𝟒𝟏' 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐧𝐞𝐝

꧁꧂

Kol walked into the compound with Wanda behind him. "I see my timing is as impeccable as usual." Kol said but he didn't sound like his usual self.

"Well, the traitor just thinks he can waltz in here like he's welcome!" Klaus said, appalled. "As gracious as your apology better be, you're still getting one hell of a slap!" Rebekah growled as she lunged for him, Kol vamp-sped out of her way and held up his hands.

"Wait! Wait. I understand the irony of what I'm about to say, but I came here because I need your help." Kol said, Wanda looked at Kol wearily, she wanted to know what happened with Finn.

Klaus just laughs dramatically, while Rebekah only becomes more enraged. "Figure out how to do this wicked little body-swap, and then we can talk about help!" Rebekah shouted.

Wanda looked at the girl and raised a brow, "Bekah?" she said, the blonde turned towards her "The one and only." she said sarcastically.

Wanda looked at Kol and shook her head.

"You don't understand, Nik! Finn he... he cursed me." Kol franticly said. Klaus raised his brows in amusement as Rebekah rolled her eyes.

"And, what pray tell, did he curse you to?" Klaus asked with a smile. "That my first born child and their mother would suffer." Kol told them, Wanda looked back at Kol with wide eyes.

Klaus rolled his eyes in amusement, "You don't believe me." Kol said laughing bitterly. "Well, you're hardly the champion of truth-telling." Klaus told him.

"Of course, why would a brother expect his siblings to leap to his aid?" Kol said to his older brother. Klaus scoffed "Oh, spare me the pity party, Kol! Your recent actions merit a certain allowance for disbelief."

Kol becomes frustrated "Look, I know what I've done!" He turns to face Rebekah "But, I won't apologize for trying to pull one over on you, Beks. You deserved it! My future child, doesn't deserve any pain..." Kol turned to look at Wanda "Neither their mother."

Klaus yanks at Kol's arm and spins him so they're face-to-face, "What kind of con are you playing?" Klaus asked not amused, Kol jerked out of his grip. "The kind I hate the most- the truth." he sadly said.

Wanda and Rebekah looked at Kol worriedly, "He's not lying. Even as a boy, Kol never lied once called out on the act. He may play dirty pool, but he's not lying. Especially when it comes to Wanda." Rebekah told the hybrid.

"Nik, I was helping Marcel for Davina. Finn has got him, he's trying to get a secret out of him. One about Hope." the younger brother told the hybrid.

Wanda and Rebekah share a worried and anxious looks, Klaus looks scared. "Marcel won't let anything out." Klaus said but he sounded uncertain.

"I would hope that to be true, because Finn has the means to get it out of him." Kol told him.

"Call your witch friend." Klaus said.

▵▿▵▿▵▿▵▿

Kaleb and Rebekah were lighting candles, Wanda was still processing what Kol told them. "What is the secret anyway?" Kaleb asked. "The term 'secret' implies something only known by those who have earned the right to be aware of it. Start the spell." Klaus replied in a bored tone.

Kaleb sighs, "Well, it's easier said than done. Finn is channeling the power from your parents." He nods his head toward Rebekah "He's a lot stronger than something some week-old witch and I can do. Unless you want to introduce him to Wanda." Kaleb said.

"Finn isn't going anywhere near Wanda." Kol snapped. Wanda rolled her eyes at his over-dramatic self.

Rebekah was offended "Now, hang on! I may not be trained, but I..." Rebekah's emotional outburst causes her to accidentally create a magical wind that blows all of the spell ingredients and candles off of the table. Kol sighs in annoyance and looks at Rebekah, who looks both surprised and guilty as she sits on the couch.

"Oh blast." Rebekah said, defeated. Wanda chuckled at the girl, "Nothing to be ashamed of Beks, control is a difficult thing especially when it comes to emotions." Wanda told her with a warm smile. Rebekah smiled and nodded.

"We need a stronger witch, call Davina." Klaus said, "No, no, no, no, no! I- I don't want her to know that I'm sick." Kaleb told him. "Then do a better bloody job!" Klaus shouted.

"I just need time." Kaleb replied. "The spell Finn cast to lock you in your body, do you remember it?" Klaus questioned the boy. "Well, I was a little distracted by the murder-y part..." Kaleb said chuckling nervously.

Klaus turned towards Kol and walked to him, "Did you remember the spell used?" he asked his youngest brother. "No, I was too busy horrified on what Finn was about to cast upon me." Kol said narrowing his eyes.

"If we can use his own spell against him, once he's locked in his body, I can end our collective woes with a brief snap of the neck! All I need to do is pull it from your memory." Klaus said.

Kol back away frantically "Oh, no, no, no! I am not allowing anybody into my mind, do you understand?" Klaus walked towards him "You came into my home, asking for my help. This is it." Kol looks at him warily "It's not a request."

Klaus lunges toward Kol and grabs each side of his head with his hands. Suddenly, Klaus sees a memory, when Kol kissed Wanda. The memory then turns to Kol who had just brought Davina and Kaleb to the Claire tomb, where he showed them the silver dagger he had stolen from Klaus centuries ago, which he wanted Davina and Kaleb's help to enchant to work on him.

"I've wanted one thing for years: to drive a dagger into his heart."

Klaus pulls away from Kol and glares at him furiously. Rebekah and Wanda look confused while Kol looks frightened.

"See? I'm - I'm guessing, just by the look on your face, that it worked." Kol anxiously said.

Klaus furiously lunges toward him and throws him against the wall, where he smacks his forehead against the corner of the doorway to the entrance.

Wanda sent her red chaos energy towards Klaus making him fly towards a wall as Wanda rushed to help Kol up. Klaus stood on his feet again.

"You come simpering for brotherly love, and the whole time you were plotting against me with that damn dagger! You're no better than Finn!" Klaus yelled. Wanda looked at Kol who had a hurt look on his face, "Oh, and you threatening me makes you better than Finn, does it?"

Rebekah sighs and stands "Both of you, just stop it!" she shouted.

"I came to you because you're my family! I kept your secret, but there always seems to be someone you trust more! You wanna know where Finn is? You wanna find a way to kill him? Well, you can figure it out yourself!" Kol yelled as he grabbed Klaus by the neck and flung him towards a wall.

The Original then vamp-sped out of the compound, "Your stupid temper will be the end of you one day. Just know that." Rebekah told the hybrid.

▵▿▵▿▵▿▵▿

Wanda and Rebekah were trying to calm a worried and angry Klaus, "Pick up the damn phone, Elijah! Finn is trying to find Hope!" Klaus shouted into the phone.

"She's safe! It'll take a hundred witches to break the cloaking spell." Rebekah told him. "I would've said the same about Mother finding you, and yet, a flock of starlings later, and here we are!" Klaus yelled.

"He won't let him get to her, Nik. But you need to remain calm." Wanda said to the hybrid.

Suddenly, Kol stormed into the courtyard.

"My brother doesn't do calm." he angrily said, Kol blew powder into Rebekah's face making her fall and go limp. Wanda slid on the floor catching her head before she could hit the floor. Kol grabbed both of Klaus' arms and snapped them making the hybrid yell in pain.

"Stop!" Klaus yells, Kol kicks the hybrids knees backwards making those bones snap as well. "Oh, you're angry, are you? Well, join the party, I've been there a thousand years!"  Klaus lunges for Kol, but Kol stabbs a stake into his stomach  "I was building that dagger to protect myself against you, Nik. I'm not the bad guy in this chapter of our family's story! I'm the wronged! I'm the dead, but never mourned, whilst you got everything that you wanted. I got a family who didn't care if I lived or if I died!" Kol shouted.

Klaus became furious, "Oh, shut up!" He vamp-speeds toward Kol and grabs him in a choke-hold as he slams him against the wall "We've all suffered! We've all been wronged!"

Kol is gasping for breathe, "Go on! Go on, finish it off!" Klaus looks torn "Go ahead, kill me!" Kol shouted at him. Wanda looked at them with tears in her eyes.

Klaus glares at Kol for a long moment before finally letting him go and dropping him to the floor. He takes a moment to calm himself before he speaks.

"I'm not going to kill you, you idiot! Despite your behavior, you're still my brother!" Klaus tells him, Kol looks at him in confusion and surprise as he catches his breath.

"Yeah, just the one you dagger repeatedly." Kol bitterly said.

Klaus looks at him, "I've daggered all of you! Each for your own good! If you don't agree with my motives, fine. I never claimed to be the bastion of temperance! But stop this drivel about being singled out and unloved." He walks toward Kol and kneels in front of him "You are a Mikaelson! You're my blood. And I need you. I need you by my side." Klaus sincerely told his brother.

Kol looked at him, Klaus holds his hand out to Kol to help him up, and after a moment, Kol takes it, and they both stand to their feet.

"Finn wants your blood. He promised to lift the curse if I delivered it." Kol told him quietly.

"You know where he is?" Klaus asked. "Yes, but you have to trust me. I will stand by your side, I promise!" Kol told him. "You would risk the happiness of your future child and wife... just to help me?" Klaus suspiciously asked.

"I know enough dark magic to know I'm hexed, I feel it. That will just be passed onto my child." Kol's eyes filled up with tears as he spared a glance at Wanda "There's no reversing what Finn's done to me, which makes him a murderer and a liar. And I'll die before I let him get what he wants." Kol said, Klaus had tears in his eyes as well.

"Finn has been dead to me for a long time. Tonight, I intend to make that official. Help me, and I will do everything in my power to try and lift that daft curse." Klaus told him.

Kol smiles at him, but deep down he knows there's nothing that can be done about the curse. "He'll be in the bell tower of the St. Louis Cathedral." He smiles sadly before grabbing Klaus' arms and putting his hands on either side of his head "Go inside my head. Find the spell. Let's finish this."

▵▿▵▿▵▿▵▿

Kaleb, Kol, Klaus, Wanda, and Rebekah arrive at the bell tower. "My last few days alive and I'm being dragged everywhere." Kaleb complained.

"Where is he? Is this a trick?" Klaus asked looking around then looked at Kol, "He said he'd be here, I swear." the vampire told Klaus. They all start wandering around the room and examining its contents for clues. Kol looks at the table covered in ash and ingredients of Finn's spell.

"This is the remnant of a spell. Ancient. It's impressive." Kol said making Wanda smile at him. "Admire its artistry later. Tell me what he set in motion." Klaus questioned.

Rebekah has walked up a staircase to get a better vantage point, and points at something on the table. "Kaleb, what is that?" she asked the young witch.

When he looks closer, he finds a small, burnt piece of wood under a pile of ash, which he picks up and holds tightly in his hand. After a moment, he casts a spell 

"Sanguinatum planicium. Sanguinatum planicium."

Suddenly, the piece of wood becomes whole and unburnt, revealing that it's one of Freya's Norse rune tiles with what looks like a combination of the 'thurisaz' and 'gebo' alphabet runes.

"Runic tiles. And what's it mean?" Rebekah asked the boy, "It's a symbol..." He squints at the tile in confusion ".. for baby."

The Mikaelsons and Wanda give each other a knowing look, Kaleb notices and his eyes widen. "Your baby's still alive?" he asked shocked.

"Finn tricked us into running about all day thinking he was looking for a way to find Hope..." Rebekah started "When he knew where she was all along." Klaus finished.

Klaus quickly reaches into his pocket to pull out his phone.

"Niklaus" Elijah says.

"Finn knows. About Hope, about everything. I don't know how long until he gets there, but he is on his way."

"Yes, remarkably well on his way, I would say, brother..."

The the line goes dead. Klaus tries dialing Cami but she doesn't answer. "Elijah will protect them." Rebekah tried to reassure Klaus.

"I would bloody hope so." Kol said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Finn is channeling both our parents. He's too strong. We need to find a way to sever his link to them! How do we do that?" Klaus asked.

"I can't sever the link. But there is something we can try. It'll take power of your our own. And a lot of it." Kaleb said.

▵▿▵▿▵▿▵▿

Klaus and Wanda arrive where Kol, Kaleb, and Rebekah are at. "Did you get me what I asked for?" Kol asked. Klaus dropped the duffle bag in front of him and Kaleb, "Mystical artifacts and dark objects galore, from my own personal collection garnered over a thousand years." Klaus proudly said.

Kol rifles through the bag, pulling out a long cord with a feather on the end, and revealing many more items, including the familiar enchanted shackles that prevent witches from doing magic and the Devil's Star.

"I wondered where this had gone! Half this stuff is mine!" Kol shouted, "There's more" Klaus said. He reaches into his jacket pockets, first pulling out the blade Finn used to neutralize Mikael and Esther by carving the symbol to channel them and throwing it on the bag. He then pulls out the indestructible white oak stake and holds it out for Kol to take.

"You're going to trust Kaleb with this?" Kol asked, "If you trust him then... whatever you need, whatever it takes." Klaus said putting the stake in his hands.

"Alright, let's get started." Kaleb said. He lays the stake on the altar in front of the tomb, and places one hand on the door before holding out the other hand for Rebekah to take. She takes his hand and places her free hand on the wall as well, holding their linked hands above the pile of dark objects to channel them.

"Los triforce comète. Los triforce comète." Kaleb and Rebekah chant.

After a moment, they're jerked backwards. Wanda looks at Kaleb worriedly as his nose starts to bleed. He looks exhausted and sick.

"Oh, we're close! We just need something to put it over the top." Kaleb said. "Take me. I am a vampire-werewolf hybrid with ten centuries of blood on my hands. Channel me." Klaus offered.

"Nik, no-" Kol started but Klaus squeezed his arm affectionately "You wanted my trust brother, here it is. Do not fail me." the hybrid said. Kol looked at Kaleb and nodding with a warning look to not try anything.

Kaleb gave one back as if saying like I would.

Klaus kneeled in front of Kaleb, and after Rebekah nods at him encouragingly, Kaleb takes up the knife and begins to carve the channeling symbol onto Klaus' forehead. Kaleb and Rebekah then gently lay Klaus down on the ground between them, next to the dark objects, and once again link hands so they can begin the spell.

Wanda notices Kol clenching his fists so she gently pries his hand open and interlaces their fingers. Kol smiles and continues to watch the spell take place.

"Los triforce comète. Los triforce comète."

Kaleb and Rebekah chant, the power forces its way through the tomb, into Mikael and Esther's neutralized bodies, and then into Finn himself.

The power becomes overwhelming, Kaleb and Rebekah scream in pain. Then the two are flown backwards but Kol sped over to catch his sister as Wanda caught Kaleb with her powers.

Rebekah stands and rushes over to hug Kaleb "Thank you!"

Kaleb looks frozen and lightly and awkwardly pats the girls back. Wanda laughs as Rebekah let's go of him and launches herself into Kol's arms.

"Thank you, brother."

Then Kaleb becomes overcome by a coughing fit, Wanda walks over to him. "Kaleb, are you okay?" she asked him. Even Rebekah looked at him in worry, "Nothing to worry about here, I'm glad the spell worked." Kaleb weakly smiled before rushing out of the cemetery.

Wanda, Kol, and Rebekah all exchanged glances. "Uh Nik?" Wanda asked.

"Right!" Kol yelled as he remembered and rushed over to his brother.

Wanda and Kol help the hybrid sit up, "Tell me it worked." Klaus panted. "Yes it did, I promise. Finn is back to being a normal, regular-strength maniacal bastard." Kol said making Wanda laugh.

"I know in the last millennium, we haven't always seen eye-to-eye. But, in this moment, I am reminded once again of something Elijah has always said. Family is power." Kol smiles at him, and Klaus puts his arm around Kol and Rebekah's shoulders "Thank you."

"You're welcome" Kol said, "Speaking of Elijah..." Wanda started.

"He will prevail. Of that, I have no doubt." Klaus said.

Kol smiled at Wanda but was worried.

The curse had no reverse.

▵▿▵▿▵▿▵▿

A/n: I may or may not have cried when I wrote Kol's bit about being the wronged because I just love him too much 😭 also read it in his voice 😌