AS THE TWO SIDES RACED TOWARD EACH OTHER, Rory turned to Jasper with devastation in her eyes. This wasn't meant to happen. Alice looked beyond horrified, feeling guilty she had not foreseen Aro's decision—she had really hoped he would fall for her fake vision.
Rory had one last backup plan, her failsafe if everything else went to shit. To give herself up to the Volturi and stop the battle before too many lives were lost. She would sacrifice herself for her family. She was always meant to.
Before she could say her last goodbye, Jasper shook his head. He would not lose her. He grabbed her hands, pulling her back one more time, sending her a flash of all his love for her—every feeling, every emotion he had ever felt because of Rory, for Rory, he gave it all to her, filling her up with the light of his heart.
"This isn't just about you anymore, sweetheart. This is the endgame now," Jasper held her face gently, knowing they only had no time to lose, he kissed her deeply before whirling around to punch a vampire who had approached them.
It seemed to work, she faltered, hesitant to follow through. And like always, Jasper was right. This wasn't about her. This was about no longer being controlled by a despot no vampire had agreed to. No one controlled Rory, least of all an antique that should have been long burned. This was about being free to follow her heart, whatever everyone's hearts desired. This was about Renesmee, about Jacob, Bella, all of them who stood against the Volturi. This was about love.
Fueled by the reminder of what exactly she was fighting for, Rory took a deep, calming breath. "Then we'll show them how to play," she nodded at him as they were separated. She wouldn't give up yet.
Jasper went to help Alice from a pair of lower guards trying to apprehend her while Rory ran around the crowd. She had to make sure Renesmee and Jacob escaped, heading for the the direction a few Volturi guards had been dispatched to follow after them. As she raced toward Santiago and Demetri, Rory spotted a hesitant Nahuel and Huilen and adjusted her course slightly.
"Nahuel, Huilen—you should leave now," Rory said them as soon as she neared them, pointing to a clear path for them to take. "I'll give you a chance and keep them from going after you as well."
She had promised they would not be harmed and she intended to protect them with all her might. Huilen nodded, a little angry by the turn of events, and turned to run in the clear route, however, Nahuel shook his head, surprising both his aunt and Rory.
"No, I will fight, too," he declared, glancing once in the direction the giant wolf and little girl had run. Nahuel looked past Rory at the approaching forces, "If not for my right to live, then for the little one's. We all deserve to be free."
Huilen pursed her lips, placing her hand on his shoulder supportingly. "And I will fight for you, nephew."
"Thank you." Rory offered them smile, before she spun around to kick away one of the guard's who tried to grab her.
The guard skidded a few feet into the snow, but got back up, her ruby eyes trained on Rory. However, Rory didn't have to go after the guard as Nahuel launched himself at the vampire.
It turned out Nahuel fought like his namesake, a jungle cat striking everyone down who came close to him or his aunt. She didn't have a chance to be grateful for their help as her attentions focused on her family who were warding off more of the guard.
Rory narrowed her eyes at Demetri. He was following after Jacob, Renesmee, and Santiago. Rory was determined to go after him. She knew Jacob could take care of Santiago—but Demetri infuriated her. She snarled and sped ahead, leaping across the snowy field to tackle the tracker. The two rolled into the snow, exchanging a few punches and attempts to bite at each other.
"You." He hissed, rising to his feet. The damned mind controller had him travel all around the fucking world with Santiago for company, all while she went about breezily.
Rory smirked. "How did it feel to forget how to track someone?"
"You tried to make me into a fool," he growled as they circled each other, the two true wolves of the battlefield.
"I didn't try—I did," Rory snapped. "Now—"
"Not so fast," In an unexpected move, Demetri pulled her into a chokehold, preventing her from looking into his eyes and seeing him, two important factors Rory needed to control someone's mind. "I know your tricks, bitch," Demetri hissed as he cut off the oxygen to her body.
She tried to yank his hands off her throat. She couldn't think, couldn't breath. She could feel her neck crack from the force. Control him. She couldn't. There wasn't enough oxygen in her to fuel a command. She wasn't strong enough. He shoved her to the ground where he kneeled on her chest, continuing to choke her into the snow.
All around her, her family struggled against the Volturi's forces. Jasper was fending off three guards on his own. Alec grappled with Chelsea, knowing she was the key keeping the guard loyal to Aro. Carlisle had his head ripped off, in her crying state, Esme was struggling to fight off a Volturi witness. Two guards were beating Edward down. Tanya, Garrett Kate, and Faith were overwhelmed by a group of vengeful guards after having ripped apart and set Caius aflame. Emmett was surrounded by a crowd of vampires, which he threw and threw and threw, but they kept coming. Rose and Alice fought off guards attempting to take Alice away. Bella was being chased by Afton and other vampires.
The pack were tearing up vampires left and right, but there were so many. Their other allies weren't doing so well either, some had already lost limbs or were being mercilessly beat by the emotionless guards. Siobhan, Randall, and Mary were already in flames, there was no return for them.
Benjamin looked around and knowing the action would damn him and save everyone, he punched the ground, parting the earth into two, a ravine filled with magma at its depths.
Aro, secure in the center of a protective fold of guards, stared at Benjamin's feat in amazement. His ruby eyes gleamed and he descended.
With the opening of the ravine, it gave the Cullens and their allies an advantage. They were getting back up, regaining motivation and pushing back the enemy. The wolves picked cloaked vampires with their teeth and tossed them into the lava. Alice and Rose outsmarted the three guards trying to take Alice away and shoved them into the ravine. Leah bit the head off the vampire accosting Esme. Edward was saved by Bella throwing a guard at the pair standing over him like a bowling ball. Alec kicked Chelsea to the ground and Sam tore the vampire keeping the guard loyal to the Volturi's head off.
Alec's gaze happened to fall upon Rory and Demetri by accident—he had been searching for Jane in the chaos. His ruby eyes narrowed into a cold black haze at the sight of Demetri choking Rory. He kicked Corin away and ran toward them. He launched himself at the tracker, tearing his former comrade's head off as he landed beside the surprised woman, who could now speak with Demetri's weight off of her. Alec tossed Demetri's head into the ravine in disgust.
"Weirdly enough, this isn't the first time you've ripped a man's head off for me," Rory breathed out, relieved he still had her back.
"Like I said, you influence people more than you believe," Alec nodded as he looked behind her and sent his paralyzing mist to stop a group of lesser guards from sneaking up on Rory.
The mind controller clenched her jaw as she looked at them. "Rip your own heads off and jump into the ravine," she commanded and they followed.
"Straight to the point, I like it," Alec commented as they were surrounded by more vampires.
They worked in tandem, Alec taking away others senses so that Rory could control their minds. More and more bodies laid on the floor around the pair.
Then they were swarmed by a horde of cloaked vampires—Aro's personal guard. Alec was too distracted by being mercilessly beat up to use his ability. Rory was in a chokehold again, her mind control ability rendered useless against her unseen assailant. Aro, garbed in his militia finery, tossed off his obsidian and crimson cape into the snow behind him as a circle formed around them of guards, keeping others from interfering.
"My, my, my, look at my two little revolters," Aro drawled as he surveyed the two in disdain. "It'll be a long time before either of you ever see the light of day again."
Alec rolled his eyes at his former master. "I refuse to serve your pathetic excuse of a coven ever again, even if it means my death."
"Your reign of terror and manipulation is over, Aro," Rory hissed, filled with unbridled fury.
"Traitors!" Aro spat as both Rory and Alec were grabbed by guards. "I gave you both everything. Without me, you would both be dead, and now look what you made me do. Soon, all your loved ones will perish."
"You sure about that?" Alec snorted, glancing past the wall where the Cullens and their allies were holding up quite well against the Volturi.
"Insolent boy!" Aro slapped him across the face. "Committing treason against your own coven for the sake of a girl!"
Alec took in Aro's fury with great pleasure. "It was only a matter of time," he grinned as his paralyzing mist sprung our from him like smoke causing the guards that once constrained him to release him.
Aro stepped as far away from the paralyzing mist as possible. "Stop it right now or I will kill him!"
From within the large group of vampires surrounding Aro, Felix and Corin shoved someone into the circle, forcing him on his knees before Aro.
"Jasper!" Rory gasped, her heart dropping to her stomach. Felix had his hands wrapped around Jasper's head, one quick movement and her world would end.
Aro glared at Rory as she opened her mouth to control Felix's mind and save her mate. "I wouldn't try it if I were you. Felix will rip his head off before you have a chance to control us," he hissed. He looked at Alec furiously. "Return their senses Alec and surrender, or else Jasper will be joining Irina."
"Alec, please," Rory begged him through a crackly voice, her eyes glued to Jasper and the tight grip Felix held his neck.
Alec glanced at Rory and at Jasper, and shook his head defeatedly, drawing his mist back into himself and allowing them to be surrounded. He sighed deeply as more vampires held him down along with Rory.
"Let him go," Rory hissed at Aro, "You have me, the one you wanted, now just let Jasper go. Please."
"Rory, it's alright," Jasper choked out from Felix's grip, "Do not give yourself up!"
"It'll be okay, Jasper," Rory whispered with shiny eyes.
"Foolish boy, I have everyone right where I want them. No one's going anywhere," Aro laughed loudly, his cape swooshing around his feet as he bent over to meet both Alec and Rory's glares.
"Aro, we both knew this was coming," Alec smirked darkly even as he was pushed down on his knees. "Caius is dead, I expect Marcus will fall soon, if not turn his back on all this." Aro seethed at every word Alec spoke. Rory watched wordlessly, knowing Alec had long held his tongue and was now free from his master of a millennia. "Did you know your dear 'brother' was the one who told me to escape? People don't like it when you have their mates assassinated."
"How dare you," Aro growled, walking forward until his hand wrapped around Alec's throat. His red eyes blazed with hate. "I created you, I shall now destroy you—both of you!"
Alec was laughing even with Aro choking him so hard that cracks formed. "Touché."
Aro's brows furrowed in confusion just as someone else stepped into the circle.
"Pain."
Aro glanced at Jane in surprise before before he crumbled to the snow as if shocked by electricity. Jane raised her brow at her brother and Rory to make their move as Aro screamed in agony, the sound bringing her a sadistic joy.
"Let him go," Rory commanded Felix with a snarl, seeing he had been distracted by Jane stabbing Aro in the back so to speak.
The second Felix's hands loosened not of his own accord, Jasper ducked and whirled around to land a kick in the broad vampire's chest, sending him flying across the battlefield.
Meanwhile Alec dealt with the other guards, taking away their senses with his paralyzing mist. There was no time to spare, no second of hesitation as Jasper held Aro down and Jane kept the ancient king under her fiery glare, Rory twisted Aro's head clean off his neck, with a world-stilling pop.
It was over.
She held Aro's head, not wanting to risk it accidentally reattaching to his body as Jasper detached his other limbs into a small pile.
"You helped us," Rory said to Jane in disbelief as Alec went to grab a torch.
"All corrupt systems fail from within," Jane said dryly, regarding Rory with begrudged respect. She bared her teeth. "And no one tries to kill my brother and gets away with it."
Rory nodded. "Thank you."
The blonde looked beyond Rory, at the fighting that continued, warriors on both side continued to fall. Jane raised her brow at Rory in disdain, "Perhaps you should stop this violence now—unless you're not as powerful as you claim to be after all."
Rory rolled her eyes at the slight snub, and turned to face the battle. She let out a deep breath and commanded them all, "Stop fighting!" Every vampire and wolf alike heeded to the mind controller's word. Even without her order, everyone had felt the shift in the air the moment Aro died. They all turned to face his killers.
"The king is dead!" Rory continued fiercely, displaying Aro's decapitated head to the astonished crowd. "This tyranny has ended and so has this battle waged under false pretenses. No longer do we fight each other. No longer will we fear our gifts because a power-hungry maniac would do whatever it takes, even destroying whole covens, to force us into joining the Volturi. No longer do we fear being mercilessly taken away from our loved ones for the sake of more power."
Everyone stared at her in awe, feeling a change in the atmosphere with every word that left her mouth. With Aro's death birthed a new order of their world. The corruption of their law enforcers had never been made more clear than the true reason they were fighting each other. They felt a rush of relief it was all over now amplified by a peaceful feeling from Jasper's influence to diminish their previous anger.
Rory tossed Aro's head, his eyes still wide open, on top of the pile just as Alec returned with a burning torch. He paused before lowering the flaming stick, meeting his twin sister's gaze. Understanding, acceptance, and forgiveness was exchanged in one look. The witch twins always had each other, no matter what. Alec and Jane nodded at each other, and then they were both holding the torch, together, lighting their former master's head and body on fire.
Aro Volturi was no more.
➖
When it was all over, the battle having lasted less than half an hour, the ones left standing looked over their injuries and losses. Amun, Kebi, Siobhan, Randall, Mary, Charles, Makenna, and Maria had died, a number much smaller than anyone ever imagined, but mourned all the same (except for Maria, no one had liked her).
Most of the wolves were okay, some had broken limbs. Jared and Colin had been the only members of the Pack that died, crushed to death. Peter had his leg ripped off, Rosalie lost an arm, and a few other vampires had missing limbs and body parts that were found eventually. To everyone's relief, Carlisle came back into consciousness as his head was reattached to his body. They were lucky Esme had protected his body from being lit on fire.
Three coolers full of blood bags had been delivered to the Cullen house via a determined Stella Black accompanied by bodyguards comprised of the younger wolves who weren't allowed to fight, ensuring they returned to La Push. Once Jacob realized the fight was over via wolf telepathy and knew it was safe to bring Renesmee back, he stopped by the house to bring the supply of blood to the baseball field. Once the vampires had a little blood in them, they were all as good as new.
Most of the Volturi's witnesses perished, having joined in on the fight, but lacking the skill and gifts of the Volturi or those on the Cullens side. Aside from Aro and Caius, a good amount of the guard remained intact and had surrendered. As soon as Chelsea was taken down, their loyalty to the Volturi wavered, no longer artificial and many members backed down, especially with Aro's death. Santiago, Renata, Sulpicia, Athenodora, Corin, Afton, and Demetri were amongst the casualties.
Marcus was apprehended, a bunch of wolves and vampires continued to watch him to make sure the last leader of the Volturi didn't try making a run for it, although Rory had a feeling he wouldn't try anything. They had tried to take away Jane, but Alec protected his sister—besides, no one wanted to try the reunited witch twins who had been the ones to burn Aro Volturi to dust.
"So, time for the end of an era?" Kate asked as both sides were at a complete standstill. She was eager to finish off the rest of the Volturi.
Rory shook her head. "No. Enough lives have been lost today."
"This battle did not go down for nothing to allow them to bring us a war," Vladimir hissed under his breath. "We need to kill them all."
"Newsflash, Dracula, this was the war and she ended it," Garrett snorted, brushing snow and ash off his shoulders. "If you didn't realize before, Aro and Caius were the greedy power-hungry bastards, and now that they're gone, we're all free to live our lives how we choose, no longer afraid of them abusing their influence."
"We can't leave our world without someone we can all trust in charge," Eleazar added, glancing at the remainder of the Volturi suspiciously.
Peter raised his hand. "If we're doing nominations, I think Rory would do a great job of keeping us all in check," he winked at her, but he was serious about it. "If anyone could do it without going mad, she could."
"I agree." Nahuel spoke up, resting his stare on a bewildered Rory. "She is fair and kind and fierce. Someone who will change the world."
"Yes, she is exactly that and much more," Jasper smiled at Rory who was speechless by all the turn of events.
"A vampire queen would make a whole hell of a lot more sense," Tanya added with a smirk.
"I agree as well," One of the guard members said with crossed arms. A few bitter members gave the curly haired vampire a look. "What? Aurora was always nice to me back in Volterra. She's a hell of a lot saner than both of our deceased masters."
More and more comments of agreement were said by majority of the vampires.
Rory interrupted the praise with a shout that shut everyone up. "No, I am not taking the throne—are you all crazy?"
Jane muttered a "Thank God" from beside Alec.
"That's some dumbass hero movie logic. Did everyone forget that I'm literally only 18? I haven't even voted." Some of the vampires reassessed her. She rolled her eyes, "Why would I make a good leader if I could control everyone's mind? That would literally be the opposite of what we fought for today."
"Huh. Good point," Garrett frowned.
"Well," Carmen crossed her arms, "what do you have in mind then?"
It seemed the entire vampire world held respect for the mind controller.
Rory's gaze landed on the remainder of the Volturi. She remembered Alec's confession to Aro, how Marcus told him to leave. "We still have one sane leader, and a shit load of vampires who've been taking care of our problems for the last millennia who coincidentally no longer are being forced to be loyal to the Volturi."
The American nomads, the Romanians, and the Denali coven immediately complained, but were silenced by Marcus standing to his full height. He looked much calmer than one expected a man who had lost half his coven.
"I do not wish to see our world fall to ruins," Marcus said quietly, raising his gaze to the vampires watching him. "Yet I do not wish to sit on a throne any longer either."
"Who said you have to?" Carlisle offered his old friend a smile. "This is a new dawn, a new era, maybe we should adapt new rules."
"We can create a world where secrecy is our main priority, but not at the cost of ignorance," Rory met everyone's stares. "Immortality is forever, but we cannot allow ourselves to become complacent and stuck in a mindset that hasn't worked in the last century. The humans are progressing, it's time we do, too."
➖
Rory stepped back from the giant canvas, a small smile on her lips, paint stains ruining her sweater and jeans. Sunlight streamed into the living room causing her skin to glitter like diamonds and rubies, the silly conundrum had become as familiar as breathing. In the portrait she had painted everyone who had ever made her happy in life. This was her happy place. This was what made it all worth it.
Her mother, Stella, a strong, encouraging woman who never gave up on her surviving daughter no matter what. Her stepfather and stepbrother, Billy and Jacob Black; they had faced their gripes with Rory's change, and had overcome it, becoming a wonderful family in the end. Her Tia Giselle and Tio Dante from Pennsylvania who were always there for Stella and Rory no matter what. Her sister, Luna, beaming like the moon she was in Rory's life, carrying a sleeping baby Evangeline. They watched over everyone from a sky of both night and day.
Carlisle and Esme, the compassionate, gentle souls that sought to spread love and peace. Alice was as eye-catching as she was in real life, a knowing smirk on her lips and mischievous gleam in her cat like eyes. Rose, her timeless grace and intelligence and beauty, stood with Emmett, the teddy-bear of a jokester. Edward had his arms wrapped around Bella, Rory's partner in crime from the beginning of it all, and their only daughter, the happy Renesmee Briar, the petulant child who grinned between her parents.
Then, there was Alec, her creator and confidant, who had been there for her in her darkest days. He looked as unimpressed as always. Jane was there as well; despite all their clashes, they had a large amount of respect for each other. Besides, the witch twins should never be separated for long. Charlie had his arm around Sue; Seth and Leah bridged the Cullens to the rest of the Pack in the forest background; Jessica, Angela, Eric, and Mike, laughed innocently like they would at Rory's constant bad jokes.
It was beautiful, chaotic mess of an art piece, but then again, so was life.
And at the very center of the art piece of her heart was the one person who owned Rory's. Jasper Hale. His hair like spun golden honey, silky and wavy, framing his chiseled jaw and crooked, dimpled smile—her favorite smile he reserved for her. He was her everything. And they were nothing without each other.
Rory couldn't believe this was it. This was love. This was her life.
For a long time, she struggled to see past the horizon. Tragedies decorated her life like paintings on a wall—which she brought into her real life. She had experienced much more than most eighteen year olds her age. She had hung onto the past way too long, not knowing her future was beyond anything she had ever believed possible. She had once been eager to see the sands of the hourglass slip away into nothingness.
But now that time was infinite, Rory was calm.
Rory had everything she ever needed, even if she didn't know she needed it in the first place. Rory was wise and young and full of life. Rory had loved and was loved back.
And most of all, Rory was happy.
Truly, madly, and deeply happy.
"I've never been happier to see the end of all this," Jasper had whispered in her ear as freedom flowed with the fall of the Volturi's reign of terror. He smiled, staring at the face of his soulmate, the girl of his dreams. He had never imagined that even monsters get a happy ending. "And what a beautiful ending it is."
"No," Rory cupped his cheek, the action mirroring his. He kissed her pulse point softly as she stared into his eyes, warm as honey and just as sweet as the day she first met him that cold March day nearly two years ago. She had never imagined she was looking into forever in his eyes of endless sunsets. "It's only the beginning."
fin
➖
and there you have it folks. the end of crimson. ❤️
i cant believe its really done. i think i posted the very first chapter february 15 or so and we've accomplished so much, like 300k!!?!? two other AUs, contests, and trailers, etc. this is so wild, ive never imagined this. im so thankful for anyone who has ever clicked on this story, liked, commented, messaged me, made covers everything...i love yall.
i do have a question tho before i go:
what was your favorite thing about crimson?
please tell me in the comments i really want to read everyones thoughts ❤️