-1-AN: I really hope you enjoy the chapter! Please review!
Disclaimer: Still don't own them.
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Previously:
Bella's POV
The tears that couldn't flow before fell freely down my mud covered, blood stained face. I could hear his screams and sobs becoming louder, the pain so intense I could do scarcely more than crawl towards him. Suddenly I heard a bone chilling screech, followed by three loud hisses and then there was silence.
The screaming stopped, so did the pain and I was able to move more freely again. I looked up defiantly from where I was crouched in pain into the terrible faces of the furies, staring into their cold hard eyes challenging them to make the first move. A slight whimper caught my attention and I turned my eyes to my beautiful angel trapped in the frozen waters, his head hung in defeat, eyes shut as his sobs wracked his body my tears still flowing endlessly from his eyes. My heart swelled with my love for him, the emotion bursting forth in blinding rays of light emanating from my entire being. The furies shrank back in fear covering their eyes at the brightness as I rushed forward to embrace my only love.
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Chapter 6 : The Power of Love
Edward's POV:
The pain was endless, as was the sadness in my soul. I could see, feel her all around me, knowing she could never be there again, and that it was my fault. There was no worse torture than this, add to that the searing pain the whips inflicted upon me, tongues of molten flame against the coldness of my skin. They burned like fire, and only served to remind me more of my beautiful angel, of her warm touch as she ran her fingers lightly over my cold skin. The pain would lessen slightly and I would foolishly allow myself the hope that it was ending, only to have it increase tenfold a moment later.
Insanity was drawing near, I could hardly discern anymore between reality and the illusions they had so fully imbued upon my mind. I could see her perfectly, her beautiful angelic face cold and peaceful. The faintest hint of her scent and the taste of her plagued my nose and mouth, and I could feel the ghost of her touch feathering across my torso even as the whips tore at my flesh, it was agony and ecstasy all at once, the perfect form of madness. I knew it wasn't real, yet I couldn't stop myself from believing she was really here. A perverse part of me reveled in the thought, that I would still have her with me forever, even if it was only an illusion of her lying lifeless before my eyes, the taste of her forever on my lips.
I shook the thoughts away. I was losing myself, my mind, to the monster within. Soon there would be nothing left of me but rage and instinct. They were wearing me down, breaking me slowly. They had broken my heart, my spirit, and now; I was losing my mind. Any moment now the strain would break me and I would be lost. 'This isn't real. This isn't real' I repeated the words over and over in my mind, a mantra to keep what little of my sanity was left to me. A vain effort, as my mind supplied me with the agonizing truth. It was real, only partly an illusion. She was dead, and I was the cause.
Loud sobs echoed in my ears in between agonizing screams of pain. Some small part of my mind told me that the sound was me, that they were my screams, but the pain didn't register in my mind anymore. My body was working solely on reflex; I was slipping away, fading. In a moment…I would no longer exist. Only the monster would remain.
Suddenly, there was a rush of wind and her glorious scent hit me like a tidal wave. A keening shriek cut the air followed by an angry hiss. I noticed then that the noise around me had lessened, and I realized that the screaming had stopped. Everything had stopped. The visions, the taste of her, her touch, and the pain from the whips, had all ceased. Only her scent remained. I began to come back to myself, the pain in my body hit me full force and I whimpered; my breathing labored as I continued to sob soundlessly. The tears I had been crying still flowed and I stood there with my head bowed, eyes closed, breathing her scent in deeply as I tried to regain control.
With my eyes closed, I could almost believe she was really here. There was a loud shuffling of feet and a bright light stabbed into the darkness. The warmth of the light began to thaw the ice that held my hands and I was able to raise them. A warm weight slammed into my body pressing into me and I gasped in surprise as two soft warm arms wrapped me in a familiar embrace and I was assaulted once again with the smell of freesias. It was her, my Bella.
I knew it had to be just another of their illusions, but she felt so real. My arms lifted and embraced her of their own accord. My eyes were still squeezed shut, I refused to open them. If I opened my eyes I knew she would disappear and I wanted her to stay here with me. If I lost her again…I would lose myself. She planted soft kisses all over my face, her voice a soft whisper of my name over and over again. I moaned at the feel of her lips softly caressing my skin and tightened my embrace. I could feel her warmth spreading over my cold body. This was an illusion I would gladly suffer for eternity. She whispered softly then.
"I love you Edward"
A new surge of tears assaulted me as I whispered "You're not real. This is a dream, an illusion, and when I open my eyes, you'll disappear, and the pain will be all that's real again, and I'll be lost." My voice breaking as the sobs wracked my body.
"No! Edward it's me, I'm here, with you…forever. Please, just open your eyes. Believe in me." She said, cupping my face in her small hands, willing me to look at her.
I slid my eyes open slowly and was blinded by the brilliancy of the light that danced around us. As my eyes began to focus I could see her. She was kneeling down, her arms wrapped tightly around me. Her hair hung damp about her face caked with dried mud. Streaks of mud and dried blood smeared her body, and her arms, shoulders, and face were marred with many scratches and cuts. Protruding from her shoulder blades, were two large white wings stained with blood. Even in her battered state, she was the most beautiful creature I'd ever laid eyes upon. The light that surrounded us was emanating from every part of her. I had been right all along; she was an angel, my angel. I focused my gaze on her face, finally allowing myself to believe that this was real. She was really here; it wasn't a trick of my mind.
A surge of emotion swept over me as I crushed her lips to mine, my arms wrapping around her holding her tightly to my chest. "Bella" my voice ground out her name as I released her lips pulling back to stare into her face, my heart and spirit becoming whole once more, as if they had never been broken.
"I was right, you really are an angel", my voice an awed whisper. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you; I love you… so much"
All the love I felt for her burst forth then overwhelming me and a fierce light began to glow from my skin. I crushed her to me once more vowing never to let her go and the light intensified around us building into a glowing aura that enveloped us completely.
Beyond the halo of light that surrounded us I could see the furies cowering down, shielding their eyes from the brightness their faces a mask of horror and loathing. They were afraid. For the first time in their existence they knew what it was to be afraid, to be as helpless as their many victims. I turned my face to Bella's then, gazing into her eyes as the tears that flowed down both of our faces finally ceased.
"I love you" our voices whispered in unison and we smiled lovingly into one another's faces as our lips met in a passionately tender kiss. The light around us exploded then, with the blinding force of a nuclear blast, and a shockwave was sent out from around us shattering the ice that held me prisoner and setting me free. I rose to my feet then, pulling Bella with me and holding her tightly to me, her head tucked under my chin, her arms squeezing me back with equal intensity.
There were three blood curdling screams as the shockwave swept over the furies, the force of the love and the light it contained turning them instantly to dust as their echoes faded away into nothingness. Never again would their brand of justice be carried out, our love had destroyed them. The ground beneath us shook and stones began to fall from the walls as the light took over everything bouncing around the cavern glittering in all its beauty. We clenched our eyes shut, tightening our embrace and her wings enveloped us, shielding us as everything around us began to quake and crumble … and then there was silence.
There was nothing then, only the light that shone brightly from our bodies. We had no idea where we were or what was to become of us, but it didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was that we were together, we were free. We held each other close, our eyes shut tightly, my chin resting in the crook of her neck soaking in the feelings of love and of peace that surrounded us.
She spoke then, her warm breath stirring my hair gently causing me to shiver as she whispered into my ear. "What happened? Where are we?"
My eyes slid slowly open then, taking in our surroundings. A vast blackness stretched out in all directions dotted with tiny specks of twinkling light, stars by the looks of them. The light around us still shone brightly but seemed to be subdued by the encroaching darkness. I looked down then, expecting to find solid earth beneath my feet, only to be met with the same vision as every other direction in which I had looked, a vast unending field of stars, as though we were walking on a sheet of glass.
"I don't know love, and honestly, at this moment I don't care. You're here, you're really here. You saved me. How, I have no idea, but you did."
"I had to. I couldn't leave you there, with them. I couldn't let you be punished for something that was my fault to begin with. I couldn't be without you. I love you."
I relaxed my hold on her, pulling back to look into her eyes and I gasped. The vision before me was not the one I had beheld seemingly moments before. Her hair and body were no longer caked with mud and dried blood and the cuts that marred her body had disappeared. She was clean, her silky red-brown hair cascading in waves over her shoulders in striking contrast to her pale complexion. She was dressed in a long gown of shimmering white gossamer that trailed the floor a good three feet behind her, her sparkling wings stretched wide behind her. Her deep chocolate eyes stared lovingly into my face, a warm smile gracing her lips. She bore no trace of the horrors she had braved to get to me.
I looked down at myself then and to my complete shock, I was dressed similarly, in robes of flowing white, my body unmarred by any sign of the torture I had endured. I smiled as she lightly pressed her lips to mine for the briefest of moments. A contented sigh escaped my lips and I couldn't help but ask her "So, what happens now?" She opened her mouth to speak, only to close it again quickly as a loud voice answered from behind us.
"A pertinent question. Indeed, what does happen now?"
We looked to the direction of the voice and soon, out of the haze came a tall man with long chestnut hair that slightly obscured his perfectly angled face, a pair of piercing blue eyes studying us intently. It was obvious he was an angel, obvious because of the overly large white wings that protruded from his back at an even greater span than Bella's.
Bella started then, recognition dawning in her face as she moved to speak. "Chamuel… why are you…?" her voice trailed off unable to finish the question as he was already giving his answer.
"Two reasons sister." A soft smile graced his delicate features as he answered. "The first being to apologize for my closed minded disbelief. I underestimated the both of you greatly. He truly does love you." She smiled at him then teasingly laughing as she replied.
"Well I hate to have to say I told you so but…"
"Yes, you were right sister. He is different, they all are, a fact that will no longer go unnoticed. Which brings me now to the second reason, and the answer to your previous question. What happens now?"
We stilled, the light atmosphere turning instantly somber as we stood trying desperately to glean from his expression the answer we sought. His voice was clear and calm as he began to speak.
"Do not fear, you will not be returning below. It would be impossible for you to do so. The love you share has freed him of that fate. The power of your bond has shaken apart the very foundations of Hell. The frozen lake is buried deep now, unreachable by any, and the furies are no more. They have been destroyed by that which they could never understand nor experience. You were very nearly lost beneath the rubble, had our Father not intervened, you would have been."
My mind reeled at the concept; our love had nearly destroyed all of Hell. I was free now, no longer damned.
"So, we're in heaven then?" I asked hopefully. Though I suspected we weren't, I wasn't entirely prepared for his reply. His face became grave as he answered.
"No, it is not. Though I daresay Bella could have told you as much. Nor will you be able to enter its gates." I looked at him then, confusion evident on my features and then turned my gaze back to Bella whose gaze was fixed firmly on the ground. She at least seemed to understand. I turned to face Chamuel once more as I spoke.
"I don't understand. We aren't going to Hell, but we aren't going to Heaven either? Then where…"
"Your love has redeemed you of hell, but her defiance of Heaven cannot be undone. She chose to follow her own will, and turned from grace. The light of that city shall never receive you now, though your family may yet see it. The strength of your love has proven the worth of your kind to enter in. No more shall they be damned simply for being as they are. Those who strive as you did, and as your family does, to fight against their nature, against the monster they have become shall be allowed entrance."
Shock came over me then, and hope beyond measure. My family would be saved. Whatever fate we should endure now would be worth this. I felt my angel tighten her arms around my waist and I looked down at her, her awed expression matching my own. Her voice shook slightly as she spoke again.
"Chamuel, you still haven't answered our question though. If we are redeemed of Hell and Heaven cannot receive us either, where then are we to go?" He smiled then as he answered.
"Here is where you will stay. The light of your love shines so brightly it rivals that even of Heaven, so our Father has placed you among the stars as a symbol of hope to your kind Edward. A promise if you will, that they shall no more be forgotten. You will spend eternity within each others arms, the light of your love outshining the brightest stars in the heavens, a true testament to the power of love."
We both smiled at this, knowing our family would have new hope, and that nothing would separate us again. We looked deeply into each others eyes, our love and joy radiating causing the light to intensify once more as our lips came softly together for the final time. All physical sensation was lost then as our souls fused together making us truly one for the rest of time, the light of our love forever burning brightly in the heavens for all to see.
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AN: Wow, this took a lot longer than I had anticipated to write. I got off to a really good start, and then got stuck on the dialog. Anyways, I really hope you enjoy the chapter. Only one left, the epilogue, which will be done from Alice's POV. Anyways, read and review please and let me know what you think. As always your opinions really mean a lot to me.