Chapter 17: Reunited at Last

Rini could not believe her eyes. There were two Helios' in the room and they both looked exactly the same! "I-I d-don't unders-stand?" she stammered in shock and fear as she looked back and forth between the two young men. "How can there be two of you?!"

"He's an imposter!" Damious told Rini, pointing an accusing finger at Helios. "I am the real Helios!"

"Don't listen to him, Rini!" pleaded Helios. "That is Damious pretending to be me! I am really Helios!"

"He's lying!" Damious cried out. "Don't believe him, Rini! I am your one true love! We belong together, forever!"

Poor Rini felt as though she were caught in some kind of nightmare. She had finally found her true love, but now she could not recognize him! And worse, one of them was Damious! But which? "I don't know what to do!" she cried to herself in exasperation, "I don't know who is Helios!" She fell to the floor on her knees, weeping, feeling completely helpless and defeated.

Helios staggered towards her and kneeled down next to her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. Rini immediately pulled away, staggering back away from him.

"Get away from me!" she screamed at him. "You could be Damious for all I know!"

But Helios would not give up and he kept reaching out to Rini, pleading with her. "Rini, it's really me, can't you see that?" Rini continued to back away from Helios until she was backed up against the mirrored wall. Now cornered, Rini whimpered as Helios approached her again, his hands outstretched to her. She turned her face away from him and closed her eyes, wanting this nightmare to end. Suddenly she felt his hands on her face, his thumbs caressing her cheeks. "Rini, look at me," he told her gently. Hesitantly, she slowly opened her eyes and looked into his face. "My love...my maiden," he began softly, "don't be afraid. It's me." As soon as he said this, Rini gasped in shock. He had called her maiden.

"Could he really be Helios?" she thought to herself. "He must be, the look in his eyes says it all." But she had to convince herself first. And she knew there was one way to do it. "If you really are Helios, then tell me, why did you wait so long to come back for me? Why did you keep me waiting for so many years?"

"Rini, I was afraid."

"Of what?" she demanded angrily.

"I was afraid that you didn't love me anymore. Afraid that you had forgotten me. Afraid that you had forgotten how I promised to never forget you and that you would be in my heart always. For years, I never stopped thinking about you. You were always present in my mind. I still pictured you as the little girl who ran after me, begging me not to return to Elysion. The little girl who freed me with the power of her beautiful dreams. And now, you are a true and beautiful woman now, just as you had always dreamed of."

Now, Rini was in tears again, but this time, they were tears of joy. This was indeed her Helios! He remembered that day just as she did! And he had never forgotten her! He had thought about her constantly, just as she had for him! He had even remembered her dream of becoming a beautiful woman one day! She threw herself into his arms, embracing her one and only Helios this time. "Oh Helios," she cried softly, "I finally found you! And I will never let you go!" Helios was also crying as he held his beloved. He felt so happy to hold her in his arms once again.

"Oh my maiden," he began, "I love you and I will never leave you again!"

He kissed her passionately and Rini threw her arms around his neck, totally giving in to his deep and loving kiss. She had finally found Helios and nothing was ever going to break them apart again.

Both of them were so absorbed in the moment that they had forgotten about Damious, who was still standing there, watching, anger building up inside him. "I never lose!" he screamed out to the two of them, "Never!" After he said this, Damious outstretched his arms, summoning his dark powers. "Since you both love each other so much, you two can die together as well!" Dark energy flowed through his arms and he sent it out, aiming right into the path of Rini and Helios! Rini and Helios broke out of their embrace and looked in fear as the dark energy headed right for them!

o
o
o
o
o
o
o
AN: Please review and tell me what you think.

Dream Sovereign