The Descendant

Rand could hear the sound of intensed throb hammering his temple. Somewhere in the distance a desperate shreak echoed. The black-eyed boy sighed and muttered:

"Casualties. The only thing sufficient."

The remains of the shattered halls seemed as though stripped and ancious. After the attack the generator mearly produced enough energy to power the flourecent lamps that now illuminated the large circular table at which the High Council sat silent.

Suddenly the severe looking Queen spoke.

"It seems as though my plans were futile."

"Don't say that, my lady!" the crooked man on her left quickly responded. "Never have such strong and tireless forces threatened us."

"Don't patronize me, Muntz! I as much as anyone knows the forces of this universe. I should have forseen this."

No one felt compelled to argue. But Rand felt a growing discomfort, a rapidly progressed desperation.

"So what!" He cried. "Should we just stay within these walls and rot as the world outside is being devoured by the Covenant? The Descendant is almost grown and her path is far from certain, something must be done!".

A man with a malevous grin stood up and pointed a spiderlike finger at Rand.

"You speak like a saviour and yet you know nothing! The Descendant is beyond our control, her faith cannot be of our concern. "

"Sit down, Ergoth!" the Queen commanded. All of the sudden her eyes seemed alert, curious . "Under your command our entire fleet would have succumbed to the Covenant and our people would have laid down their weapons in resignation." She paused and greedly emptied her mug. Ergoth sat down, mumbling unhearable words in his own tounge.

"There is always hope! she continued. "Hope that the child will find her way, that the Ancients will guide her. We must put our trust in higher powers. There is nothing we can do now."

The downhearted atmophere was cut by Rand, who stood up.

"But what about the Bifrost?"

Rands words effected the Council as cold steel penetrating flesh.

"The Gates must never be reopened!" Ergoth shouted, staring intensly and frightened into Rands pitch black, unyealding eyes.

"Let him speak!" the Queen ordered. "What are you suggesting?"

"As we all know, Your Highness, time is of the essence. If we are to defeat the Covenant we must make sure that the Descendant fulfilles her task." Rand said. "Isabella bears our hope in her unaware state. We cannot leave her ignorant of her indispensable role, such as it is. Who knows what the cold ones will do to her!" Rand was now talking as if to himself "We cannot…" he whispered inaudibly.

"But even if the Bifrost were to be reopened there are no guarantees that there will be a way back." The Queen interupted. "Who would risk being stuck on Earth?" her words died fast as silence once again hit the room.

Rand remained risen. The glaring eyes of the Council members were strictly fixed on him. He was alone in this, that much he knew. But somehow their gaze made him feel empowered, and in his heart he knew that he had already made his choise.

"I will."

As Isabella Swan parked her used to be red Chevy outside Forks High School, the notion of being watched pierced her consciousness. Even so, her pace briefly declined as she

walked cross the parkinglot. She guzzled the increasing smell of sweet and damp perfume and the distinctive and artificial taste of the to much toothpaste.

"Keep going", she told herself. "Almost there".

Her worn out shoes glazed the cold, naked stone. One-two. One-two. She felt abandoned, stripped. People hid in the warmth of company, standing in packs around the lot. Even though she had come to like some of her new classmates, seeing them standing there made her feel uncomfortable, as though she was at a Zoo. The males swarming around the females, showing of by engaging their contestants.

"Bella!"

Swung out of the vision of her classmates climbing around, she walked toward her waving friends.

"Where were you yesterday? We missed you." Jessica said.

"I was with Edward. We went hiking with his family." Bella blushed with a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Whatever you kids call it these days." Mike implied with a mannered voice.

Bella answered with a sly smile and turned to Jessica

"We actually did hike. By the Calawah river. It was fun!" she said.

The bell rang and they gathered their things to go to class. As they walked Bella felt his eyes on her. Edward.

"Bella, I need to talk to you."

"Edward! You need to stop doing that." she said in at startled tone.

"I'm sorry. But this is important." he said and started walking towards his car. Bella looked back at Jessica and Mike with a shrug, turned and followed.

"What is it?" Bella said impatiently.

"It's Alice. She has seen something... or someone. We don't really know yet. I don't recognize its smell. It's… different."

"Like me, different?" Bella whispered, and caressed his arm while they walked.

Edward smiled, but it quickly faded. He looked as though he didn't know how to answer.

"Why should I come?" Bella asked, trying to see what he was thinking. "If Alice has seen it and you have smelled it, why do you need me?"

Edward stopped and turned, facing Bella.

"Somehow it feels like he's connected to you." he said.

"So it's a human being? Why didn't you say so?" Bella was getting irritated by Edwards cryptic replies.

"Human, no. A being… yes. Whatever it is, you need to come with me."

It had started to rain as they drove through the small town of Forks. The roads were slippery and wet but Edwards foot barely left the throttle.

"Why would they need me if not Alice had seen something that effects me more than Edward says?" Bella thought, as the rain hammered the windshield. "Could it be Victoria? She surely has reason to find me."

Edward looked distant. More so than usual. His eyes were fixed on the road and his strong, pale hands confidently manouvered the speeding vehicle.

When the silver-coloured Volvo stopped outside the Cullen house Emmet stood on the porch, as if he had been waiting.

"Stay here" Edward told Bella as he climbed out of the car and aproached his muscular stepbrother.

"But… Wait!" Bella cried and ran after him. When she caught up with him she said grouchy, a bit out of breath, "You cannot invite me to something and then just shut me out".

"We don't have time for your lovers' quarrel" Emmet stated with a grin. "Alice was right. We've found him, in the fields, next to their territory."

"Where is Carlisle?" Edward asked, already on his way into the house.

Emmet grabbed Edward by the shoulder, to stop him.

"There's is no use looking inside. He's out there with them."

Edward took Bellas hand and walked back to the car.

"Is she coming with? It might be dangerous!" Emmet said.

Bella gave him a long, hostile stare, "I'm not afraid!" she replied.

"She'll be safer with us" Edward said as they all climbed into the car. Edward started the engine, gave Bella a comforting smile, and then rapidly took off.

In midst of the forest the Cullen clan surrounded what appeared to be a small crater. The trees around it had been scorched, and formed a perfect circle. The ground was covered in a layer of ashes and dust. Bella coughed, and covered her nose and mouth with an old, flowery napkin as they walked in to the center of the circle. Esme turned to them as they arrived at the sight.

"I've never seen anything like this. It's as if he has fallen from the sky. But yet he's breathing…" Esme said with a frown, turning her gaze back to the middle of the crater.

Bella looked to the sky. Above them shimmered a circular formation, as if the cloud-cover had been punctured by an enormous beam.

Carlisle and Rosalie, who had been tending the being, carefully carried it up to the others. The being looked almost like an ordinary man. It was 5'9" tall, chalky white, and his spindly body was dressed in large, burgundy, robes. The creature was breathing slowly, but its eyes were closed.

Bella shuddered at the sight of it. She wrapped her arms around herself, in pure reflex. Something felt eerie.

"Oh, wait!" Jasper searched his pockets eagerly. "We found this on him." With his right hand Jasper held up a bright, shining neck less. In the middle of it hung a piece of what looked like some sort of rare gemstone. The jewel was black, all flat and rhombus formed.

Jasper passed it around.

When jewel was given to Bella she shivered, but slowly reached to grab the silvery bond. "It's cold." she said in a whisper.

There was a freezing silence.

The wind hissed and the crowd gathered close together.

Bella sensed a swift movement.

A horrific deafining gasp was heared from the being, as it fiercely inhaled the unfamiliar air. It grabbed Bella by her ankles with its claw like fingers, dragging her down to the ground with such power that no one, not even Edward, had a chance to react.

"The Covenant…" it whispered with a hoarse voice. "The Descendant… Isabella… Isabella Swan… "