My Sister, My Brother

She steps carefully out of the water like the sun emerging from behind a cloud--the water is the cloud, and she is the sun. For she is just as radiant as the sun itself. Her eyes sparkle with hidden mischief. Her dress swirls like liquid. And her name? Her name...is Vremali. She shakes her cascading, watery hair with glee, and water flies. The ground itself seems to reach up to grab the droplets let loose--they provide life and sustenance to all. 

The ocean behind her rises up once again, and a man steps out gracefully. 

“My sister,” he says, bowing low. 

The vision of loyalty.

“My brother,” Vremali smiles glitteringly.

“It is good to see you, sister,” the brother states. 

His voice is void of emotion.

Void of life.

Vremali does not notice. Happiness is all she knows. She has no reason to believe that sadness and despair exist--she has never experienced them.

Her brother conceals something behind his back, silently. His dark eyes shine like the stars, before they go out. Flickering like a candle in a storm.

“Mother has taught us well,” he says.

“Mother has raised us well,” Vremali replies.

He nods. He smiles. He grins. He laughs. But not for the reason she thinks.

His hands drip with something blue.

~~~~~~~

The creature stares from beneath the bush, its brown eyes wide with wonder. Its mother always told it stories about Vremali and Vehrdin, but it is a rare experience to truly see them. Rare indeed.

It steps forward.

Vehrdin turns with a snarl on his face.

And for the little creature, all goes dark.

~~~~~~~

Vremali has not noticed.

Vehrdin thanks the shadows for that.

The ocean behind them glitters with the happiness of his sister.

For just a moment, he regrets what he must do. What the darkness compels him to do.

But then he remembers the way the darkness screamed--

and he pushes that regret out of his mind.

His thoughts must be clear.

Clear, and ready for the hunt.

No--for the kill.

~~~~~~~

Vremali frowns playfully, looking at her brother.

"What is that behind your back, brother?" she teases.

"Do you truly want to know?" Vehrdin asks quietly.

The question is confusing--perplexing. Vremali nods, squinting.

"Of course, brother," she frowns deeper, in wonder and curiosity.

He pulls out a knife.

Her reaction is not nearly the one he expected.

"What is that?" she asks, fascinated.

Light flashes through Vehrdin, but it is swiftly banished by the darkness.

"It can be used for many purposes," he smiles cruelly,

"but this one is my favorite."

Vremali looks down as a pain that is simultaneously hot and cold blossoms from her chest. Blue flowers bloom there, and in front of her eyes.

"I am terribly sorry, dear sister," Vehrdin whispers,

"but it had to be done. The darkness told me so."

"What...have you done?" Vremali asks, confused.

She is not familiar with the concept of death.

"I have ended your existence," Vehrdin shrugs nonchalantly.

The life floods from Vremali's beautiful body.

How ironic, Vehrdin thinks, that the water-giving goddess of happiness should die with anger and hate on her face.

~~~~~~~

There was peace and light.

And then there was darkness.

The light kept the darkness at bay.

But it was foretold that the darkness would overtake the light.

Betrayal of the worst kind,

is what the prophesier said.

And it came to pass.

It has come to pass.

~~~~~~~

Beyond the end of the world-

Some things are known without them ever having to be said.

This story is one of those things.

This story is both a prophecy and a history. It has happened, and it will happen again. The light has barely a chance to regenerate.

Unless we can break the pattern.

Many have tried, many have failed. Many have never returned.

But if you are determined, you may have a chance. Everyone always has a chance.

Some just have better chances than others.

~~~~~~~

Cycle after cycle. Century after century.

Still, the darkness always wins.

The light grows slowly, then dies again.

Always as unknowing as before.

I wish I could've prevented my own death. The very first death.

I wish that Vehrdin hadn't listened to the darkness.

But wishes have a way of ushering in doubts, and Mother knows we don't need any more doubts.

So instead, I'll just continue to encourage my successors. Without giving information away, of course.

If I did, a prophecy would have failed, and the world will fall to pieces.

Though perhaps it already has.

~~~~~~~

Hissssssss

The darkness infects my soul.

Hissssssss

I fight it, but I can't hold it back for long.

Hissssssss

My sister is in danger. That much I know. And how many options do I have for her safety?

Hissssssss

Just one. One unsavory option, that involves my own death.

Hissssssss

I'd prefer not to die.

~~~~~~~

Something's breaking

I can feel it cracking,

as though every time it's thought of

it fractures just a little

bit

more.

~~~~~~~

Two doors stand, closed, before me.

Indecision.

One results in my death,

You deserve it.

the other in my sister's.

She deserves it, too.

Both lead to misery and pain, but--

Misery and pain are necessary for life. Misery and pain are welcome. Misery and pain are my brothers-in-arms.

the right path leads to a little bit less.

There's no such thing as a "little bit less" misery and pain.

I don't know what to choose...

Misery.

My head is splitting in two...

And pain.

~~~~~~~

He opens a door and walks through, unsure of what he will find beyond.

In the same moment, she remembers.

But is that enough to salvage this world?

~~~~~~~

A new, small creature peers out of its hiding spot fearfully. It knows what's coming.

It knows the cold feeling that's flooding through it.

It knows--probably better than the light and darkness themselves.

~~~~~~~

My sister--

Death.

and a knife in my hand.

You know what to do.

I can feel myself turning into a monster.

All the better for both of us.

My hand is shaking.

Forward. Push it forward...

I regain control of myself, and--

Vehrdin.

It's over. I made my choice.

Hisssssss

The world goes dark--no, it goes light.

~~~~~~~

And so, ten centuries after the end of the world, light reigns again. The choices of one brother to save his sister meant that the world was saved from its prison and reassembled.

Now, the cycle of Light will continue forever--or so we all hope.

And as we all know, hope is a powerful thing.