(A/N):
Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
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After having a through discussion with Aponi.
Jojo and others decided to release Aponi's restraints.
Even though Aponi had been released from her restraints,
She was still kept locked up.
Bonnie's barrier spell remained intact—
Reinforced now by Freya herself and Inadu.
This time, Aponi didn't resist.
Deep down, she understood that Malivore could still control her or read her memories if she was left unchecked.
Powerless and uncertain,
All she had left was the hope that Jojo would keep the promise he'd made—
To save her family and the other trapped supernaturals within Malivore.
Later, the air around the Mikaelson house grew warm with the smell of home-cooked food.
Hayley moved about the kitchen with practiced ease, stirring and seasoning,
While Freya helped at her side.
Hope stood nearby, eager to learn, occasionally sneaking glances toward Jojo—
Who was sitting at the table, clearly enjoying himself.
His appetite, combined with his praise for Freya's cooking,
Brought a proud smile to Freya's face.
Hope, however, felt a small spark of irritation.
"..."
Watching how much Jojo loved her aunt's food triggered her competitive streak.
'He's supposed to love my cooking that much… once I actually learn how to cook,'
She thought, folding her arms stubbornly.
As she watched her mother and aunt share quiet laughter,
Her mind wandered to Freya's teasing words from when Jojo came back from Forks.
When Hope discovered Freya's relationship with Jojo—
And that Freya had even formed a mate bond with him willingly—
She hadn't been shy about teasing her niece.
"Who knows, Hope,"
Freya had said with a mischievous grin,
Grin~
"by the time I see you again, I might be greeted by a little Jojo Jr. running around the house."
Hope had flushed crimson at the memory then… and she did again now,
Stealing a quick glance at Jojo.
Even through she and Jojo did the deed hearing Freya's words sparked her competitiveness and she don't want to lag behind.
She was the one senior here then her aunt.
If she thought about it she become strong in her decision.
She won't let her aunt succeed before her.
Next Morning...
Jojo and Freya set out for the Salvatore Boarding School,
Joined by Alaric—
Who had come as soon as he heard the news.
The others stayed behind to keep an eye on Aponi,
"..."
"..."
While Lizzie and Josie were reluctantly made to remain at the Mikaelson mansion.
Alaric hadn't liked that decision one bit,
But even he had to admit the logic behind it.
With everything happening around Malivore name,
There was a very real chance that the school could come under attack.
He couldn't risk his daughters being caught in the crossfire.
Still, as he said his goodbyes,
Freya couldn't help but arch a brow and think in her mind,
'And what about the other students, Alaric?'
No one asked out loud,
But the unspoken question hung heavily in the air.
After a few hours...
On the road in Alaric's car,
Jojo and Freya finally pulled up to the Salvatore Boarding School.
Salvatore Boarding School...
The once-bustling campus felt eerily quiet now—
Students had been told to remain in their dorms,
And a tense silence hung over the place like a storm about to break.
"..."
"..."
"..."
They made their way straight to the surveillance room,
Surveillance Room...
Where Landon sat quietly at the table,
Halfway through his meal.
Bonnie had just finished delivering his food and was stepping out of the room when she nearly collided with the group entering.
"Careful there,"
Alaric said, steadying her with a quick hand.
Bonnie offered a tired smile.
"Guess it's been one of those days."
Inside, the low hum of monitors filled the air.
Caroline sat on the couch nearby,
A half-finished glass of wine in her hand,
Her expression a mix of exhaustion and restrained frustration.
Jojo glanced at her and smirked faintly.
Smirk~
"Didn't think the great Caroline Forbes would start drinking before noon."
Caroline arched an eyebrow, swirling her glass.
"You'd start early too if you had to explain Malivore to the school board twice this week."
Freya chuckled, leaning against the wall.
Chuckle~
"Fair point."
After greeting everyone,
Jojo stepped closer to the monitors.
"..."
His gaze locked on the CCTV feed displaying Landon in the containment room.
The boy sat quietly at first, poking absently at the remains of his meal.
But something was off—
His eyes looked sunken, ringed with dark shadows that pulsed faintly,
Like embers under the skin.
Then, without warning,
Landon froze.
"..."
His spoon clattered onto the tray.
Clatter~
"Uh-oh,"
Caroline muttered under her breath, setting down her wine glass.
Landon's breathing grew harsh.
He gripped the edge of the table, muscles trembling.
Suddenly, he screamed—
A guttural, agonized sound that made the speakers crackle.
Ahhhhhhh!!!
He began smashing everything within reach, thrashing like an animal in pain.
Crack~ Thud.
THUD.
"Damn it,"
Alaric hissed, slamming a hand on the console.
Hiss~
Before anyone could react further,
Flames erupted around Landon.
FLASH!
His body burned in a violent flash of blue-orange fire,
And within seconds,
All that remained was a pile of gray ash.
Caroline exhaled heavily, picked up a notepad, and calmly marked something down.
"Number ten,"
She said flatly.
"That's the tenth time this week."
Freya frowned.
Frown~
"And he still keeps coming back?"
As if answering her, the ashes on-screen began to stir.
A faint glow pulsed from within,
And slowly—
Horrifyingly—
Landon's body reformed, piece by piece,
Until he stood there again…
Naked and gasping for breath.
Bonnie sighed and grabbed a pair of pants and a shirt from a nearby drawer.
Sigh~
"You'd think he'd come back with clothes at least once,"
She muttered, heading toward the door.
She cracked it open just enough to hand the bundle through,
Then shut it again as quickly as she could.
On the monitor,
Landon sat down heavily, still dazed, clutching the shirt like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.
Jojo folded his arms, his expression grim.
"He's dying and resurrecting like clockwork… each time more unstable."
Alaric nodded, rubbing his temples.
Nod~
"And every time, we're no closer to figuring out why."
Freya turned from the monitor,
Her eyes full of concern as Landon sat trembling behind the glass.
"Jojo,"
She said softly,
"can't you do something? Maybe use your Ghost Rider power—purge whatever's inside him?"
Jojo's expression hardened.
"..."
He didn't answer right away,
Just kept watching Landon through the flickering CCTV feed.
The orange light from the screen cast shadows across his face,
Highlighting the faint burn mark that still traced along his jawline from the last time he'd unleashed the Rider.
Finally, he exhaled and shook his head.
"No, Freya. I can't."
Freya frowned, stepping closer.
Frown~
"Why not?"
Jojo turned his gaze to her, his voice low and edged with grim certainty.
"Because Landon's very existence is tied to Malivore. His life, his soul—everything that makes him who he is—comes from that abomination. If I try to burn out the corruption…"
He paused, his eyes narrowing.
"I'll burn him too."
Caroline's face paled.
"So you're saying—"
"I'm saying,"
Jojo cut in,
"the only way to free Landon… is for Malivore to die."
A heavy silence filled the surveillance room.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Even the hum of the monitors seemed to fade.
Freya looked away, troubled,
While Alaric clenched his fists, jaw tightening.
"Then,"
Freya said finally, her tone quiet but firm,
"we find a way to kill Malivore."
Jojo's eyes glowed faintly for a moment—
Just a flicker of hellfire behind his calm demeanor.
"Yeah,"
He said.
"We will."
Then, just as Jojo was about to turn away from the screen,
His phone began to ring—
Ring~ Ring~
Ring~ Ring~
Its sharp buzz cutting through the heavy silence of the surveillance room.
Everyone glanced at him as he pulled it out of his coat pocket and answered.
"Yeah, it's me,"
He said.
Jenny's voice came through the line—
Rushed, panicked, and trembling.
"Jojo! There's… there's a serious problem happening in India. You need to turn on the TV—Channel 8, now! Please hurry there!"
Her tone alone made even Jojo's expression shift.
"..."
It wasn't often that Jenny sounded afraid.
He frowned slightly.
Frown~
"What's going on? And where's Kang?"
"He's right beside me,"
Jenny answered quickly, her voice quivering.
"We're both watching it right now—Jojo, it's bad. Real bad."
That last part made even Freya curious.
"..."
"..."
Jojo exchanged a look with her before responding,
"All right. Stay put and don't do anything reckless. I'll check it."
He ended the call with a curt nod,
Nod~
Sliding the phone back into his coat pocket before turning toward the flat-screen TV mounted on the wall of the surveillance room.
Caroline stood up.
"What's going on?"
Jojo's voice was low but steady.
"Something's happening in India. Jenny seems to be very anxious while mentioning it."
He reached for the remote and switched on the TV.
The image flickered—
Static for a moment—
Before the screen stabilized to show a live broadcast.
Revealing the news anchor,
Her face pale and strained,
Speaking over chaotic background footage.
"Breaking news from Gujarat, India—reports are emerging from a prestigious all-girls school where ten students have reportedly committed suicide under mysterious circumstances. Local authorities are calling the situation 'unprecedented and deeply disturbing.'"
As she spoke, clips rolled across the screen—
Blurry phone recordings showing students standing in formation on the school terrace,
Their expressions blank, eyes glassy,
And bodies swaying as though under invisible command.
The anchor's voice trembled slightly as she continued,
"Witnesses claim the girls appeared to be possessed—their movements synchronized, their voices pleading them form approaching them. Investigators and parents say the students seemed to be following the commands of an unidentified man, though no such person has been seen on the premises."
The footage switched again—
To local police trying to breach the locked gates,
Shouting orders as a teacher screamed from behind them.
A group of students suddenly lunged toward the windows,
Slamming their heads against the glass until blood smeared the panes.
"Authorities report that whenever anyone attempts to interfere or search for this unknown individual, the remaining students turn violent—either attacking rescuers or attempting to take their own lives,"
The anchor continued,
Struggling to keep her composure.
"Officials are urging the public to stay away from the area as paranormal investigators and crisis response teams have been dispatched. But so far—no one has been able to identify the cause or the mysterious man behind the influence."
Freya's hand instinctively covered her mouth, her eyes wide with horror.
"Ten girls… all at once?"
Alaric muttered,
"That's not possession. That's control."
Jojo's eyes narrowed,
The faint orange glimmer of hellfire flashing in their depths as he watched the chaotic scenes replaying—
Students convulsing, teachers screaming, emergency lights reflecting off blood-streaked corridors.
He exhaled slowly and said in a cold, low tone,
"Someone's testing something… or someone."
Freya looked at him sharply.
"You think it's connected to Voodo witch?"
Jojo shook his head.
"No… this is different. But I think voodo or black magic . This one commands."
He turned to her, voice steady but heavy with intent.
"Pack what we need. We're going to Gujarat."
Alaric frowned.
Frown~
"You're serious? That's halfway across the world!"
Jojo glanced at him, his expression like stone.
"Ten innocent souls just died themselves alive under a phantom's command. If we don't go now… the next ten won't stop there."
The room fell silent except for the faint hum of the TV.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Freya nodded once, resolute.
Nod~
"We should go. Who knows if that Voodo witch is still there."
Jojo looked at the screen one last time—
At the lifeless eyes of the girls who had jumped from the terrace—
And whispered under his breath,
"Hang on… whoever's pulling those strings—I'm coming for you."
Jojo's brow knitted as he tossed possibilities back and forth in his head.
'Could this be the same voodoo witch who'd been trading favors with the cannibals?'
Maybe —
But Sara, his AI, had already cross-checked the witch's last known ping: Maybrook, Pennsylvania. Too far, and wrong signature.
This felt different.
Stranger. Wider.
His phone buzzed against his palm.
Ring... Ring...
The screen lit up; Sara's calm, clipped voice filled the room.
"Sara here,"
She said.
"Update: Father Sal Tedeschi has landed in Chennai, India."
Jojo's eyes narrowed until they were slits.
Frown~
"..."
He felt the shape of the puzzle click into a darker corner.
Father Sal —
The very man associated with those cannibals —
Didn't travel halfway around the world for small-time voodoo.
'If Sal was in Chennai, could it be they were planning something dangerous?'
Freya glanced up from the monitors, reading him like an open page.
"You think he's connected to this… event in India?"
She asked.
Jojo didn't answer immediately.
"..."
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(Author's POV)
(A/N):
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review and power stone!!!