Chapter 30:
Burn
Right now, I had three swordsmen taking me on and more coming out of the shield. My team and the Cullens kept all the other back as I fought those three. I mostly used my daggers here since those would be the most effective against any type of sword attack.
I felt one slash my shoulder slightly and blood began trickling down my arm. I barely felt it so it was probably very shallow. I continued, my dagger flying around, clanging at different earsplitting times. After about 2 hours, I had decapitated ten of them and one was left.
I sighed angrily as I pressed him. This was taking way too long. At this rate, I would never get to Scott. I was momentarily distracted as I tried to look for Edward and my opponent quickly took advantage, aiming for my chest. I jumped out of the way but it still managed to slice through my suit and slash my skin.
I felt a burst in my side and I cursed, the pain giving me just that much more incentive to take down this guy. I suddenly sent an energy ball straight at him. The impact sent him flying into the shield which effectively electrocuted him when the energy ball touched it as well.
"Well, three down, who knows how many more to go" I said.
But instead of the next round of guardians backing up the fallen ones, I felt a soft breeze rush past me.
"NO!" I yelled launching a volley of electric balls at the shield that I knew was no longer there.
They had teleported out. I stood there angrily for a couple seconds, sweat pouring down my dirt smeared face. I had been right there! I spat into the ground, cursed him in 5 different languages and headed off to help everyone else. The army though, was retreating. I looked up just as the first rays of the sun broke through the trees. Dawn. The night time attack was over. Once everyone from Scott's Army was gone, we all regrouped again. I ran over to Edward, taking him into my arms.
"You're okay" I breathed in relief as he held me tightly.
"Of course I am, I told you I would be" he chuckled but I could hear the relief in his voice too.
I looked around at everyone. We we're all exhausted, sweaty and dirty but in one piece. Jake had a nasty scratch on his arm but it was quickly closing up. My team was just slightly scratched up but that was it. We were all okay.
"Okay guys, lets head back" Gaby said.
We all gathered around Sebastian and we're quickly transported back into camp. It was a bustle of activity as everyone ran this way and that.
"Bella, get cleaned up and then head up to the main control tent. Emily, the bath cubes should be in your tent. Hand them out and then take them to eat. There is food in the main tent for Bella" Andrew spoke into our earpieces and I nodded.
Once we were all cleared of our dirt and sweat, I gave Edward one long passionate kiss before heading off.
"Okay, so what going on?" I asked, walking into the tent.
I was handed and sandwich and water and they briefed me as I ate. All the teams had done good but this wasn't going to be over as easily as we thought it would. Though Scott had a lot of untrained soldiers, he also had some of the most lethally trained people on his side as well. In other words, it could be a long war with heavy casualties on both sides. I spent a couple of hours analyzing different attack and defense plans. Scott seemed to be doing both simultaneously. They drilled us forward but also stopped a couple times to not lose any ground.
'Bella, go get some rest, I need you fully charged for their next attack that will probably take place this night' Andrew said into my earpiece.
I was reluctant at first but eventually went and joined Edward and the rest of my team to get some rest.
The next couple of days passed in the same fashion. Night attacks seemed to become pretty much a tradition but the problem was we never knew when the attacks were going to begin because they changed the attack times in no known pattern.
We were taking out about 2 of his men for every 1 of us. For me it was very different but hey, that was my job. The problem was, we were still too greatly outnumbered. The thing that worried me most was that he hadn't tried anything tricky and that was his style. I had been hurt a couple
I went for the shield again, jumping at it with two daggers point first. I had popped the shield a couple times over the days but it just kept coming up. The good thing, I could feel it was weaker each time it had to be restored. I had just hit it when another explosion blew me off my feet but this explosion wasn't from the shield; it was from a Guardian.
Five Guardians stepped out from the shielded, red swirls adorning their black suits.
"Oh come on" I muttered as they got into their fighting stance.
However, of course, they were never going to lay a finger on me. They were just going to try to burn me to a crisp. I held Will's water/hot sauce gun in one hand and my dagger in the other.
"Start up the barbecue!" I yelled loudly.
They all began firing at me and in no time, the area around me became an unbearably sauna. My clothes were drenched as I catapulted around over and blocked fireballs and plumes. Also using a combination of hot sauce and daggers, I managed to take them out.
However, for everyone I killed, another appeared from out of the shield to replace it. Even though I couldn't get to Scott yet, his body guards were slowly falling. I fought them to the early morning hours again.
My throat was parched and many times, I had to shoot myself with my water gun to stay hydrated. Eventually they stopped appearing and I quickly realized why. The sky was starting to brighten; dawn was coming. It was the end of another battle.
The army began to retreat, slowing disappearing through portals that I couldn't see. My assailants though didn't give up. Eventually, I managed to take them all out but 1, which had been there for the past 4 hours.
No doubt, we were both exhausted form fighting all night but a slip up meant certain loss. I tried to block out everything around me, focusing solely on my attacker. I blocked out the pain from dagger slashes I got when a Guardian slipped past my team. I blocked out the pain of the cool air biting at patched of slightly burned skin for fireballs that had gotten just a bit too close. I blocked it out focusing solely on this one guy.
I could finish him off more easily of he was a regular Guardian but being a fire breather, it was almost impossible to get close; I had to attack from far way which made it harder. I was slowly leading him into a dagger trap I had planned when one scream broke all my focus.
"EDWARD! WATCH OUT!" Alice yelled across the field.
I hadn't been paying attention to Edward throughout the night because I had been too preoccupied and I knew he could pretty much carry his own, but in that second, my eyes flashed to him and I saw what Alice had seen second before.
Edward was taking on three attackers but just as he moved away from an attack, a fourth attacker who was retreating saw the opportunity, and launched his dagger full speed. I knew instinctually that, that dagger probably wasn't any regular dagger or the attacker wouldn't have launched it. I also knew that Edward wasn't going to be able to move out of the way fast enough while dodging another attack.
I didn't think I just reacted.
Taking my eyes off of my attacker for just mere seconds, I launched my dagger and intercepted the other one, inches from Edwards neck. My victory though, was short lived because that one second was all the time my attacker needed.
In that second, he launched a large fire plume at me and hit my stomach and abdomen straight on. I flew back, cracking a tree but that pain was nothing compared to the searing pain now spreading through my body. My team immediately began to run over from their positions but they wouldn't get the glory of killing him. I would.
"You bastard" I spat as used the last of my energy to launch an electrocuted dagger at his neck.
He was so preoccupied with my incoming team and completely unaware that I was still alive, much less conscious, he didn't see it until it was too late. He was able to jump up but it was far too late.
The dagger instead of hitting him in the neck pierced his armor and went straight to his heart, shocking it. Not my target but it worked well enough. He immediately fell to the ground, his eyes bulging as he let out his last breath. Just as he fell, the sun broke through the trees and into the field. Oh the irony. By now, the last of the army was gone from the field. Well, the last of the army that was alive.
"Bella!" Edward called, running over and very gently rising my body.
His voice sounded very faraway and the world suddenly grew very blurry. Black spots began to cloud my vision. I sudden sharp breeze blew through the woods and the pain tripled. I tried to hold it in but all my strength was gone and, against my will, I let out a blood-curling scream.
EPOV
I heard Alice yell my name and turned just as two daggers collided, millimeters from my neck. I saw Bella and her eyes locked with mine across the field. The guy she was fighting took advantage of her distraction and threw a pillar of fire straight at her.
My yell was caught in my through as my attackers jumped at me. I heard a huge "CRACK!" and a tree fell down to the ground. In pure rage, I quickly flew onto them. My brothers came to help and in seconds, they were gone, their bodies crumpled on the floor.
Everyone else had already left. Only very few people from Scott's army were still here fighting. The rest were gone. Once my men fell, I ran over to Bella's attacker, planning to rip him into a million pieces but Bella beat me to it, killing him with a dagger straight into his heart. I knew at once he was dead and ran over to Bella. She was bloody and had burns and slashes all over her body, but the worst was her stomach and abs. They were all scorched, large burns passing across them.
I very carefully picked her up. A breeze blew through the woods and I tried to shield her but I was just seconds to late. She let out a scream, her eyes completely un-focusing for a couple seconds. In those seconds, I saw the pain plainly in her eyes and saw as she tried to hold it back. Her team, the wolves and my family and ran over.
"Oh my god!"
"Bella!
"What happened!"
"Is she okay!"
"Is she breathing!"
Everyone was yelling and I could faintly hear Alice sobbing into Jasper arms but my attention was fully on Bella. She had opened her eyes a bit.
"I'm fine, relax" she said through gritted teeth.
When she spoke, she moved slightly and I could see the pain flash in her eyes again as she gasped.
"Come on" Sebastian said, kneeling beside Bella. "Get a good grip on her" he told me and I nodded, trying to hold her without touching any her injuries, which were pretty much everywhere. "Meet us at the infirmary" he told everyone else as he transported us out and into the infirmary.
"Maddie! We need some serious help right now!" Sebastian yelled over the commotion and the whole infirmary went silent as they saw Bella. I heard gasps and cries as we ran her over to a free bed.
Carlisle was there immediately, taking her pulse and everything. When he saw her, he was completely shocked but he knew he had to help her. Esme couldn't move. She was in shock as sobs racked her body.
"Oh my god!" Maddie said as she came over. "Bella!" she said.
"I just got unfocused for a second and he got me" she hissed, taking me hand.
I quickly explained everything and she nodded.
"Her heart is working too hard with the loss of blood, dehydration and pain." Carlisle said and Maddie nodded, placing her hands over Bella.
Gold light began to shimmer from her hands and into Bella's body. Bella's eyes snapped shut as her hand clamped down hard on mine. The large burn began to heal rapidly but after a while, just stopped. During that time, Bella began to slowly loosen her hold on my hand until she was just barely holding on. In the next second, Maddie collapsed to the ground. Carlisle caught her just as she fell.
"I can't . . . been healing too much . . . all the other healers are spent" she gasped. "The burn is too big . . . can't heal it anymore . . . her body can't take it . . . "she gasped, breathing heavily.
Sebastian ran to the fountain and got her a large cup of water while Carlisle scrounged up an energy bar.
"What do we do then?" I all but yelled my despair clear on my face.
"Edward" Carlisle scolded me but I was just looking at Maddie.
"Wrap up the wounds and the burns. I'll try more tomorrow when she's stronger" she said and I nodded robotically.
Everyone else burst into the infirmary at the moment. I didn't give them a chance to say anything before I explained everything. After I had finished, Sebastian came over and made them leave, going with them. The infirmary was just too full. The second they left, I ran back to Bella. Her eyes locked with mine but despite her efforts, I could see the pain in her eyes.
"You're going to be fine Bella" I said as I grabbed her hand.
"Of course I am" she, her voice raspy and fragile. "Scott's not getting away after all this" she spat just as Carlisle came back with all the supplies.
"Maddie is resting over in the storage room" he told me and I nodded. "Okay Bella, I'm going to bandage all this up but I've also got to clean it and it's going to hurt" Carlisle warned her.
"I know" she said, reaching for my hand.
BPOV
I tightened my hand on Edward's, so much I could almost feel my bones cracking, and tried not to pass out. After a while, the pain stopped but I couldn't really tell what was going on around me. The pain, as much as I tried to squander it, was clouding my brain. I could faintly hear Maddie speaking and then more voices formed a hum in the background. When I focused again, Edward was running back to my bed. I wiped as much of the pain as I could from my face as I looked up at him
"You're going to be fine Bella" he said fiercely, taking my hand.
I decided not to look down at my burns and just pretend they weren't there.
"Of course I am" I said. "Scott's not getting away after all this" I spat just as Carlisle appeared with supplies.
"Maddie is resting over in the storage room" he said but continued before I could ask. "Okay Bella, I'm going to bandage all this up but I've also got to clean it and it's going to hurt" Carlisle warned me.
Oh great; more pain.
"I know" I said grabbing Edward's hand.
He seemed hesitant but after a second, uncapped a blue metal bottle and sprayed its contents at my chest and abdomen.
'HOLY F*cking Sh*t!' I bit down on my lip hard enough to make it bleed as I tried to hold in my scream. It wasn't as if it was only a shot of pain. The clear liquid was now sizzling all over my stomach, burning off any infections. 'Scott is going to regret he was ever born when I get my hands on him.'
"Shhh, it's okay Bella" Edward said helplessly as he stroked my face, try to comfort me.
Carlisle sprayed it again and I squeezed Edward's hand brutally as the pain shot up again. I eyed the blue canister in Carlisle's hand with enough hatred to blow up the entire United States.
"That should be it" Carlisle said, grabbing another container.
I prepared myself for the intense pain again but this one was cooling foam that soothed the burns. He applied two more layers of that, a layer of a clear pink gel and then the bandages.
By the time he finished, I was completely exhausted, feverish and every inch of my clothes was sticking to my skin with sweat.
"All you need now it rest" Carlisle said as he picked everything up and I nodded.
"I'll just go take a shower and then I go to bed" I said, trying to sit up.
"Oh no you don't" Edward said, pushing me down softly. "You'll irritate the skin"
"Edward, I seriously need a shower" I said.
"Here" he said giving me a small cube.
I squished it in my finger and immediately all the sweat and dirt was wiped off of my body as well as my hair.
"Now you need to rest" Carlisle and Edward said simultaneously.
"But —"I began.
'No buts Bella, you need to rest a lot and break that fever. That also means you're not fighting tonight' Andrew said through my earpiece.
"WHAT?" I yelled, jumping up.
The pain of the wound was so excruciating that every inch of breath was punched out of my lungs as I collapsed into a gasping mess.
"Bella!" Edward said, hovering worriedly over me, not sure what to do.
'And that's exactly why. You need to rest, get that fully healed, and then go out again. The last thing we need is that injury to get you another one' he said.
"But that was an accident!" I argued vehemently. "I'm fine; Maddie will heal me just before tonight! I'll sleep and be fine!"
"Bella, I said no and now, that's an order. You're not to leave the infirmary and you are most definitely not to fight tonight. Do you hear me?" he said sternly.
I just growled.
"I'll take that as a yes. Bells . . . you know I'm doing this for your own good. I don't want you to get hurt. One day that you don't fight won't kill you or us' he said.
"Go to hell" I said as I ripped the earpiece from my ear and threw it with precision at the trash bin across the room.
Carlisle gave me one last look before leaving to attend to everyone else. I turned to Edward who was watching me worriedly as he wet a cloth in a bucket of ice water
"Please just rest love" he whispered in my ear as he placed the cool cloth on my fore head.
"Wake me up before you leave" I said.
His face fell for a second.
"He didn't . . ." I trailed off but Edward's face said it all.
Andrew had asked him to make sure I wouldn't go with them.
"Please Edward. I'm not saying I'll go but I don't want to be snoring through the whole thing. Please." I pleaded.
"Okay" he said with a smile, kissing my forehead. "Now sleep, I need you to get better" he said and after smiling, I closed my eyes and let my exhaustion take over.
I slept dreamlessly, my body too exhausted to even conjure up the simplest of dreams. Despite having no dreams, I could still feel the constant pain in my abdomen and stomach. It wasn't unbearable but it was . . . irritating. I was woken from my black abyss by an angel's voice whispering in my ear.
"We're leaving soon" Edward said as my eyes opened.
He was wearing his uniform and it hit me again that I wouldn't be able to go. He noticed my change in mood immediately.
"Don't worry love. When you fight tomorrow, you can make them pay for what they did. I personally will be ripping everyone into more pieces just for you" he said and I laughed.
It was really painful but I wasn't letting him know that.
"Edward, come on we're leaving!" Alice called from outside the tent.
"I love you Bella. I'll see you in the morning" he said as his kissed me long and hard.
"I love you too" I said as he ran out.
