(Talynn's P.O.V.)
Well, I guess the secrets are out. Secrets I thought that were locked away for the rest of eternity.
As I run through the city trying to lose Cole, I think about the truths that'd been revealed tonight.
1. Kyna, Soula, and I aren't Human.
We never claimed to be human, but that doesn't help out in the long run I guess. Especially when you're a Dark-Light. Always sensitive to certain things. Like if you're in too much darkness, it makes you irritated and irrational. Or if you have too much light you come off as rather perky and annoying. For me, I'm a bit sensitive to light in my eyes. That's why I wear shades all the time. Kyna's skin gets blotchy if she stays outside to long, so she wears her father's old juzu beads to keep it from happening. As for Soula, she's always affected by temperature change pretty easily. Even with the slightest breeze, she can get freezing cold. And if she gets too much sun, it makes her sick. So her dad's old pin remade into a hairpin takes care of that.
2. I'm a Princess.
Yes I was born into royalty. But that doesn't mean I'm a snotty brat or a D.I.D. (Damsel In Distress) either. I prefer doing things my way; not some stuck-up courts way. And I haven't really had any use for my title in over a decade. The only use it has now is driving me crazy by making everyone act different around me.
3. Cole, Zane, and Kai are the reincarnations of three of the four Sons of Draco
Okay that one needs a little explaining. But I'm only going off from what my two and a half year-old mind remembers so bear with me. From what I remember, when a dragon dies, they are sent to a different place; a place where there soul is reborn as a human. They have to earn their wings again to become what they once were.
That place just happens to be Ninjago. And time here goes a little faster than it does where I come from. That's how the boys are older than us. Frankly, it's just confusing.
Either way, I'd hoped that at least these secrets would stay that-a secret. But the celestials seem to be against me tonight.
(Cole's P.O.V.)
I know as a ninja, you're required to be stealthy, fast, and always moving. But what Talynn has been doing for the last half-hour is insane.
I've almost lost track of her about five times, barely catching up to her only to have her evade me.
Just like when she was a toddler.
I'm not saying I believe in this whole reincarnation thing, but the memories are Colatos', so I better use them to my advantage.
…And I've lost her again.
Seriously she can only jump from shadow to shadow, how did she get so fast?
"I see you're baffled by all this." A male voice said behind me.
I turn to see nobody there.
"But asking Tallie even more questions isn't gonna help." The voice is to the right of me. "You know how she gets. The more you ask…"
"The more she draws back." I finish, still trying to find the speaker. "How'd you know-wait, how did I know that?"
The voice laughed. "Now that everything's out in the open, the memories of the dragon inside of you are becoming clearer. And as the memories become clearer, so does the full extent of your powers. Just like Tallie is rediscovering herself."
That's when it hit me. Only one other person besides Colatos ever called Talynn 'Tallie'.
"Why don't you show yourself King Talazon?" I ask, a little unsure if I'm right. I mean the guy's been dead for over a decade.
That's when a greenish black mist formed around me. It swirled around my ankles, circled my body, and went behind me to a shade of a tree. I had to look hard, but there he was, standing on a branch. The King of the Dark Realm, Talazon Kasuki.
He wasn't all there though. Just a shadowy figure with inhuman ruby red eyes; the same eyes all the girls had.
"You just gonna stare all night Earth-Boy?" The figure-Talazon asked. "or are you gonna go after Tallie?" he disappeared and reappeared right behind me. "'Cause if you are, you're running outta time."
I turned to face him, trying to see the man I saw only a while ago. But he wasn't there. The only thing left was a hard man who looked like he'd been to hell and back.
"Why would I be running out of time?" I ask, backing away slowly.
He pointed behind me, causing me to turn around.
Somehow I'd been transported from the north end of the park to the south where Zane's memorial statue was. Sitting at his feet, was Soula; her knees up to her chest as tears peeked out.
Talynn popped out of the shadow, trying not to shake. The atmosphere was freezing since Soula was creating her own frost. But she fought against it and sat down next to her fellow Dark Light.
"You all right Souli-chan?" The tannette asked, pulling on her shirt again.
"I wasn't ready for this." Soula stated, leaning up against the statue, looking up at Zane's memorial. "I didn't think it would ever happen; him being back. I mean, yeah we'd hoped for years, but for it to actually happen I…" She shook her head. "I can't go through it again. I won't-"
Talynn grabbed Soula by the shoulders. "It won't. Happen. Again. I refuse to let it happen! I won't let what we went through happen to you or me or anyone else ever again!"
"And how will you stop it?!" Soula threw Talynn's hand off of her. "We couldn't stop it and we had dragons on our side!"
"What're they arguing about?" I asked the shadow as the girls continued to fight.
"Soula's reminding Talynn that it was darkness-pure untamed darkness-that took everything they loved away." Talazon stated, watching his daughter. "Though I ruled the dark realm, there were those who were against me marrying and mating with Amirah."
"Well what's wrong with that?"
He gave me a harsh look. "Amirah was the Princess of Life. Anything she touched was filled with the love she carried and the power she held." He chuckled for a moment. "When I first saw her I thought she would be terrified of me since I brought death and illness wherever I went. But instead, she just smiled and waved. That was the first kindness shown to me in a long time."
"So when did you decide to go out with her?" I asked, glancing over at the girls. Their talk had remained vocal, but it could escalate at any given moment.
"Not until we'd known eachother for a year did I even attempt to touch her, let alone court her." The spirit said, shooting himself up into a tree above us. "I was afraid that if she so much as breathed on me I'd cease to exist. But my fears weren't even needed. She was born for me as I was created for her." His eyes turned dark. "But others didn't see it that way. They put up with me mating with her, even having sons. But a daughter?" He looked to his child, who's eyes were turning darker by the second. "A daughter was out of the question. Just because of some stupid old rotten legend-"
"Legend?" I climbed up to him. "What legend?"
He calmed slowly. Crimson eyes returning to ruby. "There is a prophecy, stating that if the King of Shadows and the Princess of Life were to ever have a daughter, she'd be able to destroy the true evil that haunts the realms. Most of my people didn't like that. Especially when you showed up."
"Me?" Now I was confused. "What did Colatos do?"
He gave me a confused look. "You seriously don't remember?"
"I only know things about Colatos' life with Talynn, not before or after." I stated, watching as the girls started throwing punches. "Should I be stopping them?"
"Nah, Let 'em duke it out for a bit."
"But you said I was running out of time."
He walked out into the open air. "So I did. But not for the reason you think."
He pointed up above us, but I couldn't see anything because of the branches around me. So I just kept climbing higher. Then I saw what he was pointing at.
It was the dragon constellation, Draco.
When I was growing up, that constellation was the only thing I liked about dragons. Sure the old myths told that it was to represent the dragon Landon, but I believed that there was more to the story. That there was actually something that constellation was hiding.
Talazon stood beside me again. "The dragons were all banished decades ago-save for your own and the parents of Storm. Draco wanted to test the limits of his boundaries after being stuck up there for so long. So he sent his four sons out into the beyond. Three of them landed in my realm just after Tallianna was conceived." He looked at me. "One of them was you."
My head was pounding, my sight was getting bleary. What's going on?
"When I asked you why you didn't go where your father intended, you said you felt a pull to my world. I didn't understand until Amirah told me she was pregnant." He was staring me in the eye now. "You felt a pull from Tallie."
The pounding was getting louder.
"She was calling you to protect her. To make sure what was to happen wouldn't. The beginning has, but not the end." He grabbed me by the shoulders. "Do not let them kill her. If they do, all is lost. Amirah and I will not rest in peace until we are assured she's safe. You understand me Earth-Boy?"
Everything faded black.
(Talynn's P.O.V.)
"Is that all you got?" Soula asked, ducking a left hook. "I've seen toddler's fight better."
My eyes glowed with hate. "You better hope I don't land a hit you whiney, self-loathing-"
"AAAHHH!"
I knew that scream. I'd heard it every time I placed my hand on my dragon mark. It'd haunted me ever since the night of the fire.
"Cole!" I turned around and ran towards the trees.
"How'd he find us?" Soula asked, running after me. "You warned him not to follow you."
'He never listens.' I think to myself. 'He didn't listen that night and he isn't listening now.'
When I found Cole, he was laying on the ground with a few branches around him. It didn't look like he was bleeding, but I couldn't be sure. His heartbeat was low, but it was there.
Soula knelt beside me. "Tal…"
I kept my eyes on Cole. "Keep back."
As I close my eyes, I feel the darkness inside me fester and grow. But while it's rising, I also feel the power of life race through my veins. Though I don't use it often, it still comforts me that my powers haven't completely gone to the darkness. I look down at Cole's face. His heartbeat sounds weaker.
"Cole." I put my hand over his heart. "If you live, I'll tell you everything. I'll tell you all about Colatos and his mission. I'll even show you the real me. Just stay." My aura grows stronger. "Please just stay!"
My power pulses out of my body. I can hear the wind howling as it picks up my hair. A dragon's roar comes from the stars above us.
I look up at the Draco constellation. There were times where those stars comforted me, there were also times they'd scared me. Right now was one of those times. A dragon's tail struck at my waist.
That's all I remember before blacking out.
(Cole's P.O.V.)
My head was pounding when I felt myself wake up. It hadn't hurt this bad since I was a child. As I raise my head I find myself in the infirmary. As I rise slowly, I notice Jay and Nya asleep in the chairs not far from the door, and Wu's sitting on the floor drinking tea.
"Sensei?"
My teacher looked at me. "It's about time one of you woke up." He said, getting up. "You and Talynn have been unconscious for two days now. And all Soula would tell us is that Talazon talked to you and Draco lashed out at Talynn."
That got my attention. I sit up fast. "Draco did wha- ah!" I grab my head as it pounds.
Wu steadies me as I deal with the pain. "You should rest."
I swing my legs over the side. "Not until I see Talynn."
"Cole-"
"Don't try to stop me Sensei." I said with more force then I meant to. "I need to see she's okay."
Sensei regarded my expression, and then sighed. "What you will see may shock you. But, if you insist."
He helped me to the floor and steadily led me to the girls room. Kai was asleep sitting up against Kyna's bed while Kyna herself laid on her side. Zane slept in a chair by Soula's bed while Soula herself laid on the floor. Talynn's bed had the curtains closed.
As Wu, pulled them back, I looked in awe.
Talynn's once pure tan hair was streaked with purple highlights. Her skin was covered in purple vine-like marks, and across her chest, was the dragon mark constantly moving.
I stood next to the bedpost, afraid to touch her, let alone try to wake her. I saw the little girl I'd seen so many times in my dreams.
It was Tallie. My Tallie.
I am so sorry I haven't updated in so long. It's just everything has been a little crazy for me in the last year. I'm still writing, it's just gonna take a bit for me to update every now and again. I'll update the other stories soon.
Oh, and I've changed my name because I just don't feel like ShadowsRosella anymore. Now, I'm EternityBlackRose. Rose for short.