[John's PoV]
From where I sat, as Jeremy approached, I didn't need much focus to see what was happening with him.
His muscles moved involuntarily, I could tell through more than a couple different ways.
It seemed the urge was stronger when in the presence of an Original. I didn't see him like that when he appeared at the school.
I wonder why. Is it because she is more immortal or stronger than the average vampire?
Hm, probably more oriented in the Immortal way.
Doesn't matter much, in the end. He has been controlling it very well. So I guess he won't try to stake through Rebekah's heart.
… I hope.
"Good morning, Professor Gilbert." I greeted him, raising a hand.
Although I talked to him quite a bit the first time I met him, we were still not that close. So, even if I knew his entire life history, I couldn't act casually with him.
"Morning, boy." He greeted me back, nodding my way. "Hope," The same treatment to Hope. "... Mistresses Mikaelson." If he was any cordial to me and Hope, to Rebekah, he lacked that completely.
Thankful, Freya was there to level things a bit.
"Gilber boy." Before any of the other girls had the chance to exchange words with him, Rebekah was already talking. "How long has it been?"
"Some years." He replied, blankly
"You are still so jovial. Shouldn't you be a middle-aged man by now?" She asked, curious.
Well, yes. Despite Jeremy being 35, no one would say he is older than 20.
"Perks of the Hunter's Mark." He replied, not giving many details.
"I see. And how-"
"What are you doing here?" Jeremy asked me, ignoring Rebekah for now.
"Discussing what we learned about recent events." I replied. "Wanted to hear the opinion of someone who lived a millennium but apparently never saw a dragon."
"And the results?"
"We thought of a few things." Rebekah replied in my place, smiling unnaturally. "But before that. What about you? What are you doing here?"
"Alaric called me back to help deal with the situation." He replied, plainly. "There will be a meeting for the school staff to discuss the recent events as well."
"Any particular topic in the discussion?" I asked, curious. I didn't hear of that. Maybe something Alaric kept from me and I didn't happen to hear by.
Hm, strange. It has been quite some time since I have been unaware of a not so great secret.
"Some students have been concerned by the attacks, and thus have been their parents." He began with the primary reason behind the meeting. "Right now, the main reason to be discussed is the debate of ceasing school activities for undecided time."
Ah, I see.
However, different from my not very surprised reaction, I instantly sensed a slight sentiment of sadness coming from my side.
And very subtly, now that our hands slowly disconnected through the course of the conversation, I slid my hand under the table, and gently caressed the upward part of Hope's tight, very assuredly.
Relax, I will try to think of something. I told her, mentally.
Her reply came as fast as my reaction. As I felt the delicate touch of her fingers brushing against my hand.
It seems I have more reasons to deal with this situation quickly.
"Doesn't it sound like a desperate action?" Rebekah questioned.
"Because it is." I replied. "The news of a new species appearing, one so fantasizing as dragons can cause quite the reactions on parents. For those who are used to the supernatural, they start to think they don't know more about this world than they should. And the concept of the unknown scares them." My eyes fell on Freya at this explanation. "In this case, the most affected group are witches. After all, their children compose a great part of the school."
"Not unlikely. Witches would easily think such a thing would bring disbalance to Nature, with or without reaction to it." Freya agreed with me, adding a few words to bring more clarity to mine.
"Besides these, there are the parents who had no relation to the supernatural. Who had to learn of their children kill someone, were killed or did something magical. And still didn't abandon them."
As I proceeded to explain, and words formed in my mind, with my lips preparing to mutter them, my tone changed, it deepened severally. Why? Because, now that I am talking about it instead of only thinking, I possibly underestimated these parents' concern when thinking about everything that happened to their lives.
"And then, one day. A man appears before them. Assuring them of a place where their children would be safe. Where they could entrust the future of their child. And you trust this man." I turned my eyes to Rebekah and Freya. "You, as their guardians, trust this man to take of your child. What would be your reaction when one day, out of nowhere, your child calls or text you with one message. The school which should be their safe heaven was attack by an entity they thought to not exist. Some children might recount the attack, and the repel of the attack, with excitement and eagerness. But others think of this event with concern, fear."
Yes, fear is a good word to attach to those eyes.
Eyes that followed me everywhere in that school now.
I think it's fair considering what they witnessed.
"What would be your reactions if you stood in the same place as these parents?" I asked them.
"I would ensure my child's safety." Rebekah. replied immediately.
"Correct." I agreed.
"Not to mention the videos." And just then, at the end of my agreement, Hope remembered something.
Surely, if these parents watched any recording of the fight, this concern would just rise. "Of course." I said.
Titling her head to side, however, Rebekah seemed curious about her niece's words.
"Which video?"
"Ah, I forgot to send you. It's already spread through the school." Hope said, taking our her phone, pressing the screen a few times before handing it to Rebekah.
Freya, leaning to the side so she could watch it, widened her eyes at the scene.
Well, the fight was really magnificent though unnecessary.
But who could blame me? I fought a dragon in the sky while controlling metal rods. For a moment, I was a xianxia protagonist, with my attacks rumbling the skies and piercing the clouds.
I also wish to have my adventure moments.
"You are stronger than I expected, boy." Rebekah eyed me.
I just gave a broad smile.
But contrary to her admiration, Freya frowned in apparent concern. "Shouldn't the school be concerned that this type of recording is going around? Aren't you scared of it spreading?" Freya looked at Jeremy, the one representing the school around us.
"Alaric has his ways to deal with these things." He replied, not elaborating much.
"Not to mention, if you were a normal person nowadays and saw this kind of video, would you believe it was really someone wielding magic fighting a real dragon or an AI-generated video altered by human hands to make it more real?" I asked.
"Now that you say…" Freya muttered.
"Although I am still skeptical about how long we can hide the supernatural from the normal world. We are not going to be unveiled by something like this." I added my thoughts. "People tend to ignore craziness if it is not knocked on their faces."
"Yeah, Mystic Falls is the best example." Jeremy followed my line of thought. "Highest numbers of animal attacks in all the East Side, by a margin that makes you start to wonder. But those who see the truth are only those affected so much by it, want to see it, and or are smart enough to see it." Jeremy continued, his eyes a little reminiscent for a brief moment. "The ignorant ones just continue with their lives, not wishing to unveil the truth or incapable of it."
At this moment, I felt Hope's gaze linger on me for a moment.
She probably remembered what the thought I sahred earlier with her.
Lifting my head, I met Jeremy's eyes again. "What more will you discuss?"
"The fate of the monsters." He replied, flowing a little. "Not exactly everyone feels safe with, how did Alaric phrase it? 'A dragon sleeping in your garden and a living murder forest'."
"Even though I casted spells around to secure everyone's lives?"
"Didn't seem to bring enough comfort to some." Jeremy added to my comment.
"I can understand why." I commented. "However, make it clear to the school staff that I will see what to do with them. If they want me to take them away, be it. But no one touches them until I finish my matters." Taking a serious tone, I held Jeremy's gaze, delivering my intentions.
There are still a lot of things I have to learn from the dragon.
"I think there will be no one against that. Everyone favors you." Jeremy said, basically agreeing with my words. But then, his expression shifted as apparently he remembered something. "I just can't say the same about our visitors."
I raised an eyebrow to that phrase.
"Right." I nodded in acknowledgement. "Some should have arrived by now."
After my words, I let go of the restrictions played upon myself, my senses. Though, I just permitted for my magical sense to be released.
In a matter of seconds, hundreds, thousands of presences, though infimal compared to the four next to me, appeared within my senses.
And among these thousands, few stood out like candles among fireflies.
They were there, scattered across the town. Located in its center to its border.
Some I recognized, individuals I played certain attention in the brief moments I walked around the town.
But aside these individuals, the rest were unknown presences I have never seen before. Signatures I found unfamiliar.
Their magic… was decent, relatively speaking. The comparison I was doing with who was around me wasn't fair. But even, this mere "decent" word spoke of their magical capacity.
Twelve of them, separated into seven different locations.
Hm… If I consider the proximity of these ones, maybe I could say they are part of the same group. So, five of them in total?
I just don't know which coven they represent.
"There are twelve witches I have never encountered before in town right now." I blurted out. Though my words got a few looks, no one seemed much surprised. "They seem to be divided into five to seven different groups."
"Five of them." Jeremy informed, confirming my initial thoughts. "Alaric has already alerted me of their arrival."
"Know who exactly they are?" Rebekah asked Jeremy.
"The covens which have arrived by now come from Los Angeles, New York, Asheville, Savannah and lastly, our dear Salem." Jeremy said, his voice not sounding so exciting as his words might seem.
The sentiment seemed to be shared, if Freya and Rebekah's not so joyful expressions were anything to go by.
But… their expressions, they were all normal until Salem's name came up.
Rebekah's eyes seemed to have a touch of surprise for a short moment, before settling into a surprisingly still glare.
She seemed calm, too much honestly. But it wasn't nothing more than forced stillness in her reactions.
I wonder why.
"Honestly, I don't know much of Salem." I said, genuinely. There isn't much about the world's most famous city about witches in the books I have available. "I mean, I know about the trials, I know some of the victims were real witches, but not much aside from that."
"There isn't much else to be known." Rebekah said, a very plain tone of voice carrying her words. Her eyes lacking focus. "It's just like any city which mingled with the supernatural, too much blood, suffering and death."
"That you know well." Jeremy replied, sarcastically.
The comment of his got the glares from both Freya and Hope.
I, however, focused on something else.
Through Rebekah's words, certain feelings escaped her. Thoughts as well. Ones I captured.
Different from her unfocused and distant expression, she seemed to feel somehow… nostalgic?
No… that's not the word. Or maybe it is, but something more needed to be added there.
Hmm… A dark nostalgia? Sounds right.
It's like she is having a recollection.
I can say it, sense it. An apparent pain and internal conflict brewing within her when she thinks of Salem.
Like she has been there, in Salem, and witnessed something she didn't wish for. Or at least, now she wishes she didn't.
And what came next just seemed to confirm my thoughts.
"You have no idea…"
A whisper, maybe something even lesser escaped Rebekah's lips. Lips that seem to barely move to pronounce these words.
Looking around, she seemed to mutter these words so lowly that only I apparently listened to it.
There is something there, a connection between Rebekah and Salem.
However, despite my curiosity, I thought it best to end this talk here by how she is reacting to it.
"So, the witches showed a wish to see the dragon and Leshy?" I asked Jeremy, trying to return to our main topic.
"And very much so." He affirmed. "Think of that, a dragon… outside of their own worry for their descendants living at the school, they are also surprised by the appearance of such a creature. There was no sign. No indication of their appearance. Nothing similar to when a new species is introduced to the magical world." He turned once again to Rebekah. "You, better than anyone, should know what I mean, right?"
"Yes." Rebekah nodded. Then, she turned to us, Hope and I. "Our birth as vampires wasn't unnoticed. Some witches, though few and scarce, but powerful ones, could notice the introduction of our existence to the world. A new species that set off the balance." She explained.
At this information, I furrowed my brows. Once again not knowing of something apparently important. "There isn't anything like that in the books I have." I said, trying to hide my dissatisfaction.
That was a trait of mine intensified ever since I came to this world and learned of everything.
Even though I am trying to work on it, I easily get annoyed by not knowing anything that I deem important.
I don't know if its because of my own curiosity, the fact I have watched this universe from an omniscient point or both combined, or something else even, but not knowing something just set me off a bit.
"Not surprising. Few know nowadays of such a thing." Rebekah explained. "Any piece of knowledge containing this information has long been erased by time or held by certain groups. I hardly think your headmaster would have such a book available. And even in those Freya landed you." She paused for a short moment, taking a sip from her drink. "If I'm not wrong, covens do not hold this information in books. They are mostly passed down orally, from the older to the new generation."
"So… the New Orleans witches probably don't know about that, right? Since, you know, uncle Elijah killed the last of their elders." Hope asked.
To her question, Freya almost choked on the food she was eating.
"In his defense, she tried to kill you." Rebekah quickly defended her deceased brother.
"I am not blaming him." Hope replied, her voice calm. "If he didn't do it, I wouldn't be here. So the last thing I would do is blame him for saving my life." She said in a low but warm voice, letting out a small breath in the end that carried a small emotion.
She never told me she knew Elijah killed Agnes. I wonder where she learned this. Hayley? Maybe. Or something she learned after his death.
Anyway, it seemed Hope's words brought a small happiness to both women, as their lips curled up slightly in satisfaction.
They were certainly happy by her demonstration of affection in his way, even if small.
"After all the tension with the covens during our family's stay in New Orleans a few years ago, I shared some knowledge with Vincent." Freya said as she dedicatedly wiped some food stains off her mouth. "Some small compensation for the turbulent times. So they know of that through him."
I wonder if these words mean Freya is here as Hope's aunt only or also a representative of the witches from New Orleans.
Surely, no one from their part coming is a little questioning. After all, they are such a prominent coven, even after all their losses, that makes me question why they didn't send someone directly.
Maybe Vincent is counting on Freya to share what she learns with him?
Looking up at Freya, I decide to not ask. Better not make the question and if I'm wrong, it makes me seem as someone doubtful of her.
However, I still wish for something else. "Would you mind doing me a favor?"
"What is it?" She looked at me.
"Would you be so kind and share all your family's books with me?" I asked, putting my hands together in front of me in a small gesture to display my wish.
I need those books. All those books.
This conversation this early in the morning just makes me think once again how I don't know everything, even if the thought doesn't bring me a smile.
"There are thousands of books…" Freya muttered to my favor.
To that, I turned to Hope and asked. "How long do you think the school can hold without me?"
"With these attacks?" She eyed me. "You will probably not even have to worry about that."
At that, I could just let out a soft chuckle.
"I will think of a way to lend you the books." Freya said. "Or you can come to New Orleans. I am sure Hope will be more than happy to show you her home."
Looking at the mentioned girl, I could see Hope smiling at me. "I would love that."
"Me too." I said, pulling her closer and kissing the top of her head.
But, as I enjoyed the short moment, I heard a weak sound near me. A phone vibrating.
"Ric?" Jeremy quickly answered the call. "Yeah, I am close. Just stopped for a bit. No, I am on my way. Okay… wait a minute. I am here with him, I will tell him this." He looked at me. "The dragon seems to be waking up according to Ric."
Excellent. Time to learn a few things.
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I am sorry for the delay. My week was extremely busy. Unfortunately, I didn't have as much time to write or read, something I obviously live to do, as much as I want. Things have been hard to balance. The good thing? I have been thinking a lot about the story, reading your comments and thinking about how I can progress, how I can make it better. And I thought of a few good ideas, which I hope to write here. Including a few non-canon omakes? I think that's it. Some things to test my writing and give you all some short perspective of things that won't be canon, obviously, but are possibilities in this universes. What do you think of it? Please give me your opinions about it, it helps me very much.
Sorry if the chapter is not as good as the others. I wrote it in a rush. Believe me, more than half of it was written and reviewed in less than half a day.
Thanks for your support, and I would be glad if you could donate your power stones, it helps me very much. Once again, thank you for your support and see you soon - Author.