Vibrant Eyes

Chapter 26 - The Final Chapter

"Mommy!" I ran to my mother crying and gave her a big hug. "Alana! What happened sweetheart?" She asked me. "There were kids... and they were being mean..." I stuttered. She gave me a warm hug. "Oh honey..." we stayed like that for a while then let go of each other. "Never let people pick on you like that, alright?" I nodded. She smiled. "Good." She looked around as if she was making sure no one was around. "Listen to me. People will try to put you down, and life is going to get really hard. But I need you to promise me something." I nodded. "Promise me that no matter what happens, no matter hard it gets. You'll keep fighting. Promise me that you'll fight to matter what." I gave her a hug and smiled. "I promise." I felt tears roll down her face. "Good... I'm glad."

I ran up to Takashi and met him in the middle, our daggers clashing. 'Why did that memory come to me now?' I wondered. We slashed at each other. Dodging and hitting each other. Salem was winning the fight against the hellhound, which meant I didn't have to worry about him. Takashi's blade missed me by an inch as I ducked and kicked his legs. He jumped and flipped back. He looked around, noticing that I wasn't in front of him anymore. I got behind him and kicked him in the head, sending him flying. I slashed and slashed. Dealing a lot of damage. I stood over him and he sat in front of me on a rock. He coughed up a lot of blood and sat there with a sigh. He was smiling. "Wipe that grin off your face!" I yelled. He laughed. "Why should I? I've already won."

"What?" I heard a yelp, and Salem was launched in my direction. I dodged him and gasped. "SALEM!" Suddenly I looked to my right. Everything was in slow motion as Saturn appeared next to me. "Saturn..." She looked me in the eyes and smiled. Suddenly I felt her fist impact the side of my head, sending me flying towards Salem. Salem stood up and caught me to take most of the impact. I coughed and looked up from the ground. "Why...?" Saturn looked at me and smiled. "Sorry Alana, blood is thicker than water." She walked to Takashi and hugged him. "You did well Saturn." She smiled. "Thanks Uncle Takashi!" tears streamed from my face as I watched my best friend betray me right in front of my eyes. 'Why... why does everyone have to betray me...' I felt as though I couldn't fight anymore. They'd won. I fell to the ground and sighed. "This is the end..." Suddenly I looked up and saw a small light I reached out to it and saw Sato. "Alana," she said. I gasped "Sato..." Tears fell to the ground from my eyes as I looked up at her. "Keep fighting kiddo. You aren't dead yet." She disappeared and Zero appeared instead. He smiled and gave me a wave. Dakota appeared and she smiled. "Keep fighting girl, you got this!" Then I looked to my right, seeing Haru, Aether, Karuma and everyone else cheering me on.

"GET UP ALANA!" Karuma yelled.

"ALANA PLEASE!" Kuragari said.

"You got this..." Aether said.

I looked and saw the spirit of my mother smiling before me.

"I believe in you, honey. You've got this." My eyes shut and I pushed myself to get up, hearing everyone cheering me on. One voice stood out to me as Aether yelled. "ALANA GET UP!" My eyes shot open and I rose from the ground. My body shook with adrenaline and my blood boiled. Salem stood beside me and roared. Takashi looked over at me and smirked. "You want more do you?"

I raised my hand and locked eyes with Takashi. "No..." dark clouds appeared in the sky, covering it. Purple lightning appeared and started to strike the ground until it eventually struck me. I felt my body grow numb and all of my wounds healed. My eyes glowed purple and my body released a black mist. It surrounded me and covered my whole body. My body shifted into something that seemed abnormal. I grew fur, my arms and legs landing on the ground. My ears turned pointy and my teeth grew sharp. I took a wolf form and grew large, my fur a sleek dark purple and my eyes as black as night. "I want you dead." I roared at Takashi, sending bolts of lightning his way. He dodged all of them, but didn't see me come up from behind faster than light itself. I snapped my jaws onto his body and crushed it, throwing him against a tree. I growled and watched as he struggled to get up. "You took... everything from me. My humanity... my life!" I walked closer and closer to him. "And now... I'm taking away yours."

"Wait, NO!" I launched myself at him and grabbed his neck, snapping it in my jaws. His body grew limp, and I let his body fall to the ground. His blood dripped from my fangs as I looked at his lifeless body. I didn't even notice that Saturn had fled. The dark clouds receded and I turned back to normal. I looked around and saw that the rain had stopped. The sun shone through the dark clouds and the bloodshed had stopped. I watched as everyone were taking the soldiers that were left on Takashi's side prisoner, and our soldiers that were wounded were being patched up. I looked up at the sky and smiled, a few tears rolling down my cheek. "It's finally over," Aether said as he walked up to me. I looked at his and laughed slightly. "Yeah... I guess it is."

Aether smiled and took my hand in his. He slowly pulled me towards him and embraced me in a tight hug. I leaned my head on his chest and closed my eyes. 'It's over... finally...' I thought to myself. Aether let go of me and sighed. "Hey, I know that this is probably a bad time but-" without hesitation, I pulled Aether closer to me and kissed him. The sun warmed my skin as we let go of each other. Aether looked at me in shock, not knowing what to say. "So, you were saying?" I said to him. "Honestly, I don't even remember anymore," he said. We both laughed and smiled at each other. "Aether! Stop being all cute with your girlfriend and get over here!" Karuma yelled. He just laughed. "You think I'm cute big guy?" Aether said as he walked towards Karuma, leaving me in my own thoughts. I looked over at everyone. They were all happy. I knew that this happiness wouldn't last forever. I knew that new challenges would arise, and I would have to do this whole dance again. But I knew that no matter what happened, I would protect my people. That no matter what, I would keep fighting.

Till the very end.

The End