"A king without subjects, is he not still a king?"

There was once a beautiful queen who conceived twins, one a son of darkness and the other a son of light. Close to their birth the two raged war inside the womb of the queen. The son of darkness desired to be king but his brother, the son of light, would be born before him, thus deeming him heir to the throne by birth right. The son of light, however, sympathized with his brother and told the son of darkness to consume him and they'd both become king...

"So, Reason and Logic are two little girls?" Jackie teased as the group now made their way toward Maurich's village.

"Um, yeah, what of it? You aren't jealous are you?" Nic teased.

"Which one are you again? Logic?" Jackie continued to tease completely ignoring, Nic's response.

"Well, according to you humans, my sister, Nic, would actually be called Reason. I am Logic, though we prefer to be addressed by our actual names, Nic and Celeste." Celeste spoke up quietly, just loud enough to be heard.

"Just give up on her you two. She never addresses people by their proper name or title. It's hopeless." Maurich now stopping turned to say.

"Ah, but me and Celeste both know that your haven't told the duchess your real name. Isn't that right, "Dark Knight"? Nic said now teasing Maurich.

"I lost my kingdom and the rights to that name a long time ago." Maurich responded quietly

"Wait, what?" Jackie now confused asked.

Celeste walked up to the knight simultaneously transfiguring into the form of that of a young woman. By the time she had made it to the knight's side she now stood a few inches taller than Jackie, her head just below Maurich's shoulder. Jackie stood mouth gaped wide open as Nic had exhibited the very same transformation as Celeste right before her very own eyes. Nic just stood smiling back at the now dumbfounded Jackie. Celeste stared out into the distance momentarily before speaking softly to the knight.

"Tu sabes lo que se dicen sobre los caballeros oscuros, verdad?" she spoke just loud enough for only Maurich to hear.

Maurich closed his eyes and immediately knew the answer. "Yeah I know," he responded while turning around and walking ahead of them.

"They don't exist."

-------------------

"They don't exist? What? Explain yourself, Malevolence. I thought you said that the black hole's magic could turn any being into a dark entity. Theoretically, Maurich is a dark knight and his privileges to the throne are automatically forfeited." came Mischief's voice from out of the darkness that seemed to imprison the fortress at the edge of insecurities.

"No, the black hole was not a perfect incantation by far," Malevolence began, "In fact, there is no such thing as a perfect incantation for darkness, or light or anything for that matter. It either is or it isn't. There is no in between. There is only either darkness or light, and our little knight can never be a dark knight because he consumed all darkness in the womb of his mother."

"Wait, you're not telling me something, are you brother?"came Mischief's voice, as she slowly approached Malevolence from the shadows. She was a beautiful woman with long flowing hair, slender figure, soft brown skin, and eyes that could make the sun weep. She had returned to report the successful capture of the sage of space, who was being brought back by, Havoc.

"You've heard the tale about the kingdom of darkness and light haven't you?"Malevolence asked.

"That's said to be nothing more than a fable, isn't it? Even if it were true, didn't it happen over..."

-----------------

"...over seven hundred years ago?" Jackie now puzzled inquired from both Celeste and Nic.

"Seven hundred and seventy seven to be more exact." Celeste said correcting Jackie.

"Even so, it's just a fable, right?" Jackie replied a bit perplexed by the entire situation. She was having difficulty trying to absorb everything she was hearing. She looked over at Maurich who was still sound asleep. No one in town had greeted the knight when they arrived. In fact, even Maurich looked distraught upon his return, as if he were trying to remember something that no longer existed the way it used to. Their group had checked into one of the inns as Maurich's home was currently occupied by someone else. Jackie remembered how the knight hung his head and humbly retreated at the sound of the news of his home's occupancy.

"It... can't be, can it?" she asked herself.

"I'll admit that the story has become a bit exaggerated over the years," Nic began, "and perhaps a bit too focused on the knight and the princess' affair."

"But, there is more." Celeste now chimed in.

"There is the war, that Maurich left Karina to fight, but more importantly..."Celeste started

"The curse." Nic finished.

The twins leaned in and spoke clearly so that Jackie would not misunderstand a single detail, "There can be NO darkness, without light." They both said.

------------------

"No darkness without light? But that's impossible, Malevolence! Were we not born of darkness?" Mischief inquired.

"Yes sister, that is true but it much more complicated than it seems. Let me explain the knight first, then maybe you'll understand." Malevolence started, momentarily taking a deep breath then walking a bit ahead of his sister down the dark corridor of the fortress.

"You see," he began again, "There were two sons of the kingdom of light and darkness. Inside the womb of the their mother, the son of darkness asked the son of light if he could be heir to the throne. The son of light humbled himself and told his brother that if he would consume him, then they'd both become king, but what hope does darkness ever have to consume light? At birth, a son of light and darkness was born, for the son of darkness did consume the son of light; however, unbeknownst to either of them was the result that in actuality is the truth of all things dark and light."

Malevolence paused briefly, stopped and turned to face his sister, Mischief. His gaze grew cold as ice and his voice was grim and otherworldly distant when he spoke again.

"Darkness be naught but a shadow, feverishly chasing after the brilliance of light, ever beating at its back."

-----------------

"Darkness will forever be the shadow creeping ever so closely at light's back."Celeste continued, "The son of light had unknowingly consumed his brother upon birth and the sun of darkness became the shadow to the body of the sun of light. A dangerous group known as the brotherhood of darkness, which was lead by the last known heir to eternal darkness, conspired to keep the the son of light from ever claiming the throne. Their fear of a king that would rule over all, both the dark and the light, led them to devise a curse that would turn the son of light into an entity of darkness."

"Too bad there is no such thing," Nic now taking over the explanation said,"yet, using the sadness that crept into the son of light's heart before birth they place the black hole's curse on the boy blinding him from the truth. The truth being that what had occurred was in fact the truth of all things both light and dark."

"What sadness could creep into the heart of a newborn?" Jackie asked, interrupting Nic's explanation.

"One greater than the separation of a newborn from their mother at birth, you mean?" Nic shot back at her.

"The loss of a sibling." Celeste said quietly, "You are never too young to comprehend the loss of something that was once apart of you."

"They say that the son of light shed tears for three months none stop for the loss of his brother." Nic spoke up out of the brief silence that had invaded their conversation.

"Don't all babies cry, though?" Jackie asked herself out loud.

"Yeah, but not in their sleep." Nic replied.

The three of them grew quiet around the dinner table that they had all seated around. Jackie turned and looked over at the knight who was still sound asleep in the room across from them. Fire crackled in the fireplace as cinder and graceful flames flickered, swiftly dancing through the air before extinguishing. She took another sip from her cup of the tonic Celeste had made her for the healing of her internal wounds. Moving at the speeds she had don in her last battle was still very strenuous on her body. The tonic had started off bitter but now it turned into something sort of delightful. If she hadn't known better she could have sworn that she was drinking some sort of alcohol beverage. Nic was on her fifth cup already and Celeste had just started on her second bottle. Even Maurich had finished half a bottle that still set on floor by the bed in the next room.

Jackie took another sip and broke the silence once more with a question,"So, what does all of this mean?" she asked.

----------------

"The curse...it was weakened tremendously when Mauricio Laluz experienced a trauma worse than that of losing his brother." Malevolence began still with his gaze as cold as ice, " All because he left his heart with the princess when he went back to war."

"Wait a sec," Mischief interrupted, "First off how is it even possible for a mortal to give up their heart and secondly...

-----------------

"...Just who the hell is this "Mauricio Laluz" guy anyway?" Jackie asked the twins once again interrupting their explanation.

"We kind of thought that it would be obvious," Nic interjected, "We've only been talking about the same person this entire time.The heir to the throne of light and darkness, The guy with the gaping hole in his chest, that son of light fellow we mentioned earlier. They're all the same person. Maurich, our dead as a log when he sleeps, drunken, dark knight over there in bed." Nic finished. She then got up and walked over to the bed to where Maurich was sleeping, pointed at him with her now seventh cup of "kyprtonic" as they had now deemed the drink worthy of a name. "This guy, right here." she said while looking back at Jackie.

"Only his name isn't Maurich," Celeste joining in said, third bottle of the soon to be infamous drink in one hand, "and, he isn't a dark knight either. In fact, Mauricio Laluz fought and led his kingdom to victory in one of the most gruesome wars ever. The black hole curse has a terrible side effect that up until the war laid dormant inside Mauricio Laluz's heart. There is a part in the story of the knight and the princess where Maurich suddenly just falls unconscious for seven years and wakes up to a world of devastation."

"Yeah, I remember my grandma telling me that a sorcerer had placed a spell on the knight, causing him to fall into a deep sleep while he ran off with the princess."

**** spoke up, "Sorry that's the tonic talking...I think. Anyways, that's not completely true."Nic continued, "When Mauricio left his heart with the princess, the darkness that had accumulated over time in his heart, stayed with the body, immediately changing the knight into something truly terrible.

------------------

"Mauricio Eloscuro" Malevolence finished.

"Wait you couldn't possibly mean?" Mischief started.

"Yes, it is exactly as you have deducted, Mischief, my dear sister." Malevolence said before Mischief could finish her last sentence.

"What was once thought only to be a mere shadow had now come into possession of a body, with naught but the ruin and complete and utter destruction of a certain kingdom of light and darkness at the center of its focus."

To be continued....

By: Darrell Maurice Hubbard

The sun peeked over the horizon out in the distance, its rays showering the land of nonsense in their majesty as it approached the cliffs of anticipation. Reason and Logic grew quiet as Carnage was about to fully awaken.

"You feel that, Maurich?" Jackie whispered to the knight's back.

"Yeah, it is exactly the same as last night." Maurich calmly responded, a bit surprised that Jackie could sense the evil presence, "The question is, where did the other two go?"Maurich asked himself but loud enough for Jackie to hear.

"What other two?" Jackie asked now confused. "Did I miss something?" she thought to herself.

"There were three last night, right up until the point of sunrise." Maurich answered calmly," Listen, don't make any sudden movements." he calmly warned her.

Sunlight had finally reached the cliffs of anticipation and on cue, Carnage pounced from the forest, roaring like some psychopath maniac, wielding a massive battle axe, aiming to strike down Jackie. Sunlight had illuminated the entire land now and the blazing fire, red headed, ogre like behemoth came crashing down on the campsite battle axe in hand.

"Die!"Carnage roared as his axe collided with the surface of the earth severing the edge of the cliff from the forest completely.

Now, what remained of the cliff along with Carnage, Maurich and Jackie hurdled rapidly toward the ground below. Maurich's armor glowed white and flames wrapped themselves around the knight's body. He knew that there was no way that he could stop them from falling completely as his power had not fully returned. He had waited two weeks before their departure for that very reason but his power had only recovered ten percent. However, he could try and slow it down. The only problem was that it would take the same energy he was using to hold he and Jackie in place on the surface of the falling cliff. He had to think of something and fast because Carnage had relentlessly pursued them and was due to come crashing down from above at anytime.

"You can let go of me now, Maurich." Jackie spoke looking up at Carnage, "I know you're holding us to the surface, Maurich, but it's okay because you don't need to."

"Are you sure?" Maurich replied a bit astonished. Jackie was proving to be a lot more capable than he had imagined her to be.

"Yeah, if I could get three minutes of stability, face to face with him, then I could take him." Jackie responded, again shocking the knight. He was having a difficult time trying to figure out exactly who it was that stood before him. Jackie's attitude had change drastically. It it was if a completely different entity closely resembling her, had swooped in unknowingly and taken her place. Then he remembered her luggage. He also noticed the bracelets Jackie wore on her wrist and ankles and also the choker she wore around her neck. It all began to make sense and he understood what it was that Jackie was trying to tell him. Just how had he missed those details in the first place?

"Looks like the duchess is more than that curvy body, long dark hair and those soft features of hers." he thought to himself shaking his head. "Fine, if that is what you wish, then I can provide that." Maurich finally responded to the princess.

"Wait, what?! How exactly could you do something like th-" she said finally turning around to face Maurich. Her speech had been momentarily hindered by the appearance of the knight engulfed in white flames standing before her.

"I guess I'll have to explain myself later, huh?" Maurich joked before jumping up from the falling cliff as Carnage came crashing down.

"Time to die, Farwind!" came Carnage's husky voice from behind Jackie.

"Well, damn." she said as she watched the knight's white flames manifest into wings and grant him flight. He flew down far below the falling cliff. He reached the ground and looked up, focusing on the falling boulder of earth that proceeded to fall, while releasing the white flames that cloaked his armor.

"Three minutes, Jackie, and that's it!"Maurich yelled up to Jackie as time began to slow to a halt all around him. Gravity gave in to Maurich's grip on the reins of time and the cliff stood still in mid air.

Carnage came crashing in suddenly, attempting to impale Jackie but when the debris had cleared it became obvious to him that the young duchess would not be going down so easily. She had not only dodged the brute's attack, but she had also been nimble enough to maneuver herself atop the axe head's blade, standing upside down while balancing herself, using her index and middle fingers only. Carnage quickly swung his axe upward and around and then immediately afterwards, extended his body forward flinging the axe forward at Jackie who was still in the mid-air, in the middle of dodging his previous attack. She was too slow and was not unable to dodge the incoming axe completely.The axe caught her shoulder tearing the tendons apart in her left shoulder as the axe blade tore through her flesh. The axe returned back to Carnage who now stood smiling menacingly.

"If you hadn't moving at the last moment you would have lost that cute little head of yours, little Farwind!"Carnage teased menacingly.

A pink aura began to cover Jackie's entire body as she built up energy for her counter attack. The wound on her shoulder began to heal rapidly and the wind's direction shifted. She knew she didn't have time to waste. Walking toward Carnage she took off the choker around her neck and threw it into suspended time where it stayed float. Jackie noticed it and looked at it astonished. "What the-?" she thought to herself but then she quickly realized what Maurich had done for her. She took off her bracelets and threw them into time's web also.

"What's going on?"Carnage asked now concerned, as he looked around confused. For the first time since landing he notice that everything on the falling cliff stood suspended. The debris from his previous attacks, Jackie's bracelets and choker. All of it, even the blood from Jackie's wound remained in the air afloat.

"It would seem that I've been traveling with someone who can manipulate time and space." Jackie said to the Carnage not looking at him but focusing on her shoulder wound which was healing right before her very eyes. "That's really too bad for you because now you have no idea what's in store for you in the next twenty seconds." she said, finally turning to face the giant standing before her.

"Don't mock me, you little wench!"Carnage shouted at her, picking up his axe again to strike but before he could even get a good grip on it, Jackie was immediately right on him. Her eyes were as cold as death as she peered up at the giant. The next two seconds felt like an eternity as the two glared each other in the eyes.

"How did you-?"Carnage could not even finish his sentence before Jackie had struck him across the temple with a kick that was just as fast as it was powerful, sending him flying across the cliff. Carnage barely managed to stop himself after flying thirty feet or so with the use of his battle axe, which he had struck the ground with to brake abruptly, bringing himself to a stop. He could barely summon the energy to stand to his feet, let alone maintain balance on one knee. Jackie's kick had disabled seventy percent of his basic motor skills. His struggle, seemingly all for naught, was interrupted by Jackie's now fearsome presence as she instantaneously appeared before him again. She struck him once more but this time against his left cheek, shattering his jaw bone. Carnage doubled over spitting up a stew of blood and teeth. Then, grabbing the behemoth by his throat, Jackie proceeded to take his life.

"Wait!" came Maurich's voice from behind her.

The cliff had settled gently down onto the earth below in grassy planes, known as the fields of resolution. No one in the land of nonsense knows how or why these planes had received such a name but no one ever dared to question it really. Time had once again began to flow. Jackie's bracelets that had once stood adrift in mid-air came crashing down into the earth around the three of them.

"So that's how she did it." Carnage thought to himself, still in Jackie's grasp."I must find a way to escape."

"What do mean,"wait"?" Jackie asked Maurich a little confused,"He tried to kill both of us, remember."

"Yeah, but now, he's in no position to do so as of recently, right?"Maurich reasoned, "Besides, even though I'm not at one hundred percent, I definitely felt the presence of two others with him last night." he went on to finish."Don't you find it odd for them to all of the sudden at sunrise, just vanish with virtually no evidence of them ever being here?"

"You..shou-ld...*cough*, listen to the knight...Far-windd."Carnage managed barely between breaths,"There are...two other...entities with-in..mee."

Jackie's grip on the behemoth's throat loosened a little. Carnage knew he was getting through. He decided to bait them both a little more.

"Logic and Reason are hidden deep within all carnage." Carnage teased now able to speak a bit more clearly, though under Jackie's grip, he sounded like a snake whispering secrets into Eve's ear.

"I thought so." Maurich spoke up,"Release them and we will let you go, right, Jackie?" he said turning to face Jackie.

She stood there for a second think and then finally spoke,"Blood is kind of hard to clean off."she finally reasoned, once again shocking Maurich. Jackie had done an completely one eighty. He still couldn't believe it was the same Jackie that stood before him. "Now, spit it out, Mister!" she finished.

"...and just like that she's back to normal herself, again.."Maurich thought to himself, hand over face, with head hung over in shame.

Jackie's grip around the fiend's neck had loosened more and Carnage knew that then would be the most appropriate time to escape but he was careful not to make any sudden movements. Clouds began to gather above, momentarily blotting out the sun. Darkness crept over the land slowly inching its way onto the fields of resolution. Carnage looked up at Jackie and Maurich smiling.

"Logic and Reason are hidden deep within all carnage,"the giant repeated now laughing hysterically,"but I've held on to these two for long enough and it's time that I rid myself of these nuisances once and for all."

"Jackie!" Maurich shouted out loud, noticing for the first that she had relaxed her grip around the tyrant''s neck but it was too late. Lightning struck the giant, purging him of Reason and Logic, whose bodies were spit up from out Carnage's body. An explosion ensued where lightning had struck and although Jackie had released her grip in time to avoid being electrocuted, she had not got out of the blast radius in time. The shock wave sent her flying into Maurich who caught and shielded her from debris. By the time the debris had cleared, Carnage had already escaped.

"When carnage loses all Reason and Logic only Disaster is left." Carnage's voice could be heard in the minds of both Jackie and Maurich as each struggled to get back to their feet. They both made there way over to the site were lightning had stuck the giant.

"We will meet again, Farwind and knight." Carnage's last words echoed in their ears.

"Come on," Maurich told Jackie, as he propped her up, "My home town is only a little ways down. We'll get you all patched up when we get there."

"My bracelets!" Jackie shouted all of the sudden, "Hurry up and help me find them!"

"What? But you don't need them."Maurich said trying to calm her down,"Besides, you're a hell of alot stronger without them."

"No, you don't understand, dork. They're not just weights. I need them to restrain my awesomeness, so I can interact normally with people." Jackie began to explained.

"Restraints to restrain your awesomeness, huh? Well that makes sense."Maurich thought to himself, but they sure were heavy, "Exactly how much do those things weight, anyway, if you don't mind my asking?" he asked Jackie.

"Nothing really, just about a ton and a half a piece." Jackie causally responded over her shoulder. She had found the last bracelet and was now looking for the choker.

"Note to self, never ever get on Jackie's bad side." Maurich thought to himself.

Jackie, now on all fours surveyed the fields for her choker."Looking for this?" came a girls voice, the girl held the choker in her hand and to Jackie's amazement the little girl showed no signed of straining at all. Jackie backed away cautiously.

"Who are you?" Jackie began to interrogate the little girl.

"It's okay Jackie. You can calm down. It's the two I mentioned earlier, remember." Maurich said coming up from behind her.

"The two?" Jackie repeated part of the knight's sentence confused.

"Yeah." boldly came another little girl's voice from behind the first girl, still holding Jackie's choker."I'm Nic, and this is my twin sister, Celeste and we are,"

"Reason and Logic."

To be continued...

"Hey, Mister!" Jackie called out from behind the knight yet again, "Do you even know where it is we're heading exactly?" She and Maurich had been traveling on foot for the last three days now and she was exhausted second but perplexed first at the knight's endurance. It was in itself inhuman, the very idea of anyone being able to go for so long relentlessly without rest.

"I told you that you didn't have to come along." Maurich shot back over his shoulder as he made his way through the thick forest cutting down branch after branch that would dare stand in the way of he and his destination."This is something I have to do alone and I don't want to get anyone else involved." he once again reminded her as he had done several times before already.

"Yeah right, and who else is going to tends those wounds of yours if they're to come unbandaged." she called after him.

I already told you that I heal fast." Maurich began, "My wounds have been healed for the last two weeks now. I only waited until three days ago to depart because I wanted to make sure I was back to full strength in case I-"

Jackie cutting Maurich off interjected, " In case of what, Mister, hmm?"

"For the last time it's Maurich." Maurich said, losing train of thought, now having stopped to face Jackie, "I finally give you my name and you completely disregard any existence of it, and after all that constant badgering, going on and on about how you don't like hanging out with strangers and what not. What exactly was the point of me telling you if you were still just going to call me "Mister" anyway?"

"Aw, calm down, you. What's the meaning in a name anyway?" Jackie said playfully.

"I don't know? You tell me, Jacqueline Farwind, Duchess of Last Dawn." Maurich replied smugly to Jackie's question grinning ear to ear. He then turned around and continued making his way through the thick forest.

"You are such a jerk!" Jackie yelled after him, running now to catch up, "I thought you were sleep."

"Yeah and it's not weird at all that you whisper secrets to people you don't know while they're recovering and unconscious." Maurich teased sarcastically.

Jackie was struck with silence as she continued to walk." I can't believe this guy," she thought to himself, "All this time I thought he was asleep, recovering his strength and he was awake the entire time," She continued, now getting angrier. " I had only said those things because I felt bad for intruding on his private thoughts and see his past. Yeah, that's it. I only said what I said because I felt guilty for intruding on his private thoughts and nothing more so there's no need to get worked up about any of this. I just need to simply explain it to the dork." She rationed finally calming down.

"Thanks." said Maurich over his shoulder never turning back, before Jackie could begin to explain her actions.

"Dork." Jackie smiling, shot back but softly so the knight would not hear.

They continued to make their way through the thick forest on foot until they came to a clearing. They both stood atop the cliffs of anticipation, cliffs known throughout the entire land of nonsense for their breath taking views. In the distance they could see the village of Nueva Vida. A river and a mountain separated the knight from his heart. The land of nonsense stretched as far as the eye could see and it was a beauty to behold.

"My home town is nearby. We just have to make our way down this cliff and cross that river there and then we can eat and rest." Maurich turned to tell Jackie.

"Good, wake me in the morning when your ready to leave." Jackie replied to Maurich from under the animal fur she had nestled in. She had set up camp while the knight stood near the edge of the cliff to take in the view. Maurich took a deep breath then exhaled.

"Fine," he sighed,"But we're leaving first thing in the morning."

"Yeah, yeah already, hey you think you could build us a fire big guy?"Jackie asked turning half way around to face Maurich.

"For the last time, woman, it's Maurich!"exclaimed Maurich.

"Okay dude, just make the fire please."replied Jackie, completely ignoring Maurich's plea.

Giving up completely, Maurich sighed and proceeded to gather the wood for the fire. He would use the flint he brought with him to light the fire. He found dried grass nearby their campsite and added it to the base of the pile of fire wood to catch the sparks from the flint. After he had the fire going he sat down near it to absorb the heat and occasionally feed the flames a twig or two. Jackie, having turned completely toward the dark knight looked up at him across the fire.

"What's it like not having a heart?" she asked curiously.

Maurich sat down the random twig he had picked up recently to feed the fire, thought for a second, then replied,"I honestly don't know the difference. At first I thought that I would feel dead inside or like something was missing but I walked this earth for many years without a heart, and afterwards, I realized that it felt no different than when I had it. I don't think I would have ever realized its worth were it not for the threat of it being forever lost."

"How could you ever have come to inhabit such a miserable existence?" Jackie said under her breath so Maurich could not hear her as she turned back away from the knight. She could not grasp that concept no matter how hard she tried. She had seen his darkness first hand and yet she failed to comprehend it.

"Darkness exist in us all, Jackie." Maurich's voice now came, calm and quietly blanketing her thoughts. She immediately turned to face him wide eyed, bewildered that he had actually heard what she said.

"I thought for so long that it was just me. I though for so long that I was the only one burdened with this incomprehensible tribulation, but then I realized somewhere along the way that I was wrong. It exists in us all." Maurich paused and silence invaded their campsite briefly. Jackie's eyes grew wider with fear as the dark knight began to lean forward, never ceasing to break stare as he gazed ominously into her dark eyes. His brown eyes that had once only reflected darkness began to reflect something else before Jackie's eyes. It was something that she had dared herself to never think about again.

"Even in you, Jackie." Maurich said breaking silence finally, "Things have only ended up this way for me because I dared to challenge the darkness within me." He paused briefly breaking their gaze into each others eyes. Looking off into the distance over the cliff he finished speaking, "If that makes my existence miserable then so be it. Darkness may very well exist in us all..."

"But at least I have the courage to face mine."

After Maurich had finished speaking he went back to the other side of the fire and laid down on the bed of animal fur that Jackie had given him back at the cave. Looking up at the night's sky, he spoke one last time saying, "I apologize. I may have went over board with what I said. My point was this and this only, that living without a heart is no different than dying with one. It's what you do with the time you have to live or die that matters."

Jackie turned away from the knight. She was beyond shocked by what Maurich had said. His words rang true in her ears.

"Darkness exist in all of us..."

"...At least I have the courage to face my darkness..."

She drifted off to sleep only to be awakened abruptly by a cool breeze that had wrapped itself around her legs. The fire had long since been put out and their campsite seemed desolate and empty.

"Um, Mister?" she called out as Maurich was no where to be found. The scenery had changed drastically. Dark malicious clouds now held up the sky. The trees around her were withered and drawn up. The ground, dried and crackled, wept for hydration with each step Jackie took as she approached the cliff. "Okay this isn't funny, you." she called out again. She was only met with an eerie silence as she drew nearer to the cliff's edge. "Seriously, Maurich, this isn't funny." she called out one more time, at last heeding the knight's request to be addressed appropriately.Thunder boomed in the sky shaking the ground underneath Jackie who subsequently fell to her knees from being knocked off balanced. She still kept making her way to the edge of the cliff, hoping that the knight would have just gone ahead of her. She would spot him easily as he seemed to only leave destruction in his wake. The view she was greeted with was horrific. Complete and utter darkness showered the land. She quickly got up to her feet stumbling backward. "No!" she said out loud, "Where is everyone?" she asked to no one. Rain began to fall violently while thunder shook the earth beneath her. Then lightning struck momentarily and she could see something in the distance. She quickly scrambled back to the edge of the cliff hoping for another chance to see it again. Lightning struck once again momentarily illuminating the entire land. The earth had been covered in death, skeletons and had been stained by the blood of the innocent. A bright light flickered in the midst. "Maurich?" she thought to herself. All of the sudden, she was standing back to back with the knight. Maurich's armor radiated with white flames. They were surrounded by darkness and stood dead in the middle of chaos. Maurich wielding his sword launched out into the darkness and began to fight it head on, leaving Jackie to fend for herself. "Hey, wait!" Jackie called out. It was too late. The knight had already disappeared and now thick darkness stood between them both. "Don't leave me alone!" she called out again. The darkness pounced and swallowed Jackie up entirely. "Nooo!"she screamed out in fear and desperation, but no one came to save her. She felt her life slowly fleeting away from her and there was nothing she could do about it. She struggled with the darkness but it was to no avail until finally, "Wake up, Jackie!" Maurich called to her. Jackie shot up from out of her sleep, gasping for air. Silence greeted her once again but with a quick survey of her surroundings, the night's sky and everything else seemed to be back to normal. Maurich was there, sound asleep. She had no idea how but it had to have been the knight who called her from her nightmare.

"Maurich?" she whispered softly but no answer.

She got up and walked over to the knight, still wrapped in the blanket of fur, and kicked him in his side,

"Maurich, you up?"she asked the now distraught knight.

"It's kind of hard not to be up when people are kicking you in the side and what not." Maurich replied disgruntled, "So, what's got you all ruffled up anyhow? Wait a sec, why are you sweating? It's freezing out tonight. You're not sick are you, because that would be a drag. I'd hate to have to carry your l-" Jackie kicked the knight again, this time making sure not to hold back.

"Ow!"Maurich childishly yelped."I was going to say luggage. I picked that thing up already and it felt like you had the whole world in there."

"Shut up, dork I was just checking to see if you where alive. You sleep like the dead and it's extremely creepy. Anyway, go back to sleep."Jackie said as she resettled down a little closer to the knight. She laid down and looked up at the stars for a while before turning toward Maurich who, as if nothing had occurred at all, was dead as a log in deep sleep. Infuriated by the knight's carefree attitude, she picked up a pebble laying next to her and whipped it toward Maurich smacking him in the back of the head. To her surprise the knight didn't even flinch once but remained in deep slumber. Sighing from defeat, Jackie just turn back around to face the sky again.

"How do you do it, Maurich? How do you face the darkness...alone..."she whispered faintly before finally falling asleep.

------------------

"Where is Malevolence?" a dark figure standing in the darkness of the gloomy corridors of the fortress of the Dark Brethren said.

"He's in his chambers asleep, more or less awaiting your arrival, brother" came Deception's voice from within the darkness of the corridor.

"Awaken him at once. Famine and Delusion have both located the sage of space. We are going to need Malevolence to reason with the old coot. It's fine time for our dream to be fully realized." The voice from with the darkness said.

"What of the Farwind lineage?" Deception inquired, "Have they completely been erased from the face of the, earth?"

"Unfortunately, all but the youngest daughter were slaughtered like cattle by my very own hands." the voice within the darkness responded.

"The Seer?!" Deception asked but before she could receive her answer she continued, "She was our initial target. How could you le-"

"You dare question my methods!" the voice from the dark came, rising higher and then swooping in behind Deception. A dark blade's shadow wrapped itself around her neck. Attached to the blade was the the shadow of a man with long hair falling down his back. Deception caught off guard stood defenseless, eyes wide, her glare never leaving the blade.

"No...no..I would never do such a thing brother." the words barely making it out of Deception's mouth.

"Fine then." said the shadowed figure while releasing Deception from his grip, "I've already sent Carnage to take care of the seer."

"So that's why you came back for Malevolence." Deception said finally able to breath normally, "Because Carnage took Logic and Reason with him."

-------------------

Carnage plowed his way through the thick forest effortlessly before stopping just before Maurich and Jackie's campsite. Peeking out from forest, making sure not to be spotted or detected easily, he watched the two closely as they slept.

"Time to die little princess." said Carnage with his husky voice.

"No it is still night time and the Dark Knight, Maurich is here as well."came another voice, "We don't know what he is fully capable of yet."

"You're always ruining my fun, Reason." Carnage's husky voice spoke up again.

"You'll have the advantage during the day when we're both weakened anyway, Carnage." came another voice,"Never you mind though," each voice began to speak in unison, "because tomorrow...

"..We kill Jacqueline Farwind..."

To be continued...

Malevolence had finally reached "The Edge of Insecurities", fortress to the Dark Brethren. A wide eyed, dark haired, young boy greeted him at the entrance grinning from ear to ear.

"I have no time for your foolishness today, Folly." Malevolence said while walking past the boy.

"My aren't we in a bad mood."Folly replied gleefully to Malevolence's remark. Suddenly, with no prior warning at all, Folly just rushed at Malevolence deviously aiming to strike him at his vitals. Malevolence, not missing a step, grabbed Folly by the forearm, swung him around and sent him flying into one of the pillars occupying the long corridor of the fortress. Folly's body dissipated before crashing into the pillar, reassembled atomically and then he decided quickly to hideout in the darkness of the corridor.

Malevolence quietly walked down the corridor listening for the direction of the next incoming attack. He quickly located Folly's position and braced himself for the boy's assault.

"I told you, Folly!" Malevolence began shouting out into the darkness, " I, am not..." Folly came flying in at full speed armed with a deadly blood diamond dagger, aiming once again, to strike at Malevolence's vitals. Malevolence's right arm instantly went feral and transfigured into an enormous claw. He caught Folly in mid air and slammed him through two pillars, finally pinning him to a wall of the corridor.

From the ground with Folly pinned ten feet up against the cold bricks of the corridor's wall, "...IN THE MOOD FOR GAMES!" Malevolence hoarsely finished. The transformation had begun to spread from his right arm throughout the rest of his body as he grew angrier with each passing second. He brought Folly down from the wall toward his face and glared into the boy's cold dark eyes.

"I might just kill you today!"sneered Malevolence, fangs now protruding from his mouth.

However, Malevolence's threat seemed to fall on deaf ears as it bounced off the walls of the corridor. Folly's eye's had grown wider and the grin he wore was even more grimace than before. Malevolence's patience was dissolving quickly as he stared with murderous intent into Folly's smug face, lured like a moth to a flame by the boy's tempting glare.

"Come now, Malevolence. He's just a child after all." came a voice from behind.

"Stay out of this, Deception!" Malevolence shot back to the shadowed figure behind him.

"That is the last child of darkness. He is the only heir to the throne of darkness. Unhand him now, lest you desire to face me!" Deception said stepping out from the shadows.

"Fight the eldest daughter of the late master?" Malevolence thought to himself. He knew better. "Fine, as you wish." he finally replied. Malevolence's transformation had ceased its progression as he had begun to calm down. He then let go of Folly who fell gleefully to the floor landing on his hands.

"Where are Chaos and the others?" asked Malevolence.

"Out searching for the sage, no doubt." Deception replied.

"Well wake me when they get back, would you?" Malevolence called back from over his shoulder as he walked down the corridor disappearing into the darkness leaving Folly and Deception in each others company.

"Sister, why is it that I couldn't see myself in Malevolence's eyes like I can in any human's, the very moment before I slay them." Folly asked, still standing on his hands. Deception looked down at him and responded, "That's simple little brother."

"It's because the only thing that darkness can ever reflect is darkness."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Your heart?! Are you insane! Oh my God, how do I end up with these type of guys!" Jackie started in a rage, "Seriously, it's not enough that you fall from only God knows where all banged up, wearing creepy dark armor and all, but come on mister! I mean seriously dude, That's insane!"

Maurich fell again to the ground, this time from exhaustion, in the midst of Jackie's ranting. Jackie may not have understood his plight completely, but she was definitely right about one thing. The injuries that he had acquired during his journey to save a princess he no longer could be with were all very serious and now more than ever desperately craved attention. He woke up bandaged, disoriented nestled in animal fur next to a warm fire. Gathering his strength he attempted to prop himself up but his injuries hadn't yet healed completely and the pain shot quickly throughout his entire body. He wailed out in agony.

"Oh, quiet down you. After I went through so much trouble finding a safe place for us to rest, you're gonna go and a be a dork and just mess it all of that up, right? Typical male."came Jackie's voice for the other side of the cave.

"Where's my armor?" Maurich, having now gotten over the pain was able to ask.

"Don't worry, it's safe." said Jackie as she drew nearer,"You were beat up pretty badly there buddy. I almost feel bad for what I said earlier." Then Jackie grew quiet. Tears began to well up in her eyes. Maurich knew there could be only one explanation for Jackie's sudden withdrawn state. Jackie had seen the huge scar left on his chest from where he cut out his own heart.

"So, you saw it, huh."Maurich said breaking the eerie silence accompanied by tears.

More silence was Jackie's only response yet it spoke volumes. Maurich could not face her any longer. There was nothing sadder than the sight of a woman crying. He turned away to face the cave's ceiling.

"Love is definite, infinite and never ever compensates..."

"Love is... complicated." he began, "I was a dark soul who by chance happened to fall in love with something more brilliant than light itself...I would have given anything to be with her...nothing short of my very own life...She mean-"

*SMACK!*

Jackie's hand was soaked from wiping away her tears. The smack to Maurich's face echoed of the walls of the cave. Maurich, distraught by the sudden interruption couldn't even bring himself to turn and look his assailant in the eyes as she stood over him.

"Tonto!" she started,"So, you would reek pain and destruction on your own life for someone else's benefit? For someone obviously unable to reciprocate and because of what? The sake of some measly notion of a knight's honor or nobility? Is that all your life is worth to you?! Do you not love yourself at all?!"

Maurich immediately turned around, perplexed and infuriated by Jackie's argument, "And what is there to love about this!" he exclaimed looking into her eyes. "You have all the answers, right? So tell me lady, what is there to love about someone like me?!" he inquired intently holding her gaze. "Who would ever want to live something like me, hm?! Answer me!"

Jackie stumbled back shocked by Maurich's response. She could not believe what she was hearing. She did not understand how such a sad existence could even be possible. She stared back into his eyes trying to make sense of it and then she saw it. The darkness that had plague the warrior since birth. She saw every last bit of it, his struggle, the pain, the fear and how in spite of it all he found strength to keep moving forward. She saw a love for someone that simply could not be and then she saw complete and utter darkness for as far as the eye could see save for at the center of it all, were there was a light so bright and so brilliant that everything that she had ever known to glisten or sparkle, veiled in comparison. The light seemed to draw her near. It was both pleasant and inviting. She could hear a voice speaking from within it. It grew louder the closer she approached, until she could make out the words being spoken. The light began to grow and wiped away all the darkness. Everything went white.

Jackie regained consciousness with Maurich sitting next to her. "You fell unconscious all of the sudden. I caught you before your head hit the ground and laid you down were you had me laying." Jackie quickly got up and walked back over to her side of the cave."Just rest up, dummy. You have to heal up if you're going to going off on your crazy little adventure." she said as she laid down facing away from Maurich. Maurich laid back down baffled. He had absolutely no idea what had just happened.

Jackie just laid still, waiting for the knight to fall asleep. She recalled what the voice in the light had said.

"...and out of his darkness, he'll birth brilliance and in death, he'll find life..."

She turned to face the now sleeping knight across from her. Wind accidentally found its way inside the cave and conveniently blew out the fire. Closing her eyes, as she slowly drifted off to sleep she faintly whispered to the sleeping knight,

"You dork, even a miserable knight like you can become king of his destiny."

To be continued...

By: Darrell Maurice Hubbard

Maurich laid lifelessly adrift in the void between time and space, only to be embraced by the cold, empty and seemingly inescapable darkness he had wrestled with his entire life.

"How long will you allow this entity to pollute this realm, Witch?" a voice spake from the unknown.

"What does it matter to you, Malevolence?" The witch of time shot back.

"Crazy woman, do you really not know? Did you really believe you could kill that type of darkness?" Malevolence said while moving forward toward the witch.

At that moment the entire area around them lit up with a brilliant light. The knight's body had stopped mid drift and now emitted this very marvelous light, making the area that they inhabited show bright white.

"Wha...What is this?" marveled the Witch of time yet fearful of Malevolence's impending reply.

"Fool! I warned you!" started Malevolence, "This is the true value of the darkness in Maurich. A darkness so great, so poignant, so abrasive, yet immensely incomprehensible and there in lies the error of leaving his body here in the void where something like that could come to understand itself. Now do you understand, witch?" Malevolence walked pass the witch and prepared to rip open a passage into time and space.

"No...this can't be..." said the Witch as she stumbled back in horror, "So the curse placed on him at birth was..."

"On purpose."said Malevolence interrupting the witch. He then recalled a memory that he hoped he would never have to recall.

"He must never come to know of his true heritage."

Malevolence's trip down memory lane was brought to a halt immediately as opening a rift in time and space required all of his focus. "...and out of his darkness, he'll birth brilliance and in death, he'll find life..." said Malevolence, "Looks like the light has eluded even the"Black Hole"." he continued.

"Black hole?" asked the witch. She had no idea what was going on. Had she really been so detached from life, having existed outside time and space, that she had missed something so detrimental.

"Black hole is what I cleverly named the curse my master placed on Maurich at birth under the guise of Maurich's father, Darrick." Malevolence began, "The curse exhibited properties similar to a black hole as it literally sucked up any benevolence from the knight's heart forever binding him to tainted darkness. For you see, there can be no clarity in darkness. The spell worked but it worked too well, which is why my master disguised as Darrick later killed Maurich's mother in front of his very eyes. This way, no matter how much light the black hole in Maurich's heart absorbed he would never be able to access or reciprocate it adequately."

"Yet here he lies afloat before us emitting light's brilliance." started the witch, "What went wrong?" she inquired.

"It's simple actually," Malevolence began, "You see, all humans possess an inherent darkness that can be manipulated but unlike you and I, who were born from darkness, each and every last one of them possess the uncanny ability to overcome anything no matter how great the opposition. My master knew this and sought to rupture Maurich's own inherent ability to overcome any obstacle. Alas, he was slain that very day that he decided to murder Maurich's mother by the very hand of Maurich himself. This was the first time I witnessed what my Master feared the most, the complete and utter destruction of darkness."

"That can't be..."the witch spoke distraught at what she was hearing, "Even in the most brilliant of lights exist shadows. Can darkness really be eradicated by a mere mortal?" she spoke now only to herself. She knew that if what Malevolence was saying was true then Maurich's existence meant the end of her, Malevolence and all the Dark Brethren. How could something like Maurich exist? What was this feeling that had engulfed her entire being? Was this what it meant to fear?

"No!" screamed the witch, "It's...it's impossible! Foolishness is all it is!"she had gone insane with madness. Fear of an impending death had taken her victim. Malevolence had finally finished ripping open a rift in time and space."Get a hold of yourself woman!" he yelled at the witch, "We have to escape before we are engulfed in the light's rays."

The witch of time snapped. "I...I can't accept it."she said under her voice. The darkness inside her had reached its boiling point and time began to flow inside the void." I can't accept it!" screamed the witch. She would not be denied her existence.

"What are you doing?" Malevolence cried out to her, "You'll only speed up the process!"

The void began to collapse on itself but the light emitted by Maurich fought to keep it from closing in on the warrior. The witch poured her darkness into time to speed it up. She meant to kill the dark knight by rapidly aging him.

"No!" Malevolence yelled out, but it was too late for the witch and he knew it. He knew the rift would not stay open long. He did not want to leave the witch behind for she could prove useful but he had no other choice.

"Well, at least we still have the option of the sage of space." he spoke out loud to himself, "Though I doubt he'll cooperate willingly. Perhaps, the dark brethren and I can use this mishap to our advantage... I will avenge you, master."

"...and out of his darkness, he'll birth brilliance and in death, he'll find life..."

Malevolence walked through the rift making sure to seal it immediately after exiting on the other side. Back in the void the witch was getting fired up. Her body had been engulfed in a crimson flamed armor. She unsheathed a sword made from malice and chaos from thin air and dashed toward Maurich's body to deliver the killing blow.

"Die!" she hysterically barked as she rushed toward the knight's body.

"Its time...to wake up from this dream, my son." a voice from beyond the void spoke.

"...Father?!" Maurich uttered from his lips.

"Son, it is true that the world is but an endless spiral of death..."Maurich's father began, "but even in death one can find out what it truly means to live..."

White flames struck the body of the dark knight like lightning inducing a shock wave that sent the witch flying back half way across the void. Black plated armor melded from the white flames formed and cuffed the knight's body. Stretching forward his hands, Maurich unsheathed two swords from beneath the envelop of fire, smoke and brimstone produced from the lightning bolt of white flames still engulfing his body. One sword was a marvelous blade wrapped in white flames while the other consisted of literally a hilt, a guard and an explosion of dark flames that appeared to be darker than the flames of his previous armor. Maurich causally took one step forward and time ceased to flow inside the void. The collapsing void along with the witch of time all stood at attention before the knight. He walked over to the witch and yanked her away from time's grip, sending her hurling through the void.

"Persevering will of existence..."Maurich spoke the words quietly as if whispering to the wind. Immediately the sword of dark flames grew larger and with one slash he cut through the witch from halfway across the void. The brilliant light that illuminated the void attached itself to the witch and began to shine more brilliantly than before and blew apart the void sending both the knight and the witch flying off in opposite directions.

"I get it now," said the witch of time having finally come back to her senses now that she stood at death's door,"This light is one that not even darkness could hope to comprehend." She then faded away into nothing.

Maurich lost consciousness and drifted endlessly across time and space until finally crashing.

"Its time...to wake up from this dream, my son..."

"Wake up Mr. sleepyhead!" was the very next thing Maurich heard.

"Ugh...my head..."Maurich thought to himself. He awoke before a very charismatic young lady named Jackie. She introduced herself immediately after Maurich had recovered consciousness "What happened?" Maurich inquired.

"Well you sort of discovered gravity there, buddy?"Jackie replied. Maurich could tell right away that Jackie was adept in the art of sarcasm. She somehow seemed vaguely familiar to him. He smiled a little at her remark. Jackie noticed it.

"What are you smiling so endearingly about?" she inquired.

"Nothing."Maurich replied. He knew that such a reply would annoy any woman and used it as a way to ditch Jackie.

"How did I end up with this dork, again?"Jackie thought to herself annoyed, "Seriously, he just falls from the sky, on his head no doubt, and now he's sitting here smiling about it? Geez!" If she hadn't turned around in time she would not have noticed that Maurich had gotten up and was walking away.

"Hey, where do you think you're going, mister?"she called out to him, "You need to get some rest. Your injuries were pretty bad when I found you."

"I have something I must find and I don't have time to sit around waiting." Maurich responded through his labored breathing. He took one more step before collapsing to the ground. A sharp pain jolted from the wound on the left side of his stomach and caused him to yell out in agony.

"See, I told you."Jackie teased.

Maurich got back up to his feet but immediately fell back to his knees.

"What's the rush, you?" Jackie inquired, "What is it that you're so hell bent on getting to?"

Maurich took a deep breath, bit down on his lower lip as he stood up one final time. The pain was virtually unbearable. Then turning slowly back toward Jackie, who was still waiting for an answer, he replied,

"My heart."

To be continued...

By: Darrell Maurice Hubbard

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived two single individuals, a princess and a dark knight, who had from birth aspired to greatness. The world they each lived in differed in so many ways. They both inhabited the land of nonsense. All the inhabitants were immensely happy throughout the land except these two. The dark knight lived vey far to the south in a village called "Nueva aurora". He was cursed with an incredibly incomprehensible darkness. He wore a knight's armor to cover up the darkness but it was to no avail as the darkness tainted even his suit of armor, turning it black. He vowed that despite his condition that he would one day become a hero in the land. The princess lived far to the east bordering a village called "Nueva vida". She had abandoned her kingdom and fled in fear of her life. Her prince was an evil sorcerer who had betrayed her trust. Upon leaving the kingdom he placed a curse on her heart, trapping it in time. It was one day while passing through Nueva vida, the dark knight noticed the princess. She was smiling ever so radiantly. Her presence dazzled the dark knight's eyes, as only a princess that had seemingly stepped right out of a fairy tail could. He had only known darkness all of his life yet the light he stood in before her was so warm and inviting that he could not turn away. He requested an audience with the princess. He had to meet her. No one one would have guessed just how much, Karina, the princess and Maurich, the dark knight lives were about to change tremendously over the next few years.

The dark knight fell first to love's vice, but it proved difficult because of their conflicting pasts. He had no idea how to approach her, so he turned to her hand maiden for help. The princess' hand maiden, Norma, introduced both the princess and the dark knight. Norma and her friends, Fabi, Sandra, Suzi and Christi, enjoyed partying and drinking. They were known throughout the land for their countless adventures which usually took place after hours but that is another story. As time passed, Maurich and Karina grew very close and the princess' heart began to thaw. The barriers that stood before each of them were being torn down one by one, little by little. They were getting closer and were happy. Then the the war came and Maurich had to leave the princess' side. She plead with him not to go but Maurich told her that he had no other choice and that she she needed not to fear for her safety for he would protect the front lines and pushed the enemy back single handedly if he had to. Karina finally gave in, but deep within she feared for the worse. All the dark knight had come to know before he met the princess was war. It was essentially the darkness that engulfed him…It was indeed his very existence, his life's curse, long forgotten. "The world is but an endless spiral of death." Those words passed before his mind's eye. Had it really been that long since he had last heard these exact words come from the very mouth of his own flesh and blood, father? Those thoughts and those of the beautiful princess filled his mind during the war but when he returned to check on the princess he found her frozen solid. The curse on her heart had erratically progressed forward and now threatened to take her life. As the dark knight stood before her frozen body he became overwhelmed with unspeakable rage. The one person in the world that had reached through his darkness and brought him into a marvelous light now stood light years out of his reach…

Maurich cut out his own heart so it would never again be tainted by darkness and left it sitting beside the frozen princess. "Maybe this will keep you warm." He said as he turned away from the princess and returned to war, vanishing into the endless battlefields that stretched as far as the eye could see.

The dark knight lost himself in his battles. No man could defeat him in battle. He had nothing to lose. He had lost everything important to him and willingly given up his heart. Engulfed in darkness, he left a trail of death in his path as he traveled endlessly across the earth's death stricken soils. "The world is but an endless spiral of death." Those words struck his ears, inducing nostalgia. It was his father, who he had not seen in ages. He stood before the dark knight dressed in full armor. There wasn't any room for words or hesitation. Maurich immediately charged in recklessly, but his father easily fended him off and counterattacked, striking Maurich in the chest with his blade. Memories flowed from the blade into Maurich's subconscious as he spewed blood from his mouth. They played out before him over blood shot eyes. He could hear his mother's voice. "We never get the life we want to live, but we have to live this life for what it is worth. Learn to live this life, son." Tears filled Maurich's eyes and the helmet of his dark armor cracked and piece by piece fell to the ground. With his head lifted toward the heavens he cried out in agony. All throughout the land, his cry could be heard. It reached even the frozen princess. A single tear slowly escaped down the slope of her face and she began to thaw. The darkness that had covered the dark knight's face was removed and he could see again. Looking into his father's eyes, he could actually see himself for the first time. "I am you and I will always be there to help you when you need me." Those were the last words his father gave him before fading away into nothing. Maurich had also driven his sword into his father's chest as well at the last minute,just seconds before his father's counterattack, but with new eyes he observed that what he had fought was merely a memory as his father had died long ago.

The war ended abruptly and it was time for the dark knight to finally return home. He knew not of the princess' condition. As he was traveling home, the absence of his heart caused him to collapse and fall into a coma.

The princess thawed out and found the dark knight's heart sitting beside her. She was terribly frightened by its presence and thought that he had been killed in battle soshe fled back to her kingdom leaving the heart. The dark knight finally recovered seven months later and started to make his way back to Nueva vida. Upon his arrival he hears of Karina's wedding. She was to be crowned queen and had found a suitable prince. Maurich had returned for his heart but after hearing the news he just turned around and walked back out into the wilderness.

At that very moment, for him, it was better to not have a heart at all than to have one full of love for someone, he could not be with… "For love is definite, infinite and never ever compensates."

Perhaps that's why he left his heart for the princess and walked away. He just walked the earth for 3 years without stopping. The land of nonsense was a vast place. His armor fell to the ground piece by piece and revealed a surprisingly strapping young man. People all over looked on him, into his brown eyes and could perceive what seemed to be the only darkness present in the dark knight. He was miserable and his sadness was without equal. Then out of nowhere, one day he heard a voice say something that he never thought he would ever here again. "Everything happens for a reason." It was the princess' voice. She had said that to him often. A single tear fell to dead earth from the dark knight's face and a field of black rose bushes grew all around him. In the middle there was one pink rose bush. They were the princess' favorite. Maurich walked over to the pink rose bush and picked a single rose. Immediately, black fire fell on him and fashioned itself into an armor around Maurich's body. A mighty voice boomed down from the heavens.

"You must go to her. Only you can save her now"

"What? Why?" Maurich responded.

"She has called for you, dark knight. Can you not feel it?" The voice continued. At that very moment the dark knight noticed a heartbeat that did not belong to him. It was the princess' and he knew that it was because he had laid in her chest on occasion and listened to her heart beating.

"But, how?" Maurich shouted up to the heavens.

"Karina fled from Nueva vida to her hometown, "Su Casa" in order to inquire information about your death. She was not sure what to think upon waking up with your heart being there beside her. She sought counseling from her former prince who tricked her into marrying him for your safety. Remember how when you fell into that coma yet you have no memory of your recovery? That was that sorcerer's doing."The voice responded.

"So, why now am I just receiving her heart?" The dark knight asked.

"Because in the princess's weaken state, she could only cast the enchantment within the range of Nueva vida. After 3 years, you have finally stumbled back upon the soils of this once vibrant place. The princess' last request was that her heart be sent to the one person she trusted most."The voice answered again.

"And what has become of the princess?" The dark knight inquired. He was steadily growing angrier as each second passing seemed to be the equivalent of a lifetime.

"I do not know for certain but she must be indire circumstances to have called me." The voice quietly responded.

"Wait. Who are you exactly?" Maurich asked now confused but he was nowhere near ready for the answer.

The voice paused for what seemed an eternity. The dark knight could sense the distinct presence of unease in the air. His anger had reached a boiling point. So much had happened in just 3 years. His rage finally exploded.

"WHO ARE YOU?"He yelled up to the heavens.

His body was jolted with shock by the response and he stood, eyes wide open as the voice finally answered. "I am the enchantment…and I am called, Death's wish."

Maurich turned away from the voices direction and immediately ran for the castle to save his princess.

"Wait!"The enchantment called out to him, "Take this sword with you. It is called the sword of faith and it will reveal its true power when the time comes…"

"…And remember one more thing, Love is definite, infinite and never ever compensates…if you remember that, then you won't need the armor or the sword…"

The dark knight ran toward the castle. The sky had been darkened by storm clouds. The wind howled and thunder crashed violently into the eardrums of the village's inhabitants. Maurich reached the front of the castle only to be stopped by a great white dragon with a piece torn garment from the princess snared in it's teeth. The dark knight, now infuriated, quickly drew his sword. Lightning flashed, revealing the eyes of the mystical beast which were glowing pink. The battle was indeed fierce but quickly decided. The beast lunged forward, breathing white flames, but Maurich swiftly moved out of the way and dashed forward to strike the dragon at its heart. Black fire from his new dark armor gathered around the blade of the sword and exploded when the tip of the blade made contact with the mystical beast. Debris and smoke scattered revealing a shocking revelation. Maurich soon regretted letting his rage get the best of him as the dragon slowly transformed back into Karina. His journey to save her had all of the sudden come to a complete halt. There were no tears as he held Karina in his arms. He yelled out in agony but only air could escape as this pain that he felt now was not only incomprehensible but extremely difficult to communicate. It was as if in mere seconds his whole world had suddenly ceased to be and all he could do was watch on as it preceded to do so.

"I've been watching you." A mysterious voice spoke out.

The dark knight did not respond. The princess was literally dying in his arms and yet at the same time, it was unclear to him, who, exactly was dying in whose arms.

"I can help you."The voice came again.

"Who are you?"Maurich finally muscled up the courage to ask.

"The witch of time and I can help you but it will cost you a great deal…maybe, everything."The witch responded.

The dark knight never once looked away from the face of his princess.He just spoke quietly, "It does not matter what the cost is. I just want her to live."

The princess woke up in a world where everything was back to normal. That day was one of the most beautiful days ever. The sun glared intently with favorable intentions all over the land of nonsense and everything it's rays touched seemed to glisten. She had no idea that she was the only one who remembered what all had happened or of how she had lived. Karina asked her hand maiden, Norma, and her friends if they had seen the dark knight but none of them knew who she was speaking of. No one in the entire land of nonsense knew of the dark knight. It was as if he had never existed. What had happened to the dark knight?

"A Hero Trapped in time"(Dark knight's deal)

The witch told the dark knight that enable to save the princess; he'd have to give up his most precious possession, the heart of the princess. She told him that he actually did not need the heart to live because his heart was still intact. The dark knight gave up the princess' heart but he had no idea what that actually meant. All his emotions and even his reason to live were taken away. Life returned to the princess' body as it left the dark knight's. The black flame armor and the sword of faith disappeared together into thin air. With his last breath the dark knight uttered three words as he watched life enter the body of the princess...

"I.. love... you."

In a matter of seconds the knight's life force was completely drained and his body laid lifelessly in the void between time and space...

"In her dreams" Cuando duermes, estoy contigo...

It was a beautiful day out. The sun had risen and was shining majestically overhead while birds whistled melodies that could have only been taught to them by the angels themselves. The princess walked through a garden full of her favorite roses. She could see a dark figure in the distance. It was a familiar figure. Her heart began to race uncontrollably fast. Her entire body was all the sudden overcome with fear and excitement. She cannot believe her eyes. "It's him" she thinks to herself. She knew it was him. She knew it in her heart. She ran frantically to him and jumped into his arms. They stared in each others eyes and then they kissed, and for a moment time stops. Everything around them is instantly caught in times web. They stood beneath a cherry tree, tongues entwined, as suspended cherry blossoms slowly waltz in mid-air all around them. When the princess pulled away the dark knight noticed her tears. He wiped them away, then he put a heart shaped locket around her neck and told her, "Everything is going to be alright, but I need you to do something for me…" The princess woke up, tears streaming down her beautiful soft cheeks, heart was still beating erratically. Black rose petals had somehow made their way into her bed. In her hand she held what would be the dark knights last memento, a heart shaped locket that he had given here inside the dream. She clenched the locket tightly as tears frantically fell down her cheeks. She could still hear the dark knight's last words in her ears.

"…I need you to do something for me…"

"Live."

She then opened the locket and there, inscribed on the inside was,

Love is definite, infinite and never ever compensates…

The End...

By: Darrell Maurice Hubbard "marich7"