"Summa ul imeru lemuttum imeru

Pesum sa pisu emi

Summa shusa illaku

Pesum sa pisu emi

Summa limutu pasu

Pesum sa pisu emi

Summa tubusuna insamu

Suma awatum isu"

Maya, Bonnie, and Sheila chanted in unison, their voices rising and falling like waves, their intonations perfectly aligned. As they cast the spell to summon Emily, the candles around them flared blindingly bright, casting intense shadows on the walls. When the light receded, two figures stood before them.

Maya instantly recognized Emily Bennett from her dream and the picture she had drawn. Beside her stood another woman, unknown but exuding an aura of ancient wisdom. She spoke first, her voice commanding attention.

"My name is Ayana. I know you have many questions, but time is short. Listen carefully and only ask what is necessary for your understanding."

Sheila took the lead and nodded.

"Of course."

"Good. Esther was bound and resurrected against her will, the Necromancer who did so, Lillith, she needs to be stopped, but she cannot be killed by any weapon forged, it will take magic. First you will need to free Esther from the chains Lillith has bound her in. However wresting Esther from her grasp will weaken her but it won't be enough, she harvests the souls of all she kills, and to defeat her you must also free those souls."

"How?" Sheila asked, her voice steady.

Both spirits turned their gazes to Maya. Ayana spoke again.

"The stone, the one forged by your ancestor. If you use it to call forth the souls she has harvested, the ones that she has not yet destroyed, it will free them from her grasp, and the act will weaken her enough that she may be captured."

"But I don't know their names," Maya said, her voice trembling slightly.

"You don't need to," Emily assured her. "You must be within twenty feet of Lillith. Hold the stone and focus on your desire for the souls to be free. As long as your will is strong, it will work."

"What you're asking is dangerous," Sheila protested. "Maya is a child."

"We understand," Ayana replied, her voice softening. "But doing nothing and allowing Lillith to continue to wreak havoc upon the world is even more so. She needs to be stopped, and it needs to be before she succeeds in killing any of Esther's children."

"Why?" Bonnie asked.

"When an Original dies, their sireline dies with them." Emily replied, "Every vampire they have ever turned, and every vampire that has ever been sired by one of their turns, and so on, down the entire line will die along with the Original at the head of their line. Such an eventuality would be catastrophic."

"Esther's creations are not the abominations most believe them to be," Ayana added. "They are essential for the balance of the world."

"How so?" Sheila asked.

"Before channelers, the world was in balance. Our kind's creation tipped that balance. Nature tried to correct it with werewolves, but it wasn't enough. Nature guided Esther's hand when she turned her children into vampires, the very act began to restore balance to the world. Think of it as a triquetra: each race is a point, linked to the others in harmony. If one race disappears, so does the balance."

"Why isn't this more widely known?" Sheila pressed.

Ayana smiled.

"Most channelers, even those that are spirits here on the Other Side, do not like to admit that we are as much a created race as werewolves and vampires."

"What about Wixen?" Maya asked, her voice small but determined.

"Your kind have always been here, Maya," Ayana said gently. "You evolved alongside proto-humans. Your kind is and always has been intertwined with the natural order."

Emily stepped forward her expression serious.

"Don't confront Lillith openly," Emily warned. "The ritual to release Esther from her chains can be performed anywhere, as long as you have a strong enough talisman to link you to Esther."

"As you are of her blood," Ayana continued, "that gives you a powerful link. To augment it, ask Rebekah if you may borrow her necklace. I crafted it for Esther when we both lived, and it is imbued with her essence. With both, you will not fail."

"When you are under your mother's cloak, you are undetectable, even to someone as powerful as Lillith. Use that protection when you wield the stone," Emily said, looking directly at Maya with a mixture of urgency and encouragement.

Sheila shifted uneasily, her face betraying her concern at the thought of Maya facing such a dangerous foe. Ayana sent her a knowing smile, understanding her apprehension.

"She may be young, but she was younger still when she confronted the one who murdered her parents," Ayana said, her voice steady and reassuring. "He was just as powerful and dangerous as Lillith, and Maya stood strong against him." Ayana transferred her gaze to Maya, her eyes filled with pride. "Take strength in the fact that this time, she will not do so alone."

Maya felt a surge of determination as Ayana's words resonated with her. She straightened her shoulders, ready to face what lay ahead. Emily's expression softened as she turned to Maya.

"Maya, I have a message for Damon," Emily said, her voice tinged with emotion.

Maya nodded; her curiosity piqued.

"What is it?"

"Please tell him that I thank him for keeping his promise all these years and protecting my descendants. And tell him that I will not hold him to his promise when it comes to descendants of our line who willingly attack him or anyone, he considers family," Emily said, her eyes reflecting years of gratitude and sorrow.

"I will," Maya promised, feeling the weight of the message.

"Thank you," Emily said with a gentle smile.

Ayana's expression turned serious.

"We must go now. The longer we linger, the more likely Lillith will sense us on this side of the veil and grow curious."

"Goodbye and good luck," Emily added, her voice a final blessing.

In a split second, all the candles went out, plunging the room into darkness. The spirits of Emily and Ayana vanished, leaving a lingering sense of urgency and purpose.

"You cannot be serious!" Miranda hissed over the phone, her voice shaking with fury. "I don't care what your reasons are, John. I'm not helping you, and neither are Jeremy or Elena. Not anymore."

"I'm trying to save Elena! I'm trying to save all of you!" John's desperation was palpable, but Miranda was unmoved.

"Yeah, well, your little plan almost got Elena killed! They kidnapped her and wiped her memory of the supernatural. You're lucky they didn't burn her to death along with Wickery Bridge!" Miranda's rage was a fiery tide. "So, I don't care why you are doing this, you will not involve us."

"What do you mean they burned the bridge?" John's voice faltered, a hint of panic creeping in.

"Seriously? That's your only response?" Miranda asked incredulously. "I don't know why I'm surprised. Look, John, do what you want, Lord knows I can't stop you, but if you come anywhere near Elena again, I will get Liz to arrest you."

"Fine. Just tell me about the bridge."

"Why?" Miranda's tone was suspicious, her anger barely contained.

"Just tell me!" John's voice was harsh, almost pleading.

"No," Miranda replied coldly. "I won't let you get us all killed for your ego, John. Do yourself a favour and get out of town."

Before he could ask any more questions, he was greeted with a dial tone. Even if Miranda had refused to answer any questions about the bridge, he had still learned a lot from what she did say, and now he had a plan.

"I can't believe we're even discussing this!" Damon exclaimed, his voice rising with a mixture of anger and disbelief. "Maya is fourteen! She is a child. It's not her job to save the world."

"Agreed," Elijah and Finn said simultaneously, their tones firm and unwavering.

Klaus, too busy glaring furiously at Sheila and Aradia to speak, conveyed his stance with an icy, unyielding gaze. His eyes, burning with a mix of fury and fear, left no doubt as to whose side he was on.

"You think I like this any more than you do?" Sheila retorted sharply, her patience wearing thin. "Do you really think I would ask Maya to risk herself like this if there was any other choice?"

"Find one!" Klaus growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "Find another way to defeat her, because my daughter is not getting involved."

"Ayana and Emily were clear. It has to be Maya. Whatever stone they meant, they seemed to believe she was the only one who could wield it," Sheila argued.

"The resurrection stone," Aradia's voice was heavy with the weight of the task ahead. "It's bound to the Peverell bloodline and can only be used by one of them. Ayana and Emily are correct, Maya is the only one who can wield it."

"Then figure something else out. Make another plan," Damon insisted, his frustration evident.

"Yes. Like telling me how to find Lillith, so I can rip her heart out and be done with it!" Klaus added, his eyes blazing with fury.

"As strong as you are, Niklaus, you are in no way capable of facing Lillith alone," Aradia replied sternly. "None of us are. And none of us are suggesting Maya face her alone either."

"Alone or not. She's not doing it!" Klaus declared his tone final.

"Yes, I am!" Maya's voice rang out.

Six heads swivelled towards the corner of the room, straining to perceive anything in the seemingly empty space. Not even Aradia, with her ancient knowledge of magic, could sense the presence. The vampires heard no heartbeat, no breath, nothing that indicated anyone was there. Then, Maya pulled her mother's cloak off, revealing herself to them.

"Emily was right. If the cloak can stop all of you from detecting me, then it can stop her as well. She'll never even know I'm there," Maya stated confidently.

Klaus's expression softened for a fleeting moment before hardening again.

"No."

Maya, just as stubborn, jutted out her chin defiantly.

"I can do it."

"It's too dangerous! I won't risk you," Klaus said, his voice trembling with a rare vulnerability.

"It's my choice!" Maya shot back.

"Not until you're eighteen it isn't!" Klaus roared, his fear for her safety breaking through his anger.

"You can't stop me!" Maya's eyes blazed with determination.

"I can and I will!" Klaus's voice was ironclad.

"We both will," Damon interjected, stepping beside Klaus. "Klaus is right. You are too young to be making this decision. We are responsible for you, and we both say no. It's too dangerous, Maya. You could be killed!"

"So could you!" Maya cried, her voice cracking with emotion. "Lillith is trying to kill you! I can't lose any more family!"

The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of her words hanging in the air. Damon's expression softened, the conflict in his eyes clear as he wrestled with his protective instincts and the harsh reality of their situation.

Klaus took a deep breath, his anger giving way to a deep, desperate love.

"Maya, you're everything to me. I can't bear the thought of losing you."

"And I can't bear the thought of losing any of you," Maya said, her voice filled with a quiet but fierce resolve. "We're all in danger as long as Lillith is out there. Let me help. Let me do this."

Aradia stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on Klaus's arm.

"She's right, Niklaus. We can protect her, guide her. She won't be alone."

Elijah and Finn nodded in agreement; their faces set with determination.

"We'll be with her every step of the way," Elijah promised.

Klaus closed his eyes, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his decision. Finally, he opened them, his gaze locking onto Maya's with fierce determination.

"You need to promise that you will do exactly as you are told. If someone tells you to run, you run. If we tell you to use your portkey, you use it. You don't hesitate, and you don't deviate from whatever plan we come up with. Do you promise?"

"I promise," Maya swore solemnly, her eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation.

"What's the first step?" Elijah asked, turning his gaze to Aradia and Sheila.

"Ayana said we need Rebekah's necklace, the one that used to belong to Esther. With it, we can break her free of Lillith's control," Sheila answered, her voice steady.

"Maya will need to learn the ritual," Aradia added. "As will anyone who wants to help. Florence and I can teach her tomorrow."

"Bonnie and I will both help with the ritual," Sheila promised, her tone resolute.

"I'll ask Jonas if he would be willing to assist," Elijah said, already planning the conversation in his head.

"Maddox and Greta will help," Klaus declared in a tone that brooked no argument, his eyes daring anyone to defy him. "They're on their way back, with Mason and Rose-Marie."

"With Florence and me, that makes nine. I'll arrange a portkey to bring them all to the Academy tomorrow. We'll perform the ritual Wednesday night. That gives us two whole days to prepare," Aradia stated, her mind already working through the logistics.

"What about Lillith?" Klaus asked, his voice a low growl.

"We'll need to come up with a plan for when and where we face her. I suggest we focus on freeing Esther first," Aradia replied. "In the meantime, make sure nobody goes anywhere alone. We can't afford any more surprises."

John moved swiftly through the corridors of the school. He'd gone to the bridge after his phone call with Miranda, and she'd spoken truly, not one splinter of wood remained. He needed more information, and there was only one person who might have it, and also be willing to talk to him: Tobias Fell head of the history department.

As he reached Tobias's office, he knocked sharply, impatience gnawing at him. The door opened to reveal Tobias, a bespectacled man in his late sixties, with an air of scholarly authority.

"John, what brings you here?" Tobias asked, clearly surprised by the late visit.

"I need your help, Tobias. It's urgent," John said, pushing past him into the cluttered office. "I need to know if anything else was built from the same wood as Wickery Bridge."

Tobias raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued.

"Why the sudden interest in local history?"

"No time for explanations," John snapped. "Just tell me, was anything else made from that wood?"

Tobias sighed, adjusting his glasses.

"Well, the bridge was constructed in the early 1900's, and several other structures from that period might have used the same materials, but I couldn't say for sure. The Salvatore's might be able to answer that question, their family did own all the logging mills in that period." He mused, "There is the sign to the bridge, which would have been constructed of the same material."

"Is?" John asked sharply, his eyes lighting up with hope. "It wasn't destroyed in last night's fire?"

"No. No." Tobias replied shaking his head, "A terrible incident, but we were already planning to refurbish the bridge, so at least it won't be out of action for long."

"The sign, Tobias." John bit out, impatiently. "Where is it?"

"Well as I said, we were already planning to refurbish the bridge. My department took ownership of the sign a few weeks ago. We've been working on restoring it, the mayor wanted the original sign to remain at least."

"Can I see it?"

"I don't see why not. It's in the restoration lab." Tobias said, "I can take you now, if you really want to see it."

"I do." John told him firmly, urgency propelling him forward. "Let's go."

Tobias frowned, looking confused by John's manner, but he shrugged it off and complied. The two men made their way through the dimly lit hallways. As they entered the restoration lab, the smell of dust and old wood filled the air.

"Huh." Tobias looked at the workbench in the room eyebrows raised in surprise. "It's gone."

"What do you mean it's gone?"

"It should be on the bench, that's where I left it."

John's heart sank, he needed that wood to kill the Originals, but it seemed once again, they were one step ahead of him.

"All the wood from the sign is gone?" He asked, desperate for Tobias to offer him some hope.

Tobias had wandered over to the workbench and was looking around as if the sign might suddenly appear.

"Hmm?" He asked vaguely.

"Is all the wood from the sign gone?" John repeated, irritated beyond belief.

"Well, the sign is certainly gone, but there's a piece of the wood on the desk in my office. It had already become detached from the sign, and I was using it to ensure everything we ordered would be right for the restoration." Tobias looked curious, "Why are you asking all these questions about the wood, John? What's going on?"

John didn't answer. The sign was gone, the only piece of wood remaining was in Tobias's office. He couldn't allow anyone to know he had it however, not until he was ready to use it. Which meant Tobias had to go.

Desperation clawed at him; he needed that wood. Without hesitation, he grabbed a nearby chisel and struck Tobias on the head. The older man crumpled to the ground, his head smashing into the hard concrete floor, where he lay still, a look of shock frozen on his face.

John was about to drop the chisel and leave, when he heard a noise behind him. Alaric Saltzman stood in the doorway eyes wide with horror, as they darted between him and the body on the floor.

"What have you done?"

John's expression hardened.

"What I had to."

"You killed him!" Alaric shouted, moving towards Tobias's lifeless body.

John's grip tightened on the chisel.

"I can't let you stop me. This is bigger than you or me."

Before Alaric could react, John lunged at him, the chisel aimed at his chest. They grappled, but John's desperation made him stronger. He plunged the chisel into Alaric's side, the sound of tearing flesh echoing in the silent room. Alaric gasped in pain, collapsing to the floor. John grabbed Alaric's head and slammed it once into the concrete floor. If he wasn't dead yet, he soon would be.

John looked down at Alaric, his breathing ragged.

"I'm sorry, Ric. I really am."

He turned and fled the lab, stopping briefly in Tobias's office to grab the piece of wood from the man's desk, before disappearing into the night. Without a glance behind him, or any regret for the two men he had just murdered.

Back in the lab, Alaric lay on the floor, blood pooling around him. He fought to stay conscious, every breath a struggle. He had to warn the others. He couldn't let John's madness endanger more lives. Summoning every ounce of strength, he reached for his phone, praying that help would come in time.