Bab 11: ### **Chapter 10: The Test of Strength**
The room was tense when I dismissed the meeting. The leaders of New Orleans filed out, each of them weighed down by their own thoughts and suspicions. But for the first time in weeks, I felt as though I had taken a step toward something meaningful. I had presented myself not as Klaus Mikaelson's heir, but as someone capable of thinking for himself. The challenge from the vampire faction was a test—a warning. They had seen my uncertainty, sensed a weakness, and they had chosen this moment to strike.
I stood in the grand hall of the mansion, the dark wood floors gleaming beneath me. My reflection stared back from the polished surface, a face I barely recognized. Klaus's face, yes, but it wasn't his presence I felt. It was my own. I had no more time for doubts. This was the moment when I needed to prove myself—when I needed to show that I could stand alone, that I could be Klaus Mikaelson without becoming the monster that had been his undoing.
"Are you sure about this, Klaus?" Elijah's voice broke through my thoughts, his figure appearing in the doorway.
I turned, facing him with a steely resolve. "I am," I said. "It's time to deal with the challenge."
Elijah raised an eyebrow, stepping further into the room. "And you're not going to act rashly, I presume?"
"I've learned from his mistakes," I replied, forcing the words out with more confidence than I felt. "I won't let my anger guide me. Not this time."
There was a pause, and I could feel Elijah's steady gaze on me. It was the look of a man who had seen too many rulers rise and fall, each one consumed by their own desires. "Don't make the same mistake that so many before you have," Elijah said quietly. "Power is not about brute strength alone. It's about strategy, influence, and control. They want you to react. Don't give them that satisfaction."
I nodded, understanding the weight of his words. I couldn't afford to let the challenge from the vampire faction pull me into an impulsive confrontation. This had to be calculated. The whole city was watching, and how I responded would define the rest of my rule.
"I'll handle it," I said firmly, looking Elijah in the eye. "But I won't let them think I'm weak."
Elijah's eyes narrowed slightly. "Remember, Klaus. Weakness isn't just about your actions. It's about perception. If you act in haste, they'll believe you're no different from the others who ruled through fear."
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the mantle of leadership settling over me. "I know what I have to do."
---
The vampire faction was based just outside the city, in an old, abandoned warehouse district where no one would be able to hear a confrontation. As I stood before the location, my senses heightened, I felt the familiar stirring of my supernatural instincts. I was no stranger to confrontation. Klaus had been a master at intimidating, controlling, and overpowering his enemies, but that wasn't the route I wanted to take.
I had already formulated a plan in my mind. I needed to show strength, but also intelligence. To defeat them, I had to outthink them, make them see that their challenge was futile before it ever even started.
Marcel had warned me that showing hesitation was the fastest way to lose control of the city. But what did that mean, really? Couldn't I show confidence without the need for mindless violence? The hunger for domination that coursed through me was familiar, but this time, I could not let it dictate my every action.
The group of vampires I was facing had been loyal to Klaus in the past, but their loyalty had always been one built on fear and power, not respect. They were led by a vampire named Isaac, a former soldier of Klaus's inner circle. Isaac was the kind of vampire who had once been under Klaus's thrall—obedient, calculating, and willing to do anything to gain power. But now, with Klaus gone and the void left by his absence, Isaac sought to claim that power for himself.
I stepped into the warehouse, the cold air hitting me as I crossed the threshold. I could hear the soft shuffle of feet on the concrete floor, the whispers of my enemies waiting in the dark corners. I had no intention of showing fear, of giving them any indication that they could intimidate me.
The shadows shifted, and Isaac stepped forward, flanked by a small group of vampires. His face was familiar to me, but now it was hard to see him as the same loyal soldier I had once known. His eyes, once full of reverence for Klaus, were now cold, calculating, and filled with ambition.
"Well, well," Isaac said, his voice smooth and dripping with disdain. "The mighty Klaus Mikaelson's successor. I've heard much about you. Tell me, is it true that you're not interested in ruling with an iron fist? That you've come to give us a choice?"
"Choose to live, Isaac," I replied, my voice firm. "Or choose to die."
Isaac laughed, the sound bitter and cold. "How cute. The heir to Klaus is trying to play the diplomat. Do you really think the vampires of New Orleans will bow to you? You're not Klaus. You don't have his strength, his presence."
"I don't need Klaus's strength," I said, my voice cool. "I have my own."
Isaac's eyes flashed with anger. "You think you can hold this city together without violence? Without fear? I doubt it. I know what Klaus was, and I know that nothing works in this city unless you make people fear you. You can't change that."
I smiled, but it wasn't the smile of a man trying to convince Isaac of anything. It was the smile of someone who knew exactly what would come next.
"I don't need fear to control this city," I said, my eyes hardening. "I need something more."
Before Isaac could respond, I waved a hand, and with a flash of power, I called forth a dozen of the vampires from the shadows. They stepped forward, each one carrying an aura of power and confidence. I had recruited them before this meeting—loyal vampires who understood that the old ways of Klaus would no longer apply under my reign. This was my first act of strength—my declaration that I would not back down from anyone who sought to challenge me.
Isaac's eyes widened, his composure faltering for a moment. He had expected to intimidate me, to force me into submission. But instead, I had turned the tables on him. It was no longer about who had the largest force; it was about control. I wasn't here to destroy. I was here to show Isaac that his rebellion was futile.
"I don't want war, Isaac," I said, stepping forward, my voice cold but measured. "But I will not let you threaten this city. I'll give you a choice: leave now, or suffer the consequences."
Isaac's eyes flickered to his fellow vampires, who seemed less certain than they had been moments ago. They had expected an all-out battle, a chance to test their strength against the new leader of New Orleans. But they were seeing something different—a ruler who didn't rely on brute force, but on influence and understanding.
"You think you can just wave your hand and command loyalty?" Isaac spat, his fists clenching. "You're just like Klaus. You'll fail."
"No," I said, my voice quieter but far more dangerous. "I'm nothing like Klaus. You'll find that out soon enough."
With that, I turned and began to walk away, my footsteps echoing in the silence that followed. I didn't need to look back to know that Isaac and his faction were defeated. The power of my presence was enough. I didn't need to strike them down. They had already lost. Their arrogance had blinded them to the truth—that fear was a weapon that could only take you so far. In the end, strength came not from violence, but from control. And control, I had.
---
Back at the mansion, I stood on the balcony once more, looking out over the city. The faint sounds of New Orleans reached my ears—the pulse of life, the hum of power. It felt different now. The air was charged with anticipation, as if the city itself were waiting to see what I would do next.
I had faced my first real test, and I had passed it. Isaac and his faction were gone, and the vampires who remained knew who was in charge. But I had not relied on violence alone. I had shown them that the future of this city would not be ruled by bloodshed.
I would rule through strength, yes. But I would also rule through wisdom. And as the moon rose higher over the city, I knew that this was just the beginning.
---
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone