The love for my enemy

Chapter Thirteen: The Awakening

The clash downstairs was immediate and ferocious. Crashing sounds echoed through Klaus’s mansion as Sebastian’s forces breached their defenses. Arianna’s heart pounded as she stood in the middle of the chaos, caught between fear and a strange, growing awareness deep inside her—a pull toward the Blade of Thorns.

“Klaus, we need to protect Arianna!” Elijah shouted, fending off an advancing vampire with a precise stake to the heart.

“She doesn’t need protection!” Damon countered, shoving another attacker into a wall. “She needs the blade!”

Klaus growled, his hybrid rage evident as he tore through an enemy. “She isn’t ready!”

But Arianna wasn’t listening. Something inside her told her Damon was right. The blade was calling to her, its whispers growing louder with every passing second. She turned and darted through the hallway toward the vault, ignoring the shouts behind her.

The air grew colder as she reached the heavy iron door. Her trembling fingers hovered over the lock before she whispered the incantation Klaus had reluctantly taught her. The sigils glowed briefly before the lock clicked open.

Inside, the Blade of Thorns lay on a pedestal, its dark metal glinting in the dim light. The closer she got, the louder its whispers became, weaving through her thoughts like a siren’s song.

You shouldn’t be here alone,” came a voice behind her. Arianna spun around to see Damon leaning casually against the doorframe, blood splattered across his shirt.

“I didn’t have a choice,” she said, her voice shaking slightly.

He stepped into the room, his smirk softening as he looked at her. “You know Klaus is going to lose his mind when he realizes you’re doing this.”

Arianna turned back to the blade. “I don’t care. If I don’t use it, we’ll lose this fight.”

Damon moved closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur. “Just promise me one thing: don’t lose yourself to it. We need you, not whatever that thing turns you into.”

Her breath hitched as he placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch grounding her in the storm raging within her. She nodded, her fingers brushing the blade’s hilt. The moment she made contact, a surge of energy shot through her, electrifying and terrifying all at once.

Visions flashed before her eyes—battles, destruction, Sebastian standing over a burning city. And then… herself, standing triumphant but alone, her eyes glowing with power.

The blade’s power seeped into her, sharpening her senses and amplifying her strength. The whispers grew louder, demanding she unleash its full potential.

Back in the main hall, Klaus was in a frenzy. He tore through Sebastian’s minions with brutal efficiency, but his focus kept drifting toward the direction Arianna had disappeared.

“She’s not ready for this!” he snarled as Elijah joined him in the fight.

“She’s stronger than you give her credit for,” Elijah said calmly, blocking a spell from a witch with a counter-hex.

The moment Klaus turned to charge upstairs, a shockwave erupted from the vault. The entire mansion trembled, and every fight came to an abrupt halt as a blinding light engulfed the house.

Klaus and Damon exchanged a look before sprinting toward the source of the energy.

Arianna stood in the center of the vault, the Blade of Thorns glowing in her hand. Her hair floated around her as if caught in an invisible wind, and her eyes blazed with an ethereal light.

Damon entered first, his breath catching at the sight of her. “Arianna…”

She turned to him, her expression a mix of awe and fear. “I can feel it, Damon. The blade—it’s alive.”

Before he could respond, Klaus stormed in, his face a mask of anger and worry. “Arianna, put it down. Now.”

“I can’t,” she whispered, her grip tightening on the hilt. “It’s too late.”

Sebastian’s voice echoed through the mansion, cutting through the tension. “You’ve awakened it, haven’t you, little one?”

Arianna’s head snapped up as Sebastian appeared in the doorway, flanked by two witches. His eyes gleamed with triumph as he took in the scene.

“You’re stronger than I thought,” he said, his tone mocking. “But you have no idea what you’re holding, do you?”

The blade pulsed in Arianna’s hand, responding to his taunts. She took a step forward, her voice steady despite the trembling in her body. “I know enough to stop you.”

Sebastian laughed, a low, menacing sound. “Then show me, heroine. Let’s see if you’re worthy of the power you’ve stolen.”

Arianna, stop!” Klaus shouted, his voice cutting through the haze. “You’re going too far!”

She hesitated, her grip faltering as she looked at him. In that moment of distraction, Sebastian lunged, his dagger aimed at her heart.

Damon was faster. He tackled Sebastian, sending them both crashing into the wall. Klaus seized the opportunity to grab Arianna, his hands firm but gentle on her shoulders.

“Listen to me,” he said, his voice urgent. “You’re stronger than this blade. It doesn’t control you—you control it.”

Tears streamed down her face as she fought against the blade’s pull. With a final, desperate effort, she released the weapon. It clattered to the ground, its glow dimming as the energy in the room dissipated.

Sebastian snarled, pulling himself to his feet. “This isn’t over,” he spat before vanishing in a swirl of shadows.

Arianna collapsed into Klaus’s arms, her body trembling from the strain. Damon knelt beside her, his expression uncharacteristically serious.

“You did it,” he said softly. “You stopped him.”

“For now,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

As Klaus helped her to her feet, she looked between the two men, her heart torn all over again. She had saved them, but at what cost? And as Sebastian’s threat loomed ever closer, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the worst was yet to come.