X

X
X

The blade burns as the man draws it across my skin-causing swells of blood on my chest, my legs, my cheek. My ears are ringing and someone is holding my head to the slab, preventing me from craning my neck to make sure Edward is safe.

The thought that he is in this situation because of me is too much, and I can't control my breathing. He's going to die here. Die in a box, alone, and it's all my fault.

I can hear his strained grunts as he throws himself against the walls of the box they've locked him in. Each thunk and cry of pain hurts more than any cut ever could.

"I'm sorry, Edward," I manage, as loud as I can. "I'm so sorry I got you into this-sorry that-I just wish-I wish we'd had more time. I wish I was a Real One and I wish I was made for you and you were made for m-"

"Shut up," the man holding me still spits, pressing his hands hard against my skull.

A pounding is building in my head, a pounding that I haven't felt in weeks. The pounding that begs stopstopstop and as the man with the knife has it aloft, and as it falls, I can see the power behind it and when it reaches my chest, I feel something crack inside me, as if he's struck bone.

There is screaming, and there's a high chance it could be coming from me, but I can't feel myself anymore, black clouds my vision and I'm looking for something-anything-to grab hold of, but there's nothing.

There is only darkness.

X

X
X

Edward had seen her die.

Watched crimson bloom across her skin-heard something break in her chest, had seen the way she tried to scream, but couldn't make the sound.

His fighting of the iron box grows frenzied, desperate as his breathing becomes ragged and sobs wrack his body.

She had apologized to him-as if she was responsible for any of this. He couldn't protect her or save her. She thought him a hero and he let her down. He let her die.

If he couldn't save her, maybe he can still avenge her.

Or at the very least, follow closely behind her.

One of the men swipes a finger across her chest, gathering blood which he proceeds to use to draw symbols on her, and on the other men.

This ritual is not over.

"I'm going to kill every last one of you," I howl at them, my voice hoarse. "You're dead, you're fucking dead!"

They ignore him, proceeding to chant in a language he doesn't recognize. The energy in the room begins to shift, the air feels colder, and Edward starts to shake.

The man in charge removes his hood and says in English, "And we say, as our sacrifice becomes the key to unlock the way for Darkness to join us-Darkness, here us! You are free, you are brought, you are all!"

"You are free, you are brought, you are all!" The men repeat and suddenly, sound is swallowed as the lightbulbs in the room shatter, and Edward is blinded from it. He can't see an inch in front of him.

"Did it work?" one of the men asks in a hushed whisper. "Was she the bringer?"

Someone scoffs and replies in equal quiet, "obviously, look around."

"Shut up," a third man says, louder this time.

There is a thump, as if a wrecking ball has hit the room, shaking the space and causing those in the room to cry out in surprise. Edward waits to here something crack or crumble, but there is only silence.

Silence, until there is a low sound, building in fervor and loudness, echoing strangely around the room.

It takes him a moment to realize that it's...laughter.

"Who's there?" someone calls out, a nervous edge to their voice as Edward sees beams of light from flashlights trying to find the source. .

And as the laughter begins to answer. Edward knows that it's Bella.

Well, not Bella exactly, but something deeper, something older.

"You sought to summon me," it says. "You claim to free me, but you only offer me another cage."

"We don't want you," someone insists, flashlights finally landing on Bella, sitting up and sticky with drying blood.. "We are trying to invite the True Dark to the world, not harness the power of some Bringer who's a little hard to kill. We anticipated this, we expected this."

The laughter starts again, Bella's mouth hardly moving, the whites of her eyes turning black as she smiles.

"You fools," it laughs, looking around at all of them.

The flashlights die, plunging the room into shadow once more, while the voice explains, "I am no Bringer of True Dark- I am the True Dark."

X

X
X