A/N:

So I decided to actually update on time this week! This chapter is completely dedicated to Bella's magical training, and we'll see several different forms of it as well.

I truly hope you like my version of witchcraft, and that you think I have developed my characters enough for you to see the difference between Good and Evil since it's such a central part to the story. I haven't gotten a whole lot of feedback, and so I will just assume that all of you silent readers out there enjoy this! ;)

Title: The Undecided

Author: MarieCarro

Beta Reader: SarcasticBimbo

Genre: Supernatural/Drama

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: NC-17

Summary: Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter Word Count: 3, 336

{Chapter 6}

"Bella, concentrate!" I startled when Renee raised her voice and when she saw that she had my attention once again, she sighed and gave me a disappointed look. "You need to know this. The history of our kind is just as important as the practical side of magic."

"But why?" I asked. "Can't I learn the history after I've chosen a side? Every day we have theoretic lessons, and all I feel is that it's a waste of time. I still can't make a simple spellwork right. Shouldn't I concentrate on that?"

I always found it difficult to focus on things that didn't interest me, but I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one with that particular concentration issue. Not even when I still thought school was fun, long before I met Edward, could dull subjects hold my interest for very long.

I was once told that because I was a fast learner, unless my brain was stimulated by something challenging, I would zone out whenever I was bored and disappear into my own mind. What scared me a bit about that was that I very rarely remembered what I'd been thinking about once I was brought back to reality, and it made me feel like a freak.

"It will come to you, sweetie. Magic isn't easy, and there are a lot of layers to everything surrounding it. We've only been here for four days, and we can't rush your training. It could be dangerous."

"What do you mean 'dangerous,'?

Renee closed the book we had between us and stared deeply into my eyes. "Witches have been known to go mad during their training because the brain can't process the surge of power it experiences in such a short amount of time. It's been decades since it last happened because we're more careful now, but it's still a possibility. You will be a very powerful Witch after Samhain and we can't afford the risk of you losing your sanity. Our kind are counting on you being a leader once you've made your choice."

"No pressure, or anything, right?" I mumbled, and while I knew Renee heard me, she didn't comment. I inhaled deeply and shook out my shoulders in an attempt to not let my fears of the future make me lose my focus. I was terrified of failing as a leader and from what Renee told me, there were Witches waiting in the wings who would step forward and follow me the second I'd acquired all my powers. How would I be able to live with myself if I let them down? How could I prevent that from ever happening?

Probably by listening to Renee and Charlie.

"Okay, let's continue," I said and gestured toward the book.

Renee smiled slightly and continued where she left off.

§~TU~§

Both Renee and I coughed violently as thick, black smoke rose from the pot on the stove and filled the kitchen rapidly with its stinging smell.

"I think you used a tad bit too much daffodil nectar," Renee said through a cough and leaned over the sink to open the window and let some fresh air in.

"How am I supposed to know how much to use when the book says 'splash,' 'pinch,' and 'sprinkle'?" I replied defensively. I had never liked failing, but Renee's understanding made it worse as if she expected me to make a fool of myself.

"It comes with time and experience, sweetie. No one is born with the knowledge." She stroke my hair gently, but I was still moping and didn't want her reassurance.

"But others have more time to learn and not as much pressure on them, I'm sure," I said and started to flip the pages of the potion book without really reading the recipes.

"Don't worry about the future, Bella. It will only hinder your learning."

"Charlie says differently," I said. "He says it will be easier if I keep my eyes on the finish line."

Renee made a sound that resembled a growl and inhaled sharply. "That man is unbelievable," she mumbled, but I heard her. "He knows that she's far from finished after choosing sides."

I was about to ask her to elaborate, but Charlie chose that moment to join us, and she turned her fury on him. "Do you want her to fail? Do you have some hidden agenda I don't know about? How can you be so stupid and place that sort of pressure on her this early? Is that the right way for you?"

Charlie didn't appear phased by her anger and remained steady where he stood in the entrance to the kitchen. It was impressive as Renee's anger was almost palpable and had she directed it toward me, I would've taken several steps back. As it was, I did flinch when she pointed at me as if she needed to be overly clear to Charlie about whom she was speaking.

She had rarely allowed her anger to show before I was told I was a Witch, and I wondered if it had been frustrating for her to act the part of loving wife and mother with Charlie when she very obviously had some deeply rooted issues with the man.

When Renee quieted down, Charlie replied with the one line that was sure to cause an explosion in anyone anywhere in the world.

"Are you done?"

For a second, Renee's eyes went ablaze with that same glowing forest green they had during the night of my Acceptance Ritual, but they cooled back to blue almost instantly. Without another word, she grabbed Charlie's wrist and dragged him out through the kitchen door to the garden outside with violence. I knew she did it to spare me from having to watch them fight yet again, but I still heard the muffled voices as they yelled at each other.

I sighed deeply and took the potion book with me to the living room to create some distance between me and my mentors. My situation felt hopeless because they were wasting time fighting when they needed to teach me everything they could possibly think of, but instead, they were giving me constant headaches.

It was becoming more obvious to me every day what Edward had meant that night in my bedroom when he said that good and evil can't cooperate. If my mentors, two of the oldest and wisest Witches in the world couldn't rein in their emotions long enough to see that they were working toward the same goal, then it truly would be impossible for me and Edward to remain a couple if I chose the good side.

I looked over my shoulder back toward the kitchen, and when no one came through the door, I locked my eyes on my chest that was situated in the corner. I needed to find a solution to my problem because I just couldn't imagine my life without Edward in it, much less with him as an enemy.

With determination, I stood up and walked over to the chest. The hinges squeaked when I opened the lid, and as if I was doing something forbidden, I stopped and listened to see if the sound had alerted my teachers to what I was doing.

I rolled my eyes at myself when I realized how ridiculous I acted. It was my chest and I was allowed to look through it as much as I wanted. I wasn't doing anything wrong, I told myself and started to rummage through the contents.

I was looking for something particular, I just didn't know what that was, but my instincts told me that it was a book of some sort. I read the titles quietly to myself, but none of them seemed to be what I was looking for. I closed the lid in frustration and scanned the room.

My eyes zeroed in on the bookshelf.

I knew the books that stood there. I had read most of them during my summers in this cabin, and they were all innocent fiction, but something told me I would find what I needed in that bookshelf.

The feeling that I was doing something forbidden intensified as I searched through the titles printed on the spines, but I ignored it. I had to do something because I couldn't just stand to the side as Edward, and my happiness, slipped through my fingers.

That was when I saw it. It was right there, snuggled between a copy of Sophie's Choice and Frankenstein's Monster. A very inconspicuous little book that missed a title and only had a Witch's Sign printed into the leather at the very top. I carefully took it out, but as soon as I held it in my hand, it gave me a shock as if I had touched an exposed electrical wire, and I dropped it on the floor.

It landed on its spine and opened to a section that appeared to have been opened many times. I couldn't read the text that covered the pages because it looked like runes, but as I stared, the letters started to glow and transform into English.

I crouched down to look closer, but I didn't touch the book again for fear of it giving me another shock.

I gasped when the title of what I could now see was a spell was revealed to me.

Claiming Spell

It was the spell I would read when it was time for me to choose a side. The left page was for good and the right was for evil. I looked through them both, but my eyes were drawn to the right. It couldn't have been a coincidence that the book opened to this particular page. I needed a solution that would assure I could stay with Edward, and it was staring me in the face.

I could just choose evil and be done with it. Would that be so bad? According to Edward, that was what I had surrounded myself with in school, and I had liked it. I felt connected with my friends, and I had never seen them do anything that was deemed too evil in my eyes.

That's because you were never invited to their rituals!

I ignored the thought and reached out for the book, but I didn't touch it. I could feel the electric current in my fingertips, but instead of fearing it, I calmly let my nerves get used to the feeling until I felt it empower me instead.

I liked the power. It made me feel good and I wanted more. Much more.

Underneath the title on the page, there was a sentence written down in haste.

For Witches who are ready.

Was I ready? Could I claim my powers and choose sides before Samhain? Would I be able to go back home and return to Edward's arms before the weekend?

My heart accelerated and my breathing became more erratic as I entertained the thought of actually choosing evil.

The electric current from the book sparked stronger and it seemed to encase my heart. It was almost as if it could feel and read my thoughts and emotions and it wanted me to choose now.

I swallowed thickly and opened my mouth to say the words that would seal my fate.

"Bella?" I heard from inside the kitchen, and I snapped out of the trance-like state I'd been in, and it caused the book to zap me again. I retracted my hand and glared at the offensive book, and I realized what I had almost done. I had almost chosen evil on a whim.

No, not on a whim. I had almost chosen it because my teenage hormones told me I couldn't survive without my boyfriend, and I felt disgusted with myself. I thought I was an independent person, but I had just proven myself wrong.

If the slightest little seduction from the dark side could pull me in as deeply as it just had, what did that say about my character?

Without caring if the book zapped me again, I closed it and placed it back in the bookshelf before calling out to Renee that I was in the living room.

I couldn't let what had passed happen again. I was going to be responsible and make a well thought out choice. Witches all over counted on me doing the right thing, and I couldn't let them down for the sake of love.

§~TU~§

With a swipe of my hand, I watched in fascination as the sprout began to rapidly grow until the flower bloomed.

"Perfect, Sweetie! You're really getting a handle on controlling Earth now," Renee praised me, and I beamed at her, but Charlie made an impatient sound behind us which caused my smile to fall, and I looked over my shoulder at him. He was standing with his arms crossed and an unimpressed expression.

"Yes, she does learn quickly, therefore, you can't keep her at this level, Renee. You've wasted two weeks on basic things that children learn before they begin school."

Renee glared at him. "I believe you forget that Bella hasn't practiced any magic at all up until two weeks ago. We can't rush her. You know how dangerous that could be!"

"It's not dangerous for her. She's stronger than other Witches. She will be able to handle the surge of power," Charlie insisted, and I sighed while studying my flower instead of listening to my mentors fighting.

"And if she doesn't? What will you do then, Charlie? How are you going to explain that you caused the most powerful Witch of all time to go mad?"

I rolled my eyes and stroked the petals of the flower, but that caused the plant to burst into flames with a puff and it burned to ash within seconds. I'd noticed that sort of thing always happened when I got frustrated with my teachers. My magic always reversed itself or changed when they fought about me as if I weren't right next to them. I couldn't completely control fire yet, and the mischievous element loved to ruin my progress when it felt my discipline waver.

"You should teach her to write spells and create potions!" Charlie continued.

"How can she create her own when she hasn't been able to perfect an already existing recipe? Her powers are only just manifesting, and she's doing great. Give her some praise, for God's sake!"

I decided I didn't want to be close to the fighting anymore, and so I stood up from the couch and went to my chest. I dug out one of the many ritual books and took it with me to my room to read.

I flipped through the pages but stopped when I saw a symbol I recognized. It was the five-pointed star Edward had tattooed over his heart.

I skimmed over most of the text as it was mostly about its history and why it was believed by mortals that it was a symbol for Satanism, but at the very end, one paragraph caught my eye.

To Evil Witches, the inverted pentagram is a representation of "Black magic," symbolizing the triumph of matter and individual desires over religious dogma; the choice to pursue individual glory or immortality rather than union or absorption with the divine.

During Rituals, Evil Witches focus on the physical elements-flatus, ignus, aqua, and terra-while most often ignoring the element of divine energy.

It couldn't get much clearer than that. Even if I didn't have Edward's confession of being an Evil Witch, the representational symbol of black magic tattooed on his chest would pretty much have convinced me.

I continued to flip through the pages with a hint of frustration now but stopped short when I came across a spell I hadn't seen before.

A spell to summon a spirit guide.

It took me barely a second to decide that I would try it. I was truly in desperate need of some guidance, and since I didn't get it from my constantly fighting mentors, I had to be creative.

I didn't waste any time and ran out of the room to my new supply closet down the hall, and the voices of Renee and Charlie rose from the living room. They were still fighting, but they had moved on to a different topic now. It appeared they were clearing the air of everything that had annoyed them during the past seventeen years of acting as my parents, and I rolled my eyes.

If I hadn't known they weren't married, they sure could have fooled me.

I grabbed what I needed and ran back into my room, where I made sure to lock the door so that I wouldn't be disturbed. Then I placed six candles on the floor in a ring, and I knelt inside of it before lighting them up.

The book was open in front of me, and when I had memorized the words, I closed my eyes and cleared my mind.

Spirit Guide from the other side

Hear these words, heed my cry

Come to me who call you near

Show yourself bright and clear

I felt the power as it surged out of me, and a light breeze made me open my eyes. In front of me stood a tall and handsome man who smiled widely at me.

"I was wondering when you would find that spell and summon me," he said with a smirk, and all I could do was stare.

"It worked?" I asked no one, and the man laughed.

"Obviously. I am here. So, Bella, what can I help you with."

I exhaled hard and stood up. "I don't know how I'm going to be able to choose a side. I know it should be up to me, but this sucks. Can't I just remain with both?"

My guide took one of my hands and began to trace the deeper lines in my palm with the tip of his finger. While he was solid, his touch didn't feel human. It felt like the softest caress of a feather. "I don't think you have realized it, Bella, but you made your choice a long time ago all by yourself. It's already within you. All you have to do is listen to your heart. It's the only thing that can't lie to you."

I shook my head. "But all my heart wants is Edward."

"Yes, and?" my guide questioned, and I frowned.

"Doesn't that mean that I have to choose Evil?"

He smiled. "And would that be such a bad thing?"

I gaped at him. "Well, isn't Good supposed to conquer and win everything? It says so in all the stories."

"In fairy tales, perhaps, but the real world is different, Bella. Everything is not in black and white, but there always has to be a balance. Just look at the world. A rapist murderer kills a young woman on the streets of Vegas, but at the same time, a volunteer saves the life of a young child in Asia that is meant to do great things in the future. It's simply the way of life."

"Won't there be an unbalance once I've chosen sides? If my powers are so great, how can it be fair that one side only gets to claim them?"

My guide agreed with me. "It's not fair, but as I said, where there is evil, there always has to be good. If one side acquires too much power, it will be evened out in one way or the other."

A calm settled over me, and I brought one of the candles up to my face.

"I release you," I said and blew the flame out. My guide gave me one last smile before he faded away. "Thank you," I called out into the empty room when he was gone, and a soft breeze against my cheek told me he'd heard me.

A/N:

Oh my, Bella was very close to making a rash decision there, wasn't she? Her Spirit Guide gave her some to think about as well, so what do you think she'll make of his words?

I can't wait to hear what you thought of this chapter!