The Legend of the Ruby Daggers

~The Legend of the Ruby Daggers~1

She was once a beloved Queen, and is now the damned demon from the exile of the Neverending Mountains, her home residing the farthest back it is possible to go, they say, maybe farther.  Her purple cloak, stained in the crimson of the battle, swishes closely around her in the fleeting moment of ceasefire near the battle’s end.   It seems that she is the leader of the good guys, now, but the look on the face of the Prince, her grandson, nearby her, reveals that not one of the people from the side have faith in her.  In fact, none of the people in the world do, now, because of the torture she inflicted on that very boy.  She was once the most admired of the world’s guardian’s, some say the most powerful, rivaled only by the very first of all the guardians.  Her age barely shows through her preserved, about-30-year-old skin.  Her hair is cut short, like a boy’s, and her vibrant battle armor draws out the look of the queen she once was.2

He was once a beloved King, and is now far more damned than even she.   His golden cloak flies straight out behind him in the wind, and his eyes shine, their once golden color now stained to black with his bloodlust.  This is the creator of the most powerful and sinister force in the world he once ruled and held dear, concocted by the evil in his heart when he stole the crowns, hid them, cursed them, and left his kingdom to writhe in pain.  The power of this spell has many a time hypnotized, corrupted, and strengthened  even the strongest of his world’s souls, torturing them and killing them slowly… even forcing upon the world the battle taking place now.  He leads the side empowered with his curse, standing tall and shameless upon his long-feared return to his kingdom, overseeing the merciless slaughter of his people with no more care left in his heart.  His hair is long, and his face gaunt, giving him an undeniably insane appearance together with his wide, black eyes, yet he does not look a day older than she.  The crown, once again stolen, that is nailed to his head draws out no resemblance of the one he used to be; he’s too far lost.3

They meet at the top of the bloodstained castle which they once called home, in which they lived, ruled, and loved for so many years, so many years ago.  It is the same place where they first fell in love, first kissed, and first killed.  The stand, facing each other as the wind roars around them.  This is their reunion after the hundreds of years of being apart, which, in their minds, is what drove them to become the demons they now are.  The wind dies slowly, until it no longer drowns out all other sound, and their lips open.4

“You didn’t care enough to stay.”5

Their words echo out to each other as the only sound in the world, a bizarre sound to all others who hear them, the voices of two demons melted together.6

Then, in perfect sync with each other, the each draw from their belts identical daggers, their beautiful blades gleaming the reflection of the sunset in the North, never yet having tasted blood, each bearing an enormous ruby in its intricate hilt.  They hold them up, straight out at arm’s length beside them for a moment.7

“That’s reason enough to die, isn’t it?” 8

They sneer, once again in perfect unison, as they each bring the daggers to their destinations- over their own hearts.9

They walk slowly toward each other, the wind rising again, the clear blue sky growing dark above them in their ominous play.  They stop mere inches from each other, the hilt of each of their swords digging into the chest of the other, forearm crossing forearm.  They let go, and the only thing holding the daggers in place over their hearts is the chest of their soul mate.10

“Would you go to Hell with me, Love?”11

Says he as they look into each other’s eyes.12

“Alas, anywhere with you could only hold Heaven for me,”13

Says she, holding her hand to his face.14

They grab each other.  Their eyes close.  The enchanted daggers slide easily through their armor and their flesh, and their lips hit at the same moment as the last beat of their synchronized hearts, and their world is rid of them forever.15

A cry echoes out  from the Prince, but it is far too late.  Rain begins to fall from the clear, dark sky, beginning the long process of draining the world of that has been spilled that long day.  The battle is over.16

The two leaders fall, and when the survivors of the battle find them there at the top of their castle, their arms still intertwined, with Ruby Daggers imbedded forever in their hearts which were actually one all along, and the evil in their eyes closed forever, leaving eternal expressions of peace on the faces of the world’s greatest demons, they find that they are no longer looking at demons at all, but the beloved King and Queen of long ago.17