Iridescence | Edward x OC

The End

The sad ending is only sad because the author stops telling the story. But it still goes on. It's just untold.

                                                          - Mark Polish
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A bang on the wooden chamber door startled Aris out of her trance.

She layed on a cot beside the brick wall of her chambered room, tracing the cracks with her eyes all night long as she had done each day for the past week.

After Osiris' venom had knocked her out cold, she was then taken to the castle in Volterra where the Volturi resided. It wasn't long before she woke up again, finding herself inside of the small, dusty room which could've easily been mistaken for a janitorial closet. Upon her awakening, she was met with the face of the person she hated more than anyone else in the world. Osiris proceeded to do her the courtesy of explaining where she was, what was happening, and most importantly, the answer to the question that had been nagging her almost literally to death.

Why Edward had left her.

"It was entirely my plan," Osiris had said, though there was a smug undertone to his words. "Aro, Felix, Jane, Marcus, Caius, Alec, and the rest of the guard set on a path towards your boyfriend and his family, knowing that dear Alice would have the premonition of it. Observing Edward and you for so long, I knew he wouldn't think twice before running as far away from you as possible for your protection. Alice of course can't see anything I do, so I knew that it would remain unknown to them about my arrival at your house, especially considering you two thought I was dead." He feigned a pitied frown, though it curled up into a wicked smirk shortly after.

Aris attempted to lunge towards the monster, but she was jerked back by the restraints containing her to the wall.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention," Osiris continued, "our bite dampens the victims strength and speed for a bit. Don't worry though, you should be back to normal in a week or two. That is, if you choose to join us here in Volterra, I mean. Otherwise, you can say goodbye to life itself, let alone your abilities."

"How are you alive?" Aris snarled, causing him to chuckle.

"It was quite a stupid mistake you and Edward made, actually. Though, quite fortunate for me." He neared her, leaning into her face darkly. "Tell me Aris, do you remember the two steps to kill a vampire?"

She responded with a spit to his face. His eyes narrowed as he wiped away the saliva, then using that same hand to grip around her throat so tightly she couldn't breathe.

"Tear apart the body limb from limb. That you did correctly," he hissed, leaning even closer into her face which had turned a shade darker due to the loss of oxygen. "Then, you do what?" He released his grip around her neck, causing her to cough and gasp for the air which was refilling her lungs by the second.

"You set the-the body aflame," she choked out.

"Ding ding!" he smiled. "You and your dumb boyfriend forgot to burn the pieces, Aris. Instead of killing me, you made me anew. You made me a monster. You made me someone thirsty for blood and vengeance, which I already was, but now just twice as much."

With that, Osiris turned on his heels, exiting the darkened room with his vendetta lingering in the air, and Aris screaming a string of profanities after his departure.

She had been given a week from that day to make her choice.

The first night was the worst since she had remained chained to the wall, unable to get even an ounce of sleep with the tight metal bruising around her wrists. After that though, the restrictions were lifted and she was free to lay comfortably. Well, as comfortable as you could be on a thin cot in a basement chamber. However, three times a day she was freed from her room and escorted to the dining hall for meals. She had had more conversations with the members of the Volturi than she wished to remember. Each meal felt like a persuasive television ad with Aro trying to convince her of why she should join them. She'd be guaranteed protection, wealth, training, and all she could ever want, but at what cost? She'd also been granted a radio and journal to keep busy throughout the days, but she'd smashed the radio into pieces upon turning it on and the first song playing being Photograph by Cody Fry.

However, the journal had come in handy as a venting tool. Aris was filled with a whole new set of emotions upon receiving the info about the true reason as to why Edward had left. She was angry, she was hurt, but she was also relieved that she now knew why. Though her emotions about the situation were complex, it really didn't matter. She would die soon, or she would join the Volturi.

Either way, her life would be over.

She turned her head towards the rotted wooden door as it swung open, Osiris' voice causing her to cringe away.

"Get up. It's time to make your decision." Those words were the words that had been haunting her nightmares all week. It didn't feel real. Her life didn't feel real.

Alas, Aris stood from her cot and trudged over to the man with her head hanging down. Her ears pounded and her heart raced as he escorted her throughout the castle.

Or maybe escorted her to her death chamber would be a better wording.

As her feet followed after him, Aris went through all of the memories throughout her life, especially the ones from this past year. Silent tears cascaded down her face and dripped onto her tunic that she had been dressed in upon arrival.

How has my life come to this? Her thoughts whispered, still unable to grasp the fact that it was all real and it was all truly happening.

They could've been walking for minutes, they could've been walking for hours, Aris didn't know. When you're in such a dissociative state that nothing feels real anymore, time seems to blend together. However long it was, the two of them eventually arrived to the room in which Aro, Caius, and Marcus relished in their thrones and hierarchy.

"Ah, my dear friends." Aro stood from his chair, his hands clasped together. "Today is the day, dear Aris." He attempted to meet her eyes as Osiris guided her to the bottom of the steps which led to him, but she kept her head hung down. Either just out of sheer tiredness, or as an act of defiance, they'd never know. "We have given you a greatly generous amount of time to come to your decision, wouldn't you say?" asked Aro.

Aris made no response, only meeting his eyes with sheer hatred in her tear soaked ones.

"Let us move with haste, brother. I am done waiting," sneered Caius. "What is your decision, little girl?"

Aro waved a dismissive hand at the blonde man. "Do not be so aggressive, Caius." Then turning back to Aris, he said: "You know your options, and I hope you will choose well. I must ask you to make your decision now, however. We have big big plans for today if you choose correctly."

Aris broke her gaze away from the raven haired man, her eyes scanning the room. All around were members of the guard, as well as Jane, Alec, and Felix. And they all had their eyes on her waiting for her answer.

Join them or die.

How was it that only a few months ago Aris had been laying in Edward's arms tracing shapes on the palm of his hand? How was it that only a few months ago they had shared the words "I love you"? How had everything so perfect turned so treacherous in the blink of an eye? How had hell demolished her life and everything she loved? Would death be such a bad thing now?

No. Death would not be a bad thing. Her life was already in flames, and she was trapped in the worst decision she could've ever been forced to make. Death would be a blessing at this point.

Her eyes returned back to Aro's crimson ones daring her to finally make her answer. Daring her to crumble and say she'd become one of them, or the opposite. It was a win-win for them; it truly didn't matter what she chose.

Aris knew what she would do. She knew what her decision was.

Death would be a blessing. Death would be welcomed instead of the absolute purgatory that had overtaken her life. Regardless, for whatever reason, with a dark twinkle in her eye and vengeance for the world in her heart, Aris took a deep breath and said:

"I'll join you."