One second she was fighting with Hope—or the Hollow rather—and the next thing she knew, she was standing—surprise surprise!—in the middle of a forest. Specifically, in the bayou. She wondered if she would ever be able to go into a forest again without questioning if she was unconscious or not.

She looked around, seeing trees and a barely-there trail that cut through them. When she moved, the grass didn't crunch under her feet, and she knew that this wasn't real. Or maybe that it was real, but she wasn't actually there.

Her eyes narrowed, focusing on where she could be. Akela hadn't appeared in front of her, nor any of the wolf ancestors, so her sudden unconsciousness couldn't have brought her to them. Not to mention, it had been the Hollow's magic that brought her here, and she had no idea what to expect from such ancient spells. Her surroundings were coated in a heavy blue mist, and the young girl shivered.

Moving forward, she walked cautiously in the bayou, as if something were going to pop out from behind a tree and scare her. Nothing did, and she continued on her walk until she stopped, her eyebrows furrowing together as she finally recognized where she was.

She knew these trees, knew them distantly, and she remembered walking this same path to Noah's house when he had first asked her to come over. Her heart grew weary, wondering why, out of all places, the Hollow chose to bring her here. She couldn't stand to think that Noah could be in trouble, especially when she remembered her suspicions surrounding his parents. If they really were working for the Hollow like she assumed, and the Hollow brought Mercy here for some reason, then surely it wouldn't be anything good. Mercy knew that for certain.

However, she also knew that she wouldn't get the answers unless she continued on her path, so, she did, pushing back the branches of a low hanging tree to descend further into her dark surroundings.

>

Hayley held the blade between her fingers carefully, twisting it this way and that as she studied the markings coating it. The weapon wasn't too heavy, but it was sharp, and Hayley's face grew even more concerned than it was before.

"What is this, Freya?" She asked urgently, trying to figure out why Mercy had it. Not only that, but she would like to know if it was dangerous considering the girl had it pinned against her other daughter's throat just moments ago. The weapon had fallen when Mercy did, and Hayley picked it up with a chill blowing across the back of her neck.

The centuries-old witch looked worried as well, the two women having just carried the twin girls into a nearby room. Hope and Mercy laid on couches directly across from each other, and they hadn't even flinched while they were moved, their faces a peaceful picture of sleep.

The witch grabbed the blade from the hybrid's hands slowly, her head tilting in interest. "It looks like a sacrificial knife," Freya began before her face turned grave. "And it has the Hollow's magic on it."

Hayley shook her head, hoping that it wasn't true. If it was, that meant that Mercy could be in more danger than they previously thought. "Where could she have gotten it?" She breathed desperately, needing answers as soon as possible.

"I don't know," Freya responded honestly, placing the knife back down onto the desk.

>

Mercy was approaching Noah's house now, the building looming up in front of her as she brushed the final branches back. She could see the swing on the porch swaying back and forth, as well as lights dotting the windows, but none of that scared her. No, what scared her was the raised voices coming from inside.

Tense with anticipation, the little girl climbed the porch steps. She tried the door handle, but when her hand passed right through it, she decided on a different tactic. Instead, the little girl closed her eyes and stepped through the wood like a ghost.

It was a strange feeling, moving through inanimate objects, but when Mercy was on the other side, she opened her eyes once more. The voices were louder here, and she took a deep breath before walking further into the house.

She turned toward the corridor where the voices seemed to be emerging from; she remembered walking these same hallways with Noah, asking his Uncle Parker to make the necklace that currently sat at her throat. She unconsciously reached up to brush her fingertips against the cool stone, hoping that the small piece of rock would magically give her enough strength to do this.

"You know this is what we have to do," one of the voices argued. "You know that there will be no other way for us to remain with Noah."

"You lie," another voice said, and she recognized this voice as Parker's. Mercy moved along the hall quietly, her eyes wide with apprehension. "You've lied before and you continue to lie now!"

"This is no lie, brother," another, deeper voice cut into the conversation. "We're bound by what gave us life again, and although it is against us, we owe the Hollow everything."

So, Mercy was right to have her suspicions. The Hollow had successfully brought Noah's parents back from the dead, but that only meant that her power flowed through them, making them both strong and un-fearing. Whether or not they were trained as well in strategy as the Mikaelsons were didn't matter. They were still real threats against the little girl and everything she held dear. The most powerful enemies were usually the ones that didn't fear the consequences their actions would bring. Mercy felt her blood run cold as she continued walking toward the open doorway.

When she entered the room, she noticed that it was the very same spot that Parker had made her necklace, within his office. The stones were gone now, as was the friendly atmosphere. It was sticky with tension, and the dim lighting only made her heart pound heavily in her chest. She glanced around to see Parker standing on one side of his desk with Lucy and Caesar Day on the other. The little girl's eyes narrowed at the obvious tautness between the adults.

Parker's face was pained, as if he couldn't believe the words coming out of Caesar's mouth. "Even now," he began, shaking his head. "The Hollow has a hold on you that is dark and evil. I will not allow my nephew anywhere near such brutality."

"You know nothing of brutality," Lucy suddenly said venomously. The older woman stepped forward, and Mercy watched as Parker grew tensed, waiting for a fight to break out. Lucy shook her head, a strange smile sitting on her lips. "This is a necessary evil, that's all."

Parker's eyes widened. "Killing a child is never necessary!"

"When it's a child as powerful as Mercy Mikaelson, it is," Caesar spoke up, and Mercy couldn't seem to find anymore oxygen in the air. So it was true then; they were trying to kill her under the Hollow's orders. Mercy could see why considering that the little girl was a threat to such power as Inadu's, but nevertheless, hearing her impending death be confirmed by her friend's parents was a new fear that she had never felt before. Her chest constricted tightly as she fought to breathe evenly again.

Parker sighed, sitting in his chair and running a hand through his messy hair. His glasses sat on the desk haphazardly, as if he had thrown them down earlier in the night. Mercy, watching the adults cautiously to see if they would notice her presence, walked further into the room, standing at the side of the desk between them.

Parker shook his head as he looked back up at Noah's parents. "Why are you telling me this?" He whispered lowly, and Mercy wanted to know the same thing.

Caesar sat in a nearby chair as well, shrugging his shoulders. "We've seemed to have misplaced something crucial to the sacrificial ritual," he began, and Lucy leaned on the desk, her palms splayed out.

"A weapon to kill the child," she explained, tilting her head like a cat would before it pounced. "You wouldn't happen to know where it is, would you?"

Parker's eyebrows furrowed together, but there was a sarcastic grin coming over his face. "You lost your weapon?" He asked with a chuckle. "Figures. Caesar was never good at keeping track of things," he sent a sideways glance to his now-glaring brother before returning his gaze to Lucy. "But I don't have it. I barely just found out your plans tonight, so how would I have known to take it?"

Lucy stepped back from the desk, turning away from Parker while she hummed. Mercy's heart was a loud drum inside her ears as the tension grew thicker and Lucy turned around slowly, now standing next to Caesar; she placed a hand carefully on the back of his chair.

"Perhaps you wouldn't know to take it," she began, and Mercy shivered at her tone. Her blue eyes were like daggers when she raised them up to meet Parker's concerned gaze. "But unfortunately, the Hollow knows you would do anything for children, even the damned child of the Mikaelson family." Parker swallowed, uncomfortable with what she was saying, because it was true. Mercy had seen Parker's kindness first hand, and she knew that the man would never deliberately try to harm her, even if she was a Mikaelson. Her heart grew at the thought. "And because of that, you must not be able to interfere tonight."

Quickly, faster than Mercy had ever seen, Lucy moved her hand forward, flinging something from her fingertips.

Mercy screamed, but nobody heard her pained noise. Instead, the office was filled with the sound of choking, and Mercy felt tears fall down her face in abundance as she saw a small knife sticking out of Parker's throat. Blood poured down his neck freely, and his hands came up to the wound, as if he couldn't believe it was there. She saw his eyes widening with fear, and Mercy felt her hands raise to cover her mouth. She knew they couldn't hear her strained and painful noises, but she felt sick to her stomach, and she wouldn't be surprised if she threw up at the sight.

Caesar stood as Lucy smiled. "I'm sorry, brother," he said, and Mercy wanted to believe him, but the look in his eyes told a different story. Caesar walked forward to stand in front of the desk once more, the same desk that was being stained red from Parker's blood. The substance coated his grey t-shirt and his hands, which were trying to stop the bleeding. "We will take care of Noah. Everything we've done has been for him."

If it was possible, Parker's face grew more scared at the mention of Noah. He opened his mouth to say something, but blood came out from there too, splattering harshly against the desk as his throat contracted around the knife. Mercy couldn't move from the sight, she couldn't even breathe. All she could see was his blood and his fearful expression, and every time she closed her eyes, even in a blink, the image seemed burned on her eyelids.

Then, like the falling of a leaf from a tree, Parker grew still. Mercy never realized that dead people didn't close their eyes when they died; Parker's eyes were still wide open, still staring at his brother in fear and panic. The last emotions he ever felt were some of the worst ones.

Mercy let out a sob, falling to her knees in the office, not noticed by either Lucy or Caesar Day. She tried to look away from the sight, but when her eyes landed on Noah's parents, she only felt more sick.

"Find the blade," Lucy commanded, and Caesar nodded, turning away from his brother's body like it was simply a fly that had been swatted out of the air. Mercy wanted to wake up from this nightmare.

"No!" A voice yelled so loudly that Mercy automatically jumped back to her feet, looking around her for the source of the noise. When she saw Noah, standing in the doorway of the office, her heart broke a little more, like a small line cutting slowly across the organ.

"Noah!" She screamed, reaching out for him as he passed by her toward his uncle's body, but her hand went right through him. She gasped, stumbling back until she hit the wall, shaking her head as Noah cried and shrieked at his parents.

"What did you do!" He had tears all over his face now, and Mercy reached out toward him again, but when she took a step forward, she was suddenly thrusted backwards into the well-known darkness.

>

Hayley and Freya were working dutifully. The two women had already called for reinforcements with Marcel and Vincent; they had a plan to get the Hollow out of Hope and into the book that Vincent wrote while under the Hollow's influence. Despite the possible solution to one of her daughter's problems, Hayley didn't feel any better. Mercy was still asleep, laying on the couch soundlessly.

She didn't know what the Hollow could've done to her and what she was going through now. It could've been a number of things, and Hayley didn't want her daughter to experience any of it.

"Freya, what should we do?" She asked breathlessly. The plan for Hope was already set in motion but they hadn't figured out a way to wake up Mercy just yet.

Freya moved around the room quickly, collecting herbs into her hand. "I can try a waking spell, but I'm not sure if it'll work against the Hollow's magic."

"We need to try," Hayley agreed, and Freya nodded her head, stuffing the herbs into a small jar between her fingers. The hybrid paced back and forth between both of her daughters, but she stopped, remembering the words that had been a reason as to why they were in New Orleans in the first place.

A baby born of darkness and fright,

will corrupt the twins destined for good and light,

and while one sleeps possessed in the night,

the other one is blessed with the gift of sight.

Hayley found it harder to breathe, realizing that despite the Mikaelsons' best efforts, the prophecy that Mercy had spoken of was slowly coming true. "Freya," she said, her voice cracking slightly, but the witch was already moving to Mercy.

"This is the most I can do," she explained before waving the small jar of herbs under Mercy's nose, muttering words quietly. Hayley wracked her fingers together, breathing quickly in anticipation.

Mercy gasped awake, sitting up and looking around hastily. Freya moved out of the way as Hayley fell to her knees next to her daughter, brushing her hair back from the girl's sweaty face. "Mercy, baby it's me, you're okay," she spoke calmly, trying to hide her own fear. She couldn't let Mercy see that she was just as afraid as her daughter was.

Mercy looked distressed, shaking her head as tears came to her eyes. "He—he can't be. It wasn't real," she said, but it was almost like she was trying to convince herself more than the woman in front of her.

Hayley hushed her, bringing the little girl into a tight hug. Mercy was shaking, and Hayley wished she could absorb the fear and pain into herself through the hug. She hated seeing her little girl like this, and the threat of the Hollow looming over them only made the hybrid more worried for her daughters.

Mercy was crying when Hayley pulled back to brush the girl's hair away from her face once again. But, Hayley's muscles tightened, hearing footsteps down in the courtyard; Marcel and Vincent had arrived for the plan to get rid of the Hollow. Looking back at Mercy, Hayley hated having to leave her, but for now, Mercy was safe—as safe as she could be—and they needed to make sure Hope was as well. Hayley made a silent promise to herself to take Mercy out for ice cream as soon as she was able to. It wouldn't erase all that she had seen, but it was Mercy's favorite snack, and she deserved as much ice cream as she wanted when this was all over.

"Mercy listen to me," Hayley said quietly, but her voice displayed an amount of urgency that had Mercy actually looking up at her instead of zoning out. "I need you to go to your room and lock the door. Do not come out until I say so, do you understand me?"

"Mom—" Mercy began, but Hayley stopped her.

"Please Mercy," she begged, her voice falling to a whisper as emotions overcame her. "I just need you safe. It won't be long, I promise."

Mercy was silent for a moment, and Hayley wondered what the girl was thinking. Her face looked unnaturally mature, and Hayley could feel guilt climbing up inside of her, ready to take over. She had promised her children a happy and safe life, but it was obvious that Mercy had already experienced too much at such a young age. She was growing up, and Hayley wished she could stop it. She only hoped that after the Hollow was taken care of, they could leave New Orleans and return back to their life before all this magic came for her daughters again.

Finally Mercy nodded; it was a slow, precise movement. "Okay," she said. "I love you, Mom. Be careful."

Hayley kissed her daughter's forehead gently. "I love you too, baby," she whispered. After a short pause, Hayley sighed and pulled away from her daughter, standing up to see that Freya had already left to go downstairs. Perhaps she wanted Hayley and Mercy to be alone for the time being, and the hybrid appreciated the gesture immensely.

With one last look at her daughter, she turned and left through the doorway, heading in the same direction that she heard muffled talking originating from. She forced herself not to look back for both of their sakes.

Mercy watched her mom leave, still sitting on the couch as a deep coldness set in her bones.

Her thoughts were racing, a great contrast to her motionless state. She had seen Parker die in front of her, the image still fresh in her mind as if a poker had burned it there. Noah had seen his uncle, dead at the hands of his parents, and Mercy could almost feel his blinding pain through the werewolf bond. It was a distant feeling seeing as she was so far from him at the moment, but she felt it anyway, and she knew that the pain would only grow if she got closer to him.

Her heart started breaking again. That little line from before was moving across it, cutting slowly but deeply. Her hands were clammy and she couldn't help but feel an immense sense of responsibility for Parker's death. Lucy and Caesar had killed him over her after all, and if the Hollow hadn't been so hell-bent on killing her, Lucy and Caesar might've not been brought back to life at all. Mercy felt Parker's death like a burden on her very soul, and it was heavy on the child's small shoulders.

She glanced over at Hope, wondering if their parents' plans for the Hollow would work or not. They had to work, she told herself. If they didn't work, Hope could be lost forever, and Mercy couldn't stand losing her sister in such a way.