Paradox

Hunter's smile widened as he crouched down before me, his eyes gleaming with a twisted satisfaction. I could feel the magic building around him, a palpable weight in the air. His hand raised, and I braced myself for whatever was coming next.

And then—"Errox femus."

The incantation slipped from his lips with a casual, deliberate grace. The words landed like a physical blow, and before I could even react, pain erupted through my body. Every muscle screamed, every bone cracked under the force of the magic.

My legs snapped at the knees, bone fracturing with a sickening crack that made my stomach churn. I screamed—my voice raw, uncontrollable. It felt like fire was tearing through my body, my joints twisting in ways they weren't supposed to. My wrists twisted, the bones grinding against each other, the excruciating sensation crawling through me like poison.

Make it stop. Please, make it stop.

But it didn't. The pain only intensified.

"AHHH!" My scream ripped through the night air, but the worst part wasn't the physical pain. It was the helplessness. The way I was completely at Hunter's mercy, trapped in my own body, unable to fight back.

Hunter's gaze remained cold, unblinking. "You always overestimate yourself, Damon," he said, his voice a quiet mockery. "Thinking you can control everything, bend people to your will. But not this time. Not with me."

I could barely hear his words over the pounding in my head, the agony ravaging my senses. The air around me grew thick, suffocating. The darkness closing in, the edges of my vision blurring.

And then, before I could even think, there was movement. The sound of footsteps. Faint at first. But I knew who it was.

Elena.

"Stop! Please, stop!" Her voice rang out, desperate.

Hunter turned to face her, still unmoving, his expression unreadable. Elena rushed to my side, kneeling next to me, her hands trembling as she reached out to touch me. But even as she tried, the pain in my body only worsened.

Stefan was right behind her, his eyes locked on me with an expression of disbelief. "What did you do to him?" he demanded, looking at Hunter with a mixture of anger and confusion.

Hunter didn't answer immediately. Instead, he studied Stefan for a moment, sizing him up. "You think you can save him?" His voice was thick with amusement, almost bored. "Damon's not the victim here, Stefan. You know more than anyone he probably deserves it."

Stefan stepped forward, his voice hardening with every word. "You don't get to play the moral high ground here. Whatever Damon did to you—if he did anything, this isn't justice. You're torturing him for what?"

Hunter's gaze flickered for just a second. "Justice? Is that what you think this is about?" He laughed, a sound that sent chills down my spine. "You've got it all wrong, Stefan. This is about balance. You see, Damon was out of control, and the universe has a way of righting itself. Now, I'm just... helping it along."

Elena's voice cracked as she looked down at me, trying to keep her composure. "Please, you can't do this! Damon—he's done terrible things, but this isn't right. This isn't justice."

Hunter's eyes narrowed as he studied her. "Your devotion is admirable, Elena," he said, but there was no warmth in his words. "But you're just as deluded as your brother. You think I'm the villain here? You think he's the victim?"

Stefan moved in front of Elena, blocking her from Hunter's view. "You must have a reason. What did Damon do to you to deserve this? What did he do to make you this angry?"

Hunter's smile tightened. "You really don't get it, do you?" He shook his head, his eyes flashing with something dark, something I couldn't place. "I didn't start this, Stefan. But I'll finish it. And Damon will suffer every second of it."

Another wave of pain hit me, and I couldn't help the guttural scream that tore from my throat. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think—just pain. Everywhere.

Hunter watched me for a long moment, savoring every second of my agony. "He's never been one for self-reflection, has he? Always looking for the next thrill, the next fight. He thinks his charm can get him out of everything. Well, not this time."

His eyes flicked back to Stefan, and he tilted his head, as though considering the younger Salvatore. "If you're wondering what Damon did to me... it's simple, really. He thought he could control the situation—make me the villain. But what he didn't know is that people like him… they never learn." His voice grew colder. "And now, I'm teaching him a lesson he won't forget."

Stefan's voice cracked, desperation bleeding into his words. "Please. Please stop. Whatever it is... whatever Damon did, I swear, we can make it right. You don't have to do this."

Hunter didn't respond to Stefan's pleading, didn't even look at him again. His eyes were locked on me, watching and calculating. "I think we can work something out."

Hunter paused, standing there with his arms crossed, as Stefan's desperate plea echoed in the air. "Whatever Damon did, I swear we can make it right. You don't have to keep doing this."

For a long moment, Hunter didn't respond. His gaze flicked to Stefan, then back to Damon, studying the two of them like a chess player contemplating his next move. He wasn't someone who rushed into things, especially not when there was more to gain from a situation than just revenge.

He could feel the tension in the air, thick with desperation—and it wasn't just from Stefan and Elena. It was the kind of pressure that only came from someone who had been backed into a corner. And, in that moment, Hunter had to admit: Stefan's offer was… intriguing.

What could he get from them?

The Salvatores weren't just rich—they were part of Mystic Falls' inner circle, otherwise known as the founder's council. There was an entire network of people they were connected to in some shape or form. It would be easy to start with the brothers' wealth. That alone could provide a life of comfort without always resorting to magic. But that wasn't all. No, there was far more at stake here.

And I can't forget those brothers had seen things. They had met countless supernatural beings over the years, which was the knowledge I craved." If I could get his hands on their diaries and the secrets they had collected, it would be like unlocking an entire universe of information. Information about witches and vampires. A treasure trove of knowledge that would make anyone from the mundane world filled with teenage envy."

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I'M BACK

POWER STONES!!!!!!!