The Power Field

Chapter 4

Hope Mikaelson knows from early childhood that she is special. She was born into a family of original vampires and hybrids, who are the most powerful creatures on the planet. Her very birth was a miracle, a mystery of nature, an error in a series of impossible circumstances. She has unique magical abilities that are beyond the control of other witches.

Hope grows up in a place where magic lives in every object she finds, where everything is soaked in blood, her tiny child's hand could reach, where vampires, werewolves and witches live side by side, constantly feuding with each other.

Because of her special background, Hope often becomes a target of an infinite number of her family's enemies. Her father, the original hybrid Klaus Mikaelson, for a thousand years of his existence, has found many millions of enemies who would gladly harm his only daughter. Therefore, he, along with the rest of the Mikaelsons, protects Hope in every possible way.

This Sunday evening, the life of a little girl is changing dramatically.

Young Hope, absorbed in reading some ordinary children's book, is already preparing to go to bed when she hears swearing from the next room.

Hope quickly puts the book away and goes back to bed, afraid that her mother will scold her. Closing her eyes, the red-haired witch listens intently to every rustle coming from behind the door. But nothing seems to be happening. Where Hope lies, there is no creaking of floorboards, no whispering of conversations, not to mention screams. Neither mom nor dad are in a hurry to check if their daughter is sleeping at such a late hour. Most likely they just don't hear her.

Fortunately, Hope is an intelligent and advanced witch. She knows the silencing spell and can safely do whatever she wants without worrying that her original family will reveal her nightly gatherings.

Realizing that none of them is going to check on her daughter, Hope hurriedly gets out of bed and goes to the door. Leaning her ear against its wooden surface, the red-haired witch tries to listen to the swearing in the living room.

Only fragments of phrases reach her. Hope manages to make out quite a bit.

Her mom Hayley Marshall suddenly screams. "Don't you dare accuse me of something I have nothing to do with!"

Dad answers her in the same tone. "You believe every bullshit of every stray dog!"

Hope stumbles back, bumping into a dollhouse standing right outside the door. Groaning in pain, she grabs her ankle, rubbing the bruised spot.

Suddenly there is a long moan, and something heavy hits the wall.

Hope freezes, covering her mouth with her hand. Listening to every sound, she slowly gets up and presses her ear to the door again. But she doesn't hear loud screams or blows.

Hope hesitates, trying to figure out what to do next. What if her mom was attacked? And what if dad was attacked? Yes, they are the strongest in the world, but even the strongest can be defeated. This has happened before. Her family, despite its original origin, sometimes suffers from the attacks by some evil witches. Hope has to do something. She can't sit quietly in her room, knowing that something terrible is going on behind the door.

The girl tears off the antimagic bracelet from her hands and, putting a cloaking spell on herself, opens the door a crack. Behind her, a dark hallway appears in the dim light of the wall lamps. Apparently, the hall is clear. There is no one outside the door.

Placing the bracelet on the nightstand by the door, Hope hesitantly slips into the hall. Looking around suspiciously, the red-haired witch is moving towards the place where she thought the screams came from.