25 Profound calmness

A/N: hopefully this chapter will give everyone more insight into why I did everything in that last chapter. Also, everything I am saying about Kitsune is in fact Tvd cannon. *novel*.

-Inari Pov the night before-

I stared at the moon my emotions were in turmoil, I'm scared so very scared, Taban does not take betrayal lightly and I have betrayed him. I still remember the night I did so, we just got into an argument about my place in his life, I wanted to be able to travel and visit other areas but he said he needed me to stay with him and help his empire. The promise I made left no room for arguments.

I felt chained, locked inside of a box with no escape, I had already given him my promise to be loyal forever I couldn't back out now, Kitsune's promises are like a sacred oath if broken the consequences would be disastrous.

In my anger, in my desire to be free I made a move. A stupid foolish move, I thought he would use the blade idea sooner so I changed two of the pieces he asked me to hide, it wasn't breaking my promise because he said 'hide the upper blade and the gem' I did so with a little twist.

I thought he would have used them sooner.

He didn't. And I couldn't go back without the books, he kept them safe. My mind was overthinking everything, I didn't want to seem suspicious.

So I pushed the betrayal I committed to the back of my mind, I couldn't think about what I had done, especially after we began to become closer.

Time passed and now we are here, they can actually seal him away.

It's my fault.

The regret I feel is harmful to my health, a kitsune can actually die from feeling the sin of regret. And I feel it so so much.

So many times I was about to tell him, so many times I was going to let him know.

But I didn't.

I was scared.

Pathetic.

I was terrified he would stop loving me, we wouldn't be friends anymore. He would leave me.

I didn't fear death I feared losing him. I might not have many people I'm close to but he is my best friend. I can't lose that connection.

It happened so fast, too fast for my liking, I was a victim of my own doing. I could barely even look at Ban. The guilt and regret consumed me.

I knew this feeling wouldn't leave, it would stay with me forever because I'm so old I am not dead, a young kitsune would have died with this much regret.

I didn't notice the sun rising, the rest of the day went by like a blur, then night fell.

Taban got ready, he was confident in his win.

I was not. I felt sick.

We arrived at the house, he told me to stay close I watched him enter slowly, right when I was about to make my way through a barrier descended. I was cut off.

Dread filled my very being.

Then the Barrier fell, and I sneakily made my way inside.

I saw a mess, a large mess.

I made two of them fight each other. Ban noticed.

"Inari,"

"Ban"

"You betrayed me," he said bluntly I could hear the pain in his voice

"Three hundred years ago when you asked me to help with the project we were not as close then, we had an argument about my place next to you, I was furious and felt chained," I replied I kept trying to keep my emotions in check

"I figured out a way to betray you without

breaking my promise, it was this. I forgot about

it shortly after then this whole thing happened

and I remembered again," I continued tears now forming in my eyes

"I didn't know what to do, the blade won't kill

you but lock your soul inside a prison," I said walking closer

"Why didn't you just end this whole thing

then?" he asked his voice was cold

"You needed to kill Chi and I was scared of what

you would have done if you learned of my

betrayal. I planned to fight alongside you but

that bitch put up a barrier" I said lying

I was too scared that was the reason, Chi is irrelevant. I was a coward.

He seemed miles away, I could tell he was hurt like never before.

I just hope after this I can atone.

Then I saw it, Stefan moved faster than ever, he grabbed the blade and rushed at Ban.

"TABAN!" I yelled

He didn't move, conviction filled my very being.

I teleported in front of him.

*puchkkk* the blade pierced my heart

Using the last of my strength I teleported us out of there.

My mistake cost me my life, it was only fitting I suppose.

I didn't feel sad that I was dying, I felt sad I was leaving one of my only friends.

At least I saved him.

-Taban Pov -

I sat in my room, Inari's body lying gently on my bed. She was gone, and no matter what anyone says,

It was my fault.

I was high on my immortality.

Cocky.

Arrogant.

An idiot.

I haven't faced a challenge in so long that I forgot I wasn't Invincible. I forgot I was just human. I was too arrogant to come with my soldiers. I was foolish to only prepare little weapons.

I was arrogant.

I was a failure.

I felt Sora enter my room from the shadows, he was saddened by the news once I told him.

"Ban, you made a mistake but, you need to recover," He said sitting beside me

I handed him a bottle of sake, "you say it like the mistake was small," I replied my voice didn't have my usual spark

"It wasn't, it was a massive mistake Sora," I added

"Yes, and you will recover," Sora said taking a sip of Sake

"They will all pay," I said emotionlessly

"Yes they will Ban, yes they will," Sora said

"My men are all around the house, Stefan was kidnapped and in the basement," He added

"Good," I replied

It is no time for games, no time for blunders. I will use my every resource to win.

"Han is coming soon, he wants to look at the blade and gem, maybe he can bring her back," I said to Sora

"We can only hope," Sora replied

Looking at her body I felt calm, an unnerving calm.

"Send out the invitations," I said my tone held no anger no sadness no delight nothing but a tranquil calmness

-Klaus Pov -

I looked at everyone present Damon, Elena, Caroline, and my siblings. Stefan was gone.

Not that I care anyways.

What I care about is my brother is dead and my mother is as well. What he did to her before that is what I want to know.

Taban killed them. Luckily we were all unlinked it took some aggressive persuasion but Bonnie reluctantly agreed.

And we failed to kill him, instead, we got the girl. It infuriated me, losing is not what I do, I win.

"We need to get Stefan back!" Elena screeched

"You do I couldn't care less," I replied indifferently

*knock*

*knock*

Someone was at my door, Elijah got up and opened it, and a man stood there he looked as average as can be.

Taking out several envelopes he handed them to Elijah, "Master Khan, has invited you all to a dinner he is hosting to meet everyone in Mystic Falls, he told me to relay that if you want to find out what happened to your mother and where Stefan is you have to come,"

I smelled a trap instantly after the man left Kol snickered and said, "he can't think we are actually going to go?"

"I'm going!" Elena said

"I just got a text from my mom apparently I'm going as well," Caroline added

"Obviously I'm going, he won't do anything with so many people around," Damon stated with a smirk

"Idiots," Kol said and then got up

Before he could leave Elijah handed him an invitation and said, "read it," his tone was deadly serious

It was concerning.

Elijah then handed me my own, he didn't say anything but his eyes conveyed a lot.

This was important.

I opened up the invitation and read it.

'Klaus, if you don't come you will never figure out how I got white oak and how much of it I have. I will also tell everyone about your weakness,' that's all it read

My mouth felt dry I don't know his scheme but, I need to figure out where he got the white oak stake.

"We are going," I declared

"I agree," Kol nodded his tone grave

If all of us are going he won't be able to kill us, especially after we beat him.

He lost his touch.

-Damon -

I stood in my bedroom getting ready, hopefully, Stefan is safe I don't know what Taban is planning but a dinner? How unoriginal.

It didn't escape my notice how no one talked about how he was able to kill an original, I am going to find out, that much I'm certain of.

Also, I like how no one mentioned the fact that Katherine bailed on us, she came all the way here then left because 'she couldn't face him again,' she could have at least tried to make a believable lie. And it was in letter form. The others may have believed that letter but I saw her leave, I know what I saw a shadow grabbed her.

A fucking ninja.

-narrator pov -

"Stefan, you shouldn't have done what you did," Taban said calmly

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it?" Stefan said with a small smirk

Taban didn't reply.

[Hours later]

People began to arrive at Taban's house, he only invited those in the know about the supernatural.

When Klaus saw that he became weary, his family did as well. They didn't bother to warn the Salvatores or anyone else.

Their plan was simply to get the information and get out.

Some might say they all are suffering from what Taban did.

Hubris.

As people began to enter the Khan abode they were seated at a large table, Taban still was nowhere in sight.

Once everyone was sat, mayor Lockwood turned to Sherif Forbes and said, "do you know what this is about?"

Sheriff Forbes shook her head and replied, "I don't have a clue, but I would bet that it has something to do with them," she gestured over to the originals

"And so what if it is?" Klaus said with a charming smile

As she began to respond the doors opened revealing Taban, he strode calmly over to the seat at the head of the table.

Once he was seated waiters began to bring in trays of food, but no one spoke.

After the waiters left, Taban looked over everyone and smiled, "thank you everyone for joining me, I should have hosted this dinner sooner but I lost track of time. I thought that inviting everyone that knows about the supernatural would make the dinner less awkward,"

"Well thank you," Mayor Lockwood replied with a charming smile

"Of course, and please dig in tonight we are having some steamed dumplings for the appetizer, I know not very fancy but it is something I enjoy. For the main course, we will enjoy a very nice Mongolian beef something from where I grew up," he announced to the table

"It's fine Taban no one would expect you to be fancy," Klaus said with a smirk

"Nik," Rebekah whispered

He just rolled his eyes.

"So you all know each other?" Sheriff Forbes asked

"Yes, old acquaintances," Taban replied with a disarming smile

"Where is Stefan," Elena said glaring at Taban

"Eat, we will discuss him later," Taban replied calmly

As they all ate the table was in an awkward silence, Taban would respond to questions from the Mayor and Sheriff but mostly everyone stayed silent.

"So Taban Khan, what's it like being in modern-day history books," Damon asked while taking a bite out of a dumpling

"Wait you are that Taban Khan?" The mayor asked in alarm

"Of course I am, was my name, not enough? And Damon I enjoy being a part of history," He replied easily

"Well I just assumed you were named after him," the mayor said in an uneasy tone

"No, I very much am him," Taban said taking a sip of his wine

"So what's the secret about your empire?" Damon asked

"There is none," Taban replied

"So Elijah, when was the last time we saw each other?" Taban added chaining the subject

"World war two," Elijah replied with an uneasy expression

"I remember that, good times yes?" Taban asked as the waiters were bringing in the main course

Everyone began to eat waiting for Elijah's response, "for you," he eventually said through gritted teeth

"I smell a story, so what happened!" Damon said while scooping up more food

"Elijah, would you like to tell the story?" Taban offered

"You can," Elijah replied shortly

"I haven't heard this one," Rebekah said with interest

"Neither have I dear sister," Kol added with a smile

Klaus stayed silent.

"Well to cut out all of the boring details, I commandeered a gas chamber, stuck Elijah inside, and instead of gas Vervain was used," Taban said chuckling at the end

Everyone looked disturbed at the thought, especially the vampires.

"Can we just cut to the chase? Everyone is done eating where is Stefan!" Elena angrily shouted

"Calm down Elena. Let's all get one thing straight, you all live here, and you all have an interest in this town. I could care less if it was bombed tomorrow. So when a certain amount of you attack me, YOU ALL ATTACK ME!" Taban shouted in anger

Quickly he controlled his emotions.

"I didn't know," Mayor Lockwood said hurriedly

"I didn't either," the Sheriff added

"It doesn't matter to him, Taban you know what my family came for let's take this into a private room," Klaus said indifferently but his eyes were cold

"No, I want to know where Stefan is!" Elena shouted

"You just ate him,"

-End-

A/N: thank you for the feedback last chapter, I get a lot of people were confused and I am taking it as a learning experience I have taken notes on what I should improve on. I can see why it seemed super forced and the only answer I can supply is that it is my fault completely sometimes when I write I forget other people will be reading it. I like surprise situations like what I did but completely forgot most don't at all. And since I'm writing it in my head I'm supplying the reasons but not putting them in the story. I should have dropped more hints and foreshadowed more. That being said, some of y'all need to wait to have patience💀 y'all's minds were supplying some weird reasons of why I did this.

Was my execution bad. Yes. But it's not like I'm going to do it and then never explain anything. I had a pov much like the one I did this chapter in the last chapter but it tore away from it all.