the legacy of A Past Life

The sun was beginning to set on the horizon, dyeing the Mystic Falls sky with shades of orange and purple, as Hope walked through the halls of the Salvatore School, an old book in her hands. After her training with Alaric, she tried to focus, but her mind was restless, still processing the emotions of the day. She had picked up the book on werewolf bloodlines from the library, hoping to find answers to what Ethan had said about his father, Clark, but the words seemed blurred in her thoughts. Alaric, who was passing by with a stack of papers, noticed her distant expression and gave a smirk. "Is everything okay, Hope?" he asked, genuinely concerned. Hope nodded, forcing a smile. "Yeah, just… trying to study," she replied, before heading towards the library, determined to get busy.

Meanwhile, the familiar roar of a Harley-Davidson echoed in the distance, announcing Ethan's return. He parked his bike near the school entrance, his hair messy from the wind and a slight smile on his face. He was starting to get used to Mystic Falls, and the touch of humor he had discovered in himself seemed to lighten the weight of the questions he carried. He dismounted from the bike, carrying the backpack with his new clothes, and decided to look for Alaric to get his bearings about the school. He walked through the halls to the principal's office, where the door was ajar. Before knocking, he heard muffled voices coming from inside and stopped, curious.

In the room were only Alaric, MG, Hope and Landon Kirby. Landon's expression was a mixture of fear and frustration, as Alaric spoke to him, his voice firm, but with a tone of regret.

"You can't stay here, Landon," Alaric said, crossing his arms. "This school isn't for you. It's not safe, and you don't belong here. You need to leave, and this time, far away." In his mind, Alaric pondered the risks that a human's presence brought—the possibility of exposure.

the dangers he would face in a supernatural environment. He didn't know that Landon had stolen something, but he felt that his departure was necessary, and this time, he wanted enough distance to avoid trouble.

Hope stood a few feet away from Alaric, watching with her arms crossed, her face full of emotion. She knew Alaric was right. This place wouldn't do Landon any good. He was human, fragile in a world of werewolves, vampires, and witches. Staying here would only put him in danger, and she didn't want to carry the blame if something happened to him. "You'll be okay, Landon," she said, her voice low, barely audible. "It's better this way." Landon looked up at her, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "I didn't ask to be here, Hope," he said, his voice cracking. "But… I have nowhere else to go."

Alaric sighed, turning to MG, who was standing next to him. "MG, I need you to hypnotize him again," he ordered, his tone serious. "I want him to forget all about school and go far away from here. No more staying in Mystic Falls this time." MG nodded, stepping closer to Landon. His eyes glowed with vampiric power as he stared at the boy. "You're going to forget all about the Salvatore School," MG said, his voice calm and steady. "You've never been here. You're going to get on a bus and go far away, as far away as you can. And you're going to start over, somewhere safe." Landon stood there, his eyes glazed over, seeming to absorb the words. But inside, he was pretending—he'd learned to resist hypnosis from previous attempts, and now he was using it to his advantage. He nodded slowly, as if under MG's control, and took the backpack Alaric handed him.

Before Landon could turn to leave, Ethan, who was still listening through the half-open door, felt a tightness in his chest. He didn't know the boy—he'd only seen him a while ago at school—but something about Landon's lost expression touched him. Deciding to act, he knocked on the door and walked in, drawing everyone's attention. "Sorry to interrupt," he said, his voice hoarse, before addressing Alaric. "I was looking for you to ask about teachers and class schedules, but…" He paused, looking at Landon. Without thinking much, he pulled a leather wallet from his pocket and pulled out fifty $100 bills—a total of $5,000—handing them to Landon. "Here. I don't know where you're going, but this should tide you over for a while." Landon stared at him in surprise, while Alaric frowned in confusion. "What are you doing, kid?" Alaric asked, but Ethan just shrugged, a crooked smile on his face. "Money is no object to me, and he seems to need it more than I do. Let's call it my good deed for the day," he replied, with a low chuckle that eased the tension.

Hope, who had been watching the scene in silence, felt a knot in her chest loosen. Ethan's generosity touched her deeply, and she thanked him internally, impressed by the kindness he had shown her. It was a rare thing, to see someone so selfless like that, and it made her rethink what she knew about Ethan. Landon took the money hesitantly, mumbling a barely audible "thank you" before putting it in his backpack. He looked at Hope one last time, a silent promise in his eyes that she didn't notice. "Goodbye, Hope," he said, before turning and leaving the room, escorted by MG to make sure he caught the bus and left. Hope stood there, her chest rising and falling rapidly, but deep down, she knew it was for the best. Landon would be safer away from here, away from that dangerous world she knew so well.

Ethan focused on Alaric again. "So, about those times…" he began, trying to keep his tone casual, but Alaric just shook his head, still processing the gesture. "We'll sort this out later. For now, stay here and get used to the place," he replied, before turning to organize some papers. Ethan nodded and left the room, deciding to leave the shopping he had done in his room before doing anything else. He walked to the dormitory, dropped his backpack with jeans, leather jackets, white and black shirts in the corner of the room and felt a restless energy run through his body. He needed to move, train, like he did in Los Angeles.

He picked up a map of the school from the front desk and found a secluded area on the outskirts, away from prying eyes. There, amidst tall trees and a ground littered with dead leaves, Ethan began his training. He combined boxing, Muay Thai, and capoeira into a unique style he had developed over the years. He performed perfect backflips in the air, jumped high as if defying gravity, and threw powerful kicks that sent the wind whirling and the leaves around him swirling. Each movement was a dance of strength and precision, a reflection of how he trained back home in Los Angeles to channel the rage he felt nearly 24 hours a day—an internal hatred that had consumed him for as long as he could remember. But since arriving at the Salvatore School, something had changed. That rage, that hatred that burned inside him, seemed to be taking control. Maybe it wasn't the place that was calming him, but someone—specifically, a certain girl whose eyes and presence he couldn't get out of his head. He paused for a moment, panting, and chuckled to himself. "Maybe I'm falling in love with a walking mystery, who would have thought," he murmured, the touch of humor easing his tension as the wind continued to blow around them, carrying the scent of pine trees and a subtle foreboding of something greater.

Meanwhile, Hope remained in the room for a moment longer, helping Alaric organize a few things. Alaric was silent, his eyes fixed on the door where Landon had left. He didn't know that the boy had pretended to be hypnotized, nor that he carried secrets that could come back to haunt them. For now, he just hoped that distance would solve things.