Ron Mills stared at the glowing fifth mark in his mind and muttered softly, "Didn't expect it to be the Dragon Talisman."
As he focused, he could feel the power coursing through him — under the Dragon Talisman's enhancement, the speed from the Rabbit Talisman became even faster. Curious, Ron tried channeling the Dragon Talisman's energy and exhaled a stream of dragon fire toward the vampires scattered on the ground. The flames were terrifyingly powerful; within a minute, every vampire was reduced to ash.
Unfortunately, when he checked the series of twelve talismans in his mind, the sixth one was only faintly glowing at the edges. Judging by the pace, Ron figured he'd have to kill at least a hundred vampires to fully awaken it.
Before leaving, he injected another dose of vervain into Damon, knocking him unconscious, and walked toward the exit.
"Ron, we can't get out," Anna said, supporting her mother.
"Don't worry. I'll check." Ron patted her shoulder reassuringly and stepped outside.
"How's it going, Mrs. Bennett? Is it possible to break the seal?" he asked Bonnie's grandmother.
"It's difficult," she replied, shaking her head. "Bonnie and I aren't strong enough. Forcing it open could destroy the balance — even if we managed to unseal it, I might die from magical exhaustion."
Ron paused to think. "I remember witches can draw power from outside sources to amplify their magic, right?"
"Yes, but there's no celestial event right now," the elder witch replied.
"Hmm. Mrs. Bennett, try connecting to my energy and see if it's enough. If not, we'll wait for the next celestial occurrence." He extended his hand toward her.
"Alright, I'll try." She took Ron's hand, and Bonnie joined in. The three stood in a circle and began chanting.
Ron focused his strength, pouring the Dragon Talisman's magic into the elder witch, while the Horse Talisman's power reinforced all three of them, ensuring healing in case of backlash.
After a few moments, she stopped chanting. "It should work now."
"Thank you, Mrs. Bennett." Even Ron could feel how much power had been drained — despite the Dragon Talisman's support and the Horse Talisman's recovery, both Bonnie and her grandmother were utterly exhausted.
"Anna, try stepping out — the seal should be gone," Ron said.
They stepped forward, and this time the barrier parted easily. As soon as Anna emerged, she ran into Ron's arms and hugged him tightly.
"Alright," Ron smiled, patting her shoulder, "take your mother to the car and let her rest."
Then he turned toward Stefan. "Originally, I thought the seal could serve as a natural prison — Damon would've been trapped there forever. But now that it's broken, that won't work. So here's my warning: if you're smart, don't meddle with Damon. I'll be closing the gate soon. With his current desiccated state, he won't be able to escape anyway. You'll be free of him — but if I find out you helped him get out, Stefan… I can't promise I'll hold back from killing you."
"Don't worry, Ron," Elena quickly spoke up before Stefan could. "Keeping Damon locked away is what we want too."
Ron gave her a long, piercing look. "I hope you're not lying, Elena. Since it's settled, I'll take my leave." He nodded to Bonnie and the others before walking away.
Back in his car, he glanced at the two women in the back seat. "So, have you decided? Stay in Mystic Falls or leave?"
"I'd like to stay," Pearl replied calmly.
"Alright. You can stay at my place for now. Hotels or apartments aren't safe — vampires can enter freely. My place is invite-only and well hidden," Ron said, starting the engine.
He soon arrived home and gestured courteously. "Please, come in, Mrs. Pearl."
Then his tone turned serious. "I won't mince words. You're free to stay in Mystic Falls, but know this — I despise vampires who prey on humans for sport. If you intend to stay, you must not kill anyone. If you do, I will stop you myself."
"My mother won't," Anna said before Pearl could answer.
Ron nodded slightly. "Good. Anna, for the next few days, help her adjust to modern life. Tomorrow, I'll need you to come with me to school — I have some records to clear up before I leave town for a while."
He knew unlocking the remaining talismans would require hunting more vampires, and his student identity might become an issue. If money didn't smooth things over, he'd have to rely on vampire abilities.
"Alright," Anna agreed sweetly.
"Oh, right," Ron added, rolling up his sleeve. "Mrs. Pearl, you've been sealed for over a century — you must be low on blood. Hospitals are risky tonight, so take some from me instead."
Pearl smiled faintly and sat beside him. "Then I won't be polite." She sank her fangs gently into his arm.
Ron glanced at Anna, who looked a bit left out. "You want some too?"
"Sure," she said playfully, running over and taking his other arm.
After a while, when both had fed, Ron leaned back. "Anna, do you know where vampires gather in large numbers?"
"I'm not entirely sure," she said thoughtfully. "Most I've met acted alone. But… I did hear about a traveling vampire group that hides behind a circus act."
"I see. That would've made things easier," Ron sighed.
"Why do you want to find other vampires?" Anna asked curiously.
Ron smirked. "I haven't been in Mystic Falls long, but it's clear this country is crawling with vampires. I just want to show those who take pleasure in slaughtering humans… what it's like to be hunted themselves."
He looked at her. "Would you like to come with me, Anna?"
"I'd love to, but my mother just got out. The modern world is completely foreign to her. I'll wait here for you to return — we've got all eternity, after all," she said softly.
"That works," Ron nodded. "Once we finish at school tomorrow, I'll set off."
"Alright," she said.
Ron smiled faintly. "Feel free to pick any room you like tonight. They've all been cleaned before, but since Sarah's death, I haven't stayed here much. Might be a bit dusty."
"Okay, I'll tidy up," Anna replied.
"Good. I'm heading upstairs then. Make yourselves comfortable — this'll be your home for a while after I leave." Ron gave them a reassuring nod before heading to his room.
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