Light and Dark 1: The Heir

Chapter 5: The Love

 "Arela!" Ori shrieked as the blade went through her heart. "NO!" and some primordial instinct forced a surge of white power, and suddenly the entire room was full of a white light. Amidst that light, there was a flash of darkness, and Karyan disappeared. The light exploded the chains still chaining him to the wall, and he landed on his feet. Arela was lying lifeless on the floor. Ori dropped to his knees. "Arela," he said, "you can't leave me! We have a destiny! The prophecy..." he broke down into tears. "What can I do..." he whispered... "I'd do anything to save you..." he gazed down at her lips. Those lips... "The kiss of true love..." he breathed, "it's worth a shot." So he bent down and kissed her. And her eyes fluttered open.

"Ori?" she gasped weakly.

"It worked! It really worked! I can't believe it!"

"So don't," a familiar voice said from above. "The kiss of true love isn't a true thing. Goodness, I disappear for a few decades and find out my brother's brain's become mist in my absence. For heaven's sake Ori, did you actually forget that we can heal humans wounds of darkness?" Ori looked up. There stood a familiar figure, her arms crossed, her white eyes, so like his, staring down at him disapprovingly.
"Ora," he breathed.

"Hello, brother. Well? Aren't you going to give your sister a hug?"

***

Arela stared up at the sight before her. Ori was alive. Laya was alive. Ori's sister, Ora, was alive. And, most miraculously, she was alive. She watched as Ori and Ora embraced, then started as she heard Laya said, "you light struck idiot!" she held out a hand and pulled Arela up. "Are you alright?" she asked worriedly as Arela swayed.

"I'm fine, Lay."

"You are most certainly not fine! You almost died! I almost lost you! Are you insane? Jumping in front of a blade for an immortal... I've never seen anything like it!"

"Laya," Arela said, grabbing her sisters hand. "He would've died. I can't explain it, but the darkness would've killed him. I couldn't just let my true love die!" Laya shook her head.

"Be that as it may, he's still centuries old. You're only sixteen!" Laya looked at Arela, tears in her eyes. "Look, Rela. I'm really happy you've found your true love, and in the brother of my friend no less! But I almost lost you. I couldn't..." Arela crossed her arms.

"You're the one who fell into a coma and then disappeared for months. Months, Lay! Mother and Father were panicking, but they weren't doing anything. So I came to find you. You disappeared on me!"

"It's not like I had a choice!" Laya exclaimed. "It's not my fault I was captured by the Lady of Darkness!" Arela sighed.

"Look," she said, "we're together now, and alive. Can't we just be happy?" Arela smiled.

"Come here, baby sis." The sisters pulled each other close. They'd been through so much, but they were finally together again. They were all together...

"Wait," said Arela. "Someone's missing. Where's Connol?"

***

"How?!" a scream, and then a loud of crash. "We are primordial forces! How were we thrown back by two children?"

"Well," another voice answered, "we were forced into retreat by the other half of our primordial force."

"Still!"

"Well, at least we captured one to use as leverage." The voices were coming closer. Connol blinked. Where was he... who were these people with these evil voices?

"Yes, a prized specimen." the voices were very close now.

"Yes, Mother. We will use this to defeat the light once and for all!" the two women laughed coldly. Now Connol remembered. Arela... Laya... Lady of Darkness...