𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙊𝙉𝙀
ミ★ ( obsidian, act one ) ★彡

     Amias stared at his hands blankly. His mind picturing her blood on his hands and replaying the events of Ingrid's death and the look across Aro and Caius' faces when they made him kill her without remorse, as if Ingrid wasn't considered a daughter to them, or a friend to him.

     He couldn't believe how quickly ties were torn between them, and what was even more concerning was that Ingrid was the one to tear it first with her betrayal.

     Ingrid was the one who would always try to obey the Volturi's orders and he couldn't believe that she went against all of it and created an immortal child. He always believed she had no desire for children, she said she thought they were disgusting and sticky for her taste.

     She had kept the child a secret for so long it was almost shocking since she used to tell him everything. She didn't even have a mate to warrant wanting a child. She was just truly selfish. Ingrid knew what the immortal children could do to their secret and how they could ruin everything that they had built but she had still done it anyway and could've dragged Amias into the mess had Aro not been able to see that he had no part in it.

     Maybe it was payback for how Amias used to treat her distantly that she kept it a secret from him since he never really trusted her, so she wouldn't trust him with the biggest secret of all, or maybe even she knew that the reckless Amias Blackwood wouldn't even let something like that slide, it was the one rule that he abided by with his life.

     All he could picture from his life within the Volturi walls from now on was Jane never letting the situation die down and relentlessly trying to find something to pin on him until it was his turn to face the same fate as Ingrid. She wanted him gone in order for her and Alec to become the favourites of Aro, like Amias was deemed as currently.

     What was even worse was that Jane and Alec most likely would be feeding the lies to Aro in order to banish him or kill him. He hoped Aro would never believe such a thing or would even ask for proof in their thoughts.

     He doubted that Aro wouldn't trust him after Ingrid, but even then, there would be some doubt in his mind about if Amias was able to hide his involvement with the child and Ingrid. He just hoped that his reaction was proof enough that he truly had no idea about any of it.

     Before he had even realised it himself, he was walking back to the main hall where the kings still resided. It was like his body knew he couldn't stay there before his mind did.

     He would return eventually, he always did. Marcus always granted him time to wander off on his own—his gift helped Aro keep at ease since it would tell him that his loyalty still resided with them, but in order for his loyalty to stay, they needed to grant him the freedom he desired. If Aro truly worried about the state of Amias' loyalty, he could always use Chelsea to bind it further to them to make him feel better like he did with Marcus.

     Amias was only ever apart from them for a couple of months, he got bored quickly being away from home and often returned within a year or so.

     Within seconds he had reached the doors again and opened them, and he knew that if he was human he would be sweating. Although he knew he would be granted his wish, it was still nerve racking asking for it as he didn't want them to believe he was becoming unfaithful to them and their practices. Especially with the timing being so suspicious after Ingrid's crime.

     "Well, that didn't last long." Caius commented as he saw Amias walk through the doors like he had been expecting him. He had been thinking that he would've held out for another couple of days before coming back.

     Marcus ignored the other king's comment and looked over at Amias, "What is it that you need?"

     Amias gulped down the built up venom in his mouth, "I wish to go off on my own for a bit. Get my mind together before I return to full capacity." He told them and Aro looked to be deep in thought as he pondered his decision.

     Amias was right, he would need to get his mind together before he returned to his best self and continued his duties. When he wasn't his best self, he was sloppy and not precise like Aro wished him to be. When he was his best self, he was ruthless and cunning; everything he needed within his Guard.

     Aro waved his hand, "And where shall you go?" He questioned the boy that he viewed as a son, genuinely curious as to what adventure Amias would get up to this time. He would go away every couple of centuries, and he was overdue to take a vacation but he would always come back and tell him of stories when he travelled to different parts of the world and even managed to get a couple of travellers to come to Volterra for the kings to feed.

     Amias knew this time he couldn't be by himself, his thoughts would overcome him and he would drown in his guilt. He would need a companion, sometimes he would take Ingrid with him but now that she was gone, he has no choice but to go alone.

     He needed to be around someone that understood what it felt like to disappoint someone closest to them and he knew just the person.

     "I'd visit Carlisle." He answered Aro once he got the idea. He and Carlisle often kept it in touch and advised one another on what they were up to in their lives. Carlisle knew that Amias didn't get up to much besides doing the Volturi's bidding, but Amias knew that Carlisle had started a coven of his own—a family, some would call it.

     Amias had an extreme amount of respect for the Cullen vampire during the decades that he stayed within Volterra, as did Aro and Marcus. They admired his ability to go against his nature and crave animal blood instead of his natural food source, while Amias was simply intrigued by his strong will, so much so it deepened once Carlisle had admitted that he was studying medicine to help the humans that the rest of Volterra fed on.

     Carlisle had only stayed with them for two decades before he moved on and became a doctor. Since then, he had only spoken with Amias about the good he had done.

     "Ah, Carlisle!" Aro almost cheered gleefully at the mention of their old friend's name and Amias knew at that moment that he would grant him his time away. "Very well. Do send our best wishes to our friend."

     Without waiting any further for them to change their mind, Amias disappeared.

     The trip to Forks, Washington wasn't exactly a calm and relaxing one. It had taken Amias almost three days to run from Volterra, Italy. It would've taken him sooner but he had made a few stops elsewhere to rest his mind after having to push through harsh winds and rough waters. He was tempted to leave a trail of bodies behind him but after deciding heavily against it, he had only fed when was necessary.

     Forks was exactly how Carlisle had described it; it was small, cold for the humans with little to no sunshine, and boring looking—otherwise known as perfect for the vampires that inhabited the town. However, he wasn't looking forward to nothing interesting happening to entertain him. In Volterra, the kings thrived off of hearing gossip that was happening in their community.

     Aro was the worst offender of gossip since his gift abetted in his addiction. It was possibly why his gift manifested the way it did in his creation—Amias believed he was most likely an extreme gossip during his human days.

     Despite the town being extremely boring, it was quaint. The green colour of the trees stood out against the grey skies and snow covered ground, the flora most likely never drying out since it constantly rained all the time.

     Carlisle had sent a picture of his family's home years ago when it was first built before he had moved into it. His home was built deep into the forrest—far away from the public eye so no wanderer could accidentally stumble across them doing something inhuman-like. But despite its secret location, Esme didn't hesitate to make the house look like a home for the family and keep it in its modern era theme to make them feel as if they were living in the present.

     When it was first built, the Cullen clan had been living elsewhere—Amias believed it was Alaska at the time of construction—before they eventually moved to Forks and had been living in the home ever since. It was open and the family often enjoyed being there because it was a place they didn't have to hide in, which was something that Amias craved in that very moment.

     His entire journey to Forks, all he could think about was Ingrid and the child... Mikhail. Even the tough waves couldn't seem to wash away the look and feeling of the metaphoric blood on his hands. Their death was quick but extremely painful, something that Amias only half wanted to give them but had to make it painful to please the kings—something he didn't want to do to his oldest acquaintance.

     He felt disgusted with himself that he didn't fight for Ingrid more despite her betrayal. Amias had the ability to wipe them all out on his own, but his loyalty to the Volturi was important to him. They hadn't betrayed him like Ingrid did, but that disgust would stick with him and he needed to live with that ugliness.

     Amias needed to heal and having to hide would not help him at all, which was all he could do in the castle at Volterra.

     "We were wondering when you'd show up. We've been expecting you." He heard Carlisle's voice greet him graciously from outside the house and Amias did a double take of the coven in front of him. Carlisle stood in his angelic glory with Esme tucked safely by his side, beside him stood a small pixie-like girl with a grin on her face that could light up the world with a man who looked as if he was struggling inside despite the bundle of joy stood beside him.

     Amias could tell they were mates even though they looked to be complete opposites.

     On Carlisle and Esme's left, was a blonde woman who could've been one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen; the woman stood beside her large and burly mate. Even though he looked large, Amias could sense his soul wasn't dark like his demeanour.

     Then finally, stood by himself was a bronze-haired boy who looked about the same age Amias was when he had turned. He had a sour look on his face and he looked at Amias like he was reading into his soul.

     The family all looked at him with golden eyes that made Amias blink—something he doesn't do often anymore, because he was almost ashamed of his bright red ones, "When you told me you had started a family, I didn't think you would make one so... large." Amias commented, not really sure what to say, and Carlisle chuckled at his old friend, leaving Esme's side to greet him properly.

     "Amias." He said pulling him into his embrace, "It really has been too long then, my friend."

     Amias could only nod stiffly in response to the blonde haired vampire before his eyebrows furrowed in slight confusion, "You said you were expecting me?" He recalled hearing, but remembered that he hadn't said a word to his friend about him coming to Forks.

      Carlisle looked around nervously, "Let us talk inside." He suggested and lead Amias into the modern home towards an open living area that was the complete opposite of what he was used to in the castle, being surrounded by old stone and tile.

     Carlisle pointed towards the small pixie-girl, "This is my adoptive daughter, Alice." He introduced her and she waved at him, keeping her distance since she knew he wouldn't like her touching him, "She had the gift of precognition. She saw you coming a while ago, we've been waiting for your arrival ever since."

     Amias' eyebrows raised at the gift. It was a rare and extremely valuable one to have the ability of precognition, and it was something that Aro would love to have within his Guard.

     He heard a loud snarling sound and Amias' head snapped towards the bronze-haired boy that had made it with a snarl of his own. Carlisle let out an awkward and nervous chuckle, not wanting a brawl to happen in his delicate home between the two of them, "This is my first sire, Edward. He had the gift of telepathy. He can read all of our thoughts unfortunately."

     Amias relaxed. It was going to be annoying have someone be able to read his every thought without having to make physical contact like he was used to with Aro. But he understood why Edward would be so callous with him about the thought of handing Alice over to the Volturi. Most covens were protective of their own and wouldn't willingly give someone up to the kings to preserve themselves.

     Carlisle pointed to Alice's mate, "This is Jasper. He's an empath." He explained and Amias made an impressed face. Carlisle had done well for himself in creating a powerful coven.

     He then pointed towards the blonde woman, "Rosalie and her mate, Emmett." He pointed towards the burly man who nodded his head upward towards him with a grin and Amias knew that he had assumed correctly about Emmett's personality.

     He then pointed at Esme, "And you already know of Esme." He reminded him and Amias bowed his head respectively at her.

     "Pleasure." Amias mumbled before looking towards Carlisle, "If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone now."

     "Of course." Carlisle relented. Even during his time with the Volturi, Amias liked to keep to himself and would no doubt be the same with them now. Most vampires' personalities don't ever change. "Alice will show you to your room."

     Alice quickly skipped over and went passed him to go up the stairs and lead him towards a room on one of the upper levels that had the most amount of privacy; it seems that her gift had come into play there once again; and told her what he did and didn't like, and probably had it set up since she first saw him coming.

     Amias looked at the pixie girl and saw that she seemed to be expectantly waiting for a response from him on his thoughts on the room, even though she most likely knew what he would think of it—no doubt Edward was listening in to his thoughts as they spoke.

     "Thank you." He quietly told her as he looked around the spacious room, the window looking right out into the deep forrest.

     Alice smiled, taking what she was getting out from him. She knew that they were going to be great friends and this was only the beginning, so whatever coldness he was feeling towards the family would soon wear off. "Let me know if you need anything else." She said before walking out of the room.

     Amias let out a sigh once he heard Alice's footsteps go far enough. He was in a house full of vampires but he still felt more alone than ever.