Taking the stake from Tyler, Klaus examined it, "Some sort of special stake, hmm? Gather the other stakes and restake them. I'll deal with Elijah."
"What about the Strix leaders? They're still escaping," Tyler inquired.
"Fucking find them then and end them! Must I do everything myself?" Klaus asked irritably, hearing of Tristan's continued existence.
"Right away, sir, I'll see to it personally," said Tyler, leaving to execute his orders.
Klaus then turned his attention back to his brother and sped over, knocking him away just in time before he killed another one of his hybrids.
"Snap out of it Elijah, or I'll put you down again," said Klaus.
"How about I rip your heart out and see how long it takes to grow back," said Elijah aggressively, rushing over.
Wielding the special stake, Klaus fought him in a blur of movement, eventually missing a stab as Elijah knocked his hand away and hit him back, sending him flying.
A couple of hybrids then recklessly jumped him from the side.
Ducking their foolish attempt, Elijah's hands shot out, snatching the life from them.
Klaus scowled at seeing two more hybrids fall, their warm beating hearts still in his brother's hands, quickly yelling at the others, "No! Stop attacking! He's mine!"
Reengaging Elijah, Klaus grew frustrated with his ability to ignore hits in his rabid state, brushing off what otherwise would have put him down, or at least slowed him considerably.
Lowering his forehead, Klaus let a fist slam into him, grinning at the sound of breaking bones, but frowned when he used that same broken fist to hit him again before it even healed, catching him off guard.
With a glower, Klaus struck back hard, knocking Elijah clean off his feet. In a flash, he was upon him, stabbing towards his heart, through the left palm that tried to stop him.
"Give up Elijah, you were never going to win," said Klaus, pushing down.
Hovering dangerously over his heart, Elijah pushed back with everything he had and shouted, "Filthy bastard! I should never have defended you!"
The shock of which nearly allowed him to escape as Klaus faltered under the surprising insult from him, almost being bucked off, but with renewed determination and an angry roar, he shoved the stake the rest of the way down in one furious stroke.
.
Hearing more Hybrids down the hall, Tristan turns into the nearby room, "Out the window it is," only to stare down at numerous more hybrids waiting below.
"How is this possible? Where did he even get them all?" asked a bewildered vamp.
"It seems Klaus hasn't been as idle as we thought," said Tristan.
"What now sir? We'll soon be surrounded," said Aya.
"Either through them or back the way we came," said another helplessly.
"Or we could go back and take the path through the servant's quarters, through the kitchens, and sneak out the front. There isn't likely to be anyone there, considering that's where they entered from," suggested a vamp.
"Show us," ordered Tristan.
"This way," said the vamp, indicating a hidden door, designed to hide the help.
Hearing a loud crash, the witches informed them of what they already knew: "They've broken through the barrier."
"Then let's not dawdle here, hurry inside," ordered Tristan.
Closing the door behind them, they moved through the tight hallways, past the sleeping quarters.
Loud smashing behind them warned them of their impending company as they reached the kitchens.
"How many stakes are left?" asked Tristan.
"I have one," answered a vamp.
"One here," said another.
Seeing no one else speak up, Tristan ordered them to, "Give one to Aya and prepare yourselves."
"Guard the entrance, don't let them through," ordered Aya, collecting the stake.
The first Hybrid then came rushing over, tackling one of the two who tried to stop him, tearing into his neck with his teeth.
Grabbing a kitchen cleaver, Aya beheaded the offender as more hybrids appeared.
"Got another barrier in you?" Tristan asked the tired witches, visibly sweating underneath their attire.
"We can try," answered a witch, throwing off her cloak along with the others.
"I wouldn't advise it; they should conserve their power for later. We don't want the hybrids leaving and maneuvering around to surround us or breaking through the walls. It's best to keep them coming from one direction. I say we keep moving," suggested a vamp.
"Agreed. Aya, we're leaving, fight and move," said Tristan, taking the lead out.
Dodging a strike, Aya chopped the extended arm off, then the head, saving the stake for any identifiable leader.
Repeating the orders to the others, she fell back as more hybrids entered.
Tyler entered the scene, glancing at the bodies of his comrades before watching Aya dispatch another one, far more efficiently than her companions, who were falling by the wayside without her aid.
The bitten individuals fell into despair, making it easy for the hybrids to dispatch them as they fled.
Pushing his way to the front, Tyler caught up to them in the changing room as Aya fought against multiple foes in the enclosed space, her own ally getting in the way as she was struck.
When Tyler was finally able to join the fray, both hybrids were down, with Aya standing alone, glaring at him while covered in blood, with drips dropping from her cleaver and stake.
He grinned. "She's mine," he told the others before speeding in to confront her, though he knew he couldn't stop them from joining in, with all of them being under Klaus's compulsion to do what was best for him.
However, Aya sped away, not wanting to be too far away from Tristan.
He didn't have to pursue her far though, as Aya was waiting for him in the next area, guarding the path as Tristan, the witches, and the few remaining vamps neared the servants' exit.
Pleased to see a floor free of bodies so they wouldn't have to watch their feet, he entered the room.
"Why run? You won't get far," said Tyler, walking towards her.
"That's not for you to decide, nor will you live to find out," said Aya.
Tyler smirked. He liked this chick. It was a shame he had to kill her.
Cautiously approaching, he was keenly aware of her weapons, wishing he had something right about now.
"Attack!" Tyler ordered the two other hybrids now flanking him, quickly deciding he'd let them take the brunt of it before going in for the kill.
Heeding his call, they charged with unwavering determination, undaunted by her weapons.
Then she moved, rushing forward, she dropped down, sliding on her knees as she leaned back underneath their blows, splitting open the right one's abdomen as she passed.
Back on her feet, she swiftly dodged as two more entered the fight, followed by the third one from behind, cutting them open at every opportunity as she danced between them.
Feeling the pressure, she kicked one away, dodged a bite, then pivoted away as a fist came at her from behind, slamming the cleaver into his collarbone, which he then clamped onto, taking away her deadliest weapon as she was forced to let go to avoid being grabbed. Jumping safely away as he fell, momentarily defeated.
Annoyed that she hadn't yet scored a kill, she went after the one with spilled guts who was trying to get back to his feet, slamming the stake into his eye socket, piercing his brain.
Stepping on his chest, she pulled it out and swung at a charging hybrid, stabbing him through the temple, pushing him away as the other two came at her.
Weaponless, she hit them back, dancing around their strikes; countering each failed attempt, hard, until one lunged headfirst for a bite which she caught, nearly twisting it off, spinning the body mid-air.
The next was tougher, taking multiple hits in exchange for tearing out his heart.
"Impressive, but there's more where that came from," said Tyler, joining the fray with a couple more hybrids.
Undeterred, Aya continued to fight, outclassing them all.
Blocking and dodging multiple foes at once, she was running out of room as more circled around.
When one went for the tackle from behind, she backflipped on top of him, slamming him down with her weight before reaching over and tearing off his head as her foot came down onto the back of his neck, allowing her to wrench it off.
Not letting that go unpunished, Tyler was there, teeth bared, grabbing her foot.
Throwing the head at him, she kicked herself free with the other, scrambling to her feet. Fearing that at any moment she'd be dog-piled as the others attempted to do just that.
Rolling forward, she dodged most of them before being hit from the side, and then she felt it, searing pain in her side as his teeth sank into her.
Reaching for the stake close by, she pulled it free only to stab another hybrid who jumped her, whose eyes went wide as another hybrid jumped onto him, driving it home.
Trapped, she could only helplessly watch as another came, when suddenly they were all blown away.
Tristan came back to save her, reminding her of a time long past.
"Are you okay?" asked Tristan.
"Never better," she said, getting to her feet.
"TRISTAN! WHERE ARE YOU? TRISTAN!" Klaus roared from a distance, speeding his way towards them.
"Hear that, you don't have long," Tyler warned, but compelled to continue the fight, moved past the other vampires holding off his brethren and went straight for her.
"It's a good thing then that I won't have to wait here then," said Aya with renewed determination, countering each of his strikes before pulling his heart out, his eyes going wide.
"Well played," said Tyler, falling down.
"Finished?" asked Tristan sedately, waiting patiently for her return, unconcerned about the others.
"I'm afraid I can't go with you anymore sir. I've been bitten. I'll stay here to hold him back," said Aya, somberly.
"That's, disappointing… Klaus's blood is the cure," Tristan reminded her upon hearing his shout.
"TRISTAN!" Klaus shouted, closer than ever.
"You lot will stay with me and fight him off. Tristan must escape if we wish the Strix to live on," said Aya, addressing the other vamps.
They all agreed without question, each of them willing to give their life for the cause.
"Then this is farewell. I won't forget you," said Tristan, turning to leave with the witches who were necessary for another attempt at breaking the link.
"Goodbye, my lord," said Aya softly at his departing back.