Disclaimer: I still don't own Saving Hope or The Originals
I know I said that it may be late, but I did intend on having this one up on time after the last chapter. Unfortunately, the words just would not flow. Usually they would, but not for this chapter. So sorry it's this late, I did not intend on leaving it for two weeks, but the words were being stubborn and hiding from me for the first half of the chapter.
Chapter 9
Josh watched, pacing, as Joel located Marcel. It was without a doubt the strangest way of finding someone he had ever seen. Mainly because Joel was sitting on a chair with his eyes closed and every other witch he'd ever known would be all over maps with blood or hair or anything else linked to the person being found. Now Joel looked like he was relaxing and knowing that he was basically using the best locator spell in the universe was a little disconcerting whilst watching what looked like inactivity. Suddenly Joel's eyes snapped open, causing Josh to stop pacing.
"The cemetery," he said. Josh ran out at Vampire speed. Joel snorted before getting to his feet. "Yeah, no, the one going to stop this guy from killing someone doesn't need a ride and you definitely know exactly where he is." He walked out to his car, then stopped, thinking about what was happening. Marcel was being manipulated by a vengeful, extremely powerful spirit, but he wasn't the only one who got trapped in that ritual.
Klaus.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It looked like Marcel wasn't the only one who needed help.
-TO/SH-
Joel was almost at the cemetery when he noticed Marcel had moved. He sighed. Stupid vampire speed. And why had be let go of the guys mind in the first place? He found Josh outside the cemetery, pacing, and got out, leaving the car running.
"What's wrong?"
"It's some kind of barrier," Josh explained, scowling slightly. "I can't get in. Maybe you could?"
"There's no point," he said. "Marcel moved." Josh looked at him, shocked.
"When the hell did that happen?!"
"Sometime in the past 5 minutes, I'd say. He's nowhere near the cemetery."
"I've been standing out here for almost that long, I didn't see anybody." Joel gave him a look.
"We're having a centuries old extremely powerful witch spirit who's currently possessing two of the most powerful immortal beings in the entire world. Mate. What makes you think you would see them if they're doing exactly what this Hollow wants them to?" Josh blinked, opening his mouth, then closing it again. He nodded.
"Good point." He paused. "What do you mean two?"
"You've got Marcel and Klaus. He was trapped with Marcel, which means the Hollow has him too." Josh sighed and face palmed.
"Great," he said sarcastically. "So now we've got to help Mikaelson's too?" Joel shrugged.
"You can do what you like, but I'm just doing what I have to in order to keep my son and everyone else this thing could target safe." Joel walked over to his car. Josh caught up and slipped into the passenger seat. Joel gave him a confused look.
"What? They terrify me, but you're my best friend. I'm not letting you go near any of them alone, especially not Klaus."
"OK then," Joel said. "Let's go."
"Do you know where they are?"
"A Vampire called Sofia is taking Marcel to a witch. Klaus is in the town centre. I think the Hollow is being to him. Seems to be pretty angry right now."
"Pretty sure 'angry' is his default mode," Josh said sarcastically.
"Something tells me that's not going to help."
When they found Klaus, he was in an alleyway with a horrified look on his face. He was kneeling on the ground looking like he was holding something. The two of them got out of the car, and approached him. Joel placed his fingers on Klaus's temple and closed his eyes, Josh standing guard next to him, both wary of Klaus attacking and someone catching them. Joel only had to search for seconds to find the part of the Hollow which was manipulating Klaus's thoughts and start building a blockade, building on the natural mental defenses he had as a vampire and a wolf. Eventually, he managed to block out the Hollow's influence. Klaus blinked, looking confused at the sudden lack of bodies around him. Joel got to his feet next to Josh.
"The people you killed weren't real. That was the Hollow making you see it all," Joel said as Klaus looked towards them. "And even if the Hollow did get to Marcel, I know he's getting help himself. The Hollow needs one of you to kill the other. You can't let that happen." Klaus narrowed his eyes at them.
"And how am I to know you aren't another of this ghosts illusions?"
"Because if we were, we would be telling you to use the weapon you've got in your pocket to kill him." Klaus looked suspicious still.
"Who says I have a weapon?" Joel snorted, giving him a 'oh please' look.
"Because you don't want what happened 5 years ago to happen again. That weapon is your insurance. Insurance that if he does come after you or your family again, you can kill him first. Besides, you're a Mikaelson. Always prepared for betrayal, especially at times like this. I've blocked your mind off from the Hollow's influence, at least for now."
"Good," Klaus said, getting to his feet. Joel crossed his arms.
"A 'thank you' would be better." Klaus gave him an annoyed look and started walking off, disappearing before he could say anything else.
"I can't believe he left us alive after that sass," Josh commented with a sigh of relief.
"Oh you'll know when I'm being sassy," Joel told him. "He's probably gone to do exactly what he's not supposed to."
"Really hoping you mean party and have a good time when there's am emergency," Josh muttered. Joel shot him a look and he sighed, shoulders slumping. "There goes that. You mean he's going to kill Marcel, don't you?" Joel nodded. Josh sighed again, third time in 2 minutes. "And the Hollow gets what it wants."
"Then let's stop them from killing each other."
-TO/SH—
"Of course," Marcel sneered. "You say our feud it's over, but you're off building a weapon which can kill me."
"I wouldn't need it if I knew I could trust you!"
"Well trust me now, and we both get to live!" Marcel exclaimed, trying to get through to him.
"And how can you trust yourself?"
"Spelled beads keep me safe from this damn thing," Marcel explained, hoping that Klaus should break free of the Hollow's influence if he could stall him, not realizing that the Hollow want effecting his decisions at the moment, despite all it's attempts. The barrier placed in his mind was enough to keep his father's voice out of his head. "I bury these here, and we're done, alright? No need to fight."
Klaus could feel the Hollow trying to break through to his mind, a sure sign that what Marcel was saying was the truth.
But only part of it. He says that there is no need to fight, but if Klaus lets him go now, he knows that one day, Marcel would try to kill his family again. Maybe not now, maybe not in the next few months, or even years, but he should try again.
There was too much anger in him not to. He would know after all. He had raised his son in his image.
"Damn it, Klaus, I didn't come to fight, alright?!" Marcel shouted. "Just put the weapon down."
Klaus reached his decision, without thinking of the side effects. If he did this the Hollow would be revived and they would all die. But that was far from his mind. Marcel would destroy them all.
"My family will never be safe unless you're put down." With that Marcel lost all hope that Klaus should break out of this on his own and attacked. They exchanged punches before Klaus pushed Marcel through a wall.
Marcel shook his head clear and looked up to see the Hollow as Elijah leaning against the wall.
"End this. There is no other way." Marcel got to his feet and rushed through the hole in the wall. The fight continued, Marcel throwing him to the ground on the opposite side of the room. Marcel bends down to pick up the dagger. Klaus rushed to his feet, throwing one stake first into his heart. Marcel pulled it out easily then got another to the stomach which caused him to fall. Klaus picked up the dagger.
"I should've killed you when I had the chance."
"Your mistake." Klaus goes to kill him but Marcel was too quick, getting to his feet and the fight started again, Marcel eventually ending up against a wall with Klaus pushing the dagger towards his heart. Marcel pushed back and that were suddenly on the opposite wall with the dagger further away from his heart.
"Do it now," the Hollow said in Elijah's image. "Or forever be a servant to the Mikaelsons."
Marcel pushed Klaus away, back onto the floor.
"I am not this thing's puppet. And neither are you." Klaus let loose a chuckle.
"Oh, I know I'm not. You see, I happen to know a witch powerful enough to keep this thing out of my head without the use of some silly beads. This is about what you did to my family!" Before anything else happened, the door burst open, allowing Elijah in, who rushed towards Marcel, pushing him against wall where the positions are almost immediately reversed, Marcel having Elijah in a choke hold.
Klaus got to his feet and walked through to the other room to see it happen. The pushing against his mental barriers made him aware of the consequences had he gone through with his plan of killing him and made him drop the dagger just as Freya, Joel and Josh rushed in and he rushed forwards and snapped Marcel's neck. Elijah slumped slightly, gasping for breath.
A human shaped figure in blue light appeared at the end of the hallway. The two brothers stood straight, looking at it. As it went to attack, Freya snapped, taking out a vial.
"Leave my family alone!" she shouted, throwing the potion at the spirit, making it scream in pain and anger making everyone flinch. After a few seconds, Joel whistled.
"Remind me never to get on your bad side."
"Dude," Josh said. "We've had this conversation. They're Mikaelsons. They have no good side." The three Mikaelsons in the room – meaning the ones who actually went by Mikaelson, not the one who was distantly related who had been friends with him for four years – turned to look at him.
"He says in the room full of Mikaelsons," Joel said, slightly amused.
"Somebody want to tell me what this is?" Freya asked, gesturing to Joel.
"That-" Klaus started.
"That?!" Joel said incredulously. "I am a human being, you know, not just a thing!"
"Depends who you ask." Klaus continued, ignoring Joel's dark glare in his direction. "He is the doppelganger Kol mentioned as we were leaving the city."
"Also, the one who stopped you from being taken over by a malevolent spirit who wants you dead, you're welcome."
"How?" Freya asked, more curious than before.
"I'll explain later, over dinner." Josh snorted a bit at that and gets m Freya's raised eyebrow. Clearly she had caught on to the fact that he was flirting, unlike her two brothers who remained oblivious Anna probably would unless they caught them kissing, which would probably never happen. Oh, he had heard stories about how Joel used to be before he got engaged and his fiancé died, but that had changed though he still flirted, none of his flirting ever went past maybe lunch these days. Besides, he looked exactly like Freya's brother. With these two facts, it was most likely dinner would be nothing more than explanations and making plans which would probably include the two brothers in the room.
-TO/SH—
Marcel woke just as Elijah approached, looking around to see he was being kept exactly where he had kept Klaus for the past 5 years. He snorted. Typical Klaus. Revenge.
"Did you come to gloat?" Marcel asked, pissed off and resigned.
"5 years ago, I was forced to make a decision. Take your life, or lose everything."
"Yeah, I know, I was there," Marcel said, glaring at him, wondering what the hell this was about.
"Niklaus was faced with a similar decision today," Elijah said, looking at him evenly. "And here you are."
"Here I am. Forgive me if I don't express my gratitude," Marcel said, tone snarky. Elijah ignored it.
"He's changing."
"Oh really," Marcel asked incredulously. "He put me in the came place that I kept him. Same old Klaus."
"Well, I say he would describe it as strategy. You and I both know he viewed you as something like a son. I did too, once upon a time. In fact, I used to think you were the key to my brother's redemption."
"Redemption?" Marcel snorted. "He's never going to change. Not even for his own daughter."
"Oh, but he has changed," Elijah rebuked. "She's changing him. You, Marcellus, are not needed, welcomed, or wanted. You have only been spared because you are my brothers greatest weakness. And I cannot show mercy to anyone who would demonstrate a threat towards my family. And if indeed you should prevent the redemption of the cruel, the wicked, the vindictive Niklaus Mikaelson," Elijah paused, facing Marcel, making sure he had his full attention. "I will deliver another kind of nightmares. Sweet dreams, Marcellus." With those words, he walked away, Marcel calling after him.
-TO/SH—
Dominic, the leader of the Hollow's followers, the priest, kneeled down next to Marcel's blood. Sofia walked up behind him.
"We had a deal," she said, pissed off. "I wanted Klaus dead. Marcel getting taken was not part of it. I should kill you."
"You could," Dominic said, turning to face her. "But then you'll never get what you want. Marcel's blood was spilt here today. As he is the only one able to kill an Original, the Hollow has taken this offering and given us a gift in return." The two looked at the plant steadily growing from the blood. "A single scratch from that thorn will kill an Original. And we both get what we want."
Sofia scoffed.
"You want a blood sacrifice for your dead witch, I don't care," she snapped. "All I want is my revenge."
And that was chapter 9, people. All obviously the Hollow knows Joel is extremely powerful in order to get rid of it from Klaus' mind. Should she try and manipulate him onto her side by bringing Alex back with Davina?