Authors notes

Hello readers how are you.

The last Edenian is a reworking of Swansong, which was riddled with errors and had a complicated plot that was difficult to follow. This is the simplified version, which has fewer distractions and more coherent events. A few characters have been modified or completely swapped out.

ElenaEffe: I'm glad you are enjoying the story, your theory about the dying alien race is a good one, but you will have to read the story to get more answers.

As a budding writer, your reviews are very important to me, so I will be answering them with every chapter I release.

Thank you for the reviews and enjoy the story, and feel free to leave a review if you have any comments or questions; this will help the story get better.

CHAPTER FOUR

Unseen Forces

The revelation Carlisle had shared with me left a gnawing curiosity that refused to fade. My mind constantly circled back to the "grey goo," a mystery so profound it almost felt like a weight in my chest. Who had sent it? Why me? Carlisle's certainty that it was engineered by an advanced, alien civilization only deepened the enigma. I couldn't shake the thought that my encounter wasn't mere chance—it felt deliberate, intentional, like I'd been chosen for a reason I didn't yet understand.

The morning after my conversation with the Cullens, I decided it was time to tell Bella about my abilities. Dad had already left for work, leaving the house quiet except for the faint sounds of Bella moving about upstairs. My hands tingled with nervous energy as I waited in the kitchen, the hum of the refrigerator doing little to calm me.

Bella finally entered, still groggy and holding a bowl of cereal. She looked at me with mild suspicion as she sat down. "What's with the serious face?" she asked, spoon halfway to her mouth.

"I need to show you something, don't freak out, okay," I said, my voice steadier than I felt.

She raised an eyebrow but didn't stop eating. "Cryptic much, Dory? okay... show me."

I held out my hand, focusing for just a moment. A small, controlled flame flickered into existence, hovering above my palm. The warm glow danced across Bella's shocked face as her spoon clattered into the bowl. She choked slightly, coughing as she stared at the fire.

"What the—how on earth are you doing that?" she sputtered, eyes wide.

I let the flame extinguish and leaned against the counter. "It's... a long story," I began. Then I explained everything—how I'd been walking that day years ago, how the grey goo had bonded with me, how I'd woken up with abilities I didn't understand.

Bella's eyes darted around the room, as if the answers were hidden somewhere among the kitchen appliances. "Wait," she said, her voice rising, "how long have you had these... powers?"

"Since I was thirteen," I admitted.

She stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. "Four years!? so all that time we thought you were just going through puberty, the muscles, the height, the athleticism... you were actually changing?" Her voice was tinged with betrayal.

I nodded, meeting her accusatory gaze. "Yeah."

Bella threw her arms up in frustration. "Yeah? that's all you can say for yourself? And you didn't think to tell me? Your twin sister?"

"I didn't know how!" I shot back, guilt gnawing at me. "I was scared, and it's not exactly the kind of thing you drop into casual conversation."

She sat down heavily, her anger giving way to a contemplative silence. I didn't press her, giving her the space to process. After a long pause, she finally spoke.

"So, since you have powers and are close with the Cullens, do you know what Edward is?" she asked, her tone quieter but no less curious.

I sighed. Of course, it came back to Edward. "I do," I said cautiously, "but it's not my place to tell you."

She pouted, crossing her arms. "Come on, okay can you at least tell me, is he dangerous?"

I couldn't help but chuckle. "That depends, do you think I'm dangerous?"

Her eyes narrowed, and she mumbled something under her breath. "I don't know anymore."

I raised an eyebrow but let it slide. Eventually, she relaxed, her voice softening. "You should have told me," she said.

"I know," I replied. "And I'm sorry, from now on I won't keep you in the dark, no more secrets."

Her face softened, and before I knew it, we were hugging, the tension between us easing. It felt good to have the secret out in the open, at least with her. Afterward, we got into our respective vehicles and headed to school.

The next few weeks were a blur of unwanted attention, all thanks to Bella's near-death experience in the parking lot. As her brother, I became a secondary target for curious classmates and overly apologetic Tyler Crowley, who seemed determined to follow me everywhere.

"Dude, it's fine," I told him for what felt like the hundredth time. "Bella's okay. You don't owe us anything."

Tyler wouldn't take the hint, though, and his obsession with Bella only fueled the competitive tension between Mike and Eric, who were already at odds over her. Watching their petty rivalry was almost entertaining if it wasn't so exhausting.

Edward, on the other hand, had managed to escape the spotlight. The Cullens were as enigmatic as ever, sitting at their usual table, untouched by the chaos around them. I continued to eat lunch with them, but I could feel the shift in their demeanor. Bella was now a potential threat, and they were keeping their distance. Even my joking reassurance that Bella hadn't spilled my secret failed to lighten the mood.

The one bright spot in those weeks was my budding friendship with Angela Weber. Angela was a rare kind of person—genuine, kind, and unpretentious. When I gave her a ride home one rainy afternoon, she opened up about her siblings and her love for spending time with them. She even complimented my beat-up Civic, and when I subtly checked her thoughts, I found she genuinely meant it.

As the rain continued to pour, Mike Newton brought up an event I'd been hoping to avoid—the spring dance.

"So," he said casually as we walked to class, "who's gonna ask you out?"

I laughed. "No one, Mike. I'm not going."

"Why not? You should ask Angela. You two are perfect together." His grin was wide and teasing.

Trust Mike to jump to conclusions. "I'm busy that day," I said firmly, though I couldn't help but smile at his persistence. Dancing might not be my thing, but I appreciated his effort to nudge me toward a normal high school experience.

The hallways buzzed with the usual chatter as Mike and I made our way to class. The topic of the spring dance was still on his mind, his excitement bubbling just beneath the surface. I could see it in his eager glances and the way he kept sneaking side looks at me, clearly wanting to talk about it more.

Deciding to steer the conversation away from myself, I asked with a smirk, "So, who's the lucky lady you're hoping to ask you out?"

Mike hesitated, his usual confidence faltering. "I'm, uh... I'm hoping Bella will ask me," he said quietly, as if trying not to jinx it.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Mike, come on. Bella's going to say no."

His face fell slightly before hardening with suspicion. "It's Cullen, isn't it? She already asked him, didn't she?" His voice took on a possessive edge that made me roll my eyes.

"Nope. Bella doesn't dance, Mike. She'll probably come up with an excuse not to go. But hey, feel free to try—just don't say I didn't warn you."

The doubt in his expression didn't fade, but he nodded, clearly determined to take his shot. The following day, he cornered Bella in the hallway, his nerves barely hidden beneath a thin veneer of casualness. I stayed back, watching the exchange from a distance, already knowing how it would end.

"Hey, Bella," Mike said, his voice tinged with anticipation.

"What's up?" Bella replied, her tone polite but distracted.

Mike cleared his throat, shifting awkwardly. "So, uh... you know the spring dance is coming up, right?"

Bella gave him a blank look. "Yeah?"

"Well, I was just wondering... would you want to go with me?" His words came out in a rush, and I almost felt bad for the guy.

Bella blinked, startled. "Isn't it girls' choice?"

"Well, yeah," Mike admitted, his cheeks flushing, "but, you know... I thought maybe you'd want to."

Bella's expression softened as she offered him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Mike, I'm not going to be in town that weekend."

Defeated, Mike nodded and walked away, shoulders slumped. I caught his eye as he passed, and he shot me a look that screamed don't say a word. I fought the urge to laugh.

The rest of the day was uneventful, with Edward continuing his cat-and-mouse game with Bella. He stayed close enough to observe but never made a move to ask her anything directly. Instead, he spent his time subtly interrogating her about every detail of her life. The intensity of his focus would have been unnerving if it wasn't so amusing.

At the end of the day, I walked toward my beat-up Civic, waving goodbye to Angela as I passed her. Her shy smile made me pause for a moment before I kept walking. When I reached my car, I noticed Eric standing awkwardly by Bella's truck, his hands in his pockets. I didn't need to read his mind to know what he was up to.

Bella appeared moments later, her keys jingling as she approached her truck. Eric stepped forward, his nerves palpable even from a distance.

"Hi, Bella," he said, his voice cracking slightly.

"Hey, Eric," she replied, unlocking the truck door. Her tone was polite but carried a hint of wariness.

Eric shuffled his feet, glancing at the ground. "Uh, I was just wondering... would you go to the spring dance with me?"

Bella froze mid-motion, clearly caught off guard. "Isn't it girls' choice?" she asked, echoing her earlier response to Mike.

"Well, yeah," Eric stammered, looking mortified. "But I thought maybe—"

"I'm sorry, Eric," Bella interrupted gently. "I'm not going to be in town that weekend."

Eric's face fell, and he mumbled a quick goodbye before trudging away. I leaned against my car, smirking as Bella looked my way. "Rude, wasn't he?" I teased. "Didn't even say hi to me."

Bella shot me an annoyed glare but said nothing as I climbed into my Civic and started the engine.

As I began driving out of the lot, Edward's silver Volvo pulled out in front of me, blocking the exit. I slammed on the brakes, my hands gripping the wheel as I stared at him through the windshield.

Dude, what the hell are you doing? I sent the thought sharply toward him.

Edward's smug mental reply came instantly. I have to give the other guys a fair chance.

I groaned aloud. "Great. Now I'm part of your ridiculous game," I muttered, sending another thought his way. "Dude, if you like her, grow a pair and ask her out. Stop torturing yourself with these experiments."

Edward ignored me, his posture in the Volvo infuriatingly relaxed. I honked the horn, and only after Tyler had attempted his awkward flirtation with Bella did Edward finally move his car, allowing me to leave.

Shaking my head, I drove to the police station to see Dad, still annoyed but silently grateful I wasn't the one tangled in this web of teenage drama. At least, not directly.

Unknown POV

The throne room was cloaked in shadows, save for the flicker of torchlight dancing on the black stone walls. I sat upon my throne, the weight of ancient years pressing upon my shoulders, though my pride bore the burden with ease. My withered power still coursed through me, a reminder of my former might—a fraction of what I once wielded before the Great War, but enough to bend lesser creatures to my will.

Before me stood Freya, her pale, freckled beauty marred by arrogance. She spoke, her voice laced with the casual insolence that only centuries of unchecked power could breed. "Father, I believe we have found an Edenian. He could be the one you have sought all this time. He is young, and obviously weak."

Her words stirred no excitement in me, only disdain. I studied her with cold, ancient eyes, seeing not the goddess she fancied herself but a petulant child who had yet to comprehend the meaning of true strength. twelve centuries of existence had granted her no wisdom, only hubris. She prattled on, blind to her ignorance, blind to the truth that even in my diminished state, I eclipsed her utterly.

"Thou art ever too hasty, Freya," I said, my voice a deep, resonant rumble that echoed in the chamber. "Thy measure of strength is a child's play. Power is not the swiftness of thy claws nor the sharpness of thy tongue, but the depth of will that bends the stars themselves to obey. Fetch me this boy, that I may see the truth of him and end his miserable existence with mine own hands."

Freya giggled, a grating sound that curdled my patience. Her eyes sparkled with misplaced confidence as she curtsied mockingly. "Fear not, Father. I shall not fail you. I shall send Hansel, to retrieve him. The boy will be yours before the moon wanes."

I grimaced, though I held my tongue. Freya's werewolf, Hansel, was a capable beast, but he was still just that—a beast. My doubt must have flickered in my gaze, for Freya stiffened, her smirk faltering.

"See that he does not fail," I commanded, my tone icy.

"Yes, Father," she replied, bowing her head. She began to retreat but paused as I raised my hand.

"Oh, and Freya," I said, my voice turning smooth and dangerous.

"Yes, Father?" she asked, glancing back at me.

"Send in my hunter."

Freya's eyes widened slightly, and for the first time in our exchange, she hated the hunter, she detested vampires in general, but she detested the hunter more than she detested all of the vampires on this wretched world, yet she nodded and left the room without another word.

Moments later, the doors to the throne room creaked open, and in walked the hunter. He was lean and sharp as a blade, his light brown hair falling loosely around a face that wore a perpetual smirk. His eyes, pale and cruel, glinted like the edge of a knife. He strode forward with confidence, stopping a respectful distance from the throne before bowing low.

"My lord," he said, his voice a silky blend of reverence and malice.

"Hunter," I began, leaning forward slightly. "I have a task for thee, one befitting thy... talents. A boy resides in Forks—a mere whelp. Freya's beast shall go first, for his failure is certain. Once he falls, thou shalt act."

The hunter's smirk widened, his teeth glinting in the dim light. "As you command, my lord. This boy—I shall bring him to you, and he shall kneel before his end."

I described the boy as Freya had, sparing no detail, though I knew the hunter would relish the challenge regardless. His team—two vicious vampires, a fiery-haired woman and her olive-skinned companion—would help ensure his success. They were unaware of me because I had ordered the hunter not to tell anyone about me. Even going as far as shrouding his mind from potential mind readers. Still, I doubted he needed them. He had proven himself countless times, singlehandedly dispatching entire covens with ease.

"Fail me not, hunter," I warned, though the threat was unnecessary.

"Have I ever, my lord," he replied, bowing once more before turning on his heel and striding out.

As the heavy doors closed behind him, I leaned back in my throne, steepling my fingers as a low chuckle rumbled from my chest. The thought of the boy's blood staining my hands brought a twisted satisfaction. The child would pay for the sins of his creator—the legacy of the people of Edenia, snuffed out in a single blow. How poetic that the lifeform she fought to preserve would end by my hand.

Oh, how I longed to see the boy's eyes fill with despair as I claimed his life. It would be but the first step in reclaiming what was mine. This world would bow before me, its kingdoms crumbling beneath my wrath.

"Prepare thyself, child," I murmured to the empty hall. "For thy end shall be the beginning of my reign reborn."

Dorian's POV

The low hum of my laptop filled the stillness of the room as I leaned back in my chair, stretching my arms over my head. Another night of just two hours of sleep. Thanks to the goo, it was all my body needed, leaving me with endless hours to fill. Tonight, I was gaming. The neon-lit streets of Need for Speed Underground blurred across the screen as I deftly navigated sharp turns, the sound of squealing tires blending with the steady rhythm of the rain outside.

I was so immersed in the game that at first, I almost missed it—the faint, sweet scent that signaled the presence of a Cullen. My fingers paused on the keyboard.

What the hell?

I reached out with my telepathic powers, letting them sweep through the house like an invisible net. It didn't take long to find him. Edward's thoughts were unmistakable, a jumble of conflicted emotions and intense focus. The idiot was in Bella's room. Bella's room.

I clenched my jaw, suppressing a growl. My mental voice lashed out at him. The hell do you think you're doing?

Edward's response was tinged with surprise but calm, as if he'd expected me to notice eventually. I was worried, I'm just making sure she's safe.

You could've called me for that, I snapped. Instead, you're pulling stalker moves and sneaking into my sister's room like it's your personal lair.

Before he could respond, my irritation boiled over. Outside. Now.

I felt him leave the house, and without making a sound, I slipped out too, careful not to wake anyone. The rain had softened to a drizzle by the time I reached the edge of the forest, five hundred meters out. Edward was there, his face calm but cautious as he waited.

I didn't give him the chance to speak. I raised a hand, cutting him off.

"I get that you and Bella have your weird thing going on," I began, my voice low and venomous. "I won't get in the way of whatever that is. But if I ever catch you in her room again without her knowledge or permission, you'll be the first to feel the extent of my wrath." I took a step closer, my eyes locked onto his. "What gives you the right to waltz your stone ass into her room—under my father's roof, no less?"

Edward raised his hands slightly, a gesture of peace. "I just… I couldn't stay away," he said, his voice pained, as though he were confessing a crime.

The frustration simmering within me ignited—literally. My hands were suddenly engulfed in blue flames crackling with electricity. Edward's eyes widened as he took a step back. I was on the verge of unleashing my anger when two more familiar scents filled the air.

"Alice, Jasper," I muttered, not needing to turn to know they'd arrived.

Alice appeared first, stepping lightly between us. Her expression was calm, her golden eyes steady as they met mine. "Dorian," she said gently, her voice soothing, "calm down. This doesn't need to escalate."

I rounded on her, my flames flickering but still burning brightly. "Why didn't you tell me? You knew he was going to pull this, didn't you?"

Alice folded her arms but remained unfazed. "I didn't see Bella in danger, so I didn't think it was a big deal."

I opened my mouth to retort, but a wave of calm washed over me like a tide pulling back my anger. My flames extinguished as the tension in my body melted away. I blinked, momentarily disoriented, before realizing Jasper stood nearby, his face unreadable but his ability unmistakable.

"Not cool, Jasper," I muttered, though I didn't fight the calm he imposed.

I turned back to Edward, pointing a finger at him. "You and Bella clearly like each other. Stop with the cat-and-mouse bullshit and just ask her out already. You hunt bears singlehandedly, but you can't muster the guts to talk to a teenage girl? Come on, man."

Edward looked taken aback, his lips parting slightly as if to argue, but he stopped. His expression shifted into something like resolve, and he slowly nodded.

"Good," I said firmly. "Now that that's cleared up, I have a game waiting for me upstairs. Don't make me have to do this again."

Alice smirked faintly, and Jasper gave me a small nod of approval as I turned and made my way back toward the house. By the time I slipped into my room, my laptop screen had gone dark. I tapped the keyboard to wake it, restarting my game where I'd left off.

"Stupid vampires," I muttered under my breath, but I couldn't help the faint smile tugging at my lips.