The next morning, I went to the Davilla Estate to confront Aya about getting Davina involved in the Strix coven. 

Aya walked outside.

"So, that's how it is," I told her.

Aya looked both annoyed and slightly impressed that I had found her, nodding to me. "Mm."

"You recruit a witch from my city, and you don't even tell me?" I asked.

Aya rolled her eyes, no longer amused. "I'm not in the habit of explaining my decisions to subordinates."

Aya turned to leave.

"She's just a kid," I told her in annoyance.

Aya turned to me, sighing. "Davina Claire is the former Regent. A shame she aligned with us only after her shunning." I rolled my eyes. "But then, some things are beyond even my control."

Aya turned to leave.

I grabbed her by the arm to stop her. "I'm not gonna let her be your puppet."

Aya sneered at me, yanking my arm out of my grasp. "You are in no position to make demands. If the prophecy is true, the Mikaelsons will fall within the year, and us along with them. I have a plan that will keep us alive." I looked at her skeptically. "Perhaps you should focus on proving yourself essential to my plan."

Aya gave me one last scathing look, turning around, walking away.

I watched her go with an unreadable expression.

***

Aya had gathered the Strix, including me, in the estate's ballroom to discuss what she had learned with us. "My witches have made a discovery. Whatever it was, Elijah clearly wants it to remain hidden. We can only assume a weapon is in play, and that all of our lives are at risk." She looked around at the vampires under her command seriously. "We will not rest until that weapon is under our control."

Elijah walked in smugly with a scroll in his hand, smiling, looking around the room. "Hello, everyone. Wonderful to see you all." Aya looked extremely unhappy to see Elijah's arrival, glaring at him, which didn't escape Elijah's notice. "Aya, don't we look so very comfortable indeed, leading Tristan's little circus. Sadly, one does not simply ascend to the position of leader. It kind of has to be my consent." The Strix vampires started to look uneasily at each other. Aya was unimpressed with Elijah's posturing. I smirked knowingly. "See, today is the day I take back what is mine." Elijah paused dramatically, looking around the room. "Do I hear any objections?" No one responded. Elijah smiled in satisfaction. "So, ladies and gentlemen, the offer I extend to you is simple enough. You follow me, I shall return you all to greatness."

I looked at Elijah, scoffing. "You're really just gonna come in here and start making demands?"

Elijah held him a hand to shush me in an extremely condescending manner. "Ah, shh, shh, shh. Noah, the grownups are talking." I looked away, acting to be offended. Elijah held up the scroll, which only served to make Aya more annoyed. "Aya, how long has it been, eight, nine hundred years since you last saw this?" He took note of all the confused looks around him, starting to explain what was happening. "For the uninitiated... the Charter of the Strix, written by... oh, yes. Me." He opened the scroll, starting to read its contents. "And, it says here... 'It shall be my duty to uphold the tenants for the charter...'" He hilariously fast-forwarded through the unimportant parts. "Dah-dah, dah-dah, dah... Oh, this is important. 'In the absence of a worthy leader, charter shall be invoked and complete dominion shall be restored to..." He dramatically lifted the scroll, blowing on it as if removing dust, squinting to make sure he was reading it properly, smirking. "'Elijah Mikaelson'."

Aya was clearly unimpressed by Elijah's show of force, rolling her eyes. "Ah. If you are determined to stake this absurd claim as founder, then I invoke the rite of Ludum Regale."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sorry. Does someone want to please explain what the hell that is?"

Elijah looked slightly shocked by this turn of events. "Ludum Regale... Game of Kings." He looked at Aya uneasily. "Let's not do this, shall we?"

Aya gave him a look. "You cannot invoke one element of the charter and disregard the rest. As it happens, I know the rules." She looked momentarily upset. "After all, I helped you write them." She blinked away the moisture in her eyes, raising her voice, looking around the room. "If our leadership is in doubt and politics proves divisive, a contest of strength and cunning shall determine the line of succession." She turned to face Elijah. "So, I challenge you to a duel. Whomever holds the charter at the stroke of midnight shall be the new leader of the Strix."

Elijah scoffed "You would choose strength over cunning?"

Aya walked toward Elijah, giving him a significant look. "Do you accept?"

Elijah paused for a moment, smirking.

***

Elijah was still carrying the Strix charter, leading the way into St. Anne's, for Aya, me, and the rest of the Strix, where Elijah and Aya were preparing for their duel.

I looked at them. "Oh, we're really gonna do this? Oldest, most sophisticated society of vampires in the world, and you settle your disputes like kids on the playground at recess."

Elijah opened the door to the fighting cage, walking in. "My sentiments precisely. Aya seems to disagree."

Elijah politely held out his hand to help Aya up.

Aya glared at him, walking around him without touching him. She took off her leather jacket. "I could order my brethren to fight on my behalf." Elijah placed the charter down to pull off his suit jacket. "Such as is their loyalty." Aya threw her jacket toward Elijah. Elijah used vampire speed to catch it, laying it down on the chair next to the charter. "But we both know this is between you and me. Leadership must be earned, and one way or another, I will have that charter."

Elijah dropped his jacket on the back of the chair, making a beckoning gesture. "Come and get it."

Aya glared at him, standing in a defensive position.

***

Elijah and Aya were fighting in the cage.

Elijah threw Aya into the cage wall. Aya was embarrassed with being outfought, rushing toward Elijah, punching him in the face, trying to punch and kick him repeatedly in a blur of motion. Elijah was going just as fast to block all of her moves. Their fight was so fast-paced that it was difficult to keep up with, but what Aya lacked in raw strength and speed, she made up for in flexibility and combat training, using gymnastic techniques to add force to her blows and to avoid behind hit.

I watched them in curiosity.

Elijah tried to punch Aya. Aya ducked, kicking him in the stomach. Elijah spun to try and kick her. Aya back flipped to make him miss.

They circled each other.

Elijah smirked smugly. "Are you quite done?"

Aya scoffed. "You'd have me submit? Once again, I prove I have a mind of my own."

Aya rushed closer, kicking him in the leg, trying to overwhelm him with a series of punches and hits.

Elijah either ducked to the side or raised his arms to block the moves, gripping her throat. "Let's not make this more unpleasant than it needs to be."

Aya managed to gasp out a retort through Elijah's tight grip on her trachea. "After all this time... how could you think that we would follow you?"

Aya managed to break out of his grip, kicking him. Elijah pushed her back. Aya spun to try and kick him twice. Elijah ducked both times. Aya tried to kick him again. Elijah caught her foot, pushing her to the ground. Aya groaned in pain, looking up at him, glaring.

Elijah looked around the rest of the Strix angrily. "All of you swore loyalty to a serpent who seized control of this fellowship, all in the name of furthering his tyranny."

Aya seemed appalled. "Seize control? Is that how you rewrite history?" She stood. "You ran like a coward, leaving the Strix to be slaughtered by your mad father."

Aya stood, pacing.

Elijah looked ashamed, but refused to back down. "I had no choice."

Aya stopped, looking at him angrily. "We all have a choice! And that day, I watched as my fellow Strix were slaughtered by the dozens."

Elijah lost his temper, lunging toward her, raising his voice. "I returned. The moment I knew that my family was safe, I returned. To the horror... the wreckage, the corpses, the ruin. The devastation that I felt when I thought of your death."

"But I did not die," Aya told him. "Thanks to the efforts of a true nobleman. Tristan saved us! He earned our loyalty."

"Tristan is a vulture, a usurper who stole our very dream," Elijah told her. "Violating everything that we once fought for, all in the name of a twisted crusade."

"Say what you will," Aya told him. "You choose your family always, above all. You're as cursed as them." She rushed toward Elijah, jumping in the air, spinning to kick him back, landing on the floor, leaning forward to kick over her head toward Elijah. Elijah raised an arm to block the move. Aya stood, spinning to punch him. Elijah raised an arm to block the move. Aya grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back, pushing him face first against the cage wall. She looked at the Strix. "This is Elijah Mikaelson, traitor to our cause!" The Strix looked intrigued by this drama, aside from me. I was a little anxious, waiting. Aya leaned forward to speak into Elijah's ear. "You know I would rather die than accept you as leader."

Elijah elbowed Aya in the face at vampire speed, making her let go, turning to face her, grabbing her, pushing her against the cage wall, gripping her throat. He lifted her up so high that her feet struggled to touch the floor.

I licked my lips nervously, considering my options.

Elijah looked at Aya. "If that's your ultimatum... then I accept."

Elijah reached his hand toward Aya's chest as if to rip her heart out.

I rushed toward them, pushing Elijah away from Aya, throwing them out of the cage entirely. He rushed to grab the charter, rushing up to the balcony above.

Elijah and Aya stood.

All of the vampires looked up at me.

"I thought you two were gonna talk each other to death," I told them. "But, since this is my city, I say we play by my rules. And catch me if you can. If not, come midnight, I'm in charge."

I rushed out of the church.

***

I was in a woman's house with the charter.

Elijah called me. "Well, this little escapade has been very cute indeed, Noah. Why don't you come outside and give me the charter?"

I smirked sarcastically. "Mm, no. No, I'm fine right where I am. I got about three minutes until I'm the new Grand Poobah. Until then, good luck trying to find me."

"Look outside." I turned my head toward the window, standing, walking toward it, pulling back the curtain from the window to see Elijah standing outside in the Quarter. "It's not difficult to track your enemies when your sister's a witch."

I chuckled. "Well, in that case, good luck getting in without an invitation."

"If you think I'm above burning this place to the ground, you are gravely mistaken."

"Well, that's not very civilized, is it?"

I shifted to look at the street from a different angle, slightly concerned when I saw a large crowd of Strix vampires heading my way as well.

"Outside. Now."

We hung up.

I grabbed the charter, tapping it against my hands in front of the window. I compelled the woman owner of the house to invite Elijah inside for a distraction so I could get away from everyone.

***

I saw everyone in the Quarter.

"It's midnight, Elijah," Aya told him. "Time's run out. According to our own laws, the contest is complete."

I rushed up behind them with the charter in my hands, smiling smugly. "Guess that makes me the winner."

"Ridiculous," Elijah told me. "This wasn't a contest. This was evasion."

"I had a little time to read your charter," I told them. "The Ludum Regale was never meant to be just a fistfight. Aspiring leaders face off in a contest that requires cunning. Why? Because you want a leader with more brains than brawn. Reason I beat you all is because I know every nook and cranny in the Quarter. Underground tunnels, secret passageways between properties... And, since I'm so charming, I get invited everywhere." Elijah plunged his fist into my chest, grabbing my heart, making me gasp in pain. I still managed to continue on. "Hey, you kill me, you are in violation of your own damn charter. Nobody's gonna follow your rules if you can't follow them yourself."

"He's right, Elijah," Aya told him. "Let him go."

Elijah hesitated for a long moment, relenting, taking his hand out of my chest.

I coughed and gasped for a moment, healing from my injuries, starting to address the crowd. "I'm not the strongest one here, but I won the game. I grew up in war, I went to war, and when the Mikaelsons brought their war to New Orleans, their father, I survived that, too. I even helped my mentor Marcel Gerard, my friend, my brother, survive, and if it wasn't for me, he would be dead ten times over. Without me, he wouldn't be half the man he is now, and he'll even tell you that himself. We rebuilt this city in our image under our rules. Offered alliances to all of our friends, and got rid of everybody else. You're not a leader because you stand alone. You're a leader because you have people who will stand with you and fight for you. If this prophecy that you're all afraid of is gonna happen, it's gonna happen here, on these streets. And if we're gonna stop it from killing us all, who's a better leader than me?"

Elijah scoffed, rolling his eyes. "This is absurd."

Surprisingly, Aya didn't seem to be too unhappy about this. "Noah has won. Better to stand with him and fight to live than stand with you. You'll be little more than an afterthought." She turned to address the rest of the Strix, sighing. "To the new leader of the Strix... Noah Dumaine."

***

At home in my loft, I was at the bar, making a pair of drinks, turning to look at Elijah who was sitting in the armchair behind me. "You had to punch your hand through my chest."

Elijah sighed dramatically. "Oh, for the love... Noah, I was in character." He stood. "The moment took me. Besides, between that absurd contest and your master class performance..."

I smiled smugly. "Thank you."

I picked up the two drinks I had just poured for each of us, handing one to Elijah.

"They were beautifully distracted from this whole white oak business," Elijah told me. He raised his glass toward me. "So... to the new Grand Poobah."

We took a drink.

I nodded in agreement. "Right. Uh, which, actually, brings me to my next point. Even if we can control your friends, what about your enemies? If a sireline war heats up, the Quarter is gonna become a war zone."

"And now we have an army," Elijah told me. "So, perhaps we can keep this wretched prophecy at bay."

"Oh, that's right," I told him. "We fight so you live, because if Klaus falls, so do I, and so does Marcel. And if you fall, well, there goes the Strix."

Elijah nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Try to keep those clowns in line."

I sat down in a chair.

Elijah picked up his jacket, walking out, leaving.

***

I was in St. James Infirmary, sitting at the bar, drinking.

Aya walked in from the door behind me. "Heavy is the head that wears the crown." I merely looked at Aya. Aya smiled a small smile. "You've no idea where to begin, do you?"

I rolled my eyes, giving her a look. "I'm no stranger to running things. I've been doing it here for a long while. Well, aiding and abetting. First thing I'd like to do is make sure I know who's on my side."

Aya nodded, seemingly impressed with the first step. "The problem, as I see it, is simple. The Strix are comprised of one sireline. And now, we are to be led by a vampire from another. Regardless of the distinction, all our lives are bound to those who made us. And should this prophecy come to pass, we will all perish. As leader, would you navigate that threat?"

"You don't go to war without wise guidance," I told her. "Victory depends on having many advisors. And by the look in your eyes, it looks like you have some advice to give. So... spill it."

Aya seemed impressed by my observational skills, pausing. "Not that long ago, we developed a contingency plan. There is a reason I recruited Davina Claire. You see, with the right witches, the correct spell, the precise binding agent, there is a means to eradicate our link to our sires... making us free from the Mikaelsons forever." I was stunned at the realization that Davina's old unlinkig spell was back in play. "Then, and only then, will we have true independence. Davina is... obstinate, but she will listen to you. So, what do you say? Will you help me lead the Strix to freedom?"

I sighed, considering all of this for a long moment.