The room was thick with tension as Elijah, Hecate, Klaus, and Hayley gathered around, their minds racing to come up with a plan to find Faye. Her disappearance was too sudden, too... unnatural. Whoever had taken her had done so with precision, and with a clear goal in mind. The power that had been used to sever the bond between Faye and Hecate was ancient and formidable.

Elijah paced the room, his thoughts running in every direction, but one thing was clear: Whoever had Faye didn't just want her power-they wanted something more.

Hecate stood by the window, her eyes closed in concentration, reaching out with her senses, trying to detect any trace of Faye. She had already attempted to tap into the magical energies around them, but something was blocking her-just as it had blocked Faye's connection to her.

"This isn't just some random attack," Klaus said, his voice low, dangerous. "Faye's magic is far too potent for this to be the work of any mere vampire or witch. Whoever took her... they know exactly what they're doing."

Hayley crossed her arms, glancing between Klaus and Elijah. "So what are we thinking? We can't just keep sitting around hoping she shows up. Someone took her for a reason, and that reason is probably connected to Hope. I'm guessing they're trying to get to her, to weaken Faye enough to break the spell keeping Hope safe."

Elijah stopped pacing, his eyes narrowing as he considered Hayley's words. "That much is true. We've known from the beginning that Faye's magic was the key to Hope's safety. But the fact that they severed her connection to Hecate means they must know more than we thought. Whoever is doing this is very well-informed, and they're playing a game with us. It's not just about Hope anymore. It's about control. Control over Faye-and control over everything she's connected to."

Hecate's eyes flicked open, her face pale with concern. "Elijah is right. Whoever is responsible is going to be far harder to track than we thought. I've been trying to locate any trace of Faye's magic, but it's as if she's been completely erased from the weave. They've done something to suppress her energy."

Klaus leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers thoughtfully. "Suppressed magic, severed connections, hidden energy... this sounds like gods at work."

Hecate's gaze sharpened. "That's exactly what I was thinking. I've felt the faintest traces of divine energy when I tried to reach her. Whoever is behind this is using a force that doesn't belong on Earth. Something beyond the typical supernatural realms."

Elijah's face darkened. "You're implying that gods are involved?"

Hecate nodded. "I'm certain of it. Not just any gods either. The kind of magic I felt could only be wielded by ancient deities-gods with centuries, if not millennia, of experience. And I'd wager it's not just about Hope. They have plans for her. Faye's involvement is merely a stepping stone."

Hayley stepped forward, frustration creeping into her voice. "We're talking about gods now? The gods who've been out of our lives for centuries, the ones who-"

"Who have never cared about us, never cared about anything but their own twisted games," Klaus finished for her, his jaw tight. "I know them well enough. And if they've taken Faye, it's because she's more than just a powerful witch. She's a tool-and they know how valuable she is."

Hecate's eyes flickered to Klaus, then to Elijah. "You may be right about that, Klaus. But don't forget one thing: Faye isn't just any tool. She's a goddess in her own right. And if they underestimate her, it will be their downfall."

Elijah rubbed a hand over his face, frustration clear. "I don't care what they underestimate. We need to find her."

Klaus raised a brow. "And how do you propose we do that, brother? We've already ruled out trying to track her with magic. You've already been through every conceivable resource. The connection between Faye and Hecate is severed, and now you're telling me the gods are involved? How do we even begin to fight that?"

Hecate spoke, her voice steady, though her concern was still evident. "There may be a way. If Faye is still alive-and I believe she is-there may be a trace of her magic hidden somewhere. It won't be easy to find, but there's one possibility. If someone powerful enough is blocking the connection, they could be using Faye's own power to mask her whereabouts. But there's a way to reverse that."

Hayley's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

Hecate met her gaze. "We need to break the spell on Faye. And in order to do that, I'll need to get close to the magic that's trapping her. But to do that, we'll have to track it to its source. We'll need to find where they're keeping her-and what they intend to do with her."

Klaus shifted in his chair, his expression still grim. "And how do we do that?"

"We need to start with the gods who have taken her," Hecate said, her voice cool with determination. "I'll need to reach out to their energies, trace the pattern of their magic. If they've involved themselves directly, it will leave a mark."

"Do we have any idea which gods are behind this?" Elijah asked, leaning forward, his voice tight with urgency.

"I have my suspicions," Hecate said slowly. "Poseidon and Ares. They're the most likely suspects. They have their own agendas, and they're not above using Faye for their own gain. But there are others I must consider. Gods with much more power than them. If they're involved, I'll know soon enough."

Elijah's gaze shifted to Klaus and then Hayley, his brow furrowing. "If this is true, we'll need more than just magic to find her. We'll need to be ready for a fight."

"Of course," Klaus said, standing up. "It wouldn't be the first time we've had to take down a god or two."

Hayley crossed her arms. "And if they're looking for Hope? If they're planning to break the spell on her..."

Hecate nodded grimly. "Then we need to act quickly. If they break the spell on Hope, everything changes. She will be exposed, and we'll be in far more danger than we could ever imagine."

The room was silent for a moment as everyone processed the gravity of what was happening. Faye's life was at stake. Hope's life was at stake. And the balance of power between them all would shift irreparably if they didn't act soon.

Elijah broke the silence, his voice low and steady. "We don't have much time. We need to move now."

Klaus nodded, his usual arrogance tempered with the urgency of the situation. "Then let's do this. We'll find Faye, and we'll stop these gods before they get any closer to Hope."

The group began to move with purpose, ready to face whatever came next. They didn't have the luxury of time, and they couldn't afford any mistakes. The stakes had never been higher.

⚠️TRIGGER WARNING⚠️: Mentions of physical abuse, miscarriage, and death. If you feel uncomfortable reading this, then please don't. Be sure to take care of your mental health.

Faye's mind was clouded, the pain in her chest growing as her power drained with each passing moment. Poseidon and Ares had cast a spell, one that forced her to relive her most painful memories. She tried to fight it, but the memories came unbidden, sharp and unrelenting.

Her vision blurred, and she was back in her childhood home, standing in the corner of the dimly lit room, watching through tear-filled eyes. Her father, a man whose face she could barely remember without a deep, suffocating sense of dread, was yelling. Her mother, fragile and broken, stood against the wall, eyes cast down, waiting for the storm to pass.

Faye could hear the sound of the slap even now-the sickening crack of it against her mother's skin. She had always been too small, too young, to intervene. Her father's harsh words echoed in the room, his anger spilling over in violent outbursts, but it was the silence that followed that haunted her most. The silence when he would turn his back, leaving Faye's mother to silently heal the wounds, both physical and emotional, inflicted on her.

Faye's heart ached as she watched her younger self stand frozen, too scared to move, paralyzed by the weight of the world that had never felt like a safe place. She had wanted to protect her mother, to stop the hurt, but she hadn't known how. She had always felt powerless.

In those moments, the helplessness had been her greatest enemy. The guilt had festered for years, growing as she got older, wondering if she could've done something to stop it, to change it.

Now, trapped in this painful memory, Faye was reminded of the fear she had learned to live with-fear that she couldn't protect the ones she loved, and fear that she wasn't strong enough to ever stop the violence.

The pain of those memories only intensified as the magic drained her, making her relive the torment, but Faye refused to let it break her. She had survived it once. She would survive it again.

But as Poseidon and Ares watched from the shadows, their smiles cold and cruel, they knew that each second was weakening her-slowly, relentlessly, until she would be nothing but a shell of the goddess she once was.

The next memory washed over Faye, even more painful than the last.

She was standing in the grand human temple dedicated to Hecate. The air smelled of incense, and the soft glow of candlelight flickered in the shadows of the towering stone walls. The quiet hum of whispered prayers filled the space, but Faye wasn't here to pray-she was here to connect, to seek guidance, as she always had in moments of despair.

She was with child, her belly rounded with the promise of new life. A life she had longed for, prayed for, and now-carried with hope. The child was a symbol of everything she had wanted-peace, family, a future.

But that night, the temple seemed colder than usual. The silence felt heavier. As she knelt, the familiar ache in her abdomen began to sharpen, more than she had ever felt before. She gasped and placed a trembling hand on her belly, as though that might stop the bleeding that had already started.

Her breath came in shallow gasps, and her heart pounded against her chest. She had not expected this. She had felt the life within her, heard the heartbeat echo in her own, a rhythm that was shared, a bond that was sacred. But now, that bond was being torn away.

Faye collapsed onto the cold stone floor, clutching her belly as the blood poured out of her, staining the marble beneath her. Her vision blurred with the tears streaming down her face, and the sound of her own breathing-erratic and desperate-seemed to be the only thing that anchored her to the earth.

"Please... no..." she whispered, her voice breaking with the weight of the pain and loss. "Not my child... not now..."

She had prayed to Hecate before, and she had never doubted the goddess's power, but tonight, there was only silence. The goddess didn't answer.

And then, with one final gasp, the world went black.

When Faye awoke, the pain had vanished. Her body no longer felt the heaviness of a child lost, but instead, something-someone-was pulling her up, gently, lovingly. She felt weightless, as though she were floating, but not in the comforting embrace of sleep. This was something else. Something ancient.

Hecate stood before her, her presence radiant, with the flicker of eternal fire in her eyes.

"You were loyal," the goddess said, her voice echoing like a thousand whispers in the vast space of Faye's mind. "You were devoted to me, Faye. You sought to protect the future, even if it cost you your own."

Faye felt the sadness of her loss again, the sharp sting of the child she would never hold, but it was fading, like the last remnants of a fading dream. And there, within the goddess's eyes, she saw something else-a spark of empathy.

"You were not meant to die," Hecate continued. "Not yet. You were too powerful, too connected to the forces of life and death. And though you have lost, I will give you something in return. A gift to balance your sorrow."

With a single wave of Hecate's hand, the energy that surrounded them surged, bright and burning. Faye felt power fill her veins, unlike anything she had ever felt before. It was raw, overwhelming, and eternal.

"You are no longer simply a witch, Faye," Hecate intoned, her eyes flickering with ancient power. "You are a goddess now. A force of magic itself."

Faye trembled, not from fear, but from the sheer weight of the power that now flowed through her-vast, uncontrollable, and divine. She could feel the threads of magic pulling at her, merging with her soul, reshaping her into something entirely different. Something more than human, more than mortal.

"You will live for eternity," Hecate said, "and with that power comes a responsibility. You are a protector, a keeper of balance. But remember-your pain will always be with you, as will the choices you make. You cannot escape the weight of what you have lost."

Faye looked at her, speechless. She had not expected this. She had not asked for this. She had simply wanted to survive, to keep the child alive, to have something to hold onto. But in the blink of an eye, she had become something greater than human-something immortal.

"You will learn to control this power," Hecate continued, a glint of amusement in her voice. "But for now, rest. You are no longer the girl who bled for her loss. You are a goddess, and your path will unfold as it was always meant to."

It's safe to read now, sorry if this causes any discomfort.

Elijah paced back and forth across the grand expanse of his room, his steps quick and agitated. The tall windows overlooking the courtyard remained open, but even the cool breeze that occasionally rustled through the trees outside did little to ease the rising tension inside him. His thoughts were consumed with Faye-where she was, what had happened to her, and the sinking feeling in his gut that told him time was running out.

The longer he thought about it, the more helpless he felt. He could feel the weight of Faye's absence, as though the very foundation of the world was trembling beneath his feet. Her disappearance wasn't just another problem to solve; it was a personal crisis, a reminder of everything he had failed to protect.

Hayley stood in the doorway, her arms folded tightly across her chest, watching him. She could sense the turmoil in Elijah, and though she understood the pain he was feeling, she knew that he was slipping further into his own thoughts, spiraling out of control. She had never seen him so distraught, not even when they had been through the darkest days of their family's history.

"Elijah, you need to slow down," Hayley finally said, her voice soft but firm. "We can't help Faye if you're running around in circles. You've got to keep your head clear."

Elijah's pace faltered for a moment, but only for a second. He rounded on her, his jaw tight, the frustration clear in his eyes. "You don't understand, Hayley. You can't help me right now."

The sharpness in his tone caught Hayley off guard, and she flinched slightly. She didn't want to provoke him, but the rawness of his grief was too much to ignore.

"What do you mean?" she asked, trying to stay calm, though a flicker of hurt tugged at her heart. "I'm here. I want to help. We need to work together. We'll figure this out."

Elijah turned away, dragging a hand through his hair as he walked to the fireplace, his gaze fixed on the flames but not really seeing them. His voice was a low growl, frustration and guilt lacing each word. "You don't understand what's at stake. Faye is-" He broke off, unable to put it into words, as if speaking the truth aloud would make the pain real. "She's been through so much already. I can't lose her now. Not like this."

Hayley's heart ached at his words, but she refused to back down. "I know how much she means to you. And I know you're worried. But Elijah... we've been through worse. We can do this, together."

Elijah spun around to face her, his eyes dark with the weight of his emotions. "No, you don't understand. This isn't about us, Hayley. This isn't about the family or even about the damn city. This is about Faye. She's been caught up in things that we can't even begin to understand, and right now, the only thing that can help us find her is finding her. We don't have time for anything else."

He exhaled sharply, as if the words were the only thing left to give him any kind of release. His frustration spilled over, and he took a few steps toward her, his voice growing quieter but more intense. "All I have is her. And I've already failed her once. I won't let it happen again."

Hayley swallowed, trying to hold back the frustration of her own, though she knew he wasn't directing it at her. But the thought of Faye in danger, of Elijah's pain-she couldn't just stand by and watch him tear himself apart. She stepped closer, softening her voice. "Elijah, you haven't failed her. But you need to stay focused. You can't help her if you're drowning in guilt. You're not alone in this. We are going to help her. We need to keep calm."

For a long moment, Elijah stood still, his eyes never leaving hers, the tension in his jaw never relaxing. He was struggling with something-his own inner demons, his fear, his need to do more, to fix everything. Hayley could see it all playing out behind his eyes.

Finally, he spoke, his voice quieter now, though the weight of his words still carried a heaviness that wasn't lost on her. "I'm scared, Hayley," he admitted, his voice breaking just slightly. "I've never been more terrified in my entire life."

Hayley nodded, her heart aching for him. She knew what it was like to feel powerless, to be on the edge of losing someone you loved, especially when it felt like everything was out of your control. She reached out, her hand resting gently on his arm. "We'll find her, Elijah. I know you're scared, but you don't have to do this alone. We're in this together."

For a moment, he allowed himself to lean into the comfort she offered, taking a deep breath, but he still couldn't shake the nagging feeling that they were running out of time. "I know," he said quietly. "But right now, all I can think about is getting her back."

As if on cue, a knock echoed at the door, breaking the moment of quiet. Hayley turned her head to glance at it, before Elijah gave a slight nod. She walked toward the door and opened it.

Standing there, slightly out of breath and with a grave look on her face, was Hecate. She was not a frequent visitor, but seeing her now, there was a new sense of urgency to her presence.

"I felt something," she said, her voice low and calm, yet there was a storm behind her words. "Something's wrong. I've been trying to reach Faye, but her connection is severed. I can feel her... but only faintly."

Elijah's heart leapt in his chest. "Where is she? What's happened?"

Hecate's eyes flickered briefly, filled with the kind of ancient knowledge that gave her power, but also weighed her with heavy responsibility. "She's in danger. And it's worse than I thought. We need to move quickly, Elijah. There's no time to waste."

Elijah felt the familiar dread creeping back into his chest, but this time, there was a flicker of hope. Hecate had the answers. She always did.

"We'll find her," he said, his voice steady, more resolved than ever. "We won't lose her again."

And with that, they set out, determined to bring Faye home.