After delivering Esther's body to the Mikaelsons, I found myself in the same Greek palace as always.
"Hello, mother," I said, looking at her seated on the throne.
"Hello, son. I see you eliminated your grandmother," she replied with a sweet smile, but a serious gaze.
"Look, I didn't break your rules," I said immediately, already expecting what was coming. "I didn't kill her, and I tried to talk."
"I saw…" my mother answered, and then suddenly I was sitting on her lap.
Damn, third-tier teleportation and I didn't even feel it—how powerful is she?
"I heard you want to go to New Orleans," my mother said, stroking my hair, and I naturally allowed it. "Your sister is about to be born, isn't she?"
"Yes," I admitted honestly. "I can't leave Hope alone."
"Son… you know that in your original dimension, you died because of her, right?" my mother said, her voice filled with concern. "I don't want to lose you. You're the only child I have."
The weight of those words didn't hit like a shock… it came as something quieter, more dangerous.
Something that had always been there.
I didn't answer right away. I just stared into the emptiness of the hall, feeling her hand still running through my hair, slow, almost hypnotic.
"I know."
My voice came out softer than I expected.
She paused for a second.
"Then why insist?" she asked, not harshly, but with something far worse… fear.
I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a moment.
"Because this time… it's different."
Silence filled the palace.
"In the other life, I didn't know anything… I had no power, no choice… I just reacted." I opened my eyes, staring at the endless marble floor. "Now I know what's going to happen. I know who my enemies are. I know where everything goes wrong."
Slowly, I lifted my gaze to her.
"And that changes everything."
My mother stayed silent, studying me as if trying to see something beyond what I was showing.
"Fate isn't something you can avoid so easily, son…" she said at last, her voice soft but heavy. "Even gods fail when they try."
I gave a small smirk.
"Then it's a good thing I don't have one anymore."
She narrowed her eyes slightly… and then, to my surprise, laughed.
Low. Controlled. Proud.
"Arrogant…" she murmured, going back to stroking my hair. "You got that from me."
We stayed like that for a few seconds… maybe minutes. There, in that place outside of time, where nothing really changed—except me.
"But since you're leaving, I have a mission for you," my mother said, stopping her hand. "The Hollow is a problem that's been giving dead witches justification to interfere in the mortal world without my permission."
"Ahhh, yeah, the ancestors, right?" I said, remembering those annoying spirits. "By the way, the spirits here disappeared before I could deal with them."
"Ahhh, those were handled," she said indifferently, waving her hand.
"But you said I was supposed to deal with them," I protested.
"No, I told you to deal with Esther without killing her yourself," my mother replied, giving me a pinch—ow, that hurt. "Which you failed to do. She died in the end, and for your information, she didn't come here… You could have turned her."
"So…" I was indignant.
"Yes, she just body-hopped and will keep causing trouble… Congratulations, son, you just made things harder for yourself again," she said, clapping her hands, amused.
"There's nothing funny about that."
"There is, and a lot," she repeated, tilting her head, clearly entertained by my frustration.
I huffed, crossing my arms.
"Great. So besides dealing with the Hollow, with the nosy ancestors… I also have an Original witch out there jumping from body to body."
"Exactly." She smiled, satisfied. "You're learning fast."
"This isn't learning, it's punishment in disguise."
"We call it… consequences."
"So that's the mission?" I asked. "To end the Hollow? To take away these witches' privileges?"
"Yes." She took a small step forward, and the space around her seemed to bend to her presence. "Your mission is simple."
Simple.
Of course.
It was never simple.
"And since I'm tired of idiots from other factions sending me messages, you, as my beautiful and wonderful son, will handle it," she continued. "If that means destroying the Hollow… then destroy it."
A shiver ran down my spine.
Not because of what she said.
But because of how easily she said it.
"And the ancestors?"
A faint smile returned to her face.
"If they continue to be a problem…"
She raised her hand… and slowly closed her fingers, as if crushing something invisible.
"…you have my permission to eliminate them."
I stayed silent for a moment.
"Wow…" I muttered. "Official permission to mess with the afterlife. That's new. But I don't have that kind of power—to kill the dead."
"Consider it a vote of confidence," she replied. "Of course you do. You're a demigod of mine… You're using my domain, you just haven't realized it yet."
What the hell does that even mean? Forget it. Judging by her look, she's not going to explain.
I sighed, running a hand over my face.
"Alright… Hope's about to be born…" I started counting on my fingers. "Anything else, or can I go suffer in peace?"
She stayed silent for a few seconds… and then smiled.
I didn't like that.
"What?"
"Be careful with Niklaus."
I froze.
"…what about him?"
"He's unpredictable. Always has been." She crossed her arms, watching me closely. "And you… tend to get attached."
"I won't get attached."
"We both know that's a lie."
I stayed silent.
Because deep down…
I knew she wasn't wrong.
"…I can take care of myself."
"I know," she replied softly.
And then… before I realized—
She pulled me into a hug.
Strong.
Warm.
Real.
"Come back when you can," she murmured. "While you still can."
My chest tightened slightly.
But I didn't hesitate this time.
"I will."
She pulled away, placing her hand on my chest.
And then—
The world shattered again.
—
New Orleans.
This time, the arrival wasn't smooth.
It was… heavy.
My feet touched the ground of a damp street, the smell of iron, magic, and something rotten filling the air.
I frowned.
"What a wonderful welcome…"
In the distance, music.
Jazz.
Laughter.
And beneath all of it—
Magic.
Ancient.
Watching.
I smirked slightly.
"Alright…" I muttered, starting to walk through the lit streets. "Let's see who wants to die first."
But deep down…
I already knew.
Because somewhere in that city—
Something had already noticed me.