The hunter

Faira is back in town since they found out that the three witches that they sent are already dead which made the witches alarmed. Since neither of my cousins was around, I decided to go to my house and look through my mother's things to see if I could find anything useful for her case.

While I was staring at our family picture, I had a flashback of what happened yesterday.

“I already cloaked the brooch but it is connected to me so if anything happened to me the spell will be gone”

I gave Andrew a nod indicating that I understood him then I took the brooch from him. Then Andrew left to pack his things and Stefan sat beside me while looking at the brooch, suddenly I thought of an idea.

I closed my eyes and concentrated then I put my hand on Stefan’s shoulder.

“What the hell are you doing?”

I opened my eyes as I was startled. I admit that was kind of weird because I didn’t even give him a heads up and I just touched him. I was about to explain but he suddenly placed my hand in his palm. We were both holding the brooch and at the same time, our other hands are holding each other.

Again I closed my eyes and I started to concentrate.

When I open my eyes, I was in the same dark and empty place when I first had a vision using the brooch. I looked around but Stefan was gone and I was left alone. I scanned the place and I saw a door that looks like a portal. While walking I felt a presence in the distance so turned around.

"Celine"

When I saw who it was, tears welled up in my eyes.

"M-mom"

When she smiled at me, I dashed over to hug her.

"Sweetheart"

I hugged her tighter when I heard her voice.

“Please stop looking for me”

I was taken aback and broke away from the hug.

"No.. I will find you and save you no matter what"

My mother shook her head as she touches my cheeks.

"It wants something from me but I won’t let it get that because if she got what she wants a thousand lives will be at risk."

I removed her grip on my face and grabbed her hands tightly.

"No. I won't let you die. If I need to kill a lot of people I don't care--"

My mother pulled me closer and hugged me.

"I love you and Jensen,"

she whispered into my ears.

"Stay alive and wait for me. I'll come and save you"

I responded with full of determination until she was slowly disappearing.

"I love you mom"

That’s the last thing I said before going back to reality. When I opened my eyes, I found Stefan lying on the floor unconscious while his nose was bleeding.

“You left me”

I almost jump in surprise when Stefan suddenly appears beside me.

“How—”

“Well, you left the door open”, he answers before I could finish my sentence.

I put back our family picture to where it belongs then proceeded upstairs and Stefan followed me.

“You know normal people knock,” I said as we enter my mother’s room.

“Oh yeah, I forgot you’re not normal” I shrugged as took my mother’s journals. I already read some of this.

“Anyway, why are you here again?” I returned from studying the journals after a brief glance at him.

“I was actually looking for you but when I passed by your house, I saw that the door was opened, I thought someone was here.”

When I was putting back the journals, I noticed a black box with an R seal, the same seal that was on the letter that my mother got, which startled her when I reported it to her.

I looked at Stefan, who was standing at the door as if he was listening to something.

“Stefan,” I called him but instead of responding, he put his index finger to his lips telling me to stay quiet.

“Someone’s here” he mouthed. So, I quickly hid the box, along with the burner phone, in the pocket of my jacket.

“Stay here”, he said then he suddenly disappeared. I feel nervous with the thought that our enemies might be here so I immediately look for something I can use to defend myself. I jumped in shock when I heard a crash downstairs.

I took the wooden lampstand and cautiously went downstairs to check on Stefan. I heard another loud sound coming from the storage room. When I opened the door, I saw Stefan carrying a man by just using one hand but the man resisted and as a result, the jacket he was wearing was stripped from him. Stefan was quick and slowly inserted his hand inside the man as if ready to pull the man's heart out.

“Stefan no!”

I shouted when I saw the man’s face. I immediately ran towards them to stop him. Stefan moved his hand that is inside the man’s body making him groan in pain.

“He’s the hunter we’re looking for!”

Stefan’s expression changed and he looked at me.

“Are you sure?”

I nodded then he slowly let go of him. The man fell to the ground and spewed blood. I can see his runes and I am sure that he is the guy in the Madforest.

"So, you're Rodrick Palma huh? Great we need to talk"

He dragged Rodrick's body to the floor and put him against the wall. He took a rope to tie the hunter after that Stefan drew a chair, positioned it in front of Rodrick, and sat on it.

While we were staring at Rodrick, he suddenly smirked as he spits blood again.

"You’re stupid if you think I’ll tell you something, besides you can’t compel me”

I gasped in surprise when Stefan stabbed the hunter in the thigh, causing him to grunt.

"You're not wearing anything special. My guess is you drank something that's preventing me to compel you so I'm going to drain you until it's out of your system"

I'm not sure why, but seeing Stefan this serious and quiet scares me. When my phone rang, breaking the silence, I instantly picked it up and saw Clark calling, indicating that they were already at home. I declined the call and switched to silent mode on my phone.

“I'll cut to the chase, tell us where my brother and her mother are.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”

It’s frustrating to see that he is acting innocent when obviously he is not. He is already caught red-handed in my house.

“If you can’t remember then let me help you”

Stefan squatted in front of the hunter he touched Rodrick’s leg and twisted. Rodrick screamed in pain while I shut my eyes because I can’t bear to see Stefan torturing him.

While he was hurting him, Stefan was describing the day his brother was abducted.

“Even if you kill me, you’ll never know where they are because they are being captive by someone powerful,” Rodrick said weakly.

"Do you think I care about that?" Stefan answered.

"You're saying that because you've never met them. Don't worry, they're both alive since they're both being utilized to prepare for the upcoming war. If she awakens, it will be the death of you, especially the royals."

I looked at Stefan who is staring at Rodrick intently. I was quite relieved to hear that they are both alive, the brooch is right but I’m still worried because I don’t know where they are being used.

"Celine??"

Stefan and I both look at each other as we heard Clark’s voice outside.

"Where are you??", this time it was Herone.

I left a note saying I’m here in case they’ll find me but I didn’t expect they’ll be here quickly.

“Who are they? And where will that war begin?”, I ask Rodrick.

This isn’t the first time heard about that war, and I think that is what my mom is warning me about.

“It already started.”

After Rodrick we were surprised that his hand was untied then he took out a knife and before Stefan could stop him, he already stabbed himself.

In horror, I put my palm in my mouth as I felt my knees weaken.

"Celine--"

My cousin’s arrived at the storage room. Clark immediately pulled me out of the scene.

"Don’t look at him", he whispered to me as he blocked the view from Rodrick’s body.

"Oh my gosh!"

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