Legend of Parocaav II: Against the Darkness (rough draft)

Chapter XLVI: Salvation

On the peak of a mountain, far from the River of Souls, sits Tao. He is observing the battle from afar. Although he is not near the Bringers of Hope, he knows what is happening. Sounds from their fight carries in the wind, allowing him to hear every detail. For a moment he is overcome with guilt because he is not by their side to assist them. He can almost hear Leon advising him to stay put and not to interfere.

"I'm sorry.... Bringers of Hope," Tao sighs, "I cannot be there."

Meanwhile ~

Drayk slams hard against the ground and bounces onto his back. His body is covered in bloody claw marks with his clothes severely torn. All he can do at this point is pant to try to catch his breath from the impact. For a moment, he cannot help but feel defeated. Oh how he wishes he could just give up right here, right now. Thoughts of his sister overwhelm his mind. Absolute failure.

"Come on Drayk!" Lady Samantha yells out to him, "You can't be done already!"

"I.... will not give up," Drayk says with a shaky voice.

Suddenly, the River of Souls begins to glow a bright blue. Lady Samantha and Drayk look over just as a giant wall of water is rising up from the river. It then shoots a beam of water from the middle, striking Lady Samantha down to the ground straight below her. The wall of water moves up onto the bank and swallows Roku into it. Her body glows bright white for a few moments.

The water explodes out in all directions once Roku stands to her feet. She summons a wind to dry her as she walks towards Lady Samantha. Her neck pops as she tilts her head side to side. Once she reaches her, Roku just stands over her, anger in her eyes. Lady Samantha rolls backward over her right shoulder and jumps to her feet. She leaps away from Roku with a crooked smile on her face.

"Well, well, well. Hello Riinah!" Lady Samantha teases, "It's about time you got up! Nice water show by the way."

"Enough!" Roku shouts, "It's time to end this!"

Roku rushes at the Goddess of Darkness with her twin blades drawn. Just before reaching her, Lady Samantha makes a long, thin sword appear in her hands. Roku's blades spark on impact with the goddess' weapon. A blast of light shoots out in all directions and the two find themselves along the Western Coast. Roku jumps back, rather confused. Lady Samantha cries out in anger as she slashes at her. Roku dodges her strikes, still trying to make sense of what just happened.

Just as the goddess' blade cuts through her sleeve, Roku electrocutes her. Lady Samantha yells out in more anger as she slices over and over. Finally, Roku parries an attack and there is another flash of light. The two of them are just outside the remains of Oro. Images of the fight that happened here temporarily distract Roku, just long enough to get impaled through her right leg. Roku uses a powerful gust of wind to push Lady Samantha away from her as she heals her wound.

"This is way more interesting than fighting Drayk!" Lady Samantha shouts in excitement, "I'm not sure how he was the one to defeat the Dark Lord!"

Without replying, Roku shoots fire out of the palms of her hands at her. Lady Samantha counters it with black flames which overpower the Bringer's. Roku leaps out of the way, narrowly avoiding a severe burn. In the back of her mind, she knows Fire Magic will be less than useless, but she had to try. Lady Samantha is the master of both Fire and Shadow Magics. She looks around to see no water in sight.

Lady Samantha charges at her again very swiftly, blade ready. Once again on impact, a light flashes in all directions. The force of the strike pushes Roku out of the light and through the wall of a small burnt home. Lady Samantha stops for a moment to look around, they are in the village where Drayk and her had been living since their mother passed away. For a brief moment, Lady Samantha sheds a tear. She snaps out of it though and clashes her blade against Roku's again.