Soon enough, it was Friday, the day of the party, and Hope had been assigned by Lizzie to help set everything up, which meant Landon was helping out as well. Just as it meant Finch was helping Josie help Lizzie.

"Are you sure you need this many drinks?" Hope asked, setting a grocery bag down on a small portable table and pulling out an assortment of soda bottles and a large container of lemonade. Her tone carried a hint of amusement as she glanced at the growing collection. "Most of the people coming will probably stick to beer just because they can." She couldn't help but think this was extra, even as someone that couldn't afford to drink much (despite the fact she probably had an enhanced tolerance to alcohol).

"You aren't wrong" Lizzie replied without looking up, carefully arranging a stack of plastic cups beside the drinks, "but the point here isn't to have the amount that will be drunk. The point isoptions, Hope. I want people to be as satisfied as they can be, so that everyone can have a good time." She turned her head a bit towards where Finch and Josie were hanging up lights. "Jo- just a little higher. We're going to put some lights towards the base of the Old Mill."

"Okay" Josie said and magically adjusted the lights carefully, using magic she had siphoned from Finch when they had gotten started.

Behind Hope and Lizzie, there was a sudden crash, the unmistakable sound of heavy objects thudding against the ground. Both girls whipped around in unison, Lizzie let out an exasperated sigh, her hands finding her hips as she surveyed the scene. "Seriously, Hobbit?" she said, her voice dripping with a mix of sarcasm and fond annoyance.

Landon sat awkwardly amidst a scattered pile of wood, his arms still partially outstretched as if trying to hold onto a load that was no longer there. A faint flush crept into his cheeks as he glanced up, looking a bit sheepish under their scrutiny. "It was an accident," he muttered, brushing a piece of bark off his shirt.

Before Lizzie could get another jab in, Hope was already moving. She left Lizzie's side without hesitation, her face softening into an expression of tender concern as she crouched down beside Landon. "Are you okay?" she asked gently, her voice quiet but full of worry.

He gave a small nod, though his hand instinctively went to his wrist, which had taken the brunt of the fall. "Yeah, I'm fine. I tripped over a root that I couldn't see."

Hope reached out, her fingers brushing his arm lightly as she examined him for any visible injuries. "Let me see," she said, her tone firm but kind, leaving no room for argument. Her hands were gentle but deliberate as she carefully checked for any swelling. "Does this hurt?" she asked, pressing lightly.

Landon winced slightly but shook his head. "It's fine, just a little sore. Nothing to worry about."

"I know" Hope said softly and kissed him gently for a moment before pulling away and standing up, offering Landon her hand. He took it, her grip steady as she helped him to his feet. "You need to be more careful."

Landon gave her a small, sheepish smile. "I'll try. But it's hard when the roots are out to get me."

Hope's lips shaped into a reluctant smile. "Well, next time a root decides to pick a fight, let me know. I'll handle it for you."

"I'll make sure to do that" Landon smiled as he looked at the girl he loved.

"Okay, love birds, stack the firewood over there. That way its where it needs to be when we are ready to start up the fire" Lizzie interrupted after watching them. Her arms were crossed, but she couldn't help wishing she had something like that, the connection they seemed to have where they were completely in love with one another and happily in a relationship.

"Right" Hope said, and she and Landon collected the pieces of firewood that had fallen. They brought it over to the area that Lizzie had directed them to.

"So, have you ever been to a party? Like an actual high school party?" Landon asked, looking over at Hope.

"Loner until I met you, remember? I had no interest in being around that many drunk teenagers at once" she said, chuckling softly.

"Same," Landon admitted with a nod. "Not that I was ever invited. Plus, I didn't want to deal with Connor's crap more than I already had to."

"That makes sense." She nodded in understanding and set the firewood down.

Lizzie had returned to the drink area and checked to make sure that everyone was doing what needed to be done. She had a clipboard with everything written down to ensure things got done exactly as she intended. MG carried over the beer keg for the party and set it beside the table with the drinks. A smile formed on her face at the sight of someone doing what she asked for right. "Thanks, MG" she said happily.

MG looked at the girl he had feelings for, and he couldn't help smiling at the sight of her smile. "You're welcome" he said after a moment. "Is there anything else you need me to do?"

Before Lizzie could respond, a sudden sizzling sound came from MG's hand. His daylight ring had stopped working, and his skin began to burn in the sunlight. In a flash, he sped toward the shade of the Old Mill, leaving Lizzie staring in shock.

At the same time, the string of lights Josie had been adjusting above the trees flickered and dropped, shattering on the ground with a sharp crash. Josie stumbled, her hands trembling as she felt the familiar flow of magic suddenly vanish in a way that was different from the magic being used up.

"Josie, what's wrong?" Finch asked, worry etched across her face.

"I-I can't use magic," Josie said, her voice trembling. Her hands hovered over the broken lights as she looked around, panic creeping in.

Lizzie dropped her clipboard onto the table and turned to Hope. "Something's wrong. Really wrong."

Hope wore a worried expression as she surveyed the chaos. She forced herself to take a steadying breath, pushing through the anxiety. "I know" she said firmly, her mind already working through the situation. She stepped forward, her voice cutting through the growing unease. "Alright, everyone, listen up! Whatever or whoever is causing this didn't just disable us for fun. They're doing it for a reason, and they'll probably be coming this way when they realize we are out here. Vampires can't do much while its daylight without risking burning up. Witches can't use their magic. But werewolves still have their strength. We need to use that."

She turned to Finch and Rafael. "I need you to find somewhere to hide out so that you can be a backup to help fight. Take Josie with you. Once she gets her magic back, she can siphon off of the two of you to help. I'm going to see if I can figure out how its not working to begin with. There has to be something causing it."

"I can't just leave Lizzie," Josie protested.

"You need to. This is the best way to help her. And Lizzie, I want you with me. We need one of Dr Saltzman's daughters with us in case they know who you are. And you can help me once we get the magic back going" Hope said.

Lizzie nodded, though her heart ached. She stepped closer to Josie, her voice trembling slightly as she forced calm into her tone. "It'll be okay, Jo. Stay safe." Josie hesitated, but finally, she nodded and followed Finch and Rafael into the woods, their figures quickly vanishing among the trees.

Hope turned over towards the Old Mill where the vampires helping out were using the shade as a cover. "Vampires, you're gonna need to speed back to the school. If you stay here and aren't where they want you to be, you might end up being forced to burn. I don't know. It depends on who is causing this and what morals they have, but we have to consider all possibilities if we want to keep people as safe as possible."

The vampires exchanged worried looks but didn't argue, speeding off toward the safety of the Salvatore School.

As Hope surveyed the chaos, a witch she didn't recognize muttered, "Who made her in charge?"

"I am Hope Mikaelson. I'm all three of the species typically taught here, and I am experienced with dangerous situations. I am going to do everything I can to make sure everyone makes it out of this. Now, if you have any ideas, you're more than welcome to share"

When the witch fell silent, Hope turned to face Landon, but he was gone. "Landon? Landon!" She called out desperately, her eyes wide. But before she could track him and chase after him, people with guns and vests showed up and led them all back to the school. Hope was anxious about Landon, but she stayed close to Lizzie. She needed to focus and get the magic back on. Then she could figure out how to help Landon and where he could have gone. "Who the hell are you?" Hope demanded, looking at them.

"Name's Burr. Triad Industries" one of the Triad workers said, "You don't have magic. And what we have are stakes, wolfsbane, and other things. So I think you should come with us to the school."

Hope didn't say anything to that, considering her chances of fighting them without them hurting any of the others here. After a moment, the witches, who were still at the party, left and headed back to the school, surrounded by triad workers. It was clear that confrontation wouldn't do them any good. At least for now, they needed to stay alive.

After being attacked by an invisible creature, Landon found himself within Triad Headquarters, only to find that the creature that had attacked him looked as adorable as a creature could with long porcupine needles protruding out from its body. It lay collapsed on the floor, its mission apparently complete, looking as though it wouldn't survive another such exertion.

A dark curly haired man pushed the pukwudgie into the Malivore pit before turning his attention to Landon, who was pushing himself to his feet. "Is that the Malivore pit? You just pushed him in there?" Landon questioned.

"Yes, I did. Believe it or not, it saved the little guy's life. One more jump, and he would have ended up disintegrating." He said, walking back over to him.

"Well, that's very considerate of you," Landon said dryly. "Death or eternity in dark isolation. What a choice." He paused, trying to gather his thoughts. "Look, I don't know anything. You can kill me, but I'm part phoenix, so I'm just gonna come back to life in a burst of flames, and there's gonna be a lot of ash to clean up. And after I come back, I still won't know anything."

"I'm not here to interrogate you, Landon," the man said. "In fact, I'm here so you can finally get some answers."

Landon regarded him with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. He had no idea who this man was or how he knew about him, if what he was saying was even true. "Who are you?"

"I go by Ryan Clarke" Clarke said as he looked at his brother and led him over to a small table with photographs. "When they created the locks to Malivore, they also created decoys so no one would know which three artifacts were the real thing. I think you might be able to help me with that." Landon looked down at the photos of artifacts, silent, thinking about how he had subconsciously picked up the knife and the urn without having any idea. "Is one of these artifacts calling to you? Like a whisper, an itch?" Clarke asked, observing Landon's thoughtful expression. He quickly added, "This isn't for Triad. No, they want these artifacts to stay hidden. To be clear, I want to toss them into the pit and unlock Malivore."

The phoenix blinked in surprise at the directness. "Wow. You really just admitted that, didn't you? I appreciate the honesty, but unlocking Malivore isn't something I want at all."

Clarke paused, considering his next words carefully. He knew what he had to reveal to Landon. "I'll tell you a story. And at the end of it, you can decide whether you want to help me or not."

A scoff escaped Landon's lips at the mere idea of a story being enough to have him help unleash Malivore to consume supernaturals all around (and even humans too if his mother was anything to go by). "You think a story is gonna change my mind?"

"This one will," Clarke insisted. "Because it's the story of your father."

Landon froze, his breath catching in his throat. His father. The one figure who had always been a void in his life, an enigma he had stopped chasing after too many dead ends. But now, the mere mention of him was enough to spark something-a mix of hope, anger, and apprehension. He narrowed his eyes at Clarke, suspicion hardening his features.

"You expect me to believeyouknow anything about my father?" Landon asked, his tone laced with doubt. "If you're trying to manipulate me, you're going to have to do better than that."

Clarke smiled faintly, leaning against the table with a nonchalant air that only made him seem more calculating. "I get it. You don't trust me. Frankly, I wouldn't trust me either if I were you. But everything I'm about to tell you is the truth, and you can take it or leave it."

Landon took a seat at the table and looked up at Clarke, waiting to hear what he had to say. "Fine. Talk. Let's hear thistruthof yours."

And so Clarke began telling him the origins of Malivore.

Once everyone (that Triad was aware of) was inside, Burr spoke up again "We're looking for an artifact known as the Chalice of Arimathea. We have reason to believe it's part of your school's collection. Now, you know this place a lot better than we do, so the sooner you help us find it, the sooner we'll be gone. Triad thanks you for your time."

Hope and Lizzie exchanged looks before heading into Dr Saltzman's vacant office. The tribrid closed the door before starting to try to find the school phone. "Where is your dad?" Hope asked, frustration creeping into her voice.

"He got a phone call about picking up some artifacts" Lizzie scowled. "Of all the times to get a call like that, it had to be today."

Hope turned back to Lizzie, her expression darkening. "I don't think that was a coincidence."

Lizzie blinked in confusion. "Wait, you think Triad made that call?"

"It makes sense. Not that your dad can do much, but it leaves a bunch of kids mostly defenseless since Dorian and Emma are on a trip, and the teachers here are useless. It's a perfect setup."

"Hope... what if they get the Chalice?" Lizzie's voice broke through the tension, pulling Hope back from the brink of her racing thoughts. Lizzie was at the desk, searching for the phone.

"They won't," Hope said, her voice firm, but her insides twisted with worry. The Triad was relentless, and the more time they spent at the school, the closer they came to getting what they wanted.

"I just..." Lizzie trailed off, eyes wide, before shaking her head. "I just don't want anyone else to get hurt. Especially you or Josie."

Hope's gaze softened as she turned to face Lizzie. "I'm not going anywhere, okay? We'll figure this out. And Josie will be okay too."

"Do you think this chalice is the final key for Malivore?"

"Probably. Especially considering the Triad base is where Malivore is located" She let out a sigh and finally found the phone before pulling it out. She pulled out her phone and called Dr Saltzman. When he answered the phone, she spoke quickly, unsure of how much time they had. "Triad is here. Yes the organization whose facility is housing Malivore, They're looking for something called the Chalice of Arithmetic or something."

"The Chalice of Arimathea?" Alaric questioned. "I don't think we have that in our possession."

"Well, they seem to firmly believe its here. They did something to block our magic. I don't know what."

Realization struck Alaric. "I think I know what's causing this. I'm near town. I'll be there as soon as I can. Just help them try to find it. You don't have your powers. You are vulnerable, and if you try to resist, someone could get hurt. Do you understand me?"

"I won't" Hope said, though she had no intentions of just standing by. She hung up the phone and turned over to Lizzie, who was peering inside of a box. "If it can't help us right now, it doesn't matter."

"Right" Lizzie said and put the box back on the shelf, but she slipped the ascendant into her jacket pocket. "So what do we do now?"

"Now... we figure out a way to get our powers back, and we kick some paramilitary ass."

Just as Hope took a step toward Lizzie, the door to the office burst open with a violent crash. Two Triad agents entered the room. In front of the other one was the same agent from before-the one who had been in charge during the last confrontation. His eyes locked onto Hope immediately, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. "Well, at least we know where you stand. Hope... Mikaelson, was it?"

The tribrid stilled at the fact this guy knew her last name. Had he overheard her telling the witch? Or did he know about that before hand? "You really think you can walk in here and take what you want?

"We can when the powerful tribrid is basically defenseless. You've been on our list for a while, though its proven to be difficult tracking you down until you showed up at our headquarters with a monster and a few of your friends. Imagine my surprise when I found out the object I was looking for and one of our top priorities were in the same location. And now you aren't nearly as powerful as you usually are." He pointed his gun between the two of them.

"That's your plan? You're gonna shoot a kid?" Hope questioned incredulously, far from pleased about that.

"This gun would never harm a human child. Supernaturals however, it can. These bullets were formed from the mud of the Malivore pit and weaponized by Triad scientists. They can break the skin of any supernatural like a hot knife through butter. Fester. Infect them. Disintegrate them from the inside out. I bet it would even take someone like you down. Especially when you're so... vulnerable." He moved the gun in her direction, and Lizzie shoved her out of the way but fell to the ground as the bullet imbedded itself into her side. Hope's heart froze in her chest as Lizzie's face twisted in pain, her body already growing pale from the poison that had been injected into her system. "Don't think you're getting off that easily, Mikaelson."

Before Hope could react, she heard the trigger be pulled again as she moved in front of Lizzie worriedly. She looked down at the hole that was now in the chest of her shirt. The bullet had hit her, but it hadn't even broken her skin. She hadn't even noticed it, wouldn't have if it wasn't for the gun. "I guess it's a good thing nobody took you up on that bet."

She attacked Burr, grabbing the gun from him and tossing it to the side. She moved quickly to the other agent, who was pulling out a different weapon, and she shoved him against the wall, her eyes glowing gold. She knocked him out and turned back to Burr.

"Nice try," Hope said with a dark expression. Lizzie was gasping for breath as the venom of the Malivore bullet tore through her from within. Lizzie's eyes were wide, panicked, her body wracked with pain.

"It won't be so easy for her."

Hope ignored his words and attacked him, hurting him, but when Lizzie was struggling a bit, her attention returned to her. "Lizzie!" Hope shouted, rushing to her side, her hand hovering over the wound, as if she could somehow reverse the damage with sheer will. "Stay with me. Don't close your eyes."

"I'm awake" Lizzie said.

Another agent heard the ruckus and went inside the room. He caught sight of the agents down and shot Hope in the arm with a regular bullet coated with vervain and wolfsbane. She winced in pain and felt her usual excess of energy start draining away. "Come with me" the agent ordered, and Hope helped support Lizzie before following the man's orders to the cell before getting in.

"I thought revenge on my father would feel sweeter, but it didn't" Clarke explained as he finished telling Landon about how Triad used the pit to get rid of anyone they wanted. "So I returned myself to him. Inside Malivore, there was only darkness. I yelled, I screamed, but he would not answer me. He let me sit in silence, punishing me until... decades later, when suddenly he spit me out."

Landon watched him curiously, wondering what direction this story was heading, though the uneasy feeling in his stomach only grew as a small part of him had already guessed the truth.

"I didn't know why till I found that picture of you. And I saw a video of a knife that could only be unlocked by Malivore's blood. And I heard story of a woman who had emerged from the pit pregnant" Clarke explained. " As more humans were thrown in, he absorbed enough of their genetic material to be able to reproduce. When Triad betrayed your mother, our father had mercy on her and sent her back... carrying you. He sent me back to find you because only you are blood of his blood. And only you can set him free."

Landon's mind reeled, the weight of Clarke's words hitting him like a punch to the gut. "Malivore?" he echoed, his voice quieter now, as if testing the word on his tongue now that it had a strange new meaning. "You're saying that thing-the pit, the monster vacuum-that'smy father?"

"Yes, he is" his brother confirmed, watching Landon carefully.

Landon stared at Clarke, trying to process what he was hearing. "So what? I'm the son of a glorified garbage disposal for supernatural creatures? That's your big revelation?"

"Not just that," Clarke said, a note of urgency creeping into his voice. "You're more than that. You're the perfect son that he had been trying to create for a long time." He let out a sigh at Landon's expression. "I know it's a lot to take in. But think about it. You've always been different, haven't you? Never fitting in, always feeling like something was missing. Your connection to the artifacts-the knife, the urn-that wasn't random. It washimcalling to you, guiding you. Your destiny has always been tied to Malivore."

Landon took a step back, his hands trembling at his sides. His mind raced, scrambling to find a way to deny what Clarke was saying, to reject this horrifying truth. But deep down, a part of him had always felt... off. Like he was a puzzle piece forced into the wrong box.

"You're saying," Landon started, his voice shaking, "that my entire life-everything-was just... orchestrated by him? That all those times I felt lost or different, it wasn't because I was some outcast but because I was literally made to be different? To set him free?"

Clarke nodded solemnly. "Yes, Landon. That's exactly what I'm saying. He didn't just create you to be his key; he made you to survive whatever the world threw at you. The phoenix inside you, your ability to rise again, is proof of that. Malivore's existence is tied to yours. Without you, he cannot escape his prison. And now that you're here, he's closer than ever to achieving his goal."

Landon swallowed hard as he processed this newfound information. "So what now? You expect me to just accept this? To help him? To unleash whatever horror he's planning on the world?"

Clarke's expression softened, but there was a flicker of something-hesitation, maybe guilt-in his eyes. "You think I like this, Landon? That I wanted any of this? I tried to get out from under him for years. I wanted revenge, and it only brought me back to where I started. The difference is, I know what happens if you don't make a choice. He doesn't just need you to unlock his prison. If you resist, he'll find another way to get what he wants from you. He always does. And believe me, it will be far worse if he's left to his own devices."

Landon was silent at that, unable to find the words to reply.

Clarke watched him for a moment before adding "Malivore can't hurt witches, werewolves, or vampires, remember? Your friends at the school.. They arent in any danger from him. But they are in danger from Triad. You know what goes on in this building? What kind of secret experiments they run in their mad scientist labs? They're finding a way to turn the pit into a weapon. They're chemically altering it so it can be used against the protected species. Ending supernaturals once and for all. You want to save your friends? You have to stop Triad." At the sight of his expression, Clarke knew he only had to do one more nudge. "Landon, no matter what they say at that school... ...you're not one of them. And you know that, too, don't you? I'm offering you a family who actually wants you. We can raise our father. And we can destroy Triad. What's it gonna be?"

Landon looked down at the pictures for a minute before pointing at an artifact. "This one"

Hope took a seat beside Lizzie on the bed cot and pulled out the bullet, grimacing as it burned her fingers while she took it out. The tribrid dropped the bullet to the floor and could feel her body already rapidly working on healing despite the pain and exhaustion from the wolfsbane. "Why did you do that?"

"Save you? If I'm gonna die, it might as well be in a blaze of hero glory" she said.

"Seriously" Hope said, unamused, as she looked at her dying friend, grief weighing down on her.

"You're the best friend I have after Josie, even though I haven't known you as long as I would have liked" Lizzie said and winced as Hope put pressure on the wound. "I can't siphon the magic of the bullet away. Not while the magic is being blocked."

"It likely wouldn't have worked anyway if the bullet can still have the same effect even with the anti magic" she said softly. "I'm so sorry. I mean, I dragged you into this, and I have absolutely no idea how to get us out of it."

"Well, that is just not good enough, Hope. You and I are going to figure this out, even if I can't do much to help. You're getting out of here. And you're going to make sure Josie is okay and that these Triad guys are stopped. And you're going to rescue Frodo Baggins."
I
Hope sighed and closed her eyes for a moment before nodding "You're getting out of this too. I swear. I'm not losing you. I can't" if anyone else died protecting her... It was something she couldn't bear.

Suddenly, the guard watching them was unconscious, and MG rushed over to the cellar. "Oh my god" he said worriedly at the sight of a dying Lizzie. He opened up the cell and moved over to her. "What happened? "

"Triad. They have these special bullets made out of Malivore mud that can burn you from the inside out." Hope said anxiously. "And I can't do a spell to help her without magic"

MG sat beside Lizzie, his eyes scanning her pale face and trembling frame. "Lizzie," he said softly, brushing a strand of hair away from her damp forehead. "Can you hear me?"

Lizzie's eyes opened, and she gave him a weak nod. "I'm not.. deaf, MG. Just dying," she said with a faint, sarcastic smile, though it faltered quickly.

"Don't say that" MG replied firmly. "We're going to find a way to fix this. I promise. There's this blood fountain in the root cellar tunnels that is somehow connected to what's going on with the magic. Maybe if Hope can get to it, she can figure out how to stop it. I'll stay with Lizzie and help her out the best I can"

"Are you sure?" Hope asked, hesitating. Her gaze flicked between the two of them.

"Yes," MG said firmly. "Just hurry."

Hope nodded. "Okay. Hang in there, Lizzie," she said, her voice softer now. She turned and quickly exited the cellar, determination driving her steps.

Lizzie remained close to MG, her body limp and her head sliding closer to his chest with each passing moment. The rhythm of his breathing-steady and reassuring-distracted her from the searing pain coursing through her.

"You're going to be okay" MG said, his arms wrapping around her as he held her closer to his chest, his body in a way that didn't really make him comfortable, but how he felt didn't matter. All that mattered was making sure she was comfortable. "We are going to need to get to the others in a minute. To get the plan of attack in motion. But you can stay with me. I'll make sure nothing happens to you. That we find a way to heal you"

"I don't think we can. Not in time. I'm a lost cause"

"Don't even start," MG said, shaking his head. "You're not a lost cause, Lizzie. Not to me. You're going to be okay-l won't let anything happen to you."

Lizzie closed her eyes, the weight of exhaustion pulling her down. "You're too good for me, you know that?" she muttered. "Always trying to help everyone... even when it's hopeless."

MG smiled faintly, though his heart was breaking. "You're not hopeless. You're Lizzie Saltzman. The most stubborn person I've ever met. If anyone can fight through this, it's you. And I'm not too good for you. Don't say that."

Lizzie disagreed, but she didn't think now was the time to argue when she could feel her body burning from the inside out. "MG?" She spoke up, moving away from him a little so she could get a look at him.

"Yeah?" His voice was soft and concerned, and he moved a little away from her, his hand shifting to her side to make sure she was not going to fall. He wasn't sure how much strength she still had.

Lizzie raised a hand to MG's neck, her fingers brushing against his skin. Her other hand pressed weakly on the bed for balance. Before he could ask what she was doing, Lizzie pulled him into a kiss. MG's eyes widened in surprise, but instinct quickly took over. The kiss deepened momentarily, more meaningful as MG leaned into it. There was a quiet intensity between them, a mixture of fear, longing, and something unspoken that had been building for far too long. For a moment, the world around them melted away.

When Lizzie finally pulled back, her breath was shallow, and her eyes fluttered open to meet his. There was a faint blush on her pale cheeks, and she looked at him with a mixture of vulnerability and defiance. She leaned back against him. "Just to be clear," she whispered, "that was for you, not for me. Just in case die." She didn't necessarily believe that was true, but if by some miracle she survived this, she wasn't ready to face the consequences of kissing MG.

MG blinked, caught off guard by the kiss. "You're not going to die," he said firmly, his voice steady despite the fear clawing at his chest. won't let that happen. Not on my watch."

Lizzie closed her eyes, a faint sigh escaping her lips. "You always say the right thing," she murmured. "Even when I don't deserve it."

"You deserve everything," MG said softly, his arms wrapping protectively around her. "Just stay with me, Lizzie. We're going to get through this together." He hesitated. "We need to head out to the others. Let them know about the plan to take back our school." She nodded and moved to get up but stumbled, and MG caught her, keeping his arm around her. "I've got you. I've got you, and I'm not going to let you go"

After taking off, Finch, Rafael, and Josie had hidden deep in the woods, remaining silent until they were sure there were no Triad agents roaming the forest. The trio crouched behind a thick cluster of trees, their breaths shallow, listening for any signs of danger. The forest was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that heightened their anxiety. "Okay, now what do we do?" Rafael asked, breaking the silence. His voice was low, but it carried the weight of uncertainty. He was clearly trying to figure out their next move. How would they get back inside the school without being detected? Should they surprise the Triad agents inside, or start by taking down those guarding the perimeter?

Josie was silent for a moment. "We'll split up, take down individual that aren't near the others."

"Split up? You don't have access to your ability to siphon." Finch pointed out.

Josie sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I know. But Hope said she's working on getting the magic back. Even if she can't figure it out, we can't let these guys win. If I can make it into the school, I can find something-anything-I can use to fight." She looked at Finch, her eyes softening as she noticed the concerned frown on her girlfriend's face. Josie stepped closer, wrapping her arms around Finch in a comforting embrace. "I'll be okay," she murmured.

Finch held her tightly for a moment, reluctant to let go. Her protective instincts screamed against the idea of Josie taking such a risk. When they finally pulled apart, Josie leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to Finch's lips.

"Guys, not to break up your moment, but we need to do something" Rafael interrupted.

"Right. Um, if one of you attacks the guard towards the front, you can get through the window to my dad's office" Josie said.

"I'll try that. And maybe you two can get through the back and the side?" Rafael suggested.

"I'll go for the door near the kitchen," Finch said after a moment's hesitation. Her voice was steady, but inwardly, she was calculating how to be helpful to Josie without interfering in her plans. If Josie was determined to take risks, Finch was just as determined to minimize them

"Alright. And I'll go through the back." Josie added

"Assuming none of us get shot while trying to get closer to the school. It's not exactly a covered area"

"We'll all be careful" she said softly and kissed Finch again before they split up.

Josie headed all the way around the school, doing her best to stay hidden, before creeping inside the school. She was just walking in when she heard a plate break from the kitchen, right where Finch was supposed to be. The commotion grew louder, and every fiber of her being screamed at her to go and help. Yet she knew Finch. This was done out of fear of concern for her safety, from a girl who didn't want to lose anyone else. And this was bigger than the two of them. There were kids' lives at stake.

She slipped into a nearby storage room. Her eyes quickly scanned the shelves, landing on a heavy wrench that looked sturdy enough to serve as a weapon. She gripped it tightly, testing its weight in her hand. As an afterthought, she pressed her palm against the wall, hoping to feel the familiar hum of her magic returning. But there was nothing. Hope hadn't figured it out yet. Swallowing her frustration, Josie took a deep breath to steady her nerves before stepping back into the hallway.

She moved cautiously, keeping to the shadows. A Triad soldier appeared ahead, his back turned to her. Josie tensed, her grip on the wrench tightening. She crept closer, but her foot scuffed against the floor, and the soldier turned sharply, spotting her. Without hesitation, Josie swung the wrench, aiming for his exposed face. The blow landed with a sickening crack, and the soldier crumpled to the ground. She hit him again, ensuring he wouldn't get back up.

Relief surged through her, but it was quickly followed by guilt. Her stomach churned as she stared at the blood on his face. This was a person-someone she had hurt, maybe even seriously.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway, pulling her from her thoughts. Josie turned, her heart skipping a beat when she saw MG carrying Lizzie. Her sister was pale, her face slick with sweat, and she clung weakly to MG for support.

"Josie," MG said, his voice tense. He stopped in his tracks, and they all froze for a moment.

Josie dropped the wrench and rushed to Lizzie's side, her eyes wide with panic. "What happened to her?" she demanded, placing a trembling hand on Lizzie's arm.

"She got shot by some Malivore mud made bullets that Triad created designed to kill any supernatural being" MG explained as he continued to support Lizzie, his expression grim. "The magic should be available soon. We just need to wait for Hope to finish finding this creepy blood fountain and turning it off. Once it's up, we're all going to fight. Though it seems you've already gotten a head start." His throat burned with a hunger that was almost impossible to control, but he struggled to force himself to maintain focus.

"We hid for a reason. And it wasn't just to stay safe. We want to be here and help fight. Finch caused chaos in the kitchen, still is by the sound of it" Josie flinched as the sound of gunfire went off. "Rafael went to my dad's office to see if he can find anything useful there to help fight."

"Stay with Lizzie," MG said as he set Lizzie down on a bench. "I'm going to check on Finch. And let others know about the plan." He looked back at the unconscious agent, specifically the blood on his face, before he headed to the kitchen.

"I thought you said it'd be okay. This is not okay" Josie said, her eyes burning with tears as she wrapped an arm around her sister. "I never even got to tell you what I found out about the Merge yet."

"Tell me tomorrow" Lizzie said. "We'll figure something out. I'm not dying on you"

"I felt... Something wrong. But I couldn't tell what it was" Josie sighed softly. "if I knew you were hurt..."

"You'd have come in here, ready to get to me at any costs?" She looked at her. "I don't want you getting yourself killed by being rash and trying to save me. No matter how much I want us to always be there for one another."

Josie watched her and could tell she had more to say. "What is it?"

"On the chance we... We can't find a cure in time, I'm sorry. If anything Penelope ever said about how I treat you is true, then I'm sorry" Lizzie said softly, unable to help herself. If she was going to die young, she needed to get that out at least.

Josie shook her head a bit and held her sister close. " Don't worry about that."

"My funeral better be epic, okay?" Lizzie said softly, her gaze on her sister.

"We wouldn't have it any other way" she promised her and closed her eyes for a moment before forcing herself to be alert in case any Triad person showed up.

Meanwhile. Hope was in the tunnels, staring at the blood fountain without any idea how to turn it off. She sighed as she examined it. "I don't suppose you come with an instruction manual"

"I told you to wait for me. What happened to your chest?"

"I didn't listen. That Triad guy shot at us with Malivore mud. It hit me, but I- I didn't even feel it. I didn't even get injured enough to need healing" Hope realized. "It just... had no affect on me at all. Not like it affected..."

"Wait, who else got shot?"

Hope hesitated before saying "Dr. Saltzman, you have to trust me. Lizzie's gonna be just..."

"Lizzie got shot?"

"Yes, but MG is on it, and I think that they can fix everything. If I can just figure out a way to turn this stupid thing off, then they can get their magic back" Alaric Saltzman walked over to the blood fountain quickly and dabbed his fingers in the blood before drawing sigils on the side of it. Hope immediately felt a wave of magic no longer being blocked, so she said "Which is super easy, apparently. How did you know how to do that?" Her gaze was on him suspiciously and curiously.

"This is a dark object, created by a group of extinct witch-like people called the Travelers. Anti-magic was kind of their thing" Dr Saltzman explained as he looked at it before returning his gaze back to Hope.

"How did Triad even get it in here? How did they know that there were tunnels?"

"Listen, I will explain everything to you later, okay? But right now, I have to get to Lizzie" Alaric said and moved to walk around her to get into the school, but Hope's words stopped him in his tracks.

"Wait. I think I can help her." Hope said. "I should have thought of this sooner. Do you have your flask?" Alaric pulled out the flask he hadn't touched and held it out to her. Hope poured out the alcohol and magically cut her hand. She caused the blood to flow into the flask carefully and filled it up. "Give her this. And if anyone else got shot, do the same. I have to go help Landon"

Without waiting for a response, she tracked Landon with a locator spell and headed out to the front of the school. She climbed into one of Triad's vacant vehicles. An irritated sigh escaped her lips as she didn't see the keys anywhere. Then she recalled a story she had been told of when she was a baby, how she had started and stopped a car with merely her magic. Surely if she could do it as a baby, she could do it now? She closed her eyes and focused. The engine just magically started. right as a gun was fired at the car. Hope turned it to drive before taking off towards where Triad Headquarters was, grateful there were weapons in the back seat that she could use to fight anyone that needed to be fought.