Chapter 14 - Pain

I stood downwind as they collected themselves on the meadow.  I had been brought to La Push, after resolving myself to letting Edward go, staring at his golden brown eyes for almost an hour, kissing his cold cold mouth for perhaps the last time, I sat in Billy blacks kitchen crying into my hands.  The wolves had dispatched to fight alongside the vampires, to protect Bronte and Jacob of course, but also the family that had now become their friends.

After an hour there I had escaped to the meadow, stealing my own motorbike from the garage, and going as fast as I could.  I arrived to see the battle begin, with Carlisle and Aro speaking together in the middle of the meadow.  There was a large bonfire blazing in the open, built in advance to seal the fate of any Vampire who met their match.  Behind Carlisle my beloved Cullens stood, and Jacob in his wolf form standing in front of Bronte who was hissing and ready for a fight, stronger than anyone in her newborn state.  The wolf pack stood in front of those two, baring their teeth and snarling, ready for the brawl.   Edward stood just behind Carlisle, looking so young all of a sudden, with his red brown hair whipping in the wind and the rain smashing against his desolate face.  He was not defeated yet, though I could see his bravery simmer under his black eyes.

Behind Aro stood a collection of mismatched Vampires.  Some I recognised as Volturi, some I could see were nomads, all with glowing red eyes and bared teeth.

It was deathly quiet then, all but for the wind and the rain.

An eery wail escaped Aros lips and he threw himself at Carlisle, who jumped over him and twisting in the air escaped the Khosrau’s cross that Aro stabbed at him.  Carlisle kicked Aro in the face as he landed, sending the Volturo flying across the field and into a great boulder which smashed into pieces on impact.

Esme screamed and vaulted across the sky, to where the other Vampires were running into battle.  She was followed by the rest of her family and the battle began.

I watched Edward, making his way through the teaming vampire crowd, snapping necks, biting throats out, punching holes in his own kind.  His face was contorted with fury, he was fighting no holds barred.  He was followed closely by Alice and Jasper, ALice was guiding her brother and her husband through the fray, telling them each opponents moves before it happened, allowing them to win every one on one.  I felt my confidence in him surge, he would come back to me, I knew his promise was true.

Aro had reappeared, stake in hand, to take on Carlisle who was now surrounded by the wolf pack.  Jacob nudged Bronte into the middle with Carlisle and snarling he moved toward Aro.  

“Here doggy doggy” Aro shrieked laughing, beckoning Jacob like a master to a pup.  Jacob roared, his shaggy hair shaking with the force of his lungs, his lips stretched over massive fangs, I could see his heart beating in his neck as he lunged at Aro, but the volturri leader sprang high into the air and crashed down on Jacobs back with a smash.  Bronte wailed and ran into the thick of the fray, her blond hair whipping about her head as she made a grab at Aros arm.  She missed and before she could attempt another grab, Jacob knocked her out of line of the stake which Aro swiped her way.  The grass was, as always, wet from rain and so Bronte slid like an iceskater across the field.  She came face to face with a large vampire from the other fight and without even thinking about it, Bronte attacked him.  He seemed to stand still, allowing her to dismember him piece by piece.  She threw him on the fire and turned back to the battle, I could see fear and disgust cross her large elfin eyes.  I knew she had used her gift to control her enemy and it had served her well, but I imagined the human side of Bronte would find revulsion in her actions even though they saved her.

She crossed the battle field in moments and stood by Jacob again.  He roared at her, unable to tell her to get back in words but his meaning was clear, but she defied him, ignored his eyes pleading look.  They stood together for a moment, their love swirling around them like an invisible shield, then it broke away and they had one fleeting moment, Bronte mouthed the words “I love you” before throwing herself into the fighting again.

The sides began to even out, Alices gift working on her side to work through the enemy fighters, killing them as easily as snapping a twig with their moves known.  Emmett and Rosalie were like one fighter, moving with precision through the battle, seeking out Jane knowing that to disable her would be half the battle.  Jacob and Bronte followed them.  Janes ability to inflict the illusion of pain on others gave her immediate victory and it had been planned to see if Bronte could influence Jane while the others took her out.  Carlisle, Esme and Jasper surrounded Aro, Jasper calming him as much as he could, hoping to get the upper hand leaving Carlisle to disable him quickly.  If the stake was out of the picture the Cullens could win this fight.

I resisted the urge to run into the frey, telling myself that I would be a hindrance, and do more harm than good.  My scent was not strong in this position and I had taken the precaution of wearing a combination of Jacobs and Edwards clothes.  I remained unnoticed.

It happened so fast I could not believe my eyes.  Aro, who one minute was in the corner of the field surrounded by Carlisle, Esme and Jasper, had leaped across the field in one second and now stood in front of Jane.  Caius stood behind her.  She had an intense look of concentration on her face and I saw Emmett bend in agony.  Rosalie screamed and threw herself at Jane but a swift kick from Caius sent her flying to the end of the field.  She lifted herself into a standing just in time to see Aro grab Emmett by the hair and plunge Khasrou’s cross into his chest.  Emmett looked shocked, but calm, as he fell onto his knees and then to the ground with an earth shattering thud.

The noise that came from Rosalie, on seeing her soul mate perish, was unearthly.  It began as a moan, soft but solid like a slain deer and journeyed into a screech, the sound a comet might make as it plummets into a planet.  I couldn’t take her expression, it was too painful to watch her as she took a huge leap across the battle, her face contorted, pain and anguish pouring out of her.  She stood where Emmett lay, ignoring the cruel laughter from Aro, and threw her arms out by her sides.  She could not stand, she could not bend, her body seemed devoid of natural movement and she rocked from foot to foot, the sounds she made bringing the battlefield to a stop, all heads turned to see her.  

Edward roared, “No!” and sprang to her side, dropping to his knees where Emmett lay and he pulled his brother into his arms, disbelief contorting his beautiful face.  I longed to go to him but knew I could not show myself.  

Rosalie swayed and fell to her knees, her arms splayed in prostration to her pain.  She roared his name, grabbed his body from Edward and shook it, desperate to revive him, in vain.  Emmet was dead.

Grief shook me, but I was overcome with a sense of dread for Edward.  If Emmet could be killed, Edward could be killed.  I would not let that happen and I slipped my hand into my pocket, curling my fingers around my insurance - the object I had brought that would ensure I would not be left alone on this earth.  I would not allow it.  Edward would not die.