**"The Witching Hour of Agony"**

The dimly lit, damp chamber deep within the ancient witches' coven was filled with the stench of decay and the faint scent of ozone. Three witches, Arachne, Celeste, and Vesper, stood around a rusty iron table, their eyes fixed on the writhing figure of Klaus Mikaelson, his body bound by thick, silver-rimmed cuffs. "So, Klaus," Arachne sneered, her voice like a rusty gate, "tell us about Elijah's plans. What is he plotting now?" Klaus gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with defiance. "I'll never tell you anything." Celeste smiled, a cold, calculating smile. "We'll see about that," she said, producing a small, ornate box from her cloak. "Vesper, if you would be so kind?" Vesper, her eyes gleaming with malevolence, opened the box, revealing an assortment of twisted, metallic instruments. "Let's start with something simple," she said, selecting a thin, pointed tool. As Vesper began to work on Klaus, he screamed, his body arcing against the restraints. The witches watched, unmoved, as Klaus's eyes welled up with tears. Just as it seemed Klaus might pass out from the pain, Arachne intervened. "Not too much, Vesper. We want him to talk, not die." Vesper nodded, replacing the tool with another, thicker one. Klaus's screams intensified, echoing off the stone walls. Just then, a faint noise echoed through the chamber, followed by the sound of shattering wood and the clash of steel. The witches turned to see Elijah, Rebekah, and Marcel storming into the room, their faces set with determination. "Ah, how...inconvenient," Arachne drawled. Elijah's eyes scanned the room, locking onto Klaus's battered form. "You fiends," he growled, charging towards the witches. Rebekah and Marcel followed close behind, their eyes fixed on the witches. "Let him go," Rebekah demanded. The witches sneered, but Celeste's eyes flicked to Klaus, who was now writhing in agony, a strange, antique knife protruding from his chest. "Ah, the Whitesmith's Kiss," Marcel whispered, his eyes widening. "That knife...it inflicts unbearable pain." Elijah's face set in a grim mask. "We have to get it out," he said, his voice tight with worry. Rebekah rushed to Klaus's side, her hands gently probing the area around the knife. "We can't just pull it out," she said, her voice strained. "The pain...it'll kill him." Vesper snickered. "The only one who can remove the knife is the one who stabbed him. And we're not exactly willing to help." Arachne smiled, a plan forming in her mind. "But we might...if you're willing to play a little game." Elijah stepped forward, his eyes blazing. "I'll play. Just tell me what you want." Celeste's eyes sparkled. "Oh, Elijah...we want you to make a choice. You see, to remove the knife, one of us has to perform a counter-curse. But it requires...a certain sacrifice." The witches closed in, their eyes glinting with malice. Klaus's screams grew louder, his body thrashing against the restraints. Elijah's jaw set. "I'll do whatever it takes to save my brother." The witches cackled, their laughter echoing through the chamber, as Elijah steeled himself for the impossible choice ahead. "Alright," Arachne said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "Here's the proposal: one of us will remove the knife, but in return, you have to give us something of value. Something that will make us stronger." Elijah's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" Celeste's smile grew wider. "We want the location of Elijah's hidden journals. The ones containing his plans for the future." Rebekah's eyes widened. "You can't be serious. Those journals are—" Arachne waved her hand. "We don't care about the contents. We just want them. And in return, we'll give you Klaus." Elijah's face twisted in a snarl. "You'll get the journals, but you'll have to let Klaus go first." The witches exchanged a look, and then Vesper nodded. "Deal." The knife was slowly pulled out, and Klaus's body relaxed, the pain subsiding. Elijah's eyes locked onto his brother's, and he smiled softly. "I've got you, little brother." As the witches handed Klaus over to his family, Elijah's eyes never left theirs. "This isn't over," he promised. The witches just laughed, disappearing into the shadows, leaving the Mikaelsons to tend to Klaus's wounds. Now it is your turn to continue the story. Do you want to add any changes or proceed with the story?