The Crest of Darkness [ON HIATUS]

Chapter Eight | Lith

 “He's gone!” Lith said. She clutched her sister tighter.

“Lila, it's okay,” Tami said, brushing off Lith's embrace. “I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere without you.”

“But what about—what about—”

“We have been called to Jiren to help with something.”

“Called?”

“Yeah. It was weird. This lady appeared in front of us and said we were 'summoned.'”

“What does that mean?” Lith asked.

Tami shrugged. “All I know is that we're together. That's enough for now.”

Lith smiled and finally relaxed. “You're right. I missed you so much!” The sisters hugged. Lith held back a sob. “I thought I might never see you again.”

“It was so scary,” Tami said, holding her sister tighter. This world is so different from ours. Luckily I was found by Zorn's mother. She had dealt with someone lost from Jiren before me. Because I was so young, she took me in herself.”

“You're so lucky! I was worried you were taken by bandits. It was so dark that night...”

“It was worse over here,” Tami sighed. She let go of Lith so she could tell the story. “Everything was so different. Before was the forest and our camp. Then it was a flat land and a strip of black, which I learned was the road. Even the stars were different! I thought they would help me, like Mink taught us, but the patterns were wrong. It was like looking at a forest canopy rather than a sky.”

“So what did you do?” Lith asked.

“I sat there and cried. There was no way for me to know where to go. It's only because Zorn's dad was coming home from a trip that I was found.

“You were found by chance?”

Tami shivered. “He almost killed me.”

“What?” Lith shouted.

“This world has extremely fast transportation, the most common of which is called a 'car.' That's what uses the roads,” she waved her hand to indicate the road they were sitting by. “Since I was crying on the road and he was driving so fast, he almost hit me. But he swerved in time and, long story short, took me home with him.”

“You went home with a strange man? Who almost killed you?”

“What else was I supposed to do? I was alone in a desert! On a completely different world!”

Lith hugged her sister again. “You're right, I'm sorry. I'm glad you're safe, and now we've found each other again.”

Tami took a deep breath and smiled. “Yes, we have. And now we have to go back to Jiren.”

“How?” Lith asked, sitting back.

“Well, it seems walking has something to do with it. I was walking around the camp fire when I came to Earth. Zorn was walking toward us when he disappeared. It makes sense that sitting here will do us no good.”

“You're right,” Lith said while standing. She held out her hand to Tami and smiled. “We'll go together, hand in hand.”

Tami took her hand and pulled herself up. “Together at last.”

They started walking. It wasn't long until Tami disappeared.

“Tami!” Lith shouted. She could still feel her hand, so she ran toward the connection. She almost bumped into Tami on the other side.

“We did it!” Tami said, hugging Lith. Lith squeezed her back, but quickly let go.”

“We have to find Mink,” she said.

“What's wrong?”

“He was fighting his demon father when I left.”

Tami's eyes went wide. “He's fighting his own son?”

Lith shook her head. “You never learned about their past. This is the first time they had heard from their father since Tori was born.” She shivered, remember the demon's words. “Come to bed with me.”

Before Tami could ask anything else, they heard an explosion in the distance.

“That's them!” Lith said. “Let's go.”

Tami nodded and followed her sister through the forest. Lith never let go of her hand.

After a few minutes and more explosions, they saw flashes of light through the trees. Each explosion made Lith's heart beat faster. Mink was still fighting, but for how long? Or what if it was someone else fighting the demon now, and Mink was...”

They made it through the trees. Other people were standing by, and a couple of horses were struggling at their reins, which were grasped by a black-haired man.

“Paze! Zorn!” Tami let go of Lith's hand and ran to two of the bystanders. Lith recognized the one with blue hair as Zorn, but then she turned her attention to the bodies on the ground. She saw a contrast of white on black.

Tori stood, pulling up the girl in white. The black-haired man let go of the horses, which galloped into the forest, to help Tori and the girl. Mink followed after them, staggering.

“He's alive,” Lith whispered. Tears sprang to her eyes and her heart threatened to jump out of her chest. She ran toward him, ignoring the shout from the demon.

Mink turned to see what was wrong with the demon, and Lith barreled into him, wrapping her arms around his strong shoulders. She ran her hand through his hair and sobbed into his neck.

“Mink...”

“Lith, you're killing me...”

“Oh!” She jumped back and took a look at him. He almost fell, so she slung his arm around her shoulders.

“You're hurt!”

“Yeah, I am. But you're here. Tori told me you disappeared, just like Tami.”

“Don't talk! We have to get you to a healer.”

“Run!” someone shouted. Mink steered Lith out of the way of the oncoming demon. The demon ran screaming into the forest. Lith thought he was following someone.

“He... he's gone,” Mink said. Lith still supported him as she looked around for the others. Tami was sheltered by the boys she ran to. Tori was with the other girl, and the black-haired man stood over them. The horses were nowhere in sight.

“Come on,” Lith said to Mink, and she started walking toward Tami. Tami saw here sister and ran for them.

“Mink, you're hurt!”

“So everyone keeps telling me.”

The two boys followed Tami but stayed back a little.

“What about Tori?” Mink asked. Lith helped him to his sister and the others.

Then they were a group of eight.

Did you know? This chapter is when I started getting serious about writing every day.