Disclaimer: still not Stephenie Meyer... if I had the opportunity to write and get paid for it, I wouldn't just stop putting out books for five years...

Disclaimer Deuce: So yeah there's a lot of inner dialogue in this chapter...

Mike's POV

Find your reason to exist, find contentment, and accept the life you must lead. Hikaru told me those words... they seem simple, yes... but in truth they were more difficult than I ever expected. At first my reason for existence to see James again. I thought that was what my goal would be. It was the light I ran through this black tunnel looking for... The other part of it tripped me up though. Accept the life you must lead. Hearing those words made it clear to me my responsiblities, and I knew one of them was to stay away from James to keep him safe. He could never know me again. It would be better for him to believe I was dead. The very thought put a lump in my throat. I couldn't accept it, my very body rejected the idea of abandoning James and my family. They were the only people in this life that never betrayed me... and yet I needed to find contentment with what I had to do. Hikaru suggested writing letters... to the people I loved and tell them how I felt... but never send them. Maybe he was right.

I sighed looking down at the blank piece of paper in front of me.

Note I

"Dear James,
I don't truthfully know where to start. How

are you? What's new? How are you? Do
you miss me? Is it sick that I hope you do?
Ha, you'd know it... I was always selfish...
but is it so selfish to want to be missed

when you're gone? I don't suppose it is.

I guess I never understood how much you

really meant to me until you were gone.

Sure we've been apart before but there

never was a time like this... never where

I simply knew we might never see each

other again. I'm lost James, I'm lost

without your snarky remarks. I miss

being humbled by you in shooting

games. Is it sick missing failing? You

were always better than me at those

stupid shooting games. I could always

beat you in a fighter but those shooting
games it wasn't even fair. Now a days

everyone just fears me or admires me

I always loved attention but now I'm

something else... an... aberration? Is

that even the right word? Maybe...

No computers here to theasarusize.

Yeah I know that's not a word, but I'm

sure you'll forgive me. I guess that's

all I have to say... well I have so

much to say but I know it'll never

get to you so if you miss everything

from this letter remember this...

I love you bro.

Mike."

I read over the letter one time and felt a sensation on my cheek I hadn't in far too long. A single tear. I lifted the letter to the lamp that sat next to me and waited for the flames to lick it up until the heat became too much to bear and I dropped the letter and watched it turn to ash. I took a deep breath and wiped my tear away. I focused on the second sheet of paper.

"Dear Zuri,

Have you ever wondered about your

place in the world? Many days and

even more nights it's all that I can

think about. I don't have a home. I'm

not looking for your pity. It's an

honest dilemma I struggle with. The

Volturi would love me to call

Volterra home, but home is where

your family is. And a family doesn't

view you as a "Useful asset" They

think of you as a necessary piece

of their life. It doesn't matter your

faults they love you for who you

are. Family doesn't try to

manipulate you in to staying...

at least my family never did. I

guess some times I forget to stop

and remember how blessed I was

to have my family for as long as

I did. I'm sorry if this isn't about you

but right now I need to just write

and hope some one gets this.

Mike."

I heard a knock and then the door opened. I closed my note and slipped it in to my clothing. Hikaru motioned me to follow him.

"Why are you here?" He asked me straight out.

"I still have much to learn." I answered.

"The world can teach you everything you need to know... are you hiding from that world?" he asked. Am I? No.

"There is still so much I don't understand." Hikaru shook his head.

"You look for an answer to the universe..."

"So what is there then?" I asked.

"If you have the power to change the world for better... it's your obligation to do it."

"And if it I'm not enough to change the world?" he smiled and shook his head.

"I see greatness in you, you might not be able to help the world as Temper, but Temper, you can help the world." He said. What does he mean by that? Hikaru left me alone near the lake. I stared in to it seeing the reflection of moonlight. Maybe people don't need a person they need a hero, a disguise, they need hope. Is that what he meant?

'You might not be able to help the world as Temper, but Temper, you can help the world.' What the hell does he even mean? He must know Temper isn't my name... He must mean I need to be myself to save the world? Maybe he means I must become more than I am... not just a person... but a hero. What is a hero? Isn't a hero just a regular person who strives to become more than themselves? By that definition anyone could be a hero... even me. No... I'm just a caged beast. No one sees it. Do they think it's a colossal coincidence that my nickname became Temper? But maybe that's what he meant when he said when I couldn't help the world, but I can help the world. Maybe Temper is just a phase of my life... part of it, until I control my anger I can't help anyone? I don't think it's my problem, I don't see anyone else getting their buttons pushed constantly.

I closed my eyes and listened to the water run in the silence of the night. It was so calm, so gentle... I knelt down next to the water and watched my reflection reach out to me as I brought my hand closer to the calm water. I realized it wasn't this water running but water running in one of the houses, amazing how truly peaceful it is here. I could live out my days here. I thought to myself looking at the serene water and my reflections hand coming out to grip me. The palm of my hand touched the water and I saw the ripples. Every action or inaction has a consequence. I can't just stop my life and lead the rest of it here... I'm needed. My hand broke the surface of the water and I felt cold. It was amazing... it was the first time in months I felt the chill of cold running up my arms, my brain warning away a further exploration of this sensation but the truth was it made me feel more alive. I embraced the chill... it was something I realized a long time ago, without ever being truly cold... you never appreciate staying warm. I brought my cold hand out of the water and placed it under my armpit to warm it up. I looked up at the stars and remembered something and smiled.

"The darkness proves the sun is shining"

Shifter POV

"The time to attack the Volturi is now, Their wonder boy is gone, and with my placement in to their ranks they'll never see it coming. We can remove the twins and then slaughter them with superior numbers." I explained.

"I'm sorry for my caution I just find it hard to trust someone who can change forms and disappear at any moment." Vladimir said.

"I've done everything but hand the Volturi to you on a platter and you would complain?" I asked with contempt.

"You never explained to me why you are helping us, and I've lived far too long simply think you don't have a hidden agenda." I smiled at him before changing my form to his long since passed wife. I immediately saw pain in him.

"I simply want to watch the world burn darling... can't you grant me that one small wish?" I saw his face change from anguish to anger.

"You bastard! Stop that immediately." I smiled as I turned back in to a neutral person he'd never met.

"Fine... it will take a while to gather all the forces."

"Good." I said before turning and leaving through the door. One more piece in place, and without Iverson there to interfere this should be a slaughter... everything was coming together perfectly...

Embry's POV

How the hell did I let them talk me in to this? This idea is insane, it's just romanticized bull shit. I can't believe Themba actually believes in my half form I'll be able to control my power... I couldn't talk her out of it, and worse of all Felix and Demetri thought it might work, which only reinforced their desire to try it. How do I tell them I'm not me when I transform? How do I tell them all hope is lost... Just like that... I told them, they didn't listen... at least there will be enough people to hold me back... right? Rhino, Sher, Pantera, Themba, Heidi, Kaneu, Demetri, and Felix... eight people, four vampires, four shifters... yeah but they'll be trying to avoid killing me...

"Are you ready?" Themba asked me. I hadn't been paying attention, I was in front of an opening in the forest. She hadn't seen me in this form yet and I feared that her curiousity was overpowering her good judgment. Another argument that didn't work

"You don't want to see me like this Themba." She smiled at me running her hand down my face.

"You're not the monster you think you are... and I know deep down you're in there... Nothing risked nothing gained, right?" I shook my head.

"This is a bad idea, no good can come from it." I repeated the same sentiment I'd said before.

"Are we going to do this or not?" Secretly I held the tiniest of hope that this would work but I knew it wouldn't.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked.

"This."

Themba's POV

"This." His eyes went black, then white then his eyes came back. In that very instant I knew he was gone. He was still growing, his body expanding, his muscles exploding in to larger form. My mouth went dry as he transformed in to a twelve foot tall monster. Veins nearly popping out of his body. He roared. I stepped in front of him undeterred.

"Embry. I know you're in there, and you wouldn't hurt me... you don't scare me Embry." I said he breathed deeply his whole upper body shaking with every exhale and inhale. I smiled. I knew he could control it. I took a private moment to look down at my hands.

"Themba look out!"

Felix's POV

"Themba look out!" I yelled seeing exactly what was about to happen. Embry backhanded Themba with his closed fist sending her flying sideways in to a tree. He roared crouching over one hand on the ground one roaring obviously as more of an animal instinct than a human one.

The truth was this was as much a test for Demetri and I as it was for Embry... We needed to know that we could kill Embry if we had to after the war... It was his just punishment for telling Mitch of our existance, Mitch, Embry, and Destiny all had to die... this was simply a precursor to it... they just didn't know it yet.

"You bastard!" Pantera yelled before phasing.

He charged headlong at Embry who dropped his fist in a pounding attack that would have broken most of Pantera's bones. Pantera rolled around Embry who threw his left leg backwards in a quick kick that sent Pantera flying in to the woods behind him. Sher was next followed closely by Rhino who was now charging at full speed straight at Embry. Even in his half shifted form he can't take a charging rhino head on, not one whose nearly as big as he is... can he?

Sher lept at him and got swatted away but Sher recovered landing on his feet. Rhino charged head first. Embry seemed to take it as a challenge and roared back at him. Embry braced himself and he caught Rhino by the horn and front shoulder. Rhino pushed him back ten feet but then was stopped dead by Embry. Oh... fuck...

Rhino was nearly ten feet tall when he was shifted, and that was when he was on all four legs, he had to weigh over three tons, he was probably running thirty miles an hour by the time he and Embry collided, and Embry stopped him.

Embry gripped Rhino by his horn and the bottom of his head. Embry planted his leg and spun flinging Rhino over the top of some the of tress... I couldn't possibly see how far he went but well over twenty feet. Sher leap at Embry biting deep in to his ankle Embry pulled his ankle forward with Sher still holding on and kicked back driving his heel in to Sher's stomach. Sher released and fell to the ground.

Kaneu charged next with Heidi close behind. Kaneu made no attempt to hide his plan to charge Embry head on. Embry kicked him with a straight kicked launching him in to a tree. I heard a two snaps and realized it was Kaneu's Shoulders breaking against the force. Heidi pulled out her sword and stabbed it in to Embry's knee. He looked at the wound that only covered a third of his knee and he let out a dark, monstrous laugh, an inhuman laugh. He didn't even take the time to pull the sword out of his knee before driving it in to Heidi sending her back in to the forest. I saw Themba recovering as Embry assessed the damage. His eyes turned to Kaneu, of all of us he was definitely in the worse condition. Demetri and I both leap to distract him attacking. We evaded his first couple attacks but his frustration seemed to only make him move quicker. First he got his hands on me and as Demetri tried to free me He got caught in Embry's left hand. He started to squeeze enjoying it. So this is how I will die... from a monster of our own creation... poetic.

I thought as he squeezed, any second now I would cease to exist. I closed my eyes expecting the end to come... but it didn't. I felt the fingers lose their strength and then release me. I dropped to the ground as Embry shrunk. Embry fell to the ground and didn't get up, I knew it was exhaustion. I heard a growl and looked where it came from. Pantera was charging at Embry's unconscious body. I slid in to position and struck with a punishing blow right behind his jaw and he landed on the other side of Embry harmless.

I looked down at Embry in sheer amazement at what he did to me and Demetri... truly he could destroy us if he had the mind to...

We've got a problem.

Shifter's POV

"Is everything in place?" He asked still not turning his head to me.

"Yes, of course sir... but if I could ask... why don't you destroy the Volturi yourself, why use pawns?" He laughed darkly.

"Humans have warred for ages but Vampires have proven more... docile. If they didn't war, then there would be no reason for me to fix this world."

"Of course sir, but doesn't forcing their hands make your argument invalid?" I pressed. He laughed.

"My argument is valid by the fact that the pretender to the name of Vladimir has been looking for a way to kill the Volturi for ages, or that Aro has been making an army to kill the Cullens... No they reap what they sow."

"Yes sir, of course sir..."

"Patience Shifter... the end grows near."

I have been trying to write this chapter for WEEKS but it's so ridiculously hot here that I literally had to turn on AC and hide in my room to finish the last half of it. I hope you appreciate it. Thanks for reading please review, remember High fives, knucks, rolls of twenties, and reviews. Catch you on the flipside.