The Soul of Aoora [EDITING]

Bow and arrow

-You're doing well.
The queen was supervising Adri's training. The girl looked at her with a bad attitude.
-I don't understand why you're looking at me like that, the queen responded to her looks. I offered you shelter when you were almost killed by a forest fire. Caused by one of your...friends.
-Saka is my friend. He would never hurt me.
-Well, dear, think twice. They did tell you that you can't fight and that you're pretty useless to them, didn't they?
Adri gulped.
-Can you still consider them your friends? Underestimating you?
She put her long naols under the girl's chin.
-Underestimating your power?
-I'm not that good at fighting. I know that. But...I knew I could at least help.
The queen walked back to her throne.
-You naive little girl. Well let me tell you a secret. You're not as weak as they think of you. They think of you as a little creature that they can use to heal, a small childish girl that can't fight even to defend herself. Basically, the useless member of the team. Isn't that right?
Adri was already crying.
-They wouldn't even hear me speak.
-Ohh, (drăguța de tine). Well, from now on, they will hear your blades speak for you, my darling. And they will see, with shame on their faces, the queen whispered, that you're stronger than they think.
Adri nodded.
-Continue! the queen ordered. Your daggers will become your words.

***

The monster was gone and the camp was safe. Saka hadn't glitched for days ever since he and Aoora got rid of it.
He spent some time in the camp with Aiden and even learned some of their language. He felt better. And he released some of the guilt he was putting on himself. Which was good.
But Alwenn didn't wake up yet.
-Man, that last shot was amazing! Saka signed to Aiden while entering the tent.
-But your sword moves? Fantastic! he replied.
-Hi, Alwenn!
He talked to his friend. All the time. Even if he wasn't awake to respond.
-He up yet? Tharia asked, entering too.
The bond between Saka and Tharia wasn't the best just yet. But it wasn't bad either.
-Hello, pointy-eared friends! Al entered the tent.
-So we're all in the same place. That's good. Because I wanted to talk to you all.
The three sat down attentive.
-I wanted to talk about your situation- about what I saw on your arm, he signed looking at Saka, and about your friend, he signed looking at Alwenn.
Saka looked down.
-You remember the riddle?
-"Lands of darkness, blood had shed,
With wrath and ruin, souls disgraced.
Thou one of each shall rise above,
They must remember, win through..."
Saka stopped.
-Yeah. I didn't get that last part, Aiden remembered.
-I've thought about what it means, Tharia said. The lands of darkness are surely On'svalor and Alma'thalor.
-And the blood shed was because of the wars, Al continued.
-Exactly. But what I don't get is "With wrath and ruin, souls...disgraced"?
-As I know, you guys attacked our people, Saka told Tharia.
-We didn't. Aoora did.
-Right. Right.
-So...some souls felt disgraced, Aiden signed. Maybe it was the On'svalorians because they were being attacked.
-Or maybe it was the Alma'thalorians because you guys looked down on us.
-I don't remember it that way! Saka crossed his arms.
Before Tharia even got to contradict him, Al cut her off:
-That's why, it also says "They must remember"! So maybe none of you remember it correctly.
-Or one of us does and we need to choose the correct one! Tharia added.
-Next line, Aiden laughed nervously. "Thou one of each shall rise above".
-An On'svalorian, and an Alma'thalorian, Al continued.
-So me, Saka pointed to homself, and...?
They all stood quiet to think.
-If there is somebody to rise, it means that they have an immense power, right? Tharia asked.
-Not in all cases but it's a valid point, Aiden replied.
‐Right now, if I had to say who has the most political power in Alma'thalor, it would be the queen, she stated. She is a power sucker. Never satisfied.
-So what you're implying is that...I have to go meet the queen to remember something with her and then win something through another something?
-Well, maybe "win" means that you should find out the truth about the war or what caused it, and then make peace with her, Al suggested.
-Then what does my curse have to do with any of this?
-Maybe it was given to you so that you could finally fix things. Souls don't just enter people's bodies randomly. If Aoora's here maybe she had a say in this but couldn't stop things back then and now she's trying to fix everything, Al explained.
-But Aoora is a bad soul, Saka said.
-Maybe she is the goddess of darkness. But considering that you actually did a good thing last time you used her power, maybe you just didn't know how to control it? Aiden suggested.
Saka sighed, knowing how many unfortunate situations he had been through with the curse. Turns out the only thing he had to do was practice autocontrol.
-So yeah. I understand now. But the thing I don't understand- why is it so painful?!
-Because it can kill you, Aiden signed with no hesitation.
Saka's jaw dropped.
-Excuse me what?
-A spirit's touch is devastating to a human. Especially one with negative powers. Just like the touch Alwenn got. So basically, if you won't release her in time, she'll kill you. Slowly but surely.
-Let me see if I got this, so I have to go to Alma'thalor, remember the events, make peace with the evil queen and then it will be all over.
-Correct.
-Making peace with a bloodthirsty queen- love that, Saka rolled his eyes.
-"They must remember, win through...", Al repeated the last line to himself.
They heard another noise in the room. They turned to Alwenn just to see that he was squinting.
-Alwenn!
-He slowly opened his eyes and saw Saka next to his bed. He looked different: the sides of his head were shaved, he had an extra piercing in his ear, with blue lines on hos face in the Silver-ear style, but nonetheless, his smile was different. His smile wasn't sad anymore but it wasn't the smile of the immature kid from a while ago either. It was tha smile of a beautifully upgraded Saka.
-Guys! He woke up! Saka told the others smiling.
Alwenn opened his mouth but struggled to make a sound.
-It's okay. You don't have to speak. I'll tell you everything. The monster is gone now and we have a new mission!
The group left them together even though they all knew that Saka was gonna highly overwhelm Alwenn with his non-stop talking.
But that didn't really bother Alwenn.
What really bothered him is how is he gonna tell Saka that he gave up on his plan in regaining his parents and everything he did was a trap.