1518, England

I don't remember exactly when the unease started. Maybe it was that feeling deep in my chest, the one that wouldn't go away, the kind of dread you can't ignore. The kind that makes you look over your shoulder constantly. It was always there, even when things felt normal. But tonight... tonight, everything felt different.

...

We had just returned to the castle after a long day, Klaus, my mother, and the rest of the Mikaelsons trailing behind. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming, something worse than we had ever faced.

"Your brooding love" Klaus whispers giving me a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"Something's wrong Nik, I can feel it..."

"Well, whatever that is we will face it. Together." He says reassuringly and I give him a small smile.

...

As we made our way down the long corridor, the atmosphere in the castle felt thick—unnatural. My heart was racing, and I could see it reflected in Klaus's eyes. The usual calm in his face was gone. He could feel it too.

"Maddison," my mother said softly, her voice trembling with a hint of fear, "I think we should check on Faith and Elizabeth."

I nodded, my throat tight. But before we could reach her quarters, the unmistakable sound of shattering glass echoed through the castle. My skin prickled. This wasn't just some accident. This wasn't normal.

"What was that?" I whispered, instinctively reaching for Klaus's hand.

He squeezed it back, but his grip was tense. "I don't know," he said, voice low. "But it was from the grand hall."

...

We moved faster, my heart hammering in my chest as we reached the doors to the grand hall. I could feel the weight of the air pressing against me. The sense of doom was so thick, I could almost taste it.

Klaus pushed open the doors, and we all froze.

I don't know how to explain what I saw. Blood. Everywhere. The staff of the castle, the knights, even the king —gone. Bodies strewn across the floor, faces frozen in terror. There was no struggle. No fight. Just slaughter.

And then I saw her.

Faith.

My chest tightened. I couldn't breathe. My best friend, the one who had always been by my side the minute we stepped foot into this castle, who helped me, who knew everything about me—she was dead. Her body was twisted and broken, her eyes wide open in shock. I reached for her, my hands trembling as I touched her cold face. I had promised I would protect her. I had promised.

"No... Faith..." My voice broke as I whispered her name, but it felt so empty. My world was already falling apart.

I heard Klaus's voice behind me, but it sounded far away. "Maddison, we need to go. Now."

I couldn't move. I couldn't leave her like this.

But then, there was a sound—a movement at the far end of the room.
He was here.

Mikael.

I should have known he'd find us. I should have known he wouldn't let us have peace, not after everything he'd done. Klaus had told me all about him, the way he tortured him...Abused him... And now, he was standing at the throne, his figure dark against the low light.

His cold, emotionless eyes met mine, and I froze.

I had never hated anyone as much as I hated him in that moment.

"Well," he said, his voice oozing with cruelty. "I must say, I'm impressed. It took longer than I expected for you all to show up."

My mother stepped forward, her voice shaking with a mixture of fury and terror. "What have you done?"

Mikael's eyes flicked toward her, a mocking smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "What I always do," he said. "End this little game of hide and seek. You thought you could run forever, didn't you?"

Klaus's voice came next, venom dripping from every word. "You killed them all."

Mikael's grin widened. "I didn't kill them all, Klaus. Just enough to send a message."

I felt my knees tremble as his gaze dropped at me once again. His words stung, but worse was the emptiness in his voice. It was like he had already won. And in that moment, it felt like he had.

I turned to my mother, but she didn't need to say anything. The fear in her eyes was enough to tell me that we were out of options. There was no running, no escape.

My gaze flicked to Klaus, and for a moment, everything around me seemed to fade. His face was twisted with anger, but beneath it, I saw the fear for me. The fear that, no matter what I did, it wouldn't be enough.

But I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't let him die, not like this.

"What are you doing," Klaus said, his voice breaking as he reached for me. His fingers brushed mine, but I pulled away, stepping forward.

"I won't let him do this," I said, my voice shaking.

"Maddison—" Klaus started to protest, but I was already channeling the power.

I could feel it—this dark, suffocating magic inside me. Lilith's blood. The curse I had carried my entire life. And in that moment, I knew what I had to do. I knew it would cost me everything, but I couldn't stop.

"That's it my child, let it consume you. Embrace the magic. Embrace the power." Lilith's voice echoed through my head.

"Maddison, no," Klaus's voice was desperate, but it didn't stop me. I could feel the spell building, pulling at the very fabric of my soul.

I whispered the words, ancient and dark. My body burned with the intensity of it. I could feel it, feel everything slipping away.

"Enough!" Mikael's voice broke through, but I didn't stop. I couldn't. The power surged inside me, and I could feel the weight of every life I was sacrificing to save Klaus.

The walls of the castle shook, the air rippling with the power I was unleashing. And then, with one final burst, it was over.

I could feel Mikael's presence vanish, but I also felt something else—something inside me tearing apart. The magic had drained everything.

Klaus's voice was the last thing I heard, his cry of my name echoing in my ears as the world around me went dark.

....

Author's note

Guys...our girl died...
Well temporarily technically but still. :)
I had so long to update and I thought I'd make an appearance before 2024 ends.

Anyways that's all for now
With love.
Chrysa <333