Midnight

She kept staring into Idola’s green eyes. She refused to see dark Susurre drop her forehead onto three fingertips and begin to rub it in smal circles. She wouldn’t give a glance to blond Ryannen, who was looking at her steadily, having gone into people-management mode. She stared directly into those green eyes under their wil ful eyebrows. Idola gave a little huff and shook her gorgeous head.

"Look, someone clearly has screwed up in preparing you for this interview."A glance at Susurre. "The other things you’ve asked for – al together, it forms a very heavy ransom. Do you understand that? Do you understand that it involves changing the memories of al the people for miles around your town, and changing them for every day of ten months?

That it means changing everything in print about Fel ‘s Church – and that there is a lot in print – not to mention other media outlets? It means begging for three human spirits and weaving flesh around them again. I’m not sure we even have the personnel for this – "

Blond Ryannen put a hand on the redhead’s arm. "We have it. Susurre’s women have little to do in the Nether World. I can lend you perhaps thirty percent of mine – after al , we’re going to have to send up a petition to a higher Court for those spirits – "

Idola the redhead interrupted. "All right. What I was saying is that we might just be able to manage – if you throw in the Key. However, your vampire companion – we can’t give life back to the lifeless. We can’t work with vampires. Once they’re gone – they’re gone."

"That’s what you tell us!"Stefan cried, trying to get in front of Elena. "But why are we so particularly damned, of al creatures? How do you know it’s impossible? Have you ever even tried? "

Red-haired Idola was making a disgusted gesture, when Bonnie interrupted, her voice shaking. "It’s ridiculous! You can rebuild a town, you can kil the person who’s real y behind al Shinichi and Misao did, but you can’t bring one little vampire back? You brought Elena back!"

"Elena’s death as a vampire al owed her to become the Guardian she was original y meant to be. As for the person who gave orders to Shinichi and Misao: It was Inari Saitou –

Obaasan Saitou, as you knew her – and she is already dead, thanks to your friends in Fel ‘s Church, who weakened her –

and to you, who destroyed her star bal ."

"Inari? You mean Isobel’s grandma? You’re saying it was her star bal in the Great Tree’s trunk? That’s impossible!"Bonnie cried.

"No, it’s not. It’s the truth,"blond Ryannen said simply.

"And she’s dead now?"

"After a long battle which nearly kil ed your friends. Yes – but what actual y killed her was having her star bal destroyed."

"So,"dark Susurre said quietly, "if you fol ow the curve…in a way your Damon did die to save Fel ‘s Church from another massacre like the one on that Japanese island. He kept saying that was what he’d come to the Nether World to do.

Do you not think he would be…satisfied? At peace?"

"At peace?"Stefan spat bitterly, and Sage growled.

"Woman,"he said, "you obviously have never met Damon Salvatore before."The tone in his voice – more resonant, more threatening somehow – made Elena final y break off her staredown with the red-haired Idola. She turned and looked – – and saw the enormous room fil ed with Sage’s out-spread wings.

They weren’t like any of her ephemeral Wings Powers. They were clearly part of Sage. They were velvety and reptilian, and, unfurled like this, they stretched from distant wal to wal , and touched the grand, golden ceiling. They also demonstrated why Sage didn’t usual y wear shirts.

He was beautiful this way, bronze skin and hair against those giant, leathery soft-looking arches. But Elena, after one look at him, knew that the time had come to play the ace up her sleeve. She turned around to meet Idola’s green gaze squarely.

"Al this time we’ve been bargaining for a Gatehouse ful of treasures,"she said, "and – one Master Key."

"A Master Key, stolen by the kitsune ages upon ages ago,"Susurre explained quietly, lifting her dark eyes.

"And you’ve said that it’s not enough for you to bring Damon back."Elena forced her voice not to waver.

"Not even if it were your only request."Ryannen tossed a golden lock of hair over her shoulder.

"So you say. But…what if I throw into the pot…another Master Key?"

There was a pause, and Elena’s heart began to pound in sick terror. Because it was the wrong kind of pause. There were no shocked gasps. No astonished glances from one Guardian ruler to another. No looks of disbelief.

After another moment Idola said smugly, "If you mean the other stolen key that your friends had on Earth – it was confiscated as soon as they hid it. It was stolen property. It belonged to us."

She’s been here too long, in the Dark Dimensions, Elena thought with one part of her mind. She’s enjoying herself.

Idola leaned toward her, as if to confirm Elena’s guess. "It – simply – is not – possible,"she said emphatical y.

"Real y, it isn’t,"the fair Ryannen added briskly. "We don’t know what happens to vampires. But they don’t pass through our purview. We never see them after death. The simplest explanation is that they just – go out."She snapped her fingers.

"I don’t believe that!" Elena was aware that her voice had risen in volume. "I don’t believe that for one moment!"

Voices, not attached to anyone in particular, burst into a clamor of argument around Elena, forming a sort of poem: Not possible. It’s simply not possible! ( But please…) No!

Damon is gone, and to ask where is like asking where a candle flame goes when it’s blown out. ( But shouldn’t you try to bring him back, at the least? ) Whatever has happened to gratitude? You four should be grateful that the other things you asked for can be done. ( But in exchange for both Master Keys – ) No Power we can command could bring Damon back! Elena must try to reconcile herself to reality.