White noise. She could hear nothing as she made her way through the twisting corridors of the castle, the searing flames of her rage consuming her mind as she forced herself to keep moving towards her destination. Was this how Helix had felt when she had murdered the human who had been fucking her soul chain? Was this what it felt like to possess even the smallest amount of Helix's true nature?
Her fists were shaking, unsure of when she had balled them into fists as she kicked the throne room doors open, eyes blazing as she met the shocked gaze of Aro, her beloved imprint. She felt the anger bubble higher at the sight of him, anger aimed not at him but at herself. If she had not been so focused on her bond to the man, on using him to gain her 'perfect peace', would she have been able to see the pain that Helix had been in? Would she have been able to stop her best friend from being consumed by everything they had worked to keep concealed?
Would Helix still be with her?
"My love? Are you well?"
Aro's voice was filled with concern, his mind registering the anger and hurt that blazed within his beloved's neon orbs, noticing the way her fists trembled with the effort it took to contain her agitation. What on earth had happened? What could have caused such behaviour in the, normally, bubbly young woman?
"Aro... Where the fuck is your brother?"
Aro's own eyes widened slightly at her words, shocked at her language as he tried to figure out why she would wish to find Caius. The man had stormed off not long after Aya had gone to chase down Helix, stating that he needed to 'let off some steam' and that he did not wish to be bothered for some time. He had assumed he had simply gone to his studio, to paint more of his tributes to the demon that continuously rejected his, rather poor, attempts at seduction. Why did he get the feeling that he had been wrong in his assumption? And why could he not seem to pinpoint the presence of the demon within the castle?
"Aro... I swear to god, if you don't tell me where I can find him, I'll rip this castle apart to hunt him down"
Aro focused his attention back on his mate, taking in her image as he began to register that something was missing from her face. There was no longer the intricate markings of her demon contract around her left eye, only perfect and unblemished skin. His mind began to piece everything together as a wave of his own horror hit him like a tsunami. He was about to speak, try to gain some confirmation of his fears from the girl, only to be silenced by the throne room doors being thrown open once more, revealing Caius. His hair was slightly ruffled, his shirt only partially buttoned up and the zipper of his trousers hanging ominously open as he sent a rattled look between Aro and Aya.
"Wolf, where has Helix vanished too? I must find her"
Aya let a blood curdling scream rip from her throat as she lunged towards Caius, her human visage becoming distorted and blurred, flesh becoming torn as raven black fur pushed to the surface, teeth becoming sharp and fang like as, where once stood a regular woman, the seven foot tall wolf now pinned Caius by the shoulders to the floor, her lips pulled back in a snarl as her voice resonated around the room.
"Don't you dare mention her name! Do you not realise what you've done?!... The armies of hell itself are going to descend upon us! All because you couldn't keep your dick in your pants!"
Aro flitted to his mates side, desperate to calm her before she ripped Caius' head from his shoulders in her rage. He needed answers. What had Caius done in the short few hours since his most recent conflict with Helix? And how on earth would it cause the armies of hell to be brought to their door?
"Aya, you must be calm. What has happened?"
Aya growled low in her chest before moving away from Caius, pacing around the room as she continued to send her heated glare towards the man. She could not let her anger get the better of her now, it had been her anger that had helped to send Helix packing for the shadow realm, she needed to be calm now if she wanted to try and fix this mess.
"Helix has broken our contract and returned to the demon world. She went to apologise to Caius for her outburst and found him fucking another woman... She went insane and... And... Oh dear god Aro, we're at war"
Aya gave a heart wrenching howl as she began to fade back into her human form, the rage having been replaced with sorrow as everything began to hit home. Her best friend was gone, lost to her in a torrent of hatred and anger, vowing to bring war and death upon them in her efforts to return Aya to her side. She felt Aro slip his jacket around her shoulders to cover the nudity that her sudden change had caused, her clothes having ripped under the pressure of trying to cover a seven foot wolf. He pulled her close as she began to sob into his chest, concern in his eyes for what she had just said. The last thing anyone wanted was to be at war, especially not with the demon race being lead by Helix. It wasn't just the children of the moon that had been told horror stories about the nightmare that lurked behind the visage of a red headed demon.
"Aya, take deep breaths... Why are we at war?"
"It's the nightmare... The nightmare is back and she isn't going to stop until she's got her revenge on the Volturi... She's going to kill both you and Caius, destroy your coven completely, to bring me back to my pack and to get revenge for everything that her soul chain put her through"
*With Helix*
She forced herself away from Sebastian as the two emerged from the shadows, a sneer on her lips and a look off utter hatred within her eyes as she took in the sight of her Uncles throne room. She had never thought she would be returning here so soon. The weight on her heart was painful, throbbing as it felt like it may have been shattered into a thousand pieces. She felt truly broken as she succumbed to the monster within. What reason did she have to hide it anymore? She had cancelled her contract with Aya, feeling scorned and betrayed by the other girl who she had always seen as family. She had found her soul chain being unfaithful, unwilling to accept that she was meant to be more to him than a one-nightstand... What was the point of trying to be anything other than herself anymore when it felt that she had lost everything that had ever been important in her life?
"So... this is the path you have chosen?"
She turned slowly towards the voice, eyes locking with her Uncles own midnight gaze as the two seemed locked in a silent exchange of information. Behind the vicious snarl and the fearsome eyes that had all around her but himself trembling in terror, he could feel the heart wrenching despair and loss that she was feeling. He frowned as he took a few steps closer, noticing that her left eye was no longer marked with the intricate details of her contract to Aya, stopping as he saw the way her fists began to flex with her growing agitation.
"What do you care? It's not like you ever gave a fuck about how much Aya meant to me... You'll probably be over the moon to know that I've declared war upon that coven of bloodsucking bastards"
With a quick flick of his wrist, Balthazar dismissed the demons that lingered within the throne room, his own snarl of impatience ripping from his throat at how Sebastian tried to linger behind in the shadows to eavesdrop. This was no time for that snivelling little leech to be trying to cling to either himself or Helix to steal any morsel of information he could. He turned back to his niece once he was certain that they were alone, a frown coming to his lips as he chose his next words carefully. He did not wish to anger her any further, knowing that any poor choice of wording would finish Helix's transition towards her old self, something he would much rather avoid, she was already too far into the darkness for his liking.
"Whilst I was never... supportive... of your friendship and contract with the wolf, I was able to see the positive effects it had upon you. I had hoped that, when the time came for you both to part ways, it would have been on much more amicable terms... Though I always knew that it would never be possible, not once you were both drawn into the company of vampires... It is time that you learned the truth Helix, that what you thought was your own decisions were actually never yours to truly control"
Balthazar turned, ignoring the way Helix's eyes had narrowed into slits at his words, walking towards the door that stood concealed behind his throne. The door that lead towards the vault of antiquities, where all that was precious to the royal family was kept. Including the item that would force Helix's hand and leave her with a terrible decision to make. Helix's eyes flicked around the room as she stepped over the threshold, gaze taking in the sight of the royal battle armour that she would soon be wearing for battle and the saints ash scimitars that she would use to relieve both Aro and Caius of their heads. The thought should have sent a buzz of excitement through her, the thought that her sweet revenge upon Caius would come soon, but it didn't. It left a strange knot of sickness in her stomach and a pain in her heart caused by the tattered remains of her soul chain at the mere thought of killing him. And, as much as she hated to admit it, she would never be able to destroy the feeling, only allow it to get worse until it destroyed what was left of her heart, mind and soul.
"I wish it had never come to this Helix... But you must know that it was something that even your father could not change. Before you were born, a woman who simply called herself 'the oracle' found her way into the chambers of hell, seeking out your mother..."
She turned towards Balthazar as he moved towards one of the shelves, empty except for a single item. A crystal, sphere like, container that swirled with a deep purple mist within its core. She felt herself moving forward against her better judgement, drawn to the object like a moth to a flame, reaching out but stopping just short of touching it as her Uncle continued to speak.
"Only three have ever viewed the prophecy that this sphere contains. Your mother, father and myself. It was always meant for you when the time was right, and the memory of the woman's words inside will leave you with a choice... I simply ask that you forgive me for keeping this from you for so long"
She frowned at his words. She had never heard the elder demon speak with such concern, so accustomed to his foul temper rather than any show of genuine care for his niece, it was rather unsettling. She took the crystal sphere, watching as her Uncle left the room and allowed her some privacy to sit upon the stone floor and focus her mind on entering the clear confines of the container, her eyes growing heavy as she fell into a state of meditation . Why did she feel that nothing was going to be the same after this?
*Within the memory*
Helix blinked her eyes, forcing the heaviness from her lids as she took in the smoky surroundings, distorted and not quite clear as to where she really was within the memory. She sighed, swiping a hand over her face before taking a few steps forward, stopping dead and snarling in defence as a voice began to drift through the air around her.
"I have waited for you, demon princess... You are much alike your mother in appearance, yet you hold the same quick temper and defensive attitude as your father... Just as I knew you would"
"Who's there? Come out and face me!"
A bell like sound of laughter rang out as a woman began to emerge from the smoke, her features ethereal and almost angelic as she smiled towards Helix. But nothing good lay within her smile, a cruel and twisted thing upon her face that Helix had only ever seen when looking within a mirror. She sneered and squared up to the woman, refusing to show any fear as the laughter continued before the woman spoke once more.
"Such a delight you are, just as your dear friend Aya is in her own way. You may call me 'The Oracle', although others often refer to me as 'Fate'. I have watched you, demon princess, watched as you grew and changed from the sweet young child that adored her mother, to the twisted young woman who's only saving grace was the friendship of a girl who should have been your sworn enemy... But tell me, just how deep does that friendship still run now that it seems she has forsaken you?"
The void scenery began to flicker and alter as they found themselves stood within a field, the sound of metal striking metal and creams of death ringing out. Helix felt her fists clench at the sight, the scene of the war she would soon bring down upon the Volturi for their crimes. It was a glorious sight to her eyes for a moment as a warped grin formed her own features until something caught the corner of her vision. Aya in the midst of the battle, blade in hand as her skin burned beneath the silver of the sword she clutched too. Someone was advancing upon her, sword raised high and ready to strike. Helix felt the scream bubbling within her own throat as the image faded to nothingness once more.
"Your war... Your precious spill of blood all in the name of your friendship to Aya and your broken heart at the hands of Caius Volturi. The man that you will never be able to stop loving, no matter how much he hurts you... But this war was never truly of your own creation, never born of your own mind. It has simply waited until both yourself and Aya were ready to complete your roles in life. Two souls, as different as night and day, yet so perfectly in synch with each other. Yin and Yang personified... And both so dedicated to the idea of peace, a concept that has been ordained to succeed by a higher power"
Helix gritted her teeth at the mocking tone within the woman's voice. She didn't care if this woman was lady fate or not, she'd kill her if she made fun of everything that she and Aya had dreamed of.
"But tell me, will you love this utopia as much once you know the price that must be paid to see it's achievement? Will you be so eager to continue with this war, so eager to reign death when you know what is asked for in return?"
the red headed girl remained quiet, waiting for the woman to place her terms down as that cruel smile grew larger, understanding Helix's acceptance of her terms without words needing to be spoken.
"You are the chosen two. The ones that will, through this act of war, bring a new age of peace to this world... But only one of you will survive to rule this perfect new world. In exchange for this peace, the life of either yourself or Aya shall be taken. I care little for which one of you dies, only that payment is given. There is little that you can control of this, it is already decided that one shall fall on the battle field. Which one, however, is yet to be decided"
With each word that was spoken, Helix felt a burning fire within her mind, a new vigour come over her as she lunged towards the woman. Hands clawed around her throat, choking the life out of her in a vain attempt to release her anger before loosening her grip without actually letting go, eyes locked with the other woman as she snarled her words, dripping with venom and determination.
"You say that my decisions have never truly been my own, that I cannot control what will happen once our feet step out upon that field. Well let me tell you now, you harpy bitch, That's not true. Even if I can't save both myself and Aya, there is no way on this side of hell that I'll let you take her life... You want either my life or Aya's as payment? Then you'll have mine and that's final... That's how far I would go to make Aya's dream for peace come true"
Helix threw the woman away, forcing her mind to retreat from the mists and back into the reality that found her still sat upon the floor of the vault of antiquities. She felt sick, enraged beyond words as everything seemed to hit her all at once. The prophecy stated that one of them must die, that it didn't matter which one would be chosen as long as a life was taken in exchange for peace. She gave a shuddered breath, feeling the darkness in her mind begin to recede as a strange form of acceptance gripped her and she became final in her resolution.
She stood carefully, placing the orb back upon it's shelf , moving towards the door and throwing it open to look at her Uncle as he waited for her to exit the room. She pushed past him, not even looking over her shoulder as she spoke. She had a lot to prepare over the next number of weeks if she wanted to fool Aya into believing that she really had fallen completely into her old evil. It would not do if the wolf figured that something had forced her mind to clear.
"Have preparations made, I wish to use the shadow link to record a message, a present so to speak, for Aya and the Volturi. A symbol of what I am capable of... Let me know once it is ready. However, for the next hour, I do not wish to be disturbed by anyone. There's a lot that I have to wrap my mind around"
So, what did you think of the update? Hopefully it worked out well and I promise that I will do my best to get the next chapter up as soon as possible, though it may take some time because the next is going to be rather gory with what Helix has planned and I want to get as much detail in as possible :)
Thanks guys, happy reading x