Klaus watched as the Saltzman twins chanted the spell as they circled the ritual area with their hands held out.
He could taste the magic in the air as they pulled the hollow from Hope. The glowing blue orb got larger and larger.
Neither twin faltered as the torches seemed to flare even brighter.
Klaus could see Alaric watching his daughters with worry. He couldn't fault him for being worried but if everything went to plan that worry would be in vain.
The air seemed to grow colder, sending a chill down his back.
It was almost time.
He got closer - not quite entering the circle but staying near.
They only had one chance.
It would be only a matter of time before Elijah woke up. His noble brother and his loyalty was the only obstacle in his way of saving his daughter.
He would not let him sacrifice himself in his stead. Hope was his daughter. This was a chance to right his wrongs and make sure his little wolf didn't just survive, but thrive.
Even if it was without him.
The air seemed to change suddenly, making Klaus snap his attention back to the two thirteen year olds.
The hollow was no longer still as it twisted in the air. It was fighting back.
He could see Alaric take a step forward in concern but it did not matter as the air changed. Klaus barely had time to react as he was thrown backward.
He gasped as he hit a tree and the wind was knocked out of him. Vaguely, he could hear Alaric groaning.
Klaus shook his head and looked where the twins stood. He couldn't see them. It was as if a tornado had formed around them and it was impossible to see through.
The only thing he could pick out was the blue glow of the hollow.
Suddenly, he jerked as a hand grabbed him and pulled him up. Klaus turned to see Elijah, who was staring at the tornado in horror.
What had been a simple plan, had been turned on its head.
The two originals quickly began making their way towards it. The wind was too fast. Silently, they made a plan. Then, they exchanged a look and ran forward using vampire speed.
The wind hit them ruthlessly, but they continued through.
Then, it was gone.
Klaus and Elijah stumbled as they made it past the barrier that the tornado-like winds made. The sight they saw before them caused them to freeze.
No longer was the hollow hovering in the air. Rather it circled the twins that laid collapsed on the floor.
It seeped into their skins.
Then, it was gone. And so was the wind. Time seemed to freeze as neither of the brother's eyes moved from where the twins laid.
Alaric was suddenly beside his daughters. "What happened?" Alaric asked, looking over at them. There was anger and fear written all over his face.
Klaus tensed as he gently shook the girls but neither reacted.
"The hollow fought back," He said, dread in his voice. "And it won."
Alaric's head snapped up. "What does that mean? What have you done to my girls?"
"This is not Niklaus' fault," Elijah tried to defend, but Klaus shook his head. As much as he hated being accused, he knew Alaric wasn't wrong.
It was his plan that went wrong. Staring at the twins, he was hit with the revelation that the hollow was now in the twins and how terribly wrong it had all gone.
"Dad?"
All three looked over to see Hope staring at them in confusion.
"What happened? Why are the Saltzman twins unconscious?" she asked, eyes flickering between them all with uncertainty.
"The spell went wrong. The hollow has entered the twins," Klaus explained.
Hope's eyes widened as Alaric froze. Rage bubbled on his face as he stood up.
"The hollow has what now?"
"Dr. Saltzman, calm down," Elijah said, holding out his hand in a placating manner but it had no effect on him.
"The thing that was killing your daughter has now entered my daughters because of your failure of a plan…" He growled out.
Klaus winced. "Yes."
Alaric was about to charge him, when a voice came from behind him. All of them froze as they looked to see Lizzie and Josie sitting up.
Uncertainty flared in his chest as he stared at them. He couldn't tell if there was anything off. They appeared fine but that meant little.
"Lizzie, Josie." Alaric was beside them immediately. He hugged them close but neither twin wrapped their arms around him in return.
A stark contrast to the behaviors he'd seen in them before.
Dread curled in his gut.
The twins let their dad hug them, but their eyes were chillingly blank. Staring at the three watching Mikaelson in a way that made Klaus want to turn tail and run.
"Saltzman, get away from them."
Alaric pulled back and gave him a nasty look. "If you think I am going to do a single thing you say after you put my daughters in danger you have another thing coming."
"That is perfectly understandable, but those aren't your daughters."
As soon as that warning was out the look on the twins' faces changed as both of their eyes glowed an eerie blue.
A cruel smirk pulled on young Lizzie Saltzman's face that didn't belong. "Is something wrong daddy?"
"Lizzie? Josie?" He whispered in horror.
"Yeah, dad?" Josie responded, her face a blank slate. "Why do you look afraid? There's nothing to be afraid of."
"Well," Lizzie grinned. "that's not necessarily true. Now is it?"
Both girls stood and the Mikaelson's backed away, but Alaric stupidly didn't.
"Girls? I know you're in there. You're stronger than the hollow, you just have to fight," he begged, but neither twin responded to the sentiment.
"Fight? Why would I fight when I'm right where I'm supposed to be?" Josie said, giggling as if she found her fathers desperation hilarious.
Lizzie took a step forward. "After all, isn't the best place for a spirit that craves unlimited power to be in someone who can siphon me all the magic I could ever need."
Klaus froze and had no doubt that the horror he was feeling was written all over his face.
Josie clearly caught it as she let out a sharp laugh. "Now I don't even need to be in you to consume you. You have just made a grave mistake in bringing these young siphoners into my path."
Alaric took a step forward, trying to reach towards his daughters. Lizzie's eyes snapped towards him.
She flicked her wrist and a sickening crack echoed as Alaric fell to the ground dead.
Klaus' heart jumped in his chest as Hope cried out behind him. He shouted an order for her to run and he sped at the twins hoping to knock them out.
He didn't make it another step before he felt his legs snap and he fell to the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Elijah go down as well.
Klaus felt fear, a rarity in his long life, as Lizzie approached him. Josie doing the same to Elijah. The only comfort was that he could hear Hope getting farther and farther from them.
Even though it was likely only to get help and she was planning to come back, it was still a relief.
She was safe from the hollow for now. Even if it wasn't going to last.
Lizzie knelt down beside him and despite how much he tried to move, he found himself unable to move a single muscle.
Looking up into the eyes of Caroline Forbes' daughter, he saw a split second hesitation. A teeny tiny emotion that couldn't be the hollow.
Alaric wasn't wrong. The twins were still in there. Or at least Lizzie was.
They were like Hope in that they weren't completely lost and consumed by the hollow, which meant there was hope. Even if it was small.
There was still hope that he could fix this and not fail Caroline, her daughters, or his own.
Lizzie's hand found his wrist and a groan of pain tore from Klaus as he felt himself being drained of the magic that kept him alive.
The pain tore through him as he felt himself go cold and lose all function. As his head hit the ground, the last thing he saw was Elijah's desiccated body, before everything went black.
