The real us

Zarkhaïm's body fell to the floor and followed a deafening silence. The notion of time disappeared. Talim was panting and Tarim was numb. Both were stuck in shock for no one knows how long. The pools of shadows behind them were agitated and waves were forming, menacing to overflow. The multiple faces and hands were like screaming at the dead king and trying to reach his body and wanting to devour him, to drag him amongst them.

The darkness formed their kind of snakes, ramping to Zarkhaïm's body. Tarim panicked as he thought they were going to destroy his corpse, he thought for a moment he would have to explain to Jäwell what happened and the fear of Jäwell's wrath was more intense than anything else at the moment. 

Tarim yelled, "Stop!" to the shadows hoping they would listen, and they did. For a moment, they seemed to look at him before continuing their road to the body on the floor. But when they reached him, the king stood up, and, as the young ones held their breath. Taking a step to be closer together and be ready to face the worst, Zarkhaïm opened his eyes. 

It was slow, and somehow very calm. When he looked at them trembling, Zarkhaïm chuckled.

"Good job," He said, freezing completely Tarim and Talim who were now looking at him with a certain surprise. 

Zarkhaïm laughed and started to clap his hands as the hole they made was healing thanks to the incredible power of the shadows 

"Summoning a portal to obtain help is a power I can acknowledge. You proved your worth, Tarim, the fifth child of my blood. I approve of you taking the lead of the Ombrae." 

Tarim was about to speak but no words came to his mouth. They have been so scared to die, there was so much adrenaline in their bodies that they didn't find a way to relax yet. Zarkhaïm was even more amused by the view of the two young ones glued to each other and shaking like rabbits in front of a wolf.

"Jäwell is strong, Miroïr is smart, Leïlana is brave, Ëmie is compassionate, as for you two, you love. Deeply and sincerely. This is another kind of power but I accept it in our lineage. You definitely will bring a lot to our family."

Zarkhaïm left the shadows returning to their places in their pools, he walked to the altar and spoke in a deep serious voice while his fingers touched the tomb's surface. He moved the surface slightly, revealing that the coffin was empty.

"I have a very particular mission for you two. Something only you can do."

Talim took a step behind her brother, not feeling comfortable, while Tarim was extremely curious. Feeling the honor Zarkhaïm was giving to them.

"What is it? We will do what you order us," the young dragon said with determination.

Zarkhaïm chuckled, "No need to be so formal," before he continued with a hint of sorrow, "One day, this tomb will hold someone captive, and I charge you to be their jailer. This is something no one should do alone. I believe your bond is unbreakable and when this time will come, when the worlds will be falling, you will be the only ones able to still trust each other enough to resist their poison."

Talim had a low head for a moment as she thought of her discussion with Archanium, she tried to hide it but Zarkhaïm saw it and came to her, placing a kind hand over her shoulder. His attitude was that one of a kind father and his words brought a light in her she thought she had lost.

"Even if you have his feather with you. I will always believe in you, and I am sure you do what you do for the right reasons. When the moment comes, you will protect your family and choose your brother over mine."

Talim raised her head, she felt a deep hope invading her. This was something she never mentioned to Tarim as she was ashamed of what she had done, and here there was Zarkhaïm who knew she was playing the spy for Archanium, yet, he was not blaming her. On the contrary, he was encouraging her. When she expected wrath and vengeance, the king of the darkness, the ultimate monster, was only kind to her. 

Tarim looked at her, not hiding his concern, "What is it about? What is happening?"

"Your sister sold her freedom to become a pawn of Archanium, and to thank her, he tricked her into losing her heart. He surely didn't expect that you would give her half of yours," Zarkhaïm smirked proudly, imagining Archanium's anger that his plan didn't work as it should.

As for Tarim, he looked at her in shock while she lowered her head in guilt. Naive, it was the only thing coming to her mind. She had been naive, she believed in the light of Archanium and his magnificence. She believed in his purity, and she lost her freedom, and yet, a part of her still believed in him even if it made her dependent on her brother's will to have a piece of his heart and remain the one she was. 

Zarkhaïm shook his head, "Archanium manipulates everyone for thousands of years, more years than anyone can count, you are just teenagers. Don't be too harsh on yourself, everyone in your position would have been tricked. He is skilled at this."

"I am sorry," Talim managed to say in a frail voice, almost heartbreaking. 

At that moment, she was only a little girl who made a mistake, a big one, and this cost her already a lot. She kept a low head, the fact that Zarkhaïm was not scolding her for her plan to be a traitor was just adding to her guilt. 

"No need to apologize, I am glad to know my children have their ambitions and their free will, even if it is against me," Zarkhaïm said but Tarim didn't see it this way.

"What!? How so? I don't understand! We can attack his Golden City and take back your heart then! There is hope! Right? He can't just hold you under his palm and we can't stay doing nothing about it!" The young man was excited, his fists were tightening so strongly that his knuckles were turning white already. 

Talim whispered, "We can't. He destroyed my heart and he gave me this feather. No matter how much I try to get rid of it, it keeps coming back."

Tarim understood the situation and how Talim was bound to Archanium. The brother and the sister looked into each other's eyes for a moment, taking in the fact that she was a spy for the light when he was a puppet for the darkness. Zarkhaïm waved his hand as he summoned a portal to leave them. His laughter resonated in the room.

"Anyway, it is not like it could separate you. Don't be worried, kiddos. In the end, everything will be fine."

How much they wanted to believe in him, the portal closed, transporting these last words, "I believe in you."

Lost together in the center of the world. Holding their hands and incapable of pulling out from each other. Tarim summoned a portal, feeling now naturally the shadows around him. He dragged his sister through it and they both arrived in a little cabin in the middle of the forest of the Ombrae.

She looked around, surprised, "Where are we? Aren't we supposed to join the castle?"

Tarim prepared the chimney to make a soft fire, warming the ambiance. She joined him, taking support over his shoulder as he was focusing. Usually, he would have just blown his fire. Never, he thought he could have used his hands. His fingers came to meet hers and intertwined. Holding her tightly, he took a deep breath.

"If Jäwell would have told me I would be able to do this, I would never hesitate."

Talim smiled kindly, enjoying the fact that her brother was not a gigantic beast able to destroy the worlds with one blow. She chuckled, "I like the original you too."

Tarim stood up and helped her to follow, he took a deep breath and suddenly rolled his arms around her frail body. 

Squeezing her with all his strength, savoring the scent of her hair in his nostrils. Plunging his face to her neck, his eyes wide opened, only seeing her skin. Talim let him do as he wished, enjoying this moment of complicity they never could have. This was a completely extraordinary experience for both of them as none of them had ever had such physical contact equal to equal. 

Talim always had sheltered between Tarim's paws, and for once, he was the one sheltering in her arms, loving every second of the peace she could bring him. Her hand raised and came to his head to brush his short hair and his neck. Tarim let out a soft moan all along she caressed him with care and extreme tenderness. Reacting by squeezing her even more onto her waist. 

Talim smiled, an incredible joy feeling in their shared heart. Every sensation, every touch, and every caress was so intense that they had the feeling of being reborn once again.

Tarim's lips brushed the skin on her neck, she surprisingly felt a drop of his tears touching her, his heart was pumping more than it should. And his voice came to her ears.

"I love you."