The two sides clashed with one another. Black and red blood was being spilled. More black than red she hoped. She knew not everyone from the Alliance would survive, but she hoped most of them would.
Damien disappeared to the back of the throne room behind the shadows. Lilly and Thomas ran to Lyla. Lilly almost tackled her back to the ground. They were so happy to see each other again, and Lyla was relieved to know that Damien had not brainwashed her. It had felt like a lifetime since they were last together. Lyla grabbed the crystals and ring from the ground. She placed one of the crystals around Lilly’s neck, but shoved the other two items in her pocket.
“Lilly, I’m sorry for what happened the last time I saw you.”
“No, I am sorry. I shouldn’t have run off like that. I love you, Ly.”
“I love you too, Lil, and I’m glad you are not brainwashed. It would have killed me.”
“What?” said Lilly.
“Um, nothing. I’ll explain later.”
“All right ladies, time to kill some Demorites,” said Thomas.
He winked at Lyla before running off into the crowd. Lyla and Lilly did what they do best and fought alongside each other. She lost track of how many they had killed; the Demorites were falling fast. The numbers of the Alliance outnumbered the Demorites by more than half by the time their reinforcements arrived. It took them longer to kill a single Demorite because they did not have the proper blades, but they were all experienced fighters, and still managed to kill them in a timely fashion.
This was the moment they had all been waiting for. They were finally doing it after all these years.
Thomas was fighting a group of Demorites. He thought he had it under control, but more and more were surrounding him. He fought as hard and fast as he could, turning, and twisting, and stabbing. His sword had gone into two Demorites at one time. He was proud of himself until he caught a glint of a blade in the corner of his eye coming down on him.
Before the Demorite’s blade came close enough to slice through his body, it was stopped by another’s blade. It was then forced into the body of the Demorite. Thomas looked up to see who it was that had just saved his life.
“Ryan?” Thomas was not expecting it to be him. Maybe another member of the Alliance, but not him.
“Don’t act so surprised.”
“I guess you’re not so bad after all.”
“Don’t mention it. I mean really, or next time I won’t be so generous.” Thomas could sense a bit of sarcasm in his voice.
“I wouldn’t dare,” Thomas said.
“Let’s kill some more Demorites shall we?” Ryan said.
“Ladies first.”
Lyla stuck her sword through a Demorite’s heart and threw one of her knives, killing another. One by one the Demorites were dropping to the floor. It was a good feeling having a blade that could actually kill the Demorites. She had never felt so alive. Here she was, fighting with her sister, and for such a great cause. This wasn’t a practice run, like they had gone through so many times in training. This was the real deal, and she was loving every moment of it, until she started to feel dizzy.
She felt pressure forming in her forehead, which then turned into excruciating pain. She grabbed her head and squeezed her eyes shut willing it to diminish, but it only grew stronger. It was creeping down her neck and into her entire body. Lilly crouched down beside her as she fell.
Lyla was now lying on the ground. She looked around at everyone fighting around her. It was as if everything had turned into slow motion. Giselle was fiercely fighting next to Joseph. Together, they were unbeatable. William was a better fighter than Lyla could have ever imagined. His moves were swift and sharp as he took down every Demorite he came in contact with. Charles seemed to have a newfound energy. Being reunited with Lilly must have given him a boost of confidence. He was fighting alongside a couple that she recognized from the underground bunker. Thomas and Ryan were fighting next to each other. Since when had they become such good friends?
She could see Lilly’s lips moving, but she could only hear loud ringing in her ears. She turned her head and saw that Thomas had redirected his attention to her. He was trying to push through the crowd, but there were too many people between them.
The pain began to dwindle as she felt her body move, but she didn’t know how. She was no longer in control of her body. She stood up and faced Lilly with her sword in hand. Lilly started to back up sensing something was wrong. Lyla’s sword swung toward Lilly out of her control.
“Lyla, what are you doing?”
“I’m going to end you and all of your pathetic friends.” This wasn’t right. The words were coming out of her mouth, and it was her voice, but this was not her talking. Something, someone, was controlling her.
Damien.
Lyla tried to yell out to her sister, but she couldn’t. In her mind, she was shouting out, but her lips would not move. She could hear her own thoughts, but she could not will her body to do what she wanted it to do, and at the moment that was to not kill Lilly. She tried to tense up her muscles to make them stop, but they were no longer under her command.
Lyla and Lilly were going back and forth, swinging their swords at one another. Lyla could tell that Lilly was holding back, but she wished she wouldn’t. If it came down to it, she wanted Lilly to stop her, and if killing her was the only way to do it, then that is what she wanted. Lyla wouldn’t be able to live with herself knowing she killed her own sister.
Thomas had finally broken through the crowd and tried to intervene, but Lyla swung at him and cut his arm.
No!
He stumbled back, grabbing his arm, blood was dripping down from the wound. He noticed Lyla’s face was firm and unchanging; a darkness was lingering inside of her. This wasn’t her and he knew it. Lyla would never hurt him or her sister. He spotted Damien peeking from behind his throne and knew he was the one responsible for doing this to her. He directed Ryan to the right side of the throne and he veered left, so they could attack from two different sides.
Thomas made his way through the crowd. Most of the Demorites were dead, but the fight between them and the Alliance still remained. Thomas walked up the steps to the throne, but Damien disappeared. Ryan appeared on the other side and shrugged his shoulders.
Lyla and Lilly were still swinging at each other. Lilly was trying to get through to her sister.
“Lyla, I know this isn’t you. You have to fight it. You can beat this.”
I know, Lil. I’m trying.
“Please, I can’t go on much longer.” Fatigue was overtaking her entire body and her muscle strength was weakening. Lyla could see how weak her sister was from the fight, even with the power of her crystal. Lilly was already weak to begin with because of the improper amount of nourishment Damien had given her over the past month.
As much as Lyla wanted to, she could not stop herself. Lilly swung her sword to the left leaving her right side exposed. Lyla knew what was going to happen. Lyla had told Lilly time after time to work on guarding her right side. She remembered it like it was yesterday. Lilly had promised to work on it during her spare time, but with everything that had happened since then, she had not found the time. Lyla knew Damien would use this as an opportunity to strike and she could not let that happen. Her muscles would not listen to her so she had to try reaching into her mind to take it back.
Lyla willed herself to clear her mind to break free. Instead, swarms of memories came flooding in. She saw herself and her sister attempting to ride their horses for the first time. Lyla had almost fallen off, but Lilly was right next to her to catch her and steady her balance. The next memory was when she had received her scar, sacrificing herself for Lilly. They had both been so frightened, but Lilly was there for her every step of the way, just as she had always been. Then came another memory. It was when she woke her sister in the middle of the night because of one of her nightmares. She got into Lilly’s bed and Lilly held her while she cried until she fell back asleep. They were
so young then.
Lyla was pulled back into reality, and she was still under Damien’s control. She had…stuck her sword into Lilly’s side.
Lyla was standing with her sword at her side, which was now covered in blood. Lilly’s blood. Lilly’s eyes were wide and her mouth was gaped open. Her weapon was on the ground, and her hands were now covering the wound in her side. She stumbled back and fell to the floor. It was the same familiar look she had seen from her mother in her dreams, over and over again. She was too late. She had failed.
Everyone had stopped fighting and now circled around her and her sister. The people that did not know her well probably thought she had purposely done this, but they had no idea. They did not know what had really happened. They had no idea the power Damien possessed over her. How could they? She heard everyone whispering, but she tried to ignore them.
She felt her body turn toward Thomas. He would be her next victim, but she couldn’t let that happen. A burst of energy coursed through her body and everyone was knocked to the ground. Her strength had drained immensely and she was about to pass out, but she forced herself to remain conscious. She had no idea what had just happened, but it allowed her to break free of Damien’s control. She had done this once before in the arena when she was fighting Morgan, but she had no recollection of it. She now knew that this wasn’t Damien. This was her power growing inside of her, and it had helped her break free of Damien’s control. People were regaining their balance and standing to their feet. She hoped she had not harmed anyone; that was not her intention. She just wanted to break free of Damien’s hold on her before she hurt anyone else or worse, killed someone.
She crouched down to her sister, tears were already clouding her vision. She sat on the floor and pulled her sister close. Lyla cradled Lilly’s head in her left arm and placed her right hand over her sister’s hand that was covering her wound. Lyla saw that she was still alive, but barely. Lilly stared into her sister’s eyes.
“There you are,” Lilly said. Her voice was low and her breaths were short, but she forced a smile. “I knew you were in there somewhere.” Lyla wanted to break down, but she tried to stay as strong as she could for her sister, even though she knew tears were coming down like a waterfall.
“Lil, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I tried not to, but I wasn’t strong enough.”
“Lyla, it’s not your fault. I know who is at fault here and it is not you.” Lilly coughed and a drop of blood was streaming down her chin. Lyla was horrified.
“No more talking, you need to save your strength.”
“Lyla, I’m dying.” Lyla shook her head.
“No… No, you will be okay. We can beat this together. You can…”
“Listen to me,” Lilly interrupted. Her voice was soft and sweet. Her eyes were bright. She had already accepted her fate and was welcoming it with open arms. “You have to go on for the both of us. You have to be stronger than ever, like I know you can be. You were meant to do great things in this world. You were meant to be a leader and a world changer.”
“No, we were meant to be world changers, you and I. You are my other half. How could I possibly be whole if I lose you? I can’t go on without you.”
“I will always be with you, in here.” She pressed her hand against Lyla’s heart. Lyla grabbed her hand and held it in her own.
“I love you, Lil.”
“I love you too, Ly.
Lilly took her last breath as she stared into her sister’s eyes. Lyla felt her sister’s grip loosen, and she could no longer feel a pulse. She closed her sister’s eyes and wept over her lifeless body.
Chapter 27
The crowd around Lyla dispersed. William, Giselle, Joseph, Thomas, Charles, and Ryan were the only ones standing around her now, and they didn’t dare try to move her. She felt selfish for not letting anyone else say goodbye, but she didn’t care. Lilly was her life, her everything, and now she was gone.
Although Damien escaped, the Demorites had all been killed. It was a victorious night for everyone, except Lyla. She was still hovering over her sister’s dead body. Her sister couldn’t be dead; she wouldn’t allow it. There had to be something she could do. Some way to bring her back.
She thought of every possibility, and came up with nothing. Nothing would work. Her sister was gone forever, and it was all her fault.
Her eyes fell to the crystal that was hanging around her sister’s neck. She reached in her pocket and held hers in her hand, staring at its beauty. These crystals bound them together––maybe she could somehow give her a part of her energy, her life.
What was it that Arthur had said about the crystals? It took her a moment to think of the conversation they had in his house. It had only been a little over a month since their first encounter with Arthur, but now it seemed like it had been ages ago.
“Your crystals will look to one another for power. They are bound in ways I cannot explain. I’m afraid that if one of you die and you are both wearing your crystals, the other may die as well.”
This gave Lyla the craziest and most insane idea she could imagine. She was going to put her crystal around her neck. If she did this, there was a possibility she would die, but there was also the chance that it would give Lilly life. Either way, she didn’t care, it was a risk she was willing to take. There was no way she could live without Lilly, so if she died in the process of trying to save her, at least she could be with her in the afterlife. She would make the ultimate sacrifice.
The group of her family and friends were no longer surrounding her. They were still close, but they had moved away to give her some space. They wanted to comfort Lyla knowing how much Lilly meant to her, but they were all grieving in their own way. William had lost a daughter, Giselle had lost a sister, and Charles had lost someone he really cared about and maybe even loved.
William turned to Lyla and noticed her raise her necklace up, holding the chain between her fingers, ready to put it around her neck. He knew what she was doing. He knew the possible outcome of what she was about to do, because he had been there when they discussed the power of their symbols with Arthur. He yelled as he ran toward her, but by the time he reached her, she had already placed it around her neck.
The crystals lit up, bright and beautiful, grabbing the attention of everyone that still remained in the room. The light diminished as quickly as it came and took Lyla’s life with it. She had no idea how much pain this would cause her if it did kill her. She felt nothing at first as she placed the crystal around her neck, but then she felt a small pinch, and that was the end.
All Lyla could see was a blinding light, but she felt the air around her change. It was calm and cool. When she could see clearly, she could see a massive gate made of pearl, and a golden pathway behind it.
Heaven.
She saw Lilly standing in front of the gate with two women. She looked happy and refreshed. She no longer had blood caked on her stomach or dirt all over her body. Lyla ran through the clouds at her feet and hugged her as if she had not seen her in decades. Lilly’s returned embrace was warm and comforting.
“Lyla, there are a few people I’m sure you will want to see.”
Lyla pulled away from her sister and looked at the two women that stood before them. One was an older woman with white hair that matched her white clothing.
“Grandma Norma?” she said smiling. She hugged her as tight as she could. “I can’t believe it. I missed you so much.” Her grandmother laughed.
“Where else would I have gone, my child?” Lyla didn’t want to think of the alternative.
Her eyes met the other woman’s, who was smiling back at her. She had brown hair and her face was lightly covered in freckles. She had blue eyes just like hers.
“Mom?”
“Yes, my dear. It is unfortunate that we have to meet under these circumstances. This is a beautiful place and all, but I hoped you would both be much older.”
“I can’t believe I am finally meeting you,” Lyla said.
“I have seen you in my dreams so many times, but to meet you in person…or spirit I should say, is beyond my comprehension.”
“You have both grown up so beautifully. A day hasn’t passed that I have not been watching over you.”
“Were you by chance communicating with me through my dreams?”
“I’m sorry, but it was merely a trick. We have the ability to watch over you and guard you, but we are not able to communicate directly.”
“I suppose it doesn’t matter anymore. We are all here and we can be a family again,” Lyla said. She was so happy, and had forgotten all about her life on earth for a brief moment.
“I’m afraid not.” Lyla turned to her grandmother then back to her mother. She was very disappointed.
“What do you mean?”
“We already explained everything to Lilly. You must return to earth. He still has much work for you to do, and you still have so much life still left to live.”
“He as in…?”
Her mother nodded.
“So, I have to return alone?”
“Of course not,” her grandmother said. “Lilly will be accompanying you.”
Lyla’s face lit up with joy. She wasn’t able to stay, but at least she could take Lilly back with her. That was her plan to begin with anyway.
“You must go soon or you will not be able to return with Lilly. After a certain amount of time, she will not be able to return to her body,” said her mother.
Lyla hugged her mother for the first time. She wanted to hold on and never let go, but knowing she would someday see her again made it worth the wait.
“Lyla,” her grandmother said. “Tell Papa Joe that I love him and that I will be here when it is his time.” Lyla smiled and nodded.
“And tell your father…” her mother hesitated “…tell your father that I’m sorry, and I never stopped loving him.”
“He never stopped loving you either,” Lilly said.
Aftermath_The Armorian Chronicles Page 27
