The conclusion for Mia's parents and the beginning of another truth.
After making it up the mountainous but lush hills of beautiful island, where the moonlight kissed this place every night, we made it to our new home. It was large enough to sustain the three of us and small enough to afford with the money we accumulated when we went from town to town. Being on this beautiful island makes me realize that we had finally found peace. Looking down at the tiny infant in my hands, I couldn't help but smile. I sat down carefully as Mia moaned at the tropical sun, wrapped in a pink cloth. Phoebe sat next to me, leaning on my shoulder and endearingly staring at Mia. Then she frowned at me. "What's wrong?" I asked her.
"I'm sorry Dunstan, I know you didn't want me to drink seawater nectar but I couldn't. The pains were too much, and I only drank a little," she worriedly told me in one breath. Mia's dark blue hair color was very noticeable in the sunlight and Phoebe thought I hadn't noticed the seawater nectar plants in the garden she planted when we first arrived here.
"A little blue on her head means she just looks more like you," I assured her and then looked down at the baby no bigger than my palm. She made a little gurgling noise when I gave her my finger to hold. "Mia, we're your mommy and daddy," I warmly told the child. The three day old Mia looked around the garden, squirming in my arms. Phoebe did all the work out here, she grew our food while I sold surplus crops to our neighbors and did odd jobs around the island. It took a while to adjust to Moonlight Town but here we were with a happy baby in my arms.
"Let me hold my little girl," Phoebe outstretched her arms out and I carefully gave Mia to her. Fixing her pink blanket, she rocked a half-awake Mia gently in her arms. Feeling a Dark presence next to me, I turned to Shade. "Welcome Shade."
"Greetings. You have certainly made your new home faster than I thought," he commented amiably. "Is that the child?"
"Yes, isn't she beautiful?" He hovered over her for a couple of seconds before flying back to me. Mia didn't notice the flying eyeball, she was captivated by her mother's hair, trying to grasp it in her tiny hands as Phoebe kissed her repeatedly.
"Twilight is strong within her. And yes, she is quite beautiful." I smiled at Phoebe. Hopefully Mia would keep our minds off of Luke and leaving him. He would be okay as long as Gran was with him and Korbin had left him alone. Korbin had better leave us all alone by now. He's been chasing after me for years, trying to bring me back home but there was no way I was returning, not with the two loves of my life sitting next to me and Korbin had to understand that.
While washing the dishes, I watched Dunstan sitting outside in the garden. When I looked at him when Mia had just been born, my heart would skip a beat and I would remember the sweet fruity taste of our kisses. Now when I looked at Dunstan all I remembered was the mortified look on Aggie's face when I told her I would run away with him and Wisp, my spirit guide, had refused to look at me. I couldn't go back in time to stop myself before I lived this life with Dunstan. We were both too young to leave home and move to Bove, too young to work as if our lives depended on money, too young to have a child we had to leave behind. I heard Mia sobbing as she ran into the house.
"I told you not to run in the house Mia," I scolded, keeping my eyes on the man I used to be madly in love with.
"B-b-ut, they cut my hair off Mommy!" she cried out. I put the dish I was wiping in the sink and leaned over it. What love do I have left for anyone these days? When I ran away with someone I had only known for four months, all my spirit drained out. "Mommy!" The "they" Mia was going on about was the small population of Lanterns here, their parents knew what Mia was and told their kids to do horrible things to her. If this was what she was going to face then I should let her get used to it. "Mommy!" she shook my leg and pulled down on my apron.
"What did I tell you about screaming?" I berated, pushing her off. She ran out of the kitchen and most likely to the garden where her dad was. Shaking my hands dry, I untied the apron and went upstairs to my bedroom. While clutching my mouth I cried, slumping down to the side of the bed. A woman, let alone a Master of Light, at my age shouldn't have cried hysterically like the twenty-one year old used to be.
All I could do was sit outside in the garden while my family fell apart. I couldn't talk to Phoebe anymore, we built a wall between each other as the years went on. The last time I gave her affection was a few nights after Mia was born-four years ago. Both of us could've left at any time, she was still Phoebe Luz and I was still Dunstan Notte. If we had stayed in Bove, our families would have found us, like Korbin did the first time, and then they would bring us back. But at this point, would that have been such a terrible thing? Yes if it was Korbin that found us, but I wouldn't mind seeing Mom again. I missed her the most, I would've done anything to see her again.
"Daddy, Daddy!" cried Mia as she ran in front of me. I looked up to see snot running down her nose-she had my green eyes, olive skin lighter than mine but had Phoebe's overall appearance-her cheekbones, her nose, the shape of her forehead, and her long dark blue hair. Most of her hair was gone though, that was what she was going on about. "They cut my hair! They cut it all." There was still some covering her head but the length she had was gone. Everything went downhill after Mia was born, as if the spark that brought us all together died. Did Shade know this was going to happen? Did he know I was going to run away, have children, and have Korbin pursue us relentlessly? Speaking of him, where was he now? I used to have Shade track him but now my level of Darkness had evolved from years ago.
I telepathically honed in on him and saw what he saw while concealing myself in his Darkness. He was not with Scotia this time, he was all alone hiding in a cave. "Dunstan won't come back, I'll make him come back," he obstinately said to himself. Something in voice sounded shaky and unstable. Standing up and moving towards the light at the end of the cave, he stood outside to get a view. I recognized the mountain as Crescent's Tip, known for its view of Moonlight Town. Korbin gazed out, seeing the sea, the center of town, and the hills that carried the homes. The view of the island, even through his eyes, never stopped taking my breath away.
"He's here, isn't he?" Shade broke off my concentration, bringing me back to my body. I remembered the first time I did that was by accident, and I felt great pain for an entire day and couldn't move. How times have changed since I was young.
"Yeah, he found us again. I don't know what I'm going to do." I looked for Mia and found her by the seawater plants, sobbing herself to sleep. "Shade. I can't talk to her."
"Your infatuation stage has ended," he observed. "It cannot be helped, she walks in the Light and you walk in Darkness. I only hoped you would've seen that earlier, before you left home and decided to procreate Twilight."
"I have to tell Phoebe we might have to leave this island again."
' ' '
"Korbin found us again?" Phoebe asked me sternly as I came to join her and a somber Mia at the dinner table, still hurt about what happened to her hair. "Why does he keep searching for us?"
"I don't know. He still wants us to come home and I'm afraid he's going to hurt us this time, he didn't sound right. We have to leave again."
"I'm tired of moving, getting another job and starting from scratch. We've done it too many times Dunstan, we'll finish this tonight, how's that?" she said harshly.
"It's not that simple Phoebe," I argued. "He's changed, his Darkness is a different color than at Bove. I used to be able to figure him out but now, I don't know what he'll do. "Something inside him snapped." Instead of looking fearful, Phoebe looked enraged and determined. My fear of my older brother only made her angry and more willing to fight. "We're stopping him tonight."
"But your Light-"
"Mia, put your shoes on right now."
"Are we getting ice-cream?" she naïvely wondered, her voice cracking. When was the last time I gave that child a hug? The last time I kissed her and tucked her into bed? I guess I figured she shouldn't live with love when love wasn't being given to her. I had to toughen Mia up somehow. I didn't know what would happen to her if this fight with Korbin would go wrong, she has to be strong enough to fight against all the opposition she'll face growing up. Nobody would accept Twilight. Did I have that little of faith in the world? Korbin's relentless pursuit made me so empty-but I couldn't put the all the blame on him. It was me too, it had always been me. "Are we?" wondered Mia again.
"Just put your shoes on," I said. "We can't leave you in the house alone." Korbin would teleport to Mia and hurt her if we kept her at home. I couldn't afford to lose her despite everything's that happened to us.
Mia wouldn't stop complaining as we made our way up Crescent's Tip and she wouldn't stop clinging to her mother's dress. Of all the things to wear, Phoebe picked her traditional Gardia laced dress to confront Korbin. I remembered her telling me how her mom would wear that dress when she went to war with Shadows. Wearing a new wrap I had Phoebe sow a few years back, I was dressed to end it all with my brother. I helped Phoebe and Mia ascend higher up the mountain. Years ago they made this mountain walkable and climbable but with Mia, there was no way we could climb. It was nearly dawn and my nerves were all over the place-Phoebe didn't look afraid at all. She carried herself confidently, she was a Master of Light-no, better than that. Her powers exceeded many Lanterns' powers, I used to be really jealous. I wasn't ever going to be a Master of Darkness but I wasn't a pushover. It was a shame that I left that bo staff drenched in my Darkness at home, it would've been useful for this.
We found the part of the cave where I saw Korbin, but Phoebe's Light could not detect him on this level. "He's above us, waiting," she said, picking up four-year old Mia and putting her to sit on a rock. "Can you bring Shade here?" I nodded and called out to him mentally using my Darkness. I would've learned that in Abélard if I had remained there but that was something I had to learn on my own. There were a lot of things I was supposed to learn a long time ago but I didn't learn them until I hit thirty. Shade arrived shortly and already figured out what was happening. "You're confronting Korbin? That's not the best idea," he said after looking toward Phoebe. "Why is it that you called?"
"Don't let Mia out of here," I told him before Phoebe spoke. "If something goes wrong, promise me you'll watch over her. Can you promise me that?"
"I can," said Shade dutifully. "Deal with him quickly, he's a lot stronger than before." Phoebe and I exchanged concerned glances, then looked at Mia. "Stay on the rock no matter what you hear," Phoebe ordered Mia. My blue-headed daughter nodded, sadly looking at Shade and at us. Phoebe and I walked out together where Korbin saw the view of Moonlight Town. It was dark outside and with Korbin here, I felt a sinister presence Phoebe stopped as we were making our way up to where Korbin should be. "Phoebe?"
"Was it all worth it?" asked Phoebe depressingly, her stern facade cracking. "Leaving Gardia, having Korbin come after us, was it all worth our love, if you still even love me." I held her face sympathetically, sighing. Phoebe was so firm and resilient, not letting anything get to her. I despised seeing her so anguished like this. "Don't give me that look. I just want to know from you, was it worth it?"
"I think so. Sometimes I wonder if you still love me," I replied, gazing into her enticing eyes. She caressed my hand. "Do you think it was worth it?"
"I don't know, I want to think so. When this is over, we can talk about it, right?" she asked tenderly with a heavy sigh.
"Of course. Now let's go." We headed skyward and found an unrecognizable man standing at the edge. My instincts tell me it's Korbin but his appearance was truly frightening. "Korbin, what happened to you?"
"I got better at managing the Darkness, tsk," Korbin said, folding his arms. He was wearing my father's robe but looked grotesque in it. Part of his umber skin was being swallowed by black streaks across his chest, arms, and face. When I stared deeply into his eyes, his green pupils were as dark as the sky, and his sclera were slightly cyan. Over the years his muscle tone has increased and improved, but he appeared as a fifty year old man when he should have been forty.
"No, the Darkness is taking over you. How could you have let that happen Korbin?" I refuted, stepping protectively in front of Phoebe as his leer targeted her. "But that's not why I'm here, I want you to leave my family alone."
"I am your family Dunstan. Not her or any Twilight babies-she's the reason you ran away, tsk. You picked her over me, we are supposed to be brothers, tsk," snapped Korbin. "Mom's really upset, tsk, now she's sick and it's because of you left with that damn Lantern."
"She didn't-"
"I'm not leaving this island without you Dunstan, tsk. Die you damn Lantern!" Korbin moved faster than I did but before he conjured a Dark spike, I grabbed his arms. Then I felt something sharp pierce through my chest and my mouth filled with blood. I didn't know if I was able to stop Phoebe from that attack. Korbin trembled as he retracted his spike from my chest and held me. "Dunstan, Dunstan, tsk. Listen to me, listen to me, I'm sorry. We're brothers-listen to me…"
I heard Phoebe scream out my name when I collapsed to the ground, blood soaking up my wrap. Thinking of moving my arm made me shout in agony and against every neck muscle in me, I managed to turn my head to the left. Phoebe was sobbing, laying on the ground, blood seeping from her chest too. Her breathing was irregular and in her beautiful, serene sapphire eyes, I saw my life. My mom's jokes and Dad's pats on the back when I first learned about Darkness, before he died, me and Korbin and his friends gazing up at the night sky, seeing Phoebe storm towards me when I yelled at her brother, our first date, my first kiss with her that left me wanting more of her, watching the waves as we held each other in our boat towards Bove, giving birth to our first child, seeing Mia laugh for the first time, having Shade talk to me in the garden every day, and seeing Mia grovel at my feet.
"You made me do it you damn Lantern!" shouted Korbin as he kicked me in the ribs. I howled in pain, huffing and puffing and trying to shield my chest. I was losing too much blood despite Dunstan intervention, Korbin managed to stab us both. "He was my little brother!" he screamed as he kicked me over and over again. Every jolting kick made me shriek in pain. "You did it yourself, nngh, you killed him in your rage!" I screamed angrily as I spat out a river of blood.
"I'll leave you here to die next to him, thank me for that Lantern." He started striding to where Mia was as I looked tenderly at Dunstan's pale face. My only love had left me to this all on my own. Why did he get in between us? If only I had been fast enough he would've been alive and Korbin would have been dead. I reached out to touch his face, cold as the snow, and pressed my hand to my crimson-soaked chest. "Dunstan, wake up for me," I begged. "Dunstan, save us, please."
"What's your name little girl, tsk? Oh, you must be their kid, a Twilight baby, tsk."
"No! Mia!" I cried out and applying Light energy to the wound, it closed up but not without some pain. I have to protect Mia for both of our sake. Picking up my dress and getting to my feet, I descended down below to where Mia was, every step made my wound throb. There was no time to stop and heal completely, Mia was in danger. When I looked around, Shade was gone and Korbin was holding Mia up by her hand. "Where's Shade?"
"I gave him a rain check," said Korbin, raising the crying child by her arm harshly. "Mia, that's a Lantern name." I couldn't save the man I love, I had to at least save our child. From my fingertips, Light snakes flew towards Korbin's face and he dropped her and began to sizzle. Dunstan was right, the Darkness was eating this man-Light shouldn't burn, it should've hurt but not have sizzled. Using the walls as leverage, I wobbled towards Mia and picked her up, putting her face in my bloody bosom.
"Mommy, you have a boo boo," said Mia tearfully, muffled from my hand. I was getting blood all over her but I managed to make it back outside to where Dunstan was lying. Somehow Mia managed to get a view of her dad. "Daddy!"
"I've-I've got to teleport us back home. We'll get help there." With a wave of my hand, a bright yellow ring circled Mia, making her eyes light up. It was going to take a while because I was so weak but we were gonna be okay. "Mia, don't look at Daddy-gaaagh!" A hard ball of Darkness sent me crashing into the ground, more throbbing shockwaves spread all throughout my body like poison. Breathing became a struggle-that blow could have been it for me if I hadn't healed myself earlier. I set the coordinates to the house, Mia should be alright there. She was crawling towards me helplessly, her precious face stained with her my blood.
"Abominations like you must be eradicated Mia, tsk," Korbin stepped on the sore spot where he hit me, making me twinge in agony as he approached Mia.
"Mia get back!"
"Mommy, noo!" Korbin snatched Mia up by her arm and threw her away from me. The timer was almost done, she would disappear and be safe from this chaos soon. Korbin raised his palm and Darkness accumulated and melted as if he was holding warm ice-cream. With my hand out, a Light sphere got him in the foot and he missed his attack. "Leave her alone!"
The mass of Darkness crashed next to Mia and she flew off the edge. My daughter who had never hurt a fly, the one who picked flowers in the garden, was being blasted off to her death-and I didn't know whether the teleporting worked. More of my tears mixed with the blood on the ground. Korbin glared at me, his black pupils scorching my eyes, torturing my soul before he could do the finishing move that ended it all. That place Dunstan and I spoke of, could he be waiting there for me? Did that place where Sun and Shadow Gardias go to, where Light and Darkness were in harmony, actually exist? I hope I'll find him there.
It's been three days since I brought Mia back and she hasn't stirred at all. It had to do with that man who said he would unlock her suppressed memories or the man who took her or Seth-so many people are targeting this girl. All I've done was watch it all happen, what good am I? "I'm sorry I keep letting you down Mia, Luke," I mumble to myself detestably. If she ever wakes up I need to fulfill Luke's promise-I thought by agreeing to do the Professor's request I would be able to carry out Luke's promise-I'd be killing two birds with one stone-but I couldn't even do that. Despite everything I am, I'm still worthless. A soft groan emits from the depths of the cell and I gape as I turn around. I close my mouth as Mia sits up, her hand to her head. "It's about time you w-"
I'm cut off by Mia's sharp gasp as she unsteadily rises to her feet. She whimpers at first as she backs toward the wall and then chokes back her sobs horribly. "What's wrong-?" her head turns to me and her dark green eyes look as though they saw what hell looked like. She strains as she tries to speak to me. "He-killed-he. He killed them. I was covered-I was covered in their blood."
"Who's he?"
"He murdered-both of them, my-my-!" stammers Mia. "I had a family. Mom-Dad, I'm sorry-I let him, I let him kill you." Her erratic statements continue until her first tear rolls down her face. "He's coming. He's coming. He's coming."
"Who is?" I demand.
"Korbin. Korbin. Korbin. Seth. He's coming," she digs her fingers into her hair so hard I'm afraid she'll give herself scratches. "He killed them!" Finally her sobs are released and soak the atmosphere with despair. I uselessly watch her repeat the names over and over as she hugs herself tighter. "They loved me-I let them die!" announces Mia somberly, no longer holding back. I can relate to that pit of misery she's in; for the first time she and I are on the same level-both of us are drowning in guilt. I wait for her to stop crying and eventually her cries are stifled to sniffs and whimpers.
"I never thought I'd ever see you like this," I observe aloud and she replies with hiccups. I couldn't protect her all the times I was supposed to, all I can do is share my pain with her as she did with me. "Do you remember my friend Angelica? The story I told you before was a lie."
J.G.P.
