Twelve-year-old Damon sits next to a small bed. One that holds his pale friend, Gwen Jordan. For hours he sits there. Telling stories and encouraging her to eat.

"Promise never to have an adventure without you," Damon promises as the sun bathes them in warmth.

Gwen manages to smile through her coughing, "Break it and a curse will fall on you."

Child laughter fills the room.

Fading away as the night events slam back into Damon's mind.

Groaning he stands not bothering to examine his shirt, now home to multiple holes. Picking up the backpack Damon speeds off. Rage fills every inch of his body. Consuming thoughts but one.

I'm going snap everyone's neck who dares to touch Gwen.

Damon slams through the boarding house doors. Throwing the pack back aside.

Face twisted in rage, Damon yells, "Stefan!" Within seconds Stefan appears in the parlor, "Someone took Gwen," Damon words drive worry into Stefan's heart.

Worry that starts turning into more. A sense of panic bubbling in his gut. Stefan had a guess who took her.

Before more can be said Elena's voice prices the silence, "I'll call Bonnie."

Standing in the hallway, fear clear in her eyes, Elena whips out her phone.

Gwen groans, body aching from the hard surface underneath her. A high ceiling of metal panels greets her.

A female voice full of authority commands Gwen, "Get up."

Gwen fails to filter her mouth, "Someone broke my legs."

Hands hurl Gwen to her feet. Immediately she recognizes the women. With copper skin, brown curls and eyes. The one who knocked me out. Gwen's attention is diverted by multiple people forming a circle around them. Backs towards the inside. Waves of heat wash over Gwen. Tiny beads of sweat paint her forehead.

A new voice fills the silence. One that is deep and colder than friendly, "Thank you Natasha," Gwen nearly faints from the heat radiating off him. She recognizes his black receding hair first, "but I believe Miss Jordan can stand on her own."

Natasha steps away to stand close by with arms crossed, "Yes sir."

Up close Gwen can see wrinkles by his dark eyes. This time he is dressed in casual clothes. Gwen can't stop herself from blurting out, "Who are you, people?"

"A very important group that goes back far in time. A group that has and will continue to keep the eternal crystal hidden, by any means," The man informs her.

Gwen's eyes roam over every back facing them. She knew by the waves of heat alone she was outmatched. Not to mention the muscle on some. Fear crawls inside her veins.

Doesn't matter I'll still fight. Better than giving up.

Eyes back on the man. Gwen keeps her voice solid, "Are you gonna stop threatening me now and just get on with trying to kill me."

Natasha, arms uncrossed, walks to his side. Placing a hand on his shoulder, not bothering to lower her voice, "Colton, it would save time and resources spent on monitoring her."

Colton tilts his head processing Natasha's words. Her hand falls as he steps closer to Gwen.

Maybe he is willing to talk it out.

Gwen hopes Colton buys her lie, "If it helps I have stopped looking."

"Because you are preoccupied with Klaus Mikaelson. I have good reason to believe once he's gone. You will return to the reason for returning to town after so many years, the crystal."

Gwen jaw drops in surprise. Mind racing to decipher every word. Racing to figure if Colton truly knows her history.

She can't help but stutter,"H-how?"

"The guardians were founded along time ago and each leader kept records of everything ever learned concerning everything not ordinary. Records passed down to every leader," Colton smiles, "We knew the minute you joined Michael Williams and when you stopped aging."

Gwen scowls, "So I have been stalked my whole life. Also, why try stopping me now? When I've learned how to defend myself."

"Others have tried in the past to stop you, but Michael was always there to stop them," Colton shrugs, " You are just one of many we watch."

"Because it so normal to stalk and harm family."

Colton chuckles at her petty retort, "Oh this has expanded past a family duty for quite some time now."

"So my ancestors did start this," Colton nods, face void of humor, "Why use a crest linked to the Karayan?"

"Simple, they are powerful and greedy people who brought destruction to our kind. Using a slightly different form of their crest was a message of we are coming for you."

Gwen believed him, after all, Colton was in control. Why lie about small details. Is this way I'm here? A brief show of power and history lesson, "Why did Natasha bring me here?"

"I think only knowing the eternal crystal true history will put an end to your quest."

"I don't follow, killing me sounds easier, plus why should I believe you?"

"Others have searched, some coming close to finding it. Most run out of time, older and not ready to let go. Most with dark corrupted hearts."

"Yet some search like you, to regain what was taken too soon. Wasted life for something that can't be done. All offered the same chance. To walk away without losing more or their lives," Colton sighs, doubt clear in Gwen's eyes, "As for proof. We are going to be guided by one we can not lie or show false memories to us."

Ghost.

Colton holds out his open hand. Gwen's hand jumps to her necklace. Heart slowly picking up speed. Yes, their power over the dead bound a ghost to tell and show only what is true.

Can I do it? Can I destroy my own heart when it's just beginning to heal? Crush it into thousands of tiny slivers, even smaller than needles.

With shaky hands, Gwen unhooks her necklace. Letting it fall into Colton's hand. Because Gwen has to know. If for one hundred forty-five years she has been chasing unreachable ghosts. If she turned away from a normal life for nothing. Colton turns to Natasha, gently passing the necklace into her palm. A chill sweeps over Gwen. Raising goosebumps across her skin. An elder man appears next to Colton. Wrinkles decorating his skin, Brown hair a mess and period clothing disheveled. It's his hazel that strikes Gwen. Eyes haunted by an unknown life.

"Your ancestor Sam Jordan and a witch," Colton informs Gwen. Sam silently holds out two hands. Colton grins at Gwen, "Shall we?"

Breathing in deep and stealing her nerves. Gwen follows Colton's lead. Placing her hand in Sam's. Squeezing their hands, Sam takes them away, with a huge starling jerk. To a life long past. To a history, Gwen is scared to witness.

For the first time, Bonnie fails. For a reason unknown she can't track Gwen. Not willing to wait around on the witch. Stefan and Damon split up. Searching Mystic Falls and it's surrounding areas. Both highly aware every minute Gwen is in danger, or dead. Caroline joins Elena, both encouraging Bonnie to keep trying. All hearts and minds restless. Focused only on their new friend.

Gwen finds herself in a familiar cave. Only it's walls are free of any tombstones. No ivy hangs over its entrance. Moonlight pierces through the dark. Bathing two men in an eerie glow. One with his back facing Gwen. A mop of blonde curls on his bowed head. Across from him, the other man lays on the ground. Unconscious, blonde hair sticking to his forehead. His hands tied behind his back, chest rising and falling with each breath. Both men wear a simple cotton shirt, black breeches, and boots.

A deep voice pierces the sounds of nature, "Anthony."

Gwen turns to find a man at the cave's opening. Brown hair combed perfectly, dressed similarly as the other men. Hazel eyes reflecting a more carefree spirit. With a hint of danger swirling around them.

Sam.

"Is everything ready?" Anthony nods at Sam's question, face grim, "Still time to walk away."

"No, I'm tired of being overlooked," Anthony stands, ocean blue eyes wild, hands clutching a large rock. Multiple crystals jet out in all different directions, "No longer will they whisper of others power. We will show them the true meaning of controlling death."

A groan interrupts their conversation. Capturing Sam and Anthony 's attention. Handing Sam the crystal, Anthony goes to their prisoner's side. Helping the man sit up. Sharp blue eyes take him in. Previous events playing across the man's mind.

Leading to one simple question, "why?"

"No longer will you and Father shove me into the shadows, while letting out the family name fade," Anthony kneels down, "When they whisper Karayan. It will be with wonder. Everyone will seek us out for help."

"No, they will fear you. The man who used his own brother to gain immortality."

"Sam is my real brother and no one will even remember who you were. Not after the magic erases you from their minds."

With a nod from Anthony. Sam lowers himself to the ground. Crossing his legs, an inch away from them. Crystal placed in the middle. Anthony's brother immediately starts scouting away from them. Face twisted into a hard scowl. Hands trying to break free of their restraints. Blue dust flies from Anthony's hand. Landing on his brother. Stopping any more attempts at escape. Jerking his brother close, Anthony reveals a dagger. Moonlight reflecting on its silver blade. Causing Gwen's pulse to pick up.

Sam slowly starts chanting in Latin. Anthony cuts the sleeve off his brother's arm. Cutting a deep gash across his bicep. Taking time to smear blood all over the blade. Anthony Repeats the process across his own arm. Now covered in blood, Anthony passes the dagger to Sam. Who cuts both of his palms. And smearing blood from the knife onto his hands. Mixing his blood with the brothers. Satisfied Sam drops the knife. Placing both hands on the crystal's side. Lips frowning, eyes tightly squeezed shut, Sam tilts his head back. Chest rapidly rising and falling. Sweat beads decorating his forehead. Like a beacon in the unwavering darkness. Inside the crystal fills with light. Sam's hand leaves the crystal, latching onto Anthony's wrist.

Sam releases a command through clenched teeth, "Now!"

Panic flares inside the eyes of Anthony's brother. Who is still unable to move. As Anthony brother breaks off a crystal.

The magic must have weakened it, but what are they doing?

Shoving it violently into his the middle of brother's chest. He releases a scream of agony.

Eyebrows knitted together. Gwen addresses Colton, "What's happening?

"Sam is gifting Anthony his immortality without taking away Anthony's power."

But to gain immortality you have to die for a moment. Death means losing our power. Nature's way of creating balanced against what shouldn't exist.

At least that's how Michael put it. One of his first lessons for Gwen. How fragile a necromancers power is. One second of no heartbeat and you lose it.

After all our power is an abomination to the balance of life. What is dead should stay dead, according to most.

"How?" Snapping out of her thoughts, Gwen questions Colton.

As the crystal's light Starts to fade. It isn't Colton who answers, but a raspy fading voice. One that belongs to Sam Jordan.

"I connected them. Tricking the magic to see one, instead of two. While I was their anchor to our world. And the crystal a receiver."

"Receiver for what?"

"Souls, to gain impprtupy and keep your magic one must sacrifice another magical person," Sam's eyes gaze over at his younger self, "When both hearts stop beating, it only takes the one who's heart it's closest to."

Gwen gazes back at the scene before her. Younger Sam is breathing hard, bloody hands in his lap. Anthony removes the piece of crystal. Revealing a diamond shape hole in his Brother's unmoving chest.

I'm being haunted by victims of what Sam created.

Just as the truth hits Gwen. She is swept away, pulled through moment after moment. Of people taking their last breath. A piece of the crystal buried in their chests. Screams of agony filling Gwen's ears. Causing chills to roll through her body. Amongst the flashes of dying victims. Gwen sees people kneeling over dead bodies. Some more decayed than others. The crystal tossed aside as they sob, chanting, "It won't work."

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I apologize a thousand times over for this late update. Here is thought summer would be more free time to write. I was so wrong lol, find myself more busy.

Next update will be tomorrow. Would like to know what you all think.