The Dark Realm

Escape the Enchantment

Lilly watched anxiously as Luke fought the pale soldier. Her heartbeat sped up immensely as she watched Max dismiss the soldier and take his place battling Luke. They didn't start immediately. Instead they were... Talking?

"I wish I could hear what they were saying." Lilly mumbled. They were too far away though. Serena tried reading their lips. Max and Luke started to fight.

"Max just said something about Luke being a liar, I think. It's hard to tell from this far away. I can't make anything else out." Serena attempted to help.

"Serena, you have the key, right?" Lilly asked as she shifted in her hand cuffs. Serena gave her a questioning look.

"For your cuffs? Yeah, but-"

"Let me go, please!" Lilly interrupted. Max had years of experience on Luke. Luke could very likely be the loser of the duel... The punishment for losing would be permanent death. "I have to help. I can't watch this. Luke-"

"Can handle himself. Look at how well he is doing on the battle field." Serena gestured to the field. Luke was able to hold his own against Max so far and Lilly was extremely proud of him for this, but it wasn't enough to change her mind.

"I don't care. I have to help." Lilly stated in an authoritative way. As long as she was by his side nothing could harm him. That's at least how she felt.

"Oh yeah?" Serena placed her hands on her hips. "And what are you going to do? You can't harm Max."

"I can be a human shield. Max can't harm me either, so I won't get hurt." Lilly felt some what proud of her plan.

Serena shook her head. "Max's sword is enchanted. It will go through the strongest material and it will completely ignore your curse. It won't care if you are his wife." She stated clearly.

"Oh... but I thought Max couldn't hurt me." Lilly's proud attitude deflated. She slouched slightly.

"He can't with a normal weapon or his bare hands, same thing with you hurting him. But as its enchanted it breaks that rule." Serena sighed. There were too many rules to the stupid tradition. If only they could just scrap it all together.

"Ugh that's so unfair. Fine I'll just go out there and, uh, I don't know but I have to be there. Please give me the key." Lilly pleaded. Serena sighed and shook her head.

"Lilly, you could die. I can't let you. Max tasked me with watching to keep you safe. It's my job and more importantly it's my duty as your sister. I just found you. I can't lose you." Serena looked in Lilly's eyes. She couldn't lose her newly found twin. Lilly was one of the nicest people Serena had ever met, she couldn't die. She just couldn't.

Lilly averted Serena's look by turning back to watch the battle. Max had just brushed Luke's shoulder with his sword. Lilly stiffened. She could tell that Luke had been injured even if it was only minor.

"Please, Serena, I'm begging you. Let me go. I have to stand by him. He's my best friend." Lilly's eyes started to water and there was pure emotion in her voice.

"Lilly, I-" Serena started.

"Please I have to stand by my best friend. I don't care what happens to me. As long as he's okay." Lilly was determined.

"But I care what happens to you! And so does Luke. Lilly, you could die." Serena cried.

Lilly knew that it was a possibility. There was a war being waged out there. Anyone could die. She wondered for a moment if Luke had ever had a vision about someone dying in the war? If so who? If he had it could be anyone. It could be her. She didn't know that there ever was a vision of death so why worry too much?

"I can't stand back and watch Luke fight. If I don't I will always live with the fact that all my friends and family were on the battlefield and fought while I did nothing. I can't live with that. I can't do that." Lilly cried. She wiped her eyes which hadn't let a single tear fall. She wanted to help so badly.

Serena sighed. Lilly could take care of herself. She would be okay... Right? She had to be. Serena took out a small piece of metal.

"Here's the key. I'll unlock you." Serena sighed again. Lilly looked up hopeful. Serena unlocked her twin's metal cuffs.  Lilly smiled as she looked at her free hands.

"Thank you so much, Serena!" She hugged her sister. Serena was surprised by the hug but accepted it.

"Just don't get yourself killed." Serena told her. Lilly nodded. She was about to run out of the enchantment but Serena stopped her.

"Wait," Serena said. Lilly stopped. Serena picked up her long, black sword. She handed it over to the blond haired girl. "Take my sword for protection. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Lilly accepted it and gave her sister one final hug. "Thank you, Serena." She mumbled sincerely before she rushed off onto the battlefield.

Lilly ran as fast as she could but it still wasn't fast enough. She could see the two men doing battle. She wasn't close enough to them though. She tried to run harder and run faster but she still didn't make it in time.

In one fluid motion the winner won the duel by plunging their sword into their opponent's chest. The loser's face went pale and their eyes widened in shock and pain. The loser stumbled, raisingtheir hand to their chest, before toppling over. The duel had be won.