Light and Dark 1: The Heir

Chapter 4: The Rescue

Arela rode long into the night. She pushed her horse hard, the mare's golden flanks gleaming with sweat. She didn't stop. There wasn't time. And at dawn, as the sun was coming up, the horse finally stopped. It wasn't from exhaustion. It was from fear. And Arela didn't blame her. She was standing on the top of a hill. At its base was a black fortress. It simply bled evil. The barred windows, the obsidian stone, everything about said 'get away.' But Arela couldn't get away. Her true love was in there, she could feel it. But she could also feel exhaustion. So Arela slid off her horse to rest before she went to rescue her beloved.

***

Arela awoke around midday. She felt the sun shining directly on her. Arela opened her eyes. "By all that is pure!" she exclaimed. "It's almost midday!" She jumped onto her horse and rode down the hill like a lady knight of legend. She felt no fear, only anger at the person who had tried to take away two of the most important people in her life. This feeling lasted until she got to the bottom of the hill. As Sundrop stopped and Arela dismounted, she felt a rush of fear. She was about to enter a clearly evil fortress, with no idea what awaited her inside. But Arela pushed her fear aside. She had to focus. She was here to rescue Ori, and nothing could stop her. So she strapped on her dagger and stalked into the dark valley.

***

Arela stared out from her hiding place. She was in a barrel stuck in a dark corner. It was extremely uncomfortable, because cold radiated from the barrel. Not normal cold, oh no. This was a cold that radiated darkness. In fact, everything in this fortress radiated darkness. The walls, the floor, the furniture, everything felt dark. Arela glanced around. There was nobody. She slipped out of the barrel and slipped through the halls, back against the wall. Finally, she came to a heavy black door. It took all Arela's strength to open it, but she finally did, and quickly slid against the wall. And what she saw took her breath away. Ori was changed to the wall by his hands and feet. He was covered in wounds made of blackness, out of which oozed a white liquid. And his eyes were dark with pain. He looked up in resignation as the door opened. "What do you want now?" he asked, voice tight with pain. A woman answered him as she slipped in. She had long, black hair and eyes black as night. She laughed coldly, and answered her prisoner,

"Oh, I'm just waiting for your beloved to show up." He glared at his captor.

"She's not coming. She'll rescue her sister."

"Oh, really? I've gotten reports of a young woman slipping around the fortress, and my Mother said she'd sensed a young man in her castle. It sounds like she's found a friend and split up. So she should be here any minute now- ah wait..." In one swift motion, the woman pulled out a dagger and put it against Ori's neck. "Come out come out wherever you are." the woman sang. Then her voice turned cold. "Or I'll slit his neck." She pushed harder. A thin cut bleeding white blood began to appear-

"Wait!" Arela yelled, stepping out. "I'm here. What do you want with me?"

The woman laughed. "Finally!" she said. "My Mother was so sure you'd do the noble thing and rescue your sister, but I so hoped that you'd come here so I could show you my beautiful art! I mean, look at all those beautiful cuts on his body. Such a wonderful contrast of light and dark.!"

"You're a monster." Arela replied coldly. The woman laughed again, that same cold laugh.

"Why yes I am. Thank you for noticing!"

"Wh-who are you?" Arela asked, and for the first time her voice shook. The woman raised her eyebrows.

"Why haven't you figured it out?" she asked. "I thought you were smart. Especially because you can see I'm the dark side of my fair cousin's here coin." Understanding rose in Arela's amber eyes.
"Your Mother is Choshera Ereva, Lady of Darkness." The woman, daughter of darkness, laughed.