Chapter 26: Options and Visions

The Other Side

[Mikael's POV]

Esther and her accomplice freed my body from its bonds. My consciousness is suspended here. I need to be returned to my body within three days to accomplish my mission to destroy all vampires. Other witches are interfering with my mission. Esther needs to get a handle on these interlopers. I will not fail to kill the abomination that is Niklaus and the others he created, along with his brothers and sister.

Salvatore Boarding House: Dining room

[Charlotte's POV]

Bella has called for a Brunch meeting for the family. I am amused; her theory is they are all more amenable if they are fed first. Henrik has joined us at the table. He is quietly laughing at the banter between Kol and Pete.

I tap my water glass to get everyone to quiet down. "We need to discuss what information we have discovered to free Amara and replace her with Katherine as the anchor to the other side."

Elżbieta responds first. "Freya and I located an ancient spell that created the 'other side' dimension. It requires an immortal to be the anchor for the 'other side'. Katherine Pierce can be used as the anchor but it will require us to use Leylock powers to do so. She would then be bound by both witch spell and Leylock power. The 'other side' traps souls of supernaturals created by witch magic, sort of a purgatory. Supposedly they can die after they settle their unfinished business here. Powerful witch spells can allow supernatural beings to cross over the boundary back to the living with the power of astral events such as a rare comet or Expression magic. In reality it is one of the bases for Ancestral Magic. It allows living witches to access the power of all the witches of their line whose souls are trapped in that dimension. The New Orleans witches access their ancestors magic due to their deceased family members being buried in 'holy ground'."

Henrik speaks up, "There are a lot of very unhappy supernaturals there. They want to rejoin the cycle of life and reunite with the souls of their deceased family members that are not supernatural. Their souls are trapped in that dimension watching what is happening on this side of the barrier. Do you think that Leylock magic can help release them, so that they can find peace?"

Everyone is quiet at the table contemplating Henrik's question.

[Charlie's POV]

"There is another question here. Should we just destroy the "Other Side" by freeing Amara? Wouldn't that release all the souls trapped there?"

I am amused that Silas is a silent observer to our conversation. The others are aware but have chosen not to acknowledge this. He needs to know what the ramifications are for the release of his beloved.

[Freya's POV]

"Charlie the 'Other Side' has been part of our supernatural life for two thousand years. If we destroy that dimension all together or make it unstable; there is no telling what ramifications would result in our dimension or the supernatural community."

"I suggest that everyone with an astral affinity meet in the drawing room after lunch and try to find the answer to this question." There are several nods of agreement around the table.

[Damon's POV]

"If the 'other side' is maintained; will linking Esther and Dahlia along with Mikael to trap them permanently in the 'other side' cause problems in this dimension? Also what is to keep them from recruiting minions to do their will on this side?" Bella squeezes my hand in agreement.

Freya nods in response. "We will have to look into that option also."

Mystic Falls Cavern

[Silas's POV]

I am watching the debate at the Salvatore Boarding House. I am impressed by their compassion and their desire to know all of the ramifications of freeing my mate. I pull power from the earth to add to their protection runes. I add Amara's and my own to the wall. If Amara is willing after returning to me, I want to stay close to these people. They will teach us an improved way to live and to utilize our powers.

Salvatore Boarding House: Drawing Room

[Damon's POV]

Angela, Charlie, Charlotte, Henrik, and Rebekah join me to channel our Astral energy to determine the answers to our questions about freeing Amara and taking care of the three misfits that plague everyone else.

I lock all the doors to the drawing room. Both Freya and Henrik put a privacy spell on the room. Everyone places a privacy bubble around the walls of the room to prevent any outside forces from detecting our use of Leyline energy. We form a circle and join hands. I nod to Charlie since he has the most experience with Astral Leylock energy.

He speaks softly, "I want everyone to concentrate on the answer to the question: what will happen if we just free Amara as the anchor for the 'other side' and just bring the barrier down separating the dimensions."

I see a mist form in the middle of our circle.

The vision displays turmoil from supernaturals released back into this dimension with plots to revenge perceived wrongs. They wreak havoc when they return to this dimension. Their destructive magic starts a supernatural war that almost leads to annihilation of all schools of magic. Not to mention the devastation to the human population.

Everyone releases their hands as the vision disappears. "Well I guess that option is ruled out." I look around the room. Everyone nods somberly. "Charlie, guide us with the next question for us?"

We join hands again. Charlie asks us to concentrate on the answer, "What will happen if we replace Katherine Pierce as the anchor to the other side and can the souls that are trapped in the indeterminate state of the 'other side' be freed from their souls being imprisoned there.

The vision displays our using Leylock and witch spells to free Amara and replace Katherine as the anchor for the other side. Due to Katherine not being an immortal: the souls that desire release from the other side quickly leave to find peace. The rest stay because they feel like they have unfinished business. Because Leylock energy is used any soul "destined" for the other side can choose the option to find peace and not be trapped there.

We release our hands again to break the vision. "That is the better option." I nod to Charlie to lead us to find the answer to our last question.

"Our next question is will what we are planning for Esther, Dahlia and Mikael to be forever linked to the boundary between the two dimensions on the other side work?"

The vision shows us that some of us will have to kill Mikael, Esther and Dahlia with an ancient white oak stake in this dimension. At the same time some of us cast the witches spell along with all forms of Leylock power to bind them to the other dimension, so if that dimension is destroyed they will be annihilated with it.

Freya speaks up, "I have one more question for us. How do we heal Silas and Amara from the dark magic surrounding them?" We join hands one more time and I glance at Charlie he has a grin on his face. "Damon you get to lead this one."

I look at Charlie. He is serious. "What is the best way to heal Amara and Silas from the dark magic that they have been exposed to for two thousand years?"

The vision shows both Amara and Silas in the pool where we changed Pete, Charlotte and Jasper into regular vampires. It shows us using all of our Leylock abilities to remove the curse and darkness.

Angela asks, "What do we need to do to contain the dark objects power that is causing magic not to work correctly here in mystic falls?"

The vision shows us using all of our Leylock abilities to form a magic shell around the dark object. We have helpers with other types of magic working with us to accomplish this task. It will happen after we take care of the 'other side issue'.

"Thanks Angela that was a very important question to ask. Anyone else have any other questions for us?" I look around the room and see us breaking up into small conversation groups.

Charlie looks at me and grins. "You did well. We got most of our answers for the time being. I think we need some libation after that session."

I walk over to the hutch and pull out some of my top shelf liquor. I pass a bottle to Charlie, "I think this will help." I look up to see Niklaus, Kol, Finn, Jasper and Pete joining us. I pull out more glasses and pass the bottle to Elijah. Charlotte and the girls wander over too. I pull out flavored vodka out of a mini fridge I keep under the hutch and pass it to Bella to hand to Charlotte along with some glasses. "Cheers." I sip from my glass. Angela takes a sip from Elijah's glass and makes a face. She hands the glass back to him. "Angela it's an acquired taste."

She looks up at me. "I think I'll pass." I reach down and pull out a soda from the fridge and hand it to her.

"Thanks, this is more my speed." She smiles at me.

Bella is standing next to me grinning. I pull her to me and kiss the top of her head. "So what answers did you guys come up with?" she asks.

Charlotte speaks up and describes in detail every vision invoked by our questions. "So we help Silas and Amara first?" Henrik asks.

I nod. I look around the room and everyone seems to be in agreement. "Okay, let's start planning this out. Who is going to do what?"