Rise and Fall- The Fight Inside

Awake and Alive

His eyes rolled back in his head and his hair gradually faded back to its brown state. Arielle grabbed him as he fell backward. 

"Bailey! Bailey!" Arielle screamed over and over again until Bailey came flying through the door. 

Bailey's eyes were fixed on Ryland's body lying limp in Arielle's eyes. She watched in horror as a single tear ran from Arielle's cheek. 

"I think he's dead." Arielle cried.

Bailey fell to the ground, crawling over to Arielle and Ryland. She placed her hand over Ryland's heart. Searching for any sign of life. Her eyes widened as she pulled her hand away. She quickly covered her mouth and screamed at the top of her lungs. Slowly, Arielle put it together that he was gone.

"The dark side never killed anyone so why is he dead?! Why is he dead?!" Arielle shrieked. 

"I.... I don't know. He.... he can't be dead." Bailey screamed. 

Arielle cried harder and harder as she laid her head on Ryland's chest. 

"No, no, no!" she yelled repeatedly. 

All of the sudden, her skin turned a golden color. The bright light lit up the room. Bailey backed away in terror.

"Arielle! What's going on!" Bailey yelled as she used her hands to shield her eyes from the blinding light. 

Arielle stood up, not responding to Bailey. She held her hands out in front of her. She turned them over, questioning the bright light.

"I... I don't know!" Arielle shouted. 

She watched as a symbol appeared onto the palm of her hand. It was star surrounded by a circle with lines running through the middle to form an X. Just as suddenly as the light appeared, it faded into nothing. Arielle stood with her mouth open and turned to look at Bailey. Arielle looked down at Ryland as he coughed and his eyes opened.

"Ryland!" Arielle gasped, dropping down beside him. 

His eyes changed back to their normal bright blue, glossy because of his tears. 

"I killed her and I almost killed you." Ryland cried.

"Shh, it's okay," Arielle whispered as she hugged Ryland. 

Bailey leaped into action, coming down beside Arielle and grabbing Ryland's hand. 

"Help me get him onto the bed," Arielle instructed. 

Bailey aided Arielle in transferring Ryland from the floor to his bed. 

"My eyes turned black," Ryland stated.

"And so did your hair." Arielle laughed. 

"Ha very funny but I almost killed you." Ryland murmured.

"Keyword being almost." Arielle pointed out. 

"Arielle." Ryland began.

"What?" Arielle asked.

"What are you?" Ryland asked.

"What do you mean?" Arielle snapped.

"I know well enough that I died but now I'm awake and alive. Arielle, humans can't resurrect people." Ryland remarked.

"Are you trying to suggest that I'm not human!? I might not have the Kracht like you but that doesn't mean I am anything less! Come on Ryland, your father brought your mother back from the dead." Arielle pointed out.

"Yeah, but my father used ancient magic. I don't see you holding any magic books or waving a wand." Ryland told her.

Bailey sat down on the bed as Ryland jumped to his feet. 

"Arielle that symbol on your hand and the explosion of light- not even the Kracht can do things like that." Bailey interrupted.

"Not you too Bailey. We don't have time for this crap. We need to go and get Grainger and find your mystery sister." Arielle yelled.

"I agree," Baily added in. 

Arielle waited for Ryland and Bailey to up and leave before taking action. 

"Scio qui sis illic sunt quidam. Idcirco praecipio tibi ut venias ad me. Et ostende te explicare, quare non possum te audiunt me susurrabant in aurem, quid dabis mihi imperium, cur fratrem tuum interficere me tu vis, Ryland." she whispered. 

A bright light similar to the one before filled the room. A girl with bright purple hair stepped out of the light, shutting it down.

"What do you want, Arielle?" the girl snarled. 

"I think I figured out who you are but what I don't understand is why you want me to kill your brother an d why you would think I would obey you." Arielle growled. 

Ryland stood, peering through the small crack between the wall and the door. His eyes followed the girl with the purple hair as she circled around Arielle. Her hair was bright purple, a neon color. Her eyes were just as purple as her hair. She wore a velvet black top, black tights, and black boots similar to Arielle's. A dark sider? No. A light sider? No, something else- but what? Ryland decided it was high time to take action. He kicked open the door, startling only Arielle.

"When were you going to tell me you were friends with a monster?" Ryland yelled.

"Ryland Cross. I have waited a long time to finally meet you." the girl mused. 

"And who are you?" Ryland asked.

"I am the person who knows what Arielle is." the girl mocked. 

Arielle stood up.

"What the heck are you talking about?" she boomed.

"I think you are both smart enough to understand that I am not a user of the dark side or the light side. I also know that Arielle is a witch, like me." the girl mentioned.

"A witch? Are you nuts, those are just stories." Ryland shouted.

"Really? Then how do you explain the blinding light, the star mark on her hand, and bringing your sorry self back from the dead?" the girl retorted. 

Ryland and Arielle glanced at each other, both just as frightened and confused.

"Exactly, Ryland." the girl teased.

"Who are you?" Arielle asked.

"My name is Amelia and I have come for Ryland." the girl mentioned.

"What do you want with me?" Ryland asked as shivers went down his spine. 

"For one, you are dangerous to me and my employers and for two, you wouldn't accept me for who I really am." Amelia whispered.

"What do you mean who you really are?" Ryland cried. 

Amelia closed her eyes and the lights went out. Ryland reached for Arielle's hand. When the lights came back on, Ryland was staring at Amelia. She bowed her head and looked at Ryland with her icy, piercing blue eyes. Her hair was a dark brown. 

"You won't accept me just like Ben won't accept you and Bailey." Amelia stated. 

Amelia spoke as if she had known Ryland and everything about him. As if she was his best friend and was there the entire time.