WARNINGS: VIOLENCE, DEATH, BLOOD, MENTIONS OF CHILD ABUSE, TRAUMA AND EMOTIONAL DISTRESS TO READERS

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Sunday, January 4th, 1920

DALIA. How can such a pretty flower cause so much stress, disarray and panic? The flower that reminded Finn Mikaelson of a memory he believed would take centuries to scour through, but was uncovered in seconds. And once the terrible tale of the mean witch who took his Freya — his favourite sister —the one person he thought would always be there for him was finally told, it was safe to say all the festivities ended and it was time for an old fashion Mikaelson feast.

Klaus was the first to rush to him, demanding answers, and spreading fear to his fragile state. It took almost a minute to pry him off his oldest brother, who stammered out dreaded words as he shook and shivered.

The witches (apart from Kol) tried calming the oldest Mikaelson brother but there was no hope.

Dalia.

Dalia had promised centuries ago to come for the firstborn Mikaelson of every generation, and how could no one see it? Oh right, because the mean witch had unbelievable power and could block her presence from the dreams, nightmares and visions of all the Équilbre
witches.

Klaus was furious, Adrienne emptied her stomach, before bawling her eyes at the thought of someone taking away her precious boy. That fucking curse, she muttered over and over again, whilst Hadeon took their son to another room.

No one could settle the parents, because no one settled themselves. Protection spells were discussed, and Evania with the protection of Kol left the compound to bring over her grimoires, to present the various spells the Gemini coven had successfully performed for centuries. A cloaking spell needed to be performed on little Malachai, his magic was clearly breaking through his bracelet more and more every day, they could feel it.

Evania promised she would sort it, and with all the witches, newly transformed and mortal, they were ready to find a safe way to cloak the tribrid.

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"So our mother lied," Rebekah rasped, watching as Klaus paced in the sitting room.

"Is lying not in her wheelhouse?" Kol rolled his eyes, sitting next to her anxiously playing with his daylight room.

"Our sister still lives," Rebekah couldn't help but be excited by the news, but she was the only one.

Kol scoffed, "Who cares?"

"Kol," Elijah warned.

Klaus halted his angry steps, "I agree with him, why should we care, she's no doubt out there helping the bitch who is coming for my son!"

Finn wasn't present for the conversation, nor was the rest of the family. Valerie and Evania were currently setting up more protection spells, secretly using some expression to do so, leaving Hadeon to channel Voodoo, whilst setting more skulls and salt in more intricate parts of the mansion. Clementine was making a tonic for the eldest Mikaelson brother, to help trigger some more memories and Marcel didn't know what to do, so he watched over Malachai.

Adrienne was beside herself, throwing up in the nearest bathroom.

"Niklaus, perhaps she would be of help to us," Elijah said, standing behind his younger siblings.

Klaus turned to him in disgust, "Oh would she? Really Elijah, I also imagine braiding hair and trading secrets would be a great way to forge an everlasting bond."

"It was merely a suggestion."

"Honestly Elijah, what's stopping her from coming here and taking Malachai?" One murderous look from Klaus, had Kol recoiling in his chair. "What I meant was, if she's been blocking the witches from discovering that she was coming, why hasn't she attacked?"

Rebekah nodded, "Yes, why hasn't she?"

Klaus craned his neck to say, "Shall I call this estranged aunt of ours, perhaps invite her over for tea?"

Elijah's jaw tightened, "Niklaus..."

"Do not tell me to calm down, my wife is currently emptying the contents of her stomach because she is terrified, as am I. Now our senile brother neglected to mention all this knowledge about Dalia and I would like to know why," this earned a wry look from his sister.

"Because he's been in a box for almost nine centuries," Rebekah exclaimed, even Kol couldn't disagree.

"And will be for nine more!" Klaus raged.

"No one shall be daggered Niklaus," Elijah said definitively.

A humourless laugh escaped Klaus, "You speak like you have a say in the matter."

"And you speak as if you have the daggers brother," Kol retorted, ready to use his magic if need be. "Look, I'm not a fan of our eldest brother, who would be? But perhaps he needs time to fix his puzzled brain."

"And why are you defending him?"

"Because I know what it's like to be a victim of you and your daggers, you think one vial of blood and an empty promise is all it takes for us to be up and running, well that far from the case. He's without a daylight ring mind you. Being daggered for a century isn't all it's cracked up to be," Kol was almost close to feeling time pass by, but fortunately that withering feeling didn't last, he couldn't imagine what it was like for Finn.

In all honesty, he felt quite bad, which he hated.

"Those Dalia's have been growing throughout this house for quite some time," Rebekah stated, coming to terms with it all.

"And yet not one of us thought anything of it."

Klaus sceptically glanced between his siblings.

"Oh come off it Niklaus," Kol sighed, "as if anyone of us who cares for flowers, must I remind you that you go around buying gladioli like some bloody sap."

"I am not a bloody sap!" Klaus snapped.

"Christ," Rebekah rubbed at her temples, "Since when has arguing solved anything?"

"I am not arguing, I was merely looking at my brothers and sister, like I normally do," Klaus excused rather innocently as he folded his arms.

Elijah narrowed his eyes, "With suspicion?"

"Yes. What? It's not like there isn't animosity between us, betrayals and treason," Klaus listed, eyes landing on his younger brother.

"Treason? You may be the self-proclaimed bastard King of the city but please remove your head from your own arse Nik," Kol said, slumping in his seat.

"And any animosity you feel at this given moment, might I ask you why there exists Niklaus?" Elijah pressed with a blank expression.

Klaus glared at them all, before changing the subject, "I agree with our sister, since when has arguing solved anything?"

All of his siblings rolled their eyes.

Kol muttered under his breath, irritated and rather stressed about the situation.

"For the devil is coming, after all, especially your kin." Elijah analyzed the prophecy aloud, turning to the hybrid, "And we thought this was referring to father."

"He is a devil," Kol expressed, "But It can't come as a surprise that our family has more than one."

Klaus ground his teeth, "Two estranged relatives —"

"— Our sister—" Rebekah reiterated.

"— Who I doubt is alive and an aunt who wishes to steal my child," Klaus fought the fierce urge to cry.

"She won't be able to touch him, you have my word brother, Malachai won't slip through our fingers," Elijah vowed.

Klaus said nothing. No threats, no vows, nothing and it wasn't because he was thinking of what to do or say, no. For once, he was more terrified than anything. He was scared. Because what if the prophecy came true? What would become of him then?

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Monday, January 5th, 1920

The thunder kept everyone up that night. Two a.m. and not one wink of sleep, serving as a constant reminder of the impending troubles they were to face, the loudness, and banging in their ears, kept them alert and ready.

The Équilbre witches stayed the night. Valerie, Evania and Hadeon each had a room to themselves, Clementine decided to sleep with her partner who graciously welcomed her into his bed. Rebekah always hated thunder, as did Marcel so they stayed together. Kol kept to himself and strolled the grounds, playing with his fingers muttering old magic and quickly putting out any fires that came along with it.

Adrienne had been in and out of Malachai's nursery, discarding any flowers, stating that none would be kept in there as a precaution, Klaus agreed instantly, if it puts your mind to rest love, was how he responded, as many destructive thoughts ruled his mind.

"You are still in possession of my mother's Grimoire Adrienne, I'm sure you'll find something," he said, sitting at the foot of their... his bed, watching her tear through pages of several grimoires.

The new and improved painting of Adrienne hung in the background, right where it should be.

"More Nordic runes and healing spells," she muttered, hunched over as she narrowed over the words and symbols, "Evania is in her room now, she said most of the cloaking spells can hurt the body If they are going to last over periods of time."

"And we can't put Malachai through that," Klaus whispered, dreading the thought of his son in pain. He already dreamt of what Mikael would do if he saw him, and that inspired enough fear.

"He said your name," Adrienne decided to change the subject.

"Yes he did," Klaus couldn't describe what he felt and for a moment his fear was overridden by a sense of accomplishment.

"You sure you didn't bribe him?" humour laced her tone.

"He's too smart to be brought," he replied with a smirk, to which she rolled her eyes. "He is far too smart for his age, seems to me he has inherited more than your looks sweetheart."

She turned around, not wanting him to see her smile, but he did anyway.

"This... Dalia, she's not taking our son," Adrienne's tone darkened significantly, matching the glint in Klaus' eyes.

"She won't be able to," Klaus gritted out, "Now, we know who she is and what she wants, there isn't a nurse, nor a healer alive that would be able to fix that wench after I'm through with her. "

"Couldn't have said it better husband."

A wicked smile appeared on his lips, "Perhaps there is a way for you to contact others who have seen my... aunt," he could barely stomach saying the word. "You said it yourself, Marie isn't truly gone, no one is, no matter how much we wish it. You're more than powerful enough to break through the barrier to the other side."

"I do not think it's the other side I need to break through," Adrienne paused, "but the other side is like a prison world, the ancestors scream whenever something is unnatural, so if they can speak to me, I can speak to them, but I don't need to communicate with just anyone, no, I must talk to my own people."

"How fast can you do that?"

"Summoning hundreds of witches?" she cast him a sly look, which made his smile grow as he saw her eyes flittering silver, "not long at all."

Before he could shower her with praise, a cry burst through the house.

Malachai.

The married couple rushed out of their room, afraid of what they were about to witness.

Elijah threw open his bedroom and soon did the rest of them, but they were waved off by Adrienne when she noticed Finn got to Malachai and already started hushing his cries.

Klaus went to rip his child from his brother's arms, but Adrienne held him back.

The thunderclaps seemed to have doubled the hybrid's anger.

"He's not hurting him," Adrienne's grip on his arm tightened.

"No, he might just be softening up our son, to then put him on a platter for Dalia to take," he seethed, wanting Finn to hear him and he did.

Finn tried not to stiffen at the mention of his evil aunt, she took Freya! She took my protector! Glancing down at his nephew's glossy cyan eyes, he wiped away more tears. Although it's been centuries since he's been near a child, he remembered the various ways he had to keep his siblings quiet when faced with their father's rage.

"He's scared of the thunder," Finn spoke, gently bouncing the baby in his arms, "but it is only Thor banging his hammer," he said lightly to a sniffling Malachai, then glanced behind to see his angry brother, "You've told him of our culture?"

"Of course I have," Klaus said scoffing.

"It's simply Thor blessing us with rain, the weather will not hurt you," Finn murmured, "Nothing can hurt you, the All-father will protect you," he blessed, muttering things in their mother tongue, phrases that Klaus remembered so vividly

Klaus huffed, turning to Adrienne and mouthed, I don't trust him.

Adrienne didn't either, only because she didn't know him, not because of anything else, which was why he wasn't given his daylight ring yet.

They watched Finn continue to tell Malachai more tales of their Viking culture, whilst holding up the various carvings, just like father's Finn realised when he saw the details.

"Three steps ahead..." she whispered to Klaus as they retreated to his room.

Klaus found solace in her words, "...so we're out of reach."

It felt like old times, but with Dalia on the rise, they needed to find a way to take her out and do it fast.

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Adrienne stood in the nursery, eyes lighting up at the finished painting of Frenrir. Almost two years it took for Klaus to finish the painting and it was finally hanging up in their son's room.

It felt like everything was clicking into place, but some things were left unsaid.

After meeting and talking with her ancestors for what felt like only a few minutes when it was three hours she discovered what was necessary in taking down a witch that so easily slipped through the spirit's hold and crawled away like a rodent. Old magic requires an old solution child, Marie's gentle voice reached out to her and Hadeon, bringing them all the warmth they needed. It was tricky, what solution wouldn't be in this case?

Terror aside, the Lumières decided to be charitable, just the morning of the Opera, so they gathered each Mikaelson sibling into the conservatory, whilst Adrienne held onto the special Angel Malachai used for his teething.

Clementine, Valerie and Evania kept little Malachai occupied along with an awkward Marcel.

Despite the constant questioning and badgering about how time was nearing an end and how everyone was losing their minds, the Mikaelsons eventually sat down, on the floor because of Adrienne's sweet plea.

Elijah hated creasing his suits, Rebekah and Klaus didn't understand why they couldn't sit on the chairs, Kol wanted to get back to his magic studies and Finn just wanted an out, but the moment the candles were lit, it was like they were pulled into a different atmosphere, a lighter one and they weren't sure what to make of it.

"What is this?" Klaus gestured to the different corners they were all sitting at. Seven corners, for seven Mikaelsons or in-laws, in Hadeon's case.

"How does it relate to Dalia?" Finn's firm tone wasn't concealing his panicked nature, "Shouldn't we be planning, plotting or whatever you all do?"

"Brother, the plan is set and highly perilous, yet feasible, though I wonder why we're in the conservatory," Elijah remarked.

After being informed of Adrienne's brief discussion with her ancestors and various facts about their aunt and possible ways to destroy her, Elijah's need to destroy the woman only grew. A plan was in motion, but that didn't mean, he was composed, not like he appeared to be.

"Just stay seated, there's something you need to see," Adrienne stated, watching as her brother waved a hand and skulls laced with various plants appeared in front of them all.

Kol was curious and excited, Klaus was wary despite his trust in their magic, Rebekah grew angsty, surprisingly similar to Finn, and Elijah kept sending glances towards the door and out the window.

Finn thought aloud, "And we all have to be here for this?"

"Do you have plans with your mates Finn?" Kol asked with a snort, which only amused his half-brother.

Finn sent him a sharp glare, "No, yet somehow I would be able to acquire companions faster than you Kol and I have not been out of the contraption Niklaus kept me in for more than a day."

"Brothers, not now," Elijah hissed, still looking for anything out of the ordinary.

But hell, everything was out of the ordinary.

Klaus couldn't shake his smirk, "Let them fight Elijah, it's brotherly bonding."

"Kol, leave Finn alone," Rebekah pleaded, tired of the fighting. "And Niklaus, now is not the time, let Addy and Deon get along with their... whatever this is so, we can start getting ready for the Opera."

They all exchanged confused glances, her brothers especially.

"...that's several hours away," Kol drawled.

The blonde sassed, "And?"

"Perfection can't be rushed," Adrienne muttered under her breath without missing a beat, earning a nod from Rebekah.

"Yes Finn, perfection can't be rushed, so just be patient," Kol kept egging him on.

"You don't know the meaning of the word," Finn snapped.

"I doubt he could spell it," Klaus taunted, "In fact, neither of you could."

Hadeon snickered, not caring about their offended expressions.

Elijah, being the mediator he was tried getting them to shut up but was exhausted, leaving the witch Queen to jump in.

"Will you all just shut up, yes, you all have to be here and you will want to be when we show you what it is. It won't take long, but it will take a lot of energy, that thankfully I have, but do not need to spend on breaking up pointless fights."

Kol went to object, but one look from Elijah had him huffing.

Although he didn't want to agree with Finn, Klaus also thought they should be spending more time going through the motions of the deeply flawed plan they conjured only hours before, Dalia is coming, Klaus repeated to himself.

Trust me, words were mouthed to Klaus by his wife, relieving some of the stress from his shoulders.

A parchment was placed in front of them, each containing runes of each Mikaelson name and as for Adrienne and Hadeon they had symbols or Vevè, which was spiritual and astral script relating to the meaning of their last name, light, but they used the closest sigil which was Damballah, which represented wisdom, healing and purity.

Kol studied them, surprised he was not familiar with theirs, but was intrigued, so he indulged.

"Join hands," Hadeon's instruction came with various reactions.

Finn did not want to touch Elijah, Klaus and Kol certainly did not want to make contact and Rebekah was aware of Hadeon's ire for her so she was confused as to why he was doing this.

"Join hands, this will only work if you do, so do it," Hadeon insisted.

"What is this that we're doing, you've yet to explain," Finn stated.

"Astral projection," Kol realised, all the material laid around them made sense to him.

"We're travelling instantaneously to a desired location?" Klaus asked, raising a brow, he scoffed at their shocked expressions, "I read."

Hadeon snorted, "Could've fooled me."

Before any further arguments started, Adrienne reiterated, "Join hands, this won't take long, and then you can all go back to squabbling."

Shortly after a quick back and forth between Finn and his younger brothers, they all reluctantly joined hands. Finn preferred Adrienne to Elijah so he shifted slightly closer, much to Klaus' contempt.

The Lumières eyes faded grey, which the Mikaelsons were growing used to.

The atmosphere shifted whenever they did magic, but now it was heavier, it felt as if they all floated on a dark cloud that managed to protect yet fill them with slight discomfort. It's the darkness, they all thought.

It pulled them in, drawing their eyes to a close and brought their consciousness out of their bodies.

Images rushed past them, screenshots of times they were no longer in, many that Finn had never seen, and others they all hadn't been in. It made sense but confused them all together.

A gasp escaped their mouths when they landed in the middle of a battlefield. Men and women, young and old wore armour, yelled in a manner that seemed all too familiar to the Mikaelsons. A barrier protected the family, as many warriors raced past, screaming and yelling as they raised their hands swords, axes and shields.

"A battlefield, this is what was so important?" Klaus hated Finn's tone directed at his wife.

"Why is this familiar?" Kol wondered aloud.

"Father took us here brother," Elijah sent one look towards Finn, they were the eldest so they remembered more than most, especially when they had to fight to live, the raids, the victories and the terrible defeats, "he said that, 'like Valhalla..."

"...we will fight in life, and continue to fight in the halls of our ancestors," Finn vividly recalled, keeping his gaze to the violent scene.

"Where Odin will prepare a feast," Klaus continued, eyes dragging over the field filled with blood and gore, causing a twinkle to appear in his pools of blue.

"Where will drink ale from curved horns," Kol uttered, nearly shuddering at the earliest lesson his father taught them.

Rebekah was bitter she could never join in on the lesson, as her father preferred her to stay at home, away from danger, safe is better than dead, he yelled whenever she picked up a shield.

She gawked at the shieldmaidens that so bravely stormed the field.

The Lumières took note of their hard expression.

"You all need to look closer," Hadeon advised, with an edge to his tone, Adrienne nodded in encouragement.

They turned to see a line of people drop to the muddied ground all because of one man, a very young man. Who's braids were as long as his axe and a wicked grin as wide as his fur wrap. His pale skin was coaxed in the blood of those he slain, and although he seemed to be fighting for hours he didn't relent.

The spirit of Loki rested within him.

"That is merely a young warrior, what are we..."

Elijah trailed off as his eyes widened when he saw the familiar nature of the warrior.

Rebekah shook her head, trying to connect the dots.

But Kol's jaw dropped, realizing who that warrior was.

Klaus couldn't move, even if he wanted to, he simply couldn't.

But Finn knew, he felt it, he felt the blood flowing through the warrior, it called out to him.

The teenage boy thrived in the chaos, bloodshed and beauty of the battle. His axe tore through the air like an arrow and sliced through bodies bringing his enemies to the ground, barely clinging to life before one final blow sent them to their deaths.

His roar sent fear across the battlefield.

He ducked and weaved through the sea of enemies, with ease.

It looked so easy to him like he'd been doing this for years, centuries almost.

Even when he fell, he got back up, ready and waiting for the impending attacks.

"It can't be..." Rebekah breathed out, panting like she was fighting with the young warrior.

Tears stung in Elijah's eyes, "Adrienne, he is a young man, not our — not him."

"This is a trick," Kol mumbled, yet he didn't glance away, he couldn't.

"Gods, it can't be," Finn whispered.

Adrienne and Hadeon then turned to Klaus, who stared wide-eyed.

"Impossible," his eyes watered, tears streamed down his face, watching as the warrior's stamina never subsided, and his laugh sounded almost like — no, not almost, it was, "Henrik."

Klaus couldn't believe it, none of them could but the hybrid's voice seemed to soar through the haven-like barrier and rumble around the Valhalla-like dome.

Henrik turned, panting, almost heaving but for him, everything stopped including the fighting around him. He then drew a sharp breath at the sight of the five familiar faces, yet their garments were anything but.

His alert eyes jumped between each face, every feature, the eyes, the noses, the hair — curly, straight, brunette, blonde, he remembered it all.

"Henrik," this time Kol spoke, lil quivering from it all.

That brought a wider smile to his face, before childishly laughing, but they couldn't hear the glee leaving his mouth.

Realising he could not speak to his siblings as they all hoped, he took a step closer, shocking them with his height and stealthiness.

His eyes darted towards his manic brother.

She's safe, Henrik mouthed to Kol, I kept her safe.

More tears poured down Kol's face at the confirmation of his first love being taken care of.

Henrik's joy spread to Finn's face and sparkled through Rebekah's teary eyes.

Elijah's pride only grew at the sight of him.

Sensing more people, Henrik's eyes narrowed onto the Lumiéres more specifically Adrienne before a crooked smile grew on his face, pretty, he mouthed, making them all laugh.

He was taken back slightly when he noticed the proximity between her and his half-brother, but it all came together when he saw the wedding bands on their hands.

"He has aged Adrienne, how..." Elijah very rarely was lost for words, but Henrik was his littlest brother, that's all they could think of, "it does not make sense."

Adrienne watched as Henrik continued to look around before responding, "He is at peace, when he died he was barely thirteen, and his belief in your Gods was so strong, he was granted a blessing, an offering."

"We were told he was asked what he wanted more than anything in this world?" Hadeon continued, "he replied and said he wanted all of you, beside him, laughing and telling stories," he wondered if he should carry on, seeing the emotion flood their faces once again, "but he knew he would not get that, so he wanted to grow, requested he be as big and strong like his brothers, and that's what was granted."

Hadeon and Adrienne got this information from a distant relative who happened to be a great ally to Ayana Bennett, one of the greatest witches known.

Klaus let his tears run freely when Henrik's gaze focused solely on him.

Brown met Blue and Klaus' heart gradually patched back together.

Henrik held up his finger and signed through the air, ᛟ, family, was what he wanted to say. He was happy to see all of them, he waited so long.

But suddenly his attention was drawn elsewhere and he stormed back through the chaotic fields, with a childlike glee, slashing his axe through the air, leaving his family in the distance, only to stare at his retreating figure with pride, warmth and heartbreak.

The Mikaelsons did not utter a word when they regained consciousness. At first, they thought they dreamt it all, a vision that they collectively conjured up, but the feelings coursing through their bodies reminded them it was all real.

And so they smiled, despite the tears staining their faces, they smiled.

Klaus turned to his wife with the most tender look, to which she surprisingly beamed.

Henrik was okay.

─────── •✦• ───────

Hours had passed and the Mikeaelons were slightly shaken – but in a good way after seeing their youngest brother thrive amongst the chaos, just like them. He was big, strong, a true warrior and they couldn't be more proud.

Henrik showed Klaus the fearlessness that the Mikaelsons were known for, the ruthlessness that inspired fear in anyone who heard their name.

"Conventionally I would have those who dared to cross us strung up and heads thrown on a pike, but she threatened our son, our boy, so I promise you that Dalia's ends will be spectacular."

Adrienne clung to Klaus' words, for the first time in a year and a half and she desired to drain the lives of those who dared to take her son, watch the life leave their eyes whilst doing so, bask in their pain and celebrate their torment.

So now, sitting in their private box, Adrienne made herself comfortable between Klaus and Rebekah, ready to lift her binoculars whilst her husband read the programme.

Only an hour, she repeated to herself, an hour apart from her lovely boy who rested in the comfort of the Lumière estate with Valerie. Hadeon was off smoking, Finn was outside, and Kol getting a drink, but Elijah and Marcel were missing.

It was a full house in the theatre and Klaus was bored and impatient, constantly sighing loudly to get Adrienne's attention, but she was confined to her thoughts, whilst Rebekah looked around anxiously for her beau.

"Well, this is off to a bad start. Your first big date together in public after I gave you my blessing, and he stood you up," Klaus mocked his sister, breaking his wife from her thoughts.

"Something must have delayed him, perhaps he's smoking with Hadeon," she turned to Adrienne in defence, but she shrugged her off.

"Or, now that your elicit affair is out in the open, he finds the whole relationship a tad lacklustre and has run off to Havana with a showgirl," Klaus jested, earning an eye roll from Adrienne.

"Don't be such a toerag. I'm going to check the lobby," Rebekah said, rising from her seat.

"And I'm going to join her," Adrienne mirrored her actions, drawing a sigh from her husband, "Can't handle being by yourself?"

Not without you, "Just don't be long," Klaus said, trying to conceal his anxiousness, before shooting a glance at his sister, "See if you can't find our brother while you're there. The curtain is about to go up.

Adrienne tensed which her sister-in-law noticed very quickly before she dragged them to the bathroom.

"What are you doing, Marcel could be out there in the lobby, alone," Rebekah stressed, watching Adrienne fix her make-up.

Adrienne blinked slowly, feeling the chill in the air.

"How are you so calm?!" Rebekah squeaked, scanning the area, and checking to see if anyone was in the stalls.

"Because I had no part to play in Mikael's return." That caused Rebekah to stiffen and suck in a deep breath.

"What?"

"You think I don't know? That I haven't known, you're a bad liar, Rebekah, I know that you know that, we all do. Insisting that Genevieve was alive for so long just tipped over the iceberg," Adrienne tucked in a curl behind her headband, before facing her sister-law. "And to add to my previous answer, I'm not calm. My anger has been simmering for quite some time."

Rebekah was silent for a moment, digesting all the information, how her constant worries that Adrienne and Hadeon would find out — both she and Marcel promised not to say a word to anyone, keeping Genevieve quiet was easy, infecting her with the deadly virus that stormed the city was admittedly sinister, but then Clara walked in and the same thing had to be done. The guilt ate at her months. Her actions caused a change within the witches and even her dear nephew. She wanted to say, plead with invisible forces to take it back but she wasn't sure, but what was certain was that she wanted her brother out of the way.

Rebekah broke the silent seal, "And are you going to blabber?"

"About you calling Mikael and summoning him because you believed it would benefit me?" Adrienne bitterly laughed, "I don't know Rebekah, it's like you weren't thinking about Malachai."

"I was and if you've known this whole time, why haven't you spilt to Nik?" Rebekah hissed, narrowing her eyes accusingly, "I know because deep down you know he deserves it."

"Perhaps, but you know who doesn't, Marcel," Adrienne breathed out, earning a horrified look from the original.

"What?"

Adrienne's face went slack, and a harsh gasp jumped out of her, "You've signed his death papers."

"What did you see? what do you mean? Why didn't you say anything?" Rebekah snapped, speeding directly in front of her.

"Don't put this on me," Adrienne snarled.

"You're a witch, you should've seen this coming!"

Adrienne glared, "Shut up."

"Watch how you –"

"Shut up!" her yell drove Rebekah's mouth to a close, startling the pair of them, especially when the original tried to speak again, but couldn't, " Oh, Hecate... Rebekah, speak."

"Did you just, that's not possible –" Rebekah rushed to speak, feeling a chill run down her spine. "You're not a vampire, how did you..."

The door sprung open, shocking the pair of them, relieving some of the tension in the air but it didn't last long when they turned to see a blonde walk in with a nervous and scared expression.

Adrienne felt magic pour off of her, making her straighten up.

But Rebekah sensed there was something oddly familiar about her, regardless she pulled Adrienne closer.

"I know you..." The original trailed off, tone full of suspicion.

"You both need to leave this establishment," the woman spoke with a slight accent, perhaps Norwegian or Swedish.

"Who are you?" Rebekah dared to ask, "No, I know you, six years ago at my family's Christmas party, you were there."

"You both must go, I mean no offence," the blonde witch urged, teary-eyed, "You have no idea how much I wished to see you again," staring at Rebekah, then turned apprehensively at the immortal witch, "As well as my nephew."

"What?!" Adrienne and Rebekah both screeched.

"Go before they find you. Especially you Adrienne."

Adrienne gawked at the woman, but Rebekah wasted no more time and sped them out of the bathroom and into the theatre room, hearing the compelled applause and laughs of the audience.

"Adrienne!" Her brother's voice called out to her, he was trying to pull down Marcel from the slab of wood he was tied to.

His barely conscious body was next to a dead Lana who was impaled by a stake and had her mouth taped shut.

"Well if it isn't the beast's wife," a voice called out from the crowd, Mikael. He landed in front of her, preventing her from helping her brother, who quickly abandoned Marcel to help his sister. Adrienne noted how much Klaus oddly looked like him, "Exotic, I see the appeal, but you," Mikael's leering eyes tore away from her body and zeroed in on Hadeon, "bastards stick together it seems, scorns of the earth you deserved to be exterminated."

He sped towards Hadeon, throwing his daughter out of out of the way and grabbing the nearest object he could use as and impaled it through the witch's chest earning a shrill cry.

"Hadeon!" Adrienne's arm thrusted up, sending Mikael crashing down.

"I'm fine," her brother wheeze.

Klaus suddenly appeared after having his neck snapped earlier, hearing his wife's cry brought him to consciousness quicker than anything could.

Rebekah sobbed, quickly pulling the stake from Hadeon's chest then went back to help Marcel whose binds were worse than she thought.

Adrienne rushed to the stage, shakily pulling her brother to her chest, glancing up to see Klaus quickly trying to aid his sister.

There was no sight of Mikael.

Hadeon's wounds were surprisingly easing up, they never experimented with how quickly they would be able to heal, nevertheless, it wasn't as fast as they hoped.

Adrienne set her hand down on his chest, eyes flitted silver, suppressing the rage she was feeling, she didn't know what she was banking on, no healing spells came to mind, and she couldn't speak, but she did hum.

Hadeon watched her shakily amend the torn and bloodied skin, causing him to groan and rasp out pleas for her to stop. It was hurting her, he could see it, accelerating the healing process and taking the energy out of her.

Finally, they both let out shuddered breaths when his wound was partially healed.

"How..." he didn't understand, and wiped away one of her angry tears, but her attention was soon drawn elsewhere.

"Klaus!" Adrienne warned him, screaming when Mikael suddenly appeared, gripping a stake and sending his stepson flying with it inside of him.

Hadeon groaned, standing up, with his sister's help and handing her a small device.

Elijah materialized by Klaus' side, just in time for Mikael to turn his attention back to Rebekah who continued to assist Marcel. But with one wave of Adrienne's hand, had the Mikaelson patriarch falling to the ground.

"Adrienne!" Klaus grunted, whilst Elijah pulled out the stake, then flashed a reluctant Hadoen out of the building, "Meet Kol and Finn by the front, now is not time to squabble, sweetheart, get out!"

"But Marcel..." she trailed off, clenching her hands when Mikael doubled over in pain. He fought against her and was doing it well, how much power flowed through his veins? She could see him tiring, but his hatred was far stronger, she could sense it.

Seeing her briefly distracted, Mikael frustratedly gained the energy to tear his daughter away from Marcel and flung her towards her brothers.

Elijah flashed back into the room, gathering his unconscious sister and tired sister-in-law.

"There's no helping Marcel," Adrienne heard Elijah say whilst Klaus tried aiding his adoptive son. "We must run, and stick to the plan."

"Adrienne now!" Klaus screamed.

Adrienne withdrew an explosive from her pocket and pulled the trigger, making it perfectly land in front of the grunting patriarch.

Elijah sped them outside of the building and down an alley where Finn held up Hadeon, and even graciously fed him some blood.

"We have to go to Lumiére Square now!" Klaus instructed, battling with his own feelings, swallowing the bile creeping up his throat, he turned to his wife who could see his tears, "Your witches -- Clementine and Valerie -- are ready and waiting with Kol? " One nod was all he needed, he surveyed the area, watching as his older brother fed Rebekah his blood to awaken her, just before he took Adrienne in his arms and fled with the rest of them.

Kol's head snapped up, seeing his siblings appear in front of them, after hearing the cries and screams of those throughout the city of the civilians subjected to his father's torment. But now finally they were all here, preparing to fight the devil himself, the author of all their pain. And now he had his magic, the very thing he was mocked, ridiculed and beaten for, he couldn't wait to unleash the power into Mikael.

Evania stood near him, nervous but ready. She put those emotions aside when caught the sight of a bloodied Hadeon in Finn's arms. Just when she went to rush towards him, he shook his head, I'm okay gorgeous, but he didn't look it.

"Where's Marcel?" Clementine decided to break the silence, after Elijah neared towards her, pressing a kiss to her forehead, then shook his head with a regrettable look on his face. She could feel the guilt and grief pouring from them all, Klaus especially, looked so broken.

The last thing Klaus saw was Mikael feeding off his... Marcel.

"He's gone," Elijah muttered, then immediately heard the cries of his sister, who clung to Klaus after coming to.

Hearing the screams from the audience members who were all trapped inside the Opera house, they all turned around to see it go up in flames.

"No..." Klaus' bottom lip trembled.

"This is my... this is my fault," Rebekah choked out, fearing to look towards the witches.

Klaus shook his head, "No. This is my fault, Rebekah. I am so sorry. I'm sorry. Marcel-- "They all jumped, hearing the Opera house explode behind them and fire truck sirens blare, "I thought we'd found a home here."

His hand sought Adrienne's whilst more tears welled in his eyes, Marcel's gone.

As they joined hands, she felt the pain overtook him, just like he could feel the rage course through her veins.

"We must fight," Finn spoke up, eyes tearing away from the violent scene and staring directly at Klaus, "Father is a beast, he won't stop, not unless we finish this."

"Our brother is right," Kol agreed, everyone was far too hurt to be surprised, "We carry out the plan."

"She's near," Adrienne's unsettled whisper reached them all.

"I can feel her," Clementine murmured, Dalia, she didn't want to say her name, "She's not alone."

"Father's coming," Kol could hear his shouting from the distance, they all could.

Elijah stepped out and ripped out metal stakes from a random fence and chucked them to Finn and Klaus, the latter accepted it with urgency. He carefully passed one to his sister who did her best to conceal her tears.

Hadeon approached them, pulling out a vial from his pocket, crushed vervain, the vampires and hybrids could smell it. He sprinkled it over each stake, and with one word, fonn, he uttered in Haitian Creole and the powder melted into it.

"Your father is truly a beast..." Adrienne remarked hearing Mikael's taunts, they were so loud.

"The final act of Le Grand Guignol is upon us! Where are my players? Enough running, children! Step out of the shadows so we can finish this tale of sorrows!"

The Mikaelsons and the witches turned to hear him, then hastily turned back, all circling the Lumière street sign, Kol allowed Evania to siphon off his power, feeding her until she was satisfied.

"He deserves to be exterminated." Hadeon fiercely stated.

"Speaking of children, I captured one of yours Niklaus, come out now, before sinking my hooks into the other monstrosity," Klaus growled at the threat, it boomed through the streets, inflicting pain upon Adrienne. "He should've been cut from your wife's womb before he breathed his first breath."

"Sister," Hadeon said, and they turned to see a shadow appear from the flames.

They all stood there frozen, staring at the sickening aura surrounding engulfing them.

A brunette stalked towards them, gripping a blonde, who drowned in her own tears, trying to fight against her torture.

The Mikaelsons didn't know what to make of the sobbing woman, Rebekah and Kol both recognised her, the former, a little bit more. But Finn was the one who knew all too well, though believed his mind was playing tricks on him.

He breathed out, "Can it be..."

"Our sister," Rebekah gasped, and Kol's eyes widened briefly in realisation but hardened at the taste in the air.

Elijah shared a look with Klaus, but the hybrid, couldn't care less, she wasn't with them, she was against them, therefore she was their enemy and luckily his wife seemed to share that sentiment, or was her anger overpowering her moral compass?

"This display is honestly quite delightful, but foolish, a witch who allowed an abomination to regain their powers is admirable, though my quarry is not with you, a deal was settled centuries ago with my sister, she promised me, a vow was made, and she delivered me lovely Freya here," Finn had to be restrained by his half-brother, who appeared not to care his sister was in the grasp of their evil aunt, who cackled at the emotions flashing through their faces, "Now I have come to get what I'm owed." Her dark eyes zeroed in onto Adrienne, "You bore the very thing that had the witch community fearing that about their end, a powerful firstborn, a tremendous tribrid, from formidable bloodlines and for that I applaud you, but he does not belong to you."

Adrienne sucked in a deep breath, "He's our son."

The équilibre witches stood next to the Mikaelsons, surrounding the brunette with a rancid aura, it almost made them choke, it was so potent and repulsive.

Hearing Mikael's screams, Klaus' eyes turned yellow as the veins protruded on his face and his fangs came out. Kol's eyes turned a dark red, Rebekah bared her fangs, as did Elijah and Finn all ready to attack.

Hadeon, Clementine and Evenia channelled the darkness as their enemies neared closer.

"Your son belongs to me!" Dalia shrilled, through Freya's sobs.

Anger coursed through Adrienne like a drug, fueling her power and drawing her veins beneath her silver eyes.

"Then let us begin."

└─────── •✦• ───────┘

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END OF ACT 3

a/n:

marco ilsø 𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗶𝗸 𝗺𝗶𝗸𝗮𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗼𝗻.
riley voelkel 𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝘆𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗸𝗮𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗼𝗻
claudia black 𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮
sebastian roché 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗸𝗮𝗲𝗹

to those who watch vikings, i just thought that hvitserk would be what henrik would've turned into if he lived to adulthood, and possibly became the best fighter among his siblings. he was what started it all, the vampire race and he was barely mentioned in canon, so i had to do my boy justice, even if it was for a fleeting moment. i wanted to add him to this chapter in particular (even though it's not the last one) it relates so much to what i wanted this chapter to be, about the originals, the original motive behind esther's reasonings to make her children immortal, the original cause of klaus' pain (henrik's death and mikael's torment) and also perhaps the original cause of most of their pain because they believe that malachai can really be taken by dalia.

also, I need to show how powerful adrienne is, hadeon is too, but she's slightly more, being able to go between worlds, see into the future and the past, and allow a vampire to regain their powers (that's only a few accomplishments she has) but still my girl is very powerful. of course, my boy deon was a prince to the infamous voodoo priestess, now hadeon the destroyer so a different power flows through his veins.

i hope you enjoyed the slight changes i made to canon regarding the last couple of scenes. because of adrienne's power and how much they've improved or just heightened since the ritual, she can see more vividly parts of the future, (in the past i showed that she is tormented by her dreams of things that have happened) she can know when something bad will happen and also is aware can only do a few things before fate takes place, so her being aware of marcel "death" and not being able to stop it, might be slightly messed up, because she didn't mention it before, but you guys can see it as marcel and rebekah's karma or just a sacrifice that adrienne had to do to save malachai, since they had a plan and many things went wrong.

how are you guys liking the cliffhanger? and are you looking forward to what's to come next week?