To See The Sun

The perpetual darkness knew no end as the withering willows passed by in hazy blurs. Beautiful unending black that swallowed the features of the surrounding area, there was no way to tell in what direction lied solace. For there was no guide, nor help to be given. Boots hit the ground with misguided steps, each turn was met with the sounds of pain or discomfort as they tried to run deeper and deeper into the shadows. Slowly, the steps began to dissipate and before long they turned into a lumbering trudge through the grimy umbral wasteland.

There was no beauty, only pain as the duo continued forward towards some sort of goal. Strange noises were met with fright and vigorous retreat as the expedition continued. The twins felt around them with labored breaths as they sought out a place to rest and catch some semblance of ease. With fingers raw and littered with small cuts, they found the familiar feeling of tree bark, easing themselves against it to recover. There were no words exchanged, or much of any sounds save for the ragged breathing of the two. The silhouettes seemed to be frozen for a time, becoming another set of parts to the giant cog of black.

"Do you think we will ever see light again?" The silhouette on the right spoke, his voice deep and scratchy though whether that was his natural tone or from the lack of nourishment it was hard to tell.

"We will see true light once again, the sun of years far gone. Far brighter and more glorious than anything Sanctum could create." The figure on the left said. Her voice was envigorated despite the obvious pain she was in. Strong and confident beyond the scope of her reality.

"I don't know Left. Are we sure the sun is not merely a myth created by the unfaithful to lead us astray?" Right seemed to fiddle with a tear in his exo-suit as nervousness permeated throughout his entire countenance.

"Right, remember my locket." Left's voice turned into a soft coo as she stared at the necklace around her neck. The silver necklace seemed to dazzle and glint even in the absolute obsidian. A small glimmer of difference to the world that it existed in.

Opening the locket with a delicate touch, Left stared into the center of it, the picture burned into the depths of her brain despite being unable to see it. She and Right being held in the air as infants as the sun beamed onto them and two other individuals. Joyous smiles that rivaled the king of the sky plastered their faces. Gripping onto the open locket, the tears threatened to cloud her already distorted vision. But there was no time to relish in her pain, they did not possess the luxury to sit and wallow in the anguish.

"I know, Left. I just...Nevermind. " Right let the words die in his throat, as the silence returned to them. Within the next few minutes, the sounds of exhausted sleep took up the clearing as the duo drifted off into slumber. Somber white palasteel walls seemed to guide the mysterious figure down the hallway, tinted windows betrayed no hint to the world outside. Citizens in clothes of white bowed in respect as the figure strutted through the path. Returning their bows with a similar one, the all-white humanoid was devoid of features. A white jumpsuit that covered it from head to toe and a long white cape that barely dragged behind it was all that composed the being's form. After reaching the very end of the hall, the figure waved its hand above the panel, after a few moments, the tiles that made up the wall dissolved into nothing to reveal a giant chamber covered in the same colorless material as the walls that made up the hallway. Bleached light of an unknown origin seemed to devour the entire top of the chamber. Sauntering in, the figure kneeled towards the ominous light with his head bowed in reverence.

"AX any word on the recovery or destruction of the two anomalies?" A cold and almost sinister voice spoke from behind the light.

"No, your excellency. They are still lost to the dark." The figure dare not raise its head as it responded.

"AX do you assume we made a mistake in choosing you for this task?" A feminine voice that oozed with a venomous bite materialized out of thin air.

"No, this mistake is my own. You are perfect in all your ways." AX seemed to grow smaller as the chastisement continued.

"Maybe we should give this to another. You are the chief of ministry and this may prove too much for you to accomplish with everything you have to do." A second male-like voice sarcastically retorted as it joined in the gathering.

"With all due respect your grace, I am the only one capable of completing this task without failure or mistake. I am your sword and I will cleave all taint." AX quivered under the stress of its indignant rage, but there was no arguing, they were the apex evoluationaries, the great guides to eternal bliss and progression. The light above all other light. Their words were the truth to all wrong.

"Then go forth and cleave oh almighty "sword" and do not disappoint us. For the Sanctum protects all from the darkness and to come from the darkness." The cold voice responded and then silence returned to the chamber.

"Is to be evolved by the light." replied AX. The figure stood to its feet and marched out of the chamber, the tiles of the hidden wall closing behind its exit.

"Rise Left! They are close! Let's go!" Right screamed and shook his sister awake. Adrenaline burned through her system as she jolted awake, the peril pushing her to scramble up with her brother, together they ran straight forward, crashing through the thick brush of the stygian forest. Malicious machines tore through the thicket behind them, as they scoured the area to find them. Holding hands, the two of them used one another to guide around various obstacles, then it came. A single laser flew by in a flash of brilliant blue light. For the first time in that brief instance, the two could look upon their sibling's face. Scorch marks, scars, and dirt littered their faces, it was as if looking into a living mirror. Left's face seemed to be plastered with more blue light than her brothers as the locket reflected the light onto her skin.

"We are going to have to separate! Whistle sparingly and we will find each other again! Split now!" Left shouted out the instructions and nodded her head. Letting go of each other hands, the two stared at each other longingly, knowing that this may be the last they ever see the other. Running through the brush, the twins led their pursuers in different directions, the machines splitting to take both leads. The world returned to a blur as Right sprinted through the forest, crashing through the dead branches and plants as he fought to escape. They had to get away, Left deserved to see the sun and he had to be there to protect her.

Pushing further, Right crashed through the thicket from the approaching menace, bellowing out into the open sky as the ground left from beneath him. Roaring water crashed to meet him as he exploded through the surface into the murky depths. As the shock rocked his body, Right's mind went just as black as the water that cradled him into its arms. Drifting along with the current, the body rushed down the dark stream floating downward.

Water spurted from out his mouth as he opened his eyes to more darkness, but the fact he could touch and feel meant he was alive. Reaching around him, Right began to whistle, the sound of the malicious machine's long gone. Standing to his feet, he took off into the thicket again, though limping slightly as he tried to recover from his ordeal. Running around Right whistle grew hoarse as he could no longer conserve breath, no return whistle greeted him as his search was fruitless. Sliding to the ground, Right grew despondent at the bleakness of it all. They should've just stayed at the Sanctum, nothing the apex evolutionaries could do would be worse than this. Maybe I could turn myself in. I do not want to see the sun without my sister...Maybe I'll-

The whistle was shrill as it pierced the sky, the sound reverberated through the woods as it rang through his ears. Without delay, he thrashed forward, unyielding in his approach, without his sight, he stumbled mindlessly, mustering up small whistles as he tried to find her. In a blind push, Right stumbled through a dead log and rolled forward onto the earth. Laying sprawled out, Right could move no more, then she appeared. Left stomped from some unknown direction. She stooped over and kissed her brother on his head, the locket dangling right above the bridge of his noses. Right could barely hold on to conscious thought. Quickly, he uttered their greeting, the one that confirms them as siblings.

"I call you Left because you're always to my left." He smiled though she could not see it, his chest heaving as he tried to breathe.

I call you Right because you're always to my right." She knew he was smiling and returned the gesture, sitting down beside him.

The twins sat in the clearing and rested. Quietly, the darkness returned to complete silence no words needing to be shared among them. Standing to her feet, Left reached out into the shadows below her, Right taking her hand as he felt the fingers out in front of him. With a mighty heave, Right rose to his feet and stood alongside his sister. Together, they marched forward, the edge of the Sanctum close.

"Left how do you know we are going the right way?" Right walked somberly beside her.

"Before they took our caretakers away. They always told me to follow you and you would lead the way." Left kicked out in front of her as she felt along the path.

"But I have never seen the sun. How would I know the way?" Right stopped confused at the sentence.

"You're always to my right no matter what. So once we got into the outlands, I just started heading to my right. Now come on. Let us go see the sun." Left grabbed out for Right and once again they continued on their journey.

Crashing through the thicket, the area seemed to grow brighter, as the shadows gave way to the thinning darkness. They were close, the foliage was much thicker and stronger, the air was warmer. The sun lied just beyond the barrier. Half trotting, half struggling the duo pushed with the last vestiges of their strength. As they neared the barrier, they raised a collective hand, the coding in the exosuit allowing them to push through the shadowy membrane of their prison. Falling out into the foliage, the twins were greeted with the blinding light of the almighty sun. Its blistering rays washed over them like a soft blanket. Their eyes fought to adjust to the sudden shift and then they began to see the world beyond Sanctum, the world deemed a myth. Looking up the twins could see the giant structure that was the Sanctum, the white citadel that casted its ominous shadow over the land it covered, the shadowy membrane like a dark dress.

"Well, what do we now Left?" Right spoke as he eyed the place around him.

Gripping her locket, Left stared at the picture inside in all of its glory, the sun shining like the one in the photograph. The silver of the necklace gleaming in the light.

"For now, we bask in the true light. Tomorrow, we help everyone see the sun."