Chapter 24
When the couple was finished, they slowly made their way to where Carlisle was standing by himself.
"Is everything okay?" Edward asked when they were close enough to him for him to hear.
Carlisle swilled thickly. "Bad news, I'm afraid."
"What's happened now?" Bella asked in a panic.
"It's not what has happened but something that might happen soon." Carlisle responded cryptically. He nodded his head towards the car.
When the trio was settled Carlisle began.
"After you left, the officer spoke to me about anther threat. The men who plotted against your father, they've all had family members die because of this virus. You must know," Carlisle pleaded, turning to look at the two children, "I've done all I know for everyone in this town."
"We know Carlisle." Bella affirmed, reaching out she squeezed his hand with hers.
Letting out a deep sigh, Carlisle continued. "But people are upset with me. Their families are dead. I couldn't heal them. I failed."
"You're the next target." Bella surmised.
Carlisle nodded. "We can't stay at the house."
"We'll stay here then." Bella suggested. "The bunker, I mean." She clarified.
"Are you sure, Bella?"
She nodded decisively. "Let's go back and collect everything we need. Then we'll come back and unpack. We'll be safe in the bunker. I have my key; it's the only one. Charlie's is gone. We have water, food, and place to sleep. And… weapons." Bella finished somewhat hesitantly. She didn't like the idea of using weapons, but they were in danger and she would do whatever she needed to protect Edward and Carlisle. They were the only family she had now.
The trio headed back to the Cullen home. Once inside, they packed all their belongings and loaded up the car. Bella didn't have much, just a small bag of things she'd collected from the ruins of the house, so she helped Edward and Carlisle instead. She informed them that their room for storage in the bunker so any art work or other valuables could be brought along.
Carlisle was thrilled when he her Bella's lasted information. He rushed around the house, gathering his favorite pieces of work off the walls. Paintings and sculptures were loaded in to the back of the car.
The trio made a few trips until the house was just about empty apart from the furniture. One of the last items to be loaded was a heavy, metal safe. Edward explained that it held all of their important documents and some photographs as well.
Briefly Bella wondered about her own house and if Charlie had anything similar. She knew there was a safe in the bunker. She'd never looked inside though, so she had no idea what Charlie had placed in there. She made a mental note to check when she got back to their new home.
Unloading took a long time because Edward and Carlisle decided they wanted one person to be standing watch, just in case. They didn't know when the threat was planned to be followed through with. And they wanted to be safe.
When the men thought Bella wasn't looking, they carried unbelievable amounts down the stairs. They were much stronger than the average man, she realized. Checking her cell, she saw that for once there was cell coverage. She pulled up google, waited for it load for a few minutes, and then searched for the painting she'd seen at the Cullen's home.
The 'Der Aufstieg' painting was the first thing to come up. There was Wikipedia entry for the painting, explaining what was happening. Bella confirmed it was the same painting before continuing on.
The painting was from the 17th Century. The exact date was unknown, as was the location of the original. Prints had been made, which were incredibly expensive. But Bella didn't think Carlisle's was a print though. She'd seen the oil painting was raised in certain places. This sort of detail wouldn't be seen in a print, right? Did Carlisle somehow have the original?
Bella read on, trying not to be distract by her revelation.
'Der Aufstieg,' loosely translated to The Climb, or The Ascent, in German, which made sense given that people were ascending into the clouds. But where and why, Bella wondered?
She read on, realizing the article was explaining Norse mythology.
In the painting, they were leaving Midgard for Alfheim. One of the nine realms that made up Yggdrasil, the giant tree at the center of them all, and the rest of the cosmos. There was Asgard, Vanaheim, Jotunheim, Niflheim, Muspelheim, Nidavellir, Helheim, and Alfheim. Midgard was the name given to the human realm, Earth.
She had an answer to the where it seemed, but she still needed the why. So, Bella scrolled down and kept reading. Supposedly, before the 16th and 17th century, humans and elves lived in harmony and as equals, for a millennia, right up until the Renaissance period. After the reformation however, everything changed. The Church began to fear the elves because of their magical abilities so the humans started hunting and slaughtering them. Making weapons especially to pierce their hard skin.
Midgard was no longer safe for them, so Vanir, the Lord of Alfheim, came to Earth to save his people. The painting was of him, rescuing his people from the genocide on Midgard. He gave his people a choice. Leave now and return to their home on Alfheim with the other elves, or stay on Midgard and die. The people crying were the ones who decided to stay, trying to beg their family and friends to stay with them, to not abandon their home. Why would they stay? She wondered to herself.
As punishment for turning their backs on their own people, Vanir cursed the elves with mortality. It was the one element that separated humans and elves the most. Instead of living for thousands of years, Earth elves would only live for what Vanir considered one lifetime, 800 years. It was even less for half-elves as they were born with human mortality. They would only live 200 years.
With shaking hands, Bella clicked on the link for half elves. There was a drawing of what they looked like, she looked it over, noticing similarities between the sketch and Edward. She continued on scrolled down to description and read what it had to say.
Fair and perfect features, it started with. Soft, pale skin without a single imperfection. Their appearance was more beautiful than any human man or woman. They were strong, had heightened senses, tall, exuded a scent so sweet that no human could ever describe it, and had eyes like crystals. They could be hurt but a lot of force had to be used. They also moved faster than humans, but generally worked at a human pace to blend in better.
Bella's hand shook so hard she wasn't able to continue reading the information on her phone.
She knew what they were.