As promised, here is the next chapter. And yes, I got to post it on 31st (my time)! Hope you enjoy, and please don't forget to review and comment!

Chapter 14: How to Save a Life

Soron annoyingly pulled the now wide awake Phelan from his unconsciousness. The feral wolf-like chipmunk's once uncontrollable fury had now vacuumed down after Soron had struck him with an orb of light.

"You back to your old, traitorous self, mongrel?" Soron asked, not looking at him. His silver hoodie began to shimmer as he inhaled the essence coming from the fluorescent lights above him.

Dazed, Phelan got to his feet as he prepared himself for the coming battle. He could feel the throbbing of his slightly heavy forehead.

"Yeah, I'll live… though you didn't have to hit me that hard…" he complained, rubbing his temple where Soron had struck him.

"You deserved it; after we kick this loser's ass, you're next…" Soron warned, his voice now echoing with the brilliance of his silvery aura.

"Show-off…" Phelan spat as his let his violet-black aura flare.

"Whatever…" Soron replied in a deadpan tone.

They then flicked their wrists and on their paws appeared their elemental weapons; Phelan with his twin black swords, and Soron's was a divine white bow. Soron's silver hoodie then brightened with the light as it began to change. All five of them were blinded temporarily as Soron's hoodie transformed into an armoured robe. With the elegant silver lining shimmering from the light above, his robe had a striking resemblance to Phelan's trench coat – only its shoulders were plated with light-blessed padding.

Together, they stood side by side, ready to face the other Phelan that stood in front of them. His black tail swished in fury as he began to snarl and growl.

"So, are you ready to offer yourself up for chipmunk cannibalism?" Soron asked with a sly smile.

Phelan shrugged as they both posed in battle stances.

"Not necessarily, but I'm game."

The black-tainted shadow of a chipmunk grinned evilly as he extended his claws.

"So, you managed to overcome the darkness that was within you. How touching," he drawled. "But your combined efforts will not be enough to best the power that resides within me!"

Soron shot Phelan a dirty look. "You know, for a guy who's your complete opposite half, he craps a lot. You have some serious personality complexes," said the silver-clad chipmunk.

A low growl rumbled in Phelan's throat, but he kept his cool.

"Yeah, talk about being your own worst enemy, huh?" he said.

"Bring it… show me what weaklings you both really are…"

The two warrior chipmunks winked at each other, quoting at the same time.

"It's on like Donkey Kong!"

Both Phelan and Soron immediately charged as they let out a loud battle cry. The other Phelan simply faded into utter nothingness as Phelan's dark blade failed to strike him. The dark chipmunk then reappeared from Phelan's shadow and slammed his paw into Phelan's face, sending him flying through the air.

"Soron! Go high!" yelled Phelan.

Immediately, Soron took notice and strung his bow. He fired three bolts of light toward the dark chipmunk, which was easily deflected by a wave of hellfire with a quick motion of the other Phelan's arm.

Cursing under his breath, Soron quickly dodged the bolts of black lightning that were sent toward him. He gathered the source coming from the dull fluorescent lights, charging their energies into his bow and causing the mouth to glow brighter with every passing second. The dark chipmunk, not taking any chances, seized the opportunity to use the shadows around him to send more crates at his two immobile combatants. Phelan quickly crossed his arms across his chest as he deflected the incoming crates with a pillar of hellfire. He then motioned his arms around his body, and then pushed the pillar of black flame toward his evil counterpart.

"Ha! You make this too easy…" mocked the other Phelan as he simply placed his paw in front of the hellfire, splitting it in half; totally oblivious to Soron appearing right in front of him, his bright bow now fully charged.

Before the dark chipmunk could retaliate, Soron released the string on his bow. A humungous beam of energy struck him heavily on the chest, sending him flying back and ramming into a large pile of crates. The blast was so powerful that it crushed the boxes and brought the other Phelan to slam against the warehouse wall.

"Take that, you bastard!" cheered Soron, lowering his bow as he began to reload the solar energy on his bow. Even Phelan couldn't help but smile as he looked at his rival's confident expression.

But Soron's cheers turned quickly into a gasp as he was struck by bolts of black lightning. The shock was so powerful; you could temporarily see the silver-clad chipmunk's skeleton glowing like a light bulb. He was shot back and slammed into the nearby crates, his body twitching as he reeled from the electric treatment he had just received.

Enraged, the dark chipmunk lifted his paw and summoned an enormous orb of darkness. "Now, let's see how you fare without the use of light, sun-bearer…"

He hurled the orb to the roof, and it shattered all the fluorescent lights, encasing the entire warehouse in total darkness. The glass from the lights began to rain over the chipmunks as they began panicking.

"What are you waiting for? Run for cover!" Phelan shouted, moving his brothers out of the way.

Instinctively, the wolf-like chipmunk pushed them together and erected a midnight black shield over them. The other Phelan easily waltzed past the falling shards as they simply went through him. But poor, unconscious Soron was unable to defend himself. Shards of glass scraped and sliced through his crispy brown fur. When he roused from unconsciousness, the pains from the shock and the new stings made him wince and cry out in agony, catching his enemy's attention. The dark Phelan grabbed Soron with a tendril, and lifted the helpless chipmunk toward him with ease. Soron struggled with all his might, but he felt his strength ebbing away in the presence of the darkness.

Using his free hand, he erected a black blade that shined with the eerie moon penetrating through the window.

"It seems that the Light has abandoned you now, whelp. Time to die and join your family."

Time slowed as Soron closed his eyes, awaiting his death as the other Phelan swung his sword at Soron's neck.

"Damn it, to be destroyed by the being I wanted to destroy… how pathetic."

He never got to feel the blade come crashing down on him as a silent implosion erupted between them.

Phelan grabbed Soron and carried him to a safe distance. He then temporarily immobilized his other self with an entanglement of dark tendrils as he dashed away.

"Hang in there, Soron…" Phelan half-yelled, trying to keep Soron conscious, "you're gonna be alright…"

He believed they were safe until he could hear the icy voice of the dark chipmunk that cried out in a horrifying roar, shattering the nearby crates and glass panes and the tendrils that failed to occupy him. Every word he spat echoed with pure venom and hatred.

"When I get my hands on you, rat… I am going to cut your traitorous head OFF!"

Meanwhile, Phelan carried Soron to where his brothers hid, and gently laid Soron among them.

"F-forget about me, you idiot!" Soron winced in pain, "you've just led him toward us! Have you lost your mind? Or is your traitorous attitude always in charge of that accursed body of yours?"

"For once, Soron, shut the hell up and let me heal you!" Phelan then began to create an orb of darkness and was about to touch Soron's fur, when Soron's paw stopped him. Soron's paw was trembling, as though the torment of it all was draining his life even faster.

"No…" he denied, "save your power for him…" He was starting to breathe erratically. "You'd better stop him before he reaches us. If he finds us here, we're ALL goners…"

"Not until I get you patched up I'm not-"Phelan was about to reply when Soron mustered the remains of his strength to slap Phelan on the face.

"Will you just forget about me and fight for your brothers?" Soron shouted, his hazel-brown eyes glowing bright silver. He began coughing heavily as he spat out blood and collapsed to the floor.

"He was right; the Light has abandoned me…" Soron grimaced, his body growing numb. "Go on and face him. Defeat him for your brothers, Phelan, and don't you DARE die… your head belongs to me, you sick-faced, traitorous mongrel." At the very least, he could manage a sly smile.

"You make sure you stay alive, too, you insensitive show-off hog…" Phelan grinned back. Alvin and his brothers then began to wipe the wounds around Soron's desecrated body.

"We'll take care of him, Phelan…" Simon spoke, tearing off bits of his hoodie to make a bandage.

"Yeah, you go on out there and take care of that evil Phelan…" Theodore cheered, giving his brother a confident smile.

"And you'd better come back alive…" Alvin glared at him, his face a slight grin, "we have some unfinished business to attend to…"

For once in his life, Phelan felt complete. Now, he had a rival who was at least on speaking terms with him, and all three of his brothers were reunited. In a smile, he rose proudly and set his aura flaring. The darkness that encased him amplified with the holiness of the night that surrounded him.

"Don't worry guys… I won't let you down this time…" He spoke back, his voice ringing with the one thing all five chipmunks shared toward one of another.

Love.

With a grin, he sped off into the night, and with a new-found determination, ready to face his evil counterpart.

In the warehouse, the darkness held hard and strong.

The other Phelan staggered to his feet as he surveyed the damage done all around him. A huge bolt of nerves suddenly shot up his spine and through his body. He drew in long, harsh breaths; the wounds inflicted on his panther-like fur had made him realize how truly agonizing the feeling of pain could be.

To add insult to injury, he couldn't remember a time when he'd been beaten at his own game before – especially by his own protégé. And oh, the humiliation of it all as he could not even manage the simplest of tasks by wiping out some stupid chipmunk who proclaimed himself as a warrior of light, or even that vessel of his who decided to turn rogue and vanquish him for the better good!

And speaking of the devil...

Phelan came charging into the dark chipmunk's side, ramming him against the wall. With bloodshot eyes, the other Phelan glared at his vessel, spitting with rage. The look on the wolf-like chipmunk's face was completely possessed with demonic fury.

"I'm gonna kill you for all the people you've hurt, you son of a bitch!" he screamed.

Before the other Phelan could counter, he felt his guts collide with Phelan's fist, and all the breath was knocked out of his lungs.

"That's for my brothers!"

Phelan raised his legs and sank his knees hard into the dark chipmunk's chest. The impact brought the other Phelan down to his knees.

"That's for the chipettes!"

Another punch smashed into the dark chipmunk's jaw.

"This is for Soron!"

And while the other Phelan was doubled over in pain, Phelan took a few steps back, his breathing intensified as he charged once more at his opponent.

"And THIS IS FOR ME!"

He kicked the dark chipmunk with such intensity that both of them went straight through the shabby warehouse walls and out into the open air bathed in the moonlight. The other Phelan spun helplessly as he collided face down into the dirt. When he picked himself up, his eyes blazed with fury as he spat a mouthful of blood in Phelan's direction.

"You think this is over by a mile? Fool! We haven't even reached the endgame yet!" He dusted his shredded panther-like fur as he spoke.

"I am more than immortal, you stupid rat! Your ignorant goals mean nothing to me, because the truth is, you are ignorant – oblivious to the truth that surrounds you!"

"No, I'm not!" growled Phelan. "The only ignorant fool here – is you. Can't you see how much pain and suffering you have caused to us and the world?"

The other Phelan nodded as though in agreement. "Okay then. Kill me. Do what you see fit. Then watch as the whole universe crumbles apart from its very foundation."

"I don't understand what you're talking about," said Phelan, slightly bemused. He failed to notice that he'd let his guard down as his fists lowered slightly to his sides.

The dark chipmunk chuckled as he spread his arms out wide, as though hoping to embrace the darkness.

"Then hear me out. The darkness is not always as evil and black-hearted as it seems. I am so sick of the world and its people – especially you – giving labels and ideas that evil must be destroyed and good must prevail.

"You see, the darkness was created to balance the tip of the scales. I should know – because I was there during its creation. Light and dark are one and the same, like opposite ends of a coin. You destroy the darkness, and sooner or later, the light will become lost in meaning – because nobody will ever know the absence of light ever again.

"Of course, if you destroy the light, then darkness will engulf the world for the rest of eternity, but I'm not bothered by that. What disgusts me is that you fail to see the both sides of life. There may be both good and evil, but there is also power – and it is those who are too weak to seek it that makes your definitions. Has it never occurred to you that there may be some good in me?"

"You're lying!" shouted Phelan, but deep down inside, his other half's words went through like a sword to the chest. Despite facing what seemed to be the father of liars, there was a part of the wolf-like chipmunk's soul that wanted to deny what it said was the truth.

"Any other time and I would lie to you, but this time, you're wrong. You kill me – and you forfeit your own soul too, because WE ARE THE SAME BEING – you and I connected!"

Shock was written all over Phelan's face, but his emotions were now hitting him straight to his heart. A single tear coursed down Phelan's cheek. My cause, gone to a waste? All this protecting and fighting – for nothing?

"Don't think about it for now," reassured the dark chipmunk. "Dwell on what precious little life you have left with your pathetic family and loved ones, because it won't last for long." He walked past a dishevelled and crestfallen Phelan, without even lifting up a shadow paw to strike him.

"I will meet up with you again, when the moon is full on All Hallow's Eve. I won't stop you with whatever plans you have against me, but just remember this – YOU CAN NEVER WIN. Because you are only by yourself, and I, am many!"

He threw back his head and shrieked in glee as though all of the evil had been set loose upon the world.

And just like that, the dark chipmunk enveloped himself into the shadows, and he was gone.

Phelan sank to his knees. Cries of silent anguish burst from within the sobs that racked his body. To him, it didn't matter what his next step would be, he was already in checkmate even before the game had started! The dark Phelan had already won, and his darkness would plunge the world into further chaos. What injustice was this?

"Don't turn your back on me! Come on out and fight like a warrior!" yelled Phelan.

Only the wind seemed to carry his dark half's hideous laughter into the distance. I can't believe I let him get away again!

Frustrated, Phelan lifted his head and screamed to the heavens. "Face me, you COWARD!"

He pummelled his fists into the ground, not caring if the pain came from his failure, or his throbbing paws.

Phelan left the warehouse, slumped and feeling more dejected than he'd ever been in his miserable existence. How could the events of a night such as this turn from bad to worse?

The answer, he found out, was about to cost him his life.

As he approached his brothers, the look on their faces brought Phelan to complete unease. Even before he reached them, the wolf-like chipmunk knew immediately that something was wrong. Simon, who was usually the calm and collected one, was now shaking like a leaf.

"Phelan, I've just checked on Soron's signs, and-"

"HE'S NOT BREATHING!" Theodore's panicked yell cut in.

"What?"

Phelan rushed over to his brothers, where they were now crowding around the silver-clad chipmunk that lay uncomfortably, but deathly still. The colour on Soron's fur had turned a little paler than usual; almost close to the icy colours of death itself.

"No, no, no, NO! Soron! Soron, WAKE UP!" yelled Phelan as he began to frantically shake the lifeless silver-clad chipmunk. "You can't go that easily; if anyone's supposed to kick your ass, it's me! Get up, you idiot!"

But Soron just laid there, his face as serene as a statue's. And panic was written all over Phelan's.

He rounded on his brothers, staring at them with a look of terror in his eyes.

"What are you standing there for? Help me! Can't you do anything?"

Alvin, Simon and Theodore just stood there, frozen to the spot. It seemed in that darkest of hours, nobody knew what to do. And time was running out.

Phelan took a deep breath. And brought his mouth crashing down onto Soron's.

A mixed look of disgust and amazement crept across his brothers' faces as Phelan continued to administer mouth resuscitation techniques onto Soron. Even Soron's body must've been silently protesting against his rival trying to give him kiss of life, because the response was still nothing but vehement stillness.

"Don't die on me, Soron, PLEASE!" The wolf-like chipmunk's voice was on the verge of breaking down. He shook Soron's body furiously, and when that didn't work, he balled his fists and starting pounding on the chipmunk's still chest.

"I – OWE – YOU – ONE!" He accentuated each word with every thump. "I'm not going to let you go that easily! You just saved my life!"

"Phelan, we can't do anything – he's... he's gone..."

Phelan tried to pull himself out of Simon's grasp, but the blue-clad chipmunk had to drag him away from getting closer to Soron's body.

"You have to let me go back, please!" howled Phelan. "I have to save him; it's my fault he's in this mess! I should've kept him out of the fight! Please, let me save him!"

And then, he stopped struggling. Tears started pouring from Phelan's eyes as he cried silently onto Simon's shoulder. Simon still held onto his grieving brother as a precaution, but all four of them were silent, not looking at each other, as they mourned for the warrior of the light who had gave his everything to save them all and to reunite them as brothers once again.

The uncontrollable sorrow in Phelan made him clench his fists, and while he didn't notice it, his brothers saw that his violet-black aura had channelled from all over his body right down to surrounding his paws. It seemed as though the very action itself was draining Phelan of his very soul.

Phelan screamed with all his strength as he raised his aura-covered paws in one final attempt...

And slammed them down hard onto Soron's chest.

The effect was electric.

The screams erupted from Soron like a banshee setting all hell loose as he shot straight up, clutching his chest tightly. If the noise wasn't enough to wake the dead, it certainly scared the living daylights out of everyone.

Alvin and his brothers watched with bated breath as Soron stopped twitching, breathing in deeply as he felt his strength returning. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence.

Simon was the first to speak. "I can't believe it! You brought him back to life!"

Alvin's mouth was agape with shock. "Holy nuts!" In his eyes, this probably beat sitting through a monster movie marathon.

"Is he going to be okay?" asked Theodore, looking nervous.

Phelan looked at Soron with concern. "If you're alright, please say something."

The half-dazed silver-clad chipmunk could only manage one word, but that was enough. "Something."

The other chipmunks looked at each other, and then burst out into a series of weak laughter. Phelan felt the world spinning around him, so he rolled to the ground on his back, taking a moment to calm himself down and breathe a little easier.

When Phelan had rested and picked himself up, the first chipmunk he saw was Alvin, and he knew what to say next.

"Hey, Alvin?"

"What?"

"You know, back there, in the warehouse? Did you mean what you said?"

The smile on Alvin's face faded a little, but you could still see a little warmth in his expressions as he tried to deny his true feelings.

"Hey, that was just a ruse. I had to snap you out of your rabid state, okay? It's not that easy for me to forgive you, you know."

Phelan's heart sank a little.

"Look, I was a jerk wad, alright? I admit it, I still am. But Dave and your brothers missed you. Heck, even I missed you too," he confessed. "And as your brother, I really love you. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

Alvin folded his arms and turned away, but Phelan knew that he was just simply putting up a brave front; it was just a playful gesture.

"What if I don't want to?" jeered Alvin.

Phelan grinned. "Alvin, please don't make me kiss you. Because I swear I will."

The red-clad chipmunk's smirk immediately vanished into utter horror. "You wouldn't dare."

And before he could protest even further, Phelan leaned in and planted a wet, but warm and brotherly kiss on Alvin's cheek.

"Eww!" Alvin wiped his face with his sleeve. "Don't ever do that again!"

"Then I guess it's safe to say that our fighting has come to an end." Phelan motioned to his brothers. "Come on, you guys! Group hug!"

Phelan scooped Alvin into his arms and they embraced, before they were quickly joined by Simon and Theodore. Feeling the warmth of his brothers and their reassuring comfort lifted Phelan's spirits with so much joy and resurgence – he felt as though his life was complete once more.

At least, there was something worth fighting for – a family, and all the love in the world.

The wolf-like chipmunk heaved a huge sigh of relief. "Now let's get out of here quick, before my other half comes back to wreak more chaos!"

Simon didn't budge a step; being the sensible one, he was still thinking the situation over.

"That's fine by me, but what are we going to do about him?" He pointed to Soron, who had just relapsed into another fainting spell. "It wouldn't be right to just leave him here, but the nearest hospital is miles away. We'll never make it in time."

Phelan walked over and felt for Soron's pulse. It was still there, maybe a little bit fainter, but still beating strong. He hoisted the unconscious warrior over his shoulders. For a chipmunk whose attitude and insults were as glaring as his fighting style, there was certainly an even distribution of weight all around.

"Help me carry Soron back home, guys. I don't think he'll be able to manage alone..."

To Be Continued...

I notice that a lot of us put in our reviews "Please update soon," but that's the same as what I think we should really ask, which is "What happens next?". That's what every writer wants to hear. Because it means you've done your job well, and it means that your readers care about what's going to happen next. (By the way, I didn't coin that phrase. It's from Neil Gaiman.)

Anyway, it seems that Phelan's battle with the darkness has to be put on hold once more. Will he finally vanquish the evils of the world? Or will it finally cost him his soul? You'll have to wait to find out!

Next time on Darkness - It's a lot of patching up to do, mending some bonds, and romance in the air for a certain couple! ;)

- Winddragon