AN: An epic amount of sorries to you all, we've been sorting through a lot of CCTV footage and are working with the police regarding the problem neighbour. Thank you all for your patience :) I'll update again sometime next week.

S. Meyer owns twilight

Previously in Iceland:

Jane and Alice arrived in Iceland with Alistair to train with the witches.

CHAPTER 21

Alice POV - Iceland with Jane and Alistair, training with the witches

The witches seemed to overestimate my intellect and limitless energy. I was tired, my head hurt. They were teaching us in shifts; during the day we would learn about herbalism, in the evening would be history and at night time we would be using our connection to the moon and the earth. Jane and I didn't get a break.

We were currently learning to scry. The witches had given us a silver bowl, at the bottom was an obsidian disc. We were supposed to look for messages. They couldn't tell us who or what was behind the messages or what purpose they were, but we had to open our minds to anything. There was half an inch of water at the bottom of the bowl. We were sitting on the western most shore of Kaldbakur. There was nothing for miles, behind us was a couple of villages, but there were no signs of human life in the vicinity. This area was supposed to have the thinnest membrane between the mortal and spiritual worlds. The area made us feel unsettled, Jane and I would see flashes of movement from the corner of our eyes, but when we looked in the direction we could see nothing.

It was the night of the new moon, the energy around us felt heavy and we were beginning to feel drained. I put my scrying bowl down and focused my mind. We had learned to tap into the energy of the earth, moon and sun. I imagined a ball of energy inside me, like a battery. I imagined my veins connected to the battery and pushed my fingers into the ground, tapping into the energy source. The unsettled feeling lessened. It almost felt like I could feel the lava bubbling deep in the ground, surrounded by stone and water. I began to feel full, sluggish.

I moved my fingers back and leaned over the scrying bowl. My mind felt clearer and I concentrated on the water in the bowl. I focused and unfocused my eyes, maybe it was like a Magic Eye picture, I hoped I'd see a sailboat. There was a ripple on the water, but there was no wind. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye, but ignored it in favor of the water. Shadows bloomed in the bowl, but I couldn't tell if it was the water or the obsidian. Wisps of shadow moved together. There was more movement in my peripheral vision. The shadows formed a negative image of myself, I froze, daring not to breathe or blink.

The shadows told a story, I saw myself sitting on the shore next to Jane. A whisper of breath passed my ear, like a voice on the wind. Why? It seemed to ask. I didn't know how to respond, but I felt power sing through my veins. Welcome, last daughter of Fate. I heard faintly. I felt a swirl of movement around me, energizing me and telling me its secrets. The image of Jane and I changed, zooming in. I felt something move through me, bringing with it a cold chill.

I kept my focus. I saw our shadow image in the bowl change. Arcs of thin black shadow poured from us, into the shapes of many creatures. The image showed a close up view of a beast, he ate something. The image changed, the beast turned into Feykir. Arcs of magic from Jane and I struck Feykir and the packs like lightning, but instead of turning to dust, they glowed like angels. An image of the sky appeared, shadow clouds raced across it, the moon began to grow; a thin crescent, a half moon, growing, becoming full. An image of the wolves in a large cave carved into the ice, they looked up at the full moon through a crack in the ice and smiled, remaining in their human form.

There were whispered instructions from the spirits, it wasn't a language I recognized, but somehow I could understand it. The wolves will eat a gift from the Merciful ones. Your powers will give them what they desire. The shadows slowly disappeared from the bowl, the cold movement seemed to fade and I felt my full energy return. I slowly relaxed and move my face to Jane. Her eyes were unfocussed; they had turned black, no sign of whiteness. She looked like a porcelain doll. Her eyes stared at nothing, looking like deep abysses.

I watched her and slowly reached my hand in her direction, I knew I wouldn't make contact with her, she was a fifteen feet from me. My fingertips felt chilled, like I was holding them in front of a freezer on a hot day. Had I looked like her? I watched her, she didn't move or breathe for a long time. Slowly the black in her eyes started to shrink, they became two pinpricks as the whites of her eyes and her silver irises returned. She blinked and looked at me. "We can help the wolves." She announced. "I saw it too." I replied.

We walked back slowly, it was still dark. Alistair was waiting for us near our cottage. He smiled when he saw me and ran to kiss me. "I missed you." He said, I hadn't spent any time with him since we arrived days ago. I heard the others in slumber and we decided to sit and catch up. Jane joined us.

Alistair filled us in on everything that had happened. "First, I promise no one is harmed." He said, that was never a good sign. "There was an attack in Volterra." Jane and I froze, on the edge of panic. "The Horsemen arrived in time to defeat the attackers. Many humans were killed in the battle." He said sadly. I reached out and touched his hand, "how many, Alistair?" I asked. "338, the Masters are helping everyone they can, the human authorities have helped greatly."

Jane and I were silent as we thought of those whose lives had been lost. I felt moisture on my cheeks and gasped. They were tears. I wiped my eyes, more tears appeared. I looked at them, there was a pearl like shine to them. I tasted them, they were sweet with venom and salty like human tears. I looked to Jane, she was crying too. She sniffed, "we need to honor the dead somehow." She said. I heard a heart speed up in the house next to ours, Andres was awake. He shuffled over to us and sat next to Alistair, "something terrible must have happened to make vampires cry." He said gently. Alistair told him about the attack on Volterra.

Andres was silent for a while. "We will honor their lives." He said quietly. He led us to a barren out crop with a flat stone, there were small parcels of dirt. "Honor the lives of the innocent with your tears. You are closer to the earth being made from rock, let those tears fall where they may and we'll bury them in honor of the lives lost." Jane and I walked slowly, letting the tears flow down our cheeks. We'd collect them on our finger tips and let them fall to the dirt. Andres left us, taking Alistair with him. Jane and I walked, sobbing for a while. With each tear we felt a release. We were starting to calm. The last few tears left us and Andres returned.

He carried a linen bag and began to set the flat stone up like an altar. He set up small silver bowls at each of the four compass points; in the northern bowl he added some incense, lighting it. He moved to the eastern bowl and adding a pinch of dirt from near the altar. He brought out a small glass bottle of sea water and tipped it into the bowl to the east and brought out a candle, lighting it for the south. He was casting a circle, he'd taught us to tune into the earth and let it guide us; North; the harsh Arctic winds, east; the bulk of the Icelandic island, south; the volcano called Hekla, and West; the water of the sea hummed with life.

Andres placed the censure on the ground in front of the tears. He spoke an incantation and brought out a firestone and flint. He lay the smudge stick on the censure and struck a spark. The wind picked up, slowly blowing the smoke over the tears and cleansing the area, but it didn't blow out the candle. The smudge stick smoldered. We picked up a handful of dirt from around the altar and sprinkled it over the tears. When the smudge stick turned to ash we sprinkled it over the tears.

We sat in silence, the sun began to rise. The flame of the candle shrank and extinguished. When the wax had cooled we buried it deep into the earth with the water from the western bowl, ash from the northern bowl and filled the hole with the dirt of the eastern bowl. We headed back to the cottage to tell our Scry instructor, Disa, what we'd seen.

Alistair POV - Iceland with Alice, Jane and the witches

Feykir visited me today, he had received a package from America. The others had found a way to stop the werewolves from transforming into their beasts, all it took was a chip of wood from the American Rowan tree. When we had arrived he visited us with the good news about the Healer's Chequer Vodka. They had been able to stay connected to their humanity despite changing into beasts during the last full moon, they had been overjoyed with the results. I saw that same look in his eye today.

He showed me the letter from Theresa, it appeared she'd sent it before they left for Volterra. She wrote how the wolves had been stranded in Texas and they had urgently found the nearest Rowan tree to contain them. When Fred had eaten a chip of wood he returned to human form. I told him about the vision Alice and Jane had seen while scrying. Feykir had spoken to Fred and Briggita last week, they had told him how Theresa and Chelsea had been able to bind the human and animal sides of the werewolves and they could transform at will.

We rushed over to Kavie's house, he was teaching Alice and Jane about the history of their species. He smiled as we walked in. We told them about the wood and letter from Theresa. Kavie excused himself to speak to Arria, she was teaching Alice and Jane how to channel their power and with her sister, Peci's, help they would help Alice and Jane give the wolves their independence, binding their human and beast sides.

When Kavie returned with Arria and Peci, Feykir invited me to the den of the wolves. I was glad for the company. Everyone in the coven of witches was busy, especially Alice and Jane. They were squeezing decades worth of study into a few months. I understood how important this time was, but still wished Alice and I had time to ourselves. For once the solitude wasn't a comfort.

Feykir noticed my mood, "the western world has a saying, does it not? Absence makes the heart grow fonder." He said. I was already very fond of Alice, time apart wouldn't change that. I nodded. Feykir stopped, "this is a busy time for all species. Why not use this time to construct the Anti-corruption Agency?"
"I don't want to miss out on time with Alice." I said, the odd smile and wave from my mate sustained me. "Alistair, my friend, this is work that needs to be done. There is little point to waiting around here when you have your own mission. What is the point of waiting when in the future you too will be too busy to spend time with your mate." He pointed out. He was making a lot of sense.

I conceded. Tonight would be my last night before starting my destiny, I was disappointed I wouldn't be able to see Alice daily, but the more work I put in now, the less time away from my mate in the future. Feykir and the packs welcomed my company. We spoke about how our human lives had played out before being turned. Many of wolves had been turned as part of an honor ritual, they had been chosen because of the order of their birth. I wondered how my life would have played out if Richard hadn't kidnapped my brother and I.

There were those who had been turned because of bad luck, they didn't resent their sires, their human lives had lacked purpose, they were at peace with their destiny. It had given me a perspective I'd never considered. It struck me how grateful I was that the Volturi had protected them. The wolves appreciated every morsel of good luck they had, it was that compassion from the Volturi that had brought me to my mate and healed me. I was no longer bitter and terrified of making connections with the world, I had finally accepted my lot in life.

When the first beams of light illuminated the ice around us I readied myself to leave. Feykir walked out with me. "I have spoken to the West Australian Pack Master, Cynewulf. She has agreed to send her daughter, Ginna, to us after the next full moon. She is satisfied that the Chequer Vodka has given them enough control to travel amongst the humans and is anticipating the arrival of the American Rowan Wood."
"When will she arrive?" I asked. "Three weeks, Cynewulf will accompany Ginna to Iceland. She would like to meet you before giving her daughter to our cause." Feykir explained.

I thanked him and went to the cottage where Alice, Jane and I kept our belongings. I only packed a few items; my phone, clothing, maps and lap top. I'd read through the official laws of the Volturi and had files full of possible new laws between each of the species. I would speak to Maggie and discuss what laws needed to be added or modified.

I reluctantly went to say goodbye to Alice. I walked slowly, it was unlikely I'd see my mate for months after I left. I picked up my pace as the clouds parted and kept to the shadows. Occasionally a car would pass, but I knew they wouldn't see me glittering, I hid myself well.

I saw Andres tending to his garden. I greeted him and told him my plans. "We promise to take good care of Alice and Jane." He vowed. He asked me to wait a moment and ducked into his cottage. I thought about what I'd say to Alice, I didn't want her to think I was abandoning her.

Andres returned carrying a pendant fixed to a leather cord. "Take this, it's a protection amulet. The cord is infused with calming energy. I made it when in the first week you stayed with us." He handed it over, I gently ran my fingers over the pendant. It was a small silver disc with a strange glass bead embedded into it; blue with white, light blue and black concentric circles. "It's the evil eye, it protects the wearer from harm and wards off nefarious intent." Andres explained.

He walked with me to Venel's cottage, Venel was teaching them how to protect and banish. Andres let me inside. I hugged my mate and kissed her cheek. "I'm proud of you and Jane for working so hard, I know you haven't had any down time." I began, Alice started to look guilty. "It's okay, Ali. This is important, you're following your fate. I'm going to work on mine, it's time I started the Anti-corruption council. I'll return when I can." She looked so sad, but nodded.

"I'll be safe, Ali. I promise. Andres gave me this." I showed her the pendant. "It'll keep me safe. I'll wear it constantly. I need you to continue studying with Jane and the coven, I'll stay in contact as often as I can. If I get this done now we won't have to be separated later. This is a good thing, Ali." I said. She smiled sadly, "I understand. I'll miss you, but you're right. This needs to be done." She turned back to the table top, there were terracotta plates called censures and bundles of leaves on them. She picked one up and lit it. She moved the censure in front of me and said an incantation. I felt warmth pass through me and smiled.

"Excellent work, Alice. That's one of the hardest protection spells to master, I'm surprised you were able to channel the earth's energy so easily." Venel said impressed. "I've been practicing." Alice replied shyly. That was an understatement, I'd seen her sitting on the ground with her fingers pushed into the dirt several times. She liked to feel the energy from the lava, stone and water. I was proud of her.

"We eat our evening meal at six, it would be the best time for you to phone and check in with them." Andres said. I smiled and thanked him. I hugged Jane good bye and walked outside with Alice. The others gave us privacy. The afternoon sunlight hit our skin, I sparkled brightly. Alice's skin had changed after the lightning strike, there was a faint glitter, but it wouldn't be noticeable to humans. Instead, she glowed with the energy around us. I held her for a while and kissed her.

We said good bye and promised to call each other every day, she knew it would take a full day to fly from Reykjavik to Dublin. I put the necklace from Andres around my neck, I didn't feel any different, but I'd never take it off while I was separated from my mate. She watched me as I started walking, I'd reach the airport by midnight, I'd already book a flight for 1 AM. I would arrive in Dublin the following evening.