STORY SUMMARY: Isabella Swan loses her footing often. She never expected to lose it in time. AU Time-travel Fic
Rating: T (Subject to change)
GENERAL DISCLAIMER: It's not my sandbox. I'm just playing in it.
AN: Hello! Trying out something new here, don't kill me. You're going to notice I took some creative liberties with how vampire mating works and also some of the characters. This is AU, not canon. So I accept no responsibility on how you might feel about it. Love you all! ENJOY.
Falling Up
Prologue
Marcus - 459 AD
Beneath an iridescent sky of tumbling grey clouds, a battle raged between opponents with perhaps more in common than not. The occasional flash of lightning doused the scene periodically with blinding white; while the metallic chime of immortal flesh beneath fingers and teeth filled the air. Overhead, the wind screamed a deafening protest in no particular direction, carrying with it a nauseating mix of sulfur, blood, and the distinctive fragrance that could only be burning vampire. To the carrion onlookers hovering above, it was evident that this battle would soon be over. Won not by the Romanian defenders but by the Volturi and their Guard.
Marcus, currently stood slightly aloft from the slaughter, having already torn apart more than his fair share of enemies, and quietly contemplated what he concluded to be a very drawn out affair.
After nearly a full century of aggression between the Volturi and Romanian covens, the three Kings had finally taken the initiative to wage war upon their most troublesome of rivals. Caius, whom had been advocating for the Romanian's annihilation for well over fifty years, had taken to smiling far too long and far too wide at just about anyone foolish enough to meet his gaze. Behavior so outside his character that many guard members and servants had taken to traveling the western fortress with bent heads just in case they had the misfortune of crossing his path.
Interestingly enough, for the very short amount of time Caius spent far too gleeful for his own good, Aro wouldn't stop sulking. Marcus suspected that he'd grown slightly annoyed that it was no longer his own eccentric disposition that set the servants' nerves on edge.
The ancient vampire could recall, with a great deal of amusement, how Aro had refused to address his palest of brothers by name for the whole fortnight Caius diverted attention from himself. Despite his genius mind, Aro was a selfish child at heart; of this Marcus was sure.
A sudden growl alerted the quietly deliberating royal of a quickly oncoming opponent. Marcus shifted slightly to the right and snapped the young werewolf's neck almost immediately upon contact. He didn't spare a glance for the corpse, which was now reverting back into it's human form, as he kicked it off his rocky purchase and went back to gazing out at the slowly waning battle.
The confrontation between the duel covens had been set to take place on this large barren field neighboring the Elor countryside in Gonnos. It was completely surrounded by miles of dense forest and rumored to be cursed by the local villages. Thus, it was here chosen as the ideal location to host a massive killing, unbeknownst to any human beings.
In the early hours before the orders for attack were given, Eleazar, a fresh recruit with the ability to sense and identify unique traits among other vampires, was sent to scout ahead. He had reported back that the Romanian Guard consisted of thirty-seven brawny individuals, none of which were gifted, and a scrawny newborn whose talent Eleazar had been unable to decipher. Hardly a threat.
He made no mention of what was hiding between the trees because as only werewolves can, they eluded his senses.
What an unpleasant surprise they were when the Volturi army finally reached the front lines. The initial sight of their heaving, deformed bodies panting under the moonlight had been enough to send Caius into a blind rage. At that time Marcus had felt very grateful for the distance between his brother and the castle where the wives were safely tucked away. For while he knew Caius was no true threat to his mate, his instincts spoke otherwise. And from the apprehensive glances Aro had been directing towards the him, he'd shared a similar opinion.
Very much like with their rival coven, Caius had a long preexisting hatred for the moonchildren dating back to his first encounter with Athenadora. Marcus supposed if Didyme's life had ever been near forfeit due to one of those foul beasts as Athenadora's had once been, he'd too feel Caius's caliber of malice.
Marcus shook his head in disgust. It had long ago been established that the were-breed was incapable of domestication while phased. How the Romanian's had been foolish enough to believe they could be controlled and successfully harnessed in war was beyond him. It had taken only a single kill for the lunar monsters to go mad with blood lust and begin tearing into everything that moved regardless of alliances. This example of idiocy on the Romanian's behalf was just another reason it was imperative they be dethroned.
As for the mysteriously gifted newborn, he was a further complication. It so happened that that boy was elementally gifted. Fortunately, he was only capable of manipulating the earth and had little training so he was detained easily enough, upon Aro's demand of course. Marcus's greedy brother was quite anxious to add him to his ever growing collection after he'd witnessed the boy split a boulder in half with the intention of flattening two guard members.
As the first pyres were erected for the purpose of burning what was left of the mangled bodies, Marcus decided it was as good of a time as any to return to his brothers.
With no small amount of grace, the Ancient leapt from his slightly elevated location and made his way across the blood-smeared field in no particular rush. The slaughter had lasted for several hours; an unusually long time for such an event.
"And this is all we have to show for it." Marcus murmured to himself. "A sea of ash." And indeed, that's exactly what it looked like. An endless ocean of grey dust moving with the wind like rippling waves. Every so often a particularly robust burst of wind would sweep enough ash and cooling embers into the sky, forming abstract shapes, before simmering back down, taking with it the temporary beauty it held.
Marcus paused momentarily. What an odd sentiment. These were the remains of his enemies. Hardly something worth mourning. But then, the aged vampire had been in the strangest of temperaments as of late. He couldn't understand why, but everything seemed slightly obscure from what it should be. He was unable to explain it, not even to himself.
An air splitting roar awakened Marcus from his internal musings once more, he didn't have to look to know it was the newborn. Despite the battle's end, he continued to fight against his restrainers. The Ancient paid the baby vampire no mind as he spotted his brothers conversing not too far away. Caius was the first to hold his tongue, noticing his approach.
Marcus didn't have to overhear to know he was the subject of their conversation. It was becoming a trend within the coven. However, instead of commenting he greeted the pair with a soft sigh.
"Aro, that infant you wanted so badly is causing trouble again," he said, nodding pointedly in the direction of the two guard members Leonidus and Altima, both of whom were currently struggling to gain control over their infuriated charge. "If you don't find a way to control him soon, I fear one of your favorite items may be without limbs." Just as he said this, the familiar sound of steel beneath rock filled the air and Leonidus began cursing. His left arm was tossed somewhere beneath the nearby foliage.
Aro glanced thoughtfully towards his newest addition and sighed morosely. "To think, after nearly a millennia of carefully selecting members to join our guard, we still get the occasional few that are so easily overpowered by a baby vampire." Aro tisked disapprovingly. "Disgraceful. I do believe some spring cleaning is in order once our rule is established."
Caius smirked approvingly at his brother. Marcus remained expressionless. He'd had countless lifetimes to become accustomed to Aro's strange and diabolical ways.
The last of the Romanian forces were either scattered loosely over the wide expanse of the now smoking field, or seeking some sort of refuge within the darkened paths of the forest. Caius quickly dispensed a number of guard members to round about the stragglers for extermination, and sent a separate party to comb through the woods.
The sound of a quickly approaching vampire drew the Ancients' attention; they turned in singular unison to acknowledge the newcomer, though Aro, being the self proclaimed spokesperson of the three, was the only to greet him in his usual wispy tone.
"Ah, young Roma. What news have you brought us." Roma was an Arab born slave from the Hittite region whom joined the guard during the Volturi's short campaign through the northernmost territory of Babylonia. He'd immediately fascinated Aro with his uncanny ability to track just about anything, whether it be living or inanimate. Aro had given him to Demetri as a protégé of sorts, hoping to perhaps increase his natural ability. So far there was little improvement but Aro was hopeful for the future.
"Masters," spoke the young male as he dropped respectfully to one knee. We have successfully detained the two remaining siblings, Stefan and Vladimir. Their mates, however, managed to slip through our perimeter. Do you wish for me to select a few members and track them?"
Aro giggled in a whimsical way that tended to set other's nerves, or in Caius's case, teeth, on edge, while clapping his hands together in delight.
"No, no, that will be unnecessary, Roma. Thank you. But do be sure to keep the Romanian brothers heavily guarded until we get the chance to speak with them. I would so love to hear what interesting things are going through their heads right before we remove them." The dark hued vampire nodded dutifully, and departed with a bow.
Immediately, once the boy was gone, Caius curled his lips menacingly at his physically youngest and most flamboyant of brothers.
"What?!" he hissed. "We agreed that every vampire within the Romanian coven would die. The wives included. Do you really expect those harpies to stay docile after we've slaughtered their entire coven. You know the rule; kill mates in pairs. Otherwise we'll have a damned uprising to deal with like the Romanian's did after they left Ester of Iell's mate unscathed. And might I remind you, Aro that, that little fluke in leadership very nearly cost them their throne. We almost didn't need to start a war in order to gain control!"
Marcus watched his flaxen haired brother's rant with carefully hidden amusement. Aro, of course, continued smiling, completely unfazed by Caius's outrage.
Caius had been the last and final male to enter the Volturi coven, raising their numbers to a grand total of six; including the wives, of course. The Guard was counted as a separate entity all together. Marcus suspected that Aro had made the lines between their family and the Guard so distinguishable because he feared that they would eventually grow too familiar with the coven and ultimately lose sight of the main objective. To serve and protect.
It was a solid strategy, one both Marcus and Caius fully supported. Neither were at all keen with any outsiders behaving too freely around their mates. Fear was power; the Volturi brothers understood this and tended to hold a great deal of it above the members of the guard. It worked well to keep them in line.
"We have no quarrel with the wives, dear one." Aro replied with the slightly patronizing smile he often used to annoy Caius. "Do you not see? It will only work in our favor to keep the Romanian ladies alive and uncontained. With them on the loose, word of the Volturi's rise of power will spread substantially quicker and with that knowledge comes strength."
His scowling brother opened his mouth to argue but Aro cut him off.
"Furthermore, if we ever do receive reason to suspect the lovely Rosalind and Tianette plot against us, finding them will be quite easy with Demetri's skills in tracking."
Caius tried again to speak and was interrupted once more.
"Dear brother, please do not fight me on this. I'm sure Marcus agrees with my logic," Aro continued, turning to confirm this, which Marcus he did while blatantly ignoring the seething looks Caius was sending his way. "So you see, you have absolutely nothing to feel anxious about."
It was obvious that the silvery Ancient wasn't the least bit pleased with this decision, but because all three Masters held equal power, he was out voted, hence he could do nothing. With a growl, or perhaps more accurately stated, a snarl, Caius crossed his arms like a defiant child and turned his back to the pair.
Aro cast Marcus a highly amused glance and looked about ready to say something that was sure to push Caius over the edge just for the sheer enjoyment of it, when suddenly a very familiar giggle broke the air and three female figures appeared at each of the Ancients' sides.
Athenadora, as cheerful as per usual continued in her merriment as she wove her silk clad arm around Caius's. "Oh, Aro, you mustn't tease him like that. You know how he hates it." She insincerely reprehended.
If Caius was angry before, he was well beyond infuriated now. But it wasn't only him. Aro's eyes had gone deadly just as Marcus was sure his own had.
"My love?" Aro greeted Sulpicia, his voice very much like the calm before the storm.
Caius handled things slightly differently as he grabbed Athenadora's shoulders and pulled her to stand toe to toe with him. "Are you mad woman?! What in the name of the Gods possessed you to leave the fortress?! It's dangerous here, return immediately!"
Meanwhile, Marcus was tugging Didyme into his side, his eyes already darting around for some hidden foe. She quickly removed herself from him and flashed her fangs.
"Oh please," Didyme hissed in response to Caius. "The fighting is over, and we had no intention of being locked up in our own home while our men dragged their feet!"
Sulpicia, the burgundy haired beauty at Aro's side, huffed irritably at her sister's knee jerk response and spoke out before one of the husbands lost patience.
"I instructed Amun to return to the castle when the battle had concluded so that we could come and be of assistance during the cleanup."
"Amun retrieved you?" Aro questioned with a smile Marcus knew his coven sister was smart enough not to trust. "It seems I need to speak to our dear, mutual affiliate about where exactly his loyalties should lie."
Sulpicia swatted at her husband angrily. "Don't you dare, Aro. He was just following instructions."
"Ah, but my darling, I instructed no one to leave this area, much less endanger the women of this family. Amun has much to answer for."
Athenadora who'd been engaging in a scowling contest between Caius, finally spoke up. "What danger, Aro? Is the enemy not defeated? Are our mates not beside us? How can our lives be in jeopardy when our mates stand so close and our foes at such a distance?"
Marcus had to confess, Athenadora, the golden haired woman who'd snagged Caius's heart certainly had a way with words. With just a bit of flattery, her mate's temperament had fizzled out and he was moving to wrap her within his embrace.
Even Aro seemed slightly subdued, slowly pulling his mate to nestle between his arms. Marcus attempted to do the same with Didyme, which she eventually allowed, though her posture remained rigid in his grasp.
"Regardless," Aro said, placing a kiss on his mate's sweet smelling temple. "You all took a risk, and put yourselves in harm's way by coming here. Please refrain from that in the future, hmm, dear ones?" It was made clear by the threat in the air that he was making no suggestion.
All three Queens nodded their agreement, seemingly pleased to have escaped the issue without further altercation. However, Marcus didn't doubt for a second that his brothers were already formulating methods to ensure the lesson remained crystal clear.
Marcus saddened momentarily. Didyme had grown increasingly cold and distant as of late. She seemed displeased with very almost everything, but most especially, him. It pained the Ancient greatly to bring his mate anything but happiness, but how could he hope to mend the love between them when she wouldn't speak a word on the subject.
As his brother's exchanged affection with their wives, Marcus looked on with a solemn expression. Both Aro and Caius retained strong, healthy mating bonds, as indicated by the thick strands of gold that wove each of them to their woman. In fact, their strands were so luminescent that Marcus oftentimes had difficulty using his bond sight anywhere within their vicinity due to the distracting color. But now, he had the insatiable urge to just observe as the bonds of his family flowed and danced around one another, very much like living organisms. Such ties truly were glorious to behold.
Once more, Marcus felt pained. As pleasing as it was for him to watch the relationships of his brothers flourish, it was arduous to be reminded of what he did not and could not ever possess. Just as he tried to avoid watching the bonds of his brothers, admittedly more out of jealousy than their distracting gleam, he avoided peering at his own; for what he found the last time had nearly crushed his heart.
The bond shared between himself and Didyme had never been as strong as those of their coven members, he'd long ago acknowledged this and accepted it. When they had first become a mated pair, Marcus would oftentimes spend many hours just admiring the pale blue ribbon that bound Didyme to himself. Despite its lack of intensity, the Ancient had thought it was quite a beautiful thing to behold in it's own right. But some time ago, Marcus had noticed a small tear appear in the strand's delicate fabric and it had been growing steadily ever since. What was even more startling, however, was that his once pearly blue bond had darkened to a pale, washed-out shade of grey and black spots, which Marcus could only liken to mold, had infested it.
The midnight-haired Ancient could think of no explanation for what was changing between himself and Didyme, but regardless it was destroying their bond and killing his soul.
Marcus was well aware that his coven brothers and sisters were beginning to grow suspicious of the changing nature between him and his mate. Thus why he'd made a point to avoid Aro's touch whenever possible so as not to give him any sense of affirmation on the subject. But if the many hushed conversations taking place as of recent were any indication, he wasn't fooling anyone.
With a sigh that seemed to be growing more dispassionate by the day, Marcus removed his bond sight and returned his gaze to his wife. She hadn't yet moved from her place in his arms but she was outright avoiding every attempt he made at eye contact. Not that Marcus minded, it gave him the rare opportunity to study her undisturbed.
She was beautiful, no one could deny Didyme that. With her long glossy tresses, hanging as straight as the wheat grows, and large almond-shaped eyes. Both were lovely features but it had been Didyme's porcelain-like skin that from the very beginning struck a chord with his memory. Marcus had always thought her skin resembled home, which was a confusing notion considering the Ancient could remember little to nothing pertaining to his human life.
Thinking back, Marcus could recall the exact day Aro had returned to their growing coven with his biological sister under arm. He'd been immediately smitten with the newborn vampire. But why? Something had clicked that day… but not fallen into place. That is what troubled him now.
As his mate, were they not meant to compliment each other just as Aro did with Sulpicia and Caius with Athenadora? It was obvious to Marcus that he and Didyme were pieces of the same puzzle, but why didn't they complete one another in the way he'd witnessed in so many other pairs.
Suddenly, Marcus's body went still.
What if she wasn't the one? What if she wasn't the one meant to complete him? What if she wasn't his mate?
No sooner had the thought swam down his stream of consciousness that it was violently rebuffed. Of course Didyme was his mate. They shared a mating bond, and if that wasn't proof enough, the love he felt for her, regardless of whether she returned it or not was fully capable of wiping those blasphemous thoughts straight from his head.
Marcus silently hissed at himself. He was only thinking such things because he felt rejected by the other half of his soul. He was trying to come up with excuses as to why Didyme wouldn't want him. But those would end now. Once the Volturi's rule was affirmed and Didyme was once more protected, he would do everything within his power to mend their broken bond. He would make her happy again.
With that decision made, Marcus pulled Didyme's body slightly closer to his own and returned his attention to his brothers.
"As much as I adore holding you, beloved, there are still many things Marcus, Caius, and I have yet to accomplish. I will have one of the guard members I trust escort you back to the castle."
Didyme narrowed her eyes at Aro, choosing to ignore Sulpicia's warning look. "I don't want to go back."
Aro glanced at Marcus whom sent him a look that clearly stated 'she is going'. So with an exasperated sigh, Aro stepped closer to Didyme, pulling Sulpicia with him at his hip and placed a gentle hand on his sister's cheek.
"Ah, but dear one, you are not being given a choice." The young beauty pouted in response but her brother was relentless.
She then turned her gem colored eyes to Marcus.
"Marcus, I wish to sta—"
"No," he cut her off, kissing her nose to hopefully ease the sting.
Didyme hissed, practically stomping her foot as she pushed away from her mate. After putting some distance between herself and the remaining five of her coven, she turned, crossed her arms and glowered angrily at all of them.
Marcus had to resist the temptation to look heavenwards. Athenadora didn't.
"Don't worry about her, Marcus." Sulpicia said as Aro instructed Eleazar to return the women to the fortress. "We'll see that she gets home safely."
"And if she puts up a fight, we will drag her," Athenadora added a little too loudly with a toothy grin that was borderline predatory.
"I heard that," Didyme snapped from where she stood.
"You were meant to, little sister." Athenadora replied smartly.
Marcus's wife responded by baring her teeth and turning her back. He had to resist from massaging the bridge of his nose. A habit he must have carried over from his former life. Vampires didn't get headaches. Or at least they weren't supposed to.
As Sulpicia and Athenadora were giving their farewells, Marcus was reminded once more of the elemental newborn. He still hadn't given up trying to chew the arms off his captors . Marcus sighed in mild aggravation and signaled a couple passing guards to go quiet the boy down. He was just about to try and coax a kind departure out of Didyme when suddenly the world exploded with sound and in every direction it looked as if it was tearing itself apart.
Marcus stared, slightly transfixed as a spider web design of cracks and crevices began tearing across the clearing, all of which instantaneously began crumbling inwardly resulting in the fractures to double and then triple in size at an expeditious pace. The sudden erosion of the earth reached so far down that miles below long rivers of red hot lava could be seen bubbling tauntingly up at the panicking vampires above.
All three Ancients reacted instantly, each grabbing a hold of their mate and darting at full speed across the erupting terrain towards the tree line; where the crevices had yet to be received. As they hurtled forward, a series of flash fires swarmed up from beneath their feet, igniting whatever was left to burn on the open acreage. Marcus and Didyme were separated from the group by one such flare. It flew skyward directly in front of them, sending shimmering clouds of debris into the air. Marcus turned full circle on the balls of his heels just in time to face his back to the worst of the heat, effectively protecting Didyme's body with his own.
He wasn't sure if he was in pain or not. Or whether or not Didyme was screaming. His mind was involuntarily filtering out any and all information that didn't immediately relate to achieving his survival and that of his mate.
All his instincts were demanding he get Didyme to safety, but she was too slow. So without a second thought, Marcus scooped up his mate and continued running forward. He was glad neither of his brothers were idiotic enough to try and wait for them. It saved him the energy of snarling about it later.
Due to his height, Marcus was the fastest between the three kings, so he was able to catch up with Aro and Caius swiftly enough, even with Didyme clasped to his chest.
From this point on they ran in a tight formation unit. When one of them caught sight of an oncoming flare, they warned the others and the entire group would rapidly veer in course.
This strategy worked increasingly well right until it seemed like that their destination was just within reach. Marcus was the first and only to spy it. The sudden burst of fire rose up so abruptly that he only had enough time to throw Didyme ahead, pass the tree line and into safety, then grab Athenadora's arm, preventing her from stepping directly into the path of the flare.
The powerful blast sent them both soaring airbourne with such velocity that Marcus lost all sense of direction, including which Caius's mate went. With immortal reflexes, he managed to snag a hold on the inwardly crumbling lip of a crevice, saving himself from what he was sure would have been a very long fall down. From wall to wall, the fissure was easily fifteen-feet wide and growing larger still as both sides continued collapsing further.
With speedy movements, Marcus attempted to claw his way over the edge, using his boots to grind holes into the compound wall but his grip kept slipping due to the excessive amounts of loose dirt. A loud screech from not so far below brought his attention to Athenadora who wasn't faring much better than he as she struggled to keep her hold on the wall amidst pieces of it continuously slipping between her fingers. The Ancient quickly deviated from his original path and climbed at an awkward sideways angle to reach his coven sister.
"Athenadora!" He called out over the blasts of flares and the nearby roar of burning fire.
"Marcus, help me please. I'm losing my grip!" She cried in terror. As if to verify this, suddenly the piece of rock she'd been clinging to gave way and she began her speedy descent downwards. Cursing in his oldest of languages, Marcus leaped, catching Athenadora with one arm, while using the other to cut into the cleft wall and work as a hook. Because of his jump Marcus had unintentionally added a good twenty feet of distance between himself and the top of the rapidly concaving ledge. The scowling male didn't allow himself the luxury of dwelling on this however, nor the blistering heat at his back or the weeping female in his arm. He focused instead on the main objective; Athenadora's survival.
With this in mind, Marcus took a deep, unneeded breath, settling into the familiar role as protector and began a slow ascent towards the clouds. Athenadora assisted levying them up when she could but most of her attention was centered on clutching her coven brother.
Though it took likely the longest few minutes of his life, the pair did eventually near the top and waiting for them there was Caius. In one look, the two brother's were in silent agreement; so with lightning fast reflexes, Caius reached down, plucked Athenadora from Marcus's grasp, pushed a fiery, passionate kiss to her lips and then shoved her towards the tree line.
"Go!" he snarled, keeping his eyes trained on her until she reached Aro and Sulpicia. The silvery Ancient then turned back to his brother and reached to seize whichever part of him he could manage. Caius had only just gripped a handle on Marcus's forearm when without warning, a monstrous wall of convulsing fire burst up nearby, sending Caius reeling backwards and forcing Marcus to lose precious inches from the escape to his salvation.
Marcus hissed air through his teeth. If his life wasn't currently in danger of coming to an impetuous end, he'd have been extremely irritated by how tedious this whole process had become. Right then, the vampire had a terrifying thought. Caius had returned for Athenadora. He'd risked his existence for the only thing more important; his mate.
What if…
Oh, Gods. What if Didyme had attempted to do the same?
Suddenly Marcus was filled with dread. With speed only made available to him by panic, Marcus hastened furiously to the top of the fissure, mentally preparing himself to convince his wife to abandon him and turn back to safety. And if she didn't listen, Marcus would demand that Aro or Caius restrain her.
The Ancient could feel the earth begin to give way again, but damn it to hell, he fought against it. He needed to survive long enough to warn Didyme. To protect her. Even from her own bond instincts.
Within moments Marcus reached the disintegrating ledge, once again unable to gain a purchase or pull himself up. The rapidly crumbling soil only gave him long enough to frantically survey the area in search of his beloved for a brief moment to convey his message.
But she was nowhere in sight. The dark-haired vampire felt what was left of his composure crack in his distress. Where was she? Had she already failed?! Was he too late?!
Marcus opened his mouth to release a cry of mournful anguish when suddenly—there! There she was! Hidden, just barely visible, behind the tree line. Her slim figure was crouched beside a small pile of organic rubble as she watched him.
The relief hit Marcus like the tides during the equinox.
She was safe. He could see her body shaking heavily with fear but his lovely, kind Didyme was safe. She was… She…
She hadn't tried to come for him?
The Ancient knew it was wrong of him to feel grief. But he did.
All feeling receded from Marcus's body as he saw the situation for what it was. He hadn't needed to warn off his mate because she'd refused to come for him. She…Didyme hadn't come. Marcus watched his love rise and dart away into the underbrush with misery filled eyes as the truth set in.
All around him, the world ceased to exist and the immortal heard nothing and saw nothing. The only thing that connected him to reality now was his pain. It burned hotter than any fire, even that of the change as it scorched his insides.
She'd left. His love, his mate had left him.
At that moment something inside Marcus shattered. His grip on the ledge followed soon after and then the sweltering air was swallowing him as he made his descent. The Ancient was vaguely aware of his name being screamed by a multitude of different voices, but none of which were the one he longed to hear.
Marcus was so far gone that he didn't see nor care to see the tiny figure of an unknown girl leap into the crevice only moments after him. Nor did he hear his name fall from her lips, or feel her fingers curl delicately around the cuff of his sleeve.
As the fire rose up to meet the pair all he could see, as if it were scorched into his eyelids, was the image of Didyme leaving him to die.
Then it all disappeared.
AN: Hmmm...me wonders who just made her entrance? A little late to be joining the party huh? Not very considerate to the readers. Guess they'll just have to wait for the next chapter to see what happens... But in all seriousness, please review guys! They motivate the heck outa me! :)