"Itza."

Her eyes opened at the sound of Elijah in pain. She was on the ground, her hands shackled together. They were in the familiar carpenter's workshop that'd been Beatrix's home. The Heretic suspected that The Hollow's magic was stronger here, because of her relation to Ixazaluoh.

Beatrix sat up and managed to see that Elijah lay a few feet away from her, trapped inside of a boundary spell made of salt, runes, herbs, and candles. She could feel the power radiating off of it.

"Elijah!" she gasped, struggling to move toward him. "Hold on— just— I'll move over and I'll siphon—"

"Not going to happen."

They looked up to see The Hollow, still in Sofya's body. "Tsk, you silly girl, you can't even realize that you're missing something." She held up a very dusty piano key. "This is what you put it in before, hmm? I found the exact key... it had been in a dark cabinet belonging to a music instructor who kept forgetting to take the key over to a repair shop. You'll get this back once I go into your body, while I wait for mine to be ready."

"How did you take my magic?" demanded Beatrix. She tried to stand up, but gave a cry of pain, a snapping sound being heard as her leg broke beneath her.

"It was very easy," said The Hollow, smiling through Sofya's features. "As for the pain... don't try and move too much. I performed a very lovely little spell that'll break your bones if you try and resist me. You should probably limit any struggling... your arms are already doing quite poorly with my influence. Black veins, again... tsk. Won't be a problem for much longer."

"Let her go," Elijah panted hoarsely, his face beaded with sweat. He still had the thorned stake in his back, and he was clearly in a great deal of pain. "I-I'll die— not her."

The Hollow smirked. "I don't need her to die. In fact, it's imperative that she lives."

He tried to stand, but gave out a groan as he was unable to get a proper hold.

"Such a will to live," sighed The Hollow. "Wouldn't it be easier to give in? To simply let go? Part of you must crave that peace. The silence of the nothing that lasts forever."

Elijah glared up the best he could. "Why don't you come a little closer... and we'll find it together."

The Hollow hummed. "You'll have enough company. When you die, so, too, does your entire sire line. The great sacrifice that will return me to flesh and blood. All I need now is the last of my remains for the ritual. Your family has done the job of finding them, and they should be coming to me soon enough."

"Just kill me instead, damnit," said Beatrix, whimpering as she felt her bones repairing themselves slower than usual. "Let him go."

She moved forward and gripped Beatrix by the throat, standing her up. Immediately, her legs started to break again, and the Heretic screamed, crumpling back to the floor. "So fragile," murmured The Hollow. "Nothing compared to an Original..."

"You can't expect to torment my family and survive," said Elijah, twitching from the pain.

"I survived far worse fates than your family," said The Hollow coldly. "I say let them come. They will try to save you from the poison coursing through your veins, and in doing so, they will give me what I want. And as a reward for their efforts, I will let your family watch as you finally die."

She walked out, and Beatrix bit her lip hard, drawing blood as she turned onto her side to look at Elijah. "Damn it," she said weakly. "I need— I need to siphon the barrier spell from you..."

"No," he panted. "Save yourself. My death— is inevitable. The key—"

They could both see the piano key left on a table near the door, but neither could reach it. Beatrix wouldn't be able to make it that far without her bones breaking all over.

"I can't," she whispered, trying to crawl across the floor. She cried out as her fingers began to break. "Fuck— damn it—"

"Preparations," panted Elijah. "Need— need to make preparations. Listen to me."

"What are you talking about?" she said, trying to keep her eyes open. The pain was more blinding without her magic.

"My will— my possessions—"

"You're not dying! Elijah, don't give up— that's what she wants—"

"Listen!" he croaked, shutting his eyes and seizing for a bit against the ground. "Don't have long... I will die..."

"You're not going to bloody die!" Beatrix snapped. "Stop talking like that!"

He tried to move again, but was unable to. She rolled her body closer, but simply crashed into the boundary spell. She could provide no comfort.

"Take care of Hayley," he whispered. "Tell her... tell her that I am so sorry..."

"Elijah, stop it!" said Beatrix, beginning to tear up. "D-Don't talk like that..."

"Leave my money... to Hope," he panted. "She can do with it... what she pleases..."

"E-Elijah, shut up!" Beatrix whimpered, causing herself more pain as she moved. Her arms felt like they were on fire as her fingers repaired themselves. She could just visualize how blackened her veins looked. Her side would start aching like mad, soon...

"To you and Hayley," he continued, "I leave... my possessions. Sell them or keep them. My journals... for you. My car... for Hayley."

"SHUT UP!" she screamed as loudly as she could. "Stop it— stop it! We— we have to figure out how to get out, how to heal you!"

"My darling Itza," he said, shaking his head. "It's of no use. I will not survive this. I am sorry... that I didn't treat you better..."

She started to sob. "Elijah, damn it— you're not helping! I just— need to wait to heal, so that I can get the piano key! I'll take back my magic and siphon the spell off!"

The door opened again, and The Hollow strode back in, looking smug. "Shh, Elijah, it won't be long now..."

"Even if you finish this," Elijah growled, "my family will bury you."

"They will no doubt try," said The Hollow, coming over to the two of them. "Though I believe the odds are in my favor. Once the ritual is completed, my spirit will return to New Orleans' soil. From it, I will be reborn far stronger than I have ever been."

"They'll slay you," Beatrix snarled. "You'll be just another body that will be torn into..."

"You think Klaus will avenge the two of you?" said The Hollow. "Inspired, perhaps, by duty to the familial bond. I've been inside Klaus' mind." She kneeled in front of Elijah. "You care for one another so deeply. It's quite ludicrous, this dedication to one's own blood. After all, look where it got you. Perhaps now you understand: family is a curse. We inherit the sins of those who come before us, and those sins are passed to the ones who come next. Like... your little niece."

"No!" cried Elijah as loudly as he could. "No! You will never—"

"Hurt her?" finished The Hollow innocently, extracting Papa Tunde's blade. Beatrix had no idea how she had it, but she felt her chest tighten in fear as The Hollow examined it. "Why? Because your family will protect her? You poor soul. You can't even save each other. But your niece?" She let the side of the blade slide over Elijah's jaw, making him twitch in more discomfort. "She who's born of my bloodline? She has the power to destroy me, and that... I cannot allow."

She lifted the blade and came to Beatrix. "Klaus doesn't even want you, and yet, you fight for his daughter as if it will win him back," she crooned, putting the tip of the blade against Beatrix's forehead. "Pathetic, really. Don't worry, once I have my body, yours will be put aside, should I ever need it again. I will rip your soul to shreds and keep this vessel packaged safely. You'll never have to deal with that hybrid again. And I'll be doing you the mercy of not having to watch your niece die. Because she will... inevitably... die."

"You won't get her," Beatrix snapped, her chest rising and falling rapidly out of fear as The Hollow dragged the blade down to her chest. "I won't let you."

The Hollow smirked. "It is amusing to think that you have a choice. For now, you have only two purposes. One, watch Elijah die. Two... keep this safe for me."

Beatrix let out a loud, anguished cry as The Hollow thrust the blade into her. Elijah roared out angrily, trying to do something, but with the stake in his back and the poison coursing through his veins, he couldn't even get closer to the edge of the boundary spell. Beatrix sobbed and screamed as the blade sank itself into her, before her head finally dropped down weakly.

It was the worst thing she had ever experienced.

She thought it had hurt when they had torn out her heart. She thought it had hurt when she lost Kai the first time. She thought it had hurt when the Strix tortured her for a month.

But this was another level of excruciating suffering.

It was as though every high pitched sound was tearing into her eardrums. She could hear screaming, but she knew it was only the repeated echo of her own, from when the blade was first shoved in. It felt like her organs were being torn out one by one, all while her chest was on fire. She had the sensation of being stabbed in her legs over and over. She could see nothing but darkness, and felt more afraid and alone than she ever had in her life. She completely forgot that Elijah was meant to be right next to her.

It felt like years having it inside, but it couldn't have been more than a few hours. Beatrix felt it being ripped out, and everything was blurry for the instants afterward. She heard rushed voices... it sounded like Freya and Hayley. Someone put their hands on her head. There was blue light and chanting. Someone else picked her up and put something into her hands. She tried to understand what was happening, but could comprehend nothing.

When she regained her full consciousness, she was in her room, and the piano key rested on the pillow beside hers. Her limbs were sore as she turned to get it, and someone appeared in front of her, making her flinch.

"It's just me," said Hayley softly. "Don't worry. You're safe now."

"What happened?" Beatrix whispered. "The Hollow— she kidnapped me. And Elijah— Elijah! Where is he?"

Hayley turned away, and Beatrix heard the softest of sobs.

"No," whispered Beatrix. "No... no..."

"H-He's stuck in Freya's pendant," Hayley managed. "We— we d-don't know if we'll be able to g-get him out."

"What do you mean? Why—"

"We got there and you were barely conscious. Freya did a spell first to block The Hollow from entering your body. B-But the cure we had for Elijah— it was smashed. She barely put him in the pendant, but The Hollow was reborn anyway. It broke... b-but Hope heard him in there... Freya is going to do a spell to g-get him back."

"What day is it?" Beatrix asked, trying to get up, but groaning and slumping back.

"The morning after. We're doing the spell today."

"I need to get up," Beatrix said, grasping the piano key. She felt the magic flow back into her body, and took a few seconds before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. "I have to help Freya. The longer we wait, the more we risk him being permanently lost in there."

"You should be resting," Hayley said, trying to coax her back into the bed. "You're in no state to be helping."

Beatrix looked down at her arms and saw they were still blackened. "Nonsense. I'll use this as fuel for the spell."

Hayley shook her head. "Freya doesn't think—"

"Freya isn't in my body, so she doesn't know what I can handle. I can do this. She'll need someone to hold the spell while she goes into the pendant, alright? Just please— help me up."

Hayley conceded, and pulled her to her feet. "Rebekah and Kol are on their way. The vampires from Elijah's sireline— they've all died by now."

Beatrix huffed. "The Strix... Tristan..."

"Finally," whispered Hayley.

"Good riddance... next is Aurora, I suppose. She can't remain asleep forever."

"We'll deal with that once The Hollow is no more. Come on."

Hayley helped her down to the dining room, where she got her some blood bags to drink before taking her to living room, where Freya was preparing for the spell.

"Hayley," said Freya impatiently. "I told you not to—"

"I refused," said Beatrix, moving forward. "I can do this spell, alright?"

They heard footsteps, and Klaus entered the room. "Rebekah and Kol just landed. I just assured them we're mere moments from returning our brother to life. Don't make me a liar."

Freya made a face. "I can't resurrect Elijah until I'm certain his mind is whole."

Klaus looked exasperated. "Well, you saved Finn with that very trinket. What's the problem?"

"When that pendant was shattered, Elijah's mind shattered with it. He's most likely retreated to the innermost of his consciousness."

"How do we find that?" asked Hayley.

Freya pursed her lips. "I don't know. It could be anywhere in over a thousand years of memories, but if I try fixing the pendant before finding him and healing his mind; he'll be permanently fractured, like casting a broken bone before it's been properly set."

Klaus groaned. "Spare me the medical analogies and fix him."

Freya held her hands up to motion him to calm down. "I need to go inside and find him. Once I'm sure his mind is stable, then I can fix the pendant. Since Beatrix insists on helping, she'll hold the spell from out here."

Klaus cast her a look before looking back at his sister. "Well then, stop talking and get in there."

"Klaus," Hayley said sharply. "Take a walk. Get some air. Let them work, please."

Reluctantly, Klaus listened, and Hayley turned to the two witches as Beatrix knelt and prepared the salt and herb runes needed. "Please tell me that you two can do this."

"He's my brother," said Freya. "I'm not gonna stop until he's safe."

"He may not be my brother, but I'm not stopping until he's safe, either," said Beatrix, waving her hand delicately over the ground to create the runes. "This is very precise stuff. It's dangerous if we don't do this quickly."

By the time she had finished the runes and was adding the candles, Rebekah and Kol had arrived. They were only able to give each other some very hasty hellos and good luck statements, because the spell was ready to be performed.

"You actually think you can pull this off?" asked Hayley worriedly.

Freya bit her lip as Beatrix went to stand at the table with Esther's grimoire. "I don't know. I've never actually tried this before."

"But we'll do our best," promised Beatrix. She felt lightheaded, but soon, that would fade. "We're not going to give up."

Hayley shifted on her feet as Freya laid down inside of the salt and runes circle. "There a thousand years of memories in there. How will you know which is the right one?

"He'll recognize me," she said confidently. "If I can find the core of his being or whatever memory he's clinging to, I'll pull him out. Ready, Beatrix?"

"Ready," said the Heretic.

Together, the women began to chant, "Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz."

Beatrix continued to chant even when Freya grew quieter. She felt the burning in her veins disappearing, and let out a breath of relief once she stopped feeling dizzy. Hayley paced around the room, looking between her and the Mikaelson witch on the ground.

"Can you channel me, or something, so it works better?" asked Hayley after about five minutes, feeling impatient because she wasn't doing anything.

Beatrix nodded as she chanted. She offered her hand, and was ready to take it, when Freya sat up suddenly, gasping for air.

"Freya!" cried Hayley, rushing to her side. "What's wrong?"

"I-I thought I found him," she said shakily as she got up. "But... but he vanished right in front of me. That's not our only problem. I can't search Elijah's mind and sustain a spell at the same time. It's not enough with Beatrix."

"What if you sent me in?" asked Hayley.

"That would require even more power," muttered Beatrix.

"You both stay here and anchor the spell," Hayley insisted. "He'll respond to me. Send me in, Freya, I can find him. Nobody's closer to Elijah than I am."

Beatrix bit her lip. "It's still risky. We need to channel a more powerful witch. A Mikaelson witch."

"No," Hayley said. "Not Hope— she's too young for this."

"She's young, but she's strong," said Freya. "Beatrix has taught her spells. She's stronger than both of us were at her age. Hayley, I would never hurt my niece, ever. She'd just need to repeat the words and hold our hands. It won't harm her."

Hayley sighed. "Fine. Be right back."

Beatrix turned to Freya. "Is this a good idea?"

"Hayley knows him well," Freya said, though she sounded doubtful. "She'll get him back."

Hayley returned with Hope, who seemed rather excited to help out with the spell.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," said Hayley, cupping her daughter's face.

Hope smiled. "It's okay, Mom. I'm not afraid."

Hayley kissed her forehead before laying down in the circle. Hope came over and stood between Freya and Beatrix, holding their hands.

"Ready?" asked Beatrix as Hayley smoothed back her hair.

The hybrid nodded. "So he's just in there somewhere, clinging to broken memories?"

"The core of his being has retreated deep into his subconscious, but, yes, he's still in there," responded Freya.

"And I just search until I find him?"

"There are too many memories for you to randomly search. You have to think, where would Elijah find refuge? It has to be somewhere that represents the fundamental basis of who he is. Hopefully, that's a good place. When you find it, draw him out and wake him up. But be careful, his mind is unstable."

Hayley gulped. "Mom?" said Hope, peeking over at her. "Be careful."

"I'll be right back, sweetie," whispered the hybrid before the two older witches began to chant. Once Hope got the hang of what they were saying, she joined in.

"Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz."

It seemed as though Hayley would be successful. Her body remained still, and the strength of the spell was enough to keep her quite safe while she was in there. Hope was doing very well, and with the three combined, they could have probably managed to send another two people in.

"Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz."

Suddenly, Hayley's body began to seize. She shuddered on the ground, and Hope was the first to notice. "Mom!"

She disconnected from Beatrix and Freya and ran to her mother's side. "Aunt Freya— Aunt Trix— do something!" She shook her, as if trying to wake her. "Come back, Mom, come back!"

"I need to go in with her," said Beatrix, tying up her hair. "Something's wrong. Damn it— I should have offered to go instead." She went to Hope and put her hands on her shoulders. "I need you to listen to me. I'm going to go in and get your mom. But you need to stay here and help Aunt Freya do the spell so that both of us will be okay. Do you think you can do that?"

Hope looked afraid, but she nodded, and Beatrix beckoned her back to Freya. The two Mikaelson witches linked hands as the Heretic laid beside Hayley.

"Do you know where she might be?" asked Freya as Hope started to chant.

Beatrix nodded. "The red door. No other place would leave her body in such distress." She let her head rest back and closed her eyes, chanting in unison with the other two to get herself into Elijah's subconscious. "Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz. Tillate ulaz."

She was suddenly in a room that was completely white. There was an incredibly long hallway before her, with handsomely polished doors on each side bearing different markings. Ahead, on her right, was a battered red door, and there were screams coming from it. Beatrix could hear Hayley, begging, demanding for Elijah to let her go.

She sped through, already knowing what to expect. Bodies littering the floor of a run down cabin. A dark aura and fog. A vast forest of trees. The stench of blood everywhere, and the crunching of throats being torn out. Of course Elijah would have retreated here. Beatrix should have known, she should have said something, she shouldn't have let Hayley come in. She had never seen that side of Elijah, and it would terrify her.

She found them at last. Elijah was trying to kill her. His palm around her throat, slamming her body into trees. Hayley screamed and tried to claw her way out, but he was simply too strong.

"Elijah!" Beatrix snapped, pulling him off of her. He whirled to face her, and she caught a punch as he threw it. "Hayley— run. Get out of the room, no matter what you hear. Now."

She was too scared to argue. She sped off, and Elijah made to pursue, but Beatrix flicked her wrist and sent him flying back.

"You love music," she said loudly as she walked toward him. "You're a skilled pianist. You tried to teach me to play the way that you do, but you couldn't."

He growled and lunged at her, but she simply sent him back again. "You taught Marcel to read Shakespeare. You introduced me to Albert Camus. You serenaded me the day I turned two hundred."

"NO!" he roared, trying to subdue her. He simply couldn't.

"You remember me," she said, kneeling in front of him as she moved her fingers and kept him stuck on the ground. "You know who I am. You wouldn't dare hurt me. I've been here before and I know exactly how to get you out. We figured it out before, remember? I remind you of things you did. Good things. Qualities that you have. It reminds you that you are more than this, doesn't it?"

He snarled and tried to fight off her magical hold. But he wasn't fighting as hard. He was remembering.

"Your name is Elijah," she continued, louder this time. "You are the third born Mikaelson. The second son born to Esther. Elder brother of Klaus, Kol, Rebekah, and Henrik. You love the performing arts, while your brother loves the visual arts. You made a pact with your siblings— Always and Forever. You're the uncle to Hope. My family. Me. You remember me, don't you? Itza Beatrix La Salle. You're the first person that I told my real name to. That was after I first came in here. I told you it meant 'sorceress of the water' because I was born in the Bayou."

He was not fighting anymore. He slowed down his breaths. "I love music," he whispered. "I am a skilled pianist. I'm the brother of Freya, Finn, Klaus, Kol, Rebekah, and Henrik."

"That's right," said Beatrix. "And you're stronger than this. You rise above it. You're safe. Here. Take my hand."

She let up the spell and offered her palm to him. He took it and stood up, looking into her eyes as though he finally remembered who she was.

"Itza," he whispered. "Itza Beatrix La Salle."

She smiled. "Yes. Now, let's go out of the room, okay?"

He nodded, and she sped them to the door. She took a tentative step forward, to see if he would resist. He didn't. Pushing open the red door, she led him out into the hallway.

He emerged with his hair tidy, dressed in a suit. Before, he'd been donning his long hair and his Viking attire, from when he was human.

Hayley was waiting for them, and she flinched as Elijah took a step toward her. Beatrix stepped between them.

"Hayley," said the Heretic gently. "Tell Freya it's safe to fix the pendant, alright?" She wove her hand and sent Hayley back out.

Elijah let out a shaky breath. "I hurt her," he whispered. "I hurt her..."

"And you will prepare one hell of an apology, won't you?" Beatrix said, looking up at him.

Elijah nodded, but he had a faraway look in his eyes. "You got me out."

"Of course I did, 'Lijah. I remember what we did last time."

"I never lost control with you..."

"The Hollow hadn't killed you at that point." She cupped his face. "Breathe. You're safe."

A bright white light engulfed them as Freya fixed the pendant. Beatrix awoke to see Hayley hugging Hope, her body shaking.

The hybrid turned back to face her, and it was clear that she didn't know what she wanted to tell her. Cradling her daughter's head against her shoulder, she looked at Beatrix and just shook her head.

She was traumatized.