The Doppelgänger Mikaelson

The light faded, leaving the cave in a dim glow. Ivar stepped closer, his gaze locked on the figure now free from the icy prison. A girl stood there, her bare form glowing faintly in the torchlight. Her blonde hair clung to her damp skin, and her striking features seemed oddly familiar, though he couldn't place where he had seen her before.

He tilted his head, curiosity flickering in his piercing gaze. "Who are you?" he asked calmly, his voice steady despite the surreal moment.

The girl didn't respond. Her wide, strikingly blue eyes locked on him, cold and calculating. Ivar could see the tension in her body, the way her fists clenched at her sides.

"Do you even understand me?" he asked again, his tone sharp.

Still, she said nothing. Her expression shifted from confusion to resolve. She raised a hand, her fingers curling as she began to chant in a low, melodic voice.

"Invictus igni tenebris, fractis vinculis, adversa disperdam!"

The air in the cave shifted, swirling with a sudden pressure that made the flames of the torches flicker wildly. A surge of raw energy blasted toward Ivar, dark and fiery, the ground trembling under its force.

Ivar didn't move. The attack hit him directly, but instead of being thrown back or showing any sign of pain, he remained rooted in place. The energy dispersed harmlessly, fizzling out like steam.

The girl's eyes widened in disbelief. She stepped back, her lips moving rapidly as she muttered another spell:

"Lux tenebris consuma inimicum!"

Bright, searing light burst from her palm, arcing toward him like a spear. The spell struck his chest, but again, nothing happened. Ivar simply stood there, his expression calm, almost amused.

"Done?" he asked, his tone cold.

She faltered, taking another step back, confusion etched across her face. Her hands shook as she tried again, chanting yet another incantation:

"Glacialis somnus, carcer perpetuus!"

The temperature in the cave plummeted as frost crept along the ground, tendrils of icy magic aiming to encase him. Yet as the ice touched him, it shattered instantly, unable to take hold.

Ivar let out a low, dry chuckle. "You're going to have to try harder than that."

The girl's breathing quickened, her gaze darting between him and the cave entrance as if weighing her options. But before she could act, Ivar raised his hand in a slow, deliberate motion.

"That's enough," he said simply.

The energy in the room shifted again, but this time it was his doing. The oppressive force of his presence filled the space, making it hard to breathe. The girl froze, her body trembling as if the air itself weighed her down.

"Now," he said, stepping closer, his eyes narrowing. "Who are you, and why were you in that ice?"

Still, she didn't answer, but this time it wasn't defiance—she was clearly afraid. Ivar's gaze softened slightly, though his tone remained firm.

"Look, I don't want to hurt you," he said. "But if you keep attacking me, I'll have to defend myself. And trust me, you won't like that."

She glared at him, her fear giving way to anger. "Who are you to demand anything from me?" she spat, her voice trembling but defiant.

Ivar smirked, folding his arms. "You can call me Ivar. Now, your turn."

Her lips pressed into a thin line as she studied him, her eyes scanning his face for any sign of weakness. Finally, she spoke, her voice low.

Alyssa's eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening before she finally spoke, her voice steady but carrying an edge of uncertainty. "Alyssa. Alyssa Drake." She paused, her gaze darting around the cave as if piecing together her own story. "I… I remember dying. Vividly. And then—next thing I know—I'm here. In this cave."

Ivar's brow furrowed. He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off, her tone growing sharper. "As if that wasn't enough, some winged women showed up out of nowhere. Said I wasn't 'of this world' or something." She waved a hand dismissively, her frustration clear. "Blah, blah, some cryptic nonsense I didn't even understand. Then they trapped me in ice. And now I'm here." She folded her arms and glared at him. "Happy now?"

Ivar stared at her, his confusion deepening. "Winged women?" he repeated, his voice low, almost to himself. "In all my years, I've never seen or heard of anything like that." He tilted his head, his piercing gaze scanning her. "What exactly are you?"

Her eyes narrowed again, her fingers twitching as if she was debating whether to lash out at him or not. But before either of them could speak further, Ivar's attention shifted. His eyes flicked to something behind her, glinting faintly in the dim light.

"What's that?" he asked, nodding toward the object.

Alyssa turned, her movements stiff, and her eyes widened as she saw what he was looking at. Nestled in a small recess in the cave wall was a thick, ancient-looking book. Its cover was dark, almost black, with veins of crimson that pulsed faintly, as though alive. Strange symbols were etched across its surface, glowing faintly as if reacting to their presence. The air around it felt heavier, charged with an unsettling energy.

"How did that get here?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. Her earlier defiance had melted away, replaced by a mixture of fear and disbelief.

"You tell me," Ivar said, his tone sharp. He took a step closer, his curiosity outweighing his caution. "What is it?"

Alyssa shook her head, her hands trembling slightly. "That… that's not possible. It shouldn't be here."

Ivar raised an eyebrow. "So you do know what it is."

She turned to face him, her expression serious. "If I'm right, we shouldn't be anywhere near it."

Ivar ignored Alyssa's warning and stepped forward. His tall frame loomed over the strange book, his hand reaching out to touch its dark, pulsating cover. But just as his fingers were about to brush against it, the book vanished.

"What the—" Ivar straightened, his hand snapping back as he glanced around the cave.

Before he could process what happened, the book reappeared—in Alyssa's hands. She stared down at it, her fingers gripping its edges as if it had been forced upon her. Her eyes widened in shock, and she stumbled back a step.

"It's… afraid of you," she whispered, the words spilling out before she even realized she'd said them.

Ivar frowned, his piercing gaze fixed on her. "Afraid of me? It's a book."

Alyssa didn't respond at first. She just kept staring at the object in her hands, the glowing symbols on its surface now brighter, almost as if they were alive. Her breathing quickened, and her face paled as realization dawned on her.

"No, no, no… this can't be happening," she muttered, her voice shaking. She looked up at Ivar, her eyes now filled with fear—but not for him. "I've bonded with it."

"Bonded?" Ivar repeated, his tone skeptical. "What does that mean?"

"It means," Alyssa said, her voice steadier now but dripping with unease, "this isn't just any book. This is the Vade Maecum Infernal."

Ivar folded his arms, unimpressed. "And I'm supposed to know what that is?"

"It's the most dangerous collection of spells and rituals in existence," she said, her gaze locking onto his. "Every page is filled with power that could destroy worlds—or worse."