Darko

xxiii - Do You Believe?

"M-My pa-" He struggled to get words out. He wiped his palm down his face harshly. He felt like he had a weight in his stomach, weighing down every organ forbidding him to breathe. Never had the boy seen anyone die before. Watching his parents in their last moments was something he knew he would never forget. It was a story he had wanted to know for a while, but watching their journey for so long corrupted his thoughts, leaving him with nothing but somberness and pain.

Anne had tears streaming down her face. "Dark.." She choked on her words as she slowly approached the boy. She kneeled down beside him, gently placing her hand on his shoulder.

He turned his head to meet her gaze. His blue eyes were surrounded by rivers of blood that connected from his eyelids to his irises. "He killed them-he-" His eyes now drifted to the stone Anne and him were perched on.

Anne didn't have to think twice before pulling him into a hug. Darken's eyes were still wide open, allowing tears to fall effortlessly down his cheeks. Anne squeezed her eyes shut, hugging him tighter. She wanted him to know that he wasn't in the memories anymore, that he was safe, and the Druids were going to do everything they could to protect them-especially, Anne Von Blyssen.

"Dark." She whispered, hoping her voice would bring him back to earth.

Darken turned his gaze to the fire haired woman who was standing above them. She looked just as flustered as him. "What did you do with Elise and I?"

Elizabeth slowly walked toward him, crouching down so she could be eye-level with him. "I knew Dark Core would always have their eyes on you. So, I separated the two of you so they wouldn't chase you down." She explained. "The two orbs you saw in those memories.. that was you and Elise, your souls. Using advanced magic and parts of Ophelia's DNA I had kept over the years, the two of you were born."

"But, Ophelia was my mother? How can I be born?"

"Soul Rider magic is a mysterious thing." Elizabeth forced her gaze on the stone, before looking back at the flustered boy. "All I needed was your souls to transfer you into your human form." She said. "I later found Ophelia and Crimson's journals, where I found a list of name's Ophelia had made when she thought she was pregnant. I picked the names Elise and Darken. They stood out the most to me." Elizabeth seemed to be lost in a daze. "I later discussed with Fripp that it would be best if I separated both of you. One living here on the island of Jorvik, while the other in another land. But now, I'm afraid everything ive done for the two of you might have been a mistake."

That caught Anne's attention. She tilted her head, a bit puzzled by what she meant. "What do you mean, Elizabeth?"

"Mr. Sands will stop at nothing until he gets the power the children possess." Her defeated tone seemed to echo in every one's ears. "I should have just raised you two myself, then you'd be educated enough to protect each other."

Anne slowly placed her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. "You did what you thought was right at the time." She assured. "Dark Core is the real problem. We have to eliminate them." She announced, scanning everyone's looks.

He slowly pulled out of his trance, his eyes blinking rapidly. "I have to kill him."

Elizabeth and Avalon looked at each other for a moment and then back at him. "We understand that you're emotional, but he's too powerful Darken. You couldn't kill him even with the Druid's help, let alone by yourself."

He gradually stood back up, his gaze piercing into Elizabeth's emeralds. "You said it yourself a Soul Rider's offspring is extremely powerful." He countered. "Maybe the Druids need Elise and I to finish this."

"Darken." Anne harshly whispered.

He whirled around at the sound of her harsh tone.

"Elise doesn't even know about any of this. How do you think she would react?"