Fate of the Forest (A KaoEarth Story)

Seventeen: Kao

Darkness.

Kao was surrounded by darkness. 

The last thing he remembered was seeing the horrified expression on Earth's face before he blacked out and it pained him. 

Kao knew what he had done. He let the Darkness consume him because he couldn't let her take Earth.

Actually, the Darkness didn't have to consume him at all; Kao was strong enough now to fight it, but she didn't know that. Neither did anyone else.

Except for Boun.

"Kao, you know I wouldn't ask you to do this if you weren't ready." The High Elemental placed a hand on Kao's shoulder. "But I've been watching you these past couple of weeks and you are strong. Possibly one of the strongest Elementals I have ever come across."

It was the morning of Earth's near-death incident when Boun pulled Kao aside to talk privately. 

"It won't be easy, but if we can get to her from the inside, it may give us the advantage we need to fix this and you are the only one with that level of strength.

"But Kao, no one can know about this. Not even Earth. If anyone finds out about our plan, it could ruin everything."

Kao nodded in understanding. 

The Darkness taking control over Earth in his dream was the final straw to convince Kao to follow through with the plan. He had to end this, for Earth's sake. He was tired of seeing him suffer.

Seeing Earth on the ground, gasping for air, Kao was frantic, but he knew that it was the right time to surrender himself.

Kao tried as hard as he could to push Earth's terrified expression from his mind. Boun told Kao that the only way to survive the Dark energy was to stay positive.

So Kao focused on Earth's beaming smile, his twinkling laughter and sparkling eyes the color of molten chocolate. He thought about Earth's pout when he didn't get his way and the way he play-fought with his friends. Kao remembered the love that radiated from him from the moment they first met and how breathtaking Earth was the night they spent together, so close the moonlight couldn't separate them. 

Kao focused on all the things he loved about Earth and it gave him the strength to hold on to the Light energy as he waded through the black. 

Something tugged at the back of his mind, but it wasn't a darkness, but...a light? Kao searched for wherever it was coming from and finally spotted a pinprick of light in the distance, and pushed himself forward. It was like swimming through mud, but there was nothing around him, only darkness. He pressed on and as he got closer and closer to the light, he started to make out a figure. It was the figure of a girl with long brown hair who was hugging her knees with her head buried in her arms. 

"Sammy?" Kao called and her head whipped up. Her eyes were as wide as saucers and she had a panicked look on her face, nothing like the Sammy he had just met. 

"Who... who are you?" she whimpered, obviously terrified. 

This must be the real Sammy; the vulnerable, broken Sammy.

"My name is Kao," he said gently, kneeling down in front of her. "I'm here to help you."

"How did you get here? I can't get out. I've tried and tried but there's no way out," Sammy let out a sob, looking around frantically. 

Kao carefully took Sammy's hands in his. "Sammy, there are some people out there who care about you very much and want you to come back to them."

"Who?" she asked, her eyes furrowed.