As the group arrived in Volterra, they were all extremely tense.
The hilly landscape laid before them, stretched out like a vast mountain range that was covered in greenery. In the centre laid the city they would soon enter, the sandy coloured stone walls seemed to look daunting in the darkening light that cast huge shadows along the bank of the wall surrounding Volterra. Guards stationed at each entrance let cars in for a fee, a fee that the group had in a cash sum thanks to the witch, Hecate.
Eddie drove them slowly up the hill in their 'borrowed' car. It was a Jeep Grand Cherokee, a large eight seater car they were pretty lucky to find considering the rarity of these on the road.
"So people, what we are going to say to the Volturi, 'give us back our book or three hybrids will kick your ass?'" Siena said sarcastically, annoying Tara in the process.
"You know, I thought I was sarcastic, but you top even me." She screwed up her face in annoyance and turned away from Siena.
"We'll ask for the book back. If they refuse we will take it by force." Edd spoke coldly, knowing what the Volturi were like, "If Mr. Mind reader here even hears one thought on them killing you, Tara you make them see shit they don't wanna see, like us running the wrong way and then we'll go find that damn book."
"Sounds like a plan. Is that your power? To make people see things?" Chloe asked Tara with a smile.
"See, hear, smell, feel, taste. I can mess with the senses which is awesome." Tara grinned.
"And that means she can take them away as well. Kind of like a better version of Alec." Edd smirked about his girlfriend's power. "Much better than mind reading."
"Hey, mind reading is better than been able to take people into your mind and my ability isn't as simple as just mind reading" Eddie argued as he turned the wheel particularly sharply, heading up the hill to Volterra.
"Yeah, but my ability might grow you dipshit, all of the others have so my power might evolve." Edd grumbled at Eddie as he tried to trump him in everything.
"Mine will grow and has already started to, dipshit" Eddie remarked, using the same word to patronise his double.
"What's your power Chloe?" Tara asked awkwardly hating that Edd and Eddie were fighting childishly.
"I can track just by thinking about someone, to their exact location." Chloe said, and then with a gasp Renesmee squealed.
"What about objects? Do you think you could find the other book?!" Renesmee asked giddily.
"I-I don't know. I never really tried objects only people!" Chloe stuttered.
"Try and picture the book, a book that looks just like this one in Volterra, can you see where it is?" Tara whispered as Chloe concentrated.
"I… I see it. It's on a shelf in an office with dark pine furniture and red curtains, it's… Aro's office!" Chloe gasped as she came out of her trance like state after finding where the book was.
"So now we know where the book is." Siena spoke grimly.
"Now it's just a matter of finding it." Masen spoke in the same emotionless tone as they entered through the gates of Volterra.
"It's beautiful." Chloe spoke; the city itself was beautiful, old and ornate with ancient buildings in one sandy colour.
"Beautiful isn't how I'd describe it. I'd say it's dull and creepy." Siena shivered involuntarily.
"For once, I agree with you!" Tara shivered as well, taking Edd's hand in her own and holding on for dear life as she was pretty scared.
"It sort of reminds me of Aladdin." Edd blurted which made Tara, Chloe and Renesmee laugh.
"It's… yeah, it does actually. And I have to admit; it looks slightly less creepy than that goddamn forest, if that's even possible." Siena agreed, looking out of the car window at the sandy coloured walls and the perfect, short, square housing.
"Apart from there is no big castle in the distance." Tara jabbed Edd in the ribs.
"There's a clock tower, and the Volturi live there, so it's kind of like a castle." Edd smirked at her and put his arm around her shoulders.
"They don't deserve to even be considered royalty." Chloe grumbled as she looked at the ever approaching clock tower.
"I agree." Jake said, and that was probably the first time he had addressed Chloe as if she were a normal human being.
"It's eerie, the closer we get to the centre of the city, the more I feel like we should turn back." Masen said, looking at Siena protectively.
"Well we aren't turning back now." Eddie nodded to himself and then looked out of the window, pulling to a halt in a parking space pretty close to the clock tower that seemed even more daunting up close.
The clock struck seven o'clock, Ding dong, ding dong. It echoed around the square. The huge fountain Eddie had seen in his mother's mind seemed to reflect the hopelessness of the place.
"Right, let's go then." Tara said with mock bravery and was the first to step forward into the town square, closely followed by Chloe who looked about as confident as Tara was feeling.
They all trotted on over the sandy cobblestone square to the daunting clock tower, the long shadow cast over the fountain, the water gushing and echoing around the enclosed walls. A pin could have dropped in the silence as they made their way over to the Volturi's lair.
"Who dare's intrude on the Volturi?!" One of the nameless guards commanded the group.
"Tara, blind him." Edd whispered to her, and Tara did as she was told. The Volturi guard began to growl at them, but they were already gone as they ran through the tower and into the lift that would take them to the Volturi.
The lift was very slow and steady, and honestly it made them all feel impatient and annoyed as they were so tense. Ding.
The doors opened.
Eddie took a hesitant step out of the door and looked left and right, like a soldier he waved his hand silently alerting the other's so join him on coming out of the lift.
What an idiot acting like he's the leader of the group. Edd thought to himself, "I heard that." Eddie whispered.
"Get out of my mind!" Edd yelled at the irritating guy, and then everyone glared at him.
"You've just alerted every Volturi guard for miles around that we're here Eddie!" Tara growled at him, she was mad, and that was rare for Tara to be mad at Eddie.
"We're going to be killed!" Chloe snarled at Edd, making it clear that she was not impressed at his antics.
"This is all your boyfriend's fault!" Edd yelled, "If he wasn't so-"
"No!" Tara bellowed, "If you weren't both so stubborn and proud…"
"And cocky and didn't keep arguing over stupid things, then we wouldn't be in this mess! We get it! The silly rivalry!" Chloe growled at both Edd and Eddie.
"But-" Eddie said.
"No buts! We're in this mess because you two have this stupid rivalry, now get on before I kick your ass!" Tara snarled at the two vampire men, "Both of you!"
And at that Chloe had to bite back a laugh, even though she was a newborn, she reminded herself never to get on the wrong side of Tara.
"See even your girlfriend thinks you're acting like a douchebag." Eddie muttered to Edd childishly.
"I'm a douchebag?! I'm so glad you can hear what I'm thinking right now because if I said this out loud…" Edd warned and they both narrowed their eyes at each other.
"They're almost here. I can read their minds." Eddie sighed frustrated as a guard ran towards them; he threw up his shield and the guard instantly dropped to the floor electrocuted.
"Hey, that was awesome!" Masen laughed as the vampire continued to twitch on the floor as if he was a human that had been dropped with a taser.
"Umm, Eddie?" Renesmee tapped Eddie on the shoulder as another vampire ran at the group.
"Drop your shield." Edd whispered to Eddie.
"No!" Eddie growled as he stood his ground with his electric shield.
"That's it!" Edd snarled and he threw his arms out. A bright flash of light hit Eddie's shield and it disintegrated into nothing. Eddie looked gobsmacked as Edd took his hands, muttered some ancient words and then threw nothing at another vampire who was running towards them.
The nothing hit the vampire with a huge spark, like a lightning bolt had hit and an explosion had occurred. The bright flash of light almost blinded the group, but as they all looked to the vampire, he was laid out cold on the floor.
"That. Was. Awesome." Chloe said grinning at Edd, which made Eddie become very jealous.
"Yeah, but who needs lightning bolts in your hands when you've got an electric shield?" Eddie tried to make himself sound better.
"It's not lightning. It was pure magic." Edd rolled his eyes as if that was obvious.
"You didn't even need to use it, my shield was disabling the guards perfectly fine you just wanted to prove you could do it too" Eddie rolled his eyes.
"I have to say that was still impressive, I've never seen such a raw display of power." Renesmee complimented Edd with a small smile.
"Guess the Lux Lamia aren't the most powerful creatures in our world anymore, eh Ness?" Jake said, nudging her playfully in the side.
"I guess not. I've never seen my siblings do anything like that before, not even Lizzy who's practically the next Einstein," Renesmee remarked.
"You guys have your own powerful vampire species too?" Eddie questioned inquisitively.
"Yeah. Lux Lamia. Long story, but my two siblings are considered very powerful in our world," Renesmee explained sheepishly to the others.
"Well your sister does that cool thing with her mind and your brother has that cool shield thingy," Jacob said, trying to show their vampire creatures were powerful too.
"I guess." Renesmee shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. I think they're all unique and powerful in their own ways." The others nodded their heads in agreement, but still seemed to be marvelled by Edd's power.
"Hey, yeah um people, can we stop this worship thing and get moving?" Siena said bluntly and the others agreed as they began to walk down the corridor again.
"I think the book is just down here." Chloe whispered as they snuck down the corridor very quietly, taking care not to leave any trails behind them as they didn't want to make it obvious what thing they were heading for.
They made it to the end of the cold, dark pathway, the room at the end was ornately furnished, a red rug with dark oak cabinets and heavy red velvet curtains on the windows, the room was cream and gold and very beautiful. A tapestry hung on the wall depicting the Volturi in all of their horrendous glory.
"Which shelf?" Masen asked as he strolled into the room, walking over to the very large book shelf that had countless ancient books on it.
"This is amazing." Tara stared open mouthed at the books, "Which one is it?"
"I think it's…" Chloe closed her eyes and tried to reach out with her mind and find the book they wanted. "It's the second from the right, shelf eleven."
Jacob began to scan the shelves very carefully trying to find the fight shelf and book number; he found the book and pulled it out. Surprisingly it looked exactly the same as the other book, a rather old leather bound book that was slightly tattered at the edges but was beautiful nevertheless. He held it out for Renesmee to take with the other one. Nessie took the book and placed it under her other arm.
"Now we have the twin books, what do we do?" Renesmee asked Eddie with a slight smirk at how easy this had been. Everyone else had accepted Eddie as the leader, he was a mind reader after all; he was bound to take the lead, it was only Edd who was resentful of this.
"You're right Nessie, this was too easy." Eddie growled "Aro's coming now with Jane and Alec. Tara, Chloe, Siena and Renesmee, I want you to find a way out now, me, Edd, Jake and Masen will stay here. Whatever happens, don't-"
"Excuse me? You aren't my boyfriend; I'll stay if I want to!" Tara narrowed her eyes a little at Eddie. Eddie and Edd were really getting on her nerves with their protective bullshit and all of the testosterone crap.
"Yeah, and seeing as you are my boyfriend, I think I'll be staying." Chloe took Eddie's hand and Tara's, Tara took her Edd's hand and Renesmee, Siena, Jake and Masen stood in a similar fashion.
Aro came flanked by Jane and Alec, they were wearing their trademark hooded cloaks, Aro wore black while the Alec and Jane wore a charcoal grey.
"Why isn't it young Renesmee, and some friends I presume?" Aro asked with a sickly sweet grin, looking all around the room in awe.
"Hello, Aro" Renesmee said sharply, glaring at him. Jacob snarled as he stayed close to his imprint's side.
"So this is the famous Aro...leader of the Volturi" Siena whispered to Masen under her breath after seeing him for the very first time
"Yes" Masen replied, pushing her behind his back much to her dismay
"You should be dead." Tara spat at Aro, "And you should watch out." She narrowed her eyes at Alec.
"Such raw power! I can almost taste it!" Aro chuckled as he watched the eight teenagers trying to figure out what to do.
Chloe, I need you to step forward so I can touch Tara. I need her power so we can get away. Eddie placed in Chloe's head as he held her hand. Chloe stepped forward, Aro narrowed his eyes as Eddie took a step closer to Tara and held her hand, Chloe switched sides and held Eddie's other hand that was now free.
Tara listen to me, I can hear you and you can hear me okay? I need your help. The only way we can get out of this is if I put up my shield around all of us, and then you take away their senses and then I'll place my shield around you and we run. Eddie said to Tara, she stiffened at the words in her head. It was just like Renesmee's power.
Uhh, okay? When? Tara thought in her mind as they all glared at the Volturi neither one wanting to move as if they did, they could set the other force off.
"Now!" Eddie yelled out loud as his shield erupted around him. Tara screamed as she used her power. She had never tried to take all the senses from somebody before and never three people at once. It was almost painful to use that much power, but in a split second the deed was done and they all began to run for their lives as Aro, Alec and Jane lay out cold on the floor of his own office.
As they ran from the clock tower, they didn't even acknowledge the fact that what they had just done was amazing, they had thwarted the Volturi single handedly and managed to get a priceless and powerful book from them that was a twin to one they already had.
"I-Need… to-breathe." Tara whispered. She was suddenly exhausted from using all of her power on the three members of the Volturi in a rush.
"Do you want me to carry you?" Edd asked her looking very worried for his fiancé.
"No thank you. I'd rather just... walk." She sighed and clutched her side.
"Here, let me help you." Chloe said taking Tara's arm and letting the girl lean against her as they walked away from the clock tower as quick as they could without getting revealed as vampires. "I know what it's like to feel out of breath. I used to have asthma when I was human." Chloe patted Tara's back and tried to calm the girl's frantic heart rate that she could hear.
They got to their Jeep and all climbed in, Edd and Eddie ended up in the front for some reason, Tara and Chloe had claimed the middle seats and Jake, Nessie, Masen and Siena were squeezed into the back.
Tara was breathing hard after her display of power, very hard now. "Is it possible for vampire's to have asthma?" Chloe asked as she made Tara lay down on the seat and place her head in her lap.
"I don't think so, but she's half human. It could be possible." Edd murmured as he looked at his fiancé with her new friend who was trying to take care of her.
"I feel so tired." Tara groaned in pain as a searing hot spike caught her stomach, "Open the door!"
"Shit!" Chloe yelled as she flung open the door of the car just in time for Tara to cough up blood, a lot of blood.
Renesmee wrinkled up her nose in the back, disgusted at the sight. Jacob pretty much copied Renesmee. Masen seemed almost fascinated that a half vampire was sick and Siena looked indifferent.
"What's wrong with her?" Chloe looked frightened; Eddie had only seen her look this scared with her best friend, and his sister from his world, Renesmee.
"I'm fine guys. This happened before when I was younger, remember Eddie?" Tara's breathing was still unsteady.
"Yeah, Carlisle said it's because you overexerted yourself and you're not supposed to because you're more human that the rest of the hybrids." Edd didn't know if to be angry or sympathetic towards his girlfriend.
"I had to do it, if not we would have all died." Tara coughed a little and Chloe helped her back onto the seat in a sitting position.
"When you yelled now, I had no idea what you were talking about." Siena stated to Eddie with an eye roll.
"It was a part of the plan I made sure Tara and Chloe knew it. I couldn't get it to anybody else." Eddie said, putting his hands back on the wheel and pulling the car back off the side of the road as they drove towards their destination.
"So this is your fault Tara's like this?" Edd growled at Eddie as he clutched at his seat trying not to let the thoughts of his own mind become real. He wanted to tear this Eddie into shreds for putting Tara in danger.
"I didn't know! She just saved our lives, she was amazing. Calm your overprotective ass down. She'll be fine" Eddie spat at Edd sitting next to him.
"Eddie, it's not his fault. He didn't know I was more human that the rest of the dhampirs, he didn't know that I'd almost black out." Tara sighed as she rubbed her temple to get the hot pain away from there.
"Whatever." Edd muttered, becoming increasingly jealous of Eddie as he pulled up to an abandoned house, it was now dark the stars twinkled like a million diamonds high up in the vast expanse of night.
Outside the house's roof was green with moss and caved in at one side. The windows were dark and grey with dirt while ivy clung to the outer walls. Around it was unkempt undergrowth as if the house had grown up from the very earth.
The eight of them got out of the car, Tara now supported by Edd as she stumbled up the path with the group, Chloe glanced at her worryingly, and she was reassured by Eddie who placed his arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. Masen held Siena's hand protectively and Jacob had his arm around Renesmee's waist. Both wolves were shaking but holding their imprints comforted them. They were still on a high from the recent danger.
They got to the door of the house, with a creek the door opened.
Inside the house there were grey streaks of black across the walls as mould from the damp nights had begun to seep in. Flaking specks of paint lined the floor with dust and the corpses of unfortunate creatures and bugs. The disused wooden furniture was rotting; stained with lichen while the curtains hung limp and moth-eaten. The place felt still, heavy with expectation and foreboding waiting for one more life form to creak across the worn wooden floorboards.
"Well, we're here. This is where Hecate wanted us to meet." Renesmee said as she lugged the booked further into her grasp.
"Not to be rude, but this place is a real shit hole. Why couldn't we have met her somewhere normal?" Siena spoke gruffly as she kicked a moth-eaten rag out of her path with the toe of her shoe.
"I want to try something." Tara whispered to Chloe.
"What?" Chloe asked inquisitively, whatever Tara would want to do; she bet it would be hilarious.
"ECHO!" Tara yelled into the damp room making everybody jump. Echo… Echo… Repeated the house. Chloe sniggered at everybody's reaction, as they all jumped at the sudden sound in the room.
Then "Echo." Spoke somebody. Tara screamed a little as the voice crept up her spine and made her shiver, suddenly she didn't feel so weak and tired.
"Who's there?" Jacob said into the dark.
"It's me." A voice laughed from the darkest depths of the house.
"Who is me?!" Masen growled getting worried for his imprint as this ghostly voice continued to haunt them.
"Why it's me of course, and I see you have my books." Hecate smiled as she appeared from behind a piece of furniture making the group jump yet again.
"Give her the books and then we can be on our way home." Masen said to Renesmee, but Renesmee clutched the books close to her chest.
"I don't trust her. It's not Hecate." Renesmee whispered to Masen and the others.
"What do you mean?" Chloe asked, looking at the witch who was now glaring at them dangerously.
"It's not her, I can feel it too. Something I've felt before." Tara said glancing at Edd.
"Darkness." Eddie and Edd said together with a sneer as they copied one another.
"So you finally realised that I am not Hecate. Bravo you impudent little children." The witch snarled as she came closer to Renesmee with the books.
"Renesmee, run. Run with the books and get out of here, NOW!" Eddie yelled at her. All of a sudden, Jake exploded, cloth flying everywhere as Renesmee jumped on his back and the couple were off running away from the witch.
"No! My books!" The witch snarled as she lunged for Renesmee but was stopped by Tara and Chloe.
"You really think we're letting you get your hands on those books?" Tara hissed as the witch sneered at her. Chloe didn't like how close the witch was to her or Tara, she used her newborn strength to push the witch just slightly away from both girls, and she needed to use her newborn strength because the witch seemed surprisingly steady under her shove, a lot stronger than she expected from a mere mortal.
"Your twin said they would be dangerous in the wrong hands and after seeing what's in your mind, I think I can safely say that you are completely the wrong hands." Eddie stood in front of the witch now with Chloe and Tara behind him.
"Do you really think you can stop me from getting what I want? I will get those books if it is the last thing I ever do!" The witch snarled and ran atEddie, who deflected her blows one by one. Eddie had a major advantage seeing her mind but he knew as soon as she started to use magic it would be a lot harder. The minds around him were buzzing, Chloe's louder than the others and Tara a close second both expressing worry greater than anybody else in the room; they were concerned for him but he tried to block them out and focus on his attacker. She was still using hand to hand combat which surprised him; she was clearly just playing with him. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep this up, part of him wished Esther was around but he'd never say that out loud out of fear of the looks he'd receive from Chloe and of how much Edd would tease him for needing somebody to do his work for him. Eddie had just gained the upper hand when he walked away, literally smiling. The witch was confused in her head but Eddie had seen something in Edd's head, he would let him fight this battle, part of him wanted to see how well Edd fought. Eddie had been trained by some of the best fighters in the world, during the war with the Volturi he had to learn; now it was time for Edd to show him his abilities.
Down to you, brother. Eddie placed in Edd's head sarcastically. He didn't let on that he was slightly impressed with Edd's thought process; he just wanted to see the show.
"Now it's my turn, fighting magic with magic." Edd growled as he stepped forward towards the witch with his hands both raised. Eddie took his place with Chloe and Tara and watched with an amused expression. This witch was going to get her ass kicked. Eddie thought. He couldn't help but feel slightly proud of his 'brother'; on the other hand if Edd didn't win Edd wouldn't hear the last of it. My turn to kick this bitch's ass now! Edd thought to himself as he closed in for the kill. What Eddie didn't know about Edd was that he had also trained with some of the best and most ancient warriors of his time during his war with the Volturi, meaning that his hand to hand combat skills were amazing, maybe not quite as good as Eddie's, but close enough and he could pretty easily rely on the magic in his blood to help him kick ass.
"You sure you want to do this, Edd?" The witch taunted, "You know you'll lose. You're too weak!"
"Yes," spat Edd as he approached the witch. She wore black armour over her white outfit. "I've been waiting this whole time to kick your witch bitch ass and now I finally get the chance!"
"I'm just asking you to think about this more" said the witch sternly. "Because once we begin fighting I will only stop once you are dead. No submissions, no mercy."
"Sounds fine to me."
"Think about this Eddie! This witch is dangerous! She can control the dimensions for god's sake!" Tara cried to her boyfriend who was squaring off with the witch.
"I don't care. This bitch has had it coming to her and it's about time I gave it."
"Fine. But I swear if you die I'm going to run off with a shapeshifter!" Tara threatened jokingly, it was one of Edd's worst fears, having Tara been imprinted on by a wolf. It was one fear that Eddie shared; he didn't find the joke funny at all.
They moved in on one another, each eyeing their opponent, and suddenly Eddie saw what was so dangerous about Edd, his unpredictability and his loyalty to his friends.
"Well, if it isn't the other hybrid arriving back with my book." The witch laughed sardonically
"We can't get out of the house, we're locked in. There's like a barrier around the place." Renesmee explained to Eddie, Chloe, Siena, Tara and Masen.
Edd leapt forward and a vicious snarl ripped out of him towards the witch.
"Oh, eager aren't we? Fine then." She bit her thumb and showed the blood. "Let's begin."
Edd bit his lip as the amazing smell of witch blood washed over him, it was a scent unlike human blood and yet at the same time it was even more tempting because of the raw power you could sense off it.
Edd and the witch jumped back from each other. Energy formed into Edd's hands, and the evil twin of Hecate began to summon her own magic.
"Wait, why is her magic black?" asked Siena. "Shouldn't it be white?"
The dark energy formed into the shape of a mace.
"Hmp, if that's how you really want to do it." Edd chuckled as he morphed his white magic into a sword with a little difficulty. "Fine!"
The witch attacked. Edd parried her assaults, each clash of their weapons ignited black and white sparks.
"This isn't good," said Eddie. "The witch already has Edd on the ropes."
"Isn't that a bit too soon to say?" Tara hissed as she watched her to-be husband fight the witch. Eddie tapped his head to remind her he had a direct link to the thought process of her boyfriend.
"The way their weapons were summoned already told a difference. Edd struggled to summon his, but the witch had no problem. You can also see that the witch is already viciously attacking with heavy strikes and Edd's weapon is beginning to crack under it." Eddie said as if he was an expert in witch magic, in reality he only knew what the pair fighting were giving him.
The witch kicked back and tried to make another hammering blow, but Edd rolled out of the way and jumped back as the witch tripped, and that was what gave Edd time to recover.
"What's he doing!" yelled Renesmee. "That was his chance to attack, why didn't he take it?"
The witch was on the attack again.
"If this is Edd's fighting skills, he has no hopes of winning." Masen said hopelessly. It was almost killing Jacob to sit back and watch this, he wanted to fight; it was a violent urge to protect his imprint but he wasn't an idiot, he knew there were forces here that a simple shapeshifter couldn't beat. He reluctantly stayed back with the others and watched.
"Magic combats aren't always decided on martial art skills alone." Renesmee murmured under her breath.
The four girls squealed as a bright light came through the door, shining amazingly.
Standing nearby was a cloaked woman, they could barely make out her face but as she pulled down her hood they saw that the woman was Hecate.
"What's wrong?" asked Hecate. "Did you really think I was going to let you battle my sister Qetsiyah on your own?"
"Hecate!" gasped Tara catching her breath.
"Yes, Child, it's me."
"I'd keep your eyes on the fight," Siena said as she watched, her gaze unbroken.
Edd's weapon snapped.
"Ha! This is… huh?" The witch's began to ooze black smoke and it shattered like glass and blew away into dust.
"A curse spell!" gasped Eddie.
"Now they both can't use summoned weapons until this fight's over." Hecate said to the group.
Qetsiyah stumbled back and looked towards her sister. "Y-You!"
"Wow," said Eddie. "One of Qetsiyah's greatest skills was enchanted mace combat, so she's lost an edge on Edd." Eddie said as he watched the two magical people play out their game
"Don't celebrate just yet. Qetsiyah still has a lot of cards to play, young one." Hecate spoke to Eddie as he watched the fight.
Qetsiyah made hand signs and a fire started to ignite around Edd. He was blinded by the red bursts. Qetsiyah swept Edd off his feet and punched his chest with a pulse of magic that sent Edd rocketing so far up, he repelled against the dome ceiling.
"That was dirty!" Tara yelled to the witch.
"Why don't you fight her? Why can't you help us properly?" Chloe yelled at the Hecate.
White energy moulded around Edd's back and formed into wings, catching him from falling into the flames.
"Another Curse spell!" said Tara, concerned. "But I've never seen that one."
"It's the Lotus wing spell," answered Hecate. "One of the most effective flight spells. But drains the user's magic considerable faster and has a possibility of permanently draining magic."
Edd clenched his wrists together. "Astral lance!" he blasted a white beam. Qetsiyah soared over using what appeared to be Black wings.
"Doesn't matter what you do Edd. I'll always be better!" She fired her own beam. Edd moved aside, but his wings were struck, causing him to plummet.
"This fights over! Radical spin!" Qetsiyah flipped into a disk of black and pink colours chasing after Edd, slamming into him and crushing herself into the ground.
"Th-that's it over isn't it?" stuttered Siena.
"Heh, the fight hasn't even begun yet," Eddie said as he charged towards the witch using brute strength to snag her in mid-air. Eddie had had enough of the show, Edd was good, very good and Eddie was reluctant to admit it but there was no point in standing by when he could be helping.
"No!" Chloe yelled as the witch began to wrestle him, he tried to block her magic with his shield, partially electrocuting her which gave Edd and opening.
"How does she know all of these spells?!" Tara gasped to Hecate
"Isn't it obvious?" asked Hecate.
"What?" Chloe said as she tried to not panic about her fiancé throwing himself into the fight.
"Do the maths," Hecate said "we're twin sisters and you know how powerful I am."
"Wait," stuttered Renesmee as she cut into the conversation. "You taught her these spells didn't you?"
"Ding-ding, someone give her a prize?" Siena said sarcastically.
"Why though! Why would you teach anyone such foul magic?" Chloe exclaimed as she watched the vicious spells the evil witch cast against Edd and Eddie.
"Because she was my sister and she wasn't bad at the time, but she came over run with power and she started to dabble in the dark arts." Hecate closed her eyes pained at the memories of her and her sister when they were younger.
"We need to do something to even the fight!" growled Masen.
"Then do what you must do," continued Hecate.
"What do you mean?" Chloe gasped as Eddie was thrown into a wall by a blast of power from the witch. Eddie growled in response and went over to Edd. This had worked with his mother so he had a feeling, since he and Edd shared the same genetic parents it would work with him too. Edd was momentarily distracted and slightly disgusted that Eddie grabbed his hand.
What are you doing? Edd growed in Eddie's thoughts.
Using your power to boost mine. He answered urgently.
What? No! Edd snarled, thinking that Eddie was taking his power. He tried to pull his hand away but was surprised with Eddie's strength, which was easily equal to that of Edd's own strength. Huh, maybe the Luna Bambini are as powerful as the witchbloods Edd thought and then realised that Eddie must have heard him think that.
It boosts you too. Eddie felt the need to add but Eddie didn't have chance to use his newly boosted abilities because Jacob leapt in, his russet fur drank in the flames making his fur look like he was set alight. He ran towards the witch trying to take a blow, but he was pushed back by an invisible force. Renesmee's heart picked up. It was one thing to watch look a likes of her brother but it was another to see her Jacob in a fight. Eddie and Edd, now linked with power took on the witch. The power Eddie had taken from Edd had made his shield enchanted meaning magic could not penetrate it anymore.
"Someone's still not doing the maths," Hecate face palmed herself.
"Wait, think about it! Four is a special number in witches terms right, like the four elements? There are four doppelgangers. What if we have some magic quality together?!" Tara exclaimed a little excitedly.
"That's why you brought us all here together, right?!" Renesmee gasped.
"Of course child. Now do what you need to do!" Hecate yelled and exploded into a cloud of white smoke. Edd took his hand away from Eddie's and began to square with Qetsiyah again.
Another bright flash filled the room, the flames getting more dangerous and higher by the second, Chloe saw Eddie leaping back. "It's an armour spell!" He called to Edd.
"A cursed armour spell that's how I'm going to beat you!" Qetsiyah laughed evilly as the dark, cloudy armour protected her body.
"Hmp, that's if it's any better than my armour. Mines a better form!" White armour formed around Edd.
Qetsiyah charged and swiped at Edd, but he tilted his head aside and kneed Qetsiyah. When Qetsiyah doubled over, Eddie grabbed her head and smashed her face into a wall. Qetsiyah then gave a flurry of punches and kicks against Eddie and followed with a kick to the chin that rocketed him back because he didn't have any magical powers or enchanted armour on.
A black tentacle lashed out from Qetsiyah and grabbed Eddie's ankle and clubbed him onto the earth. More black tentacles jutted out of the ground and entangled him. But using the strength he had channelled from Edd he used his shield to ward off the magic, electrocuting Qetsiyah in the process, this gave Edd a chance to intervene again.
Edd grew new white wings and took off. He came swooping back down at Qetsiyah. "This is where you lose!" A black flaming aura burnt around her.
Whilst Eddie and Edd fought with the witch, all of the doppelgangers took each other's hands and began to concentrate, Renesmee placed the books on the floor and then they waited.
The booked suddenly flew open on different pages; both of the pages were one spell, half in each book. "Read the spell Tara. Read it!" Chloe urged her.
"Reflecte harenas tempore
Et illius ad nostra fuit quondam
Hoc magicis LAEVISOMNUS in aeternum
Haec via est ad separabunt veneficus accipiens
Nos separabunt veneficus vinculum inter istam magam
Et hoc ostendit operam solvi vinculum
Hoc enim vinculum rupit,
Per virtutem clones de diversis mundi
Nos grande factum incantatores" Tara began to speak, her eyes turning a few shades darker as she did so, power radiated off the four women and Masen and Jacob could only stand and watch as the girls completed their ritual.
Eddie was now back to helping Edd fight the witch, Edd reached Qetsiyah but a golden flash enveloped them both. Black fire blew back the golden flash and tore up rocks from the ground. The two vanished. Golden and Black explosions banged around the area.
The two skidded apart. Their armour now was cracked and dented and both wielders panted.
Qetsiyah moved her hand to send a blast of power to knock Edd and Eddie over…
A second passed and nothing happened.
They waited.
"What have you done?!" Qetsiyah snarled at the doppelgangers.
"Your magic is gone! You have nothing left!" Tara snarled as the others gasped slightly, they didn't understand the spell, but Tara had.
"No! You couldn't have done that!" Qetsiyah cried and began trying to throw pulses of power to the two vampires who were walking towards her snarling.
"Leave her; she isn't worth your effort to kill. Without magic she's nothing." Chloe narrowed her eyes at Qetsiyah who was screaming like a lunatic.
Suddenly a wooden beam fell in the house, ashes and sparks flew as the intense heat grew. Flames licked at the group's skin and they all began to bolt out of the house.
More beams fell near the door right in the middle of the group, and they were suddenly scattered around the house, but as they looked, somebody was missing.
"We need to get out of here!" Renesmee called, clearly panicked.
"Where is Tara? Tara!" Edd called into the falling building. Chloe joined in.
"Everyone else get out! We'll find Tara!" Eddie told the others. The girls seemed reluctant but Masen and Jacob were quick at getting their imprints out of the building.
"Tara!" Edd called drastically.
"We won't leave until we have her" Chloe told him.
"Thank you" he said as he went further into the burning building.
"Chloe get out" Eddie told his fiancé.
"No way" she told him as she too began walking into the building.
"Chloe please. I'll find her with him but I can't worry about you" he told her frustrated.
"She's my friend, I want to find her" she told him stubbornly. Eddie pulled Chloe quickly into a kiss.
"Please" he begged her. She sighed, as if the kiss was enough proof of how scared Eddie was for her safety.
"Ok" she sighed. Chloe knew she could trust Eddie. "But bring her out" she ordered him, he smiled at her. He had never seen her so fiercely protective of a friend that wasn't Renesmee.
"I promise" he said and she was gone. He turned back to see Edd making his way further into the building. He sighed, and followed him in.
"Help me!" there was a call, only it wasn't Tara, it was the witch, the one that betrayed them. Both Eddie's ignored her and searched for Tara.
"We don't have much time!" Edd called to his double.
"I know where she is, I can see her mind" Eddie called; he pulled the beam from Tara's body. A sense of protectiveness surged through him; she was so much like Chloe. She was knocked out cold, her eyes closed and it reminded him so much of Chloe when she was human. He gently pulled her into his arms.
"Edd get out!" he shouted, the entire building was falling. "I've got her, go!" he ordered as he climbed over the rubble with Tara cradled in his arms. Edd hesitated but when he saw Eddie definitely had Tara he headed for the door, not as fast as he could have gone though. He wanted Eddie to carry Tara out first. He didn't care about himself; he just wanted Tara to be safe.
The building fell around them and there were a few short seconds when Eddie didn't think they'd make it out alive. Or at least Tara wouldn't, he was sure Edd and himself could climb out the building but not with the part human Tara.
Chloe rushed over to them when they were safe. Eddie handed Tara to Edd immediately and pulled Chloe into his arms. They turned and watched the building fall and burn. There was no sound of the witch still trapped inside.
"Tara" Edd whispered softly as he stroked her still face. Her eyes fluttered and she finally opened her brilliant midnight blue eyes to see her Eddie above her. He gasped in relief as they embraced, he placed a kiss on her forehead and as they hugged Edd looked up to his alternative brother.
"Thank you" he said sincerely. The most sincere thing he had said to Eddie so far. Eddie held Chloe closer to him and smiled.
"You're welcome" he answered and the two Eddie's exchanged a look of understanding and respect.
The house slightly glowed in a florescent orange border, whilst being attacked viciously by angry flames wiping out the burning house. They only dreamed to imagine such a sight, seeing ghosts in the red sparks that could have been interpreted to be fire. The house had reached its point, as the crest of the burning residue chained into a bigger burning fire. It was a horrible site. It was as if the entire house was burning into a pandemonium of flames. The fire finally outlined what seemed to be the remnant of the house, and before a flash the fire had vanished. What was left of the 'house' was a disturbing sight.
