No pairing. I will take requests for the next chapter for pairings.
Still Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Evening
The dogs, Andrei and Ioana, howled as the room shook, jarring the children out of their restless sleep. Rebekah had sung to them again as Sage tidied up the room, but now the room was shaking.
Kol had left, but rushed in again as the rumblings intensified. Things fell to the floor off of shelves and Rebekah got in bed to comfort the children.
"It's Damon," Julian said, in a sleepy voice. "Someone is trying to get out of him..."
Kol blanched, "Someone? What do you mean, Julian?"
The dogs ran to the opened door and fled.
"Doggies? What's going on, Uncle Kol?" Indy asked, frightened. "Why's the room shaking?"
Kol shook his head. "I don't know, dear one, but it will be okay. Julian, you want to come with me? Aunties Sage and Bekah will stay with you, Indy."
"Okay," the small child trembled. "Can you sing to me again?"
"Of course," Rebekah said.
Elijah vamped in and Kol told him what Julian had said.
"This isn't good," Elijah said. He patted Julian on the head and got Indy calmed down.
"Julian, are the dogs speaking to you?" Elijah pressed.
"Yes, Daddy," Julian said in a small voice. "I was dreaming about them and they said it was a lady."
Kol picked up Julian, as another terrific crash of lightening and thunder seemed to struck the very house itself.
"Ahhhh!" Julian shrieked, burying his head in Kol's shoulder as he was lifted.
"Shhh, I have you," Kol reassured him, but inwardly, Kol was alarmed and his eyes met Elijah's. The disturbances were getting closer together. There was a lull and the trio followed the dogs to Damon's bedroom.
Elijah went in first.
"Julian said the dogs may know something," Elijah announced.
Klaus was holding Damon in the bed. Stefan was sitting by his side, holding Damon's hand as he writhed and twisted unconsciously.
Katherine looked up in surprise.
"He speaks to dogs?" Katherine asked, elbowing Nadia.
"Yes, Katherine. Actually, he does," Elijah retorted, taking Julian and putting him on his feet. He wore pajamas with dinosaurs on them and his curly locks were messed up from his recent sleep. But his blue eyes were bright now, he called to the dogs who were panting at the edge of the bed.
"This is so freaky," Katherine said to Nadia and Pearl.
Finn came in, "Is everyone alright? What's going on?"
Kol told him and he stood next to the others watching at Julian leaned over and looked the dogs in the eye.
"The witch is trying to come through," Julian reported. "She was looked like Indy and me. But that wasn't her real body...Daddy, I d-don't understand."
Elijah crouched down near his son and patted his small back.
"You're doing great," Elijah confirmed. "Can you ask what we should do to save Damon?"
Julian concentrated again and said, "Remove the ring from the other witch."
"Could it be Greta?" Klaus asked. "Perhaps she did another spell? To bind herself to the Traveler's energies?"
Lucy looked at Nadia, "Maybe she soul branded herself to them? If so, we can try to reverse it, but without a natural event...I don't know if Bonnie and I alone have enough power."
Katherine asked, as the room rumbled again, "You can't use this storm? It seems like there is plenty of power there."
"She's right," Bonnie said. "We could tap into this, but it would be better if we could use Damon. We would have to link with him, though. In his state, that is dangerous."
"It's too dangerous. We don't know what this witch used to bind the spell. If we reverse it incorrectly, things could get worse," Lucy chided. "It's too dangerous."
Elijah said, "Julian, can you ask if they know anything about what the witch did? When she did the spell?"
Julian squeezed his eyes shut and a moment later answered, "Oh no, Daddy, she killed a snake! Why would s-someone do that?"
Elijah held Julian to him. "Thank you, Son. That was good. Now, come along. We'll give these dogs a nice treat."
The room shook again as Elijah took his child and the dogs and left.
Wes came in with Ric and another man.
"Ric, you made it," Klaus said with relief.
"Yeah, and I brought Dorian," Ric announced. "Hi everyone. This is Dorian Williams. He comes bearing gifts."
Dorian was a young African American man in his early thirties. He had short, black hair and kind eyes. He wore a tweed jacket and tie.
Dorian shook hands with Finn and greeted the others, as Ric made his way to Damon.
"He looks so pale," Ric said. "Hey buddy."
Damon just bucked and thrashed as Klaus and Stefan held him down.
"Bonnie picked up a ring and it seems to be someone connected," Stefan said, gesturing to the young witch.
Klaus explained that Greta may have somehow done a binding spell.
Dorian spoke to Nadia, Lucy, and Bonnie about what he had brought.
"I snuck this out of the Armory. I almost got caught. I don't think I can ever go back," Dorian admitted. "But it has the only information about the Travelers that is known. Plus, there is some kind of grimoire. It looks like it was made out of human skin."
Nadia took the book carefully.
"I saw books like this when I was a child. I think it does contain spells," Nadia shared. "Let me see if I can translate."
Nadia sat down at the table.
"If the spell was bound with a snake sacrifice, then I would start there," Katherine intoned. Everyone looked surprised. "I may not have been a practicing Traveler, but I did spent a lot of time with Emily Bennett."
"Then, you let her burn," Bonnie said bitterly.
"I had to flee from Klaus here," Katherine smirked. "Emily was supposed to follow me, but she was too worried about her children. Judging from you two, they did just fine."
A rumbling cracked through the house and the glass in the window of Damon's balcony door cracked.
Lucy put an arm around Bonnie, "Stop, we have to concentrate. Nadia, any luck?"
Nadia peered at a page with symbols and a drawing of a snake.
"Here. It's a ritual to mark a person's soul. The spell requires an item blessed by the witch, maybe the ring, as a talisman. Hell, with Greta's power, maybe she blessed all the Traverers' jewelry, just in case," Nadia surmised.
Lucy whispered to Bonnie, "That's why I told you not to touch anything."
Bonnie huffed and shrugged off her cousin's arm.
"Fine. Next time, I'll listen. What else, Nadia?" Bonnie questioned.
"We will need a python," Nadia said. "It's blood shed on the object should release it with the incantation and the sigil will disappear and the person freed from the branding. The incantation is ' Aux sa ah ça le vous de le vous l'inspir non do set.'"
Dorian frowned, "That is dark sacrificial magic. Have you examined Damon for a mark?"
Klaus looked at Stefan.
"Help me look, old friend," Klaus implored.
With some effort, they turned the feverish vampire over, finding a strangle snake like symbol branded into his upper back.
Dorian examined it and held it up to another print out.
Nadia said, "I've seen that before. That's the markings on the ring!"
Bonnie held out her ring finger to the light.
"So we reverse the spell? Please don't tell me you have to kill the snake over my finger!" Bonnie pleaded.
"I won't tell you that then," Nadia said heavily. "But it is what we must do."
"Where do we get a python?" Stefan asked.
"Get Dr. Maxfield. I think he had some at his lab," Klaus stated. "Enzo and him can go. Hurry!"
Salvatore Boarding House
"Would you look at that?" Harper said, pulling back the curtains in the library. They had lost power and all the vampires were holed up near the roaring fire. They were used to candlelight.
Bethanne and Frederick were enjoying the bar and Billy was playing with a crossbow, he took off the wall.
Annabelle came down in a jacket and with an umbrella.
"Miss Annabelle! You ain't fixing to leave in this storm, are you?" Harper inquired anxiously.
Annabelle flinched at the sound of his voice.
"Something odd is going on," Anna said. "I was going to go check with Mother. There's an old vehicle in the garage. It's fine."
"No, Miss, I cannot allow it," Harper said, getting up from the couch. He had been flipping through an old atlas, marveling at the maps. He knew his letters, but had never learned to read well.
"Harper, I am several hundred years older than you," Annabelle smiled. "I don't think you have the strength to stop me."
Frederick, a handsome, but roguish fellow, barked out a harsh laugh.
"She has you there, Harper! She can knock ya on your proper arse," Frederick effused. The way that Harper sucked up to Miss Pearl disgusted him. They were getting their strength back and Miss Pearl was not their leader.
"But Miss Pearl said for us to stay in," Harper advised. "Plus, the doors are well-locked. Do you mean to bust out the window?"
"If I must," Anna snapped. "Knowing my mother, I am sure she gave you the keys."
Harper looked at Billy and Bethanne for support, but found none.
"Oh Harper, are you still in the Army? Your service is done. Come, have a drink with us and live a little," Bethanne mused. "Miss Annabelle can do as she pleases."
"No, I cannot allow it," Harper stated staunchly. "Let us all just wait. Miss Pearl and the others will be back soon."
Frederick rolled his eyes and smirked. He vamped behind Harper and snapped his neck, letting his body fall to the ground.
Billy opened his mouth and laughed, "Shite, Freddie. That was brutish of you. Miss Pearl ain't gonna be best pleased."
Annabelle's mouth hung open.
"That was no necessary, but t-thanks, I guess," Anna stammered. "But maybe he was right...We should wait here."
"No, ma'am," Frederick chuckled. "I am done with being jailed in this fancy pile of bricks. I aim to have some real fun tonight. Bill? Beth? Y'all with me?"
Annabelle watched as Frederick searched Harper's pockets to find the door key. They found it in his jacket pocket.
"Freedom at last," Billy chirped. "I need some real blood. I do not cotton to sipping mine out of a pretty glass. Let us go."
Bethanne grabbed a bottle of rum and roared, "Let us go then. No time to waste. If our wardens come home, we shall never leave this place."
Annabelle was alarmed, "No, you mustn't. The town police are out looking for staggers. It's not safe for you to be out. I was just going to slip in and out undetected."
Annabelle never imagined that Billy would snap her neck next, but that is exactly what he did.
Whitmore College
Wes' Secret Research Lab
Wes wasn't quite sure if the other Augustines were onto him. It was nerve wrecking to have to bring Enzo back to the place where he had experimented on him. Wes had asked Kol to come along and Aaron said he didn't want to stay at the mansion. To avoid another argument, Wes brought Aaron along. As they left Mystic Falls, the weather cleared and there wasn't a sign of rain.
"How long is this going to take?" Aaron asked.
Kol chuckled, "That depends on the good doctor here. We only need a python and then we have to get back directly. You like reptiles, Aaron?"
"Not really. Do you?" Aaron retorted.
"Aye, just fine. But this one is marked for death," Kol explained.
"Whatever," Aaron said, putting in his headphones and turning up his ipod.
"I'd like one of those contraptions," Kol mused.
"Elijah is going to raise my allowance," Enzo joked. "I'll buy you one."
"Gee, thanks," Kol said. Turning to Wes, who was driving the SUV, Kol asked, "You sure that your beasts are still alive? Wouldn't they have cleared out your lab?"
"No, I don't think anyone knows about it. Anyone living that is," Wes shared. "My research assistants think I am on a research trip to find more vampires. But you two are here in case they have been tipped off."
"My, how the tables have turned?" Enzo replied. "Once, I was a prisoner here. Now, you are scared for your very life. If your Augustine Brothers find out that you've gotten into bed with the enemy, you would be on one of those gurneys getting your liver carved out."
Wes wiped at his brow, snapping, "What choice did I have? It was even that or die. You all have been enjoying the taste of my blood daily, have you not."
"Aye," Enzo snarked. "We do, but I prefer to drink from the source."
Kol cleared his throat, warning, "Enzo, didn't my brothers remind you to watch yourself? You best heed their warnings or you shall be in for it. I do not recommend that, mate. Let's just get the snake and be gone."
Wes pulled into his parking spot.
"Aaron, come on. You may have to invite them in," Wes said loudly.
"Why?" Aaron moaned.
"Because I asked you to. Let's go," Wes encouraged, trying not to show his irritation.
"It's always something," Aaron snapped. "Hey, no rain here. Weird."
"Aye," Enzo said, opening the door.
The humans opened the door using a combination pad and eye scan. Wes stepped in and said, "Aaron, please invite them in."
"What? Just come in," Aaron snarled. He was glad to get out of that weird house, but Wes was pissing him off.
"Aaron, do as I say," Wes said firmly.
"Why?"
"Because I said so. If you don't, I'm going to-," Wes started, then stopped himself.
"What?" Aaron challenged.
"I'm going to take your ipod. Now, invite them in," Wes said sternly.
"Fuck. Okay, come in," Aaron invited finally.
"Thanks for your hospitality," Kol said sarcastically, stepping over the threshold. "You are lucky we are in a hurry or I'd hide you myself."
"Hide me?" Aaron asked in confusion. "You guys are fucking dorks!"
Enzo raised his eyebrows and said, "Not a shred of discipline, this one. Let's go, I don't want to linger in my former jail cell."
Wes led the way down to the basement.
"Elijah wants more of my files. Due to security, none of them are on computers," Wes said, turning on the lights. "You guys get the python. I need to go into my office."
"Oh no, it's not that we don't fully trust you, Doctor," Kol added. "But we don't fully trust you. I'll come with you. Aaron, help Enzo."
Aaron was playing with some anatomical models on a desk and toppled them over.
"Leave that and go," Wes directed. "There is a carrier with holes in it on that shelf. I also need to get some blood samples and some equipment. That's why I asked you to come, Kol. I can't carry this all on my own."
"Oh, I thought you were afraid Enzo was going to kill you," Kol remarked. "You know, paybacks on all that."
Wes didn't answer but quickly went in and got the list of donors and the scientific equipment he needed.
Enzo looked at the large snake with horror.
"It's bloody big. I was never in this room before," Enzo exclaimed. The snake was at least eight foot long and a glossy olive color. There were golden spots all over it.
"I'm not touching that thing. I don't even know what we are doing here," Aaron admitted. "I just wanted to get out of the house."
"Well, you probably don't need to know that," Enzo said. "Now, lift it on that end, I'll get the other."
Aaron screwed up his face in disgust but grabbed the snack as they hefted it into the carrier.
"Why do you hate Wes so much?" Aaron asked quietly.
"You really don't know?" Enzo inquired, shutting the lid on the cage.
"No, I assumed you were in one of his studies," Aaron stated.
"Yes, I was," Enzo answered, picking up the carrier. "Don't you know the whole background of this place?"
"No, no one tells me anything," Aaron complained. "It's not right. I fucking hate it."
Enzo nodded, "Aye, that tis the worst, but maybe you and Wes need to sit down and have a chat. It's not my place to tell you anything."
"Whatever," Aaron said, as Wes and Kol came out of the office carrying boxes. "I guess I'll get the lights. Let's get out of here."
Mikaelson Mansion
Nadia poured through the text deeper. The rumblings were still happening, but they had died down a bit.
"There's something else here," Nadia noted. "It says that to seal the spell, a replica's blood must be consecrated. What does that mean?"
Stefan frowned, looking up.
"A doppelgängers' blood," Stefan shared. "Oh damn, do we have to drag Elena into this?"
Klaus waved him off, "Nay, we have some of her blood already frozen in a vial. It's in the safe. Finn can get it."
Ric exhaled in relief. "That comes in handy. Dorian, you should stay with us. You can't risk going back to the Armory anymore."
"Yeah, I'll take you up on that, Ric, but I hate to put you out," Dorian said.
"My old loft is still empty. I have a couple more weeks on the lease. We can set you up there tomorrow," Ric offered. "And I can probably get you a job at the school. We're always looking for subs."
Dorian smiled, "I do have some experience there. Thanks, Ric. I just hope your friend pulls through unscathed."
"What do you mean?" Klaus pressed. Stefan was still by Damon's side, but Klaus was pacing.
"I mean that this dark magic is nasty business," Dorian said. "You all need to make a mora miserium to contain the stuff. It looks like an hourglass, but is really just a prison for the magic. It will need to be kept safe."
Klaus blinked, "I do have something of the kind. It's only..."
Finn's eyes narrowed, "What is it, Niklaus? Tell us."
"It was once Kol's. I may have a selection of his dark objects. I told him that they were destroyed in a flood in New Orleans long ago...," Klaus confessed.
"Go get it," Finn said dryly. "Before he returns. You'll have to tell him the truth later."
Klaus sighed, "He'll pitch such a fit. But I suppose we need to contain Greta's soul or whatever is hitching a ride in my son."
Finn shook his head as he went to get the blood out of the safe, Niklaus always had his secrets.
Midnight
Wes, Aaron, Kol, and Enzo got back, leaving the doomed reptile in the SUV.
Wes walked a yawning Aaron into his bedroom.
"I shouldn't have let you come. You're exhausted," Wes observed. "Now, get right to bed."
"I'm fine. I'm not going to school tomorrow," Aaron determined.
"Oh, you are going," Wes said. "That was the deal."
"Screw your deal. What is going on here? It's time you told me the whole truth. Why did we have to sneak into your lab?" Aaron demanded.
"I will tell you, but not right now. I have to sleep, too. I can't miss my second day of work," Wes said, yawning himself. "Did you eat?"
"Screw eating," Aaron said. "I want to know why we are really here."
"Aaron, Mr. Miller at the hardware store gave me some good advice and sold me some other stuff. I think you ought to start realizing you are the child and I am the adult," Wes warned.
"What'd he sell you in that crappy store? A brick? Go ahead and brain me, I'll be better off," Aaron wailed.
"Aaron, I mean it. Get into bed or we'll going to have a big problem," Wes said firmly, not backing down.
Aaron faltered, "Fine, but only because I am sick of your shit. Now, get out and leave me alone."
"Aaron...," Wes said, not wanting to leave in an argument.
"I mean it, Wes, fuck off," Aaron said, holding back tears.
Wes rubbed his temples, "I made a lot of mistakes, Aaron. A lot, I'm really starting to see that, but I care about you. I did this all for you. Now, we'll talk more tomorrow. Night, kid."
"Night, asshole," Aaron muttered.
Wes turned and shut off the lights and shut the door. He grabbed the plastic bags off the table and headed to his room.
The others gathered in the kitchen. Finn and Stefan were readying Damon for the spell.
Dorian advised, "I wouldn't do the spell in the house. The rain is letting up. Is there a clearing or area outside where you could form a circle?"
Klaus was holding the hour glass, "There's a gazebo on the property. That may work."
Bonnie, Lucy, Nadia and Dorian went to prepare the spell. Katherine and Pearl lingered inside, gathering up candles and talking softly.
Pearl asked Katherine to try the phones. They were still out.
Kol sucked down a blood bag and then saw what his elder brother was carrying as he entered the kitchen. It couldn't be! The last time he had seen it had been in the Claire tomb in Lafayette Cemetery a century ago.
Kol's eyes bulged, "Nik, is that my sand clock?"
"Ah yes," Klaus said. "I thought it was a mora miserium?"
"Same bloody thing," Kol fumed. "What else do you have from my playhouse? You said it was destroyed!"
"Oh, just a few things," Klaus said, evading his eyes.
"I want it back," Kol demanded.
"Yes, let's get my son in top form and it shall all be yours again. Deal?" Klaus prompted.
"Deal," Kol said tightly. "Lying bastard. What else have you lied about?"
Finn's lips tightened, "That's enough, Kol. We'll talk about this tomorrow."
"But he lied to me, Finn! And stole my things," Kol whined.
"He did and he shall answer for it," Finn determined. "But now is not the time."
Kol nodded, satisfied for the moment, and went to get the python.
Outside the Mikaelson Mansion
Gazebo
"Aux sa ah ça le vous de le vous l'inspir non do set," Bonnie and Lucy chanted. Since they needed Damon's power, they each put a hand on his shoulder. He was wrapped up in a blanket in the center of the gazebo in a circle of protective salt. Pearl had added some more herbs as the storm still swirled around them. Lucy had cast a spell to contain the wind to outside the gazebo. Bonnie could feel the ring pulsing and getting hotter, the ruby brightening and the snake designs glowing.
"Ready?" Kol asked Dorian and Nadia, who were directing the spell.
He used a blade to cut open the python.
"Sorry, mate," Kol whispered, feeling awful, but wanting Damon to return to them. Stefan helped hold the snake and gave Kol a grateful nod.
"Now, the blood of the double," Nadia directed. The vial with Elena's blood in it was added to the chalice.
"Bonnie, put the ring in the chalice," Dorian said softly.
Bonnie gasped as she put the ring in the blood, it was cool and soothing.
"Now, wake up Damon," Nadia ordered.
"Lié cle vie la lumiere le sien lache," Lucy chatted, Bonnie joined her a moment later after she wedged off the ring.
Damon's eyes opened, but he still seemed confused.
A thick fog began to gather and a murder of crows started to descend.
"Faster," Dorian urged, feeling a chill in his spine at seeing the black birds circle outside the gazebo.
Bonnie ignited the chalice with fire magic and the ring bubbled and hissed as it melted into the blood.
"He must drink it," Dorian said firmly. "All of it."
Stefan took the chalice and said, "Damon, wake up. It's almost over."
Damon choked back the blood, with some streaming down his mouth. Kol checked the brand.
"It's fading," Kol announced.
"Keep going," Dorian implored. The Bennett witches repeated the spell in reverse, now able to suck power from Damon and his storms, fog, and crows. They said the final words and a black smoke came out of Damon's mind and went into the sand clock with a cracking sound. The crows started to drop dead and the fog dissipated. The storm was gone.
Everyone let out a gasp as Damon said, "If someone doesn't get me some damn bourbon, I'm killing all of you."
Klaus vamped to Damon and embraced him and then Stefan kissed him on the head. Ric thumped him on the back, introduced him to Dorian, and pulled out a bottle of bourbon.
"It's all yours, buddy," Ric said with emotion.
"No, I'll share," Damon said gruffly. "After all, you guys saved my ass again. Thanks."
Bonnie sniffed and tried to wipe off her bloody hand.
"Damon, I'm sorry, this was all my fault. I'll never forgive myself" Bonnie wept. "I never should have taken that ring."
Damon smiled and let the pretty teen witch cry over him a minute.
"Nonsense, Bonbon," Damon shared. "Greta made it unable to resist. I saw into her mind as she tried to worm her way into mind. It wasn't your fault."
"Really?" Bonnie asked, her brown eyes big and watery.
"Really," Damon said. "Now, help me up. I feel like I've been in a nightmare and my mouth tastes like metal! Let's get inside."
The crowd dispersed but Finn held back Kol and Klaus.
"And I will be speaking to you two on the morrow," Finn warned. "But I am glad your son is well."
Klaus watched Damon aided by Stefan and Ric go into the mansion.
"He is, but did you see that storm? He is powerful, Brothers," Klaus said seriously. "More than I imagined."
Kol nodded, "He is the first born of your line, Klaus. It is to be expected."
"I know," Klaus said, putting an arm around Kol. "Now, I guess it's time I showed you my storage area, Kol. We need to keep that sand clock safe. I don't wish to see Greta again. My track record with relationships with witches has not gone well."
"Indeed, it has not," Kol quipped. They followed the others in.
After Midnight
No one in the family saw Julian sneak out a time later, nor did they see him raise up the python from the dead and all the crows.
From a distance away, Jonas Martin gasped.
"Luka, watch!" Jonas hissed. "He did it. The boy brought them back to life!"
They looked up in the night sky and saw the crows fly into the darkness.
Luka, Jonas' son and Greta's brother, smiled.
"Then, there is a chance we can get Greta back, too," Luka said.
"Yeah, we just need that mora miseriums back," Jonas said. "And then we can get Greta back!"
