Chapter Twenty-Five
The Second Battle of Auxor
Auxor Castle
Southern France
October 2010
The jagged tree limb shot across the field and straight into Kol's heart.
Barely missing a beat, he ripped it out and tossed it aside with a rasping gasp. He snarled at his opponent.
"Ready to surrender?" she called to him.
"You wish," he retorted before charging across the field. "I'm just warming up."
Right as his hands were about to close around her, he was hit with a shock of vertigo. He wagged his head to shake the feeling off; when he looked up, she had shifted him forty feet away. He dropped his fangs and made his way back to her at human speed. They began circling each other, the witch's amethyst eyes twinkling with delight.
"-see how Mariko is taking her time wearing him out? She is masterful at this. She's immortal but not a vampire, and therefore does not possess superspeed and strength. She has found many creative solutions to this supposed weakness," Elijah explained to Klaus' hybrids and some of the French witches as they observed the fight.
Kol charged Mariko again, but this time, she flew into the air. Elijah smiled.
"As you see," he said lightly.
Below ground, Kol pointed up at Mariko and then spun on his heel. A second later, he ran up a tree with so much force, he was propelled upwards. He managed to twist midair and grab his opponent's lower body and drag her back to the ground. As they rolled around in the grass, Mariko pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the side. He bit down into her throat. Their audience murmured in alarm, but Elijah merely looked bored.
"A little finesse never hurt anyone," he muttered in annoyance.
"Riko? Kol? What are they doing?!" Bonnie exclaimed, walking down from the castle. "Is he biting her?!"
Elijah turned to the young witch. "Miss Bennett, there is no need to fret; they are only sparring."
Bonnie's mouth fell open as she watched them tumble. "Caroline sent me down for practice... Even though I'm staying in the castle during the battle, she wants me to be prepared for anything."
"Wise," Elijah said with a nod of approval. "Enough!"
Kol released his grip on Mariko. In kind, she pulled her knife out of his torso. They both turned towards Elijah and Bonnie.
"Why don't you take a break, Mariko?" Elijah suggested. "Let Bonnie get some training in - all you two were doing was showing off, anyway."
Kol wiped the blood off his mouth and smirked at his new opponent. "It would be my pleasure to show you my moves, darling." He held out his hand.
Bonnie scoffed. "You wish."
But she stepped forward to take his hand.
A few short hours later, Qetsiyah and the Five were preparing dinner around the campfire when one of their wards was set off. The Hunters all made for their weapons as Esther stepped out of the tree line surrounding the clearing with her arms raised.
"We need to talk," she said curtly.
Qetsiyah motioned for her warriors to stand down and then beckoned the Original Witch forward. Esther spotted Stefan tied to a tree, unconscious, but did not comment.
"What do you want, Esther?" Qetsiyah drawled, lowering herself into a seat.
Esther's expression was set in stone. "Silas stole the Cure."
"Stole it back, you mean. How very like him," the Traveler said without a hint of surprise. "How upsetting for you."
The Original Witch glowered at her as she studied the woman's lack of reaction. "You knew. You knew, didn't you? You were playing us, using me to get what you wanted."
Qetsiyah smirked. "I knew as soon as I saw it it was a fake. I made the Cure; I'd recognize my own elixir."
Esther turned red. "We had a deal."
"Ah, yes. A deal in which we found Amara, I helped you retrieve Finn, and you helped me retrieve the doppelgänger and the new hunter. I did not break our bargain. Honestly, I'm a tad disappointed you didn't question my motives, Esther - why would I ever let you and Mikael use my Cure for your problems? It was meant for Silas and Silas alone."
"You said you could make another for him!"
"Of course I can make it again. I worried I might have to, that perhaps Riko d'Ebanne had it. But I realized the truth when I arrived here - Silas drank it ages ago. He tricked you, probably used mind control to take it and make you forget the whole thing. It's a specialty of his."
"So, make it again - for me to use on my children. You owe me, Qetsiyah."
Qetsiyah curled her lip in distaste as she stood. "Do I look like an apothecary? I owe you nothing! You're the one who nearly destroyed everything!"
A bolt of lightning split across the clear sky, quickly followed by a crack of thunder. The Traveler's eyes burnt red for one short moment; Esther took a step back.
Qetsiyah snapped her fingers at Galen then gestured to a blue cooler. He jumped up, opened it, and handed a small object to his master. She showed it to her rival.
Esther gasped. "Is that-?"
"I forgot to mention I already had more of the Cure. It was taken straight from the vein a few days ago. Remember this, Esther: I am always three steps ahead of everyone."
Esther made to reach for the blood bag yet before she could come near, Qetsiyah ripped it open and poured the remaining liquid onto the forest floor. "Oops. Did you need that?"
"You bitch!" Esther cried in fury as she watched her hope turn to mud.
Qetsiyah held a hand to her heart in mock hurt. "There's no need for name-calling. I promised Caroline I would not give you this blood, and I am a woman of my word. Besides, there's plenty more where that came from - Riko d'Ebanne has been drawing buckets of blood from Silas for the past week. You'll find it easily in the dungeons. But after you and your husband battle your children, I want you gone. I will not stand for any interference with my plans. Silas is mortal and vulnerable, and when he finds his precious Amara... " A savage smile darkened her features. "I can die at peace."
"Good riddance."
"They are opening the barriers at dawn. They fight to the death."
Esther looked at her in suspicion. "Why are you telling me all this? I thought you owed me nothing?"
"My patience grows thin. Your problem is in my way," ordered Qetsiyah. "If you find the witch called Verenice d'Ebanne, she will be more than happy to welcome vampires into her home to allow you access to the blood bags. I planted a glitch in her brain. That is a specialty of mine."
The Original Witch nodded her head rigidly before disappearing into the darkness.
"Good luck, honey!" Qetsiyah called after her in a syrupy voice. When she turned around, her hunters were all staring at her.
"What? She is definitely going to need it."
Finn watched as his mother nearly stomped back into their camp, her face red with fury.
"Have you created the last of the daylight amulets?" she snapped at one of the witches.
"Nearly," the witch began.
"It needs to be done by dawn," Esther interrupted rudely.
Mikael crossed to his wife. "What did she say?"
"The coven is opening the wards at daybreak. She confirmed Silas stole the Cure from us and drank it already. Riko d'Ebanne has been extracting his blood for days – I know this because Qetsiyah pulled out a bag of his blood and destroyed it in front of my face," she snarled. "Finn! You need to find those blood bags as soon as we reach the castle."
Finn nodded dully and Esther walked away to inspect the daylight jewelry her witches had made for Mikael's vampires.
In her distraction, the witch did not notice her husband steal the White Oak Stake from her affects and replace it with a regular stake. Finn noticed, but he did say anything. He'd help his mother as much as he could, but he did not care about the Cure. After spending 900 years in a box, he was ready for the true death.
"I had wished to bring you to a remote island for our honeymoon, my one," Pacari said mournfully as he stepped out of the bathroom, fresh from a shower.
Rebekah shook her head tiredly and reached behind her to offer a hand to her husband. She was standing in front of the window, staring out at the silent grounds, wearing a silk robe and nothing else. Pacari quickly crossed the length of the room to run his fingers down her arm and lower his mouth to her ear.
"But I suppose being cloistered in a medieval castle in the South of France isn't a bad deal, either," he whispered.
She shivered and turned towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing a soft kiss into his bare shoulder. His scent of soap and man filled her nostrils.
"No talking, Ari," she instructed as she slid her robe off, grabbed his pajama pants, and lowered them to the ground, kneeling as she pulled them down. From her position below him, her eyes caressed every inch of his skin. Her hands explored his hardened calves and muscular thighs, teasingly passing over more sensitive areas. She leaned forward and placed an open-mouthed kiss on his inner thigh. He sucked in a breath but did nothing except grab a fistful of her luxurious hair.
She continued her ministrations. Her nails ran gently from his backside to his ankles. His obvious arousal was in her face, but she ignored it. Instead, she began kissing the area around his genitalia without actually touching it. Above, below, to the side. Blood pounded through his veins. She took him by surprise when she grabbed his hand and tugged, forcing him to join her in the floor. He rolled them over until his body was pressing into hers. He leaned up on one elbow while his other hand traced down her stomach. Her eyes rolled back as he ran his fingers down her slick folds before massaging her nub. She clutched him to her desperately as he applied more pressure.
"Bekah," he said softly. "Look at me."
She opened her eyes and stared into his dark gaze. His pressed his thumb down in the exact spot he knew would drive her crazy. She gasped. He leaned down and kissed her, biting down on her lower lip and then opening his mouth to her. She moaned into him as his hand continued pleasuring her. As she reached her climax, she broke away in pants, but he was not done with her. His lips were demanding as he kissed her again, unyielding, his fingers coiling around her forcefully. He swallowed her moans of ecstasy as she found her release, her body tensing, shaking, and finally going limp after several stretched out moments. He slid down her body, kissing her flushed flesh as he went. When he reached the apex of her thighs, he blew on her gently and watched as she spasmed. He bit down into her pale skin, his arousal growing as he tasted her sweet blood.
Suddenly, he was flat on the ground with her creamy thighs straddling him. Her blood dripped from his mouth and onto his chin and she licked it away before sinking down on his tip and quickly pulling up. He rose off the ground slightly to take her breasts in his hands, running his thumbs over her hardened nipples. She lowered herself again, this time fully engulfing him in her warm, soaking folds. His body responded instinctually, thrusting up into her. As their pacing became more erratic, Pacari wrapped his arms around his wife's lithe body and pulled her to the floor. They lay side by side, watching each other's faces, twisting their limbs together, and frantically trying to get closer, closer with each thrust. Rebekah's inner muscles clenched around him and she latched her mouth on his neck, her fangs sinking into his brown flesh. She erupted into shivers as she reached her breaking point, and Pacari bit her left breast, drinking deeply. Her body tensed with pleasure as her orgasm rocketed through her. Her waves sent him spiraling into his own release as he pumped into her wildly.
After their bodies had calmed down several minutes later, Pacari gazed down at their entwined limbs, wrapped around each other, sweat glistening on their skin and blood everywhere. He was still inside Rebekah. She was curled up into his side, breathing softly.
"I love you," he whispered, knowing it was not enough to describe his feelings for her. "We've only just reunited. What…"
Her hand snaked up and she pressed her fingers against his lips. "Hush."
Elena admired the night sky from her perch in the window seat, an afghan wrapped around her shoulders. She had never seen so many stars in the sky – Mystic Falls always had too much light pollution from D.C. and Richmond. She wondered if the coven protected their lands from light pollution; they certainly seemed powerful enough.
She glanced at Bonnie asleep in her bed across the darkened room. Her best friend had tried her best to explain the castle and coven to her, but her knowledge was limited, as she had been sequestered away at Caroline's supernatural school in the Himalayas for weeks. It was becoming blatantly obvious to Elena that her oldest friend would not be coming back to Mystic Falls when this was all over. It was a heartbreaking thought, but they probably would have been going to different colleges after high school, anyway. Bonnie had always followed her own path, and for that, Elena was proud of her. It didn't mean she wouldn't miss her like crazy.
As was becoming the norm these days, her thoughts wandered to Damon as she speculated if he had ever been to Tibet. She recognized the betrayal of her own mind. For the second time in a two-month span, Stefan was being held against his will. Now Qetsiyah was threatening to kill him if they did anything to Silas. She was worried sick about Jeremy, but at least he wasn't being threatened by Qetsiyah. She supposed it was a small comfort that Stefan and Jeremy were together.
At the wedding the night before, she and Damon had come close to laying it all out there.
"Damon," she said softly, ignoring the twinkling lights on the trees, the star-strewn night sky reflected in the river, and the party ashore. "I need to tell you -"
His striking eyes softened, but he shook his head determinedly. "No, Elena. Don't say anything. It won't mean anything now."
She shook her head and blinked away her tears. "But -"
"You know how I feel, and I think I'm starting to understand how you do. But not when we don't know what tomorrow will bring. Check in with me again when death isn't hanging over our heads."
He had been right. It wasn't time...yet.
It was close to midnight when Klaus joined his wife in their bedroom. She was staring at a sword that lay on the bed with a strange expression on her face. He frowned when he recognized the weapon.
"That's Jeanne's," he said as he joined her side. "Why is it here?"
She smiled softly and traced the blade. "I asked Gita to bring it with her from Des Cendres."
He turned to her, his eyes blazing with concern and anger. "Caroline, this was never meant to leave the school. Why the hell would you have Gita bring the only weapon that can kill you to the castle? My parents will be here in the morning!"
She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead into his chest. "Because, my love, if they kill you tomorrow, I do not want to waste time traveling all the way to Tibet to join you in death," she whispered succinctly.
His breath hitched and he raised her chin until she opened her eyes. "Caroline," he started, but his voice broke.
The pads of her fingers trailed down the sides of his face. "It has been my honor to be your wife for the past 608 years, Niklaus Mikaelson. I promise I am not admitting defeat; I will fight to my last breath. But we are facing four powerful enemies and their armies. The circumstances are unprecedented, even for us."
He grabbed one of her hands and pressed a kiss into it. "We will defeat them all," he vowed. "You and I shall not be parted."
"I'm sure of it," she answered calmly and his eyes glowed yellow.
"Caroline, you have the school to live for," he growled.
"I have trained many to replace me," she told him.
"I forbid it," he said shortly, pulling away from her and grabbing the sword.
She stopped him by snatching it out of his hands. "It is not your decision."
They stared each other down for a moment before Klaus hissed and sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. Caroline stored the sword in a wardrobe and closed the door. "I will move it into the catacombs before the battle."
He did not respond. A second later, she was in front of him. As she reached out to stroke his hair, he grabbed her wrist.
"I'd do the same if it were you," he admitted hoarsely.
She let out a watery laugh. "Nik, do you think I haven't known that for nine centuries?"
A brief smile flashed across his face. "Ever since I first saw you, I needed you," he confessed, pulling her into his lap.
"And I you," she said, running her hands through his hair and kissing his neck.
"Caroline," he crooned.
"Make love to me, Niklaus," she whispered.
Their clothes were quickly torn away. With Caroline bare before him, Klaus laid his wife down on the bed gently, and admired her flushed skin. When he entered her, they both let out a breath, one neither of them knew they had been holding. He rocked into her slowly, his body hair scratching ever so slightly against her most sensitive area. Her responding thrusts were sensual and equally slow. Beads of sweat ran down his hairline and fell onto her pale chest. He let saliva gather in his mouth until her lips parted and he let it trickle down into her mouth. Her pupils dilated, and he bit her lower lip, making her clench around him. His thrusts deepened, but he did not quicken his pace. Caroline wrapped her legs around his torso and dug her nails into his back. Their skin grew slick with sweat from exertion, but neither would allow the release their bodies sought. Neither would let go.
"All the good stuff's over here."
Mariko nearly jumped out of her skin as she whirled around, the fridge door slamming shut behind her. She had thought she was alone when she entered the kitchen, not noticing the two vampires sitting at the table in the dark. She waved a hand at the lights, allowing a dim glow to warm the room.
Elijah held out a chair for her absently with one hand and rifled through the plans in front of him with the other. The witch crossed the room to join them, pouring herself a large portion of whisky as soon as she sat. Kol leaned back in his chair until the front legs were in the air and watched as Mariko took a long sip.
"Coming up with any brilliant maneuvers, General Cornwallis?" she asked drily.
Elijah did not deign to reply, instead sniffing haughtily and flipping a page with more force than was necessary. Kol laughed.
"Don't provoke him; he nearly snapped my neck when I asked what the arrows represented," Kol advised wisely.
Mariko lifted her glass to him in a mock toast. A companionable silence fell over them, the only noise in the room coming from Elijah as he shuffled the papers.
"So, we're the three lost souls without a lover to comfort and distract us the night before the battle," Kol eventually sighed. "What do you think, Iki? Want to give it a go, for old time's sake?"
"I don't swing that way anymore, Kol," Mariko told him with a grin. "And I'll have you know I made a special phone call just now."
Kol let the front legs of the chair hit the floor with a resounding smack. Elijah huffed in frustration but did not look up.
"Aw, I know you prefer the fairer sex these days, but I had to offer," Kol teased, the hint of a smirk on his lips. "Do tell me about your sexy-time phone call."
Mariko's eyes rolled up towards the ceiling. "It was not a 'sexy-time' phone call, you culturally-deficient buffoon. Hayden was telling me about her training at Des Cendres-"
Kol nearly choked on his drink. "You're dating a teenager, Iki?"
She punched him in the arm. "No. She's in her twenties."
At that, Elijah snorted. "Barely," he added softly.
Mariko's neck snapped around. "How do you know?"
Elijah looked up from his papers and cocked an eyebrow at her. "Really, Mariko? Are you acting surprised that someone in this family gossiped?"
Kol sniggered briefly before sobering. "Did she have any words of comfort for you?"
Mariko ran her thumb over the rim of the rocks glass. "We didn't discuss the battle," she said in a low voice. "We just...talked. It was nice."
Kol opened his mouth to respond, but Elijah threw his pen down in exasperation and sighed.
"That has the castle protected from every direction and then some, as well as the protections we need inside, for Elena and Silas. I really wish you and Niklaus had left the Petrova girl behind in Virginia, Kol," he muttered.
"She was very insistent – her brother and her boyfriend had been kidnapped. Besides, you never know when you need a doppelgänger, Elijah," Kol said. "Both Qetsiyah and Esther know that."
"Both of them might try to kidnap her," Elijah snapped.
Mariko laid a hand on his arm. "You've done all you can."
He nodded, but she could tell he was dissatisfied. Kol leant across the table, snatched the papers, and crumpled them up.
"Kol!" Elijah yelled.
His brother flashed to the garbage and tossed everything in. "Iki is right, Elijah. Enough is enough. All of those plans are in your head, anyway."
Elijah's head dropped into his chest in defeat. Mariko offered him another whisky. With a sound ranging somewhere between a cry of pain, a sigh, and a laugh, he took it.
When a new dawn broke over Auxor Castle, the sunlight seeped into the landscape ominously, as if nature itself was dreading the outcome of the day. Even still, the beauty of it was undeniable. The autumn leaves glowed golden as if lit from within and colorful birds chirped innocently along the riverbed. The field where many a battle had been fought over the centuries was overflowing with wildflowers that swayed gently in the cooling breeze. The stone edifice of the great castle that had acted as home, sanctuary, school, and prison was once again being tested.
From his location on the parapet, Klaus assessed the setting. He was stationed on the outer walls of the castle, facing the northern field. On the grounds below, Elijah and an army of hybrids, vampires, and witches waited in the northeast. Mariko and witch-allies were positioned to the west. He could not see the rest: Caroline and most of her coven were on the southeastern side of the castle, Kol had a team of hybrids near the river to the south, and Rebekah and Pacari were defending the southwest with another army of witches, hybrids, and vampires. Within the castle, Damon was watching over Elena, and Bonnie and the group that had come from Des Cendres were guarding Silas.
Next to the Original Hybrid, Tyler's eyes were focused to the western woods as he manipulated the remote control in his hands. A speck in the distance glided over the trees. Klaus glanced at the monitor in front of them and frowned.
"Turn south," he instructed.
Tyler did as he said, making the drone fly south. Klaus leaned forward, his eyes flashing across the screen. A second later, he straightened out and grabbed his walkie-talkie.
"Bekah, Mikael's coming right for you," he warned.
There was a brief pause and then his sister's voice crackled over the line. "How many?"
Tyler spun the drone around. "Over a hundred," he said. "But they're spread out really far."
"Did you hear that, Bekah?" Klaus asked.
"Affirmative. Kol?"
Next to the river, Kol lifted the contraption to his mouth and pressed down, just as Pacari had shown him.
"We're heading your way," he told his sister.
"Leave a few scouts behind in case anyone tries to come from the river," Elijah advised.
"Yes, brother."
On the southeast rim of the castle, Emmeline exchanged a wary look with Caroline. Caroline turned to Verenice and Cecile.
"The forest," she said quietly.
The coven linked hands and began chanting.
Mikael's soldiers fanned out among the foliage as he glared through the trees into the castle grounds. His lieutenant waited for instruction beside him.
"I see my daughter," he whispered, his hand grazing against the stake strapped to his side. "She has around seventy with her."
His lieutenant gestured out the numbers to the troops.
"Once I make contact, attack," Mikael instructed.
Elena paced the small confines of study impatiently. Damon was leaning back in the desk chair with his feet up, pretending to read a book while he strained to hear what was happening outside the castle walls.
"Are you sure the Five aren't going to join the fight?" she asked, her hand worrying her vervain necklace.
Damon flipped a page. "Qetsiyah was very clear about her plans. Little Gilbert is fine."
"What do you think she did to Stefan?"
At that, Damon looked up and sighed. "I hope nothing that can't be undone."
Elena pressed her lips together and walked over to the window. They were in one of turrets; the room was circular and claustrophobic. But it provided a full view of the northern field and had easy access to the catacombs in case they needed to make a quick escape.
"Something's happening in the woods," she noted.
Damon whooshed to her side and gazed down at the grounds. To the northeast, they could see figures moving through the trees, shrouded in the still very pale light.
"Stay away from the window, Elena," he said, taking her shoulders gently and pulling her away. "You can't be seen."
In the wood, Esther turned to her son as her army of witches and vampires approached the field.
"Find the one named Verenice d'Ebanne. She must be the daughter of the coven leader. She will admit you entrance into the castle, if Qetsiyah was not lying," she instructed.
Finn nodded and flashed away. A moment later, one of the vampires came to her.
"Elijah and about fifty vampires, hybrids, and witches," he reported.
Esther walked to the edge of the trees. "Gather my witches."
"My daughter, I see you've gathered an entourage to greet me! How welcoming!" Mikael proclaimed as he marched out of the forest, his arms spread wide and a saccharine smile on his face.
Rebekah stood in front of her army with her husband at her side and cast an unimpressed look over her father.
"This ends today, Mikael," she called across the field.
His smiled widened. "I couldn't agree more."
On cue, his vampires and witches emerged out of the tree line. Rebekah raised her arm high and then thrust it forward. All around her, hybrids, vampires, and witches ran towards their opponents. Mikael walked slowly through the onslaught, ambivalent to the bodies rushing past him. He paused with only a few yards between himself and his daughter. Rebekah's eyes burned with loathing. Mikael's gaze flickered to Pacari with slight surprise.
"Pacari, my old friend - we meet again. Sorry about the candelabra," he taunted.
"Do not speak to my husband; you are beneath him," Rebekah snarled.
Mikael's eyebrows rose. "Carrying a different tune than you were a couple decades ago."
"Yes, well, some people evolve with time," she retorted.
Pacari brought Rebekah's hand to his mouth, kissed her ring, and smiled at her softly. An intimate look passed between them before they separated, with Rebekah approaching Mikael's right side and Pacari his left.
"Have I told you lately I find you lacking as a father-in-law, Mikael?" Pacari said pleasantly as he circled towards the Original Vampire.
Mikael's fangs dropped down and his veins darkened his menacing face. "I made peace with my more disappointing qualities a long time ago."
With no warning, Rebekah flew at him, grabbed his neck, ripped her fangs into his face, and jumped off, spitting out a bloody chunk of his right cheek as she landed neatly a few feet away.
"I haven't."
Deep in the catacombs, Bonnie crouched on the dirty floor outside the dungeon that held Silas and listened to the voices over the walkie-talkie. Rebekah and Pacari were fighting Mikael, Kol was joining them, and Esther and Finn were approaching from the northeast. It was about to erupt into total chaos outside. She felt guilty for being so safe – Riko and Caroline had knocked Silas out cold, she and the witches and werewolves from Des Cendres were only protecting him in the rare chance Esther found a way into the castle. It was frustrating to be so out of the fray. She was always on the front line in Mystic Falls. She had to admit she was a bit outranked when it came to Caroline, Riko, and Emmeline, but she hated feeling useless.
"She's coming out of the woods, Elijah," Klaus' voice crackled out.
"I see her," Elijah responded shortly. "Caroline?"
"We're working both fronts," said Caroline.
Bonnie clasped her hands together and waited.
Esther laid her hand on a gnarled tree limb and focused all her energy on the ground beneath her, chanting with the rest of the witches. Moments later, a powerful surge erupted from them and shook the earth, catching Elijah's army off-guard. She smiled triumphantly.
"Attack."
But they could not. The knar she had been resting against was wrapping around her hand, holding her in place. She pulled a hatchet from her belt and hacked at the limb viciously until she was released. As she rubbed her hand, she glanced around. The vampires were being held in place by the roots of the trees, and the witches were being attacked from above, the brambles and branches of the trees closing in on them. Esther swore under her breath and began chanting counter-curses.
When Kol burst onto the western field from the south, his eyes darted among the vampires, hybrids, and witches fighting. Blood, gore, and torn-off limbs already littered the previously pristine lawn. The trees seemed to be choking and shoving the invaders out of the forest – the coven's work, no doubt. He watched as one of the French witches thrust a stake into one of Mikael's vampires and a witch ally gave a hybrid an aneurysm. In the middle of the turmoil, three figures were fighting to the death. His sister grabbed Pacari's hands and he whirled her around to aid her in kicking Mikael away. He flashed to them.
"Father!" he declared.
Pacari let go of Rebekah and punched Mikael in the mouth. Flecks of blood flew into the air. Mikael slashed at Pacari wildly with the White Oak Stake until it slammed into the Incan's chest.
Kol sucked in his breath and gazed at his sister in fear. Rebekah, however, remained calm. Pacari grinned at Mikael and pushed the stake further into his own chest.
"Yes, and?" he smirked, raising his hand to tear his nails across Mikael's eyes.
The Original howled furiously and brought his hands up to his ruined eyes. He zoomed away, grabbing a random vampire and feeding from it.
Pacari pulled the stake out of his heart and handed it to Rebekah.
"Go get 'im," he said as she took it.
Rebekah nodded at Kol and they flashed to Mikael.
Finn watched from high in a tree as the coven cast their spells all over the grounds. He recognized none of them, but knew the blond leader had to be Caroline, his sister-in-law. Most of the witches were standing in a circle on the parapet, but some of them were off to the side talking in tense voices.
"Kol, Rebekah, and Pacari are fighting Mikael. Esther is coming out of the forest. Once Elijah has fully engaged her army, you're up, Em," Caroline was saying.
A hybrid with a sword strapped to her side nodded curtly.
"Cecile and Verenice, let's start sending curses down," Caroline continued. "I'll head north, Cecile, west. Verenice, do not stray too far from the coven."
The witches parted, each one heading down the castle walls in different directions. It was simply too easy. Finn flashed out of the tree and slithered along the keep. The one Caroline had called Verenice had stopped and was staring down to the northeast, muttering under her breath. A breeze traveled from her and cast over the grounds. Finn saw his mother's witches and vampires look around in confusion, as if their vision was being toyed with. Elijah's army ran towards them.
Finn crept over the side of the castle and snuck up behind the young witch, grabbing her and cupping his hand firmly over her mouth. She froze. He turned her around slowly to gaze into her light green eyes.
"May I enter Auxor Castle?"
An unfocused expression crossed the witch's face. In a trance-like state, she nodded dumbly.
"Thank you," he whispered. A second later, he was gone.
Verenice shook her head and frowned, looking around. Why can't I remember backing away from the wall?
"Verenice, keep going!" Caroline called from the distance.
Shaking her head, she refocused on the battle.
"Welcome back, Mother," Elijah said grimly as Esther and her army spilt out of the forest, her witches fighting off the constant spells the coven was hitting them with.
"Elijah, my son," she called to him. "This need not end with violence."
Elijah sighed as he pulled out a stake and jammed it into the heart of one of the vampires while simultaneously snapping the neck of another.
"Unfortunately, that is not the way in our family."
"If you bring me Silas' blood, I can make all of you human again! I do not want to kill my children! Once one of you drinks it, your souls shall be repaired."
Elijah cast his mother an arrogant look. "Oh, Esther. You trained us to be too clever: we broke your linking spell weeks ago."
Esther's eyes widened in alarm. Around them, vampires, hybrids, and witches ripped into each other.
Mikael's injuries were healing, but he was now drenched in his own blood from the attacks to his person. He shoved bodies out of his way as he ran away from Rebekah and Kol, who now possessed the White Oak Stake. He reached the end of the fighting and found himself in a large field. He could hear Esther's army on the other side of it.
"How do you like being on the run for once, Mikael?"
His neck snapped to the left. A witch with jet-black hair and striking amethyst eyes was staring at him, her head tilted slightly to one side as she appraised him. A small squad of witches surrounded her. He glanced into the woods behind her. She smiled.
"There is no running today. The coven closed up the wards as soon as your army passed through," she informed him quietly.
"The infamous Riko d'Ebanne, is it?" he asked harshly, his breath coming out in pants.
From behind him, he heard his vampires begin to break through and join him. A slight breeze cast over him and he flattened himself against the ground, narrowly avoiding Kol's hand and the stake.
Kol tried to stab him again, but Mikael grabbed his wrist and twisted, cracking the bones. Kol's eyes narrowed in pain, but he did not let go of the stake. Mikael wrapped his hands around his son's neck.
Mariko raised her hands and cast Kol away from Mikael, who immediately jumped to his feet and glared at her.
"Stay out of this, witch," he snarled, flashing towards her and smacking her upside the face.
A pair of hands dug into his arms and ripped him away from Riko.
"No one touches my witch," a voice hissed dangerously.
Niklaus raised the stake he had taken from Kol and started to lower it, but Mikael tore out of his son's hold and faced him, spitting onto the ground.
"It was always meant to be you and me, wasn't it, boy?"
From the corner of his eye, he saw Rebekah help Kol to his feet. Niklaus' yellow eyes burned with hatred.
"Always."
Everyone had ceased using the walkie-talkies, leaving Bonnie and the girls in the dungeons ignorant as to what was happening above them. She stood up and paced the dark tunnel senselessly, her muscles tight with tension. A prickling sensation made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and she frowned into the corridor, stepping further into the darkness.
As she opened her mouth to ask if anyone was there, a cold hand gripped her face and a voice spoke in her ear.
"Bring me to Silas," it threatened.
Bonnie shook her head and tried to speak. He pulled his hand away but kept hold of her.
"No one here can get into his cell," she explained breathlessly, trying to protect the students from Des Cendres. "Only Mariko and Caroline can open the doors," she lied, praying he believed her.
He turned her around and stared into her eyes. He reminded her of Elijah with his aristocratic features, the haughty set of his brow and strong jawline. Is this Finn?
"Fine," he said after a short moment. "Show me to his blood."
Bonnie's breath hitched. How does he know about the blood bags? She nodded hesitantly. "Alright. But don't hurt anyone."
He nodded. She led the way into the catacombs, walking rapidly, and hoping against hope that Damon would be able to hear them. She climbed the narrow staircase that brought them into the small chamber with the fridge. She pointed to it and backed away nervously as he opened it and leaned over, pulling out a bag.
Bonnie crossed her fingers, a cold sweat covering her skin she opened her mouth wide.
"ANAVO!" she screamed, her magic surging forth.
The bag in the vampire's tight grip burst into flames. He dropped it in shock and then stumbled away from the fridge as every bag inside followed suit. He turned to her, enraged.
"What have you done, witch!"
"DAMON!" Bonnie cried.
Finn advanced. "That was not smart."
She raised her chin defiantly. "Neither was surrounding myself with vampires, yet here we are."
"I do not like killing humans," he told her, his eyes black with thirst. "But you just split open an entire chest full of blood in a tiny room with no ventilation."
She burst a blood vessel in his brain, but it did not seem to affect him as he cornered her. Her eyes widened as his fangs slid out. The flames licked along the edges of the fridge, filling the room with a horrifying reek.
When he bit into her shoulder the pain was excessive, but Bonnie fought back. She pounded her fists into his back, screaming. There was a terrible crash followed by a flash of light. Suddenly, the vampire was thrown into the opposite wall and Damon Salvatore was standing over her, his face white with alarm.
"You alright, Bon-Bon?" he asked. She wasn't even bothered by his lowered fangs and darkened veins. She fell into his arms with a sob. On the other side of the room, the bloodthirsty vampire flashed out of sight.
Outside the castle, the perimeter of the battle was condensing as the armies met up on the northern field. Mariko's, Kol's, Rebekah's, Klaus', and Elijah's forces were leaving Mikael and Esther's army with no choice but to converge inwards as they pushed them in and circled around them.
Esther sent shocks in every direction, shouting out hexes and curses as she whipped her head around in search for Finn. A movement in one of the turrets caught her eye, and she frowned up at the narrow window. A slow smile crossed her face when she realized who she'd spotted. They'd brought the doppelgänger with them; she could still relink the children. Hope was not lost. She turned to two of her witches and pointed to the turret.
"Get that girl and bring her to me!" she ordered.
Rebekah was battling three witches, fighting through the pain of the aneurysms. Elijah had a vampire in a chokehold. Kol and Pacari were tag-teaming an onslaught of werewolves and witches.
In the middle of it all, father and son danced. Mikael and Klaus were ripping into each other, both covered in blood, scratches, and bruises, both with many broken bones and missing teeth. Neither relented for a moment. Mikael landed a punch so powerful Klaus fell to the muddy grass.
He narrowly avoided his father's swinging fist and somersaulted on the ground, rising to his feet on the other side and stabbing the stake into Mikael's back.
Mikael roared, grabbing behind him to take it out. Klaus batted his hand away and grabbed the handle. He paused to hiss: "Good-bye, Father."
A familiar scream echoed across the field, diverting his attention. Elena was being forced by a pair of witches towards Esther, who was smiling triumphantly with a dagger in her grasp. He cursed under his breath. Esther was attempting to relink his family - and she wasn't going to spare Elena's life to do it.
"Finish him!" he yelled, flashing away and crossing the field rapidly.
Esther had her dagger at Elena's throat when he reached them. He smacked the weapon out of his mother's hand, scooped up Elena, and cradled her against his chest. Esther gaped at him as he zoomed back up into the castle and burst through a window, glass shattering around them. He dropped the girl onto the floor unceremoniously.
"You stay here!" he spat out, turning away and flashing back outside. While he could outwardly defend he'd saved her to avoid the relinking, he knew deep down there were other reasons - and he surprised himself to find they were not hybrid-related. I don't feel guilty, he thought murderously. I did what I did to protect my family. Guilt is weakness.
I do not owe Elena Gilbert anything.
Elena stared after him, touching her fingers to the spot where a moment ago, Esther had held a dagger to her, nearly killing her.
Did Klaus just save my life?
Rebekah ran towards Mikael to shove the stake the rest of the way through his back, but four of his vampires were suddenly surrounding her. She snapped the first one's neck easily before tearing her fangs into the second one and ripping out the third one's heart. The fourth one was older and put up more of a fight. Mikael ripped the stake out of his back with a groan and stored it in his belt.
Caroline rushed across the castle walls, yelling for the coven.
"We've done all we can from up here. We join the fight now. Emmeline, it's time!" she told the Siphoner hybrid.
Emmeline flashed away, weaving through the battle. Caroline took a deep breath before flinging herself over the side of the keep. She landed like a cat on all fours before straightening out and beelining towards Esther.
"Esther!" she screamed to get the witch's attention.
Esther whirled around to face her, her eyes darkening as she recognized her daughter-in-law.
"Caroline d'Ebanne, you are a pain."
"Thank you," Caroline retorted.
Finn ran out of the castle full of self-loathing. This was why he couldn't be a vampire, a monster, an abomination for one more day. He searched around for his mother, needing to tell her it was over, they had lost. Mikael should just stab him with the stake and end it all. He spotted her on the field – the one called Caroline was feeding from her neck. He didn't care enough to save her; they were all fated to die today. His looked instead for his father, hoping he still had the stake. Mikael was fighting Kol and winning. The stake was in his belt. With grim determination, he walked away from the doorway of the castle.
"Finn!" a voice called from behind him.
He paused, frowning. It sounds like… No, it can't be… He turned slowly.
A beautiful redhead with ivory skin was standing but an arm's length away, staring at him - a beacon of light amidst all the death and horror. Her blue eyes shone with a look he had not witnessed directed at him for centuries, not since long before he was daggered. It looked like something akin to love.
"Sage?" he whispered hoarsely, unbelievingly.
She stepped towards him with tears in her eyes. "Hello, Finn."
When Emmeline reached Mariko's side, the Undying Witch was in a vicious brawl with a vampire. Emmeline watched as her friend ducked, sliced a knife into his leg, and then slammed a stake into the vampire's chest when he fell, blood spurting onto her face. She noticed Emmeline as she wiped it away with her sleeve.
"Is it time?" she asked.
"Yes. Caroline has started already," Emmeline told her.
Mariko nodded. "Do you see Pacari?"
"I'm here," he said, flashing to them. "Let's go."
The trio made their way across the battlefield.
Elijah found himself with his back against Klaus' as they worked alongside each other. They had been surrounded by ten witches and vampires as an obvious ploy to keep them from fighting Mikael and Esther.
"Just like old times, brother," Klaus quipped as he ripped out one of the witch's hearts. "Remember the Battle of Moscow in 1612? What a bloody time!"
"Our definition of fun varies at times, Niklaus," Elijah said calmly, smashing two vampires' heads together.
Kol ran towards his father and swung his leg around until his foot made contact with his jaw. Mikael used his momentum against him, jamming his hand inside Kol's chest, his fingers gripping his son's heart. He bit into his neck and drank. Kol pulled away, but Mikael took some of his flesh with him. Kol scratched his nails across Mikael's throat, but Mikael caught his arm, raised Kol above his head, and brought him down furiously, breaking Kol's back against his knee with a horrifying crack.
Rebekah watched in horror as Kol was battered by Mikael. She swung her arm at the vampire she was fighting with so much force, the head came clean off. She made to aid her brother but was hit with a series of aneurysms so fierce, she fell to her knees. Esther's witches made a perimeter around her, chanting and cursing. She held her head in her hands as blood poured out every orifice, her small frame caving in on itself.
Closer to the trees, Caroline was draining Esther slowly.
"Enough!" Esther cried out. "Why are you taking your time, Caroline? Kill me if you want to kill me!"
Caroline lifted her head up and smiled, her mouth covered in blood. "Because my job was to weaken you."
She pushed Esther away from her and into the waiting arms of Pacari, who latched his fangs onto her neck while blasting her with weakening shocks. Mariko chanted under her breath, making the powerful witch vulnerable to Emmeline's magic. Emmeline waited patiently. Not only would siphoning away Esther's magic leave her powerless, but when she died, she would not go to the Other Side. She had proven she was a threat even from the Other Side. It was a great plan - if it worked. Emmeline had never tried to siphon every last bit of magic from such a strong opponent. Mariko pressed her hand into Esther's head, her chanting growing louder. Esther shrieked in pain.
Caroline spotted Mikael and Kol and flashed away.
"Now, Emmeline!" Mariko shouted.
Emmeline stepped forward, placing one hand on Esther's scalp and the other over her heart. She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, and focused. After a couple seconds, dim bluish light radiated from Esther's eyes and skin.
A few paces away, Klaus glanced down at the fallen bodies on the grass and then up at his brother. "Can you finish this? Bekah needs help," he said, his eyes focusing on their sister across the lawn, where she was being tortured by a small army of witches.
"I'm fine," Elijah said, staking another vampire. There were only a few left of the original circle.
Klaus flashed away and bit into one of Esther's witches, breaking their concentration. Rebekah rose to her feet rapidly; she joined her brother in destroying the invaders.
In the middle of the field, Mikael kicked Kol in the chest with so much force, his son went flying into the air and crashed to the ground. Mikael advanced on him with the White Oak Stake in his hand, but Kol's body was thoroughly broken - he could not run. With less than ten feet between them, Caroline flashed across the field and came to a shuddering halt in front of Kol, facing Mikael. The Original sneered at his daughter-in-law.
"Haven't you sacrificed enough for my children? You gave up your humanity to save Rebekah, and now you want to waste your immortality on this one?" he mocked.
Caroline set her jaw and stared him down. "You will not touch him."
One of the Ebanne vampires charged towards him, but he staked it with the air of one flicking a fly away, without removing his gaze from Caroline's. "This is interesting. Did you not spend half your life in a blood feud with my youngest son? Or do my spies fail me?"
Caroline shrugged. "I'm over it."
Mikael smiled maliciously. "The massacre of dozens of little girls is not exactly something easily forgiven."
"I never said it was easy. But time eventually heals all wounds if the perpetrator is repentant - has a soul," Caroline said coldly.
Behind her, Kol coughed out, "Leave me, Caroline. He's not your problem."
"Oh, he's been my problem for a very, very long time," she spoke to Kol, but kept her eyes on Mikael. "It wasn't too far from here that he stabbed me in the heart with that same weapon."
"Quit stalling, girl," Mikael hissed.
"I'm not stalling, you are. You've had plenty of opportunities in the past minute to stab me with your stake. You know you can't kill me with that weapon. You are facing an opponent you cannot overpower," the blond challenged. "Your children chose fearsome mates."
There was a short pause in which they stared each other down. Then, Mikael stowed the stake in his belt and crouched into a fighting stance. Caroline stepped towards him.
"Excellent," she whispered.
Mikael advanced on her so quickly, the movement blurred. They engaged in hand to hand combat, parrying and thrusting with elbows, fists, and forearms. Out of the corner of her eye, Caroline saw Elijah make his way through Mikael's vampires. His eyes widened when he saw her fighting his father, and he made to join the fight.
"Nevermind me! Get Kol out of here, Elijah!" she cried, slashing her fingernails across Mikael's neck. He bent over with a grunt as his blood surged out.
Elijah flashed to his brother and grabbed his arms. "What's the matter?"
"Well, I'm pretty sure every single bone in my entire body is broken, but other than that, I've never been better," Kol responded, his voice drenched in sarcasm.
Elijah rolled his eyes and heaved his brother effortlessly over his shoulder. Both were acutely aware that this was a mirror image from the first battle they fought at Auxor, when it was Kol hauling his older brother to safety.
Caroline kicked Mikael in the chest, but he took her by surprise, grabbing her leg and twisting until it snapped. She suppressed her shriek of agony, flipped over him using her good leg as leverage, and wrapped herself around his torso, digging her hand into his chest to grab his heart, while simultaneously bursting vessels in his brain with her magic.
"Witch!" he cursed out in fury. From her position above him, Caroline did not notice him slide his hand towards his belt and unfasten the stake. With a maneuver that took her by surprise, he violently twisted his torso and dismantled her from his shoulders. She dug her fingers deeper into his chest as she fell, making him hiss in pain, but still he continued unfastening the stake. When he raised it over his head, she realized his intention, and immediately pulled her hands out of his chest to grab the stake. But it was too late.
As if in slow motion, Caroline watched Mikael hurl the White Oak Stake in the direction of Elijah and Kol with dread in her heart. The older brother saw it coming and dropped Kol to the ground to shield his body with his own. He barely even winced when the weapon pierced his left breast.
"NO!" Rebekah shrieked from across the field.
"ELIJAH!" yelled Caroline, grabbing Mikael's arms and holding them behind his back.
Finn's eyes widened in shock. "Father, no!"
Niklaus froze in abject terror as he locked eyes with his favorite brother. Elijah gave him a small smile before leaning his head up towards the sky with an expression of deliverance settling over his features. He seemed...at peace. Flames erupted from his heart, igniting his entire body.
From his position on the ground, Kol watched his brother burn numbly, unable to move. It was all very fast. Within ten seconds, Elijah's body had been reduced to a pile of ash.
Then, came the worst scream of them all. It was unearthly, terrible. It was the excruciating cry of a mother who had seen her son die right before her eyes; a mother who had already lost two children. Esther's wan face was wet with tears and sweat, her eyes sparking with fury and loss. The force of her grief gave her the strength to blast Mariko, Pacari, and Emmeline away from her. She turned to her husband, who was still being held hostage by a weeping Caroline.
"It had to happen. The Cure is lost to us," he said bleakly.
But he could see his words meant nothing to her. Using the last dredges of her magic, she summoned the notorious stake that was lying in what was now a pile of dust on the grass. Mikael struggled helplessly against his daughter-in-law's grasp as Esther advanced towards them.
"This ends with you, Mikael," the Original Witch vowed in a deathly quiet voice before hoisting the stake high above her head and stabbing her husband in the heart with fatal accuracy.
"Esther!" he pled as his own weapon was used against him.
Caroline released him and scrambled away as the telltale flames danced along his flesh. Esther watched her husband burn, the blazing fire reflecting in her eyes.
Within seconds, Mariko, Pacari, and Emmeline were upon her. She didn't even put up a fight as Mariko weakened her and Pacari held her down. Emmeline resumed her previous position, with a hand each on the witch's heart and head to siphon away the last of Esther's magic.
Rebekah ran to the site of Elijah's death and stared down at the ashes, her entire frame shaking uncontrollably. On the ground, Kol bowed his head over the remains and murmured a prayer in Norwegian. Finn took his time crossing the field, but when he reached the site, he fell to his knees. From her position a few yards away, Caroline glanced at Klaus before leaning down, grabbing the White Oak Stake, hooking it on her belt, and running to her husband. He started to collapse when she reached him, but she caught him.
"Caroline," he choked out. "My brother…"
She held him and stroked his back.
"Come on," she soothed, ignoring her own tears, and half-carried him to the rest of his siblings. When they reached them, he dropped to his knees next to Finn and joined Kol's prayer. Gradually, Rebekah and Finn did as well.
The bluish glow emitting from Esther grew brighter as her magic was sucked out of her and absorbed into Emmeline. She let out a gasping breath when it stopped and fell on her hands and knees.
"Is it done?" Pacari asked.
Emmeline stared down at the witch with revulsion. "It's done."
Mariko hovered her hands over the former witch to confirm; after a beat, she nodded tightly, her eyes on the Mikaelson siblings.
"Go to her, Pacari," she muttered.
He ran to his wife's side without another word. Esther's eyes roved over her remaining children – reunited with Finn for the first time in centuries.
"This is my punishment for all my sins," the Original Witch murmured. "My Elijah… I remember holding him in my arms."
Mariko slid her father's knife out of its sheath and exchanged a glance with Emmeline. The Siphoner hybrid nodded and walked away to help finish off Mikael and Esther's remaining army. Mariko ran one long finger down the edge of the knife. "This was my father's blade. I kept it by my side all these years as a reminder that I should never trust too easily. My parents taught me that when they treated me like a freak of nature."
"Is that why you are so close to my children?" Esther asked hollowly. "You had parents who failed you?"
"It's one of the reasons," Mariko admitted. "They are my true family. I would do anything to keep my family safe and whole, even if it means doing the things that no one else wants to do. Doing what must be done. By the way, I want you to know your plan wouldn't have worked."
Esther glanced up at her.
"I broke the Sirelines centuries ago," Mariko said. "The vampire race would have continued to exist without your children."
"It doesn't matter now," said Esther dully as her gaze focused on the pile of ash her children were chanting over. "Finish it," she whispered.
Mariko slit her throat with the detachment of a hardened warrior. She hadn't wanted any of the siblings to do it; they'd been hurt enough by their mother.
The Original Witch let out an awful gurgling sob and collapsed into the mud. She was dead.