"Oh, my God…" Caroline huffed as she helped Elena heft Damon into the back seat of the Mercedes, then patted Damon's leg as they stepped back, "Damon, sweetie…you need to learn to lay off the pasta."
Elijah chuckled at that, watching them. Then, when they were clear, he shut the back passenger door and moved toward the front of the car as he pulled his keys out of his jean pocket, leaving the girls to talk.
"How's Klaus doing?" Elena asked, turning to Caroline, before looking up to the second story of the mansion
Caroline took in a deep breath and shook her head, then stepped forward and pulled Elena into a hug.
"Don't worry about us. We'll be here when you get back," she said, pulling back after a few moments, "You go be heroes."
She gave Elena a reassuring wink then turned toward Elijah
"Elijah, wait." She called before turning quickly on her heel and, wrapping her sweater around her, ran back up the front steps and through the front door.
Elijah leaned on the open driver's side door of the Mercedes thoughtfully, then after a few moments and the sharing of an uncertain look with Elena, he saw Caroline reappear with a zip up bag on a hanger over her shoulder
"What's this?" Elijah chuckled, closing the driver's side door so that he could step toward her
"A parting gift," Caroline said simply as she handed him the bag by the hanger and stepped back, brushing her hair out of her eyes, "It's from Klaus. There's a note attached."
Elijah cocked an eyebrow for a moment then, still holding the hanger with one hand, used the other to turn around a piece of paper attached to the base of the hanger.
He read it thoughtfully then looked up and smiled softly, nodding to Caroline
"Thank you," he said with genuine gratitude, a little emotion in his voice
Caroline smirked then stepped back as the original moved past her and opened the back passenger door, hanging the bag on the handle above the door and resting the bottom on Damon's legs.
When it was done, he closed the door and with another nod to Caroline, opened the driver's side door again and got in.
Caroline gave a small wave to Elena, then back peddled a few steps before wrapping her sweater around her again and heading back into the Mikaelson mansion.
Elena watched after her for a moment, then moved with vampire speed to the passenger side of the car and soon appeared at Elijah's side inside the Mercedes, putting on her seat belt.
When she felt Elijah's eyes on her, she looked up to him as she clicked her belt into place.
"You're really sure about this?" Elijah asked solemnly
Elena smirked, "Ask me that one more time and you're lying on top of Damon in the backseat and I drive myself."
"Yes, Ma'am," Elijah smiled and turning forward, put the car into gear
# # # # # # #
"Y'all ready?" Misha asked over his shoulder, from the front passenger seat as Rebekah brought the Jeep to a halt at the town line, "Because we are only going to get one shot at this."
Kol and Chogun both nodded in the affirmative from the back seat.
"Alright," Misha said turning forward, then looked to the clock on the car's dashboard, "Based on the time we last heard from Bonnie and the time we left the house, we should be seeing her in about thirty seconds—"
"Or…now!" Kol suddenly interjected, leaning forward and thrusting an arm between the two front seats and pointing through the windshield to Bonnie's form sprinting out of Stephens Woods toward the main road.
"Right! Let's saddle up!" Chogun huffed, grabbing his walking stick and giving a thump to the roof to signal his warrior
There was a slight jolt to the car and both Chogun and Misha suddenly found themselves sitting in the car all alone, with the right side passenger and driver's door ajar.
"Damn vampires…" Chogun chuckled under his breath as his spirit warrior climbed down from the roof and opened his door for him as Misha smiled.
# # # # # # # #
Bonnie's feet had just hit the paved road when she hit something solid and it caught her by the arms.
She winced then cried out, but a hand immediately came to her mouth and covered it
"Bonnie! It's alright, it's okay! It's just us!" Rebekah's voice sounded through the darkness and Bonnie looked up to see herself in Kol's arms.
Bonnie sucked in a breath, then nodded and Rebekah removed her hand
"Where is Jeremy?" Rebekah asked quickly, scanning the tree line
"He—he was right behind me…I think…I don't know I just kept running!" Bonnie said quickly, turning in Kol's arms toward the tree line, "I don't think I could have lost him—"
"Oh, no," Kol suddenly spoke up, unable to keep from snarling under his breath, "You didn't lose him."
Rebekah looked to Kol and he immediately nodded in the direction of the center spot in the tree line.
At first, Rebekah didn't see it, but then she lifted her eyes and saw Jeremy perched at the top of the one of the oak trees, his inhuman eyes glaring in the darkness as he watched them.
Suddenly, there was a rustling nearby and a large black bear came running out of the tree line, followed by a mountain lion.
It was the spirit warriors. They had shape-shifted.
"Oh! This night just keeps getting better and better!" Kol laughed sarcastically, then with a nod to Rebekah, scooped up Bonnie in his arms and they took off with vampire speed and the animals on their heels.
# # # # # # #
A few minutes after Rebekah and Kol had taken off with their charge, Jeremy Gilbert walked out onto the road.
Sniffing the air for a moment, he quickly turned with inhuman speed toward the town line and the empty Jeep sitting there the middle of the road.
Turning his ear toward the car, his eyes glared, then narrowed as he stepped forward and, after a moment, picked up his speed toward the vehicle as if sensing something.
As he closed in, he heard a noise and a lone deer bounded out from behind the vehicle and shot off into the tree line.
Jeremy growled, narrowing his eyes again as he watched after the deer for a moment, then sniffed the air again and took off after Rebekah and Kol in a swift, inhuman sprint.
# # # # # # #
Chogun blew out a relieved breath from where he lay on the floor in the trunk of the Jeep, with his walking stick clutched to his chest.
"I think I just saw one of my lives flash before my eyes," he smirked, turning to Misha lying next to him
"Thank God your warrior is a fast thinker. He saved our bacon with his presto-change-o act," Misha said as he slowly sat up and he looked around and out the car windows for any sign of Jeremy.
"I think he's gone," Misha said, turning back to Chogun and offered his hand to the old man to help him sit up.
When both men were upright, Misha reached behind him and pushed open the trunk of Jeep so they could slide out.
A few moments later, Misha and Chogun both had their feet on the ground and, after hauling out the bags of supplies they needed, were heading swiftly across the road toward the tree line.
# # # # # # # #
It was difficult making it through the shallow parts of the water, but Kol carried Bonnie with all the finesse he could and Rebekah guarded their back as they moved.
When they reached the clearing on the other side of the quarry, Kol slowed and lowered Bonnie to her feet, then huffed as he moved over to lean on one of the nearby tree trunks. He winced as he turned and lay with his back against the bark and soon Rebekah came up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey," she whispered, "You sure you're okay to do this?"
Kol just waived her off dismissively as he gave her his best reassuring smirk.
Rebekah took in a breath then turned immediately to Bonnie, just as a rustling could be heard in the trees.
The sound immediately caused them to move forward toward the edge of the water to see Jeremy and the two spirit warriors, again in human form, coming out of the woods on the other side of the quarry bank.
"Kol…" Rebekah said, looking over her shoulder, "We've got company."
Kol grimaced again as he pushed himself off of the tree trunk and made an exhausted trek to his sister's side.
"But, we forgot the chips and dip…" he quipped with a grimace, placing a hand on Rebekah's shoulder to balance himself
Bonnie looked between the two of them for a moment then said, "You two need your heads examined."
# # # # # #
"Well?" Misha whispered, clutching Chogun's hat as the old man stood between two ash trees about two hundred yards inside the tree line, clutching his walking stick in his left hand as he held his right hand out and moved his fingers through the night breeze.
"I can't concentrate when you're constantly asking questions…" Chogun answered quietly out of the corner of his mouth as he continued to feel the energy of the forest.
"You're consulting the ether, not defusing a bomb," Misha quipped and shifted the bags on his shoulder
"In what situation would I ever find myself defusing a bomb?" Chogun asked lowering his hand as he opened his eyes and quirked an eyebrow, turning back toward where Misha was standing.
"I don't know…" Misha countered with a shrug, stepping forward and handing the old man his hat back, "You can't think of one time that could happen?"
"Uh…" Chogun thought for a moment, looking up to the night sky as he placed the hat back on his head, then brought his eyes to meet Misha's again as he gave a deadpanned, "No."
Misha nodded and smiled, then looked around them, "So we're clear?"
"Clear. The wendigo is gone for now," Chogun replied, then took his bag from Misha's right shoulder carefully as to not throw the warlock off balance, "But, we should work fast. There's no guarantee it won't be back. We summoned it here—it draws power and strength from the magic—so it won't go far."
"Hopefully it won't come back when you're defusing that bomb…" Misha chuckled as he started walking north, fallen leaves crunching beneath his feet quietly, "Or worse, when I'm defusing it. You know, after a thousand years, I've learned something about myself—I'm not always good under pressure—"
"I was thinking this was a hypothetical bomb, but now it's sounding more and more likely by the minute…" Chogun smirked, falling into step beside him as he threw the bag cross wise over his shoulder and chest, "Like you are expecting it to drop into your lap at any moment."
"Well, not drop into my lap per say," Misha replied as he slowed his pace, coming to the clearing where Bonnie and Jeremy's bonfire was still burning and Dominic lay bound under a large oak tree.
Both men watched as Dominic sniffed the air, then turned his head in their direction and growled
"Hello, bomb," Chogun smiled as he and Misha dropped their bags simultaneously
# # # # # # # #
Rebekah and Kol watched with a level gaze as Jeremy sent the spirit warriors across the shallow part of the quarry before looking up to the originals and Bonnie where they had now moved to the top of the cliff.
"Why is he just standing there?" Bonnie asked, turning to Rebekah
Rebekah regarded the witch out of the corner of her eye, "I don't know…but he's not our concern. Our only concern is separating him from his minions and keeping him from being able to lay his hands on you and channel your magic. Misha's orders…I just follow them."
"I-I was the bait?" Bonnie asked, narrowing her eyes in confusion, "I thought I was to be part of the ritual—to help—"
"When Misha came up with the whole demon jumping into Jeremy's body plan, he also realized that if it worked, they would be vulnerable during the ritual because Damon, Kol and I would never be able to take on Jeremy and contain him for the time it would take the ritual to be completed without harming him. Then he came after you when he turned and Misha figured that he was in search of someone he could manipulate—someone who had power he could channel for the fight he knew was coming—"
"Me? Bonnie gulped
"Yep. Misha and Chogun thought it would be better if we used you as bait to draw Jeremy and the others away for awhile they slipped in undetected and started the ritual. So, now you are helping us." Rebekah replied simply then turned to Kol, "Remember that Misha said to occupy and stun, but not kill, Kol."
"Roger-Wilco, Senorita," Kol nodded
Bonnie took in a deep breath as she willed her magic forward and watched as the spirit warriors made the crossing and now climbed up the bank.
Suddenly, Kol smirked and touched Rebekah's shoulder as he pointed out toward the opposite side of the quarry where Jeremy began turning his head in thought as if listening for something, then quickly took off back into the forest.
"Good luck, Misha." Rebekah whispered, watching him leave
# # # # # # # #
"How long do you think we have?" Chogun asked as he continued to place lighted candles in configuration around the tree where Dominic lay bound, his head spirit warrior now in human form and standing guard nearby.
"If our time-bomb here sent up the psychic distress signal that I'm planning on," Misha said, tossing a bunch of leaves into a pile a few feet away, before looking back over his shoulder, "I'm guess that it won't be long at all."
"So, you weren't expecting us yet, then?" Elijah's voice came through the night air and he and Elena appeared with vampire speed behind Misha
"No, you're right on time," Misha smiled, eyeing Elijah up and down as he turned to face the vampires, "I like the suit. What's the occasion?"
Elijah smiled back, dropping the bag he had on his shoulder to the ground and tucked Vivienne' grimoir into the crook of his arm as he straightened the cuffs on his suit jacket in typical Elijah style, "The t-shirt and jeans look was growing on me, I admit. But, someone felt that it wouldn't be right for, and I quote, 'the noble night to ride into battle without his suit of armor'".
"Klaus," Misha nodded knowingly
"Klaus," Elijah acknowledged with a nod, turning in a circle so Misha could admire the suit fully and Elena chuckled
"Alright, Lancelot, enough prancing. Let's get this show on the road..." Misha quipped, then his eyes turned toward Elena standing alone.
"Where's Damon?" the warlock asked, looking around
"Elena didn't take kindly to the idea of him being her babysitter," Elijah said softly out of the corner of his mouth, "Long story short-Damon got his neck snapped. He's in the back of my car sleeping it off. He'll be awake soon."
"I see," Misha chuckled under his breath then spoke up, "Elena, the ritual will begin soon. I was hoping you and Alec could keep an eye out and guard the perimeter until Rebekah and Kol can join us—watch our backs while we're doing our mojo."
"Done," Elena replied, nodding
Suddenly, there was a noise nearby and Misha and Elijah stilled
"Go, Elena," Elijah whispered, turning and touching her arm gently, his eyes softening
Elena studied him for a moment, before standing on her tiptoes and kissing him on the lips lightly, but passionately.
When she pulled back, Elijah sighed and smirked as he closed his eyes and felt their connection hum between them
"Good luck," she said softly and assuredly in his left ear
Elijah nodded, a small smile at the corner of his mouth as he opened his eyes and their gazes connected before Elena stepped back and walked off toward Alec.
The original watched after her for a few seconds, then with Vivienne's grimoir in hand, walked forward toward Misha and handed him the book.
"Nervous?" Elijah asked, turning to the warlock as he examined the book
"Oh, yeah…" Misha replied, flipping through the pages before taking in a deep breath, "But, we are ready—"
Suddenly, there was a swooshing sound in his ears and Elijah felt a presence nearby.
Within seconds, Jeremy appeared behind Misha
"Jesus!" Misha cried, jumping in terror and dropping the book as he moved quickly out of Jeremy's striking range, "You're like a pop-up book from Hell!"
Jeremy smirked, stepping forward, but the smirk immediately disappeared when Elijah moved forward quickly to attack him before he could get to the warlock.
"Chogun! The box, quick!" Misha yelled, back peddling as fast as he could toward the pile of leaves he had constructed a few feet away as he watched Jeremy block Elijah's incoming blows with quick and stunning efficiency while Chogun rummaged through his bag in the background.
"Got it!" the old man cried, then hurried around the fighting to Misha, tossing him a small wooden box as he moved, before taking his place a few feet behind where the warlock was standing and quickly started kicking leaves aside.
"Elena! Alec! Help me!" Chogun called and, within moments, Elena and his spirit warrior appeared at the old man's side and he instructed them in removing the leaves on the forest floor to reveal a binding circle Misha had chalked into the grass earlier.
"Shouldn't we help Elijah?!" Elena asked in a worried tone as she worked, looking up and watching the battle between her brother and the original unfold
Just then, Elijah delivered a quick kick to Jeremy's chest that sent him flying back, where he struck hard against a nearby tree trunk
"I think that Elijah can hold his own," Chogun replied with a haughty smile as he placed the end of his staff onto the top of the circle, closed his eyes in concentration and started whispering an incantation under his breath.
When Elena and Alec had cleared the last of the circle, Chogun opened his eyes.
"Misha. We are good." He said, removing his walking stick and signalling Elena and Alec to step back
"Elijah! Now! Toss him this way!" Misha shouted toward the original as he opened the box in his hands and waited
Within seconds, Elijah ducked a kick Jeremy attempted to bring him down, then popped up with vampire speed and, while his guard was down, took the demonically possessed young man by the throat and threw him directly toward Misha.
The warlock side stepped as he watched Jeremy sail past and land on the ground in the pile of leaves in the center of the circle, growling as he took in his surroundings.
"No!" Jeremy screamed as he swiftly got to his feet
"Alliges duplicia!" Misha chanted under his breath as he quickly took a handful of ashes out of the wooden box and threw them right into Jeremy's face as he stood up.
Jeremy immediately went rigid as he inhaled the ashes and froze before falling to his knees, gagging and coughing
"No…No..." Jeremy groaned in a confused tone as he took in labored breaths and fell forward onto his hands, hyperventilating as he looked up uncertainly at Misha.
But the warlock showed him no mercy.
"Funiculus iste daemon," Misha said in a steady voice, his eyes narrowing as he thrust out a hand toward Jeremy and turned it as if steadily turning an imaginary dial.
Jeremy cried out in pain as his body twisted involuntarily under Misha's hand for a few moments, before Chogun intervened.
"Misha," the old man said, sternly from the other side of the circle, "Stop. Remember the boy."
Misha immediately pulled back his hand at Chogun's words and it fell to his side.
The hold on him released, Jeremy's breath hitched again before he collapsed hard onto his back, immobilized.
"Whoa…" Elena whispered coming to Elijah's side and taking his hand as they both watched the scene, somewhat stunned, "I did not see that coming. How—"
"After a thousand years, I always expect that Misha will have one or two tricks up his sleeve," Elijah replied, "He must have figured something out—something that would reduce the chances of harming Jeremy."
"It's not just about that. I owed Kaspar..." Misha said, looking to the original, before flaring his nostrils and walking slowly around the side of the circle, kneeling down to one knee just outside the chalk line so that he could look right into Jeremy's dead, lifeless, black eyes.
"You know," Misha said, placing the box of ashes on his knee gently, "You've caused a lot of havoc for us in the last few days since we inadvertently raised you from the dead. And, in that short amount of time, you've managed to piss off a lot of people in your little quest for revenge and whatnot—most of them original vampires. Bravo. But, I want you to know that you've pissed off me as well as someone else whose name I want you to remember, because his death is going to bring about yours you son of a bitch."
Then, with his eyes still focused on Jeremy's he brought his hand to the box of ashes and picked up another handful, letting the dust run methodically through is fingers.
"His name was Kaspar and he was my brother… and you killed him right in front of me," Misha said, anger and emotion in his voice, "These are his ashes that you just consumed. And because you killed him, his death curse is upon you...it's magic is in his ashes. It's a binding that you can't possibly break until we send you back to the black hole from which you clawed your way into this world."
Then, placing the ashes back into the box and sliding the lid back in place, Misha gracefully got to his feet.
"See you in a few."