A/N: The conclusion to The Dead trilogy...
Stefan continued to climb through the woods in a daze; the only thing leading him to a destination were the strange narrations in his mind and animal instinct. It was like all of his previous lapses as the ripper when the blood took over. He could still taste it on his lips; blood, his driving force.
Out of the woods, the young Salvatore found himself standing by the quarry as an image appeared from the fog. His brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed as he came to face to face with his own image.
Damon stopped his run to answer his phone. He and Caroline had been looking for his little brother for over an hour despite the torrential downpour he had woken up to. Unfortunately the rain had washed away any tracks the hair obsessed vampire had left.
"I can't find him anywhere," the blonde told him. "I've checked everywhere, even the old Fell church."
Sighing, Damon nearly squashed his cell phone in frustration; rolling his crystalline eyes as he turned back to the conversation. "Meet me back at the boarding house. I think it's about time the witches actually helped for once."
Klaus woke up in the middle of no where, unsure of his surroundings. Grasping at earth as he tried to steady himself, his fingers dug into the ground; dirt filing the space between his nails and his fingertips.
He knew this place, he thought as he reached back into the depths of his memory. It had been a millennia since he had put his feet on this ground and though he tried once again to erect a barrier and keep his emotions out, the original hybrid couldn't. This was where everything began.
This was where he fell in love for the first time. This had been his biggest mistake.
And he was still paying the price.
Silas walked forward, coming face to face with his mirror image; Stefan. The part of himself he had sacrificed to live forever.
If only he had known what that had meant all those centuries ago.
If only he were capable of regretting the impulse to indulge that desire. Whatever good his soul had possessed had been poisoned, even the love he still felt for Emiliyah; though Silas was unable to see that for himself. His plan was simple. To be reunited with his soulmate.
Before that had meant dropping the veil and allowing his immortality to be taken from him so he could finally be with Emiliyah wherever she was. Now the plan was different, and Stefan Salvatore was going to help him make sure he would succeed.