Chapter 50: Klaus
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Chapter Synopsis: Max has to establish his presence with Klaus properly before a conclusive deal is struck. He may or may not have had to rough the guy up a bit, but, in his defense, he is still grieving…
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[Klaus Mikaelson]:
Klaus Mikaelson paced back and forth outside Alaric's body, inside his own, with Alaric on standby frozen in a comatose spell. Even as he paced his apartment room floor, his thoughts were all-consuming.
Watching him were his own brother, Elijah, dressed professionally as ever, and Greta Martin, the witch follower Klaus had on his side for things that required one.
He had a high school event to prepare for — One that he so long awaited — But admittedly, Klaus couldn't help but go over the events that happened that evening, with one Bonnie Bennett and her cousin, whoever that Max guy was. His mind was going over that event on concerning repeat, dissecting every angle of the event. The way the witch was able to just toss a fully grown vampire through a house without even lifting a hand or breaking a sweat. Without breaking a sweat or having so much as a bloody nose. It was horrifyingly powerful, even greater, Klaus feared, than any witch he had under his command, and that list was long.
'That witch was powerful, but her cousin was unimaginably more powerful,' Klaus thought as he paced, so deep in his thoughts he hadn't noticed Greta's concerned expression nor Elijah's narrowing, studious gaze. 'He stated he won't get involved in his cousin's "beef" with me, but can I truly rely on his word to stay out of it and follow through with my own plans with the same confidence as before?'
No, Klaus knew he couldn't. It was too much of a risk not to make a contingency around this newly introduced wildcard. But he'll have to be smart about it, he knew. Be clever. Cautious. And tactical.
He couldn't afford to make mistakes. Killing Bonnie Bennett, he knew, has just become an impossibility. Not with her cousin around casually talking about resurrecting her "without garnering Nature's ire" supposedly. But something told Klaus even Nature couldn't contain this witch, and this witch was not worried about upsetting it. He genuinely believed that he could resurrect someone else.
He had no idea how right he was. On all accounts.
Suddenly, Klaus looked up directly at Greta. "Who is this Max Bennett? Is he someone I need to worry about?"
Greta frowned.
However, just as she was about to answer, the door to the apartment opened and in came the devil Klaus had been worried about, wearing a chipper smile as if he didn't just barge right into the most dangerous apartment room on Earth.
The audacity both impressed and slightly annoyed Klaus, but he stayed his hand, curious as to the young warlock's reason for visiting him directly without invitation.
Elijah also seemed taken aback by Max's entry. However, seeing as Klaus hadn't yet reacted harshly, the Original vampire merely narrowed his already narrowed eyes. He, too, was curious by what this witch had to say with such an entrance.
Greta, however, didn't seem to get the memo. The moment Maximus entered, she immediately began casting a spell.
"Sleep," Max said clearly.
Unfortunately for her, the witch never got the chance to utter a second word as, with that single word, she crumpled to the ground, deeply unconscious.
The move surprised Klaus. He was shocked by how easily this young warlock was able to down one of his more capable witches he had under his name. And with just a single word, too. Klaus already knew the boy was powerful, but to such an extent? It was both impressive and pretty terrifying.
Despite these feelings, his face was a mask of stone. It revealed nothing. Klaus had no intentions of giving the boy more control over the situation than he already had by being an open book with his expressions.
Max watched both vampires, a strangle twinkle in his eyes. He didn't seem scared at all. He was in a room with two of the world's deadliest vampires and he seemed utterly amused to even be there.
"Sorry to barge in on you like this," Max said after a beat of silence. "I've come to bargain a deal… One you'll find yourself in high payouts for agreeing to. Let's make a deal, shall we?"
"Well, this is interesting," Klaus chuckled, taking his seat at the table, pouring himself a drink. "I'm all ears."
Max shared his Cheshire grin with one of his own.
"So you're offering to completely remove the curse my Mother placed on me to keep me from accessing my werewolf side..." Klaus stated, beginning to see it. "In exchange, I just need to seduce some werewolf girl in the Appalachian Mountains? That is all you require?"
Max nodded.
"I won't need a Moonstone to undo it or any sacrifice — I technically don't even need the Moon to undo your curse," Max stated. "I am, without a doubt, the strongest witch to ever live... I can unravel Esther's curse with a mere snap of my fingers. I only want one thing in return — For you to sleep with one werewolf woman named Hayley."
"No strings other than that?" Klaus asked, curiously. "No tie downs? No other additive other than a tryst?"
"Aside from sleeping with her at least 75 times... Maybe getting to know her — Nothing else," Max admitted.
"This deal feels... simply unbelievably easy," Klaus chuckled, but he was studying Max even then.
"I agree, Niklaus," Elijah stated, side—eyeing Max while locking eyes with his brother. "This sounds like a devil's bargain. It is blatantly too good to be true. In my experience, such deals are completely untrustworthy. How can we be certain you are not lying to us… that you are not using us for some unseen reason?"
"Lying?" Max suddenly felt a seething rage.
The air in the room began popping and the foundations of the building itself began to shiver as the earth beneath it began to shudder violently to just a drop of his barely released power. The two men seemed to frown at the raw, unprecedented display of power—power unlike anything they've ever felt before.
"I have amassed more magical power in my 17 years of life than your own Mother could've possibly amassed to create all 5 of you into what you are today. I've beaten my own deranged ancestress—the most powerful witch before me—in a duel of pure magic power, assimilating her power ontop my already significant power. I am the strongest werewolf on Earth—EVER! and the only hybrid werewolf-witch to ever fucking exist. My power alone dwarfs any predecessors before me and my physical capabilities are as strong as an 800 year old vampire... And that's only in base form.
"Do not tell me I am lying about the deals I propose, Elijah Mikaelson. I have no reason to lie to you nor any ill-intent other than ensuring events play out justly in my absence.
"Accuse me again and I will forget you mean well."
Just as suddenly as the pressure descended on the room, it vanished. In its stead, Elijah and Klaus showed no fear, though minor telltales exposed their facades—Klaus' slightly uptick heartbeat, Elijah's almost compulsive need to repeatedly re-adjust his tie.
"Well, is that all there is to this deal on my end?" Klaus asked, chippy. "Seduce a woman?"
"No," Max stated. "I'll be adding this to the deal: Free the rest of your siblings from the daggers, Klaus. That is all."
Klaus' face darkened.
In a blur, he had Max pinned to the wall by his throat. "You may be as powerful as you claim to be but you aren't nearly strong enough to command me!" Klaus seethed, his pride wounded. "You will carry your end of the deal regardless of my—"
He didn't get the chance to finish as, with a tilt of his head, Max telekinetically sent the vampire flying to the wall—slammed him to the other end, before making him slam into the right and then left and then right—All with tremendous telekinetic force while telekinetically keeping Elijah frozen in place.
And the best part? Max hadn't even needed to lift a finger or even focus too much. Just a gaze, a tilt of his head, and Klaus was hurled, battered and bloodied. Then, freezing Klaus to hover mid air, Maximus telekinetically choked Klaus until he was purple.
"I was being nice before because you're my boyfriend's brother," Max started. "Perhaps that is why you misread the dynamic.
"I'm no longer asking for your co-operation. I'm commanding it. I don't need white oak to kill you, Klaus. If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead.
"You will obey the terms I've set, or I promise you—I will absolutely obliterate the Mikaelson clan in one fell swoop. I promise that upon the Styx itself.
"Are we clear?"
"Are we clear?"
Klaus was still held telekinetically by his throat, his choked words coming out as barely coherent. "I... I agh..."
"I said..." Max squeezed harder. "ARE. WE. CLEAR?!"
"Yes...!" Klaus managed to get out.
And that's how Max finally released both terrorized brothers of his telekinetic control.
Klaus, in a coughing, gagging fit—And Elijah trembling in terror despite his doing his very best to keep composure.
"Next time, I won't threaten to kill you and yours," Max announced, head raised high. "I would just do it."
Max turned his back to the vampires.
"Do your end of the deal," Max stated, collecting himself. "Tonight, I will break the curse. However, if you don't follow through with your end of the bargain, I'll strip you of your werewolf gene. Permanently. And then I'll weaken you until you're only as strong as newborn vampires, beacon your location to every single one of your enemies around the entire world, kill your sister and watch you get torn apart."
"Don't play with me, Klaus Mikaelson. This is not a game nor a threat. It is a promise."
And with that, Max vanished in a puff of violet-blue and black smoke.
He had a pack of New Orleans wolves to meet after all. After all, he was royalty and it was time he went to rescue the wolves of the Crescent Wolf pack of the French Quarter… Maybe Jackson Kenner and Oliver would be able to relieve the stress he was currently feeling.
Then again, he had his mission… even if he wanted to get one last bit of fun from it before he enacted his next course of actions.
Either way, he had his next destination set. It was finally time to head to the French Quarter of New Orleans…
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P.S: The Multiverse Arc will soon commence. I just ask for patience. Also, know that many of the multiversal stories will take place in other fanfics I am writing/am planning to write, so expect crossover fanfic stories! All of these works will be entirely avaialble on WebNovel when published. I've only posted two stories on Ao3, despite my consistency, and, while I do expect to publish more stories on here, they will always definitely be available on WebNovel complete with the visual aids and reference images. Just FYI.
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