#epicshowdown

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"You're going to regret this," Y/N snarled, jerking against the restraints with all her might. The friction of the ropes would scrape her chafed wrists, but she didn't even give a damn; the fury inside her was burning far more than any literal pain. Kai Parker stood before her, his smile infuriatingly calm, "Regret the time spent with you? Never!" His voice was smooth, almost tender, a stark contrast to the malice in his eyes.

Her heart was pounding in her chest. She had known Kai for months. She had seen his cruelty and moments of vulnerability. But this was different; she'd always been able to keep herself cool around him, but this time, the stakes were up. Too many lives depended on her getting out of there and stopping him.

Their history was a complicated one. Y/N first met Kai in the 1994 Prison World, where she was stuck with Bonnie and Damon. Then, he was the charming sociopath who thrived off chaos and destruction. But in those quiet moments, away from Bonnie and Damon, there had been something else. Kai had a way of making Y/N blush with his relentless flirting and teasing. He had a way of getting under her skin, making her feel things she didn't want to acknowledge.

"Y/N, come on," Kai would say, his eyes twinkling with mischief, "You know you like having me around. Admit it." He'd lean in close, his breath warm against her ear, and she would feel her cheeks flush, despite herself trying to stay stoic.

"You're insufferable," she would throw back, drawing herself up and shooting him a look, but inside, she was thrilled with every fiber of her being when he did that. Faced now with the reality of his actions, those memories felt like a distant dream. The boy who had made her blush was also the man who was capable of unimaginable cruelty.

"You think this is a joke, Kai? You think you can keep playing your twisted games and get away with it?" Her voice shook with her fury, but she made herself meet his eyes steadily.

Kai tilted his head, his smile widening, "Y/N, you don't understand. It's not a game; this is beyond my control. This is destiny. This is what I was put on this earth to do."

"Destiny?" Y/N spat out, eyes blazing, "To hurt people, to cause chaos? That is not destiny, Kai. That is madness."

He took a step closer, his expression darkening, "Madness? Perhaps. But it is madness with a purpose. You see, Y/N, I have spent my whole life being told I was worthless, an abomination. But now, finally, I have power. Finally, I am in control."

Her heart ached for the pain she saw flicker across his eyes. For a moment, she saw the boy who had been discarded, who had been made to feel like nothing. But she couldn't allow herself to pity him. Not now.

"Kai, listen to me," she said, her voice softer but no less urgent, "You don't have to do this. You can choose a different path. You can use your power for good."

He laughed, a harsh, bitter sound, "Good? There's no good left for me, Y/N. Just survival. And the only way I survive now is by winning this fucking game."

Y/N's mind raced for something to say to him, "Kai, if you do this, you'll be alone. Completely and utterly alone. Is that really what you want?"

His smile faltered for just a fraction of a second; then it was back, colder than ever, "Better alone and powerful than surrounded by people who will never understand me."

Y/N felt a surge of desperation. She had to break through to him, had to find a way to make him see reason, "Kai, please. I know you. I know there's still a part of you that cares, a part of you that doesn't want to be the villain."

Kai's eyes narrowed, "It's too late for that, Y/N. It's too late for anything but this." He turned away, and for the first time, Y/N saw a hint of uncertainty in his movements.

"Kai, wait!" she cried, struggling against her restraints, "You don't have to be alone. We can find another way. Together."

He paused, his back to her, and for a moment, Y/N thought she had reached him. Then he shook his head, shoulders stiffened. "I'm sorry, Y/N. But this's the only way I know how to be."

And with that, he walked out of the door, leaving Y/N bound and desperate in the cruel world. Her heart went heavy, knowing she had come so close yet so far from being able to save him. As the door closed behind him, she vowed she would not give up. She would find a way to stop him, to save him, even if it were the last thing she did.

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Jo and Alaric were having a happy, celebratory wedding surrounded by loved ones. Everyone involved desired a fresh start and a peaceful moment. However, tranquility proved to be fragile and easily disrupted.

With wrath and resentment in his eyes, Kai Parker dashed into the ceremony. He launched his strike before the Gemini Coven could respond, with magic sparking through the air.

Trying to escape the lethal energy bursts, guests shrieked and dispersed. His twin, Jo, eyes wide with shock and resolve, stood her ground. Shaking, she begged, "Kai, stop this! Why are you doing this?!"

But Kai had no brotherly affection in his distorted smile. Ignoring Jo, he said, "You should know by now. I never quit on what I started."

As he lifted his hand to cast another attack, the hall doors flung open. Y/N staggered in with her gaze fixed on Kai, bruised, and worn out. Her willpower, pushing her on despite the agony, had allowed her to break free from her restraints.

She cried, "Kai!" as she hurried herself between him and Jo, "Enough already!"

As Kai saw Y/N, he paused, his gaze closing in. In a low, and deadly tone he muttered, "You… How come you were free?"

Y/N sprang for him, attempting to throw him off balance before he could react. Kai moved more quickly. With his power blazing, he turned and launched her across the room with his magic. Y/N flew into tables strewn across the floor. She flew so hard into them that her lungs were afflicted with formidable force and coughed up blood. All bloods were stained on her clothes.

Y/N’s besties Elena and Caroline raced to her aid, "No, Y/N!"

Fearful, Caroline sobbed, “Don’t die on us, please.”

Damon, who had developed a close bond with Y/N during their time in the Prison World, stepped closer and unleashed a torrent of anger. He yelled, "You messed with the wrong person, Kai."

Kai had little time to react when Damon tackled him, but with a flick of his wrist, he sent Damon hurling across the room and into a set of chairs.

“Damon, get out of here!” Kai yelled, “This is between me and the rest of the others.”

With a sneer on his lips, Damon got up to his feet. He spat, "Like hell it is," but Elena held his arm and stopped him before he could strike again.

“Damon, no,” she cried out, “You are going to make things worse.”

As he watched them, Kai's face faltered, something flickering in his eyes when his gaze turned to Y/N.

"Y/N, you shouldn't have come here," he added in a near whisper, “You should have stayed away.”

Y/N clung to her side as she staggered to her feet, "I could never let you do this," she exclaimed, "You're not a monster, Kai. There is no need to do this.”

Kai's fists shook with hardly controlled power, his mouth tightening.

"You persist in defying me even after I provided you with the chance to behave properly!" This was mostly targeted at his coven members, especially the former Gemini coven leader, Joshua Parker. He spat, "You must be so desperate to die." Fearful, the guests crowded together.

Elena moved forward, her face resolute. Despite the chaos surrounding her, Elena uttered firmly, "Please, Kai. Do not do this. Let everyone go.”

Kai's hold on his power became stronger, and for a split second, it appeared as though he would let loose everything. But Y/N's shaky voice broke the strain.

She whispered, "Kai," as she fixes her gaze on him, “Avoid turning into the monster they believe you are.”

He looked at her, his face tense between wrath and something else… something… human.

"You don't understand," he continued, his voice trembling, “I have to finish this. This is the only option."

Ignoring her wounds, Y/N protested, "No, it's not," and moved closer, “You are free to take another course. We can work out another solution together."

Kai's gaze wavered, and the fury gradually faded. His voice hardly rose above a whisper, "I don't know if I can," he murmured.

Stretching out her hands to him, Y/N said, "You can. You do not have to be alone.”

The guests' labored breathing in the entire room was the sole sound for a long, anxious time. Then, very gradually, the enchantment at Kai's fingertips vanished. With his face tense, he lowered his hand.

"You should be thankful," he says at last directed towards his coven, breaking the silence in the room, his voice breaking, “You get to live another day.”

Kai turned to go, but as he saw Y/N's strength waning, he hurried to her side, and lifted her into his arms. The guests watched in horror as Kai carried Y/N away; her blood smeared his clothing. Her eyes opened, a mixture of relief and bewilderment meeting his. Weakly whispering, "Kai, what are you doing?"

"Saving you," he said, sounding almost compassionate now, "Y/N, I can’t lose you. No, not in this way."

Kai disappeared, dragging Y/N into the unknown after one last, conflicted look at Elena, Caroline, and Damon.

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As night descended, remorse swept over Y/N. She would never have let Kai leave if she had known what Bonnie, Damon, and Elena were up to. Their plan was to trick Kai and keep him in another prison world. She had not acted on her intuition that something was amiss. She heard bits of their talk, their low voices, and their hurried murmurs just before Kai and the others went to the prison world where the Heretics were imprisoned. She disregarded her inner intuition, convinced that they were acting morally. She wished she had done something—anything—to stop this chaos made by Kai.

"I'm sorry, Kai," she said in a regretful and painful whisper, "I should have known. I should have stopped them."

“It's too late for that now,” he said, “Maybe, though, we can work things out together.”

The darkness drew closer, and Y/N nodded feebly. She held onto the belief that there was someplace, someway, a chance to put things right, to keep Kai from the darkness that threatened to swallow him, and to keep herself from the sorrow that was eating at her.

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Read Part 3 here >>>>