Chapter Six

Of Great Use

Bella Swan

March 2005

Maria stood incredibly still, her eyes wide and disbelieving as she stared down at the coven below us, but she finally turned to look at Archer beside her.

The air seemed to shift then, and my fellow soldiers eyes widened in fear suddenly.

Maria inhaled sharply before screeching, "Retreat! Re-"

Her words were cut off as the enemy vampires charged towards us. Maria fell first, pulled off of her feet and dragged down the last small ridge into the valley by one of the towering vampires. She seemed bewildered as she attempted to push against her attacker. Most of her jabs didn't come close to hitting her enemy, but one caught the man on the side of his head and he howled in pain. Maria seemed a little more confident as she swung her arm again in the same place.

My group seemed completely in shock to witness Maria having to fight. No one had ever seen her do anything in a battle. Still, there wasn't much time to stare, since the rest of the massive vampires descended on us and started throwing our numbers into the fray of the battle.

The burliest of the enemy vampires set his sights on Roland. He tackled Roland against his weak side and their bodies collided with a loud terrible noise. Roland roared, the sound echoing through the valley, until it suddenly was cut off by a familiar screeching noise. The burly vampire tossed Roland's head away from his body.

His head rolled towards me and I stared in disbelief. My breath became faster and faster and my eyes burned like I was about to sob. I couldn't believe what was happening around me. Our strongest member, my largest opponent in both my attempt to escape and in my effort to remain invisible, dismembered as if he were an easy kill.

Something moved behind me, and I swung myself in a low circle just in time to see another of the muscular vampires barreling in my direction. Even while entirely afraid, my instincts screaming at me to run, I steadied my nerves and prepared to defend myself.

I crouched low to the ground as the vampire reached me. Grabbing one of his legs at his knees, I pushed him over my shoulder and sent him sailing just inches above my head. He hit the ground hard just behind me. I wasted no time as I spun and straddled his back, and I tried my best to pin him under my weight as I wrenched his arms from his torso. He was nearly up onto his feet again, howling and thrashing in pain the entire time, when I finally managed to bite through his neck in order to tear his head from his body.

I flung my attackers head into a nearby pire and immediately wanted to cry. I wanted to scream from the horror I felt, rage in anger, and pray to whatever god would hear me to get this nightmare to end already. It was all too much. I was done.

Instead of doing any of that, I was knocked to the ground during my lapse of paying attention to my surroundings. The strong arms that latched around me crushed the air from my lungs, and it all came out as an earsplitting scream. I clawed at the arms around me while kicking behind me against anything I could strike, but his grip on me was just too tight to fight. I finally managed to slip out of his arms just slightly, enough for my mouth to reach his arm, and I bit down as fiercely as I could. He yowled in pain and released me as he doubled over. I realized the bite I had inflicted was extremely deep. Before I panicked myself into inaction again, I lifted my leg and slammed it down hard on his exposed neck. The vampire went slack as most of his head detached from his neck and I finished him off with a stomp. I hurled it at the pire I had thrown the other attackers head into and sparks flew towards me as the color shifted to an even darker purple.

I had a wide opening around me, and I looked across the valley just in time to watch one of the three vampires in the central circle move. The small motion gave me a clear view into the inside of the circle.

A young girl stood in the center of their circle. She couldn't have been older than twelve and she had an intense look of concentration on her face. I realized the vampires surrounding her were her bodyguards. This tiny girl had bodyguards, which meant she had to be important enough to protect instead of have her defenders join the attack. She must be the one behind this enemies strange invisibility...and I was probably the only one that could see her and her bodyguards by the way no one moved towards them.

Rage coursed through me. This girl was responsible, or partially responsible anyways, for forcing me into yet another life and death situation. I had just been mourning the fact that I had to increase my kill count in the effort to preserve my own life. I didn't know who of my grouping would live or die and how that would affect my future. I wanted to leave, I wanted to go home, and for that I had to live through this battle. And the only way that would happen would be for me to level the playing field.

It was all a blur, but I charged towards the girl with a clarity I never remembered having during a battle. Several of the enemy vampires attempted to stop me, but I dodged them and let my group members cover me. As I approached the three bodyguards, who looked deeply concerned once they realized I could see them, they began to give each other uneasy looks. Still, they didn't budge from their defensive position.

Logically, I knew that they were too strong for me. I had fought three vampires at once before, but not three that all stood a foot taller than me with much more body mass than I would ever have. They were just too overwhelming. The minute I descended on the girl I'd have them, and probably others, overpowering me easily. I needed to find a strategy.

Strategy found me, actually, when a hulking figure came charging towards me to defend the group I was targeting. Large, yes, but a newborn vampire much younger than me judging by how uncoordinated he was. I could tell by his heavy steps that his center of gravity was extremely low. I had plenty of experience taking down someone with a build just like his.

Perfect.

I let him get close, uncomfortably close, and tried to not show him the confidence I felt over our impending fight. As soon as he was lunging for me, I shifted and ducked under his arms. I circled my arms around his torso tightly and braced myself for the next move. Throwing all of my body weight backwards to counteract his center of gravity was hard, but I managed to throw him forwards and force him to his knees. I stepped onto his back and launched myself into the air as he jumped back to his feet.

My foot landed on one of the bodyguard's shoulder, and I kicked him in the side of the head hard before dropping onto the young girl responsible for the invisibility. I snapped her head off before any of the guards could manage to stop me.

The valley was suddenly a chorus of echos, from both sides of the battle. With the young girl incapacitated, whatever her way of controlling the invisibility was, the spell died with her. It appeared that everyone could finally see all of our adversaries as clearly as I could. Our enemies were equally surprised to see I had tricked their trusted guards.

The fight quickly continued. I dove through the first opening I could find before the body guards could fully recover their shock and rushed the girls head to the nearest fire I could reach. I felt a massive hand land on my shoulder just as I tossed the girls head in the flames. I moved to defend myself, but before I could manage a single hit to my would-be attacker, Archer was suddenly beside me and took over the fight. A hand grabbed mine and I nearly pushed it away before Maria turned me around to face her.

"Come on, Bella! Let's go!" Maria urged me, and I was a little stunned to see such care and trust on her face.

I followed Maria closely as she pulled me along through the valley by keeping mostly along the wall. There was so much chaos and confusion as I struggled to keep up with her and her quick adjustments to our path. When we finally stopped, far from the battlefield from what I could tell by listening to the distant sounds, I turned to question Maria.

"What just happened? Why did we leave everyone?" I spoke quickly. I felt like I was going into some sort of shock.

"There were so few enemies left. I told Archer to order everyone left to flee the other direction. I wanted to keep you with me since you'd most likely be their newest target." Maria explained. "I knew I could get you away without harm better than Archer could."

I was still struggling to figure out how no one else seemed to be able to see the girl and her guards until I had incapacitated her.

Maria seemed to pick up on my thoughts, "Bella, you tried to warn me. Warn us all. You were the only one that saw through their disguise, but you somehow managed to help me see through the illusion. I've wondered if you were talented beyond your ability to dismiss Archers commands, and it seems as if you are."

I didn't know what to make of her words. I couldn't comprehend that I had a talent of any kind in the midst of all my torment. I also had no idea what to feel about Maria being strangely sort-of-nice to me.

"You've done us all a great deed, Bella. I will not forget that and I will be sure that your fellow soldiers do not forget either." Maria praised me. "Come, let's make our way back to the safe house before the morning light finds us." She smiled and urged me to follow her.

I was left wondering if I was in the twilight zone while I followed closely behind her.

Once we returned to the safe house, I was surprised when Maria caught my arm and stopped me from heading into the basement to rejoin the others. Archer looked almost impressed with me as Maria and I neared where he sat in a dilapidated dining room. I tried my best to find the usual slight loathing I usually saw in his eyes when he looked at me, but I couldn't find a trace of it.

"Well done, Bella." He praised me. "How many did you take down on your own? Five?" He smiled widely, as if we were talking about a sporting event.

"Umm...four I think. I knocked a fifth one down to get some leverage, but I don't think I actually got him." I shook my head.

"Still, impressive." He nodded. "You did well. Thank you for taking action when we were unable to fully see our enemies. You are largely the reason for our success."

I was left speechless. First, Maria was strangely kind to me. Now, Archer actually thanked me and praised my actions all in two consecutive sentences.

"Bella, Archer and I have decided that you are to hold a great honor in helping Archer to complete a task I have for him." Maria told me, and I was truly stunned. "I have been away often these last few weeks. I've been searching for an old friend of mine. A soldier. Someone I considered my second in command, in fact. He is incredibly skilled, lethal to extremes, and unbelievably talented. He makes Sequoia's talent look like a party trick in comparison. He is what we need to become a truly unstoppable force. I know that now more than ever after our near loss tonight. With him here to aid you and the others in your training, no coven will ever be able to defeat us again." Maria's grin was somehow more chilling than the terrifying description of the vampire she was looking to have join her again. "I will need you, Archer, and the Major all close to me to build the strongest defenses possible, of course. You're highly favored now, Bella."

I stayed silent, but she seemed to take that as an encouragement. Her ruby eyes shone with glee.

"The Major was in Canada the last I saw of him. I decided to start my search for him there. As I traveled north, however, I was lucky enough to come across a small coven that knew of him and where I might find him. They had played baseball with him and his coven, of all things." Maria laughed as if he were a misbehaving child. "He's in Washington state."

Washington.

Forks.

Charlie.

My apathy towards being Maria's latest shiny new toy disappeared entirely. I suddenly felt more alive than I had since actually being alive.

"I lived there as a kid! I'd spend every summer there with my dad after my parents divorced. I know the area." I smiled widely as if I were eager to help Maria obtain whatever she wanted. "What task is it you need us to help you with? Scope out the area and the coven he's traveling with?"

"Oh, I know about the coven he's with already." Maria smiled and seemed very happy to have me so willing to help. "The problem is that they know me too well. You, on the other hand, they have no knowledge of. You can get close to him and tell him of our need to have him return without immediate retaliation from the coven he travels with." Maria looked me over appraisingly. "You and Archer will need to go on my behalf."

Damn. I'd still have to figure out how to dispose of Archer after all.

"Now, I must brief you both on your mission. You must never let your guard down." Her tone shifted, becoming more serious. "Especially when it comes to the coven the Major is following, they can not be trusted. They seem so trustworthy and kind but it is all a farce. I trust you, Archer, that you will be able to convince him to return to us, but even so..." Her forehead creased and an almost wistful expression fell over her face. There was a sense of hesitation, or fear, in her eyes.

"You have to be so careful with this coven," Maria cautioned after a long moment. "They are talented beyond belief and will play tricks on you. But, Bella, you may be able to see through all their disguises. Archer, rely on Bella to tell you what's true and what is not. Tell me," she leant towards me, her eyes dark and calculating, "how were you able to see through the illusion during battle?"

"I don't really know." I shrugged.

"Did you have a feeling? A sense? Something that seemed to tell you they were hiding more forces before you actually saw them?"

"No, I was able to see them immediately. Like looking out and seeing a crowd of people normally. I couldn't believe no one else seemed to see them. It was so scary for me."

"Oh, you poor thing." Maria consoled me sweetly, though, it seemed as if she were my condescending older sister. "You don't even have to try, do you? You took my arm and I saw just as easily as you said you were able to. You don't have to try to resist Archer either, you don't actively disregard his orders, and were able to resit his commands from the moment you awoke."

"No, I don't try to disobey him, and I don't mean to." I planted the seed of trust a little deeper. "It's just something that happens, I guess." I agreed.

"You have such possibility, Bella! We will have to wait and see if you and Archer can return with my Major. You will be of great use to me." Maria smiled widely again. "You'll have such amazing training from the Major. You'll be a prize like no other."

"Yes, absolutely." Archer agreed with her, though his eyes seemed apprehensive. "Do you have more information for us about what we might expect from the coven the Major travels with?"

"You'll recognize the Major immediately. He's quite tall, a lean build, and is covered in scars from head to toe. There's a distinctive scar over his left eye, two connected scars that almost look like an 'S' around his eye. There's one at his mouth too, at the corner, and it makes his smile look twisted. His hair is long, curled, and blond. He speaks in a southern Texas accent." She hesitated then, a sad look on her face, but whatever she wanted to say next did not come.

Archer continued on, "What of the coven members?"

"Ah, the others," Maria scoffed. "There are six in the coven. Three females, three males."

Six? What kind of army was successful with only six members? Maria must be telling at least a semblance of truth about the covens talents if they're able to hold territory with only six members. Or, maybe the Majors fighting ability is truly amazing and able to make up for any large outnumbering by an enemy clan.

It was a very good thing I had no intentions at all of ever seeking out the Major or the coven he traveled with. I'd beat Archer, get to Washington, find my dad, avoid the coven, and forget all about this hellish dream I'd been through.

"The males are all tall. Taller than you, Archer." Maria continued. "One is pale blond, another is nearly red-headed, and the last has curly black hair. Not to mention an abundance of muscle..." Maria muttered, as if she didn't favor creating soldiers with the same build. "The females are varied. One is nearly as tall as the men, with blonde hair that hangs down her back. Another is her exact opposite, a tiny little thing. She seems like a child she's so small and thin. She has very short black hair that's quite wild." Maria sneered, and I wondered what personal vendetta she had against the girl. "The third woman is average in height. About your same height, Bella. She looks softer than the others, and smiles very kindly, but don't be deceived. They all have different eyes than ours, something to do with the climate they inhabit, so their eyes will appear nearly golden. Each member of this coven is vicious, deceptive, and they love to play mind games. They are a dangerous enemy," she snarled.

Maria and Archer went down to the basement to speak with the others, leaving me alone with a brief sense of privacy for the first time since awaking to my new existence. They claimed they didn't want me to see the losses we'd had just before I was to leave on my mission with Archer. That was fine with me. Either way, I wouldn't be returning and didn't want to know how close I'd come to being yet another person on the long list of Maria's dead soldiers. I would never be her pawn again.

I thought about my parents and wished for their comfort now more than ever. I realized how close I could be to seeing my dad again. I knew that he'd take me anywhere, do anything to help me recover from this hellish nightmare I'd experienced. Charlie would listen to me, if or when I wanted to share, or we would just sit in the peaceful silence I'd daydreamed about. I imagined myself speaking to him, but I had no idea what I might actually say yet. There was a sense of peace building up in me. I might actually live long enough to make it back to my dad. This life had been so harsh and full of so much pain. I was determined to leave it behind and never look back. I realized, for the first time in a long time, that I was beginning to feel something I had thought I'd lost.

I felt hopeful again.