Decaying Kingdom, Everlasting Love - Chapter 9 - The Result of a Self-Made god

Chapter 9 – The Result of a Self-Made god

The continuous descent into the earth’s core is taking a toll not so much on the couple’s energy, but mental energy. They never got to mourn for their family and friends nor have they had much of a break. What keeps them moving is each other, their faith, and their hope for a better tomorrow.

“Hey, do you see that person ahead of us or have I gone crazy?” Cinis asks.

“I see them too,” Favilla answers, “Maybe they’re trying to light the fire at the center of the earth like us.”

“Hey!”

The man turns around to reveal a demon wearing the skin of a human who’s wearing a sackcloth with four tendrils coming out of its body.

“Oh heck, do you know who that is?” Cinis says as he pulls out his swords.

“I know. The threats we’re going to face are going to worse as we get closer to our destination.”

What they are speaking of is the devil man that is spoken of in legends. He was a man who tried to make his own set of rules. He didn’t follow the ways of Sanctor nor the rule of Senium and tried to make up his own. Be his own god in other words. Instead, he fell into the same darkness and decay Senium did and just became a freak of nature. A devil. He was then cursed to wear his old skin and the sackcloth he killed his own children and in.

The devil man charges at the couple with his tendrils. Cinis tries to cut off his tendrils, but he can’t slice through them as if they were made of steel. Favilla arrows are deflected by the devil man’s tail, so she can only do so much.

“Cursed devil! We will pass you and light the fires at the center of the earth!” Cinis exclaims as his rage grows.

He unleashes an onslaught of slashes, stabs, and blows and finishes with a leaping spin attack, which breaks apart the devil man’s tendrils and tail. The devil man falls to the ground with an arm out.

He says, “Have mercy on me then! I am here to do the same thing.”

Cinis points one of his swords at the devil man’s throat while Favilla has an arrow aimed for his head.

“And why should we believe you, devil man? We know what you did,” Cinis says.

“Because Sanctor will redeem me as I show my devotion to him! I’ve had a change of heart, I swear it! Kill me if you don’t believe me.”

“I’ll believe you if you explain yourself.”

“I’m still alive because of Him and He’s shielded me from dangers when I protected other people from decay. He told me that He still loved me, so I’m going to repay my debt in full by relighting the world and the sun.”

“…Fine. I believe you.”

Cinis helps the devil man up and the group travels together.

“Thank you so much. Now when we get down to the earth’s core, there will be a man worse than two of me. He will be a challenge, so prepare yourselves.”

“We’ve already been through much,” Favilla says.

“Oh, I believe you. Just one look at your faces tells me your entire story.”

“Who told you about the lighting of the earth’s core?”

“It’s known throughout the world in all kingdoms. Where are you kids from?”

“Fornax.”

“Oh, that place is where they train people to relight the earth and the sun.”

“Relight? This has happened more than once?”

“Yes, ever since man’s first sin. I roughly recall it happening five times already. They mustn’t have told you yet because you two were trained to be heirs of fire. King and queen of the flame. Now that’s something that hasn’t happened. That should make the fire last longer.”

“It’s usually one person that does this?”

“It’s usually one person, but it can’t be the same person who did it last time.”

“So we’ll survive this lighting process then?”

“Of course, but I can’t promise it’ll be pleasant.”

“How many years does the fire last?”

“Around ten thousand if someone does it.”

“If?”

“The man at the core says if you sacrifice your most treasured loved one then you can light the fire without experiencing the burning process, though the fire will only last five thousand years. You can tell the difference between the people if you see embers flickering around them. I’m still surprised that they sent you two here.”

“Fornax has fallen.”

“That’s a shame, but I’m sure you’ll resurrect it. Were your parents nobles by any chance?”

“Yes, they got that position through hard work.”

“Fornax nobles are usually better than any other nobles in the world, but nobles like the ones your parents were sound like great people who could’ve relit the earth and sun.”

“They trained us instead though and no one ever mentioned it to us.”

“That must mean that they were chosen by Fornax to relight the fire but chose to make you do it instead.”

Cinis and Favilla look at each other.

“Oh, well I’m sure they still loved you!”

“We know, but…”

The earth’s core is in sight in a huge cavern with a single figure sitting by it. The three eagerly walk towards it but are stopped by Senium himself who appears out of a portal. A rotting devil that barely resembles the angel he once was.

Senium says, “You will not take this victory from me.”

“Do not interfere with us devil!” the devil man says.

“Speak for yourself devil man.”

“You two will have to relight the fire by yourselves. I’ll hold him off.”

“I don’t think so!”

The devil man pushes Senium back into the portal.

Senium cries out, “Close it!”

The portal slowly closes by an unseen force.

“Thank you…I’ll be seeing You soon,” the devil man can be heard saying before the portal closes.

“Are you ready Favilla?”

“I don’t know Cinis. That man over there might be too tough for us to defeat.”

“Don’t lose hope Favilla! I know we can do this.”

“I don’t know…”

“…Do you remember that battle song our parents used to sing us?”

“Yeah…”

“Sing it with me.”

“Cinis.”

“Trust me. It’ll help you.”

“Okay.”

“Wake up!

Get up!

Wake up!

Get up!

Hurry up!

Let's go!

The enemy is behind us

They show no mercy

They leave no prisoners

They intimate you with their presence

Listen to the beating of my heart

Trust me

I will defend you with my life

And dedicate myself to you as I carry you across the battlefield

Come on!

Grab my hand!

I know you're stronger than this

You've always been able to overcome your weakness

Now crawl through this next one with me

I have faith that you'll make it through

Look at my face

I will always care about you

I will stand by your side

And face the pain with you

If you can't walk, crawl

Whatever you do, keep moving!

I will always be with you

Hold onto me and you'll make it through

Hold on!
Hold on!
Hold on!
Now breathe...we're safe...I knew you could do it”

“Better now?”

“Yeah…”

Favilla kisses Cinis.

“Better.”

The couple embraces one more time before facing their final challenge.

Decaying Kingdom, Everlasting Love - Chapter 8 - Pulse of the Maggots

Chapter 8 – Pulse of the Maggots

The inner parts of the earth rot and decay as everything on and in it slowly dies. Maggots of decay and other rotting bugs crawl within the dirt and eat the dying body of the earth. Cinis brings out the glow and burning light of one of his swords to dispel the insects around him. There’s a disgusting smell in the air as they continue further down. It smells like decay and rot itself. The smell is even strong enough to kill some of the insects in the earth. Cinis and Favilla cover their noses and mouths with fabric from Favilla’s dress.

“Man, this thing stinks more than the air,” Cinis comments.

Favilla hits Cinis on his back then says, “Then suffocate you, idiot! It’s not like I had time to spray it with perfume with everything going on.”

“I’m just kidding. Your sweaty dress actually smells kind of nice.”

“I’m not sure if I should feel better or hit you because that sounded creepy.”

“How about you just love me?”

“I already do, but I’m still going to beat you after this.”

“Ha! I’d like to see you try.”

Cinis and Favilla eventually come across the source of the maggots and insects of decay. It’s a large fly with warts and decay all over its body. The tail end is where all of the insects are coming out of. In legends, this fly is known as the Earth Eater. It eats rotted and decayed earth and is also know to eat the bodies of evil humans. They are born out of the ground when humanity has committed too many mistakes. Just like when too many mistakes are made, the problems multiple like the Earth Eater and harm other people as well. These flies continuously multiple until someone fixes what was broken.

The fly notices Cinis and Favilla and retreats while other flies come out of the earth and attack them. They fall apart easily, but there are many of them, something that the couple should be used to by now. Since there seems to be no end to them, Cinis and Favilla push forward through the disgusting caves that the Earth Eaters have made. The flies have even made sticky traps to trap prey along the way, which have already claimed some victims.

Pushing their way through it all, the two eventually reach a cave full of Earth Eaters. The insects have built a nest here where more are born.

“I’m so sick of this all!” Favilla says as she shoots the nest down.

It causes the ground to collapse underneath them. Cinis and Favilla work independently, but together as they slow their fall by leaping between the giant insects and killing them. When there are none left, Favilla leaps onto Cinis who uses his swords on the walls to slow their fall until they reach solid ground. They then quickly run away as the giant hive falls to the ground and breaks open only to turn to dust.

The two then catch their breath in a tunnel and sit down in it.

“Now we really smell,” Cinis says.

“We do,” Favilla admits, “but you smell worse.”

“No, you do.”

“No, you do.”

Cinis helps Favilla up, but they keep going back and forth until Cinis says, “I may smell the worst, but you look the best right now. I look like trash.”

“No, it’s me who looks like trash.”

“No, it’s me.”

“No, it’s me.”

The couple go back and forth while smiling. Even though they may both smell and be dirty, they still stay close to one another without being bothered by the way they look or smell.

Ya'll ("Clean") - Parody Rap Song (Song/Poem Attempt #30)

Hey!
Yo!

What up?
I'm here to mess ya'll up!
I won't stop, won't fall back
I fight against all you hacks
Put all you pawns in your place
And all of your garbage will be erased

None of ya'll will survive
Victory is my drive
Your girl is my backseat driver
After I'm finished, she'll be the only survivor

I'm so sick of ya'll fakes!

I'm here to take names and take your girl
Give her diamond and pearls
She'll leave you in the dust
So surrender now if you must

None of ya'll will survive
Victory is my drive
Your girl is my backseat driver
After I'm finished, she'll be the only survivor

Sit down, ya'll have to listen!

I've been there, I've done that
All of your raps are nothing but fat and trash
I pull up with my Mustang while going ninety-five
Pull out my forty-five
And show you who's your daddy
Then feed you to my dogs that’ll eat you as if you were candy

Once I start rapping, your suffering is endless

Smoke some dope, drink a lot you think you're cool?
Ya'll are nothing but a bunch of fools
I don't need no college, don't need no degree
I just rap like I'm going on a killing spree
You think I'm lying, you think I'm wrong?
Then why are you still listening to my song

Now death calls
As I fall
But I'll rise again and that's a fact
As I shrug off death and go back on the attack

Decaying Kingdom, Everlasting Love - Chapter 7 - The Long Fall Down

Chapter 7 – The Long Fall Down

After the long fall, Cinis and Favilla wake up underneath the earth. Without saying a word to each other, they know they must continue on no matter how they feel. They descend down into the earth to find a small, forgotten city that spirals down further into the earth. Its inhabitants are dirty, meager, and don’t appear to be aware of what is happening on the surface. The couple has heard legends of this place when they were younger. This place is simply called the Spiral City where the lost and forgotten go to live out the rest of their days. It is said that kings of kingdoms across the earth sent their most vile criminals here to be exiled. Other legends say that this is where one of the first heroes emerged from and that everyone here is trying to be like them. Of course, it is no easy task, so no one really comes out of this city a hero.

Wanting to ignore this place like many do Cinis and Favilla walk through the city without paying attention to anyone. Their wounded appearance gives them camouflage to walk through without attracting attention until one previous agent of decay tracks them down. She infects the city with decay and they go after Cinis and Favilla though due to their previous experience this is a cake walk. After exhausting everyone in the city, she reveals herself and attacks the couple directly.

Her true name is Jezebel. A woman from times long past who had all the men of her town under her fingertips. On one day, three different men disappointed her, so she cursed them with the power Senium and the men turned into dogs. Sanctor dispensed justice on the woman by sending a simple man into the city to push her off her balcony. After she fell, the three men who were cursed, took three parts of her body and left her to die. Jezebel then gave her soul to Senium who gave her eternal youth as long as she served him in Hell every five years to be the mother of rot and decay.

As such, she uses her children as tools to defeat Cinis and Favilla while hanging back and throwing knives at them. Favilla shoots at Jezebel to throw off her aim while Cinis turns all of her children to dust. Since Jezebel is incapable of defending herself without help, Cinis is able to easily defeat her once he gets close to her. Her beautiful face fades away and is revealed to be an eerie white mask with a smile carved into it with makeup on it. The mask falls off to reveal an ugly face as beauty never lasts forever. It has long since decayed like her soul.

Cinis says to Favilla, “I remember this woman from before.”

“So they’ve been in the kingdom without us noticing,” Favilla says.

“It’s a shame the people here were used as her pawns.”

“It is, but we shouldn’t let that bother us. There are still people out there that need our help.”

“Then let’s speed this up a bit, shall we? Hold onto my back.”

Favilla climbs onto Cinis’ back.

“What exactly are you planning?”

“Trust me, babe. I got this.”

Cinis jumps down the hole in the center of the city and uses his swords on the walls to slow their fall. He jumps between walls until they come to a long wall where they rapidly fall down. Cinis laughs in enjoyment as Favilla clings to Cinis as she screams in fear and slight enjoyment. Regardless, it’s a rush for the both of them. They ultimately reach the bottom, but Favilla refuses to let go.

“Whew! Wasn’t that fun?” Cinis asks with a smile on his face.

“N-n-n…did you even know if that would work?” Favilla says while shaking.

“Nope. It was just a thought I just came up with.”

Favilla hits him on the head.

“Ow! But it gave you a rush didn’t it?”

“I…I guess so.”

“Then it was fun!”

“I guess it was.”

“Let’s go again!”

“Don’t you dare!”

Favilla gets off Cinis’ back and the two continue their way to the center of the earth.

“I’m still not sure of our chances,” Favilla says.

“We can do this Favilla. We are the best of the best,” Cinis reassures her.

“Yeah, but…I don’t know.”

“Do you want to sing another song?”

“Are you going to be truthful about my singing talent?”

“Yes.”

“What song should we sing?”

“Do you remember that one song about Sanctor?”

“I do.”

“We’ll need His blessings so let’s sing it.”

“Despite my flaws

Despite my hypocrisy

Despite my hate

You open your arms for me with a smile

You wipe away my tears

You take away my guilt

When I'm with you, I am a person that shares in your joy

Your happiness

Your infinite love

When I stray away, you wait for me

You may let me get hurt, but you always heal me when I need it

I may think I know best, but you always know the truth

When I come back, you forgive because you know my honest mistakes

You help the weak

The lame, the sinful, the people that are thrown away like trash

When we're with you, we follow your example and do the same for others like us

We share your nature

Your wisdom

Your unending love

They spread their ever-changing lies about you

But we stand firm

They hate and mock us

But we are wiser

They think they can win

But we are already victorious

You forgive every sin

We follow you

You give help to those who never receive it

We follow you

Your love is a greater gift than anything conceivable

We follow you in your ever-forgiving love”

Strength fills both their bodies and a strange energy heals them.

“That was beautiful singing, Favilla.”

“I think you sang well too, Cinis.”

Both of them wait for the other to insult them, but it never happens. They then smile at each other and hold hands as they continue their journey.

Decaying Kingdom, Everlasting Love - Chapter 6 - Coal for the Fire

Chapter 6 – Coal for the Fire

Once Cinis and Favilla wake up, they get up and travel back home. The sky strangely looks only slightly brighter even though it should be morning. As the couple keeps traveling, they notice that the terrain doesn’t change as the only thing they see around them is rot and decay. Though they can see the sun, it seems to have dimmed and greyed. Even the horses seem worried and a bit sick. Eventually, they see Fornax in the distance covered in rot.

“Oh no,” Cinis says as he and Favilla make their horses hurry along.

They make it to the fallen walls of Fornax before their horses collapse due to exhaustion. Rot takes them over, so Cinis and Favilla put them down. The entire kingdom is filled with hollowed humans and animals with no normal people in sight. Cinis and Favilla try to power up their weapons, but only get a slight buff in them. Favilla is at least able to conjure arrows, so she doesn’t need to worry about running out.

“This isn’t much for what’s ahead of us,” Favilla says.

“It’s good enough,” Cinis says as he charges ahead.

The couple doesn’t worry about clearing out each sector of the kingdom as all appears to be lost. They head back to where their parents are supposed to be. Along the way, they are chased by every hollow in the kingdom though that doesn’t stop them from reaching the command center of the Fornax, which is one of the biggest castles in the kingdom. There they barricade the doors before searching for their parents inside. Hollows infest the halls of the castle and some of them are faces that they remember. The two eventually come to the throne room where they see empty armor sets and clothes that their family members would wear along with sword on the ground. What happened here is obvious to Cinis and Favilla as they try to contain their sadness. A note among the hollow dust catches Cinis’ attention. He reads it to Favilla.

“We’re sorry for lying to you our children, Cinis and Favilla. We sent you out so you wouldn’t need to fight needlessly against our inevitable demise. We were the only kingdom left on earth and there aren’t many people left out there. Things may seem hopeless now, but the light of hope still burns. There is a passageway here in this castle that leads to the center of the earth. Go down there and reignite the flame that will burn away the rot and decay of this world. It will also ignite the sun and its radiant light. We kept this from you so that you could train your skills and mind to be strong enough to complete this task. Remember, that no matter how dim and cold things may get, your fire will never fade away. I know you’ll make it through this. We all love you.”

“Why couldn’t they tell us this?” Favilla asks.

“Because we probably would’ve just stayed here. It also seems like they knew it would end this way eventually. I guess they didn’t want us to see them die or they didn’t want us to go through the pain of putting them down.”

“Well…I guess we have no choice but to go to the center of the earth.”

“Yes, we have to save the earth and make our parents proud.”

Before they can quietly mourn their parents, the hollows break in. The floor where their parents’ clothes were falls and hollows start coming out of it and the throne room’s doors. Cinis and Favilla are able to power themselves up further and prepare for a long fight since there is no way out. They seemingly have to destroy the entire kingdom in order to survive. Hundreds upon hundreds of hollows assault the room as Cinis and Favilla hold their ground. Even though they’re the best soldiers in the kingdom, they doubt their chances of survival. A few hollows get through their defenses and rip off some of Favilla’s dress and even tear through Cinis’ armor, but thankfully they don’t receive any physical wounds. Hours upon hours of fighting passes until all the hollows of the kingdom are slain.

Cinis and Favilla collapse in exhaustion as the floor beneath them and the other floors beneath that collapse as the couple fall down to the center of the earth.

Decaying Kingdom, Everlasting Love - Chapter 5 - Venturing Beyond the Horizon

Chapter 5 – Venturing Far Beyond the Horizon

As the kingdom is being rebuilt and dead are honored, Cinis and Favilla are sent far from Fornax by their parents and the authorities. They are sent to eliminate a creature of decay that’s been causing trouble for the scouts that Fornax sends out to reach other kingdoms. They are given a map to guide them to the location of the beast along with a small supply of food as the trip will be long. They are also told to camp at night because it can be dangerous to move around at night. The couple agrees without question and heads out on horseback around midafternoon.

Along the way to their destination, Favilla asks Cinis, “Do you think that we agreed too easily to accepting this task?”

“Probably. This is the first time we’re outside the kingdom and it feels immensely freeing. Don’t you agree?”

“I do. What do you think this creature is like?”

“It must be dangerous if they want us to go after it. It could be as dangerous as the dragon or even worse.”

“I can’t imagine worse, but I’d like to.”

“That dragon was no match for us.”

“Heh, who or what is?”

“I know, right?”

As Cinis and Favilla make their way through the lands, they comment on the beauty of it all until they come to a point where they see nothing but decay. There is not a plant or animal that lives past the kingdom’s borders. The map they have doesn’t show or mention the rot that they are now seeing. The couple also notes at how the sun seems to shine dimmer here. They make small talk about it but ignore it for the most part.

“Do you think Fornax will be fine without us?” Favilla asks.

“I’m sure it will,” Cinis answers, “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“We’re the ones who saved it multiple times. I’m not sure if any of the knights or soldiers there can do what we did.”

“They weren’t trained like we were, so I see what you’re worried about. I still don’t think they’re going to be attacked anytime soon after our victory.”

“But don’t you think that because the walls are down, that the decay will take advantage of their lack of defense?”

“If you’re so worried about it, then let’s get this assignment done faster.”

“Let’s get it done. We’ll make short work of our target.”

“Now isn’t that obvious?”

Eventually, Cinis and Favilla find the location of the creature and leave their horses by a nearby tree as they hunt for their target. They find strange hoof marks on the ground and follow them to see the creature. It has the head of a white horse, the right arm of a lion, the left arm is a snake, the body of a bear, and the hooves of a goat. It sleeps in a pile of hollow’s dust with decayed trees surrounding it. When the couple gets closer, its ears perk up and it awakens. It roars like an elephant before attacking them. It’s fast, agile, and hits hard with its hooves. It also tries to use its head as a ram, its claws, and its snake arm, which appears to have a mind of its own. Cinis cuts off its snake arm first as Favilla shoots arrows into the creature’s horse head to disorient it. This allows Cinis to cut at the creature’s heels to stop it from moving the finishes it with a dual stab to the head.

“Well that was something else,” Favilla says as she picks the many arrows she put into the creature’s head.

“But we didn’t even need to our special abilities. This thing doesn’t even seem like it’s a threat to the kingdom since it was just sleeping here in the dust.”

“Maybe our parents know something about it that we don’t.”

“Whatever the case is, we better make it back to them.”

“Yeah. I’m still worried about them.”

“Me too a bit.”

The couple travels far before realizing they can’t make it back since it’s getting really dark out. More dark than usual. Since they don’t want to upset their parents by coming home at dark, they set up camp and eat the food they were given as they sit under the night which curiously doesn’t have any lit-up stars in it.

“I’m kind of upset that I can’t see any stars tonight,” Favilla says.

“Why?”

“Because they’re beautiful to look at and they’re fun to look at with another.”

“They don’t compare to your beauty.”

“Well, they don’t compare to your handsomeness.”

“Does that mean you just want to stare at each other for the rest of the night?”

“We might as well.”

The couple stares at one another with smiles as they try not to laugh. Cinis kisses Favilla as they finally burst out laughing from staring so deeply into each other’s eye.

“Hey, do you remember that song or poem that your parents taught us?”

“I do. You don’t want to sing it, do you?”

“I was thinking about that since no one is around here to judge our singing voices. I think it’ll help lighten this dreary place.”

“Okay then, but I’ll still be judging you.”

“Dang, haha.”

Cinis and Favilla hold each other’s hand as they sing together.

“I'll always be with you

Don't live the lie of your weakness

Fight the pain within your soul

Take my hand and I'll lead you to victory

You are my treasure, mocked and discarded by others,

But I can see your true value and it is more valuable than gold

You are my everything

Though you are broken

You are my invaluable treasure

Though you fall

I will love you forever despite it all

Don't give in to what they say

They'll tear you apart till nothing is left

Follow my voice

Take my hand

And I will lead you to eternal happiness

You are my love

Though you doubt me

You are the beauty of the world

Though they say you're ugly

I will never let you go despite it all

Discarded Treasure

Left to a dying world

Let me give you all of me

Because you are more than your faults

Because you are more valuable than the treasures of the world

Because...

Because...

Because most of all...Because I love you”

The two kiss each other after singing.

“How well was my singing?” Cinis asks.

“It was okay…,” Favilla says.

“You trailed off there.”

“Pfft.”

“I’d say you were okay too…if you didn’t sound like a dying horse.”

“What?! Well, you sounded like an old dog!”

“You know I thought someone with a beautiful face would have a beautiful voice, but I was wrong and that’s all I’ll say. Goodnight.”

“No, you’re not going to sleep until you tell me the truth!”

“I was telling the truth.”

“Stop messing with me! I know you’re kidding with me.”

“Then go to sleep.”

“Tell me something different then.”

“I’ll never let you go and I’ll always love you.”

“That’s better.”

“Even if you have a terrible singing voice.”

“Cinis!”

Favilla and Cinis play fight with each other before tiring themselves out with Favilla falling asleep on Cinis. They hold each other as they sleep near the campfire.

Decaying Kingdom, Everlasting Love - Chapter 4 - Lionheart with a Burning Soul

Chapter 4 – Lionheart with a Burning Soul

Senium, the Prince of Decay, comes up with a plan to destroy all of Fornax.

“Because they draw power from the sun, we will blot it out,” he says to his minions.

He creates a dark cloud that constantly covers the sun. An army of hollowed men and animals assault the kingdom’s walls once the sun is fully covered. The knights and guards at the walls try to hold off the army while the kings and generals come up with a plan. They talk about moving civilians out of the city so they don’t get caught up in the fighting, but the kingdom is completely surrounded. Though the sun is blocked by a cloud, they can still fight against the hollowed army, but then again, there’s too many as the lands around Fornax is littered with hollows as if all of them are here today. The kings and generals try to mix these two plans together to come up with a solution but can’t manage to come up with something that won’t cost the lives of hundreds of thousands to succeed.

Before they can decide, a messenger comes in to tell them that the walls surrounding the city have fallen. Everyone in the meeting room says a prayer before getting their weapons and fighting alongside their troops. Cinis and Favilla are among the troops inside the kingdom fighting against the decay until they realize that they are outnumbered. Favilla as already tried to shoot an arrow at the cloud to try to remove it, but nothing happened. They tried to combine Cinis’ sword together, but that didn’t work either. The couple takes a quiet moment to reflect and come to an answer that requires faith.

They say together, “The fire within our souls burn brighter and hotter than the sun, therefore, we light our weapons with it.”

Cinis and Favilla pierce their chest with their weapons and the weapons along with their bodies light up not only with fire but also with Holy Light.

They then say, “Put your faith in Sanctor and let Him fight alongside us.”

When Cinis swipes his swords the light and flames reach beyond the blade. Favilla no longer needs to use her arrows because she can conjure arrows of light and fire from the bow itself. The arrows reach a far distance and hail upon the enemy when she fires them up into the air. Their light and fire dispel the rot and decay that infests the town and rapidly spreads throughout the town. The army of hollows retreats as the fire and light come alive to turn them to dust. Cinis and Favilla lead the charge as the army of Fornax is reinvigorated and are given the same blessings the couple has. Once they reach the destroyed gates of the kingdom, Cinis and Favilla put all they have in their next attack.

As they charge their attack, they say in unison, “Darkness can never overcome the light nor can evil overcome good. Let us light up the world as Sanctor lit up the universe with one, singular action.”

Cinis sticks both of his blades into the earth, which lights up the land as bright as the sun while Favilla unleashes a barrage of arrows that rain down from the stars. This dispels the remaining hollows in the area and once everything settles, the dust of the hollows creates flowers and plant life where there was once death. The kingdom thinks it has achieved victory until a gray, skeletal, serpent dragon of decay comes out of the cloud that was blocking the sun.

“There’s always more,” Cinis says.

“And we’ve always got more than they do,” Favilla says as they ready themselves.

“I’m positive you have more than they do.”

“I’m not talking about my collections of gifts you gave me.”

“I know.”

Favilla shoots a barrage of arrows at the dragon while Cinis slashes waves of burning light at it. It dodges the barrage and lifts the couple into the air. They land on the dragon as it comes for them. Favilla is almost eaten by it but managed to use her legs to catch herself at the tip of the dragon’s mouth. Cinis lands on the body and cuts off its wings. Favilla shoots three arrows into the dragon’s mouth, which makes its skeletal inside burst with light. Cinis and Favilla fall from the dragon with Cinis holding Favilla as they fall to the earth. Since the fall wasn’t that high, Cinis and Favilla are mostly unharmed when they land though Cinis’ armor is damaged.

The dark cloud disappears from the sky and the sun shines brightly once again. Senium is outraged and starts another plan from scratch. Cinis and Favilla are given crowns as they have achieved the highest honor imaginable through their recent heroics. What were once embers then fire is now a blazing light that rivals the sun.

After the crowning ceremony is done, Favilla asks Cinis, “Now that we’ve gotten these positions, do you think we can cause trouble without getting in trouble with our parents?”

“We should be able to,” he says as both of them deviously grin.

The two then try to pull a few pranks on the people at the celebration and be jokers but are quickly reprimanded by their parents who slap them upside the head. They are reminded this night that their parents will always have some kind of power over them despite their position of power in the world.