An Elemental Difference - FIRE - Book 2 (Stefan Salvatore)

Prologue - Family always comes first.

In the depths of the forest, where the dense canopy cast dappled shadows upon the forest floor, Niklaus and Elijah crouched in silence, their breaths slow and steady as they focused on their quarry. The air was heavy with anticipation, the tension palpable as they prepared to loose their arrows at the unsuspecting deer before them. But amidst the tranquility of the forest, a shrill cry shattered the stillness, piercing through the air like a dagger.

"Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiik! 'Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiijah!"

Niklaus's brow furrowed in frustration at the unwelcome interruption, his friend's call slicing through the serenity of their hunt.

"Ignore her; be still," Elijah murmured, his voice a low rumble as he urged Niklaus to maintain his focus on the task at hand. With a shared determination, they steadied themselves once more, and their gazes fixed unwaveringly on the deer grazing nearby.

"Deep breath. Hold... NOW!" Elijah's command sliced through the silence, breaking the tension as Niklaus released his arrow in a swift, fluid motion. Yet, despite his best efforts, the arrow veered off course, narrowly missing its mark. Though his aim had improved, it still fell short of their expectations.

"Your aim is improving," Elijah offered words of encouragement, his hand coming to rest reassuringly on Niklaus's shoulder. "Next time, you will get it."

They heard the bushes rustling and wondered if their small friend had found them until they recognized they sounded too heavy. To their horror, their father burst through the bushes glaring between Niklaus and Elijah, "You encourage him, Elijah, but he grows more pathetic every day."

Niklaus, hurt and embarrassed, stood his ground, "I am not pathetic."

"Do not talk back to me," Mikael scowled down at him. "You are not man enough to hold this weapon. If you cannot hunt, you are nothing but a burden."

It was only then that Klaus recognized his error and began backing up, "I am sorry."

Mickael grabbed Niklaus by the front of his shirt, "It is a shame we cannot feed on sad-eyed apologies. It is your one and only skill."

Mikael backhanded Niklaus across the face, sending him to the ground as Elijah stepped forward in anger, "Father, stop."

Mikael turned his glare on the elder of the two, "Stay back, or you will be next. The boy needs to be made strong."

Mikael pulled his back his leg and harshly kicked Klaus in the back while he was sprawled on the ground, and ignored his son's screams of pain. As his leg retracted to kick him once more, a force took hold of his body. Mikael's eyes widened when he discovered he could not move as the bushes rustled, and a small girl stepped out, her mesmerizing green eyes locked on him.

"You will not hurt him anymore!" The girl glared as she kneeled next to Niklaus and helped him slowly stand up again. She pushed him and Elijah behind her, even though she was the smallest of the three. "Go!" She told the brothers, and though they hesitated for a moment, their fear for their father overcame their worry for her, and they ran.

Mikael glared at the small child, and when she let her magic free him, he stumbled to catch his balance, his glare not leaving her. Unlike his sons, the child stood proud, and for a moment, Mikael respected her strength until he remembered she had embarrassed him in front of his sons. His finger pointed threateningly at the child, "You cannot save him all the time, Asta. He is weak."

Asta's glare returned at the threat, "I know you will continue to hurt him, Mikael and I cannot stop it..." She stepped forward, her magic no longer holding him in place, but knew he would never hurt her. "Niklaus may be weak, but at least he is not evil."