Chapter 23: Realizations
"Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies in illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of witherings, of tarnishings."
- Anaïs Nin
-The Halls-
Kari and Takeru trudged through the hallway they had chosen, the bottom of their feet slipping on the stones. Kari stopped, hugging herself as she felt the air get heavier, "Takeru? Did you feel that?" The man shook his head, reaching for her hand to pull her along. "No," he said as the two took a right, "what did you feel?"
Kari didn't know how to explain it. She felt movement, but not within the castle. The movement was in some type of balance that hung in the faction, a feeling she would never be able to explain. Mel always did say she was sensitive to the 'vibes' of others and the world around them. She started to notice changes as Joe's marking turned a star white when everyone was reunited. "Must have been nothing," she smiled as they continued down the hall.
Takeru stopped suddenly, holding Kari behind him as he summoned wind. "There are people in the hall…" he whispered to her. Kari peeked around him, rolling her eyes as she recognized the hair of her brother. "It's just Taichi and Izzy," she said as she pushed Takeru forward, "and… Marla?" Kari rushed forward, hoping Marla wasn't there to trap her brother and Izzy. Why is she crying? Kari thought as the space between her and the group closed.
"What's going…" Kari didn't finish her question as she took in the expressions of the others. Izzy was biting his nails, his face red as he held back tears. Marla was kneeling on the ground, sobbing as she whispered sorry over and over again. Her brother was frozen, his lips set in a hard line as shaky breaths left him.
Marla looked up, shaking her head at Kari. "I let it happen. I watched it," her words were quiet as Kari knelt next to her. "Oh Marla, we understand why you would think it'd be best to side with Myotismon," Kari rubbed her back. "No, Kari. I…" the woman stood, wiping her face, "I led Sora to her death." Takeru spoke quietly, "What do you mean? Where is she?" Marla looked to him apologetically, "Who knows where her body is. I thought I would be able to get revenge for my father, but Sora was willing to not fight me and give her own life form sanity. I… I couldn't kill her. The woman may seem ruthless, but she cares so much…" Marla looked to Tai and Izzy, "I was going to let her run, but Sam found us. He… He… I ran before I saw anything, but she wasn't putting up a fight." That was the shift I felt.
Kari choked back her tears, trying to stay strong for the others. "We have to push forward. We have to end this," Takeru said, "I'm tired of losing people to this power. I just want our world back again…" Tai shook his head, "we'll never have our old life back, Takeru. Not after the experiences and deaths we've all endured." Izzy stayed silent.
"The ballroom… That's where he's waiting for you all," Marla was talking about Mytoismon. "Then that's where we'll go," Tai said, "lead the way, Marla." Marla nodded, turning towards the empty hall as the others followed.
Kari let a tear fall down her cheek. She hurt for Marla, for losing her father. For Sam, who killed his closest friend. For Sora, who thought she wasn't worth saving. And for her brother, who lost what he had been searching for for the past five years.
"Tai," she said, "you okay?" Tai didn't reply. Kari searched his eyes for their usual spark, a spark of hope and fire, but his eyes were dim. Defeated. "She'd want us to push forward," Kari tried to reassure him. "Why? She didn't want to push forward herself," Tai muttered as they followed Marla through the cold hallways.
-The Ballroom-
Mimi groaned, a pain shooting through her head as she tried to move her body. She opened her eyes slowly, Yamato sitting next to her with a bit of blood running from the side of his head down to his chin. His jaw was set, his eyes staring across the room they were in. "It's over, Mimi…" He muttered as he noticed her form stirring into consciousness next to him. She heard Joe sigh loudly.
The woman did her best to push herself up, realizing that the three of them were in the ballroom where she first reunited with the others. The ballroom where Sora killed Lanus. She let her eyes wander around the room, the tiles a dark black. "We can still try to escape, Yamato…" she whispered, hoping the Darklings surrounding the doors didn't hear her. "You have ice and I can use my fire and we…" He interrupted her. "No. It's over, Mimi. It's over…" She didn't understand. "We can't just give up…" Her words were quiet.
Joe turned to her, "Mimi listen to him. Please…" She shook her head, not wanting to believe the two men were giving up so easily. "The others will be here soon, right? And Sora! She's great with a knife…" Yamato threw his hands up, "She's dead Mimi! While you were unconscious, her friend 'Sam' dragged her body through this room."
Silence. It seemed like everyone stopped breathing. "He… What?" She stuttered. Joe answered her question, "Sam carried her in… Apologizing the whole time… He took her into that back door…" Mimi's eyes flashed to the door then to the ground. Yamato was thankful she wasn't awake for it. He didn't want her to have to see Sora like that.
The trio sat in silence for a few minutes, interrupted by the main door opening and the others walking through. "Oh good. You guys are already here," Izzy said as the Darklings allowed the group to walk in and join the others. "We weren't sure where you guys would be," Takeru said as he tried to lighten the mood with a chuckle. It didn't do much. "So, what's the plan now?" Kari asked, hoping for some type of interaction from everyone.
-Myotismon's Study-
Sam let out a shuddered breath, the pull of Lillian keeping his body glued to the cold stone floor of Myotismon's study. I killed her… He couldn't get her final expression out of his mind. The look of being betrayed. The pain that painted her features wasn't from the knife he dug between her ribs, it was from the pain of her trusted friend betraying her.
The door opened and Sam didn't bother to look as another figure was pushed down next to him. "And stay in here until we call…" Lillian chuckled as she snapped her fingers, Sam, along with the new addition to the room, screaming as their bodies were forced to the ground.
"Why…" The body next to him asked. He turned over, gasping as he recognized the woman who was lying on her back and looking up to the ceiling. She turned her face, her crimson eyes meeting his green ones. "Sam… Why did you do it?" Sam broke. Tears he thought he already cried poured down his cheeks. She's alive. Oh my gosh she's alive.
"I didn't want to. I tried to fight it, Sora, I did," his word were silent. The girl next to him looked at him, her eyes empty. "You should have fought harder…" Sam wiped his eyes, nodding in agreement. "I know, Sora. It just hurt so bad to fight back…" He knew she knew the pain he was referring to.
The two assassins sat in silence, Sam breaking it. "How are you alive?" Sora shrugged, her hand going to her side reflexively. "I just… Woke up and Magnus was over me… Then I felt the electricity that Lanus used to have over us, but it was worse." She turned back to the ceiling, "and now I'm here." "I'm happy you're here…" She knew he was. I wish I hated you for killing me, but I can't… Sora thought
"Sam?" He looked to her, "Hm?" Sora hesitated, "I… I don't want to kill them." Sam gave her a confused look, turning his body to face her, "who, Sora? Magnus and Lillian?" Sora let out a soft chuckle, "Oh I want them dead. More than anything. I mean my friends… Lillian. I can feel her nails run across my mind and my body can't resist her calls and demands." She didn't have to explain anything else to Sam, he knew exactly what she meant.
"If the world ever goes back to normal," Sam said, "I hope we meet again." The girl turned to him, "that's a weird thing to think of right now. I'm not sure if normal is achievable anymore." Sam shrugged, rolling his eyes playfully, "well we can at least try." Sora smiled at him, "let's focus on staying alive through this and not killing the others." Sam raised his eyebrow, "Girl, you know I won't die until Tai likes me more than he likes you. I'll win this feud." Sora laughed, missing the talks her and Sam would have at night about the noblemen Sam would one day force into partnership. "You can have him," Sora said with a yawn. "Ugh. I'm not even convinced by that," he sat up, his voice mocking her's, "you can have him. Pffft my ass."
Sora sat up next to him, stretching her arms, the pain from the dagger no longer there. The two were comfortable in the silence and darkness of their new prison. "It's time…" Both assassins looked at each other, hearing the call of Lillian. "Sam… We have to fight it… Please…" Sam nodded, feeling a new strength now that him and Sora were together again. "We can do it," he said confidently. "I believe I said it is time," the voice was more demanding.
Sora grunted as she felt her body begin to pull towards the door to where Lillian most likely waited. Sam took a step, clenching his teeth as he fought against the pull. "I thought you two had learned… You listen to me when I call." The two screamed, the pain too much for them to fight as they're bodies hurried to the door to Lillian.
"Ah. How exciting. We have them both," the voice belonged to Myotismon. He was standing at the end of the hallway, Magnus and Lillian on his sides. "It's going to be so fun watching them end the light and hope in this world, isn't it?" The cousin's nodded. "Yes. Very exciting."
-The Ballroom-
The group sat in silence, everyone on edge. "I can't sit here any longer," Mimi said as she stood, crossing her arms as she began to pace back and forth. "There has to be something we're missing… Izzy! Was there anything in that journal we found in faction 2?" Izzy blinked, his expression turning from uncertainty to hopeful. "Mimi! You're onto something there." He smiled, joining her in her pacing.
Yamato and Tai watched them, "Any idea what they're talking about?" Yamato muttered. Tai just shrugged, watching the two with a bored expression.
"The markings… That's it. Our markings are what is keeping these worlds tied together," Izzy said. "Okay, you lost me there," Mimi chuckled. "Let me elaborate. Tai and I have been noticing that Jumping is becoming harder. I can't Jump to faction 1 anymore… I tried before we entered the palace…" he looked to the ground, Celina's face in his mind, "anyway, not important. The Jumps started to get harder as our marks transition from a dark black to a stark white…"
Yamato instinctively checked his, the dark color now white snaked up his side. "Mine did change…" "So did mine," Joe said quietly, "when we all reunited, mine began to change…"
"Precisely," Izzy said, "the journal stated that once we rid ourselves of darkness, light will bring us back together. Myotismon is using the darkness to keep his world relevant." Tai blinked as he processed the information, "you mean to tell me, all we had to do… Was work together and expel the darkness within us?" Izzy shrugged, "It seems that way…"
Kari shook her head, "but Sora is dead…" She said it quietly, "Wasn't she the last part of us with darkness?" Izzy nodded, "that's the only thing not fitting into this framework… Something else must be keeping us tethered to this world."
Yamato sighed, "They are able to tap into those with darkness. They as in Magnus, Lillian, and Myotismon. They… They take over your mind, or your body, and you lose all sense of yourself…" he shivered, "they're tapping into someone. They have to be if they are strong enough to keep this world around."
The group was quiet as they thought to themselves, interrupted as the back door opened. "And would you guys looked at this," Myotismon said, "they're all waiting for us…" The smirk in his words could be heard without seeing his face.
"Good," said Lillian, "I was tired of chasing them…" The group huddled together, Yamato and Tai reflexively standing in the front to protect them the best they could, Takeru joining them. "What do you guys want with us?" Tai asked.
Lillian raised an eyebrow, "Want? Just for you guys to give in. It's been awfully difficult to tend to faction 1 as your darkness began to fade." She rolled her eyes, "then how are you still here? There is no more darkness," Izzy said from behind Yamato. "No more darkness?" Lillian asked, entertained by his claim.
"Sora is dead," Mimi said, "she was the final piece of darkness." Lillian smirked, "Dead? Oh no no… She's anything but. Magnus!" Upon hearing his name, Magnus pushed through the double doors, Sora and Sam struggling in his grip.
Magnus pushed Sora next to Lillian, the woman clenching her chin in her fingers, "She seems very much alive to me," Sora glared at the woman, Lillian pushed her face to the side.
Yamato and Joe blinked at Sora, "We… We saw you… Sora you were…" Sora shrugged, showing she was just as confused as them. Tai felt relief wash over him, she was alive.
"Anyway, now that the surprise is out of the way," Lillian snapped her fingers. Sora and Sam tried to fight her call, their hands reflexively drawing their daggers. "Let's have a little fun…" She looked to the two assassins, Myotismon moving to stand next to Magnus, letting the assassins do his dirty work.
Sora felt her body jerk forward in front of Lillian, a shock running up her arm as she did her best to resist. No wonder Sam killed me… Her muscles fought her mind. Lillian chuckled, feeling Sora struggle against her. "Just give in… It's easier," Lillian snapped one more time, Sam and Sora lunging for the group.
Yamato caught Sora's dagger with a piece of ice, "Sora, fight it…" She shook her head, "Run. You guys need to run…" Her body spun, Tai using his ability to move out of the way. "We aren't leaving you," Tai said as he met Sam's dagger with his. Sam grunted, "You guys might not have any other choice…"
*Author's Note*
Alright, not as long as the last, but still on the dark side? I promise this pic might start lightening up at some point? Maybe? Anyway, thank you guys for sticking to this story. I've been having a lot of fun writing it and playing around with different scenarios.
Thank you to Neon765 for the kind words! I think we have pretty much the same taste in fics and pairings. We'd get along juuuuuust fine!
Happy readings everyone. Thank you again :)