The Doppelgänger Mikaelson

Elena and Caroline stepped cautiously into the old Fells Church, its eerie silence pressing down on them. The air was heavy, the faint scent of mildew and burnt wood clinging to the crumbling walls. Caroline's nose wrinkled as she glanced around, her voice low.

"I still don't get why we're here," she whispered. "Of all the people we could ask for help, Katherine's the last one we should trust."

Elena glanced at her but didn't respond, her focus fixed on the shadows ahead. They moved deeper into the ruins, the flickering light of their flashlights bouncing off the stone walls. Eventually, they reached the crypt, where Katherine sat slumped against the far wall. Her wrists were bound with vervain-soaked ropes, her skin pale, her expression sour as she looked up.

"Well, well," Katherine drawled, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "If it isn't my doppelgänger and her cheerleader sidekick. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Caroline crossed her arms, her face hard. "Trust me, this wasn't my idea."

Elena stepped forward, ignoring Katherine's smirk. "I need answers," she said firmly.

Katherine raised an eyebrow. "Answers about what? How to stay alive when the Originals are after you? Newsflash, Elena. You already know what it takes: run, hide, and pray they get bored."

Caroline scoffed. "Great advice, Katherine. Really helpful."

Katherine's smile faded as she focused on Elena. "Why are you really here?"

Elena hesitated, her gaze dropping briefly before meeting Katherine's. "I know about Ivar," she said softly. "And I know he looks like Stefan."

At that, Katherine's expression darkened. Her smirk vanished, replaced by something colder. "Ah," she said quietly. "So you've met him."

Caroline frowned, glancing between them. "Wait, what? Ivar looks like Stefan? Since when?"

Elena glanced at her. "Since I saw him. When Rose and Trevor kidnapped me. He was… different. Older, colder, like nothing could touch him." She turned back to Katherine. "You've faced him before. How did you survive?"

Katherine let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "Survive? Is that what you call this?" She gestured at her restrained form. "Centuries of running, losing everyone I cared about, constantly looking over my shoulder. That's not survival, Elena. That's existing."

"But you're still here," Elena pressed. "That has to count for something."

Katherine sighed, leaning back against the wall. "If you think there's some secret trick, there isn't. I stayed alive by being smarter, faster, and more ruthless than anyone else. And even then, it wasn't enough. The only reason I'm still breathing is because I've made myself useful to the right people at the right time."

Caroline shook her head, her voice rising. "This is insane. Elena, you can't seriously be thinking about trusting her. She's just going to use you like she's used everyone else."

Elena turned to her, her voice firm. "I don't trust her. But I need to know what she knows. If there's even a chance it can help, I have to take it."

Katherine watched them with a wry smile. "Aw, how touching. Team Elena at odds again." She tilted her head, her gaze sharp. "You want my help? Fine. But you should know something first."

She leaned forward, her eyes locked on Elena's. "Ivar isn't just the oldest. He's the strongest, the smartest, and the cruelest. The others might play games, but he doesn't. If he's after you, it's not because you're the doppelgänger. It's because you're useful to him somehow. And once you stop being useful, you're dead."

Elena swallowed hard, her resolve faltering for a moment. Caroline grabbed her arm, her voice urgent. "We need to leave. Now."

But Elena shook her head. "Not yet." She turned back to Katherine. "How did you deal with him when he caught up to you?"

Katherine's smile turned bitter. "I didn't. I bargained. Did something for him. And when he got bored, I ran."

Caroline's grip tightened on Elena's arm. "This is a waste of time. She's not going to tell us anything useful."

Elena hesitated but finally nodded. "Maybe not. But now I know what we're up against."

Katherine's voice followed them as they turned to leave. "One last thing," she called out. "If you think Stefan doesn't know about Ivar, you're wrong. He's always known. He just doesn't want to admit it."

Elena froze, her heart pounding. Caroline pulled her toward the exit, her voice sharp. "Come on, Elena. Let's go."

They left the crypt in silence, Katherine's words echoing in Elena's mind.

Elsewhere, deep within the heart of a hidden cave, Ivar stood in the faint glow of torchlight. His piercing gaze was locked on the large ice rectangle in front of him. The block of ice, smooth and unyielding, contained a humanoid figure trapped inside. Whether it was a man or a woman, Ivar couldn't tell—it didn't matter. What mattered was finding a way to break the ice open.

He had discovered it in the 19th century by sheer chance. At first, he thought it was just an odd relic frozen in time, but something about it felt... off. The figure seemed alive, frozen but not dead. Over the years, Ivar had tried everything to release it. His own doppelgänger blood was the first thing he tried, thinking it might unlock the mystery. It didn't work.

Then he tracked down Katerina. Her blood, mixed with his, also failed. Growing more frustrated, he turned his attention to Stefan. Back when Stefan was human, Ivar took his blood, hoping it would finally break the spell or enchantment keeping the ice intact. Still, nothing.

He searched the continents for Amara's doppelgänger, scouring every lead, chasing every rumor. For decades, he found nothing. No trace of her. So he waited. He knew another doppelgänger would appear eventually.

Now, standing in the dim cave, he held a small vial of Elena's blood in his hand. Two human doppelgänger bloods, mixed together—Elena and Stefan. It had to work this time. It had to.

Ivar approached the ice, his movements slow and deliberate. He uncorked the vial and poured the blood onto the ice. For a moment, he waited, his sharp eyes scanning for any reaction. Nothing.

A muscle in his jaw tightened. He placed a hand on the icy surface, feeling its freezing cold bite against his skin. He muttered under his breath, his tone low and annoyed.

"What are you hiding in there?" he murmured, his voice echoing softly in the cave.

He stepped back, his gaze fixed on the frozen figure. The blood had soaked into the ice, but the block remained intact. Ivar clenched his fists, frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior.

For over a century, he had been chasing answers, chasing this mystery. Whatever—or whoever—was trapped in that ice was important. He could feel it in his bones.

But the ice remained silent.

Ivar's gaze darkened as the blood soaked into the ice but failed to yield any results. His patience was wearing thin. He took a step closer to the frozen block, his hand brushing against the icy surface.

"Fine," he muttered to himself. "Let's try this another way."

Reaching into his coat, he pulled out an ancient parchment, its edges frayed and worn from time. The writing on it was faint but legible, an old spell he had uncovered during his long search. He unrolled it carefully, his eyes scanning the faded script.

Ivar placed a hand on the ice, letting the cold seep into his skin as he began to chant:

"By blood of the past and ties that bind,

Through earth, through air, through flame confined,

Break this seal, release thy fate,

Awake, arise, and leave thy state."

The cave seemed to hum with energy as he recited the spell. His voice echoed against the stone walls, growing louder with each line. The torches flickered violently, their flames bending and stretching unnaturally.

The blood on the ice began to glow faintly, spreading in thin, vein-like lines across the surface. The air grew colder, and the ground beneath Ivar's feet trembled.

"By power claimed and sacrifice made,

Let barriers fall, let truth invade.

With doppelgänger blood, I shatter this prison,

Awaken now—let the forgotten be risen!"

As the final word left his lips, a deafening crack echoed through the cave. A bright, blinding light erupted from the ice, forcing Ivar to step back and shield his eyes. The icy block began to splinter, shards falling to the ground in sharp, glittering fragments.

The figure inside stirred ever so slightly. The outline became clearer—a humanoid form, tall and imposing, though still obscured by the light.

Ivar stood motionless, his eyes narrowing as he watched. A slow, unsettling smile crept onto his face.

"It worked," he whispered to himself, anticipation lacing his tone.

"Where am I?"

A/N

After much consideration, I will be going with Alyssa Drake, don't get angry at me or something, it is just that she is the only one fit for Ivar and very powerful enough to be by his side.