The moonlight bathed the field in a cold, silvery glow as Ivar emerged from the shadows of the forest. His steps were slow but deliberate, his green eyes scanning the group of his siblings waiting for him in the open field. Their postures varied—some tense, others relaxed—but the weight of their collective attention pressed against him like an invisible tide.
Niklaus, ever the wolf in spirit and demeanor, paced restlessly, his hands flexing as though preparing for a fight. His sharp blue eyes snapped toward Ivar the moment he appeared. "Well?" Niklaus drawled, his voice low but carrying a sharp edge. "Care to explain why you skulked off into the darkness?"
Ivar stopped a few paces away, his expression carefully neutral. The faintest flicker of tension passed through his jaw before he forced a casual smile. "I thought I heard something," he said smoothly, his voice calm but measured. "I went to check it out. Nothing to worry about."
Rebekah folded her arms across her chest, her gaze narrowing as her blue eyes studied him intently. Her lips pressed into a thin line, skepticism etched into her delicate features. "And it took you that long?" she asked, her tone soft but accusing.
Before Ivar could reply, Finn, who had been silent until now, straightened from where he had been standing apart from the group. His dark eyes met Ivar's, his expression steady and calm, though there was a glint of understanding beneath the surface. "There's nothing to apologize for," Finn said, his deep voice cutting through the tension. He shifted his gaze to the others, his tone firm. "If he doesn't wish to share, that's his choice. We've all gone through enough tonight without turning on each other."
The statement drew sharp reactions. Niklaus's pacing halted abruptly, his glare snapping to Finn with an almost feral intensity. "You'd defend his secrecy?" he growled, his lips curling in irritation. Rebekah mirrored the look, though her response was quieter, her icy gaze still fixed on Ivar. Kol, leaning casually against a tree, raised an eyebrow, his lips quirking into a sly grin, clearly enjoying the brewing tension.
Henrik, however, moved before anyone could speak again. The youngest sibling stepped away from the group, his soft features tense but determined. His brown eyes held a quiet intensity as he approached Ivar, tilting his head slightly to meet his older brother's gaze. "Come," Henrik said simply, his voice carrying a subtle excitement. "I've learned something."
Without waiting for a response, Henrik exhaled slowly and pushed off the ground. His small frame rose effortlessly into the air, the moonlight catching his tousled brown hair as he hovered a few feet above the grass. His expression shifted from concentration to delight as he turned his gaze down to Ivar. "See?"
Ivar's normally composed demeanor faltered for a moment. His green eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise breaking through his controlled facade. Flying? he thought, his mind racing. The TV show had never depicted vampires with such an ability. His surprise was mirrored by the faint furrowing of his brows and a slight tightening of his jaw as he watched Henrik rise and descend with ease.
"Impressive," Ivar said after a beat, his voice quieter, almost thoughtful. He glanced briefly at the others—Niklaus's frown deepened with irritation, Rebekah's curiosity momentarily outweighing her suspicion, Kol's smirk turning into an amused chuckle—before refocusing on Henrik. "Let me see something," Ivar murmured, his tone low but laced with determination.
His mind reached out, summoning the system. Show me Henrik's stats, he commanded inwardly, the now-familiar glow of text appearing in his mind.
---
Name: Henrik Mikaelson
Race: Original Vampire
Title: The First Seer
Bloodline Ability: Mental Resonance (0%)
Strengths: Heightened Awareness, Adaptive Potential, Emotional Clarity
Abilities:
1. Flight
2. Advanced Sensory Perception
3. Precognitive Instinct
4. Supernatural Strength
5. Supernatural speed and agility
6. Compulsion
7. Advanced Regeneration
---
Ivar's gaze flicked between the glowing text and his younger brother, a subtle tension creeping into his expression. Mental Resonance? Precognitive Instinct? The abilities were latent, but the potential they hinted at was staggering. He rubbed the back of his neck absently, his fingers curling into the strands of his hair as he digested the implications.
Henrik descended gently, his feet touching the ground with an almost reverent grace. He looked up at Ivar, his expression expectant and tinged with pride. "What do you think?" he asked, a faint smile breaking across his youthful features.
Ivar forced himself to smile back, though his mind remained elsewhere, churning with questions. "You're full of surprises, little brother," he said, his voice warm but distant.
Henrik beamed, his earlier nervousness dissolving into quiet confidence. "I'll teach you if you want," he offered, his tone earnest and eager. "It's not hard once you get the hang of it."
Behind them, Niklaus let out a sharp exhale, his frustration barely contained. "Since when can we fly?" he muttered, his hands clenching into fists. "And why didn't anyone tell me?"
Kol snickered, brushing a speck of dirt off his sleeve. "Oh, don't pout, Nik. You'll figure it out soon enough. Or not." His grin widened as Niklaus shot him a glare.
Rebekah sighed, her blue eyes rolling skyward before settling on Ivar again. "If Henrik can do it," she said, her tone sharp but tinged with curiosity, "then surely we all can. Right?"
Ivar glanced back at Henrik, his smile fading into a thoughtful frown. "Maybe," he said softly, though the weight of his thoughts betrayed the uncertainty he kept hidden.
Elijah, who had been observing silently, stepped forward, his presence as calm and steady as ever. "If there is more to discover," he said, his dark eyes sweeping over his siblings, "then we will uncover it together. For now, let's focus on understanding what we've become. In time, everything will reveal itself."
The group fell silent, Elijah's words hanging in the air like a binding promise. Henrik nodded solemnly, stepping back toward the others, while Ivar lingered at the edge of the circle. His green eyes scanned the horizon, his thoughts once again consumed by the presence in his mind and the mysteries it had revealed.
If Henrik's potential is just beginning to surface, Ivar thought, clenching his fists, what does that mean for the rest of them?