Klaus listened without interruption.
I'd laid it all out—the ancestors' plan, the Harvest girls' transformation, the timeline for incarnation. He sat in his throne room, expression unreadable, while I painted a picture of destruction that would make his petty wars look like children's arguments.
"When?" he asked finally.
"Months. Maybe weeks. The ancestors are accelerating."
"And you want my help."
"I want everyone's help. This isn't a vampire problem or a witch problem or a wolf problem. This is an existence problem." I met his eyes. "If the ancestors cross over fully, they won't stop with New Orleans. They'll spread. Consume. Eventually, even Originals won't be safe."
Klaus considered this. Around him, his inner circle watched with varying degrees of skepticism and fear.
"You're asking me to ally with Marcel's remnants. With wolves who should fear me. With witches who've spent centuries plotting against my family."
"I'm asking you to survive."
The silence stretched. Then, slowly, Klaus smiled.
"Interesting." He stood, descending from his throne. "You know, Paradox, in a thousand years, no one has ever made me an offer quite like this. No threats. No manipulation. Just... honesty."
"Honesty's underrated."
"It is." He extended his hand. "Agreed. The Mikaelsons will stand with you against the ancestors. But understand—this alliance ends when the threat does."
"Wouldn't expect otherwise."
I took his hand. For the second time, an Original made a pact with me.
For the second time, it changed everything.
[ALLIANCE FORMED: Mikaelsons + Paradox]
[Duration: Until ancestral threat neutralized]
[Forces: Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah + their followers]
[Combined strength: SIGNIFICANT]
[Evolution progress: 30% toward Stage 4]
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