Klaus's vehicle was navigating the mountainous terrain, maneuvering through a sequence of winding paths and gravel roads. Klaus finds himself immersed in the environment; he can see the towering pine trees, absorbing the sights and sounds through the open window. The temperature gradually decreases, providing a refreshing sensation, while the taste of dust lingers in his mouth. The fragrances of pine and honey, oregano, and thyme from the forest around him permeate the air, creating a delightful olfactory experience. The atmosphere is alive with the harmonious melodies of chirping birds and incessantly singing cicadas, forming a symphony of nature.
The landscape unravels right in front of him, becoming increasingly breathtaking. The villages down below resemble fragments of a puzzle painted in shades of green and yellow. The sea stretches out in the distance, its sparkling blue waters blending seamlessly with the clear sky. The waves gently crash against the shore, creating a soothing rhythm that adds to the tranquil ambiance.
Klaus, as a hybrid, possesses an extraordinary perception that allows him to grasp the complexities of the natural world with unparalleled depth. While a mere human would only be able to perceive what lies within their immediate vicinity through their eyes and ears, Klaus effortlessly navigates through the labyrinthine tapestry of nature. He can detect a leisurely turtle traversing the path as a swift hawk descends from the sky, poised for an imminent strike. Unbeknownst to them, a bear enjoys the delectable offerings of a fruit-laden tree, concealed amidst the verdant foliage. Far down the nearby stream, a sly fox carefully quenches its thirst by lapping up the crystal-clear waters.
Parking his vehicle beneath the cool shelter of the towering trees, he ventures forward on foot, effortlessly scaling the rugged rocks. With remarkable agility, he swiftly shifts through the terrain, utilizing his speed and leaping abilities to arrive at the entrance of the concealed cave nestled within the depths of the mountain. Upon initial observation, the crevice in the rock face may seem inconspicuous, but it is far from ordinary. It is a minuscule opening, shrouded in dampness and adorned with a lush coat of moss, that even an original would struggle to traverse. To pass through, one must carefully move through a narrow passage of approximately twenty meters, where the walls create an exquisitely thin crack that only allows passage with one's back pressed against it.
Eventually, the path leads him into a small cave-like room, where darkness envelops the space and the air hangs heavy with humidity. The scent of sulfur and mold permeates the chamber, dominating the senses.
As he walks ahead, another corridor reveals itself, with torches hanging on either side of the entrance. Despite Klaus's ability to effortlessly see in the darkness, he decides to ignite one of the torches, seeking a clearer view of the path that lies ahead. With cautious steps, he traverses the corridor, mindful of the lessons learned from his previous visit to this place, avoiding the joints formed by the imposing marble slabs beneath his feet. After a short while, he arrives at the grand chamber of the Phemonoes temple, anticipating a confrontation with her, but to his surprise, he finds himself alone. No one is there to greet him.
The space before him appears desolate, devoid of any signs of life. A clocking spell seems to veil the contents of the place. In his previous visits, he knew that this space held a treasure trove of knowledge, housing a library filled with ancient scrolls and letters, followed by a collection of books and a stall adorned with an array of aromatic herbs. There was also a meditation area where Phemonoe could often be found engrossed in her studies or deciphering celestial charts. With a mixture of anticipation and longing, he calls out to her, his voice echoing through the silence, "Phemonoe, come now, love; this is not the way to welcome an old friend."
Yet the only response he receives is an eerie stillness that envelops him. He can feel the weight of emptiness settling upon him; he is the sole living thing in this space. Nevertheless, he clings to a glimmer of hope, believing that somehow his words will reach her. He begins to explain the dire circumstances that have brought him here. "I know you warned me never to return, and you were right. My actions against you were foolish, but now I find myself in desperate need of your help. My life, my family's lives, and the life of my daughter hang in the balance. Please, I implore you... Please help me."
Klaus remains within the cave for what feels like an eternity, patiently waiting for a response that never comes. Every passing moment reinforces the notion that the ancient oracle no longer resides within these walls.
The signs are clear, and Klaus must face the harsh reality that his plea has fallen on deaf ears. Disappointed, he returns to the villa. He calls the staff members one by one. Starting with the locals and older. That is, the cook. "I'm shooting for a friend of mine. A woman around 35. Black hair and white skin. Eyes are the colour of night. Quite a loner, snubs people, and loves books and nature." Klaus describes the woman in detail, hoping that someone on the staff might have seen her or know of her whereabouts. As it came out, several women fit his description. The original hybrid spent the day going up and down the mountain. Knocking on doors in villages and looking for someone by the name of Helen, Maria, or Anna—but at the end of the day, none of them were Phemonoe.
He withdrew from the search and returned to the villa. He sat in the yard with a bottle of whisky for company. Making plans for the next day when his butler appeared. "Sir, you have visitors," he announced. Klaus looked at him quizzically. "A lady wishes to speak to you. She said her name is Noe and she is an old friend of yours."
Hearing the name, the hope in Klaus' heart flickered. "I will accept her in the library," he instructed the butler. Following him inside the villa.
Klaus couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and apprehension, but his cool exterior revealed nothing of his inner restlessness. As the door to the room swung open, a beautiful woman entered. She wore a pair of beige wide-leg pants, leather sandals, and a simple white top. Her once-long, thick black hair was cut into a short bob. She was trying to conceive of her divine beauty by adopting a natural style with no makeup or complicated hairstyles. But it was her, Phemonoe, the daughter of the god Apollo.
She greeted him with a firm tone: "Klaus Mikaelson, I've come to realize that not only did you have the audacity to come to my country, but you also entered my temple without an invitation. And to make matters worse, you wandered through the villages of Messinia in search of women who resembled me, drawing unnecessary attention to my presence and once again disregarding my rules." Her voice was stern and sharp, but her gaze seemed to be amused.
Klaus responded with a wry smile, acknowledging the woman's familiarity with him. "You always seem to know me inside out, love. Did you really expect anything different?" he said, his tone filled with a hint of amusement.
Upon hearing Klaus' unapologetic reply, the woman couldn't help but shoot him a deadly glare.
"I distinctly remember warning you to never step foot in my country again," she retorted sharply. "And yet, here you are, blatantly disregarding my words."
Klaus, maintaining his dismissive tone, remarked, "I didn't think you were still holding onto that anger after all these years. It's been 400 years, love."
The hybrid's ongoing farce started to irritate Phemonoe, and she was determined not to let Klaus off the hook so easily. With a firm resolve, she turned towards the door and declared, "Well, it seems your dramatic pleas in the temple were nothing more than your usual theatrics. Let's reconvene in another 400 years, shall we?."
"Wait, love," Klaus interjected, his tone completely transformed.
"Noe, I implore you to stay," he continued, his voice filled with desperation.
Approaching the woman, the original hybrid gently grasped her hand, preventing her from leaving.
Phemonoe turned to face him, her gaze icy as she observed his hand on hers.
Klaus shrugged off the tension and offered an apology.
"Would you mind taking a seat?" he asked, gesturing towards the comfortable sofa.
The woman nodded, her gaze softening as she acquiesced.
"May I offer you a drink?" he inquired.
"A Metaxa12 on the rocks, please," she requested.
The hybrid looked at her with admiration in his eyes.
"I see you've moved on from your beloved sweet wine," he remarked.
"Well, times change, and a girl must adapt," she responded with a laugh.
"I must admit, you've adapted remarkably well," he complimented, his gaze lingering on her from head to toe. "Especially your hair; it's incredibly alluring."
"Oh, spare me your empty flattery and lustful glances, Klaus. Your charm has no effect on me," she retorted.
Before the hybrid could express how deeply her words wounded him, she continued.
"Nevertheless, I'll return the compliment, as time seems to be on your side, Klaus. You're more charming than ever," she said, her voice filled with a playful chuckle.
"Thank you, love. I truly feel wonderful," he replied.
"But the woman wasn't finished yet. She had more to say.
"You know, there's something different about you," she remarked. "It's like you've relished your werewolf side," she guessed, giving him the eye. "You did, didn't you?"
Her observation infected Klaus, who couldn't help but be impressed.
"But that's not all," she continued, locking eyes with him. "You're a father now... Don't act so surprised, Klaus. Remember your desperate plea at the temple, your fear for your daughter's life?"
Klaus nodded, acknowledging her words.
Phemonoe went on, "Of course, a miracle baby is a rare occurrence, much like the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. News like that spreads like wildfire, reaching far and wide." She winked at him.
Intrigued and curious, Klaus gave her a nod, granting her permission to delve deeper into his life.
With a knowing look, Phemonoe mused aloud, "And yet there's something else, something more miraculous than a vampire being able to father a child.? It seems that 'Klaus The Mad' has a heart, and it was recently shattered." She burst into laughter, while Klaus looked at her with a mix of amusement and sadness. "Alright, are you done laughing?" he asked. "Can we get to the point now?"
"Oh, I really must meet her; she must be something special to bring you to your knees, she concludes with a giggle.
Klaus angrily glared at Phemonoe, his eyes flashing with a hint of hurt. "This is not a laughing matter," he snapped.
The woman raised her hands in surrender. "Oh, Klaus, darling, I apologize," she said. "That wasn't very polite of me. Shall we have that drink now?"
Klaus prepared the drinks and settled down beside her. They commenced a conversation about the pressing matter at hand. "I require your assistance," he expressed. "There is a prophecy unfolding as we speak. The prophecy foretells the demise of my family within this year." Klaus proceeded to elaborate on the situation, his voice filled with urgency.
She listened attentively, comprehending the gravity of his request.
"You are aware of the rules, Klaus," she reminded him. "I cannot aid you if your intentions are solely focused on yourself."
"They are not," he responded, his eyes pleading for her understanding.
"Are you certain?" She challenged him. "The Klaus I knew desired to break free from his mother's curse and establish an army of obedient followers to replace his family. He sought power and control over everything and everyone around him."
"The Klaus you knew failed," he replied. "I succeeded; I created them, my hybrids, but in the end, having an enslaved and blindly obedient army wasn't enough to bring me happiness."
Phemonoe appeared lost in thought, contemplating her next words. Eventually, she spoke with a touch of compassion in her voice: "Klaus, the idea of the Pythia mounting a tripod and the fumes that come from it—it's all a deception. The bay leaves that the priestess chews in a trance—it's just a trick. What you're asking for is dangerous. The only way is to undergo the purification ritual and swim in the underground waters of the pyramid temple. My temple. But if your intentions are selfish, you won't survive the lake. Once the ceremony begins, your immortality will be undone."
"Yeah, I never expected it to be easy or without risks," Klaus remarked.
Phemonoe now gazed at him with profound tenderness. "You know how much you mean to me," she expressed. "You're my friend, and I genuinely care about you. I don't want your life to end in my hands."
For the first time in their meeting, Klaus dropped his mask. "I know; believe me, I don't want to either. Look for yourself," he urged, placing her hands on his head.
He allowed her to witness the significant moments of his recent life: Mystic Falls: breaking the curse, creating and destroying his hybrid minions, reuniting with his siblings, killing his father, the deaths of Finn and Kol, his connection with Caroline, and his longing for acceptance.
Then, he shared the story of New Orleans: Hayley's pregnancy, meeting Camille, becoming the king of the city but losing interest in ruling, the traumatic birth of his daughter, the need to declare her dead, the pain of being separated from his child for months, the struggles they faced to protect Hope, his mistakes, and his efforts to make amends with his family.
Again, glimpses of his relationship with Cami: how her acceptance impacted him, how she helped him see himself and his actions differently, how he suppressed his feelings for her just to keep her safe, and how he sacrificed himself to save her. However, when he realized that her feelings for him were just as strong, he felt deserving of love for the first time in centuries and was no longer afraid to love her in return. But then came the shitstorm: the prophecy, Aurora killing Cami, and the agonizing hours of believing he had lost her forever. He shared the pain of Cami's transition—him losing his control over her and her losing control over herself, losing her trust in him, their breakup, and the shattering of his heart.
He shared leaving New Orleans with Hayley and Hope, only to realize that the prophecy was closing in on him and his loved ones and that he needed to protect them all.
Phemonoe's eyes welled up with tears as she let her hands drop to her side. "Please come and pick me up tomorrow at 6 a.m.; we will find the answers you are looking for," she said, leaving a card with the address on the table. She leaned in and softly kissed him on the cheek, bidding him goodnight.
Just as she was about to rise from the sofa, Klaus halted her. "I apologize," he confessed. "For my actions all those years ago, I attempted to steal from you, and what I took held no value for me. I betrayed your trust and our friendship. It was fear that drove my actions. Being with you, Noe, being friends with you, and experiencing the beauty of nature here made me realize that I wanted to truly live after centuries of mere existence. It frightened me. I'm truly sorry," Klaus murmured, gently kissing Phemonoe's hand.
The woman tenderly caressed his face. "I understand," she reassured him. "I'm genuinely happy for you, Klaus, and congratulations on the birth of your daughter. See you tomorrow!" she exclaimed, walking away with a smile.