The Death Bridge

Raven dodged another ball of dark flames, countering with a beam of gold. She glanced at the sword and lunged for it. A ray of dark magic struck her and send her sailing through the air. She made contact with the ground and scrambled to her feet. Suddenly, the dark mist surrounded her and closed in on her. It burned as it seeped into her skin. Her eye's met the dark ones.

"You cannot win, Ljòsauki! Your friends will die before your eyes. And then you'll join them."

Raven fell down on one knee, groaning.

"Yes, Ljòsauki! Feel the darkness consume you! Feel my magic intertwine with yours as they become one."

"That's impossible, Gehèfna," Raven said between gritted teeth.

Gehèfna pinched the space between her brows. "Oh, I forgot…you don't know anything about magic, ours included…"

Axil's claws sank into Fenrir's ċhėst and he pulled him off of Brongr and into the air with powerful strokes.

Fenrir screeched. "The Njóladóttir will finish your precious Ljòsauki and then you'll all be lost."

Anger burned inside Axil's veins. "You underestimate her, creature. She's stronger than you think."

Fenrir tried to escape Axil's grasp but in vain. He chuckled. "No matter how strong her magic is, her mind will be her undoing, Lohiörneth."

Axil felt a wave of shock wash over him as realization struck him. "No…", he whispered before dropping Fenrir and turning his gaze downward, ignoring the creature's sizzling screech as it fell to its certain death.

"You see, our magic's the same. Yours are born from the light, mine from the darkness. But still the same."

"How do you think I visited you in your dream? How I always knew where to find you?"

Raven glanced up, her gaze locking with the dark ones. The darkness tugged at her mind. She closed her eyes and clutched her head. She heard voices…whispering, accusing her, calling her name. She felt her willpower falter. Her own thoughts turned against her.

Axil landed beside her, trying to get past the mist; calling her name.

She glanced around. Through the mist, she saw the malice in Gehèfna's eyes, the fear on Axil's face, and the stumbling Brongr.

"{I-I failed them. I failed them all. Axil, Brongr, mother and father…all those other people… I couldn't protect them…}" Her eyes rested on the sword lying on the ground. "{I couldn't even wield the sword…I can't fulfil the prophecy.}"

"That's right, Ljòsauki. Allow your mind to finally tumble into darkness…"

Raven lifted her head. The wind's words echo in her mind: Remember, you are Ljòsauki. She frowned. "You said our magic's the same? And you visited me in my dreams because of it?"

"You're catching on slowly, Ljòsauki", Gehèfna grinned. .

Raven slowly rose from the ground. "So yóu changed my dreams?"

Gehèfna's smile faded.

"You changed my dreams, turning them into horror-filled nightmares. You wanted me to blame myself for everything!", Raven said as she balled her hands into fists.

"You are to blame, Raven. You had this power in you, you could've saved so many…including your parents."

"I was never to blame for anyone's deaths. You murdered them all. Every soul on that bridge. Their blood is on your hands and yours alone. My parents sacrificed themselves to save me so that I could save them."

Gehèfna chuckled. "And how are you planning on doing that?"

Raven smiled. "You've said it many times. I am Ljòsauki. I am a descendant of light! It is part of me. And you'll never corrupt it."

Gehèfna's low laughter echoed through the crisp morning air as she clapped her hands. "Oh how touching…but you are forgetting something, Ljòsauki. You need your precious sword to destroy me…and you cannot wield it. You don't have the proper strength."

"Do you have the proper strength, Gehèfna?"

"Of course…how do you think I wielded it before? My magic is strong enough. Yours isn't."

Raven closed her eyes and summoned her magic. She stretched her palms out to the sides and turned them upwards. She allowed the power to flow through her entire being. Golden mist poured from her hands and surrounded her. Gehèfna stepped backwards, her dark mist disappearing.

Raven opened her glowing eyes. "It was never about the magic, Gehèfna. It's about those you fight for, and those who fight for you. It is about the strength to do the right thing, no matter what."

Gehèfna's eyes turned red. "Oh, you are starting to sound just like the old man. Well, I guess I'll have to do the same to you as I've done to him."

A ball of dark flames travelled through the air, aimed at Raven. But a streak of silver cut it short. Gehèfna growled and her eyes snapped to the white-haired man. The silver eyes captured the red ones in a deadly grip of cold anger.

"I'll repeat the words I said to your…creature. You underestimate her. You underestimated all of us", Axil's cold voice cut through the air. He turned his head towards Raven, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "Together?", he asked as he held out his hand to her.

Raven stared at his outstretched hand for a moment before reaching out. She placed her hand in his and glanced up at him. "Together."

Gehèfna screamed in anger. She swirled around and rushed towards the sword. Axil suddenly materialized before her.

"An ancient Lohiörneth battle trick…" Axil answered Gehèfna's shocked expression.

Gehèfna growled and snaked her hand around Axil's throat at lightning speed. The latter smirked and let go of Raven's hand before disappearing along with Gehèfna. Raven picked the sword up at the same moment Axil and Gehèfna materialized further away.

Raven's eyes met the shocked and furious red ones. Gehèfna's form twisted as the black mist surrounded her once more. As the mist faded away, a long black claw lashed out at the white-haired man, sending him sailing through the air. Gehèfna roared and Raven felt the sound reverberate through her body. She clutched the sword tightly in her hands.

"I have waited centuries, trapped in this forest, trapped in this form. You will not deprive me of the freedom I yearn for, Ljòsauki!", Gehèfna screeched.

"Yes, I will", Raven replied calmly.

The beast charged at Raven, but the latter closed her eyes calmly. Memories flashed through her mind. The beast, the twin princesses, a jewelled dagger…all swirling around in her mind. Raven clenched her teeth and focused.

The beast neared Raven.

She turned the sword, the blade facing down, and allowed her magic to flow into the sword. Her magic intertwined with that of the sword and she opened her glowing eyes. The beast lunged at Raven, but she swiftly sidestepped. The beast swirled around and froze.

Dark mist surrounded the beast and disappeared to reveal the dark-haired woman. Her eyes were wide as she stared at Raven, surprise washing over her face. Raven stood in a slightly bent position, her arms stretched out in front of her; eyes still glowing.

Gehèfna chuckled hoarsely; lowering her head and glancing down. The glowing sword stuck out from her ċhėst.

Raven watched as Gehèfna slowly sank to the ground. She stood up straight and walked towards the dying woman; cautiously.

"It-thought…I had it all p-planned out s-so well…" Gehèfna said as Raven reached her.

The latter dropped to her knees, laying Gehèfna down on the ground. "You see? The light will always prevail."

Gehèfna choked, sputtering blood. "B-but…t-the light…the light took m-my beloved from me."

Raven's eyes met the dark ones. "No, Gehèfna. Your sister was evil. She had no light inside her. The light was inside of you…"

Gehèfna's brows furrowed.

"You had the light burning inside you. But you allowed your grief, your pain to swallow that light. I almost did the same. I almost allowed you to drag me into that empty void."

"B-but you d-didn't…?"

Raven smiled softly. "A storm blew two convincing factors into my life…"

"Ah, the storm…" Gehèfna whispered. She smiled, knowingly. "Cherish t-that o-one particular factor, Ljòsauki".

Her faint breaths stilled. Raven reached out and gently closed Gehèfna's lifeless eyes.

Axil's footsteps sounded beside Raven. She felt a warm hand resting on her shoulder. "Let's go home, Raven."

Raven sighed. "Not yet. We must bury them."

Axil's face twisted in confusion. "Why?"

"She's a princess, Axil", Raven said as she stood up; turning around to face the white-haired man. "And she was a woman, betrayed and alone, who lost her way."

Axil studied Raven's face for a moment. "Alright…"

"Ach, I'm nae diggin' with a sword…", Brongr's voice reached Raven's ears.

"Brongr!", Raven rushed past Axil and lunged at the big man, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly.

Brongr stumbled backwards, wincing in pain. "Easy lassie…"

Raven loosened her grip and looked the big man over with concern. Her gaze landed on the crimson stain on his ċhėst. "You're bleeding!"

"Och 'at? It's jist a scratch, lass. Dinnae worry abit-."

Raven shushed the big man and turned around. "We need to take care of Brongr's wounds soon. Can you fly us all back after we're done?", she asked Axil.

"Nae…jist kill me now…I'm nae flyin' with 'at twerp again!"