Darklight - Chapter One

Fiora Debraekan stood on the doorstep staring off at the setting sun, dreaming of a distant past as the wind gently caressed her raven locks. To the south lay the woods that separated the Debraekan's farmland from the town of Vello. The woods took up only the small space of a few acres and so it was considered undeserving of a name. The air was thick and rather humid, a sign of an approaching storm. The gentle breeze was a small relief from the muggy atmosphere. There was movement in the woods and a faint, golden sheen emanated from between the trees. Fiora heard a distant whinny as Arienna gently cantered towards her.
"Good evening," Fiora projected her friendly greeting into the unicorn's mind.
Arienna slowed, her golden mane gently billowing behind her, her muscular legs carrying her with perfect grace and balance. Her airy voice echoed through the recesses of Fiora's mind, "and to you. I sense a storm on the horizon, I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with Morskrin's presence in Vellisaira."
Fiora was taken aback at this news and a sudden look of worry took over her features.
"He's left the Shadow realm!" she said in alarm.
"It would seem so. I am surprised that Deabrion hasn't destroyed him since you humiliated Morskrin back in Terranium."
"I suppose I didn't humiliate him enough. I just wish I could have ended his life there and then."
"You told me yourself there was nothing more you could do."
Fiora sighed, "this is true. Do you have any idea what he's doing here?"
"I think you may be able to guess. I think you've known all along."
Fiora nodded gravely, "I thought we'd have longer. I must say, I am greatly surprised that Deabrion would send Morskrin to do the deed."
Arienna shook her head, "most likely he has been picked due to his being an umbra. All the more powerful demons would be trapped in the Shadow realm."
"That makes sense, and unfortunately Soleria and Luka do not have an army at their back like I did."
"Will you tell them directly?" asked Arienna.
"We shall see, but I feel they will be overwhelmed as it is without adding the potential threat of a necromancer attacking them." Fiora's heart was racing with fear at the thought of Morskrin going after her children, she barely defeated him the last time they had met and his powers had surely grown in the three hundred years or so since. Her children were barely fifteen and already it seemed hopeless, but Fiora was not about to reveal how scared she was to Arienna and there was always the possibility that this was coincidence and her children were no way involved.
"I will help in anyway possible," the unicorn stated simply. Fiora's heart lifted by the tiniest margin but it was enough to birth hope.
"Thank you Arienna."
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"You're doing it wrong," shouted Soleria. Luka gave a faint but defiant yelp, "I'm doing just fine." Soleria scowled at the boy, precariously positioned on top of a galloping horse whilst attempting to aim a bow. He ended up falling flat on his face and the horse huffed haughtily before trotting to the other side of the small field. Luka laughed as Soleria strolled over to him. Her pale face was drawn into a look of disappointment and her ebony hair fluttered gently in the breeze. Her dark eyebrows frowned at the boy framing her dusky almost black eyes and her rouge lips were almost pouting as she surveyed the youth at her feet. The boy rose, his eyes level with Soleria as they both stood at the exact same height, neither tall nor short but a happy medium. Where her eyes were sombre, his were bright and the colour of rich, bronze, autumnal leaves flecked intermittently with gold. His skin was tan and his hair a light brunette like the wheat in high summer. They were so contrasting but they fit together like two opposing puzzle pieces.
"I cannot understand how this, is in any way funny?" said Soleria in bewilderment.
Luka continued to chuckle but at a glare from his sister, quickly stopped. Luka sighed, "come on you must admit it was funny."
"If you were on the field of combat, you would have been killed. And the fact you laugh at your own failure is puzzling. I would be mortified if that had been me."
Luka rolled his eyes, "sadly not everyone is a perfectionist, and this isn't the field of combat. You need to lighten up."
Soleria glowered and whistled harshly at Rowan who quickly cantered over. "Shall I show you how it's done?"
"Be my guest."
Soleria smiled graciously and leapt onto the roan's back. Luka passed the bow to her and she sped off around the field. She quickly let loose three arrows which successively sunk into the target. Luka whistled, impressed,  but Soleria looked displeased when she walked over to grab her arrows.
"Not a single bulls-eye." she said angrily.
"They were all close and you were in full gallop."
Soleria snapped one of the arrows that had not quite made it back into the safety of its quiver. "Close isn't good enough. Close means they shoot back, close means they have the opportunity to hit you, close means your dead."
"Well I wouldn't quite say that..."
"Grab a weapon," said Soleria as she went to reach for her quarterstaff.
Luka sighed and went to reach for his usual sword but before he could, he took a blow to the head and keeled over into the mud. Luka sat up, his head spinning.
Soleria stood over him, her face calm and serious, "too slow."
"Ow! You probably gave me a concussion and for what? Just because I was slow?"
Soleria shook her head, "you were too slow."
Luka glared and started to get up before quickly kicking the back of Soleria's knee forcing her to fall to her knees. He quickly rolled out the way of any oncoming blows and grabbed his sword, before turning just in time to block the downward sweep of Soleria's stave. What followed was a impressive display of swordsmanship from both sides, with Soleria and Luka both taking turns to be on the offensive. It wasn't an epitome of grace but the attacks were all well coordinated and in turn well parried and blocked. It ended with Soleria sending Luka's sword flying and taking out his legs.
"Dead," Soleria stated simply, pointing the end of the staff at Luka's throat.
"What you gonna do? Jab me in the neck with your stick?"
Soleria smiled, "don't tempt me. Or I might just ram this where the sun don't shine."
"That's not really a proper display of dueling etiquette, is it now?" The twins turned at the sound of their mother's voice to see her standing leaning against a long broadsword.
"How about a little two on one? You almost beat me last time."
Luka raised his eyebrows, "you disarmed us both in less than a minute."
"You're both good at lulling me into a false sense of security though."
"We all know it isn't false," stated Luka, before loudly clearing his throat. Soleria frowned at him and he nodded at the quarterstaff which was still aimed at his jugular.
"Oh... right," said Soleria, quickly pulling it away. Luka stood up attempting futilely to remove some of the dirt and grass stains which covered his outfit.
"I'm sure you spend more time on your face than you do on your feet during practice," said Soleria smugly. Luka shot a dirty look at her and went to retrieve his sword.
"You two ready?" asked Fiora. The twins both took defensive stances and nodded. They both leapt at their mother with no holding back and Fiora likewise blocked all attempts made by the children to damage her. For every attack the twins made, their mother would return double. She moved with far more grace and her hands were a blur with the speed of her counters and thrusts, but she always took care never to actually have the blade touch her children. The twins did nothing of the sort, resorting to a crude and not at all effective hack and slash method, attempting to beat their mother's speed with their combined strength. Fiora ended up disarming them with ease however and the twins stood breathless and sweaty.
"You know you're not that bad right? Against a lesser opponent you surely would have won."
"How are you so good?" said Luka breathlessly.
"I told you, practice."
"Yes but why are you so good? Why did your parents find it necessary to teach you swordcraft?"
Fiora smiled, "as I've told you before, my parents felt the ability to defend oneself necessary. You can't be too careful. Exactly the same reason I teach you now. It's a tradition."
Soleria raised an eyebrow but said nothing, Luka oblivious went to retrieve his sword yet again.
"How about I go ready a bath?" suggested Fiora.
Soleria gave a wan smile, "that would be greatly appreciated.
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Later after everyone had cleaned up they seated themselves round the table for dinner. Their father Kyte arrived just as dinner was being served. Kyte was a tall and relatively toned man. He looked to be in his late thirties with dirty blonde hair and a crooked smile. His eyes were bright and inquisitive and he was the kind of man to always be in good spirits.
"Good evening everyone," he said cheerfully as he walked through the door. The children and Fiora responded pleasantly and they all sat down to eat the stew Fiora had prepared.
"How is the bookshop father?" asked Soleria, quickly striking up conversation.
"As good as can be expected. But it was a slow day today and I had few customers." Kyte Debraekan owned the only book shop in Vello which also acted as the local library. He made a moderate income but it was his pride and joy and he didn't care if he made one gold piece or a hundred. Sometimes he would even tutor the local children in history or geography for some extra money. The money was not a necessity as the farm gave them the ability to live comfortably. He was renowned as being the most knowledgeable man in Vello even if there was the added label of eccentricity that came with it.
"So what have you been up to today?" Kyte asked politely.
"Same as usual," said Luka.
"Very good, very good! I'm guessing you lost another round to your mother."
"Naturally," laughed Fiora. Soleria scowled and then glared at Luka who was grinning. Kyte's face grew disappointed then as he said, "I am afraid I will be leaving tonight. I must deliver a rare and valuable book to an important customer in Tamlaia and haste is of great importance to him. I'll be gone for about a fortnight, don't give your mother a hard time while I'm away."
"We won't," said Soleria seriously. Kyte chuckled and the Debraekans resumed their light, easy conversation for the rest of the meal.
"I'm going to go for a walk," said Soleria suddenly as she was clearing plates away.
"I'll come with you," said Luka just as suddenly. Soleria nodded at him and they both headed towards the kitchen door that led outside.
"Wait don't you want to say goodbye to your father first, he's leaving shortly." Soleria and Luka didn't pause as they strode out of the room quickly saying, "goodbye," as they exited out the kitchen door. Kyte gave Fiora a quizzical look but just she shook her head and waved her hand dismissively.
Luka and Soleria both headed off determinedly towards the woods like they had preordained where they were going.
"You feel it too, don't you," Soleria said without breaking her stride. Luka just nodded and they continued to walk in silence. There was a faint buzzing noise coming from deep within the woods and the twins noticed a faint, silvery light coming a short way off. They looked at each other with the same confused look on their faces. They had felt it not long before they had finished dinner, an uncontrollable longing to venture into the woods, a strange pull that they couldn't explain.
They peered through the closely packed trees and got a glimpse of a giant ball of silver light. They stepped into a small clearing and the ball hung there in midair unmoving and emitting the constant high pitched peal. Everything appeared frozen, as though time had stopped, aside from small tendrils of light that floated delicately around the sphere. The air was very still and smelt heavily of pine from the surrounding trees. It was tranquil and the twins felt completely at peace. They stood there for a good five minutes not moving, just breathing gently and taking it all in. The high pitched noise slowly decayed into silence and the sphere pulsated and contracted. Soleria braced herself and immediately took a defensive stance but Luka gently took hold of her hand and gave her a look that spoke more loudly than words. Soleria knew he was telling her to relax. almost as clearly as if he had spoken it, and she did though it remained a hard task for her as her whole body was buzzing with anticipation. The light meanwhile started to change it's shape, it grew large wings and formed a bird like shape. It quickly took the semblance of a large eagle though it was still made of that same silvery, translucent light. Soleria frowned at the enigmatic entity and stepped forward, the soft grass muffling the sound of her footsteps. The eagle turned to look directly at her and gazed right into her eyes. Soleria gasped, unable to break eye contact and she felt dizzy like she may faint at any moment. It was like the giddiness one experiences before going on a stage to perform or the feeling one gets whilst in courtship, except tenfold. Soleria had never encountered such an emotion before but it felt wonderful and terrifying at the same time. The being's eyes were filled with knowing as though it had seen the birth and the death of the world and all the events in between. It was clear it had great power and yet behind its might lay a tenderness that one might see from a mother with its child. Soleria managed to somewhat regain her composure when Luka took a hold of her hand. The world seemed to move again and come into focus and the bird became more substantial.
"Who are you?" whispered Luka tentatively. The eagle suddenly brightened in intensity and Soleria and Luka were blinded by it's fierceness.
Luka opened his eyes and found himself standing in a world of nothingness. All around him lay an endless world of white. Soleria stood next to him the same expression of confusion on her face though perhaps slightly less panicked.
"Do not be alarmed, you shall be returned shortly." A voice sprang out of the white void, it seemed to come from everywhere and at the same time no where. It was the most beautiful sound the twins had ever heard and they were both instantaneously soothed at it's melodic and dulcet patois.
"I am the Spirit and I have brought you here to the astral plane to give you vital instructions." An audible gasp was released from both of the twins at the realisation of whom it was they were addressing.
"There is not much time, you must tell your mother what has transpired here, she will guide you. You must journey to my temple in Vello, Fiora will know what to do. I have given you power that has laid dormant for millennia, you must use it wisely in the coming months. You are to be my instruments, only you can stop the spread of shadow. I am afraid that is all I can tell you, I must release you now as my power wanes. But know this, help can come from the unlikeliest of places, your salvation may lie right in front of you, without your knowing." Soleria and Luka did not know what to say but in any case, there was no time to say anything. The world grew dazzling once again and as the twins were sent back to Cyrelidon they heard the voice speak one final time, "I am sorry."
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"Wake up!" Luka sat upright with a jolt. Fiora was standing over him and Soleria lay by his side. Their mother looked concerned though her expression was difficult to make out in the dying light. It was almost completely dark and Luka wondered how long they had been unconscious. The encounter with the Spirit had taken on a dream like quality and Luka found it hard to recollect what had happened. Fiora hugged him fiercely and Luka was grateful for her warmth as the night air was gelid. As Soleria rose Fiora also included her in her passionate embrace.
"What happened?" Fiora said breathlessly as she finally withdrew.
"Um... we're not sure exactly... there was this bird of shining light and it took us into this world of plain white... white, everywhere as far as the eye could see," said Luka hesitantly.
"It said it was the Spirit and that we were to tell you what happened and you would know what to do," continued Soleria.
"Did it say anything else, travel between worlds usually ends in memory loss and it's vital you tell me all... quickly." Luka frowned trying to remember, "it said we must go to the Spirit temple in Vello and he had given us some great power and that we had to stop the spread of... of." Luka shook his head, unable to remember any more.
"He gave us advice," said Soleria suddenly, "something about help is where you least expect it and it's somewhere in front of you or something like that."
"Anything else?" said Fiora worriedly. The twins shook their heads, the memory slowly dissolving into nothingness.
"We best get you home, you've been gone for almost three hours." The twins stood up shakily and with the help of their mother slowly trudged home.
"Tomorrow we shall go to the Spirit temple and see what unfolds," said Fiora her face a mask of grim determination.