Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or anything associated with it, I merely enjoy playing in the sandbox. I do however, lay claim on my original characters Ella, Adrian, Eldre and others + the inclusion of the Fey world.

AN: I apologise for the gap in updates, I was dealing with unavoidable personal issues, everything is sorted now so updates should be more regular. ~Hannah

Chapter Seventy-Eight – It's a Slippery Slope

'Eldre.'

Tossing and turning in bed, the covers tangled.

'Eldre.'

Scrunched up fists and furrowed brow.

'Eldre.'

Toes curled and spasms started.

'Eldre.'

"Ella, Ella! Wake up!"

I woke with a start, the shakes rousing me from the depths of sleep, my eyes blurring out the light of day and the person who wanted me awake. I couldn't concentrate on the attention of who wanted me awake when all I could think about was the name Eldre, what did it mean?

'His given name…'

The voice whispered on the wind and I knew at once who was talking to me. I couldn't work out the voice in my dreamscape but awake I could hear the tones of Anahita, one of the Ethereal's I'd so recently met. His given name? It was another half riddle I suppose but for once I knew what she was talking about. His given name? Whose name did we need to know so badly, who were we trying to find information on? The only one I could think of was 'The Master,' for he was the one we were all trying to battle. Adrian had never given us Tristram's brothers name, but it seems that the Ethereal's knew and wanted to share the information with us. I wasn't sure what advantage it would give us but referring to him as Eldre instead of 'The Master' took away a lot of the fear that we'd instilled with the name.

"Ella, can you hear me? What's happening?"

Hearing the voice brought me back to the present and reminded me that I didn't have the luxury to escape to my thoughts when another presence was worried about me. I had been lax in my thoughts and calculations, like my talk with Dad the other day, I had to remember what my actions or lack thereof caused others.

"I'm sorry Edward, I didn't mean to worry you. It was not my intension I was just thinking of something that was pushed through in my dream."

"What happened? What do you mean pushed?"

"Apparently the Ethereal's have been given a longer leash than we originally thought."

"Why do you say that?"

"They or rather Anahita punctured my dreamscape with a simple word and a sentence."

"Which was?"

"Eldre, his given name."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Isn't it obvious? They might talk in riddles but they haven't given us any wrong information. I summarize that Eldre must be the real name of 'The Master', takes the fear out of the name, doesn't it?"

"It's a sound argument but how did you jump to that conclusion?"

"What other conclusion was I supposed to jump to? There is no other person in our life whose name we desperately needed to know. It doesn't help us as such but at least we can stop calling him 'The Master', a name like that commands fear and respect, using his given name of Eldre, makes him normal."

"But he isn't normal Ella, he's dangerous."

"I know that but I don't want to fear a name on top of fearing the person."

"I see your point."

"I knew you would come around to my way of thinking."

"No need to be smug."

"We should tell the others."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I was thinking of phoning Aro, maybe talking to Lauren for a bit. We should tell Adrian as well, he can put the word out in the Fey world and of course everyone in our family."

"Pretty thought out plan you have there, I'll tackle Adrian and our family if you talk to Aro?"

"Still don't like him huh?"

"It's not that I don't like him, I'm just weary of him. He's the leader of our world, there's reason vampires fear him. I'm just being cautious in case he turns on us for some reason."

"You're a wuss at heart, aren't you?"

"Am not, take that back."

"Shan't, you'll have to make me."

I squealed as Edward launched himself at me with a predatory growl and pinned me to the bed below him. I was powerless beneath him but knew he'd let me go in an instant if I asked him. Grinning from above, he held my hands above my head while he peppered my face with sweet kisses.

"Do you yield?"

"Never!"

I groaned slightly when Edward stopped kissing me but soon my groans turned to laughter as Edward started to tickle me with abandonment.

"Ok, ok, I yield," I said, when I was hoarse from laughing too much.

I was rewarded with another kiss, this one longer and more passionate than the short sweet ones we'd shared before.

"I knew you'd come around."

"Hey!"

"Up you get, we've got things to do."

I hauled myself from the bed, yelping slightly as Edward swatted my bum lightly. I turned to glare at him but his innocent face was hard to stay mad at.

"I'm going to get you back for that."

"Sure," he replied mockingly.

I darted out of the way before Edward to tickle me again. He was relentless in using tickling to get his own way. There was only so much tickling I could take and I'd reached my limit for now.

To the opposite of Edward's opinion, I got on quite well with Aro and the other two Kings. I had been terrified when I'd first met them, believing them to be the devils of the vampire world but I had been showed a different side of them. Somehow, I had connected with them to the point that they opened themselves to me. Alice would say it was one of my gifts, that people were just generally drawn to me but I like to think that the three Kings had always had this softer side but just had no way of showing it. Of course, I worried should I ever disappoint the three Kings or do something to cause them anger – I knew there was only so far you could push the three of them before they fought back and I never wanted to see them in action about the court of vampires. I didn't want to get on their bad side of be eliminated for a simple mistake.

Still, I was happy to phone Aro, not just to pass on the news of 'the Masters' real name but to ask how things were going and perhaps speak about things other than war.

"Little one, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

"Hello Aro, just passing on some useful information."

"Something has happened?"

"Several things actually, I'm sorry I have not called before."

"It is alright little one, you are calling now. Tell me what you have learnt."

"If I were talking to anyone else they wouldn't believe me but here goes. I met five Ethereal beings who are trying to stop the evil from spreading across our world. They 'chose' me as their champion from birth and have predicted that I am the catalyst to this war. According to them, had they not interfered, I would have died as an infant. They said they have gifted me with power but I know not what that is. I thought they would give me a clue to the light I'd created before but no such luck. Last night they sent me a message through my dreams, the mysterious 'Master's real name is Eldre. We believe he is the long-lost brother of Tristram who attacked me last year. According to the family he died in childbirth but according to the trial of Tristram he was casted out of the family for being tainted with evil."

"Much has happened since we last spoke it seems little one. I wonder why you didn't call me earlier?"

"I actually assumed someone else would have filled you in. I only intended to tell you about 'the Masters' real name today but then my mouth ran away from me and I ended up telling you everything. I'm sorry that no one had told you before, we've all been rather busy but we should not have alienated you from what was happening."

"Calm yourself little one, no need to get yourself into a panic about not telling me as you have told me now. I shall now tell you what has been happening this end. We have known for some time that you were in the centre of things, we are ready to come to you and fight along your side."

"You don't have to do that."

"It has already been decided. We worked out that you were the catalyst the moment you visited us in Italy. It isn't always the obvious choice that appears to be the 'hero' of the occasion. I know you think it should be your sister because she is Adrian's consort but for whatever reason, you were picked to pull us through this darkness. We have not been idle at Volterra, this war includes us all and we have been training our army as well as reaching out to others that will help in the fight to win."

"Sounds like you are more committed than I am."

"I think, little one, that we just have more experience with war than you and that isn't a bad thing. Never doubt your actions or what you are doing for I hazard a guess that the way you go about things is the right way. It never hurts to have an army and we do not know what we'll be faced with on the battlefield. I would like it to be an even playing field but we cannot count on that. We have put out feelers and have a very nice reward in place for anyone who has information. No results yet but I live in hope. Whatever gift you've been granted with by these Ethereal's you've talked about, I suggest you find out what that is as soon as you can. We are but a phone call away and I don't have to see the future to know that we'll be seeing you soon. Storm clouds have been chasing the sun, the time to move forward draws near and this 'Master' or Eldre as we now must call him won't stay hidden forever."

"I will work hard Aro, I will fight till the fight is won. I do not want to disappoint you or anyone else."

"I doubt you will disappoint me little one, until we speak again, do not over work yourself. We are all here for you – and trust I don't say that often."

"I'll look after myself Aro, I wouldn't want to have you or Caius and Marcus snapping at my heels because I've overworked myself."

"Be sure that you don't little one. Go in peace now, I have more planning to do."

We said our goodbyes and though I was sad I hadn't been able to talk to him about Lauren and Alec, I did feel more positive about things to come knowing that the Volturi Kings were looking out for me and had offered their ability in knowledge, strategy, and war.

Opting not for the comforting embrace of the family around me, I walked from the house and into the forest just beyond the Cullen's home. I didn't wander far but it was far enough that should anything happen, no one would be hurt.

Tempting fate wasn't something I wanted to do anymore, but was something that seemed to follow me like the plague. It would be just my luck to try and end up causing some catastrophe. The last and only time I'd produced what I now called the 'bright light', was in a situation where I feared for my life, it had come forward naturally and without consent. I'd closed my eyes, thrust my hands out and the light had come forth.

Feeling decidedly stupid, I tried closing my eyes, holding my hands out before me and conjuring up the feelings I'd felt the last time it had happened. It didn't surprise me that nothing came of that action other than me feeling embarrassed by my stupidity. It wasn't exactly like there was a science to this or a guide on 'how to unlock your superpower', I just had my knowledge of superhero films to go on and the powers of those around me.

I was in unchartered waters, more so because I had guides who spoke in riddles and a destiny that could make or break the world. I was feeling decidedly sassy but my sassiness couldn't unlock what I wanted. No matter how many times I through my hands in front of me, no matter how many emotions or feelings I tried to feel, no matter how many memories I conjured, I couldn't bring forth the bright light I'd once harnessed.

'Not yet Ella.'

Freezing on the spot, the voice on the wind didn't make me feel any easier. Quite the opposite, in fact, it made me more determined to unlock the bright light power. It was easy in life to get angry about things that happened to you. I had learnt a lot about getting angry, and getting sad. I was determined not to experience either of those emotions here. I was in fact experiencing frustration which was equally annoying. I was hoping for a quick discovery, I was hoping for a green light in all this redness.

"It'll come forth when it's time, don't force it."

"What if I want to force it," I argued into the forest air.

"That's not how it works Ella."

"Couldn't even give me a moment of easiness, could you? Is everything a battle to you people?"

"Rome was not built in a day."

"I might die in the time it takes you to let me discover the powers you gave me."

"Have patience."

"I'll give you something to be patient about in a minute."

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that talking to yourself was the first sign of madness?"

"Fucking hell!"

I clutched my heart in fear as the voice behind me spoke, I turned to discover an actual person standing behind me in the clearing. My heart beat like it was about to explode.

"Don't you know it's rude to sneak up on people?"

"Life's too short, besides scaring the shit out of you was hilarious."

"What? Is it your job to cause people potential heart attacks?"

"No, but why waste an opportunity?"

My mind was full of sass. Never mind that this person had come out of nowhere and given me the biggest scare, I had no time for anger or fear. The stranger was right in a sense, life was too short and I'd experienced negative emotions like fear, anger, worry far too long. It was time to put them on the backburner and regain more of the confident, strong, woman I knew I was.

The stranger was staring at me as I talked to myself in my mind. The stranger was female, she looked unlike anyone I had ever met before. She dressed as if she'd only just discovered clothes and wanted to try everything at once. One of her eyes was green while the other was purple. She stood, putting more weight on her right foot, with her hands on her hips, staring at me with bottomless eyes.

"You can ask you know," she said offhandedly.

"What?"

"The questions you have."

I huffed, slightly annoyed that she'd seen through me so easily.

"Go on…or would you feel safer if you 'took me to your leader' or something?"

"Fine, you caught me. Who are you? Why are you here? Were you looking for me or was the scare unintentional?"

"Good questions, I was expecting to be hogtied back to where you live and be thrown in a prison cell."

"Ok, this isn't medieval times, I'm not going to take you to my Castle dungeon and lock away the key."

"Huh. Humans have progressed more than I thought. Sometimes I live in isolation and forget about the world around me."

"Figures."

"I'm going to ignore what I assume was a vague insult there. To answer your questions, my name is Vattie, never Vat. I am here to give you some friendly advice and news. So, yes, I was looking for you intentionally."

"Seriously? Vattie? That's your name."

"It was the name I chose many a millennium ago and while it might sound like a stupid name now, it was once a name that carried much weight. Would you like me to share my news now or will we be going somewhere?"

"Fine, I'll lead the way but no funny business. I've had enough of that to last a lifetime."

"Your wish is my command, princess."

"Bite me."

"Don't tempt me."

Through our banter you'd never believe that one of us were human while the other was a vampire.

Walking into the Cullen's house with a stranger was a sure-fire way to get everyone gathered together. Edward, I could see was itching to get me to safety by his side and though I went willingly to ease his mind, I didn't believe this Vattie character was here to harm me – ironic right? That someone might not be out to kill me!

"Don't start the attack before you've heard what she has to say. So far, all she's done is scare the shit out of me when she snuck up behind me. Oh, and her name is Vattie."

"Do you make a habit of sneaking up behind people?" asked Edward.

I burst out laughing, "that's what I said."

"It's true, she did. You two must be scarily synced to have voiced the same opinion. Then again, I can see how close the two of you are, you're mated right?"

I nodded, she didn't need to know that the mate bond wasn't completed. I didn't want to start a conversation about my sex life.

"Look, I'm not here to start a fight or anything, I'm here to help you guys out, so don't shoot the messenger."

"I do have some questions…for starters, how did you find us? This isn't your fight so why join in?"

"Finding you was actually easier than I thought once I asked the right questions. You see, everyone in the Fey world and the supernatural world is on the lookout for Eldre – and yes, I know who that is – but they're also on the lookout to anyone willing to join the cause and help eradicate the oncoming darkness. You're right in a sense, this isn't my fight but there will be no place for me in Eldre's dark Kingdom. I have enough trouble now as it is. I mean, my eyes aren't two different colours for fun. I'm a rare breed in the supernatural world, I'm both vampire and fey – a paring that has more deaths than survivals. I'm an outcast in whichever camp I put my feet but if Eldre succeeds in his plan, I know I'll be doomed to a life of torture and control. I don't want that, thus here I am."

"I've never heard of a vampire fey hybrid," said Carlisle.

"Well, you better get used to it because you're looking at one."

"I didn't mean any respect."

"Then don't talk like you're looking at a specimen collection."

"My apologies."

"Could you just tell us the news you came here to impart?" I asked.

"People talk when they underestimate who is around to listen. Eldre's plans have changed. Ella's life is on the line. He started thinking Ella would be a mere pawn in his game of consuming the world in darkness, but it seems that his view on you have now changed. In a form of obsession if you will, he wishes both to eradicate you and keep you by his side. It is slippery news and not news that I think you want to hear. Eldre has been gathering forces in the Fey world for years now and having sold his soul to the darkness he commands has indeed taken a toll on him and certainly corrupted him. If I may suggest?"

"Go ahead."

"Rumour has it that the Volturi are on your side in this battle between light and dark, but I beg you not to leave it there. Take a bigger stand, collect as many followers as you can. You might not want to put people in danger, but I firmly believe that if you look, there will be more people willing to risk themselves for a future that doesn't involve death for everyone."

"It is unsettling to learn that I am more than a pawn in Eldre's game of war. It is not something I would like to focus on lest it consumes me. You're right, I dislike the idea of putting people in danger, but I also know the cost should we fail. I would be a fool not to consider your advice. There are many factors at play here and it would be stupid not to bring them altogether."

"I don't just bring the news that Eldre's plans have changed or that he is spiralling out of control. I wouldn't have come if I couldn't offer more than just words of counsel. I have many contacts around the worlds of the supernatural. I can't track all of them down myself. I need some help."

"Carlisle and I also have contacts we can convince to help, if any of your contacts are near ours I am happy to seek them out for you," said Jasper.

"I'm so glad you have been open to what I've had to say. I must admit I hadn't expected this scenario. I had rather thought I'd be dismembered before I had a chance to talk."

"We aren't animals here…some of us have manners!"