A/N: Ok, so this chapter is basically Mikael having a conversation with himself about what to do next. The conversation happens inside his head and there are 3 versions of Mikael. This concept is a bit of lore that I created for Mikael and use it in other stories too. Essentially, each version of Mikael is a part of his soul, and it also represents a moment in his life. Each Mikael has a face claim (that's why I posted that extra cast). They also have slightly unique personalities. I won't get into too much detail about that in this chapter, though. But this will play a big role later on in this story (which will be longer than I thought it would be lol)

The Destroyer, the oldest one, aka Cannon Mikael (kinda)

The Boy, youngest one, our little Mika

The Gladiator, younger, around his 20s, the Softest Mikael.

PLEASE COMMENT!

Summary: After saving baby Hope and the other Mikaelsons, the 12-year-old Mikael passed out, tired and wounded. While asleep, deep with his own consciousness, Mikael had a conversation with himself; trying to decide what to do about his children.

***

Mikael watched the girl's mother and her family for a moment. They were all alive and happy... just like he wanted them to be.

He smiled, glancing at his children. Mika still could not remember them. But the boy knew he had so much love for them in his heart. It was all he could remember. It was also the last thought he had before he collapsed.

***

Darkness swallowed him, blinding his vision. His legs were too weak to carry him any further.

Had he told them his name before he fell? Did he tell them he loved them? Did he say his new mission on this earth was to make sure they were alive and happy?

"You can tell them when you wake up." A tender voice whispered in his ear as the boy fell deeper and deeper into his own mind.

Mikael fell through an abyss of darkness, yet all around him shined images from his past. It was the mind of a monster, filled with all the memories of the cruelty he suffered. The beatings, the torture, the pain. So many losses, so much hurt. But Mikael was used to it, even if he could not remember all of it. During his fall, if he had stretched out his little hand, Mika would have been able to relive any of those memories, even the ones buried deep and locked away in the cages of his mind. He would be able to feel each bruise and cut, each kiss and sweet touch... But there was no use in that. Even if the Destroyer could not remember all the awful things, the Hollow did to him; and even if he could not remember all the happiness he had with Esther, Ansel and their children... Even then, what difference would it make to relive it all?

After losing everything he ever loved to curses and cruelty, the memories of pain and love all taste the same to him. Bitter, foul, like ashes.

***

The boy fell, his eyes wide opened, into the darkness of his mind. Hitting the ground—the furthest part of his consciousness—without sound. The awareness of the pain, the wounds and blood clinging to his small body softly disappeared. Weak moonlight illuminated his surroundings.

The dark coldness of the Cave shook his bones. All he could remember about that place—the cave where his parents brought him to suffer through their ritualistic torture—was the cold and the fear. The dark gray stones glistered in the moonlight. There was no moss, no life inside the cave. It was a place for pain and fear. Nothing more.

"You're back already?" Said the Destroyer, jumping down from a rock in the form of a wrecked ship. "I figured you wouldn't last long out there, but this is truly ridiculous..." He scoffed, helping little Mika back to his feet. This Mikael was the oldest, and he wasn't usually very nice. He grabbed the child's version of himself with pity disguised as disgust. "What happened?"

"I did very well, mind you!" The boy said, jumping away from the Destroyer. "You'd be happy to know I saved their lives! And they remember it! They won't think I tried to kill them instead!"

The Destroyer frowned. "Are you sure they remember who you are and what you have done for them?"

"Yes—why wouldn't they remember me? I'm not you! The curse shouldn't—"

"It shouldn't work on you, but it does. Curses don't follow logic. It's magic, not math," He said harshly. "If there was a loophole, I would have found it already—I have spent the last thousand years looking for a way to end this godforsaken curse!"

"Maybe we did find one." A younger version of Mikael appeared beside them. This one was in his 20s and had a kind smile. Gladiator, they called him. "Maybe this is the loophole we've been looking for!"

"No," the Destroyer said, raising his gaze. His tone was softer than usual, not hopeless, but final. "It cannot be that simple.... It isn't. You two know this. Don't let this victory go to our head. We can't let our guard down. We haven't won yet. The curse is still in place, and my children aren't safe. The baby might be---but not the others. There's work to be done still."

"There's always something to do..." the Boy muttered, fidgeting with his clothes. "I... I just want to know them! I've never met them, not as myself. All I have are your memories... I want some of my own!"

"Children aren't supposed to know the child version of their parents!" the Destroyer sneered, laughing bitterly. "That's not how the world works. This isn't natural...."

"Maybe not! But Fate made it happen.... so it must be right!" the Boy screamed, his tears boiling with tears. "There has to be a reason. The witches didn't want me—they wanted one of you two. But I was the one they brought back to life. Me, not either of you. That has to mean something!"

"It means Hollow thinks you're the weakest among us. Nothing more—and she's not wrong." the Destroyer sighed, turning away from the Boy to hide the sadness and fear in his voice. "You must know this, boy. She made you. The Goddess of Order, the Hollow herself, created you with her bare hands—her and father, of course, with their magic... They could have made you older, stronger, wiser... But no. They made you into a child... naïve and easy to fool, to control and... to hurt... The witches made a mistake. That's why they brought you back."

"No..." The Boy shook his head, tears mapping his face. "You're wrong! I'm not--"

"Enough. Both of you." the Gladiator said, moving closer to stand between the two others. "This will take us nowhere... And we are almost out of time." He sighed, looking up at the moon above them. "I understand your frustration and anger. But it's time to be practical. Soon we will wake up again. We won't remember this conversation. We might not even remember the curse..."

"If we don't remember it, do you think it will stop working on me?" The Boy blurted out, his eyes shining with hope.

"No," the Destroyer grunted, shaking his head. "It wouldn't make a difference. If I forget the curse, the curse still exists. It's not metaphysical philosophy. It's magic."

"But how can I fight and protect them if I don't remember the most important things about my past!" the Boy yelled, fear burning in his heart.

"You'll have to manage." The Gladiator said, sighing; a faint smile on his lips. "It won't be too hard. You will still know you love them, even if you don't remember anything else."

"Besides, from what you told me, you have managed quite well so far." The Destroyer said, smiling softly, only a faint bit of sarcasm in his voice. "Just keep doing that—protecting them no matter what.... Finn, Kol, Henrik and Freya should be free and safe already. You did good with that spell... Using the ricocheted power of breaking the link between you and the witches to find and save the other children was cleaver." He patted the boy gentle on the arm, his movements uncertain—he wasn't very good at praising himself. "You did good. But now you'll have more people to protect at once. You should try to keep them all in one place. It'll be hard—they are always fighting over petty things. But it will make protecting them easier and more efficient."

"You should also tell them the truth." The Gladiator said, placing a hand on the Boy's shoulder. "Even if you cannot tell them everything, you should say all you can. They must know you are truly on their side. They have to believe you wish to help them. Only the truth can achieve that..." He smiled, "But be careful with what you say. You won't remember everything, and won't have the answers to all their questions. Try not to upset them, or start fights. Make your intentions clear and show they are genuine."

"But..." The Boy cried softly, "What if they hate me? What if—if I can't convince them I love them? What if the curse makes me go mad again? What if I fail them?" The words jumped out of his mouth faster than he could process them. "What if Mother, or Father... What if they—"

The ground shook. The moon moved closer to the ground, its light focused on the small boy.

"It's time..." The Gladiator and Destroyer say together, stepping away from the light.

"No... Wait... But..." the boy begged, as the moonlight lifted him from the ground, carrying him back—out of his own mind.

"It'll be alright." A gentle voice muttered, "Just focus on protecting them..."

Mika took a deep breath, slowly opening his eyes. He had things to do, after all, children to protect... And he would not fail them.

***

A/N: not a very long chapter, I know. But I just wanted to add in this chapter to explain some concepts for later. Also, to let you guys know I'll try to update more regularly. And that I have a new story, called Monstrous Fairytale, that will give a better view of Mikael's backstory. It'll explain everything regarding The Hollow and Mikael, as well as add some more stuff (about Mikael's backstory) that I might not cover in this or other stories.

The next chapter will be longer and have more action, I promise. I'm sorry again. Please let me know what you think of this chapter tho and the story so far, COMMENT PLEASE!