Contrivances
"Aro did not join his anxious guard waiting on the north side of the clearing; instead he waved them forward."
I could feel Edward tense while standing next me. Quickly he grasped my hand and began to pull me backward away from the advancing black line. I searched through the buzz of whispers, growls of the Jake and his brothers, and found what I was searching for, the small beating heart. Renesmee was holding to Jacobs's fur as it stood on end. She smiled and waved at me. She did not feel the danger we were in. Jacob was backing away slowly, with every ounce of his being protecting what mattered the most to us. I wanted to yell out to Jacob to take her a run, but I wanted more time.
We rejoined our force of family and friends and faced Aro and his army of dark cloaks with red eyes. I felt as if my nightmares from another life were coming true. The distance between us was just a leap away. All it took was one move and the battle would begin. The air was alive with energy. I felt like I could taste it. It had awoken all my senses even more. I was able to analyze every movement each member that Aro and his guard made. The women seemed scared, but excited. Their anticipation of the blood bath and the chance to witness and partake seemed to arouse in them a hunt they had lost centuries ago. Cauis was growing agitated. He was ready for battle. I could feel his eyes on me. No. They were boring through me, past me, into the clearing. He was analyzing Jacob's pack. He was contriving his plan of execution.
Caius spoke allowed, "Aro, have you taken their side? Have you been convinced the same as these weak-minded witnesses?" I wondered at first why Caius chose to verbally share his thoughts. I realized that it was not really Aro he was talking to, but all those who he had brought with. He was asking Aro to chose sides for the upcoming battle. I began to wonder if Caius would fight without Aro. Would he fight against him if it came to that?
Aro spoke with certain authority, " Brother, I am not choosing sides. I believe them. It's because it's all true. Every word of what the witnesses have brought forth is truth. They are not as weak-minded as you assume. There is strength here." Caius began to seethe. His anger firing up in his eyes, and his face so distorted with hate it was almost unbearable to look at. His guard, thirsty for action, were startled as they looked between Aro and Caius. The frenzied hissing and whisper sent a glimmer of hope down the line. A smirk spread over the Romanian's faces as they anticipated the rebellion. Marcus stood absolutely still. His face, unfathomable as his alliance was shown to neither Aro nor Caius.
A split in the Volturi forces would add to our advantage. I turned to see Carlisle's face. To see if I could read his expression. His face was both amused and showing fear. I could tell that he too was analyzing the situation. Edward's hand, still holding mine, gave a gentle squeeze.
Aro raised his hands and quieted his witnesses. "Family, we have come and seen that this child is no immortal child. She is both half human and half vampire. She was conceived by no wrong doing and under the most unusual circumstances." Caius replied, "But we do not know if she is dangerous. How will she interact with humans? Will she put our race in jeopardy?"
With that a smile spread over Aro's face and I heard Edward cry out. It's then that I realized the real intent. It was not to annihilate us, but to add Renesmee to Aro's collection. We had changed his mind, but to a different dangerous situation. I wanted to cry out to Jacob to have him take Renesmee and run. Protect her at all costs from the life the Volturi had planned for her. The time had not come though. Cauis smiled as he realized he would get his battle.
I began to lose focus as I was starting to become enraged. The Volutri, as we suspected, were not here for justice. Truth had prevailed. They were here for two things. To destroy the Cullens, who they saw as competition, and to claim whatever prize vampires they could.
I felt my shield falter just a second. I could feel the twins throwing all they had at me. It somewhat tickled. My thoughts began to wander. I wondered how much of Renesmee's life would I miss. Her prom, her wedding, could she have children? I wondered where she and Jacob would live. How she would transition from Jacob being an uncle to a friend to more? Would she remember me? Would she know how much I loved her? Would she realize the sacrifice that her father and I made for her? Lost in these thoughts I missed what was surrounding me.
Caius's voice broke through my reverie. I began to feel out through my shield. Everyone was on edge and was ready to fight. Those who would flee already had. It was Edward who was talking now, " Caius, these are not true werewolves. They can come out during the day, and they can change by their own free will. We have not allied ourselves with our enemies as you have suggested. We have allied ourselves with shape-shifters." I heard growls in agreement surrounding us.
Again Aro's eyes gave away his excitement. Without Aro speaking a word it was Edward who replied to those shifting eyes, "Aro these are our friends, not guard dogs."
It was at that that Jacob and Seth ran forward. I could not hold them in my shield. Jane got to them first.
The battle had started…
Jacob and Seth were writhing in pain. The howling was unbearable to listen to. I heard a voice screaming at Jacob. It took me a second to realize that it was mine. As Jacob had attacked Renesmee had fallen to the ground. Rose quickly scooped her up. She looked frightend. I cried out for Jacob and in the same breath screamed to Rose to get Renesmee out of danger.
At that moment Zafrina sent the Volturi into a frantic state of blindness. This thwarted Jane's attack on Seth and Jacob. Only Aro, being protected by his own shield, Renata, saw what happened next. Jacob ran back to us. He gently took Renesemee from Rose's arms. She grasped onto his fur as if it was a game. She laughed and waved at Edward and I. Jake howled and I could tell he didn't want to leave his pack. He was torn. With one final howl he took off full speed. Aro screamed in rage but he did not attempt to stop them by himself.
With Renesmee and Jake on their way to safety, Edward became my next target. It seemed so strange to know that I was doing all I could to keep him safe, while he in turn was trying to protect me. My shield felt strong.
Jane and Alec continued their attacks, but with their blindness their aim was off. We all looked at Carlisle. He dropped his head in grief. It was time to fight. I couldn't even imagine was what going through his head. He looked up and his eyes had a new fire to them. I felt a new surge of energy and a low growl started in the back of my throat. I felt it grow as it traveled out. Edward looked startled. We both joined our family in the crouched position. It was time. We waited for Carlisle's nod. I knew when the battle ensued my shield would not be able to protect everyone. I had to focus on my family.
With the nod we attacked. The wolves howled and we growled with our leaping attack. At once the wives in guard began to back up. It seemed that they were not really here to fight, but to witness one. Marcus walked off into the woods taking as many as he could with him. I knew that his silent protest meant we had won him over. We had split the Volturi.
Aro moved to the back of the line watching the battle ensue. He was not going to partake himself. I watched him, fearing that he was going to leave and hunt Renesemee. I stayed close to Edward, Emmett, Amun, Senna, and Kachiri as they looked for their target, Demetri. We had to take the tracker out if this was going to work. The three set to work. Demetri threw Emmett against a tree and turned to face Edward when I felt it. Benjamin was setting the battleground into an earthquake. The rocks shook and trees began to fall. Fire erupted from the earth as pockets of gas were released with the shifting of the earth.
Zafrina was keeping all she could into a blind state. Demetri was obviously out of her reach. The Romanians were using this blindness to test their century old fighting skills on Cauis. Seth, Embry, and Sam joined with a fighting frenzy I had never seen. We all knew that we were fighting for our lives.
Garrett, Tanya, Carlise, Esmee, Maggie, Siobhan, and Kate were onto Alec and Jane. We all had our targets. Kate and Jane were trading pain with each other. A seven on two advantage seemed to continue in our favor. I winced in pain as I aw Esmee feel the pain from Jane. I heard the metallic crash as Alec removed a chunk of Tanya's leg. She cried out and then repaid the favor.
Edward was once again in his crouch we all attacked Demetri as a group. He couldn't overtake us all at the same time. I was worried though, I could not find Emmett. I stepped back from the fight and searched the crowd. It's at this time I realized that Rosalie was missing. I also noticed that Aro was leaving with what seemed to be his guard. Not all the Volturi were fighting. It was then with fear that I realized that Aro had planned this. He was looking to add to his own Coven without Marcus and Caius. I also know that he wanted to add us to his coven. He wanted total control of all gifted vampires. He was going to allow us to rid him of Cauis, but we were not going to be rid of him. He would hunt us.
"Edward, Aro is leaving with his guard." It seemed as Edward read my thoughts through my cries to him. Unfortunately, I sidetracked him and Demtri got a good hit in. Edward flew into a fire geyser that Benjamin was procuring from the center of his core. Alec got to Tanya. I heard a cry muffled by the ripping of metal. With a smile Alec threw Tanya's remains into a nearby earthquake crack that was spilling over lava. I heard Kate scream out and she ran at Alec, being followed by the wolves and Garrett. The others may have taken care of Jane, or she had fled with Aro. I was not sure.
I turned to find myself face to face with Demetri. I could see the horror in Edward's face. Demetri pounced and as he did I dove beneath him. As he flew over me I grabbed him by his cloak and dragged his bead closer to mine. With a smirk I ripped his fleshy neck with my teeth. They went through like butter, but the sound was atrocious. I could hear the ringing in my ears and feel the ripping on his tendons, arteries, and sinews. It was not a pleasant feeling. As I closed my jaw to take a chunk I felt myself being hit by a train off Demetri. Caius had stepped in. He looked into my eyes and his hate for me was obvious. He smiled and went in for the kill.
It was at that point he was hit in the head by the deception of Demetri. He flinched for just an instance. It was just long enough. Edward tackled him off me and the wrestling match began. Garrett took Demetri's body and through it into the flame.
I looked for Stefan and Vladimir to join in and help Edward, but they had joined Demetri's fate. It was Seth who joined the fight. With one swipe though, Seth was thrown across the field. I could hear the snap of his bones as he hit the ground. I could hear him whimpering. I looked for the rest of the pack, but none were in sight. As I looked around the clearing, the only fight left was between Edward and Cauis. The wolves had gone after Aro and his guard. Carlilse and Esme were nowhere to be found. Kate and Garrett were tending to a fire of corpses. The others, they were circling ready to join the fight. Edward suddenly stood up. He looked Cauis straight in the face. I gasped as I could see that Edward was hurt. His perfect flesh had been bitten, ripped, and torn. He was missing pieces of his hand and neck, but his face was still perfect. As Edward stood, Cauis stepped back.
"Caius, you are the last one here. The rest of your guard has left you or been destroyed. You will be destroyed with them if you continue this fight."
Caius eye's flickered, "I have already received what I have come here for. I know that the Cullen's can be broken. New armies can be made with the likeness of Renesmee. Marcus and Aro are no longer alliances of mine. The battle for control has begun as the Volturi no longer exist as a whole. Thanks to you the Romanian guard has been destroyed. Oh no, Edward this in not the last you have heard from me. This is just the beginning. Today has started the grandest scale vampire war."
It is then that Caius made his mistake. He turned his back and began to walk away. It is then that Carlisle flung himself onto Cauis and in a single movement took him down. He glared at the body of his friend. His eyes were filled with love, hate, and pity all at the same time. The amber was glowing. It was unbearable to look at all the pain this action took. Esmee moved in and grabbed Carlisle's hand. It was Edward that had kicked the body and its parts into the flame.
The battle was over, but the war with Aro had just begun. Edward came from behind me and wrapped his arms around me and buried his face in my hair. He could be crying, his tears would flow right now. I was confused. I was scared. I felt like a piece of me was missing. I felt like multiple pieces were missing. I turned and buried my face into his skin. It was all sinking in. Jacob was gone. And he took…. Gasp…. My daughter.
I looked up and around at the casualties. The pack had crowded around one of their own. Edward and I inched to see. It was Seth. The venom had taken him over. He had been bitten during the fight. Carlisle was doing all that he could. His face was grim. Edward turned away and whispered in a voice only audible to me., "He's not going to make it."
I looked for Leah. We had never been the best of friends, but as the only female in the pack she may need someone. I couldn't find Leah though. I still didn't see Rosalie or Emmett. I looked to Edward to ask him, but what I saw in his face stopped me in my tracks.