Elijah Mikaelson & The Dragon's Quest

Chapter 42

Two hours later, seven black SUVs from the Dragonetti fleet arrived at the safe house accompanied by Dragonetti vampire security teams. They all agreed that Charlie would remain behind to transition the search for the Prophet and the Key to the security detail. Freya insisted on remaining with him to provide magical protection, if he needed it, until they, too, left Salem. Much to his consternation, Angelica insisted that she would not leave without Elijah. He eventually relented and agreed to go with her.

The safe house now swarmed with male and female security personnel. So many that Elijah wondered to himself whether they still needed to leave but he quickly reminded himself how powerful and dangerous the Prophet was to his family. The SUV was ready to take Elijah and Angelica out of the city and Elijah hurried Angelica out the door into the waiting vehicle. Angelica told their security driver to wait as she had left something inside. Elijah protested but she had disappeared quickly back into the safe house. It would be only a few seconds before she emerged and jumped into the back seat of the vehicle next to him. She smiled at him and Elijah motioned to their driver that they were ready to leave. Elijah furrowed his brow as he noticed the necklace now hanging around her neck that had not previously been there before. "Surely, she didn't go back inside for a necklace?" he thought to himself, then thought nothing more of it as the vehicle pulled out of the driveway.

They would travel in the standard three vehicle formation with the middle SUV carrying Elijah and Angelica. They had almost made it to the city limits before the lead SUV's tires exploded sending the vehicle tumbling into a ditch. The rear SUV suffered a similar fate. Elijah instinctively pulled Angelica to him, protecting her under his arm, as the tires on their SUV blew out. Elijah felt momentarily weightless as their vehicle went airborne then landed on its side, skidding to a stop.

The Prophet was ready for Elijah and the powerful witch felled the Original Vampire quickly before Elijah had time to react. Spelled manacles were clasped around Elijah's wrists that diminished his power, restraining him. The Prophet cast an energy wave at Angelica that caused her to lose consciousness. Elijah was helpless as he watched Angelica be taken prisoner by the Prophet and his minions. Elijah and Angelica were placed on the floor of a waiting van that sped quickly away from the wreckage.

As Angelica awoke, she grimaced in pain from the silver restraints that sizzled against her skin. Elijah tried to comfort her but one of the Coven members hit him across his head with a metal pipe. Elijah wondered why she had not used her dragon fire to free herself. The Prophet had obviously figured out how to make his magic work against Angelica. She seemed to be waiting for something, but what it was Elijah did not know. But there was one thing Elijah knew for certain, his wife was a master strategist and if she was waiting to act she certainly had her reasons.

It took approximately twenty minutes before they arrived at their destination, most of which was spent bouncing over rough backroads that were plagued with potholes. At times it felt as though the van might shimmy apart from the terrain. But eventually they arrived at the old paper mill that was now the base of operations for the Coven of the Pentadeae. Several witches dragged Angelica and Elijah from the van and pushed them toward the center of the building.

There were glyphs and sigils painted on the floor around large wooden cross beams that had been erected to restrain someone, and Elijah suspected that contraption was meant for him. Within moments, his suspicion had been confirmed as the manacles were attached to the cross beam above him, extending Elijah's arms above his head nearly causing him to stand on his toes to take the pressure from his aching arms. He pulled against the restraints but the magic was too strong and his bonds held fast.

The Prophet directed the witches that held Angelica to a makeshift altar. They released their grip on her momentarily and she took advantage of their error to break from them and rush to Elijah. She embraced him firmly and whispered in his ear but their reunion was short-lived as the Prophet felled her again with his magic and she crumpled to the floor. Elijah seethed at this attack upon his wife but the bonds still held strong.

One of the witches lifted Angelica from the floor and placed her on the altar. Her silver bonds were removed and replaced with silver chains across her chest, her stomach, and her legs. Elijah saw the smoke rising from Angelica's body as it reacted with the poisonous silver chains. "There now," spoke the Prophet, "that's better. Such hubris, Elijah, did you really believe that I would let you simply drive out of Salem? Did you think that I would not see your escape plan? I see all there is to see, Elijah, including your feeble attempt to escape this city."

The Prophet had his back to Elijah, his attention focused on the unconscious Angelica. He reached out to touch Angelica's face but stopped as Elijah's voice boomed, "Get your filthy hands off of my wife, Prophet." Venom dripped from each word he spoke, sending chills up the Prophet's spine. He turned toward Elijah to address him directly, but partly to reassure himself that that his dangerous prize was still restrained.

The Prophet stood upright and looked Elijah squarely in the eyes. "Well, Mr. Mikaelson, you are not really in a position to issue orders and ultimatums, are you? I will have the power your wife possesses. She is quite a unique creature and once I separate your wife from her gifts and make them my own, well, then I will have no need of her anymore. The same goes for you. Once that portal swings wide open I will destroy whatever is left of you, that is if anything is even left. No matter how great you are, Elijah, I imagine not even you are strong enough to withstand the energy that opening that portal will bring."

The Prophet opened an ornate box that had been sitting on a table next to a grimoire. He reached inside and removed the Celestial Key. He held the marvel in his hand, examining it. The Key was made of a white crystal and the head of the key was fashioned in a triquetra. The shaft of the Key was roughly five inches long ending with the teeth that would open the portal. Each circle of the triquetra was adorned with a jewel in the center: One ruby, one sapphire and one emerald that was visible on both sides of the Key. The Key resembled a simple key used to open old jail cells or other great doors. The Prophet was momentarily mesmerized as he caressed the Key, enough so that Elijah remarked, sarcastically, "Would you like to be alone, Prophet?" The Prophet laughed at the comment then set the key back into the box. He opened the grimoire and ran his fingers down the page he had bookmarked.

Elijah stared coldly at the Prophet, his jaw locked in anger and determination. Then an eerie calm overtook him. For a moment, Elijah closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He cocked his head to the side as if to stretch his neck muscles. He stopped pulling at the restraints and braced his feet to steady himself as he hung from the beams.

The Prophet was focused on his spell preparations. He walked away from the table and around Elijah, examining the markings that surrounded Elijah on the floor. "All is ready," said the Prophet. The Prophet addressed Elijah once last time, "Do you have any last words, Elijah? Perhaps a touching good bye to your lovely wife?"

"The only words I have are for you, Prophet," spoke Elijah, as a small grin appeared on his face. "For me, why I am honored, Mr. Mikaelson. What is it that you have to say to me?" A glint appeared in Elijah's eyes to accompany that grin. "You are dead, Prophet, you just don't know it yet," said Elijah. The Prophet laughed at the threat, "Oh really, and by whose hand will I die?" Elijah paused as he looked at the Prophet, then grinned even wider, "You don't see it yet, Prophet, but you will. You will die at the hands of Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Mikaelson."