𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄 — the fading song

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐏 𝐎𝐅 various supernatural creatures were all gathered in a single room on the lower floor of the compound. Eager, and yet careful eyes watching as Genevieve muttered away to herself, hands hovering above the stones that would grant the wolves of the bayou their much-anticipated freedom.

Ophelia had taken to standing beside Hayley, the tension and pull between herself and Elijah was far too strong to withstand, especially with Nikalus glancing between the two every now and then with his all-knowing smirk upon his face.

The siphon did her best to ignore him, rolling her eyes when she caught his own before she'd go back to concentrating on the words Genevieve spoke as she cast the moonlight spell; courtesy of Esters spellbook.

Things seemed to be going as smoothly as one would hope; no interruptions, no issues with the spell, and Nik was being relatively well behaved as he let the red-headed witch do her thing.

That is, until Francesca rushed into the room in a blur. She seemed... Panicked, but Ophelia could see through people; she could read people like a book, and Francesca's eyes didn't show a single slither of fear as she announced that Marcel was indeed on his way with his posse of vampires.

"Get them to safety," Klaus spoke as he turned to his brother, eyes moving between Ophelia, Hayley, and the brother he trusted with their safety.

Elijah nodded, eyes barely lingering as Niklaus disappeared in a quick blur. He made his way towards the girls, sighing inwardly as he watched the stubborn pair share a look between themselves, "Come with me."

"No. Somebody has to keep an eye on her," Ophelia spoke, as she looked Genevieve up and down; her skin twitching as she remembered the concoction of witch hazel the red-head had once plunged into her body.

"And that somebody needs to be you?"

Hayley groaned, unable to help herself from interrupting the two before they had a lovers spat, "No, it needs to be us. We'll make sure it gets done."

The original vampire fought the urge to run a hand down his face; never before had he met a pair of girls so stubborn and reckless as the two before him... But then again, never before had he met anyone who had the ability to make the Mikaelson family fall to their knees.

"You should help Klaus." Francesca piped up, "My brothers and their security detail won't be much against a vampire army. I'll stay with them."

"Go on," Ophelia nodded, a small grin overtaking her features as she patted his chest, "Try not to ruin the suit though."

The original vampire shook his head, his lips twitching just slightly as he gave the siphon a final once over before speeding away, a gust of wind left behind to ruffle the girl's hair.

It still felt odd, staying behind when a fight was commencing... But Elijah was right; Ophelia was a mortal, if she died, well that was it. The thought of death had never quite scared the woman before, the thought of death had never stirred anything within her.

She never had people who would miss her, aside from her brother but it wasn't like he was around to miss her, and now... Now she had a family of immortal vampires at her beck and call, a pregnant wolf who leaned on her shoulder whenever she needed a friend, a harvest girl who'd be heartbroken if she heard the siphon had fallen... And Ophelia herself didn't want to die.

She had found a family, friends... And Elijah. She wanted to live for them, and with them. She wanted to meet the baby they had all fought for, she wanted to watch Davina grow up, she wanted to watch Nikalus find who he truly was throughout parenthood, she wanted to have a sister within Rebekah... And she wanted... Well, she wanted Elijah.

She had made her way towards the shelves that lined the back wall of the room as she blocked out any and all mutterings between the other occupants of the room. Her fingers twitched by her side before they crawled upwards and towards the inside pocket of her jacket.

The rustle of paper could only be heard by her ears as she pinched it with her pointer and thumb, pulling it out and unfolding it. Her honey flecked eyes drifted over the cursive letters Rebekah had written for her before she carefully folded it back into a small square, placing it back into her pocket.

Hayley watched on; her eyes narrowed as she stared at Ophelia. She couldn't help but wonder what the note said, and who it was from. But what caught the young wolf's attention the most was when Ophelia reached back into her pocket, seemingly swapping the note for... Well she didn't know what it was; the siphons back obscured her view as whatever the item was, was brought up and then hastily placed back inside the pocket it had been pulled from.

The wolf smiled tensely as the siphon turned around, wiping at her mouth with her jacket sleeve, in an attempt to cover her confusion. Ophelia had simply responded with her own, small smile before taking a seat at the table; her whiskey eyes focused back onto Genevieve.

Neither of the four broke their concentration or their silence upon the screams that echoed from just outside the door. Ophelia, just from the sounds alone, could tell that it was certainly a match Elijah was up against; her fingers itched to go and help him but she knew that he could handle himself, and she knew that even if a single straggler managed to break their way into the room they were inside... She'd have her fun. 

Her head snapped up and she jumped to her feet as the door was pushed open, her eyes rolling with annoyance as one of Francesca's security guards made his way into the room, muttering a string of words into his boss's ear.

Francesca held up a hand, "Not yet."

"Ms. Correa, we need to go. Your brothers are already headed out the back." He muttered back to her, his beady eyes drifting around the room, stopping upon Ophelia as she narrowed her eyes; seemingly far too frightening for someone so small, and the security guard couldn't help but think that she, and the wolf she was protecting, most certainly fit in with the family of vampires.

Genevieve continued to chant, the spell making little sense to anyone other than herself and Ophelia, before she finally paused, an eye cracking open as she scooped up one of the stones, holding it high as she examined the glistening rock, "The stones are finished. I've done my part. Now, it's up to you."

"We'll get them to the bayou." Hayley nodded as she stepped forward, a hand outstretched and ready to gather the stones that would enable her people to live in peace and tranquility; no longer would they submit to the moon.

Though the lightness that both Ophelia and Hayley had felt upon hearing the spell's completion soon came crashing down as Francesca, equipped with a snarl, snatched the stones from Genevieve, "Actually, she was talking to me."

Ophelia grit her teeth, hands almost clawing at the wooden table, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Call it a side deal, I'm sure you're familiar. The point is, I'm taking the stones."

"Are you out of your mind?" Hayley practically spat, "You think the humans can go up against Klaus? "

Ophelia's eyes narrowed on the human as Francesca grinned and pulled a knife from the pocket of her jacket. The siphon was ready to jump forward at a moment's notice, but the scene that followed was not what she, nor Hayley were expecting.

"No, I don't. But, I'm not human." within a single, swift movement, Francesca had turned at slit her security guards' neck, her knife glistening and dripping with his crimson blood. 

A beat passed, and suddenly the 'human' doubled over in pain, clutching at her stomach before she slowly looked up at the group before her. Her eyes were golden, and fangs poked out from between her lips. 

She was a werewolf, and she'd just triggered the curse.

"I'm like you, Hayley. And now, I'm gonna take back my town!" the newly triggered wolf growled manically, her knife clattering to the floor, spraying small droplets of blood over the once immaculate wooden flooring.

Ophelia and Hayley moved in sync; the wolf screaming at the gangster, whilst Ophelia stepped forward, ready to snatch Genevieve's hand, and her magic with it; but she didn't get the chance.

Genevieve simply jumped back and held up her hands; within a second, Hayley passed out and tumbled to the ground whilst Ophelia was forced to her knees, clutching her head in pain as a fire erupted inside her skull. It was agonizing.

"Oh, Ophelia..." Francesca smiled as she took slow steps towards the siphon who now had blood tumbling from her nose, "You were always cautious of me, I'd congratulate you, but I suppose there's nothing left to congratulate."

Ophelia forced her eyes open, seeing nothing but a blur before her as her vision swam with a multitude of colors, and before she knew it, that familiar stabbing sensation erupted on the side of her neck; a trail of pain following as witch hazel was forced into her system.

All she could see was black.

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Crying. She could hear crying and screaming.

The black that had shrouded Ophelia's vision finally subsided as she awoke; her body felt like a thousand icy waves had smashed into her; she was cold, a stark contrast to the fire the witch hazel had ignited within her blood.

She was weak. Not a single ounce of magic swirled within her, and not a droplet of strength remained. She couldn't even move her fingers; all she could do was slowly allow her eyes to open.

She winced from the bright light, and when the view before her finally became clear, she frowned. St. Anne's Chruch.

The sound that filled the room snapped her eyes away from the ceiling, instead landing upon the scene to her left and upon the alter she had seen Father Kieran stand by so often, preaching of peace and love... Now to be replaced by death and blood.

Klaus's yells joined the fray. He was pinned to the wall by an unseen force as he yelled and screamed, trying to break free of the hold the witches had upon him, trying to break free to save Hayley and their child.

She couldn't even make a sound, her throat merely croaking as she tried to yell, scream, beg and plead for the witches to leave Hayley be. She was scared, terrified even, that something would happen to either of them.

"Push! Gently! Gently! I can see the baby!" Genevieve chimed, the happiness and relief in her tone making Ophelia see pure red.

"You will die screaming!" Niklaus roared, his voice shaking the church before all fell silent.

Ophelia watched as Hayley fell backwards, her chest heaving as she panted away. Crying filled the air as Genevieve lifted the newborn child into view; she pink and absolutely tiny, and Ophelia smiled, her heart warming just at the sight alone, let alone at the view of Nik's cerulean eyes tearing up and clouding.

How something so small and so innocent could be born into such a world baffled Ophelia, how something so pure could bring such joy to the merciless hybrid.

"You have a beautiful baby daughter," Genevieve uttered quietly as she wrapped the child into a bundle of pure white blankets. Her expression sobered, eyes tearing away from the newborn in her arms and towards Monique; the harvest girl who had a wicked smile on her face, "We must start the sacrifice as soon as the moon sets with the morning sky —"

"— Please. Please, can I hold her?" Hayley pleaded; her hazel eyes filled with unshed tears as she stared at her daughter.

Genevieve stilled for a moment, watching as a tear made its way down Hayley's face, and with a gentleness that Ophelia didn't think the treacherous witch could possess, she passed the baby girl towards her mother.

Hayley stared in wonder at her child. She stared in such pure happiness that she almost forgot what the witches were trying to accomplish. Her eyes met with Nik's, the new parents sharing a small smile before Hayley's eyes eventually traveled to meet Ophelia's.

Ophelia swallowed, her throat threatening to close at the sight of her best friend finally holding her child, the child she had been so scared to bring into the world in fear of failing her. They smiled together, a moment of tranquility in times of war before everything shattered into a thousand pieces.

A glint diverted Ophelia's attention, and as if an antidote had been forced down her throat, the grip of the witch hazel subsided and a scream tore from her throat as Monique, in a single slice, slit Hayley's neck.

Klaus's roars of agony merged with Ophelia's screams of anguish; a symphony echoing around the death filled halls of the church.

"And now..." Monique almost sang as her blood-lusting eyes latched onto Ophelia, "It's time the witches got their revenge."

"No!" Roared Klaus as he tried to thrash in the invisible grip of the witches; he couldn't bare it; he couldn't bare to watch another he cared so deeply for being killed in a blink of an eye. "Leave her be! I'll slaughter the lot of you!"

Monique wasn't deterred, she continued to walk forward, her eyes set on the siphon who didn't dare break eye contact. The witch smiled; it was the kind of smile you'd find plastered on a child's face on Christmas morning after opening a present they had been wanting for months.

Ophelia knew she'd share Hayley's fate. It didn't scare her, it soothed her. She could feel salt upon her tongue as she inhaled; tears had fallen from her eyes, tears for a friend, tears for a sister she had found within the wolf.

The knife still stained with Hayley's blood gleamed above her, a droplet splattering onto her forehead as she stared up at it, welcoming it... With a smile.

The pain of the jagged slice that Monique had cut was unlike any other. The witch hazel suddenly felt like water in her veins compared to the slash on her neck. Blood spilled onto her chest and spluttered from her mouth. She choked and coughed as Niklaus screamed.

With a final plunge of the knife into the heart people had once thought made of stone, Ophelia slumped, her head crashing to the floor, her fingers pausing from their haste to grab at her wound and her heart stopped its song.

Niklaus stilled, screams no longer tearing through his hoarse throat. All he could do was stare at the bloodshed. Ophelia and Hayley laid in deep, scarlet pools of their own blood, the two who had entered their lives so unexpectedly and yet had such an impact. 

The mother of his child, and his best friend, gone, just like that.

The witches gathered up the child, and without looking back on the bloodshed they had caused, they departed.

The magical clutch that Monique had on Niklaus shattered, and the hybrid fell to the ground in a weakened state; his body entirely numb, and as his eyes lifted to the bloodied bodies surrounding him, all he could think of was his brother and child.

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04-07-2021

This is update 5 of the day, please make sure you're all caught up! Don't forget to vote, comment and follow!