The night air above Mystic Falls was unusually calm.
Clouds slowly drifted across the moon.
Most of the town slept peacefully.
But deep in the forest surrounding Mystic Falls…
Something ancient had awakened.
Several miles away, on a dark road leading toward the town…
A black luxury car moved smoothly through the empty highway.
Inside the vehicle sat two figures.
One looked calm and composed.
The other looked bored.
The man in the passenger seat adjusted his elegant suit slightly.
His posture straight.
His expression refined.
This was Elijah Mikaelson.
One of the Original Vampires.
Across from him sat his younger sister.
Rebekah Mikaelson.
She leaned back lazily.
Staring out the window.
"Remind me again why we're visiting this boring little town?"
Elijah didn't immediately answer.
Instead he looked toward the distant forest.
His eyes thoughtful.
"Because something unusual has appeared here."
Rebekah rolled her eyes.
"Everything is unusual to you."
Elijah shook his head slowly.
"Not like this."
Rebekah looked at him curiously now.
"What exactly did you feel?"
Elijah's voice became quieter.
More serious.
"Power."
Rebekah raised an eyebrow.
"We're Original vampires, Elijah."
"Everything feels weaker than us."
Elijah nodded slightly.
"Normally… yes."
Then he looked directly at her.
"But this felt different."
Rebekah frowned slightly.
That was unusual.
Very unusual.
Elijah continued speaking calmly.
"Ancient."
"Old."
"And far stronger than anything that should exist in this town."
Rebekah slowly sat up.
Now interested.
"Stronger than us?"
Elijah didn't answer immediately.
Instead he looked back toward the road ahead.
After a few seconds he spoke quietly.
"Possibly."
Rebekah blinked.
Then suddenly smiled.
A dangerous smile.
"Well… now I'm interested."
Meanwhile…
Back in Mystic Falls.
The town was quiet again.
But inside the Salvatore Boarding House, Damon Salvatore was still awake.
He poured himself another drink.
Stefan stood nearby reading an old book.
Damon glanced at him.
"You're still trying to figure out our mystery boy?"
Stefan nodded.
"Alexander Nightshade."
Damon smirked.
"Sounds like a comic book character."
Stefan ignored him.
"There has to be something about him."
Damon shrugged.
"Maybe he's just a really creepy new student."
Stefan sighed.
"Damon."
Damon laughed.
"Fine."
Then his expression became slightly serious.
"But I agree with you."
Stefan looked up.
Damon leaned forward slightly.
"There's definitely something wrong with him."
He remembered the moment Alexander pushed his hand away effortlessly.
The pressure in the air.
The power.
Damon smiled slightly.
"Which makes him interesting."
Across town…
Inside her bedroom…
Bonnie Bennett stared at an open book.
The book described ancient supernatural creatures.
But none of them matched what she had seen in her vision.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
'Those golden eyes…'
She remembered the overwhelming darkness.
The power.
Bonnie closed the book slowly.
'What are you?'
Meanwhile…
On the edge of Mystic Falls forest…
Alexander Nightshade stood beneath the moonlight.
The wind moved softly around him.
His golden eyes looked toward the distant road.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
'Interesting.'
He could feel them.
Two extremely powerful vampires approaching the town.
Older than Damon.
Older than Stefan.
Far older.
Alexander spoke quietly to himself.
'Original vampires.'
He hadn't expected them to arrive so soon.
But their presence didn't bother him.
If anything…
It made things more entertaining.
Miles away…
The black car finally entered Mystic Falls.
Rebekah looked out the window with curiosity.
"So where do we start?"
Elijah smiled faintly.
"With the source of that power."
He looked toward the forest.
Directly toward Alexander's location.
For a moment…
Their eyes almost seemed to meet across the distance.
Alexander smiled slightly.
'So the Originals have arrived.'
The game in Mystic Falls had just become far more dangerous.
And far more interesting.