Marissa rushed to her sister's side. "Kerissa, are you okay?" She asked, helping her sister up.
"What did you do?" Kerissa asked, as she blinked in confusion at the blob. "And what is that?"
"The Last Demon," Marissa said, "and I temporarily disabled its powers."
"You mean that… that…thing was inside of me?"
Marissa nodded.
"You temporarily disabled it?" Kerissa said, in disbelief.
Marissa nodded, again.
"How long is temporary?" Kerissa asked.
"I don't know," Marissa said. They were silent—just staring at each other. Suddenly, Kerissa gave Marissa a huge hug.
"Thanks, Marissa," Kerissa whispered, "thanks for saving my life." She was practically crying into Marissa's shoulder.
"You're not saved yet," Marissa said, "and what else could I do for my twin?" They hugged again.
Kerissa looked up again. "So what…." Suddenly, she stopped, her face freezing. The black light was emanating from her body again. She grabbed her stomach, which was slashed. Her eyes were wide.
"Kerissa!" Marissa screamed, catching her twin as Kerissa fell. Kerissa twitched in Marissa's arms, rocking back and forth.
Silent screams of pain tore from Kerissa's lips. Her eyes were wide and staring, but not seeing anything. Her body doubled over, twitching violently. Her eyes rolled back into the air, and she managed a scream of complete and utter agony.
"Kerissa!" Marissa screamed again, clutching at her sister's rapidly disappearing body. Suddenly, a fury overtook her. That Demon was killing her sister. And suddenly, she knew what to do.
"You're in for it," Marissa whispered, her voice filled with hate, dripping death from every syllable.
The Demon was growing again. Recklessly, Marissa threw herself back into its mind. The Demon was killing her sister. And it was going to pay.
The Demon howled at the impact of her mind against its. She rubbed it raw, tearing through, until she found the core of its body.
The core that she knew it had bled from Kerissa.
The core that was her sister's.
The core that was its hook to reality.
The core that she was going to take. This was the inner core of the monster, the energy that had been Kerissa's. It's soul wasn't Kerissa's, obviously, but the energy, the life force was her's.
Marissa let herself dissolve into the core. As she let herself go, the opposite happened, just as she had known that it would. The core dissolved into her.
Agony gripped her.
Her body shook, her eyes rolling back into her head, as the force of the Demon's core found her own core. It was an inner struggle, one that she knew she would loose. But she had to hold on. For now, at least.
Ignoring the agony of the core burning within her, she flung herself from the Demon's mind. She stumbled on impact, the torture of the core practically killing her on the spot.
In front of her, she could see Kerissa appear, healthy, as she once had been.
Marissa smiled, slightly. Her sister. How wonderful it was to see Kerissa again, alive and well.
The first thing Kerissa saw, was her sister, barely standing from the pain, smiling slightly. "Marissa!"
"You're back," Marissa whispered, staring at Kerissa. "I thought I'd lost you, but you're back. You came back for me."
"Marissa…."
"No, don't cry," Marissa said, "I'm not crying." But she was. Tears of joy rushed from her eyes in pools, and even though her mascara was running, she had never looked more beautiful.
"Don't leave, Marissa," Kerissa begged. "Stay with me, please!"
Marissa smiled sadly. "What I would give," she said, wistfully, then looked straight at Kerissa. "Do something for me."
"Anything." Kerissa promised immediately, hugging Marissa to her.
"Live life fully. Live each day as if it were your last," Marissa whispered. "Don't mourn me, I gave my life willingly. There's nothing and no one I'd rather die for, Kerissa," she said, softly.
Kerissa smiled, "And there's no one I'd rather die for than you," she whispered back.
Marissa smiled. Suddenly, the tremors returned. Marissa began to shake, as agony rolled through her body. The Demon was winning. Soon it would be back. She couldn't let that happen.
"I love you," Marissa said, smiling. "I will always love you."
Using the last of her strength and resolve, she pushed herself backwards.
Into the Cold Fire.
The flames swirled high, eating at Marissa. She was not a lecta, and could not touch the flames without suffering death. "I love you," Marissa whispered.
"I love you," Kerissa whispered back, as the light left Marissa's eyes. Her sister was gone. The flames flew higher, eager to consume her sister's body.
Kerissa dragged her sister from the flames, ignoring the calls of the fire. The Fire went out, immediately.
The Demon roared, and collapsed, forming goo, as the human that was its life force died.
The Followers fled, as the Demon collapsed, killing half of them.
Kerissa sat, alone, in the middle of the field, clutching her sister's body to her chest, and weeping softly.