Leon Alphonz Bellatunde Delgallo II

Leon then stepped forward, offering his arms to both Vanessa and Elena. With regal confidence, he escorted them outside, where the gathered Coven turned their attention to the trio. Standing in the center, Leon cut an imposing figure—dressed like a noble lord, his long, thick hair twisted into elegant silken wool. His neatly trimmed beard framed his strong jawline, and his bronze skin gleamed in the firelight. Broad-shouldered and built like a warrior, he radiated a presence that commanded respect.

Vanessa walked beside him, draped in a crimson and gold gown that shimmered with each step. Her hazelnut-colored hair cascaded in waves, streaked with fiery highlights that seemed almost alive in the glow of the flames. Her eyes, now magically transformed to an enchanting amber, held a mesmerizing intensity that made even the most seasoned witches take pause.

On Leon's other arm, Elena Gilbert stood in breathtaking elegance, her beauty matching the poised grace she so often carried. Dressed in a gown befitting the occasion, she embodied the very essence of royalty.

Elena felt a wave of heat wash over and she instinctively tightened her hold on Leon's arm, securing herself. Caroline rolled her eyes and from her perspective, Elena was definitely gone and she could only pity Stefan.

"Keep calm and keep your chin up." said Leon, "There are many women who envy you right now. This isn't a dance with Stefan, but an entrance on a king's arm."

Elena stiffened. She found his comment a mix of insult and charm. And finally, she noticed the way he looked at her and suddenly she felt naked before him. She gulped.

'I'm…my hands are sweating….Am I nervous?' Elena thought in her heart and guilt creeped in.

Vanessa giggled as she saw her husband's mind wedge slowly chipping away at Elena. Behind them, Katherine was equally shocked as an unexpected wave of rage and jealousy hit her.

Bonnie felt defiance in her wrist and looked at Katherine. Even with the cover of her mask, Bonnie could sense Katherine.

"Don't dream on it" Bonnie mumbled just loud enough for Katherine to her.

Katherine straightened up.

'What's wrong with me?' she thought, 'He's no different from the rest. I've been his toy since the beginning and now I've been gifted to this little bitch.'

__________

The evening swirled around Elena like a dream draped in firelight and whispers. Leon navigated the gathering with effortless grace, introducing her and Vanessa to the elders and the most promising families within the Coven. With every introduction, Elena felt herself drawn further into their world, the weight of their gazes pressing against her. The admiration, the curiosity, the thinly veiled envy—it all settled around her like an intoxicating perfume.

She stood beside Vanessa, feeling, for the first time, an equality between them. No longer was she just an outsider looking in; she was a part of this world now. The allure of it seeped into her bones, and she let herself bask in the moment. But then, an intrusive thought crept in. Her gaze flickered toward Vanessa, and for a heartbeat, she saw a rival, not a friend.

Elena clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. What was she thinking? She shook her head, cursing herself. Vanessa wasn't her competition. But if that was true, then what were they competing for? Her mind rushed for an answer, and the only name that surfaced was Leon.

Her stomach twisted in protest. No. That wasn't right. She loved Stefan—her Stefan. Leon was merely a good man, one who had shown kindness to her and her family. That was all. So why did her gaze keep seeking him out? Why did she find herself lingering on the way he commanded the space around him, the way even the most powerful among them seemed to yield to him?

Guilt clawed at her chest, hot and consuming. Shame tangled with it, pulling her down further. If Stefan saw her like this—if he had been watching, would he recognize the woman he loved? Would he see her for what she was becoming? The thought struck her cold, freezing her in place.

Since when had she started craving this? The attention, the admiration, the power of standing beside a man who could shape the world with a single word. She felt sick, her reflection glaring back at her in a fractured image of someone she never wanted to be.

Katherine.

She swallowed hard, forcing the bile down. No. She wasn't like her. She wouldn't be like her. She would prove it.

As if the universe had sensed her turmoil, Leon finally drifted away, pulled into another conversation. Relief and loss warred inside her, leaving her hollow. A part of her wanted to chase after him, to demand back the strange sense of belonging he had given her, but she forced herself to stand still. This was better. It had to be.

Taking a deep breath, Elena straightened her shoulders, determination hardening in her chest. She needed to talk to Stefan. Apologize. Find herself again before she lost everything.

And most of all, she needed to stay away from Leon Delgallo.

___________

As the moon reached its highest point, the gathered witches fell into an expectant hush. The bonfire crackled, its flames casting flickering shadows across the assembled coven. Leon stepped forward, his commanding presence demanding attention. He exuded an air of both nobility and unshakable conviction, his long coat billowing slightly in the midnight breeze.

"I stand before you tonight," he began, his voice deep and unwavering, "as Leon Alphonz Bellatunde Delgallo, grandson of Alphonz Bellatunde Delgallo—better known to history as Papa Tunde."

A murmur rippled through the crowd at the mention of such a legendary name, but Leon continued, undeterred. "Tonight, we gather in unity, made possible by the strength and dedication of families who have upheld the old ways—Bennett, Evergreen, Langley, and Heartfiend. You have ensured that this is not merely a meeting of witches but the first night of something greater. The foundation of a strong and prosperous future."

He let the weight of his words settle before continuing, his gaze sweeping over the gathered coven. "Those of you present tonight are like the believers of Noah—visionaries who recognize the coming storm. And this coven, our ark, will endure the supernatural flood that is sweeping the world. Not for a year, not for a decade, but for a hundred years to come."

A solemn silence followed, only the wind whispering through the trees. Then Leon took a step closer to the fire, his features illuminated by its glow, his voice gaining a sharper edge.

"For too long, witches have chained themselves to an outdated idea—that we exist to maintain the balance of nature. That our power is merely a tool to keep supernatural forces in check. I reject this notion. Nature does not require our intervention; it will always balance itself. To assume otherwise is to shackle ourselves in fear, to make ourselves inferior to the very beings we oppose."

His gaze darkened, his presence almost magnetic as he spoke. "Our ancestors opposed everything, imposing their own flawed concept of 'balance' because they feared what true power could mean. But I say we must not be slaves to that past. We must evolve. Adapt to nature's scales rather than futilely trying to control them."

A hush settled over the crowd, uncertainty warring with curiosity in their expressions. The old ways had been the foundation of their teachings, yet Leon's words carried an undeniable logic, an appeal to something deeper, something raw. He had not just presented a philosophy—he had issued a challenge.

The bonfire roared higher as if echoing the intensity of the moment, sending sparks spiraling into the night sky. The gathered witches looked at one another, some nodding in cautious agreement, others exchanging glances heavy with unspoken thoughts.

Leon let the moment stretch before his lips curved into the hint of a smile. "Tonight is only the beginning. The first step toward something greater. And I, for one, welcome the path ahead. Afterall, nature itself is limitless, we should be just as wild and free, just as powerful."

A chorus of murmured assent followed, tentative but growing. The night was still young, but something had shifted in the air—an undercurrent of change that could not be ignored.

Leon let the murmurs of the coven settle before raising his hand, calling for silence. His expression was unreadable, yet his eyes burned with an intensity that held the gathered witches captive.

"You question what I see, what I know. Let me show you."

He reached into the folds of his coat and withdrew a small velvet pouch. As he loosened the drawstrings, a faint shimmer of power pulsed from within. Slowly, he let the contents spill into his palm—a collection of ancient, iridescent beads that glowed with an otherworldly light.

"The divination beads of Delphi," he announced, his voice filled with reverence. "Relics lost to time, now returned to their purpose."

These very beads were taken from a museum during his exile in the Prison World. And tonight, they will reveal what is to come.

A ripple of disbelief passed through the Elders. Whispers of unease wove between the gathered witches, but none dared to interrupt as Leon closed his eyes, allowing the beads to slide between his fingers in a rhythmic cascade. The firelight around them dimmed, the air thick with something ancient and watching.

Then, as though guided by unseen hands, the beads shot into the air, hovering in a slow, deliberate dance above the bonfire. Colors swirled within them, shifting and twisting into images—glimpses of a world not yet realized. The gasps from the Elders were audible as they bore witness to what Leon had seen.

A world where the old gods stepped forward from the shadows, their myths made flesh. Titans of power, their return signaling the end of an age and the birth of another. The witches, their kind, were once revered—creators, harbingers, and architects of the supernatural order. But they had become stagnant, complacent, trapped in outdated dogma.

"My vision is clear," Leon said, his voice cutting through the astonished silence. "The old world is stirring. The chains that bound gods and legends are breaking. And if witches are to survive, if we are to reclaim our rightful place, we must first master what we have created—Vampires and Werewolves."

The Elders exchanged wary glances, their skepticism warring with the undeniable truth before them. The image within the beads shifted once more—Klaus Mikaelson, the Original Hybrid, his very existence a herald of change, a force unchecked and free. His freedom was not the end, but the beginning.

The fire flared violently, and with it, the vision collapsed. The beads fell lifelessly into Leon's outstretched hand. He clenched them tightly, grounding himself once more before sweeping his gaze over the coven.

"This is no longer a time for passivity. We stand on the precipice of a new age. You may fear what is to come, or you may choose to be prepared."

A heavy silence followed, filled with the weight of realization. The night air crackled with magic, with destiny. And for the first time in generations, the witches of Mystic Falls understood—they were at the dawn of something monumental.

In the crowd, Kluas took a newfound liking to Leon. Leon was the first to say his existence was welcomed to the world. Through Leon, he saw a great future and a child of his own. He owes Leon more than he could imagine.

Suddenly, tears rolled down his face. As he noticed them, he quickled hid and wiped them away.

"Are you okay," Jenna asked.

"Of Course. I'm splendid." Klaus replied, sounding more like himself than Alaric. 

Unable to pretend any longer, he made an excuse to leave.

___________________

Leon made his power known. To awaken an ancient artifact and share its power amongst the coven at that size was awe-inspiring. It was power that all of them had only heard of in myths, a force that had been lost to time. Yet, here it was, radiating from one man, and every witch present felt the shift in the air—the undeniable truth that the world as they knew it was about to change.

In the next moment, the coven's need for leadership became undeniable. Leon was not just a founder; he was the only one they would follow. There was no hesitation, no dissent—only awe and conviction. A murmur of agreement rippled through the gathered witches, their eyes fixed upon him with reverence. He was their guide into a new era.

From the shadows, a masked figure emerged—Alice—her steps measured and deliberate. Behind her, a line of chained vampires followed, thirteen in total, their bodies tense with the awareness of their impending fate. The enchanted shackles that bound them shimmered, pulsating with restraining magic. The captives snarled and struggled, their bloodlust magically enhance, but the spellwork held firm.

Leon stepped forward, his presence alone commanding silence. The air thickened with tension, every breath drawn in cautious anticipation.

"These creatures," he announced, his voice resonant and steady, "have been creeping around the borders of Mystic Falls, multiplying like vermin in the dark. They seek to infest our land without our consent, to hunt in our shadows, to defy the authority of the coven. But we are not weak. We will not be prey. Let it be known: any vampire who dares to reside in Mystic Falls without the coven's permission will be hunted, and their essence will feed our power."

With a slow, deliberate gesture, Leon extended his hand. A crackling surge of magic spread through the air as the enchanted shackles snapped open, falling away like shattered glass. The moment they were freed, the vampires shuddered violently, their veins darkening as an insatiable, magically enhanced thirst took hold. A guttural growl erupted from one, then another, and in the next instant, they lunged—desperation and hunger driving them toward the gathered witches.

But before they could touch a person, Leon raised both hands. Power surged outward like a shockwave, invisible yet undeniable. The vampires froze in mid-motion, their bodies locking as if unseen hands had seized them. Then, slowly, their forms contorted in agony, wracked by an unbearable force pressing down upon them.

The coven watched in awe as the struggle drained from the creatures. The air pulsed with raw energy as Vanessa, Bonnie, Greta, and Lucy stepped forward, their voices rising in an incantation ancient and absolute. The very ground beneath them vibrated with the weight of the spell, their words weaving together into an unbreakable thread of power.

One by one, the rest of the coven joined in, their collective voices amplifying the spell's might. The vampires trembled, their eyes wide with terror as their bodies lifted from the earth, suspended by Leon's will alone. Their screams pierced the night, raw and primal, but no mercy was given. Flames erupted from within them, licking at their skin from the inside out, devouring them in an ethereal fire so blindingly bright it turned the night into a molten sunrise.

The winds howled, carrying their cries to the heavens. Clouds thickened above, a swirling vortex swallowing the moon in darkness. The very sky seemed to tremble with the weight of what had just occurred. Power rippled outward, raw and untamed, surging through the gathered witches as they absorbed the essence of the thirteen sacrificed vampires.

The transformation was complete. No longer were they a coven in name alone. They were something more. Something stronger. A force the supernatural world would come to fear and respect.

Leon lowered his hands, the last embers of the spell fading into the night. He turned to face the coven, his gaze steady and knowing.

"Tonight, we reclaim our place in this world," he declared, his voice carrying the weight of destiny. "The witches of Mystic Falls have awakened—and we will no longer be ignored."

A hush followed, thick with reverence, before the air erupted with cheers and chants of allegiance. The night was theirs, and so was the future.

Caroline, Jeremy, Elena, and Jenna looked one with wide eyes. They couldn't believe it. But the power in the air was undeniable, even though they had felt the current change.

Katherine had witnessed the same event and images of Klaus and Leon overlapped. They were both terrifying in their own ways.

After that night, Leon Alphonz Bellatunde Delgallo had become the talk of the witch community. He simply wondered how long it would take before Marcel and the Gemini Coven discovered that he was in Mystic Falls.