Ignis Amare

I catch the lightning sword in my hand, and my locs fall over my left eye appropriately from the movement.

"What?! We killed you!"

"You sure did. Thank you for that. I now know who I am, and I can properly hear your voice. I hear your fear and your sadness."

"Aiden!" Kendra yells with a smile.

"Son!" My father cries.

"I knew you'd be back." Beatrix scoffs.

"I think I might retire after this." Liam murmers.

I laugh. "That's understandable."

"It doesn't matter! We'll just kill you again!"

"No, you won't." I say as a turn my back to approach Kendra.

The Shadow swings its sword at me again. I leave my back turned, and it phases through.

"What...what are you?"

As it asks angels blink into existence in the sky surrounding us in a circle.

"No! They came!"

"Don't worry, they're just here as witnesses."

"Witnesses?"

"Yeah, to see what we'll do. How are you, my love?" I ask Kendra.

"I lied...I'm definitely dying. I can't heal these wounds."

"That's okay. It's your turn to die. We'll be here when you get back." I smile at her.

"I missed that smile. I love you." She says weakly.

"I love you, you did good, and you were strong. The strongest." I cup her face.

"My vision is getting blurry. Kiss for good luck?"

"Always." I kiss her with a smile, and she goes limp.

"What the hell is going on?!" Liam asks.

"The end of the beginning and the beginning of the end."

"You're sure she's going to come back?"

"Of course."

"Yeah, I'm definitely retired after this."

The Shadow roars launching a multitude of Desire Daggers at us.

I turn to the Shadow and the oncoming daggers. "IT IS FINISHED."

The daggers disappear, earning a gasp of disbelief from everyone.

"You obtained it...the Divine Flame."

"I don't think obtained is the right word, but for the sake of conversation, yes. I told Kendra we'd be here when she got back. That includes you."

"It does?!" They all say in unison.

"It does." I respond definitively.

"So you can't kill us by yourself then."

"Kill, huh?" I didn't realize it at the time, but the voice was obviously the Creator. Had I not been through what I had, I may have interpreted the question differently.

I wonder what would have happened if I had said no, but I'm glad I didn't.

"You won't be killed. At least, not in the way you're expecting." I give a mischievous but playful smile.

"What are you going to do?" The Shadow asks fearfully.

"That's what they're waiting to see." I nod up to the angels.

"They are here to witness how we use the Divine Flame. What happens here will determine the fate of many different worlds, but nothing will be done until Kendra returns. Also, if you try to run, the angels will stop you."

"If you aren't going to kill them, what will you do?" My father asks.

"I get it. You found your way. You're going to kill them, along with everyone else." Beatrix says with a wink and smile.

"Exactly." I beam. My father, Liam, and The Shadow are completely lost.

"Will someone PLEASE-" Liam stops mid sentence as Kendra stands up fully healed.

She looks at me. "Makes sense." She smiles, her hair now covering her right eye. She walks to stand next to me.

"So, you want to do it together?" She rolls her eyes.

"Of course. Isn't that what the Divine Flame is all about?" I tease.

She rolls her eyes again as we approach The Shadow. It cowers back as we stand in front of it.

"Please tell me you aren't going to try to fight again." Kendra whines.

"What's wrong with you two?! Who in their right mind wouldn't fight death?!"

"Oh, is that what you told them?" Kendra turns to me and asks with playful accusation.

"Is there any other way you could describe it?" I laugh.

"Hm.." she pauses to think. "I guess not." She laughs back.

We both turn back The Shadow and embrace it.

"What is this?! What are you doing?!"

"You've been hurting for so long. I'm sure it's been a while since someone told you." I say gently.

"YOU ARE LOVED, YOU ARE FREE."

We say in Harmony.

"What-what are you saying." Tears fall from the shadow.

"It's okay to be hurt. It's okay to cry. You are no longer alone. If no one else will listen, we will." Kendra finishes.

"The Divine Flame isn't technically a flame at all. Its name is Ignis Amare: The Flame Of Love. It is an external and internal force. Nothing can put it out, not even hate." I admit.

"Even if you do hate, it's only because you really want it and haven't found it for yourself. You haven't found the Love you're seeking. We'll give you ours, in hopes that you find it in yourself." Kendra follows up.

"And we know you can because we did. There isn't any difference between us and you. Shadow, angel, human, we all love the same because someone loved us first." I add.

"We love you." We say together.

The Shadow sobs loudly. "That's-that's all we ever wanted, and we didn't even know it."

"We know, and now that you've received it. WHAT WILL YOU DO?"

"I... want to give it." It says surprised.

"Then go and give as much as you can." I respond with Love.

"If you give Love, it will always find its way back to you." Kendra smiles and squeezes The Shadow as it dissipates.

The angels sing a heavenly note and ascend past where the eye can see. But we know they're there.

"That's...it?" My father asks, confused.

"Yup, I love you, dad."

He smiles and shakes his head. "I love you too, son."

"Cora, Michelle, he did it. Aiden really changed the world with Love." He laughs quietly to himself.