༄CLEARING IN THE WOODS – MORNING༄
The male newborn waits. A beat, then suddenly from behind him, the whole newborn army blitzes out of the woods and into the field. The frenzy in their eyes. Their rabid thirst as they follow the scent of Bella's blood. But the scent trail ends here. They're confused... Suddenly something bolts from the trees with lightning speed and tackles a newborn. The other newborns spin to find a lethal-looking Madison and Daphne in a crouch beside his victim's body. They rush at him but... Bam! Bam! Bam! Three of them go down, tackled by Esme, Rosalie, Carlisle, Emmett, Thomas, Abigail, and Alice. Out of nowhere lunges Sam-Wolf, flanked by two wolves. They tear a newborn to pieces. Four other wolves dive into the fray. Emmett sprints full-bore into the fight, relishing the battle. The wolves work as a pack, coordinated, and deadly. Daphne controls the field – strategy, and speed vs strength, using what she learned from Jasper. Rosalie and Abigail fight with icy calm. Alice and Thomas with precognition. Esme and Carlisle fight side by side. The newborns are brutal and strong as hell. The vampires and wolves are taking some vicious hits. Jacob-wolf charges into the clearing, tackling a newborn, going for its neck. Beck looks around for Jasper, but couldn't find him. He growls as he throws a fit.
༄CAMPSITE༄
Edward reads daphne's mind, translating for Bella." Jacob just got there. He's good," he told them, seeing the action through her mind.
༄THE BATTLEFIELD༄
Edward watches the fight in Daphne's mind. Sam and Jacob charge a newborn – each wolf grabs an arm in the mouth and RIP! Paul is surrounded by three newborns as Emmett comes to his aid. They share a look, a battlefield rapprochement. Carlisle and Esme move in on Bree but she backs up frightened. Esme and Carlisle share a look. They relax their attack stance and try to calm and talk to her. Alice darts from newborn to newborn, not even looking at them, knowing their next move. She sweeps their feet, keeping them off balance, confusing them. Madison is a step behind her, trying to give her cover. A newborn takes note of his protective actions. The newborn appears behind Madison and bites her shoulder. Alice sees the newborn biting her mate. Jasper runs in and throws the newborn to Rosalie, Emmett, and Carlisle who kill him. Daphne smiles when he sees that Jasper has arrived. Alice tends to Madison.
A newborn charges at him, growling heavily. Jasper easily dodges him with ease, blocking his attacks. This causes the vampire to grow even angrier, and his attacks sloppier. Jasper smirks at him, as he jumps into the air when the vampire charges at him. He lands on him, breaking his neck with his hands in the process. It kills him in an instant. "I can handle myself," Alice told her, to which she brushes her hair away. "I know," Madison told her. They didn't see Victoria at the edge of the clearing, stopping to see what is happening. She is confused and shocked at the scene. Wolves and vampires work together, attacking her army of newborn vampires. Then the wind blows, to which she smells something. She glares in the direction of the scent and runs in the direction where it came from.
༄MOUNTAIN CAMPSITE༄
"Is Madison alright?" Bella asked, but he didn't respond. "Edward...," Bella asked but he only sees Daphne's thoughts, and talks to himself. "Don't let them protect each other, good, go around...," he mutters to himself. Suddenly Edward stops, blinks, briefly disoriented as his mind is cut off from the battlefield. He looks around and finds Seth frozen as well. They share a tense look. "Someone's hurt?" Bella asked. "Seth, go," Edward ordered as Seth bolted away from the campsite, fast. "Is it Daphne?" Bells asked as Edward whips her behind him against a cliff wall and takes a defensive stance in front of her. "She's close. I can hear her thoughts. She knew we weren't there, but she caught my scent," Edward told Bella as she held their breaths.
༄MOUNTAIN༄
"She knew you would be with me," Edward added. "She found us," Bella realized. "And she's not alone," Edward finished, which is when Riley steps out of the woods. Bella immediately recognizes him and are taken aback. Riley edges closer, watching Edward's every move as they both carefully position themselves. "Riley... Listen to me. Victoria's just using you, to distract me," Edward spoke up. "But she knows I'll kill you." Riley hesitates, surprised to be addressed. "She'll be glad she doesn't have to deal with you anymore," Edward added as Victoria emerges from the woods, forming a triangle with Riley, with, Bella and Edward at the apex. "Don't listen, Riley. I told you about their mind tricks," Victoria lied through her teeth. "I can read her mind, so I know what she thinks of you," Edward continued. "He's lying" "She only created you and this army to avenge her true mate, James," Edward informed him. "It's the only thing she cares about. Not you." Riley's beginning to hesitate. He glances at Victoria.
"There's only you. You know that" Victoria lied. Riley focuses back on Edward, positioning himself to attack. Victoria's eyes burrow into Bella's with bloodlust, and revenge. "Think about it. You're from Forks, you know the area," Edward added. "That's the only reason she chose you. She doesn't love you" Riley falters ever so slightly, doubt seeping into his mind. But Victoria's face is convincingly emotional. "Riley... Don't let him do this to us. You know I love you," Victoria lied as Riley needs to believe her. His resolve returns. "You're dead," he spoke up. Riley charges toward Edward who doesn't move because he knows. Seth-wolf is leaping from the cliff above to land on Riley, taking a chunk out of Riley's hand. Riley roars with fury and pain as Seth-wolf circles back for another attack. While Seth-wolf keeps Riley on the defense, Edward starts toward Victoria as she backs toward the trees.
Edward sees she's about to escape and darts into her path. "You can escape. You always do. But you won't get another chance like this again," Edward egged her on, as Victoria hisses at him, and backs further away. "You want her. You want Daphne and I to feel the pain you felt when she killed James. When daphne tore him to pieces. When she turned him into ash. When we turned him into nothing," Edward urged on as Victoria finally erupts and charges at Bella. But Edward never lets her get close. He intercepts her and they roll down the hill in a death grip. Bella is watching this battle, desperate to help. Meanwhile, Riley kicks Seth-wolf hard against the cliff. Sharp shards of rock fall around Bella. Seth-wolf, battered, goes down. Riley spins toward Bella. Edward now has to protect them from both vampires. And he does it with impressive skill. With lightning-fast speed, he bolts at Riley, kicking him back, he darts to Victoria, smashing into her. As Seth-wolf struggles to rise, Riley joins Victoria's battle, providing her with the tiny advantage she needs.
Riley tackles him to his knees, Victoria grabs Edward from behind. Bella's eyes meet Edward's. Her eyes show clarity, she's never in her life been more sure of what she wants than in this moment. With purpose, she grabs up a sharp piece of slate. Bella plunges the shard downward, stabbing her arm. Blood immediately flows dripping bright red onto the white snow. Riley spins toward Bella, the scent making him wild. Victoria catches the smell and her head whips toward Bella. Edward seizes the moment and dead-drops to the ground while FLIPPING Victoria over his head, across the clearing, and into a tree, breaking it in half. Edward spins on Riley who's still bedazzled by the blood. Bella hears running then a screeching sound like metal tearing, and suddenly, Riley's screaming. His arm is gone! Daphne came and tosses the arm aside and bolts to Victoria. Seth-wolf recovers leap up, tackles Riley, and drags him screaming into the woods. "Victoria! Victoria!" Riley shouts to her, but Victoria doesn't even glance at him, revealing to Riley the painful truth.
The last thing Bella sees of Riley is his tragically betrayed face... then they hear the sounds of Seth tearing him apart, the metallic screeching. As Bella tears her shirt to create a makeshift bandage, Edward charges Victoria to help daphne as the two clash and begin a blurred battle. Until he pummels her down and, finally, Edward maneuvers himself behind her, gelling her in a death grip. Victoria struggles; Bella is directly in her eye-line. She glares at Bella, who glares back, every bit as fiercely. daphne's lips are at Victoria's neck; it looks as if she kisses her, then she bites a huge chunk from her neck, ripping her head off. As Bella watches, Victoria's body crumples to the ground. All sound disappears. The air goes still. The atmosphere changes. This nemesis, this relentless demon, is finally dead. Or almost. Eerily, it still moves slightly. A long beat.
Edward grabs a lighter and lights it, tossing it onto Victoria's body. It begins to burn. Then Edward looks up at Bella and Daphne. Who are hugging each other. Bella and Cullen's eyes meet. But shame, and fear, cloud his face. She moves toward him. Slowly. Purposefully. As she reaches him, he turns away. "Edward," Bella spoke up. "I didn't want you to see that," Edward said. She stops him and touches his face tenderly, her eyes telling him it's ok. "I'll get some bandages for your arm," Edward said as he starts for the tent but Seth-wolf lets out a sharp bark. Edward turns; his expression fills with concern. "Something's wrong," Belle states. "Alice needs us to go. And now," Edward agreed. "Why? What's happening?" Bella asked.
༄WOODS – DAY༄
The Volturi – Jane, Alec, Demetri, Felix – slide past the trees with effortless grace and speed.....
༄CLEARING IN THE WOODS – DAY༄ Daphne's POV
A massive fire burns as the Cullens and the wolves hurriedly drag what's left of the newborns to it for incineration. A purple-black smoke rises. Edward, Bella, and I race out of the trees, bee-lining for Alice and the rest of the Cullens gathered near the fire. I run to Jasper, the two of us embracing each other, relieved that the other is safe and sound. "How long?" Edward asked. "A few minutes. Maybe ten," Alice replied. Bella scans the field for Jacob. "They timed their arrival well," Rosalie sneers as she hugs me. "Probably hoping the newborns took a few of us out," Emmett added. Edward stops as he sees someone by the fire. "What's she doing here?" He asked. Bella and I look to the fire, by which cowers the newborn Bree. "We offered her safe haven if she stopped fighting, she took it," Esme informed him. "The pack needs to leave. The Volturi won't honor a truce with the werewolves," Carlisle interjected. "Where's Jacob?" Bella asked.
"There...," Edward points at the tree line across the field. Jacob-wolf emerges. Bella sighs with enormous relief. He sees her as well and starts toward her but suddenly he hears a vicious snarl coming from behind him in the woods, spins to see where it is coming from. A light grey wolf (Leah) is cornering one last male newborn who was hiding. Leah charges as Edward can't see the conflict, but he can hear it in his mind. "Leah, don't!" He shouts. The male newborn maneuvers out of her way spin and grabs her ruff, fiercely yanking her off her paws but, Jacob leaps on the male newborn, tackling him. They roll into the clearing where Jacob bites a piece of his face off. But the male newborn gets his arms around Jacob and crushes him. Jacob howls in agony. Bella sees this from afar. "Jacob!" she screams.
The other wolves are instantly there and pounce on the male newborn, their teeth forcing him to release Jacob who crumples to the ground. As they pull him apart, Edward and Carlisle appear at Jacob's side. Bella races across the field to reach Jacob. Jacob transforms into a human, naked, grotesquely twisted and broken, barely able to breathe. Carlisle quickly examines him as he writhes in pain; Edward steadies him, gripping his hand. "Hold on, Carlisle is gonna take care of you," Edward told him. "The bones on the right half of his body are shattered," Carlisle informed him. Jacob, in excruciating pain, squeezes Edward's hand. Bella reaches them, dropping to her knees beside Jacob. She strokes his face, trying to comfort him."Bella," Jacob gutted out. "Jake, I'm right here," Bella told him as Sam, Paul, Jared, Embry, Quil, and Leah, now in human form race up. "Jacob, you idiot. I had it," Leah sneers at him.
"Leah," Sam ordered her. "I need to set the bones before his accelerated healing kicks in," Carlisle added. "It's already starting." "We need to get him out of here. We're not gonna win a fight with the Volturi," Edward told him. "We'll take him back to Billy's," Sam asked. "I'll be there as soon as I can," Carlisle told him. "Hang in there, Jake. We got you," Belle told him as Jacob cries out in pain as the pack lift him. Bella agonizes as she watches them disappear into the woods. She and Edward exchange a look of shared concern. "They're here," Alice announced as the Cullens and millers gathered in the center of the field, converging around Bella. Jasper wraps his arms around daphne's waist, Rosalie in front of her. They see nothing through the oily smoke from the fire. "It appears you've done our work for us," Jane spoke up. From out of the mist and the smoke emerge The Volturi: Jane and behind her, Felix, Demetri, and Alec.
Jane assesses the scene, taking in Bella as well."Impressive. I've never seen a coven escape an assault of this magnitude intact," Jane continued. "We were lucky," Carlisle told her. "I doubt that," Jane shot back. "It appears we missed an entertaining fight," Alec added. "Yes. It's not often we're rendered unnecessary," Jane agreed. "If you'd arrived a half hour ago, you would've fulfilled your purpose," Edward retorts. "Pity," Jane states as she then sees the newborn, Bree, crouching by the fire. "You missed one." "We offered her asylum in exchange for her surrender," Carlisle told her. "That wasn't yours to offer," Jane shot back. As Jane moves to Bree, Esme shoots Carlisle a concerned look. Carlisle subtly shakes his head, don't. "Why did you come?" Jane asked. Before Bree can answer, Jane, focuses her power, sending an invisible searing current through Bree's body. Bree screams in pain. Bella flinches. Esme quickly steps up.
"They came to destroy us," Esme spoke up. "To kill Bella and Daphne."Jane ignores Esme, and continues her torture, enjoying it. "Who created you?" She asked. "You don't need to do that. She'll tell you anything you want to know," Esme told her. "I know," Jane said as Carlisle puts a hand on Esme's shoulder. Bree's screaming briefly stops. Jane waits for an answer. "I don't know. Riley wouldn't tell us," Bree said. "He said our thoughts weren't safe."Jane zaps her again. Esme is about to say something. "Her name was Victoria. Perhaps you knew her," Edward asked. Bree's pain abruptly ceases. Jane faces Edward with an innocent smile that's somehow unnerving. The other three Volturi are suddenly positioned behind Jane. Bella plants herself firmly at Edward's side. The air is tense. This could turn bad, fast. Carlisle intercedes with great and purposeful calm.
"Edward. If the Volturi knew Victoria, they would've stopped her. Isn't that right, Jane?" Carlisle asked. Jane just looks at Carlisle. A long beat. "Of course. Felix," Jane said as Felix moved to Bree. "She didn't know what she was doing. We'll take responsibility for her. Give her a chance," Esme asked. "The Volturi don't give second chances," Jane replied. "Keep that in mind. Caius will be interested to know that she's still human." "The date is set," Bella replied. Jane is ever so slightly taken aback by Bella's confidence. Her look lingers on Bella, this human. Edward stands ready to defend her. But Jane turns back to Felix. "Take care of that, Felix. I'd like to go home," Jane asked. I step forward. "Touch her, I dare," I snarl at her. Felix stops and stares at her, then at Jane.
Jane shrugs her shoulders as she turns around. "If the human wants her to have a second chance," Jane states. "If she doesn't change, it will lead to them dying. Until next time." The Volturi turns and leaves, allowing Bree to live. Rosalie nods at me as I turn to the newborn. "Welcome to the family," I said to the girl, who takes my hand and pulls me into a hug. I look at Jasper, who looks at her with pride in his eyes. Emmett gives him a clap on the back, giving him a look that says you are lucky to have her.