, some fun."
Kai seemed mildly impressed by Damon's attitude and smiled in like, which Bonnie would have found revolting were she not completely focused on shielding as many people as possible. "Someone needs to take over my protection spells, so I can aim an attack at Joseph." She turned to Liv and Freya. "Best for the witches to stay inside. We're going to need to be able to cast spells with less chances of being attacked." Another turn to her vampire friends. "And to better be able to help you guys."
She pretended not to notice Caroline's hand reaching to grab Stefan's. If she acknowledged her friend's apprehension, it would weaken her resolve. Shaking her head of the remorse that threatened to overtake her senses, she mentally steeled herself.
Liv shuffled forward to take over the safeguarding of her coven members. Freya wove in her own magic, while redirecting some of her power into offensive spells. She created frenzied pandemonium, which was just what Bonnie needed.
"Okay," the hybrid continued with a sigh, squaring her chest in preparation. "Time to pull out a big one." Shaking out her wrists, she offered a smile to Caroline. "Wait for me to cast it before you do anything." Spinning, she stepped up until her body was dead-center in the doorframe. She had to make a big spectacle to put the attention onto her. The spell didn't need to land, necessarily, but it needed to cause major concern for Joseph's safety. "Avitus spiritum, iuvo." She called to her Bennett ancestors, asking them to allow her access to the family legacy. Above the manor, in the sky, the clouds started to congregate at the spot above Joseph's head. Internally, she nudged her familial line to add in some more theatrics. In response, the airspace darkened, casting an ominous aura over the grounds. Taking a deep breath, Bonnie closed her eyes and tugged at the magic within her. "Avitus spiritum, iuvo. Phasmatos vertex."
The wind began to pick up, a major draft that bit at all who stood on the front courtyard of the manor. With the exception of Bonnie, Liv, and Freya, all magic came to a stand still, Joseph's followers fretting and trying to gauge what was coming. This freed up Freya to fully assist Liv and further strengthen the wards surrounding Kai's people.
"Phasmatos vertex," Bonnie bellowed again, thrusting her hands forcibly at the sky. The gale was phrenetic at this point, kicking up debris and causing some of the Gemini traitors to cast their own protection charms. Several huddled around Joseph, but Freya was faster and quickly tossed them away from him. Bonnie took the momentary respite before throwing her complete weight into the incantation. A whirlwind formed above the enemy leader's head, manifesting into a sharp-pointed tornado. The tip thrust downward as though trying to stab through Joseph.
Bonnie watched as he threw his arms above his head, inciting his own buffer and pushing back against the tempest. He was strong, she'd be stupid not to admit that. But she didn't need to kill him at the moment. Taking in a deep breath to calm herself, she flicked her palms upward.
"Avitus spiritum, iuvo." She focused on the persistent thrum of her ancestral line, allowing it to nourish her body, which was weakening from the major exertion. Manipulating weather was already draining enough, but to keep it so tightly concentrated was almost debilitating. Storms were, by definition, supposed to be erratic and unstable. She was forcing it to go against its very nature.
The tornado shuddered violently and then expanded upwards and outwards. Initially a small instance meant for one man, it now loomed mightily over a large chunk of the group. She allowed for the gusts to uproot several trees, sending them flying directly towards Joseph's head. This time, when his followers attempted to run to him and protect him, there were no obstacles in their way. Which was unfortunate for them as branches broke off and killed a number of them instantly.
Freya and Liv remained focused on fortifying the bubble that surrounded the innocents. While Bonnie was able to, mostly, keep control over what would be hit by the destruction, the young Gemini members were dead center of the chaos, so they had to reinforce against the weather elements as well.
Bonnie shifted her gaze momentarily to the person closest to her, who happened to be Kai, and was startled to see that he was studying her. His expression was unreadable, but she thought she might have detected a bit of admiration. She shoved that thought aside and nodded curtly, indicating that they needed to move quickly to the next step. She wasn't going to be able to keep this up much longer. He looked like he wanted to say something, but thought better of it and bobbed his head in kind. He turned to the Mystic Falls trio and offered a toothy smile. "Okay, Vampys, do your thing."
Caroline looked to protest, but Stefan just nudged her forward; there was no time for that. With a quick blur, the three rushed past Bonnie. The vampire couple barreled to the area behind the fray, bodies so agile that they weren't even noticed at first. Methodically, and with a blisteringly impressive pace, they moved through the back line, killing with precision and efficiency. The plan was to drive the witches forward and it was working. Many of Joseph's clan had spun around to face the two, throwing spells in attempts to stall, but were ill-equipped for the super-speed.
With all the tumult, Damon was able to rush in alarmingly close to the front edge of the group, the rebels weaving together more tightly with every attack from Caroline and Stefan. The scene was set in an almost donut shape: Kai's group in the center with the adversaries surrounding them. The tornado hovered above Joseph, bringing down nature's might onto those who tried to cover him.
Three witches were standing with their backs to Damon, so focused on helping Joseph keep up the shield against the tornado. With barely any effort, his fingers pierced through their spines and yanked their hearts clean out. The third didn't even have time to blink before the vampire snapped his neck.
The cyclone's force bore down harder and, without the assistance, he was literally being brought to his knees. "Destroy the Bennett witch," Joseph shouted above the cacophony of noise. "Stop the storm." Those that heard him changed tactics and spun to converge on the manor. A number stayed behind to protect their leader from the three vampires with almost limitless strength and speed. It was pure mayhem, which made the moment perfect for the next step.
Freya turned to Kai. "I'm going to relinquish my hold on them, so you can get them the fuck out of here."
Before they could begin the countdown, Bonnie shouted for his attention. Her fellow hybrid turned to regard her with mild interest. "You need to come back, Kai. We can't finish this without you."
A villainous smile touched his lips and he shot her a thumbs up. "Wouldn't dream of letting you have all the fun. Joseph is mine to put into the ground. You're not nearly creative enough in your kills." With that, he indicated for Freya to drop the spell and sprinted into action. He leapt high into the air before landing on top of the safety bubble that surrounded his people. All of them were petrified, not powerful enough to do more than try to keep the barricade around them intact. The relief at seeing their leader was so palpable that Bonnie could almost feel it from where she stood.
Kai placed his hands against the translucent barrier, both to use it as a conduit and to keep himself rooted in place. His jacket billowed upward like a parachute as he muttered a quick incantation. He fed energy into the shell, squeezing his palms together and causing the magic to expel outward. Those that were closest immediately flew back, clearing the Gemini by several yards.
Liv pulled back her hold as well, knowing that her brother would be able to control and defend the main group. She helped Freya to move the unconscious members as far back to the edge of the grounds as possible. Each person was shrouded in enchantments before they magically floated them to the designated area. Were the situation not so dire, it would almost have been comical seeing floating "cocoons" while a stationary tornado bobbed and twirled in its target area.
Joseph's followers were at a loss, overwhelmed and unsure of who to attack: the vampires killing them by the dozen, the abomination of a leader, the two powerful witches, or the powerful hybrid who was currently aided by her ancestral line.
"Let him take them. We do not care about those traitors." The older man was incensed, enraged at having lost so many of his own. His situation was precarious, yet he did not back down. "The strongest will focus on the Bennett hybrid," he called to his elite commanders. "The rest...keep up the shields." Forming a straight line facing Bonnie, he and fifteen others raised their palms to the heavens and began a simultaneous chant.
The three witches were trying to make out the Latin, but it was difficult to discern over the noise. If she could hazard a guess, based on the tremble throughout the manor, she'd say they were trying to take down the building itself. It was smart on their part. Instead of working through the magic surrounding it, they could simply destroy the physical structure altogether.
Kai had already started to teleport groups of his followers out, disappearing and reappearing at the gated entrance. Comfort flooded through her at having one less thing to worry about. Even with the ancestors in her corner, the effort was wearing her body down significantly.
The Mystic Falls trio was having a tougher time. The barricade charm was rendering them ineffective. The hybrid's brain whirred to life, trying to gauge the best course of action. "I need you guys to hold up the manor for as long as possible. Keep this as a stronghold, just in case shit goes further south." She directed her words to the two witches with her. "I'm going to drop the tornado and try to break through Joseph's safeguards and help the vampires." Her words were stunted, breathless.
They nodded in agreement to her plan. Liv rushed over to the table and set up the gold bowl in the center while pulling at the ingredients she'd gathered before. She met Freya's gaze. "I'm not as powerful as you, so I think we should blend our magic together and to create a binding spell that will weave through the building and keep it intact. If we use blood protection, it should also help to temporarily strengthen the barrier." An athame sliced through her palm and she forced the crimson liquid out of the cut. The Mikaelson witch joined her and did the same.
Bonnie put attention back to her task. The second she released the tornado, spells would be flying everywhere and she needed to remain as centered as possible in order to be of use. Sucking in a long, deep breath, she surrendered possession of the storm, which quickly dissipated to nothing more than wisps in the ether.
She barely had enough time to blink before everything went completely sideways. With the exception of those who continued to cover Joseph and his elite, the other witches were free to attack. Caroline was the first one hit, an energy blast straight to her chest that sent her careening backwards into a large tree. The weight of her body shook the branches, causing detritus to rain down on her. The blonde got up slowly, taking a moment to heal.
In a blind rage, Stefan had the witches' hyoids crushed before they could even try another spell. He raced over to his girlfriend and blurred her away as another burst of fire shot towards the now empty space.
Damon had a bit more luck and was able to snap several necks before a pain-affliction spell hit him square in the chest. Luckily, Bonnie had anticipated the attack and quickly countered to undo the effects. Needing to preserve the energy she had left, she covered all three with a temporary injury-prevention spell. It would last forty-five minutes, max, but she had to hope it would be enough.
Behind her, Bonnie could feel the joint Mikaelson/Parker sorcery start to permeate the molecules of the manor. It was as though she was covered with a warmth that felt safe, encompassing. "Any chance you can have this loop out onto the front of the manor?" she tossed over her shoulder. "I can't get the full view of the courtyard from the doorway."
"As long as you stay within five feet of the door," Freya said firmly. "I need to keep the area as concentrated as possible to hold this place up."
"Five feet is all I need," the hybrid replied, throwing herself across the threshold. Taking a risky, but necessary, moment to evaluate the surroundings, she noted that the sun had begun to set. Her brain was surprised that almost a full day had passed, but the strain on her body confirmed this to be true. The enchantments on her friends...and Damon...seemed to be holding, much to her relief. Hexes bounced off of them with little more than a sizzle.
Consolidating all she had left within her, Bonnie bore down onto the "elite" team. Arms at her sides with her palms facing them, she called to her ascendants, begging them to give her just a little bit more. "Spiritibus, adiuva me." Her pleas did not fall on deaf ears. The Bennett spirit joined her, intertwining with her own essence, flooding her from the inside out. The connection was weaker than before, the tornado having depleted her stores, but it should be enough for this. "Frango tutela." She repeated the mantra over and over, providing a cadence as the magic flowed through her fingertips and expanded upward and outward until it was able to coat the barrier surrounding Joseph. Her curse should act as a corrosive substance that would burn through the shell. But executing it was proving to be difficult as she had to fight through the layers of so many witches. Still, she didn't relent, even as the blood rushed painfully to her temples. At least they hadn't noticed what she'd done yet, so she had luck on her side.
An uprooted tree crashed directly in front of her, bouncing off of Freya and Liv's combined efforts. The earth shook, causing Bonnie to stagger, but she never lost focus. She pressed down harder against the shields, her anger fueling her and providing an added burst. Those charged with keeping up the bubble became aware of her spell and were straining against the hybrid, allowing cracks to form. Smiling darkly, her chest heaved in triumph; she was chipping through it.
So fixated on destroying their barrier, she didn't notice the commotion at first. An explosion triggered mere feet from a load of rebels. A smattering of them were blown to bits in the blast.
Bonnie let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.
Kai was back.