IN WHICH - The last thing that Hope Mikaelson expected when she came out of Malivore was to still be alive, the second last thing she expected was to be disowned by most of her living family, and the final last thing she expected was some ancient be...
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THIRD PERSON POV
CHAPTER 29
The sun was already high when Maggie and Glenn stepped out of the car, the engine still clicking from the drive. They stood at the outskirts of what used to be the prison grounds, but now looked more like a fortified kingdom. A massive wall—part rock, part brick, part concrete, and part steel—rose twenty feet above them, wrapping around the prison in a near-perfect circle. Ivy had already begun weaving its way up the stone, giving the barrier an almost magical, centuries-old appearance.
"Can you believe it?" Maggie asked, her voice filled with awe as she nudged Glenn. "It's like a medieval castle, but in the middle of Georgia."
Glenn let out a short, incredulous laugh. "I don't know how Hope did it. This thing—" He waved his hand at the wall. "—it's insane. It's so... solid. And huge."
Maggie nodded, crossing her arms over her chest as she surveyed the towering gate. It was solid steel, thicker than anything she'd ever seen, with reinforced panels that looked like they could survive a bomb. The mechanism overhead was designed to slide it open and closed, and the sheer size was enough to make anyone think twice about trying to get in uninvited.
"I'll admit," Maggie continued, her tone light but laced with pride, "I might've doubted her at first, but look at it. It's everything we need."
Glenn reached up, trailing his fingertips against the cold steel. "Yeah. This is... more than we ever hoped for." He turned to look at Maggie, a grin tugging at his lips. "We really have a shot at something here, don't we?"
She returned his smile, her eyes drifting back to the wall. "I think we do. A real home, Glenn. A place to stop running."
They walked closer to the gate, their footsteps echoing in the silence. Up close, the details of the construction were even more impressive—layers of metal seamlessly melded with stone, as though crafted by a master builder. Ivy leaves fluttered gently in the breeze, lending the otherwise harsh structure a softened, almost mystical allure.
Maggie pressed her hand against the gate, feeling the cool metal beneath her palm. "It's hard to believe this was just a rundown prison a few days ago," she murmured.
Glenn let out a soft breath, still in awe. "Hard to believe, indeed."
Together, they searched for the control panel that Hope and the others had rigged to open the gate. Spotting a discreetly placed lever and wheel mechanism, Glenn gave it a cautious test. With a loud groan of steel against steel, the gates began to slide open, revealing the courtyard beyond. It was almost eerily quiet—no walkers stumbling aimlessly, no threat in sight. Instead, the well-tended lawn, newly cleared fences, and the looming prison structure itself stood calm and fortified under the bright sky.
Maggie shared a look with Glenn, her heart pounding with excitement. "Let's go in."
She took the first step, Glenn at her side, and together they walked through the massive entryway. Every inch of the prison yard felt different now—secure, protected, and distinctly theirs. The ivy on the walls and the remnants of Hope's transformative magic gave the space a surreal quality, as if it had existed for centuries in this fortified state.
