𝟙.𝟛: 𝕎𝕖'𝕣𝕖 𝔹𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 ℙ𝕦𝕟𝕜𝕖𝕕, ℙ𝕖𝕕𝕣𝕠

—Narrator's perspective—

"Damon actually let me go and said it was for the sake of our dearly beloved community." Arabella sighed out once she threw the last garbage bag on the piles of it on a corner. Her eyes trailed to Josie who was holding her stomach in pain. "You good?"

"Yeah, I just think that that's making me a little bit nauseous." She looked over to the tree making the other two dart their eyes as well to see Mg making out with Dana.

"Huh. Didn't see that coming." Hope said and looked back to the girls.

"It's simple math, Mg has the hormones of a teenager and an impulse control of a preschooler." Josie marked earning a laugh from Hope who looked back again to see the two under the tree. "He also always goes for the wrong kinds of girls."

Hope clicked her tongue, "Given my last crush, I can't judge. Plus the one I have right now is greater than him so I call it as a bonus." The three of them walked together with Josie in the middle. Slightly stole a glance at the Blonde who did the same making them turn away, looking at the other direction.

"Well, my last crush was actually Satan incarnate who almost made me believe my bestfriend betrayed me by canoodling with her." They turned to Arabella who laughed. "That is, I guess, unless you count..." She stopped and realised.

"Who?" Hope questioned in curiosity of the sudden hault.

Josie shook her head, "Nevermind. It really doesn't matter anymore. Lizzie has dibs." She crossed her arm while they walked.

"Really? That's seems unfair." Arabella sighed out and felt bad.

"On Rafael? She always calls dibs. When's it gonna be your turn?" Hope asked in a more of a supporting tone to Josie

"It just what it is." The Brunette sighed out.

Hope shook her head. "Right, well, that doesn't really make it right." The three stopped and Hope gave a small glace at Arabella before turning to Josie. "Your dad knows I used black magic that's why I'm in trouble. She strung along Bella because she knew about it. Don't worry, we didn't tell him that you helped with the spell."

"Thank you." Josie said in a flattered tone.

"And Landon and Rafael took off together. Landon told me he didn't know why he stole the knife. But then he lied about having it, so I don't know what to believe. Then he wrote me this letter which was.. I don't know, sweet." The more she thought about it, the less she was feeling touched. Wasn't Landon suppose to be the one I like? Isn't he suppose to be my crush?

Josie looked down, "Lizzie's... sensitive. Our mom is going on these really long recruitment missions recently. That's why she's extra testy, she just really misses her."

Arabella couldn't even hear them properly, she had her phone downwards, Damon being the nosy one he is wanted to know what they were talking about. So much for turning back human then.

"I remember how your mom, used to come by the school." Josie started making Arabella froze.

She was there, the one time she chose to get involve with Hayley was the day the mother visited Hope from boarding school. Ofcourse she wasn't about to show up unannounced, she stood there by far, wanting to talk to Hayley but they were in a conflict and was a coward to do so.

Arabella cleared her throat, dialing a number on her phone suddenly. She excused herself, stopping while the two went on walking. Hope didn't miss how the Vampire looked on edge, uncomfortable-like.

"Ric, I am about done on this stupid look trip. Damon and Elena practically bailed on me and I'm tired of lying to Hope. Call me back." She hissed and ended the voicemail.

"This is twin pain. Something's wrong. I think Lizzie's in trouble."

When Arabella heard it, she didn't waste time to go back to the Mystic Grill and easily had found Dorian. Near them was Damon and Elena which she didn't mind seeing as she was about to leave.

"Gargoyle? Seriously?" Arabella said and Dorian almost jumped in his seat when she spoke.

"We need to leave, like now would be a really good time." Soon after, Hope and Josie was besides her.

"I'm sorry, I can't let you leave." Even though he knows Arabella is perfectly capable on taking care of herself, he still needs to treat her as a student with bad impulse as a vampire.

"No, I need to go home to see my sister." Jo argued, her arms crossed.

Dorian sighed and nod, "Your dad's with your sister and I'm under strict orders to keep you here." He explained and Jo asked why. "Actually, Ara you go." He said and looked at the vampire who thankfully sighed.

"Wait alone? You're gonna get her killed and why are you researching that?" Hope asked, eyes gazing on the books in front of them, all piled up and open and a drawing of a gargoyle was clearly visible.

"Well this was fun, for a minute. I'm going to go." Arabella slowly stepped back and pointed behind her but Hope and Josie gave her a look that made her roll her eyes and stood her ground. "Fine. Dorian let them come." She crossed her arms in a huff and looked at him.

"They will get hurt and—"

"—Sorry to break it to you, Dorian, They are two powerful witches that can destroy anything on there path. Besides, they won't take no for an answer as well." Arabella forced out a smile, still hate the idea of the two coming with her.

Dorian looked an her seriously, wanting to argue more about this but it is Arabella. Who could keep them safe more than her? On the other hand, Hope looked madly confused as to why she can convince Dorian just like that.

"Fine and be careful. Give this to him so he can translate it." He informed, gave a book to Hope and the witches didn't waste time to go and leave. "If they get hurt, it's on me." Dorian said to Arabella who shook her head.

"It's my responsibility. Have fun with litter."

☘︎︎

Arabella pushed open the doors but when she did, she couldn't hear a single peep from around the house.  "Lizzie?" Jo called out.

"I'll check the library. Bella, come with me." Hope gave a warning look to the vampire who opened her mouth to protest but was already getting pulled away from ear's reach to Josie. "I know it's none of my business but what are you hiding?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Ara said quietly and looked around the hallway before they continued.

"Seriously? You arrive here and act like you've been friends with Ric for years. Are you really a new turned vampire or is that you're cover?" She whispered harshly, looking for some sort of reaction from the vampire who looked uneasy.

Eventually, Arabella sighed. "It's complicated, Hope. I'll tell you when the time is right, I swear." She dropped down her guard, for the first time which was surprising seeing as she never does that. Probably because Hope is Klaus' daughter, her bestfriend who called to say he's going to sacrifice himself.

"You better tell me now. I hate liars, remember?" Hope remarked, having the urge to stop walking so they can discuss this.

"Yes you made that abundantly clear." She replied in a heavy sigh before turning her head at a hallway which was empty.

Out of no where, Alaric was already behind them. "What are you doing here?" He asked making the two jump from shock.

"Oh my god! You scared me." Hope sighed out in relief when it was just Alaric.

"Dorian was supposed to keep you away." He added in confusion and he looked at Arabella who gave him a sorry-not-sorry look.

"He tried. He lost. But here, Killing Gargoyles 101. He thought you could translate it." Hope gave him the book, which Alaric quickly took and flipped through the pages.

He frowned, "Gaulish. Son of a..." He stopped and looked over the two. Ric continued to read and tried to understand.

"So are we on our own, or did Gauls provide clear instructions?" Hope asked and Alaric sighed.

"In a nutshell, it says hit it hard, repeat as needed." He informed and all so suddenly the Gargoyle close to them roared loudly.

Arabella leaned her figure back, looking for the axe that Damon placed somewhere on one of these walls— "Ha." She remarked and took it off the wall, swinging it left and right.

Hope and Alaric looked at her, only the Tribrid was giving her a questionable look of how she knew it was there. "Is that...?" Instead she asked on what the gargoyle did.

"Yeah. Listen, it poisoned Lizzie. I'm guessing to get my attention. Then it attacked me and took the knife." He explained thoroughly.

"The knife? The dragon knife? And you're still breathing?" She questioned unexpectedly worried.

"Oh, I have a theory about that." Alaric sighed out.

"Well save it because we had to take down that containment spell to get inside the school meaning our monster can get out."

Alaric looked at her in a confused look of what Hope said. "A containment spell? Lizzie wanted to make sure whatever attacked her didn't escape into the world. Good girl." He praised and looked over the wall from where Arabella took her handful ask and took one as well. "All right well, I guess we better find it before it makes the evening news. So how'd you take the containment spell down?"

"She didn't." Josie came out of no where and walked towards them. "I did. And I have questions." She looked at Ric who looked surprised to see her.

☘︎︎

Arabella traced her hand over the claw marks on the wooden wall, in question of who could do this? Nonetheless, the 4 entered an empty room where Emma was supposedly be.

"Emma?" Alaric called out and the two doors opened, the counselor gave them a sign to be quiet as the loud thuds of footsteps occured behind them.

Arabella sighed and turned around, as expected, there it was the supposed to be statue of a gargoyle very much alive and in need of revenge. It was on the top of the stairs and flapped its wings when it went down, making Hope stumble to the floor. The Vampire was looked at her in shock, stepping forward to use herself on whatever shield she intended so Hope wouldn't get hurt.

"No!" Alaric shouted and spread his arms wide, going in front of Arabella who seemed as equally as shock as Josie of him doing that

"Dad!" Josie shouted but when the Gargoyle was about to stab the knife in his chest, It stopped just inches away. Arabella helped Hope up to her feet before gripping on the axe on her hand.

She used her vampire speed and went behind it, strucking it down hard enough that his wings were hald destroyed. No one was too quick to react when the Gargoyle struck his arm towards Arabella who didn't had the chance to dodge it resulting for her to hit the wall across the room harshly, a piece of wood grazing her chest from a destroyed chair near by.

"Fluctus inpulsa." Hope spelled and it dropped the knife suddenly. Her first instinct was to go to Arabella who laid unconscious from afar but stopped herself seeing as the fight was not done yet. "Josie help me." She said and waked over to the siphoner.

"How?"

"Just repeat after me. Fluctus inpulsa." Hope informed and soon after, they held hands and Josie was siphoning her power while they chant together. Soon after, it was destroyed, explode from the inside out as its debris was falling over them. "Bella." She whispered and ran over the girl in worry.

Arabella was unconscious, desiccated, with Hope afraid that the wood might have struck her heart. "Okay this will hurt." She called over and pulled the stake from her chest, the vampire's eyes shotting open.

"This... Is not how I would like to spend my week." She panted, holding her chest and looking over Hope who looked ridiculously worried.

"I thought—" Hope questioned and Ara shook her head.

"Missed my heart." She lied, standing up with the tribrid holding onto her. It definitely struck her heart directly but she's still alive "Thanks." Arabella said genuinely to Hope who nods and gave her a tired smile.

☘︎︎