Chapter Text
Hope sat on the bed after talking to Freya about how life will be after she becomes a complete tribrid. She was still a bit frightened, but she knew she had no choice. This was the only way to defeat Malivore. To save the world and most of all her friends. Freya gave a reassuring smile and she gave one back, wary as it was.
“Ok…close your eyes,” Freya said.
Hope gently shut her eyes, her vision now only darkness, and her heart beat a bit faster.
“Focus your breath.” She let out air from her lungs, she felt the pit in her stomach feel a bit lighter as her aunt embraced her.
She felt herself begin to fall in and out of consciousness until she just wasn’t there.
“Hope…Hope!” She was groggy, she pushed whoever was shaking her away. “Hope Andrea Mikealson! Wake The Hell Up This Instant!”
Hope sat straight up, looking up at the twins staring down at her. Lizzie was tapping her foot on the ground and didn’t look too pleased.
“What did you do?” Lizzie asked, accusatory.
“Do? I- where’s Freya? I was going through the transition.”
“Yes, you were. Me and Jo went to check on you but as soon as we walked into the room we passed out and woke up here.”
“Are you saying you didn’t do this?” Josie asked calmly, kneeling beside Hope.
“No. At least I don’t think so.” Hope looked around.
All she could see was darkness. A void. Similar to the time she spent in Malivoire. But that couldn’t be possible, right now she was the one thing that could kill him. That would make no sense. She stood up with help from the twins. Then she noticed it. She didn’t feel any different in fact she felt nothing. No hunger, or sleepiness. She breathed in and she couldn’t even smell anything.
“Somethings wrong.”
Lizzie rolled her eyes, “You think.”
“Have you tried using magic?”
“Yeah, something here is interfering with our magic. No spells are working.” Josie said.
Hope tried a chant but noticed it wasn’t working for her either. Who or whatever put them here was strong or at least strong enough to hinder their magic. The three just stood there for a few minutes, for once dumbfounded on what to do.
“Well standing here won’t do anything, maybe we should start walking? We are bound to come upon something, right?” Josie said hopefully.
“Yeah,” Hope said, nodding, and started off in a random direction, with Lizzie and Josie trailing not too far away.
Hope noticed they were holding hands, something that they hadn’t done in a long time. She could tell they were scared. She wanted to reassure them, but she didn’t know what to say. She had no idea what they were yet to face. After what felt like an hour of walking and failing the trio ended up finally giving up and sitting on the ground. They figured the thing that put them here would eventually come to find them right?.....
“H-Hope?” A familiar voice called out to her. Her eyes began to tear and burned as she caught sight of him. Landon? Before she could run up to him, she was pulled back by the twins.
“How do we know that’s him? What if it’s just another trick set by Malivore?” Lizzie said.
Josie and Lizzie held on to Hope.
“I am me. I don’t know where this is though. I had gotten used to Malivore and maneuvering so I knew this isn’t the same place. Plus, I was with Cleo just a second ago.” He said walking towards them.
Hope felt the twins tense. She understood why there had been at least two fake Landons so far who was to say this wasn’t just another one?
“Landon just stay there for a minute till I can think of a way to prove you are you.”
“Oh my, I forgot how untrusting mortals are.” A booming yet gentle voice said. “But given the circumstances, I understand why you three would be so wary.” The group's eyes turn to a ball of light.
“What the hell is that?” Landon said, forgetting what Hope said, walking closer to the group.
“Such language in front of a goddess is very sinful, but as you are still children I’ll forgive you.”
“A goddess?” Josie spoke from behind Hope.
Hope had not noticed that the twins had maneuvered behind her using her as a shield.
“Well today at least, it depends on my mood of course. Sometimes I am simply nothing or everything.” The voice chuckled softly.
Hope tried to stay focused and not let this ‘goddess’ change the task at hand.
“Did you bring us here?” She asked hoping to get some answers.
“Oh well yes.” The light circled around them.
“…………Well why!?” Lizzie said getting irritated.
“Oh well, I have a mission for you. Well for you three, “ The light floats over Landon’s head. “He is only here for your benefit. Now you three are very powerful beings on earth, and you are the only ones who have a possibility of succeeding in this mission. I have watched you for a very long time so I know what you three can do together.” As the voice got more excited the light got brighter and brighter. “You could call me a fangirl of sorts.”
“Well since you have been watching us, you probably noticed that we have a bit too much on our plate to be helping you with your problem.” Lizzie said glaring at the light.
Josie elbowed her sister. “She is a goddess you really think she is going to give us a choice.”
“Of course, I will. Life is all about choices…however, I would like for you to at least hear me out. And then judge based on that.”
“How do we even know you're not lying?” Landon said, finally speaking.
“You don’t. I have learned when trying to prove something to mortals such as yourselves, you always believe what you want. I could destroy worlds, and create life yet, most think it is only an illusion. But…I promise I will never lie. You have my word.”
The group exchanged looks. “So…will you at least listen to a poor high goddess plea?”
“What about our world, our bodies while we are listening? Things are happening without us. Our families and friends could be in danger as we speak.” Hope sternly said.
“Oh no, you don’t have to worry about that. Time moves differently here. If you refuse my mission, I will send you back and time will resume as if nothing had happened and of course your memory of me erased.”
“Moves differently?” Landon asked.
“Yes, think of it like watching a movie. You can speed up as well as go back, forward, and pause. That’s your world. And I am the one with the remote. That’s as simple as I can explain it.” The goddess said.
“And how do we know that is not a lie as well?” Lizzie stated.
The light did a little bop that resembled a shrug. “Same as before, you have to just trust me at my word.”
“Fine.” Hope said before anyone else protested. “Let’s hear it.”
“Of course, but this darkness is making me very uncomfy, let me just...”
The darkness was soon filled up with light and objects as space was created by nothing. Stone bricks and tapestry fell along making walls, a throne built itself down a long hall. The light floated and seemed to land on the giant throne. The light grew bigger and changed shape. And soon a giant woman filled the place. She was dressed in gold, her skin seem to glow with the shine of the world. “I am never one to not make an entrance. This body will do yes. I understand the people from earth would rather talk to a human-like creature than just a glowing light.” She smiled.
“Now sit and let us discuss the mission.” She summoned seats for them and smiled as they all sat.
“Um miss goddess, is it?” Josie asked unsure what to call her.
“Yes, goddesses can be a bit overwhelming. I must think, my name is something that cannot be heard by mortal ears, nor understood. You can call me Madra.”
She smiled warmly at the group, one that reminded Josie of Caroline. A kind of smile only a mother could give.
“You still haven’t explained everything yet.” Lizzie sneered.
“Ah, I apologize I was just very excited to meet you. I as well as the other gods enjoy watching your stories particularly unfold. But yes, I should get back on track. Your mission is to save a child.”
“A child? What does a goddess care about a mere child?” Hope asked skeptically.
“She is not a mere child! She is mine! A goddess child!” Madra shouted. Her voice shook the room.
“A goddess child?”
“Yes, I have many children, gods, and goddesses, and they rule over their receptive domains however, when looking over their creations, they sometimes wish to join. I allow my children to be born into the world we created and run. And when they pass they are able to return to me.”
“Madra, are you saying there are god and goddess children living among us? Like some people in mystic falls?” Landon asked, trying to put the puzzle together.
“Yes, and no. Gods and goddesses can’t survive in a human body, they will always die at birth.”
“So they are people with magic?”
“Yes.”
“So all witches and werewolves-”
“No, let me see how I can explain this. Think of it as a race. Stronger runners will usually win though if they slip up some may pass them. All my children can only go in bodies that are strong enough to handle them though there have been regular souls that have beaten them and have gotten into strong bodies. Oh, like your father, Miss Mikaelson.” Madra smiled warmly.
“My father?”
“Yes, one of my children was just about to jump into that body when a regular soul jumped in before them. Though I do like how he filled that role. That soul is one of my favorites. They have been so many interesting people.”
“Now what the hell does that mean?” Lizzie said grabbing Hope’s hand as if to try to comfort her, Josie did the same with her other hand.
"Réincarnation. The rebirth of a soul many times."
“How could my father be born so many times when he has been alive for so long?” Hope asked.
“As I said, time moves differently here. There is no time here but there is. When a person dies they return here and are sent back out. But as I can reverse and speed up time, they can be placed anywhere. Time shifts and changes, History is altered constantly however the mass rarely tells as it's very hard to know when a person is added to the world. The same soul could meet each other and never no it.”
“So souls are recycled?” Landon asked, still trying for everything to make sense.
“Yes, a new soul hasn’t been made since the beginning of time.”
“So can you take people away too?”
“Unfortunately not, if I could I wouldn’t need your help saving her. As I said, time is different here. My child jumped into a body that was supposed to die. It was supposed to be an agonizing death and then she was to return back to me rather quickly. However, something happened and her existence was destroyed as well.”
“You can’t do anything about it?” Josie asked.
“No, I cannot, I cannot interfere. But I will not let her be destroyed.”
“But you said her existence was already destroyed.” Lizzie pointed out.
“Yes, in the time you are in. She has been dead for quite a while but if I send you back…you can save her.”
“Send us back?” Hope questioned.
“Yes, sending you back in time into your younger bodies, you and your families can bring her back and save her.”
“And what if that happens to us?”
“I will bring you back. Since you are not meant to be in your younger bodies I can pull you out and reverse time to before I placed you in, and you can go back to your problems…but think of the reward if you do help me.”
“Reward?”
“Yes, I will let you keep your memories.”
“What kind of reward is that?” Lizzie spat.
“The reward of knowledge, knowing what will happen in the future and having more time to change it. Miss Mikaelson, your mother and father are dead in your time…but what if you could have changed, if you do this for me, I will leave you in that time and with my memories of the future I will guide you in making the future you all want.”
Hope was stuck in thought. She could have her family back. Her mother, father, and everything that happened in the past could be changed. But how selfish would she be if she took her mission on?
“And us?” The twins spoke. “Stefen of course. You were young however, he was very important to you, and your mother. And many other things you two don't remember, enemies long forgotten may come back but can stop the hell before it comes. Save people. ” Madra smiled and turned to Landon.
“Landon, this allows you to grow up with people who care and will love you. Your mind will be older, so you will be able to navigate through life a bit easier. Finding family, learning all a phoenix has to offer. Making sure Malivore never raises, saving Cleo, Raphel. ”
Landon nodded.
She clasped her hands and with a large grin.“So you accept my mission?”
Hope looked back at the three.
“Yes.” They said giving her a determined look.
She looked up at Madra.
“We do.”
“How lovely.” Madra stood up offering her hand for them to walk on. They did. She rose with them in hand. With her other hand, she opened a black space, void of any light.
“You will wake up in your bodies before most of the hell breaks loose. As some would say. That will give you a ten-day window, to gather your families or go there yourselves and save my child.”
Madra was about to drop them into the void before Hope shouted. “Your child? What is their name? So they trust us.”
“My child is without a name in that world. Being known as only Project B.” The goddess's voice sounded sadder than before. “They didn’t even want to live, they wished to stay with me. My poor child...they weren't like their siblings. They only went to follow-” She seemed to shake the emotion off before looking at them once again.
“Her whereabouts will be with you when you awake in your bodies. If you need me just think of a Rose. They are my favorite flower.” She smiled, dropping them in the void. And all falling into a deep sleep